DC Animated Universe Shows Ranked
Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe was taking the world of cinema by storm and enamoring moviegoers with its continuity, DC was doing the whole “Shared Universe” gimmick with its collection of cartoons from the 90’s. Dubbed the DC Animated Universe, or DCAU by fans, this collection of cartoons is, arguably, THE biggest exposure to DC characters for Millenials and Gen Zeds. Today, I give you my PERSONAL rankings for each of these shows, with an explanation as to why. And remember, this is an OPINION PIECE!
8. The Zeta Project
The Zeta Project was one of those shows that you saw get promoted to heck and back by Kid’s WB when it was airing, but then it, rather quietly, got left behind and abandoned. The show wasn’t BAD per se, of course! But I’ll be honest when I say that I never felt compelled to watch the show.
Zeta Project was a spin-off of Batman Beyond, one of my personal favorite shows from the late 90’s. Why didn’t I watch THIS show? Because by the time it aired, I was already out of its target audience: young kids. Zeta Project was a show that aimed at a younger audience during its first season, which isn’t BAD per se, but it definitely didn’t help endear it to fans of the DCAU.
It’s a shame that the show couldn’t be the hit it deserved to be, as its premise was pretty solid: a runaway robot that refuses to kill has to dodge government agents who wish to reclaim it and turn it back into a killing machine. Shiiit, that’s Toonami levels of awesome, right there!
7. The New Batman Adventures
The New Batman Adventures is a fine Batman cartoon by itself, but it commits a few mistakes that I just can’t overlook. First off, the stories became simpler and kiddier compared to the BRILLIANCE that was Batman: The Animated Series. Whilst the later show had several episodes that have gone on to become classic stories in their own right, New Batman Adventures can’t boast something similar.
There’s also the redesigns of several characters; most controversially, Joker’s redesign. In the first animated series, Joker looked like a crazy clown, complete with red lips. In THIS show, Joker looked like a pale mutant from a low quality creepypasta!
That said, there’s still a LOT to love in this series; loads of action, more Batgirl and Robin, Nightwing, several villains got redesigns that made them closer to their comics counterparts (most notably Penguin’s redesign, who looked too much like the Tim Burton version of the character in the original series), and so on.
Overall, it’s not a BAD show, but it can’t compare to what’s come before, or after.
6. Static Shock
Static Shock is a series that started off VERY promising, with several early episodes dealing with some rather heavy topics such as gang violence, guns, homelessness, racism, and so on. It was a GREAT show with a kicking intro song!
Then came the latter seasons, and suddenly Static was crossing over with every other superhero available. If it wasn’t the Justice League, it was with Batman, or Superman, or Batman of the future, or some new original characters that were also superheroes. Bleh!
That said, this remains one of the best superhero cartoons ever made, and one that was definitely needed when it aired, as black superheroes were few and far between, and hardly any (if any at all) headlined their own show. The success of this show really speaks for itself!
That it ranks so low is more a testament to how GREAT the following shows were!
5- Justice League
Justice League was one of those shows that really helped solidify the very notion of the DCAU, as well as the Shared Universe. This show picked up stories that got started in Superman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures, and even Batman: The Animated Series! It was a continuity cavalcade that felt like a reward for those of us watching since 1992!
The show was an Ensemble Show done RIGHT! EVERY HERO got the chance to shine at least ONCE per season! Plus, it gave John Stewart the proper spotlight he deserved, to the point that to many of us (me in particular) he IS the Green Lantern!
The show also made the GENIUS decision of making most of its episodes two-parters, allowing it to tell stories you just can’t get away with in 22 minutes! One particular episode I personally enjoy is The Savage Time, which could well be remade into a movie!
4- Batman Beyond
Proof that “Batman in high school” as a premise can be done exceedingly well. (Looking at you, DC Ink!)
Seriously, Batman Beyond shouldn’t have been as good as it is: not only is the premise an odd one, but it doesn’t feature ANY of Batman’s classic rogues. Joker? Sorry, but you DO get the Jokerz, a gang that dress in clown getup in tribute to the Clown Prince of Crime. Two-Face? Nope, but you DO get Inque, a woman who can shapeshift. And yet, by the strength of the writing, these characters have gone on to become iconic in their own right.
Terry McGinnis himself has also become one of the best animated characters of all time, in my opinion. A former juvenile delinquent whose father got murdered, Terry dons the Cowl in hopes of both keeping Gotham safe, as well as to make up for his own past mistakes.
The series also had several STRONG episodes; one of my favorites is Joyride, an episode that focuses on Jokerz hijacking a government fighter plane and using it to commit crimes. Another personal favorite is Golem, a disturbing look at the effects that domestic abuse and bullying can cause on a teenager, and just what said teen can do once he finds the means to fight back.
A GREAT series!
3- Superman: The Animated Series
Some people consider Superman to be boring. Those people have never watched this show.
Superman: TAS was the show that solidified the tone and the look of the DCAU. Stories were fantastical, but the characters were down to Earth. Superman himself was idealistic and virtuous, but he had his flaws. He was patient, but that patience had its limits. He held himself back for the sake of those around him, and it often bit him in the cape. But at the end of the day, he was still Superman, and that meant the world was in good hands.
Episode highlights? How about Apokolips Now? The episode where Superman dukes it out with Darkseid, LOSES, but the people of Earth refuse to bow to the forces of Apokolips? It’s quite possibly one of the BEST episodes ever made!
2- Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited- you take what made Justice League great, then you add every possible DC superhero you can into the mix.
Seriously, though, what makes this show amazing is the fact that it delivered STRONG myth arcs in each of its seasons. Though Season 1 was kind of bleh, Season 2 really kicked it up a notch by featuring a story based on Cadmus, the government organization opposed to the League. Season 3 then gave us a story of EVERY VILLAIN SO FAR teaming up to create The Legion of Doom!
This show was a wild ride that never let up! Episode highlights? It’d be criminal not to mention For the Man who has Everything, the ONE Alan Moore adaptation that the man himself liked!
1- Batman: The Animated Series
It’s not just the best Batman cartoon ever made, it’s the best superhero cartoon ever made.
Want proof? Heart of Ice, the Emmy winning episode that turned Mister Freeze from a gimicky D-List rogue of Batman’s, into one of the most famous villains of all time. ‘Nuff said.
