8.The Zeta Project(2001)
The Zeta Projectcenters on a robot assassin, Zeta, who has a crisis of conscious and vows to never kill again. He was first introduced inBatman Beyondwith the intention of getting his own series, but DC gave him that spin-off much too early.
While there are some fun aspects toThe Zeta Project—including its use of a known government agency as the primary villain rather than a fake shadowy organisation like in most DCAU shows—the show ends up feeling flatter and flatter as it goes on.
Without an established DC character to build the show around,The Zeta Projectdoesn’t offer enough to draw in younger or older fans.
7.Justice League(2001)
The animated seriesJustice Leaguebegan airing in 2001 and was the first DCAU show to be aired on Cartoon Network.
It was a direct continuation ofThe New Batman AdventuresandSuperman: The Animated Series, and saw several voice actors reprise their roles from those shows, including Kevin Conroy as Batman, Mark Hamill as The Joker, and Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor.
Justice Leaguehad the freedom to draw on some lesser-known characters, giving most audiences their first look at Vandal Savage, Martian Manhunter, and several others.
Bruce Timm, who’s often credited with establishing the shared universe of DC shows, served as producer and brought a more adult tone to some of the episodes. However,Justice Leaguenever reaches the artistic highs of earlier shows and never gets to play with continuity the same way its successor eventually did.
Related:The Surprising Voice Actors Behind Your Favorite Characters
6.Superman: The Animated Series(1996)
WhileBatman: The Animated Serieslaunched the DC Animated Universe,Superman: The Animated Seriesis the show that proved the concept of a shared universe could work.
With its bright colors and heroic overtones,Superman: The Animated Serieswas a more kid-friendly show than its predecessor, yet was still able to tackle frightening subjects like Darkseid’s brainwashing of Superman and sending him to conquer Earth.
Superman: The Animated Serieshad a fun, tongue-in-cheek tone that fit well with its hero. But in the end, it always fell short in the same way that many Superman stories suffer: How do you challenge a character who’s as powerful as Superman?
While Lex Luthor provides an adequate challenge for the Man of Steel, none of the other villains on the show ever reach the same level of menace as Clancy Brown’s Luthor.
5. The New Batman Adventures (1997)
WhenBatman: The Animated Seriesended in 1995 to make room forSuperman: The Animated Series, it was assumed that that would be the end of Batman’s main adventures.
However, the character proved more enduring and popular than expected, so a new series was commissioned.The New Batman Adventuresbrought in more stories from the Bat-Family, including Batgirl, Tim Drake’s Robin, and Dick Greyson’s Nightwing.
This new series only lasted a year, but it gave us a glimpse at the tensions that could arise from Batman’s drive and dedication to his mission, and how that affects those around him.
The relationship between Batman and Nightwing was the most interesting, with Batgirl trying to mend things between the two costumed men in her life. This wedge would become a central theme in later shows, includingBatman Beyond.
Related:The best cartoon TV characters
4.Static Shock(2000)
I’m a sucker for high school superheroes (which would explain why I’m such a big fan of Spider-Man). And in the DC Animated Universe, no other show focuses as heavily on the balance between home life and heroic duties asStatic Shock.
Virgil Hawkins is a 14-year-old black kid from a single-father household, who’s trying to keep his identity as superhero Static a secret while not completely failing out of high school.
Static Shockaired alongsideJustice Leagueand included crossover episodes with Superman, Batman, and Green Lantern, as well as a bit of time travel shenanigans withBatman Beyond.
Despite that, Static always worked best when he was trying to tackle problems on his own.Static Shocklasted for four seasons before it was canceled, making it the longest-running show in the DCAU.
3.Batman Beyond(1999)
Set in a near-future Gotham City,Batman Beyondfollows the rise of a new Batman, Terry McGinnis, with an elderly Bruce Wayne serving as mentor to him. The relationship between Terry and Bruce becomes the most important theme of the show.
Batman Beyondties many of the other DCAU shows together, painting a future where the Justice League has been protecting Earth for years and Static has become one of the planet’s greatest heroes.
ButBatman Beyondis at its best when it’s contrasting Terry and Bruce. Terry is a teenager balancing school and family with his role as Batman, while Bruce pushes his young protégé while stressing that nothing matters more than the mission of defending Gotham.
Terry and Bruce are very different heroes and people, but their shared role as Gotham’s protector is what binds them. The friction and the respect that they share is the emotional core of the show.
2.Justice League Unlimited(2004)
WhileJustice Leaguefelt like a celebration of superheroes coming together, its direct sequelJustice League Unlimitedwas about how scary that would be to the rest of the world.
The world’s governments sought to build a defense against the League, and their actions were heavily scrutinized. The show’s expanded cast featured unknown characters—like Mr. Terrific and Red Tornado—fighting alongside the League’s founding members.
Justice League Unlimiteddrew more heavily on previous storylines than any other show in the DCAU, including Superman’s brainwashing inSuperman: The Animated Series, and featured crossovers withBatman BeyondandStatic Shock.
As the final show in the DC Animated Universe continuity,Justice League Unlimitedserves as a capstone to all that came before.
1.Batman: The Animated Series(1992)
It’s difficult to put any other DCAU show in the number one spot because the cultural impact ofBatman: The Animated Seriesand its lasting effect on Western animation can’t be overstated.
It was among the first animated TV shows to treat its young viewers with enough respect to tackle recurring storylines and moral greyness.
This shift in tone—from the brightly-colored toy commercials of the 80s to something darker—inspired an explosion of animated kid’s shows that were willing to explore more mature subjects. And that impact is still felt today in shows likeSteven UniverseandShe-Ra, which can trace roots back toBatman: The Animated Series.
The series also gave us the best versions of classic Batman villains, including Mr. Freeze, The Joker, and its introduction of Harley Quinn to the world. The DCAU’s tragic backstory for Freeze has become canon, and Harley has gone on to become a media property in her own right.
