The Best Superhero Cartoons
Who Says Superhero Cartoons Are for Kids?
*Updated April 2021*
I guess this is where I confess that I’m a grown man who still loves watching superhero cartoons. You see, I grew up during the hay days of animated comic series (the 90s to early 2000’s) and that shaped me into the geek I am today. Sure there are some truly awesome comic book shows out there and Netflix is cleaning up with their Marvel series (well, for the most part). Still, there’s something about watching some good old fashioned cartoons that brings a nostalgic tear to my eye. That’s why I thought it might be time to take a look at some of the truly great superhero cartoons that hold a special place in my heart. It was a little hard to narrow it down into one of Stars & Popcorn’s typical Top 10 Lists, so I’m tackling DC, Marvel and even some of those series that aren’t from the big two. So, get ready to get your geek on, because this article is sure to bring back some memories of the good old days and might even give you a few new cartoons to enjoy.
DC
While Marvel might be the big dog when it comes to movies, DC is the reigning champion when it comes to superhero cartoons. That just goes to show that the battle between the big two will probably never have a clear winner. Luckily, I go both ways when it comes to my superhero fandom, so I’ve got no problems paying my respects to both of these comic book giants. So, let’s take a look at some of the best cartoons from DC.
Harley Quinn
It took me a long time to finally jump on the old Harley Quinn wagon since I didn’t want to dish out money for another streaming service, and it’s one of my bigger regrets from the past year. The series is absolutely fearless and hilarious as it pokes fun at classic DC characters while triumphantly shouting “Girl Power” at the same time. Despite this being a cartoon, this is far from a kids’ show and I applaud DC for taking a risk with such a mature series because it is simply incredible. The series follow Harley Quinn as she breaks up with the Joker and starts her own gang as she sets out to make a name for herself. Along the way though she has to unpack a lot of trauma and struggle with balancing her life as a villain with the fact that she really isn’t a “bad guy.”
Teen Titans
Teen Titans Go! might be all the rage right now with the kids. Hell, the series is even getting its own feature-length film with a theatrical release. Before they got turned into comic relief, Teen Titans was a series that gave kids their own teenage superheroes to relate to. The series followed Robin, Beast Boy, Starfire, Cyborg, and Raven as they not just learned how to become great heroes, but also dealt with a lot of issues that teens could relate to. Luckily, the series didn’t devolve into constant soap-operatic love triangles like so many teenage superhero comics do. It only ran for three seasons, but man what an awesome three years that was. Here’s hoping we get to see the Teen Titans again in the future, but maybe with a little less “Go.”
Oh, and it had one of the best opening theme songs ever!
Justice League/ Justice League Unlimited
When DC first started making superhero cartoons they mostly focused on individual heroes with enough pull to ensure a solid audience base. However, after establishing Superman and Batman in their own series, they eventually went all in with a Justice League cartoon. The original series focused on the key heroes of the league before branching out into pretty much every hero in their catalog that was ever in the league. However, the Justice League never grew too big for its britches. While it might have had access to tons of heroes and villains, the series was created under the watchful eye of Bruce Timm who made sure it was more about the stories than the toys.
Batman: The Animated Series
For so many geeks, Batman: The Animated Series is something we can all agree on. It’s easily one of, if not THE, very best superhero cartoons ever made. While it might have been made with kids in mind, the series was an artistic masterpiece. It was nominated for more accolades than you can shake a stick at and even racked up a few Emmys. Best of all, it introduced the world to the one actor all Batman fans can agree on is the embodiment of the Dark Knight, Kevin Conroy. To this day he still lends his voice to animated films and video games as the character and his bold affirmation: “I am vengeance! I am the night! I am Batman!” still sends shivers down every geek’s spine. Best of all, it directly led to other DC cartoons like Batman Beyond, Static Shock, and much more.
Young Justice
As much as I love Batman: The Animated Series, there’s no superhero cartoon that’s easier to binge watch than Young Justice. For me though, it’s a series that holds a special place in my heart, because the comic it was based on is the first series I ever collected. The cartoon might not have all the same characters in it, but it definitely does the comic justice. Young Justice might have been a series about teenage superheroes, but it focused much more on the fact that they were superheroes first and foremost. There’s still plenty of first romances, and plenty of teenage drama, but more than anything else they were heroes trying to prove themselves to their mentors. If you haven’t seen this series yet, there’s still time to catch up before the series is revived on Netflix in 2019.