Let's face the facts. As much as another streaming service being launched onto an already crowded market may be annoying, this is the way the world is moving. Some of these new services may not be up your alley; however, when DC Entertainment announced its new service "DC Universe," people like me--giant comic book nerds--celebrated the seemingly endless possibilities.
When the news of DC Universe first launched, a group of new shows were announced, including a live-action Swamp Thing series, and more recently, a Doom Patrol series. One of the first shows announced was Young Justice: Outsiders, and while there have been little to no details about the series, it's pretty obvious it's a followup to the 2011 animated series Young Justice, which was bonkers good.
That got us thinking. What DC animated series would we like to see added to DC Universe? The company's new streaming service has to have classic shows on there, and what DC has done exceptionally well, in the past, is animated series. So we put together a list of shows that DC Universe needs to include when it launches. However, not all of these shows are fantastic, there's a few stinkers on here for the sake of nostalgia.
Batman: The Animated Series (1992)
Number of episodes: 109 (Including The Adventures of Batman & Robin and The New Batman Adventures)
Currently streaming on: Amazon Video
There is no other show in DC's vaults that defines who Batman is better than Batman: The Animated Series. It is what every comic book cartoon should strive to be. It developed its own animated style, tone, and look, all while appealing to both the young and the old. The best part is that the show still holds up. While we're not discussing DC's straight-to-DVD movies just yet--and most of them are amazing--if DC is including this series, then the movie Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is a must have for the service, as it takes place in the same Batman universe
Batman Beyond (1999)
Number of episodes: 52
Currently streaming on: The show itself isn't streaming anywhere, but the movie Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker is on Amazon.
Batman Beyond is about a young kid in the future, who finds out a very old Bruce Wayne used to be Batman, and now, that kid becomes a new Batman. It takes place in a bright, futuristic city, and it's filled with raves. While, on paper, that may not sound appealing, it encapsulates everything you love about Batman, through a brand new set of eyes.
Superman: The Animated Series (1996)
Number of episodes: 54
Currently streaming on: Amazon Video
Following in the footsteps of Batman: The Animated Series, Superman got his own show in 1996, and the art style followed its Dark Knight predecessor. It is easily one of the best small or big screen adaptations of Superman.
Wild C.A.T.S.(1994)
Number of episodes: 13
Not everything on this list is going to be an amazing series hailed by critics as nothing short of "glorious." There are a few misses as well, and the first is the X-Men-esque Wild C.A.T.S. based on the Wildstorm comic of the same name. It's very much a reminder of how not everything from the '90s was gold, no matter how Xtreme it was. What it boils down to is I just want to see an animated Grifter again.
Static Shock (2000)
Number of episodes: 52
Based on the Milestone/DC Comic series of the same name, and created by Denys Cowen and the late Dwayne McDuffie, the series follows a teenager who gains the ability to control magnetism after a chemical explosion. McDuffie himself cited that one of the main factors of its cancellation was low toy sales, which was a bummer since the show was so much fun.
Justice League/Justice League Unlimited (2001)
Number of episodes: 91
Essentially the same show, Justice League/Justice League Unlimited was the third animated series developed by Bruce Timm, who brought us Superman and Batman previously. While Justice League focused on the core team, Unlimited expanded the team by featuring new JLA members every week.
Batman: Brave And The Bold (2008)
Number of episodes: 65
You may have missed out on Brave and the Bold because it was marketed as a kids show, and for all intents and purposes, it totally was. However, it is also, without a doubt, one of the funniest cartoons ever put out by DC, especially anytime Aquaman showed up. It was Adam West's Batman as an animated series, but the volume was turned up to 11. It also had one of the best series finales of any superhero show.
Swamp Thing (1991)
Number of episodes: 5
Much like Wild C.A.T.S., Swamp Thing isn't a great show, and the episode count should tell you that. Before the live-action version rolls around in 2019, this animated series should be available on DC Universe. Swamp Thing was a departure from the comic series, as the cartoon was action-based and has Swamp Thing and friends fighting the Un-Men. It's another case of people in charge getting the formula completely wrong and trying to jam a well-known character into a '90s action cartoon.
Super Friends (1973)
Number of episodes: 109
Super Friends is the show that created the "Aquaman is lame" stigma, and it continues to stick, regardless of what Peter David or Geoff Johns did with his comic book series. It was a light-hearted and sometimes silly '70s series that had the Justice League--with some new friends like the Wonder Twins--taking on the bad guys of the Legion of Doom. It's cheesy, but it is classic Saturday morning cartoon fare.
The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show (1979)
Number of episodes: 61 (First three seasons)
The Plastic Man series was a delight. The show followed the comedic character as he stopped crimes and helped people out. There were a lot of Scooby Doo elements to the series, but the comedy was a whole lot better. It knew it was silly and had no problems exploiting that. While the series kept changing the cast, we're only counting the first three seasons in the episode count, as Plastic Man and his family faded from the show after that.
Teen Titans (2003)
Number of episodes: 65
Teen Titans was a superhero team that skewed to a younger audience, as everyone on the team was a teenager. The show followed Robin, Beast Boy, Raven, Cyborg, and Starfire as they worked together to stop crime in the city. It was fast-paced and fun for a serious superhero show.
Teen Titans Go! (2013)
Number of episodes: 205
Currently streaming on: Hulu
Teen Titans Go! is just 2003's Teen Titans with the wackiness amplified beyond belief. What's craziest about the series is that has the same voice cast as the original. The team goes on crazy adventures in their Titans Tower and tends to sing a lot of bizarre songs about their journeys. If you want more Teen Titans Go!, there's a feature-length movie coming to theaters July 27.
The Batman (2004)
Number of episodes: 65
While it is near impossible to follow up what Batman: The Animated Series accomplished, 2004's The Batman did just that by not replicating its predecessor and crafting its own style. It was another series that told the story of Batman and his journey to protect Gotham City. The show pulled stories from DC comic books and along with its unique art style, the series ended up winning over most Batman fans.
Young Justice (2011)
Number of episodes: 46
With Young Justice: Outsiders launching on the service, DC Universe better include the original Young Justice series, which is easily the best superhero team show from DC Entertainment. It follows the next generation of superheroes who are all trying to prove themselves to the Justice League.
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