Five Of The Best Animated Superhero TV Shows Of All Time

It’s no secret to people who have read what I’ve written before that I am a huge fan of superheroes, whether it’s movies, TV shows or novels. For many fans of this brand of crowd-pleasing, action-packed, justice-affirming fun, we’re now living in an era of entertainment that we only dreamt of as kids: the chance to see the comic-book heroes that we enjoyed reading about coming to breath-taking life on a screen in front of us.

In celebration of the animated exploits of our favorite do-gooders, and to kick off what will hopefully be a long stint of posting on Medium (yaaay! Post number ONE, y’all!), let’s take a look at five of the best remembered animated superhero shows, where to find them, and why they have stood the test of time.

1. Batman The Animated Series (1992–1999, Fox & The WB, 109 episodes). Yeah, let’s get it out of the way. It’s not only a watershed moment for superhero shows, but for animated programming in general. The very phrase “The Animated Series” didn’t even exist before this show, and now many series have appended their titles, some retroactively, with the respect-seeking tag (in fact, three of the series on this list carry the moniker). Batman’s creators Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski set out to ensure that, unlike other superhero “cartoons,” their “dark deco” series would reflect the more mature themes of its comic-book source material, with stories highlighting multi-layered (often poignant) villains, complex dilemmas and high stakes. The show also gave us characters (the one and only Harley Quinn) and voice casting (Kevin Conroy’s Batman, Mark Hamill’s Joker) that have transcended the show, and remain beloved and iconic even thirty years later. (Watch on: HBO Max)
2. X-Men The Animated Series (1992–1997, Fox, 76 episodes) You knew this would make the list, too. A faithful recreation of the storylines and general feel of the comic books, X-Men brought the beloved Marvel mutants to the TV screen at long last. With exciting, continuing story arcs (“The Phoenix Saga,” “Days of Future Past”) and that unforgettable theme music, which was delightfully recalled in both Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness and Ms. Marvel, X-Men remains one of the greatest in the genre. (Watch On: Disney+)
3. Spider-Man The Animated Series (1994–1998, Fox, 65 episodes) Each entry on this list was judged on two main criteria: its ability to reach beyond the “kiddie show” box which has shackled so much animated superhero fare, and faithfulness, in look and storytelling, to the source material. Few shows have hit the mark on that last requirement quite like Spider-Man, which not only brought nearly every imaginable villain from the wall-crawler’s universe to the small screen, but featured a Who’s Who of Marvel superhero guest stars (Dr. Strange, Daredevil, Iron Man, Blade, The Fantastic Four, The X-Men, even Rocket Racer…yes, Rocket Racer!) for tasty crossover episodes. Considered at its outset with a bit of skepticism–many fans questioned whether the series could bring anything new and exciting to the table after three previous Spider-Man animated shows, including two in 1981 alone–Spider-Man The Animated Series remains one of the best of the bunch. (Watch on: Disney+)
4. Young Justice (2010–2013, Cartoon Network; 2019–2022, HBO Max, 98 episodes) The series on this list with the longest and most complicated history, Young Justice follows the younger members of DC’s roster of heroes (Superboy, Robin, Kid Flash, Artemis and more) operating as a covert strike team backing the seasoned Justice League members. Featuring complex (almost dizzyingly so) storylines and appearances by tons of fan-favorite characters, Young Justice aired for two seasons on Cartoon Network, and after clamoring from a loud and loyal fanbase, it returned six years later for two more seasons on HBO Max. Whether a fifth season is in the cards remains to be seen, but respect for the show among the comics community make it a must-see (Watch on: HBO Max)
5. Justice League Unlimited (2004–2006, Cartoon Network, 39 episodes) An greatly expanded follow-up to the stellar Justice League series, JLU takes the seven big-name DC heroes from the previous show and adds…well, just about everyone else. The Question. Vixen. Booster Gold. Stargirl. Captain Atom. Red Tornado. They’re all here, many of them appearing for the first time outside of the comics. The most exciting aspect of this setup was the variety of storytelling opportunities available. One week would feature a galaxy-spanning epic featuring Superman and Wonder Woman; another would offer a street-level, underground-fight-club story with Green Arrow, Black Canary and the Huntress; and a third might spotlight a mature-but-heated debate by the League’s heavy-hitters on the messy ethics of upholding truth, justice and the American way. Ever wanted to hear Batman sing “Am I Blue” in an episode where he’s also tracking down a Wonder Woman who’s been magically transformed into a pig? They had you covered. Whatever kind of DC hero adventure you were jonesing for, Justice League Unlimited could serve it up in satisfying measure. (Watch on: HBO Max)

Did I miss any of your favorites? Let me know in the comments!

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