It should come as little surprise that, for many current comic book fans, their entry point into the world of superheroes was cartoons. After all, there have been countless animated series based on the characters of both Marvel and DC targeted towards children for the purpose of potentially creating lifelong fans of the source material.
Of course, that’s not to say adults can’t enjoy superhero cartoons, as well, so we here at Epicstream decided to revisit a number of shows to decide once and for all which ones reign supreme. With that in mind, here are the 10 best Marvel and DC animated series:
Spider-Man
From November 19, 1994 to January 31, 1998, Fox Kids was home to arguably the best animated Spider-Man series of all time: Spider-Man: The Animated Series. In fact, not long after it premiered, it became the highest-rated children’s TV show in the US, which was no small feat in the ‘90s. Unfortunately, the series was canceled after just 65 episodes due to a dispute between executive producer Avi Arad and network head Margaret Loesch, but fans still remember Spider-Man: The Animated Series fondly to this day.
Teen Titans
While many comic book fans look down upon the current Teen Titans Go! series, it’s not necessarily because of the quality of the show itself – it’s because of their love for what preceded it. Teen Titans, which was largely based on the popular Marv Wolfman and George Pérez New Teen Titans run, aired on Cartoon Network from July 19, 2003 through January 16, 2006. That same year, though, the TV movie Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo was released to serve as the de facto series finale. Reports as to why the show was ultimately canceled are conflicting, but given the success (and post-credits stinger) of Teen Titans Go! to the Movies, many fans still have their hearts set on a revival in the near future.
Batman Beyond
After Batman: The Animated Series ended, fans were left with a massive, bat-shaped hole in their hearts. Thankfully, though, Batman Beyond arrived on January 10, 1999 to help fill that void. The series ran until December 18, 2001 on Kids’ WB, and served as a futuristic/direct continuation of B:TAS, this time with the young Terry McGinnis under the cowl. The show was far grittier than most previous superhero cartoons, which – despite it being a “kids show” – was one of the major selling points for viewers. In fact, it proved to be so popular that the character and premise were even brought into the main DC Comics universe.
Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes
From September 22, 2010 to May 5, 2013, Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes aired on Disney XD. Unfortunately, this fan-favorite show was eventually replaced by Avengers Assemble, which was designed to be more in line with 2012’s Avengers film. However, while Earth’s Mightiest Heroes lasted, it delivered countless hours of entertainment, including adaptations of such popular storylines as Civil War and Secret Invasion.
Superman: The Animated Series
After the success of Batman: The Animated Series and prior to Batman Beyond, Warner Bros. decided to bring DC’s flagship character to the small screen with Superman: The Animated Series, which ran on Kids’ WB from September 6, 1996 through February 12, 2000. The show took cues from the Man of Steel’s pre and post-Crisis history, and while it wasn’t quite as popular as B:TAS, it did help spawn the next entry on our list…
Justice League
Justice League, which aired on Cartoon Network from November 17, 2001 to May 29, 2004, was the first show since Super Friends to bring together such heroes as Batman, Superman, The Flash, Wonder Woman, etc. Spinning directly out of the Batman and Superman animated series, Justice League proved to be wildly popular among fans, and while it only ran for two seasons, it was quickly replaced with a show that’s held in an even higher regard…
Justice League Unlimited
On July 31, 2004, Justice League Unlimited premiered on Cartoon Network. Airing until May 13, 2006, this series was a direct follow-up to Justice League, but unlike its predecessor, it featured a massive roster of characters from across the entire DC Universe. In fact, in the first episode alone, nearly 50 heroes appear on-screen. However, what made JLU so great was that each episode would follow a select group of characters, keeping every chapter feeling just as fresh as the last.
Young Justice
Although the long-awaited third season is set to premiere on the DC Universe streaming app next year, Young Justice originally ran on Cartoon Network from November 26, 2010 until its cancellation in 2013. The show was essentially a hybrid of Teen Titans and Justice League Unlimited, as it focused primarily on younger heroes but also prominently featured their adult counterparts. Of course, while the show was canceled for what many believe was a lack of toy sales, fans’ undying love for Young Justice is what ultimately led to the forthcoming revival.
X-Men
X-Men, which is often referred to as X-Men: The Animated Series (a la Batman), ran on Fox as part of the network’s Fox Kids lineup from October 31, 1992 through September 20, 1997. Although the show can be campy at times, what positions X-Men so favorably on this list is the fact that it had such a huge influence and created a whole new generation of fans by adapting beloved storylines like Dark Phoenix and Weapon X. It opened the doors for millions of would-be comic book readers, and let’s not forget the show had arguably one of the greatest opening themes of all time.
Batman: The Animated Series
Originally debuting on Fox Kids, Batman: The Animated Series aired from September 5, 1992 through September 15, 1995, and is by far the greatest and most influential cartoon of the 1990s. The series was the first in the continuity of the shared DC animated universe, spawning further animated TV series, comic books, and video games with most of the same creative talent. It would also lead to two critically acclaimed films: Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (theatrical) and Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero (direct-to-video). Not only that, but the series would also go on to heavily influence the Batman comics as we know them today, including fleshing out Mr. Freeze’s tragic backstory, as well as introducing The Joker’s on-again/off-again psychotic girlfriend Harley Quinn. Factor in the stylistic animation and the incredible soundtrack, and you’ve got all the makings of a TV show that will continue to stand the test of time for years to come.