While they may now be better known for live-action MCU and DCU movies, there was an era where superhero animated shows were the best place to tell stories of superpowered heroes and villains. Whether they are original characters or comic adaptations, superheroes have been a popular pick for cartoons since the 1990s, with every major animation network having at least one superhero show. Some of these superhero cartoons wound up being among the greatest animated series of all time, and here are the seven best from throughout the decades.
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Since there are so many fantastic animated superhero series, some incredible ones unfortunately didn’t make the list. Team-up shows like Justice League: Unlimited, The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, and Young Justice are saturated with a higher number of heroes and villains than most series. Meanwhile, there are tons of great superhero animated series about original characters, such as Danny Phantom and Freakazoid!. Iconic shows like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir, Static Shock, and more also deserve a viewing, despite not being on this list.
7) Teen Titans
DC is full of iconic teams, but none have been defined as much as the titular team from Cartoon Network’s Teen Titans series. The lineup of Robin, Starfire, Raven, Cyborg, and Beast Boy is one of the most well-established superhero rosters ever, and the series explores each one to perfection. Teen Titans is an incredible mix of humor, action, and anime-inspired animation, and fans have been clamoring for it to return since the show ended in 2006.
6) The Powerpuff Girls
Many of the entries on this list are adaptations of comic book superheroes, which is why it was so impressive that The Powerpuff Girls was such a hit. Craig McCracken’s 1998 Cartoon Network series makes Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup just as heroic as any Marvel or DC character, with each episode following the trio as they take on one of the show’s many beloved villains. The Powerpuff Girls is absolutely hilarious and acted as a breath of fresh air in an era of edgy, male-dominated superhero shows.
5) Ben 10
However, there is an even better original superhero show from Cartoon Network: Ben 10. While the alien-themed superhero franchise has had multiple shows and movies, none have surpassed the original 2005 series. Ben 10 has one of the best superhero concepts ever, with Ben’s Omnitrix watch allowing him to explore a wide variety of superpowers and forms. The series captures the perfect mix of Ben’s superhero life and regular life, giving the show the same appeal as heroes like Spider-Man.
4) The Spectacular Spider-Man
Although it was far from the first animated series based on the web-slinger, The Spectacular Spider-Man is easily the best Spider-Man show. The series’ simplistic and angular art style allows fans to explore Spidey’s world through a new lens, making it immediately recognizable from any frame. Plus, it captures the tone of the Spider-Man comics better than any other piece of Spider-Man media, making it the iconic hero’s definitive show.
3) Invincible
Although it isn’t finished yet, Prime Video’s Invincible is already one of the best animated superhero shows ever. The adult-oriented series is a direct adaptation of the Image Comics series, with it managing to perfectly capture the narrative and tone of the comics. While many fans complain about some moments of animation, the art of Invincible is just as good as any show on this list at its worst. At its best, however, Invincible has some of the best animation ever put to television. Invincible is both a love letter to and a subversion of superhero comic tropes, meaning that the more of these shows you’ve seen, the more you’ll appreciate Invincible.
2) X-Men: The Animated Series
X-Men: The Animated Series was one of the definitive cartoons of the 1990s, and that’s in large part due to how incredible it was. The show manages to capture the massive scale of the world of mutants, featuring the vast majority of the iconic Marvel superheroes. The series is full of direct adaptations of comic storylines, many of which were handled flawlessly. Plus, the show’s 2024 continuation, X-Men ’97, only makes the show even greater, aging up the series for its now-older audience.
1) Batman: The Animated Series
This pick is near-universal, but I agree that Batman: The Animated Series is the greatest animated superhero series of all time. The pitch-perfect adaptation of the Caped Crusader is incredible all the way through. Episodes like “Heart of Ice” and “Feat of Clay” are among some of the best episodes of television ever, bringing new life to members of Batman’s rogue’s gallery. The gorgeous animation managed to bring the world of Gotham to life on a TV budget, with the character designs, background, and more all being perfect. Not only every subsequent Batman show, but every other superhero animated show, has attempted and failed to live up to the legacy of Batman: The Animated Series.
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