While DC films have been hit-and-miss the last three decades (James Gunn’s trying to right that ship at the moment), fans of this popular comics brand have always taken solace in their TV shows. Particularly when it comes to the animated side of things. Over the years, shows like Young Justice, My Adventures With Superman, Green Lantern: The Animated Series and the DCU’s Creature Commandos have taken some of the medium's most iconic characters in a ton of creative directions.
For many die-hard fans, these DC shows have been how they got into the comics. Some are so good, they’ve been deemed the definitive version of these heroes and villains. That’s something Marvel really can’t say outside the X-Men and Spider-Man. From Batman: The Animated Series to Justice League, DC is no stranger to some of the best cartoons ever made.
11 Harley Quinn
(5 Seasons, 2019-Present)
Harley Quinn has been a fan-favorite Batman villain ever since she debuted in Batman: The Animated Series in 1992. In that time, she has evolved from Joker’s love interest into a fourth-wall breaking anti-hero all her own. In the wake of her modern solo comic series and live-action film appearances, the character got her own adult animated series in 2019.
This is simply one of the funniest and most creative shows currently on the air. Acting as a love-letter to DC Comics as a whole while poking immense fun at its most absurd aspects, the series brings old and new fans through Harley Quinn’s transition from abused henchmen to her blossoming romance with Poison Ivy. This show’s dynamic duo Kaley Cuoco and Lake Bell, are absolutely electric.
Their versions of Harley and Ivy are both fresh and respectful of their past iterations despite this show leaning heavily into the parody of it all. Whether it's the hilarious world building with King Shark, Bane and Clayface or the occasional focus on the Bat-family and their dysfunction, this show constantly keeps you on your toes. It has the endless laughs, surprisingly emotional core and risk-taking sensibilities that made the character a household name in the first place. It’s Kit-Man: Hell Yeah! spin-off is also well worth the time.
10 Static Shock
(4 Seasons, 2000-2004)
The first of many DC Animated Universe (DCAU) shows on this list, Static Shock was revolutionary for its time as it starred a teenage black superhero. On the surface, it may seem like DC/Wildstorm’s response to Spider-Man. However, what co-creator Dwayne McDuffie and his creative team brought to Virgil Hawkins made him a 2000s icon.
Embracing the millennium culture and the technology of the time, Static Shock became a mainstay Justice League member. Voice actor Phil Lamar also brought a comedic sincerity and heart that’s still unique to Static today. Finally, when you add in the show's crossovers with Justice League, Batman Beyond and The New Batman Adventures, this lively character was a crucial part of this legendary shared universe.
9 Legion of Super Heroes
(2 Seasons, 2006-2008)
Legion of Super Heroes was one of the lesser-known DC series that made Saturday morning fun for viewers of the Kids WB block. With Superman at its center point, this was a great gateway into the greater DC universe for a younger audience. Featuring characters like Lightening Lad, Saturn Girl, Brainiac 5 and Timber Wolf, the story propelled a much younger Superman into the 31st century. That initial fish-out-of-water story is something the show’s target audience could relate to.
Despite only lasting two short seasons, the stacks, drama and colorful action were on par with some of DC’s best offerings, like Teen Titans. The Legion of Super Heroes went on to have live-action roles in Smallville and Supergirl alongside remaining a huge part of the comic's universe. If you haven’t seen it yet or just want to rewatch it, Warner Archive put the complete on Blu-ray for the first time in 2020.
8 Krypto the Superdog
(2 Seasons, 2005-2006)
Krypto the Superdog was targeted to a much younger demographic than most DC shows at the time, focusing on early elementary school kids. Because of that, this was most likely the first exposure most fans had to Krypto and his super animal line-up that included Ace the Bat-Hound and Streaky the Supercat. More mature shows like BTAS and Superman: The Animated Series had tones that really didn’t allow much focus on this side of the universe. Although Ace did appear many times in Batman Beyond before this.
Yet, despite the family-friendly tone and storylines, Krypto was an extremely colorful adventure week-to-week that’s focus on friendship warmed every mission. Some could even make the argument that Krypto wouldn’t be as popular at the moment as Superman and Supergirl if this animated series didn’t sow the seeds. It’s not as important to the wider DC Universe, but a person’s fandom needs to start somewhere. Vibrant, action-packed gateways like this make life-long readers/viewers.
7 Batman: The Brave and the Bold
(3 Seasons, 2008-2011)
At the time, Batman: The Brave and the Bold was criticized for being too campy, especially compared to the much darker adventures of BTAS a decade prior. However, this colorful series was a love-letter to the 1950s and 60s silver age adventures as well as the series of team-up books it was titled after. Each episode featured a different hero side-by-side with our Dark Knight, like Green Arrow, Blue Beetle, Superman, Robin and Aquaman. Yet, at the center of it was Diedrich Bader’s Batman. His unique “Hammers of Justice” approach made the show a delight to watch with every new episode.
What Brave and the Bold was originally criticized for is what makes it standout today. Bader’s extremely serious approach to the comedy remains killer, and he still voices the hero from time to time in shows like Harley Quinn. Whether it was the iconic Music Mister episode or the extremely meta finale that literally tore down the walls of the comics, Brave and the Bold was an endless heroic breath of creativity. Like Legion of Superheros, it opened the floodgates to a wider DC Universe – one that included The Clock King, Gentleman Ghost and Owlman. If you need a nostalgic treat, the entire series is currently streaming on HBO Max.
6 The Batman
(5 Seasons, 2004-2008)
It’s hard not to make this list so Batman-centric. However, the fact of the matter is that The Caped Crusader has had the most series out of all his Justice League co-members. The Batman (2004) is one of his most underrated offerings. This Kids WB show mainly aired between the release of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, but it couldn’t have been any different. Following a Batman in the early stages of his career (Year 3), he was more a brute-force fighter than a detective. Yet, throughout the course of its five seasons, we satisfyingly saw him evolve into the hero we all know and love. Like Brave and the Bold, The Batman was heavily criticized. Mainly because it was the first solo show to follow in the footsteps of BTAS and the DCAU. However, it took as many chances as it could to differentiate itself.
This starts with the anime-inspired art style that was extremely angular. This not only gave Batman a fresh look, villains like The Joker, The Penguin, The Riddler and Terrible Trio got major overhauls. This started as an episodic villain of the week show with its new version of Clayface being a highlight, but like the character itself, the narratives would transition to more overarching plots that included Batgirl, Superman and the Justice League. If you’re done binging BTAS for the hundredth time, The Batman’s very electric blend of the character’s gothic roots with his more campy aspects demand it to be watched for both rocking theme songs alone. Plus, The Batman’s complete series recently came to Blu-ray for the first time.
5 Batman Beyond
(3 Seasons, 1999-2001)
Batman Beyond was one of the biggest risks DC has ever gambled on in this history of the character. That goes double when you factor them coming off the success of BTAS and The New Batman Adventures. Taking place in the not-so-distant future where this well-known city has turned into Neo-Gothman. Batman has been long retired and The Jokerz gang have been running rampant across the city. High School student Terry McGinnis takes matters into his own hands when his father is murdered and wears an updated Batman costume. His death is connected to Bruce Wayne’s former company and, after much convincing, the aging hero agrees to mentor Terry as Gotham’s new protector.
While this is very Spider-Man-coded, the dynamic between Bruce and Terry has made this part of the now-established canon wholly unique. That has a lot to do with Kevin Conroy and Will Friedle's great voice acting, but the mixture of teenage angst and the classic darkness a traditional Batman story provides makes this a masterful DC series. This isn’t even factoring in the Batman Beyond: Return of The Joker film which is in a league of its own. Batman Beyond wasn’t just some cheap Dark Knight Returns-like experiment with older versions of Batman’s rogues. Yes, we did get updates on Mr. Freeze, Joker and Bane. However, the new villains that included Blight, Inque and Ghoul made this Batman stand on his own. So much so that Terry’s techno-retro world would be absorbed into the main comic canon.
4 Justice League/Justice League Unlimited
(5 seasons, 2001-2006)
Justice League acted as a culmination of stories spanning almost a decade in the DCAU. Featuring a roster of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Jon Stewert’s Green Lantern, The Flash, The Martian Manhunter and Hawkgirl, this was the ultimate team-up show of the 2000s. The varied stories featured alien invasions, the Legion of Doom and many villain team-ups. Despite juggling so many characters, both iterations of the series included the same heart-pounding action, emotional storytelling and drama previous DCAU shows were known for.
Arcs like “Starcrossed” remain some of the best stories these characters have ever seen, while Justice League Unlimited took the time to tie up loose ends left in shows like Static Shock and Batman Beyond. That latter contains one of the best executed twists in the shared universe’s beloved history. Also, like all of its shows, both JL and JLU have brilliant theme songs.
3 Superman: The Animated Series
(4 Seasons, 1996-2000)
Superman: The Animated Series, the first non-Batman DCAU show was just as thrilling as BTAS. The latter’s Fleischer influences came full circle here. Like with Conroy’s Dark Knight, Tim Daly oftentimes feels like the definitive man of steel. That’s saying a lot given he followed Christopher Reeve. Bruce Timm’s version of Superman may be weaker than most iterations of the character, but that vulnerability made for more interesting stories. The massive space adventures and world-ending threats were definitely still there, but they were grounded in real emotion.
With the introduction of Lex Luthor, Brainiac and Darkseid, Superman: TAS would set the stage for things to come. While, at the same time, crossovers like “World’s Finest” were a dream come true for most DC fans. From the breathtaking hand drawn animation to the well-executed action that had the blistering romance of Lois and Superman as its backdrop, The Animated Series’ four seasons are some of the best DC content we’ve ever gotten.
2 Teen Titans
(5 Seasons, 2003-2006)
What can you say about Teen Titans that hasn’t already been said? From its anime-heavy influences to its unique blend of rich drama and humor to its iconic line-up of heroes, it remains a marvel of the animation medium. Robin was already in the public eye thanks to BTAS and two feature films, but this made Cyborg, Beast Boy, Raven and Starfire household names. There’s literally nothing to compare it to. It had a mature heart filled with enough kid-like wonder to stop anyone dead in their tracks.
Teen Titans is one of Cartoon Network’s crowning achievements. Especially when Raven and Trigon, Robin and Slade and Terra and Beat Boy's relationships are considered. Teen Titans contains some of the darkest storylines in kids' animated history, but the fun between all the devastating madness meant you were seated for every new episode. This is all about teenagers being forced to grow up and all the relatable growing pains are there paired with the immense heartbreak the comic genre provides. If you need a refresher, Teen Titans complete series is on Blu-ray thanks to Warner Archive.