So far for the most part any movie featuring the man of steel have missed the mark. If one were to gather their knowledge of Superman from these movies they will deduce that Superman's main villains were Lex Luther, Zod, Nuclear Man and Richard Pryor. One also gets the sense that he is kind of a dweeb and the type of guy who when he gets a female pregnant he bolts the planet. Well this animated series was great as it featured a vast assortment of villains, great voice work by Tim Daly, and had interesting stories. I enjoyed watching this incarnation of Superman as he was actually Superman without being indestructible unbeatable man like he has been portrayed at times. So what you are not going to see in this film is a lot of time spent back in Smallville growing up, a crusade to stop nuclear missiles, strange comedy, and yet another scheme by Lex involving real estate. No here you will see him lose a good friend to the cold Darkseid, help the Green Lantern take on the villainous Sinistro, and battle schemes by Lex involving him creating a cyborg man with kryptonite in his chest named Metallo. So suffice to say this series was a lot of fun and a lot better than nearly everything in the movies. The best thing the movies did was introducing Zod.
42 Reviews
great series, contains spoiler's
ash_shelton6 May 2006
Warning: Spoilers
superman the animated series is possibly the best we have seen of superman in animation the characters are very well presented.The writers have actually took the time to show us who superman is where he came from and how he came to terms with his powers and becoming the man of steel.The cast of voices are very well done i.e Tim daily aka superman and Clancy brown aka lex Luther.batman even makes a guest appearance in a brilliant episode and you see some classic villains i.e metallo,dark side,the joker.batman the animated series was amazing superman isn't as well written or dark but they are totally different.The action is Briilant and as young kid it made me smile to see superman soaring in the air
Batman was the ultimate "Tough Act to Follow"
A_Different_Drummer28 January 2014
Warning: Spoilers
A few years ago one of the biggest stories in mainstream media was that, mysteriously, cats had replaced dogs worldwide as the most popular pet...? At about the same time someone else noticed that Batman had replaced Superman, similarly, for the #1 spot. Explanation? (Not for the dog/cat thing, for that, please see my review of the Cat in the Internet Pet Database). Supe is very hard to dramatize, once you get past the origins. He never lies. His virtue is never in doubt. Not much can hurt him, so writers have spent almost 7 decades inventing baddies who can. Batman, on the other hand, is more fun than a barrel of hammers. He is a borderline psychotic. He has no superpowers yet somehow gets invited to JLA roasts? Even his enemies (Joker and Harley) are more fun. The point of this review is that Batman was a tough act to follow for Dini and crew, and the production team tries hard but never quite makes it work. No foul. no blame. But the magic is scarce. And frankly I have seen enough Lex Luthor to last a lifetime. (In his own way, he is as predictable and boring as Supe). In the Golden Age of comics (yes they were called "comics" then) the DC people would often do a full issue stuffed with an "imaginary" story just to break the bounds. Of course, when you do an imaginary riff on something which is imaginary to start with, well, nothing good comes of that. With hindsight, one has to silently applaud the creators of both LOIS AND CLARK and the waka-doo (but fun) SMALLVILLE for trying to re-imagine this story for TV, and doing a pretty goshdarned good job of it.
I Endorse Other IMDB Users Views...This Is Supe's Best Cartoon
Big Movie Fan21 November 2002
There was a cartoon Superman series in the early 1940's which is in a class of it's own. However, since then there have been a few Superman cartoons and then there was Superman on the Superfriends show. This was indeed Superman's best cartoon. Excluding the 1940's series, the other Superman cartoons look dated and cheezy if you were to watch them now. The same can be said for the Batman cartoons. This Superman series is brilliant, on par with Batman:The Animated Series.
How did people make this series work? Simple. They did exactly what they did with Batman:The Animated Series and did it with this cartoon. Superman is an intelligent cartoon for adults and children with great plots, humour and plenty of action. Let's not forget artistic license either-don't you just love Superman's big jaw and Clark's big jaw as well (big giveaway there to anyone wanting to find out Supe's secret identity). It has been ten years since Batman:The Animated Series made it's debut and it has not aged at all; the same can be said for Superman.
I strongly recommend this movie and also, the Batman/Superman team up movie from 1998. Absolute magic!
How did people make this series work? Simple. They did exactly what they did with Batman:The Animated Series and did it with this cartoon. Superman is an intelligent cartoon for adults and children with great plots, humour and plenty of action. Let's not forget artistic license either-don't you just love Superman's big jaw and Clark's big jaw as well (big giveaway there to anyone wanting to find out Supe's secret identity). It has been ten years since Batman:The Animated Series made it's debut and it has not aged at all; the same can be said for Superman.
I strongly recommend this movie and also, the Batman/Superman team up movie from 1998. Absolute magic!
The other Caped Crusader
DarthBill15 April 2004
After the success of "Batman: The Animated Series", Superman, who'd been out of the lime light for a while except for "Lois & Clark", finally got a shot at his own series again. This show recapped Superman's origin, established his relationships and pit him against a variety of characters - including a memorable brawl between him and Lobo, voiced by Brad Garrett (who also voiced another character, but I forget his name).
Superman was voiced by Tim Daly, and he did a damn fine job of it too. It's a shame that he wasn't available for "Justice League", as he was definitely superior to his successor, George Newbern (sorry George). Dana Delany was what Margot Kidder's Lois Lane SHOULD have been but never was. Same goes for Clancy Brown as Lex Luther. M*A*S*H alum Mike Farrell provided the voice of Superman's Earth dad.
Storylines were generally good and voice acting solid (as mentioned above), but the only thing that really marred this show was the animation. While not bad, the characters, particularly the male characters, were too blocky looking. Superman himself looked as though he'd been carved out of rock. This animation isn't bad but it's not on par with the animation in "Batman: The Animated Series". Sadly, this look has been retained for "Justice League".
Batman has made guest appearances on Superman from time to time, even did a "movie" with him, which brought their relationship up to date.
So all in all, a 9 1/2 out of 10.
Superman was voiced by Tim Daly, and he did a damn fine job of it too. It's a shame that he wasn't available for "Justice League", as he was definitely superior to his successor, George Newbern (sorry George). Dana Delany was what Margot Kidder's Lois Lane SHOULD have been but never was. Same goes for Clancy Brown as Lex Luther. M*A*S*H alum Mike Farrell provided the voice of Superman's Earth dad.
Storylines were generally good and voice acting solid (as mentioned above), but the only thing that really marred this show was the animation. While not bad, the characters, particularly the male characters, were too blocky looking. Superman himself looked as though he'd been carved out of rock. This animation isn't bad but it's not on par with the animation in "Batman: The Animated Series". Sadly, this look has been retained for "Justice League".
Batman has made guest appearances on Superman from time to time, even did a "movie" with him, which brought their relationship up to date.
So all in all, a 9 1/2 out of 10.
Superman best animated series
goodsephiroth26 June 2006
When you are watching this series you are feeling Superman is one of the greatest heroes in comics history. This series contains every details about Superman history. The history of his planet Kripton are the first three episodes of the season. You will learn about his weakness, his enemies and his friends through the episodes.
Later in series you will see Superman teaming with another greats superheroes like Batman, Flash, Green Lantern and more. The episodes of Superman and Batman are excellent because are mixing enemies from both series. I recommend to watch Word's Finest episodes.
Lex Luthor is the main enemy of Superman but you will see in action more enemies like Metallo, Darkseid, Braniac, Joker and more. I like this series because Superman appear like he can be beaten. He have all the magnificent powers but the enemies are smart and they can destroy Superman if they want it. This make suspense in the series.
This is a very short series compared with Batman animated show. But every episodes are great and you don't wanna miss any one of them.
I recommend this series.
Later in series you will see Superman teaming with another greats superheroes like Batman, Flash, Green Lantern and more. The episodes of Superman and Batman are excellent because are mixing enemies from both series. I recommend to watch Word's Finest episodes.
Lex Luthor is the main enemy of Superman but you will see in action more enemies like Metallo, Darkseid, Braniac, Joker and more. I like this series because Superman appear like he can be beaten. He have all the magnificent powers but the enemies are smart and they can destroy Superman if they want it. This make suspense in the series.
This is a very short series compared with Batman animated show. But every episodes are great and you don't wanna miss any one of them.
I recommend this series.
The Man of Steel, in his best cartoon...
TheLittleSongbird15 September 2012
...and also in one of the best adaptations of Superman, either in film or television. Maybe I'm biased, as I've always liked Superman and also that this was one of my favourite shows when I was a kid, but I still love this show. The animation is very handsome and detailed, with intriguing character designs(Clark/Superman's big jaw is quite unique). Perhaps it is not as atmospheric as Batman: The Animated Series, but that is enough of that still. The music is also wonderful, the incidental music has a hauntingly rousing undercurrent and the intro is very cool. The writing is tense and intelligent with nicely judged bits of humour as well, while the story lines are always compelling with a dark atmosphere without it being overly so. The characters are wonderful, Superman is a charismatic hero, Supergirl is a great addition, Lois avoids being stereotypical and Lex Luthor and Braniac are great villains. The voice acting is superb, Tim Daly is on par with George Newbern and voices with authority and intensity of lines. Dana Delaney is spot on as Lois, while Clancy Brown's Lex Luthor is wonderfully calculating and Corey Burton brings the right amount of menace to Braniac. All in all, the best cartoon of the Man of Steel. 10/10 Bethany Cox
A series that is still truly SUPER!
kenobi78 January 2010
This series was, and still is amazing. The most surprising thing about this show is its own inventive and original take on the Superman mythos. I think that even the most die-hard comic book fan who has never seen this show would be astounded about the detail the show goes into. Of particular interest and excitement is the introduction of Mr. Mxyzptlk in "MXYZPIXILATED" (released on DVD in Volume 2), Darkseid in "TOOLS OF THE TRADE" (Volume 1) and the Joker (usually a Batman villain) to the series in "WORLD'S FINEST" (Volume 2). This series still, even though it has long since been cancelled off the air (except for syndication), proves to be a great homage to the Superman universe, and to comic books in general. It is an excellent example of outstanding ideas, insight, animation, action, a bit of romance, and suspense.
THIS REVIEW IS DEDICATED TO ANYONE, LIVING OR DEAD, INVOLVED IN THE PAST, PRESENT, OR FUTURE "SUPERMAN" UNIVERSE.
THIS REVIEW IS DEDICATED TO ANYONE, LIVING OR DEAD, INVOLVED IN THE PAST, PRESENT, OR FUTURE "SUPERMAN" UNIVERSE.
Charming, Imaginative, and Underrated
be23zE19 April 2022
I grew up with Batman the Animated series. While I wasn't alive when it aired, I was when Arkham Asylum was released on PlayStation 3 and that is what truly lit my spark of a genuine Batman obsession that lasted over a decade. The animated series was brought to my attention soon after playing Arkham Asylum a million times. To this day, Batman the Animated Series is treasured by me and considered one of the best tv shows. I remember seeing Superman the Animated series on google, probably when I was looking into the casting of Batman TAS, but I have to admit... I have never been a big Superman fan. In fact, I have been a huge Superman critic most of my life and found his character boring.
That is until I saw Superman the Animated Series.
I love this show. It's simple, a lot more than Batman TAS, but, god, if there isn't such an immense 50s sci-fi charm to the metropolis of Superman TAS. It's the antithesis to TAS Gotham in every way but the crime. I'd probably rather live in Gotham truth be told. I'll deal with insane mob bosses and rampant thugs over frequent alien invasions any day.
Anyway, this show introduced me to many Superman villains, such as Metallo and Parasite. Many of them had heartbreaking stories and there was surprising depth and nuance to them for a kids show. Especially Metallo - the man who's consciousness was transplanted into a robotic body and lost all feeling in the process. Certain scenes with him, especially on the island with the children, nearly brought me to tears.
The episode where the thug took over parasites mind was gut wrenching as well and had me on the edge of my seat.
There is so much fun and thrill to be had in this show. I binged the whole thing in two weeks, more or less. Nearly every episode was great... but it did become quite repetitive. Very repetitive. It's a little disheartening because the first three episodes of the show fooled me. I thought I was in for an emotional retelling of Superman for all ages. There were many emotionally potent moments here but the repetition is really the show's kyroptonite.
We see Lois Lane poking her head into a dangerous illegal behind-the-curtain operation almost ever episode, followed by Superman coming to her rescue. That is literally the plot to almost every episode that does not involve alien invasions or Darkseid. It got old fast. I was hoping to see more of the nuance shown early on and with Metallo, but, sadly, much of this show becomes the same formula with new window dressing.
However, the fun, thrill, and charm of Superman TAS heavily overshadow the repetitious damsel in distress scenarios. I highly recommend this to any Superman skeptic or Batman TAS fan. I guarantee you will find a new appreciation for Superman here - I know I did. I'm already set on buying and reading All Star Superman and many more Superman stories in the near future.
PS: I would love to see a Bizarro Superman show. The episode with him and Mr. Mxyzptlk had me rolling.
That is until I saw Superman the Animated Series.
I love this show. It's simple, a lot more than Batman TAS, but, god, if there isn't such an immense 50s sci-fi charm to the metropolis of Superman TAS. It's the antithesis to TAS Gotham in every way but the crime. I'd probably rather live in Gotham truth be told. I'll deal with insane mob bosses and rampant thugs over frequent alien invasions any day.
Anyway, this show introduced me to many Superman villains, such as Metallo and Parasite. Many of them had heartbreaking stories and there was surprising depth and nuance to them for a kids show. Especially Metallo - the man who's consciousness was transplanted into a robotic body and lost all feeling in the process. Certain scenes with him, especially on the island with the children, nearly brought me to tears.
The episode where the thug took over parasites mind was gut wrenching as well and had me on the edge of my seat.
There is so much fun and thrill to be had in this show. I binged the whole thing in two weeks, more or less. Nearly every episode was great... but it did become quite repetitive. Very repetitive. It's a little disheartening because the first three episodes of the show fooled me. I thought I was in for an emotional retelling of Superman for all ages. There were many emotionally potent moments here but the repetition is really the show's kyroptonite.
We see Lois Lane poking her head into a dangerous illegal behind-the-curtain operation almost ever episode, followed by Superman coming to her rescue. That is literally the plot to almost every episode that does not involve alien invasions or Darkseid. It got old fast. I was hoping to see more of the nuance shown early on and with Metallo, but, sadly, much of this show becomes the same formula with new window dressing.
However, the fun, thrill, and charm of Superman TAS heavily overshadow the repetitious damsel in distress scenarios. I highly recommend this to any Superman skeptic or Batman TAS fan. I guarantee you will find a new appreciation for Superman here - I know I did. I'm already set on buying and reading All Star Superman and many more Superman stories in the near future.
PS: I would love to see a Bizarro Superman show. The episode with him and Mr. Mxyzptlk had me rolling.
A Super Series!
hollybmoran30 July 2021
I can't believe it took me this long to see Superman: The Animated Series. Thank you HBO Max! I got hooked on Superman when I started Smallville 20 years ago. I wish I watched this show first because it does such a great job introducing characters. I love the 40s style blended with the 90s. The voice actors are amazing! I love this show!
Superman
jboothmillard27 May 2005
Warning: Spoilers
When I was younger I used to watch this occasionally because it was the same good animation as Batman: The Animated Series, and it was one of the most famous super heroes in a cartoon. It began with baby Clark Kent dropped from the sky to a farm. It was sent by his parents from a distant planet. When Clark grows up on his farm as a teenager he learns of his super powers, he is obviously overjoyed to learn that he could fly. Then we skipped to many years later when he is an adult and flying with his red and blue costume to rescue people. We also meet the hateful and sometimes annoying Lex Luthor who secretly schemes to try and get rid of his enemy. Superman had some good enemies besides Lex, the Toyman, a purple guy who could suck powers out of Superman and many more. The kids will like this!
Just as good as Batman the animated series
slimshady562313 April 2012
This is show came after Batman:tas, it is just as good if not better in my opinion. The relationship between Lois and Superman/Clark is great right from the beginning. The crossovers with batman are great, and provide some of my favorite episodes. My favorite episode was when superman went undercover as batman and teamed up with robin because Bruce Wayne went missing.The Animation is great. While it was not as thin and cheap looking as "The New Batman Adventures" (don't get me wrong, that animation looked great) it wasn't as good as the animation in Batman Animated Series. While Batman TAS had the best animation, there were some episodes that had HORRIBLE animation, but with Superman this doesn't happen.
Superman ROCKS, but super girl SUCKS.
jfernandoga27 August 2010
First, it's not great as batman or spider man, the only good thing is the action with villains as darkseid, brianiac, etc. this action is something that I would like to see in movies. The thing that I hate in this show is super girl, she looks like a prostitute and I don't understand why they ruin the series like that, and I HATE this Supergirl because she ruined the series of the new adventures of batman, and the series are not the same as BTA, that's the reason that I prefer the series of spider man or iron man, because in spider man when you have seen a spider boy or spider girl? or in iron man a iron girl? nowhere. That's the reason that spider man is better than this, and he is in the first place of my favorite superheroes. But I insist the series of superman would have been better without super girl, I think she is worst character that I have seen. That's the reason that I put the series 6 of 10.
His best cartoon
Op_Prime14 January 2000
This is the best Superman cartoon ever made. It beats out all those other cartoons featuring Superman in every way. The animation is superb, not as good as Batman: The Animated series mind you, but still very good. The stories are also very good. It is filled with excitement and drama, and even a little humor. This series is great.
Superman rocks thanks to this cartoon!
zach-698 October 2007
I was never a big Superman fan growing up. I watched Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, love Christopher Reeve's Superman, and I watched this animated series. The animated series is a personal favorite of mine along with my favorite super hero, Spider-Man. I loved both these series in the 90's. I don't like Batman though. The animated series is back on JETIX. As is Spider-Man. I highly recommend this show. Along with Smallville. Forget Superman Returns! It was an absolute failure! The Spider-Man films are perfect along with Christopher Reeve's Superman movies! But, skip Superman Returns! The voice acting is awesome.
The best Superman cartoon EVER made!!!
johnnymacbest2 June 2011
Wow, who would've thought that with the creative team of Batman:TAS a show this good could be produced? From the pilot episode to further adventures of the Man of Steel, Superman:TAS is another gem of the golden age of superhero cartoons(and that's counting the X-Men and Spider-Man cartoons as well as Iron Man and Fantastic Four). I've always wondered why the same team behind these properties never attempted to make a Wonder Woman animated series? After all, she is the most famous female superhero in the world so why not a shot at the small screen in animated form? Like the Batman series, the character driven stories are great with awesome writing and truly spectacular action scenes that sometimes share the spotlight with other well-known stars of the DC Comics spectrum. The Superman movies were great and all, but the animated series made me more and more infatuated with Superman. Superman: TAS is one of the best animated properties to come out of DC Comics. Bruce Timm and Paul Dini have done wonders for both characters. C'mon guys, bring on Wonder Woman. I would be proud.
Best DCAU show besides Batman: TAS.
Abyss478 August 2012
Saw this a while back and it still lingers in the memory. At first, I wasn't sure I was going to get into it considering I was never much of a Superman fan, but this is a fantastic show that was surprisingly very consistent and contained superb storytelling on par with Batman: TAS. I also loved how they tried to have a lot more continuity in this show, and of course the voice acting was on-point. There are some forgettable episodes, but Batman had quite a few of those too. The best episodes are some of the best in the entire DCAU canon, and this show actually made Superman a compelling character to me to the point where I became a big fan for once. The music was terrific as well and way ahead of its time in regards to animated series.
I think that once Darkseid entered the show, it became even better because the story lines involving him pretty much knocked it out of the park in regards to what the show was capable of (emotion, drama, action, suspense, etc). He's easily one of the greatest villains in the DCAU and in general, and he never felt more menacing in his subsequent appearances. Overall, the only other show in the DCAU that comes close in my opinion is Batman: TAS, and I'm happy to own both on DVD along with the rest of the DCAU series. This is easily the definitive take on the Superman universe.
I think that once Darkseid entered the show, it became even better because the story lines involving him pretty much knocked it out of the park in regards to what the show was capable of (emotion, drama, action, suspense, etc). He's easily one of the greatest villains in the DCAU and in general, and he never felt more menacing in his subsequent appearances. Overall, the only other show in the DCAU that comes close in my opinion is Batman: TAS, and I'm happy to own both on DVD along with the rest of the DCAU series. This is easily the definitive take on the Superman universe.
The Man of steel animated series
WeAreLive27 October 2017
Warning: Spoilers
If you are a massive fan of Superman you have come to the right place.
This cartoon is like an animated version of Smallville and The Man of steel (which I actually like).
This show had great art style, voice acting, and character designs. I even have a comic of this series somewhere at home.
My favorite villains of the show were Metallo, Brainiac, The Unity, Lex Luthor and Luminous.
My favorite episodes are My Girl, The Flash episode, The demon reborn, The green lantern episode, little-lost girl, new kids in town and The last episode of the series.
This cartoon is like an animated version of Smallville and The Man of steel (which I actually like).
This show had great art style, voice acting, and character designs. I even have a comic of this series somewhere at home.
My favorite villains of the show were Metallo, Brainiac, The Unity, Lex Luthor and Luminous.
My favorite episodes are My Girl, The Flash episode, The demon reborn, The green lantern episode, little-lost girl, new kids in town and The last episode of the series.
One of the better Superman adaptations
Keyan-the-Eagle14428 April 2019
Though I'm not big on DC, this was one of the better Superman versions. Lots of cool guest stars (including Brad Garrett and Gilbert Gottfried) plus my favorite Superman/Kal-El/Clark Kent portrayer, Tim Daly. I'd never even heard of most of the Superman villains until this came up, but if I had to pick some favorites, they'd be General Zod, Lex Luthor, and to a certain extent, maybe even the crass bounty hunter Lobo. Though many would argue that Batman was better, I'd say this is on par with the 1990s Batman cartoon. I'm still not that big on Superman, but this worked well.
The best version of superman by far
argimlumani21 July 2020
This show to me is better than any live action version of superman because he's not immortal he can get hurt and killed by beings equal or greater than his power but they keep what remains the essence of the character is that Clark kent is a decent human being who genuinely wants to help people the voice acting In this show is great all around tim daly as superman is probably my favourite voice actor for superman he has a great voice and really emobides what superman represents like wise the villians are brillant Clancy brown as Luthor is the best lex hands down and toddy McDowell as metallo is terrific i love the concept of metallo a villain made put of the hero's weakness and darkseid voiced brilliantly by Michael ironside these villians are great and fleshed put but what's also amazing is the score by the late great shirley walker imo it gives the original theme by John Williams a run for its money in pure awesomeness i love this show and rewatched it recently again it holds up in every way my only problem is I wish it continued because this show is the best adaptation of superman of all time
A bit disappointing.
NickCosio13 January 2023
I like Superman, and I'm a huge fan of DC. I've seen every animated and live action DC movie there is, and a large part of the shows, including all of Smallville. With this background, I found Superman: The Animated Series to be a bit lacking, and doesn't quite favor well when held up to other DC animated shows. I know some might not say that it's fair to compare STAS to a show like BTAS, but I think its more than fair, and I would imagine that longtime Superman fans would've seen the same issues I did. The biggest one for me is the character of Superman/Clark Kent in this show; it is noticeably absent. Superman has no real goals, character arcs, and the villains don't challenge him in interesting ways. The two most recurring villains in this show are Lex Luthor and Metallo, both of which are pretty bare bones villains. Metallo is only a threat due him having kryptonite, and Lex just hates aliens with power. These are the main motivations for the majority of villains, and the same amount of effort was put into Superman's motivations as a hero.
To better illustrate what this show is desperately missing, Batman: The Animated Series has all of the things I mentioned plus more, which is probably why that show is regarded as not only one of the best DC shows, but best shows of all time in general. Each villain there challenges Batman in a different way, making each episode unique and interesting (Joker promotes chaos when Batman promotes order, Scarecrow instills fear in Batman when Batman usually instills fear in his enemies, etc.) Not to mention how Batman goes about defeating his villains, which is usually in an interesting and often ironic way, making each encounter memorable. Also, Bruce Wayne is given much more attention than Clark Kent was, really rounding off a complete and relatable character. Superman is SUPPOSED to be a relatable character, but they never bring any attention to what makes him relatable, thus he's just another superhero punching bad guys. Final comparison to BTAS, the supporting characters like Jimmy and Lois do almost nothing for Superman/Clark. Robin and Alfred constantly were anchors for Batman/Bruce, keeping him thinking straight on certain matters, and if they weren't in the show it would be noticeable and worse off. I can't say the same for Jimmy and Lois.
I think it says something when the best(highest rated) episodes of this show are the ones with Batman in them. Not to say there weren't other episodes without Batman that I enjoyed, because there were, but it isn't nearly enough out of the 52 here to recommend this show to anyone, especially DC fans.
In conclusion, Superman: The Animated Series, in my opinion, is disappointing for its lack of interesting villains, a deep/relatable/dynamic Superman, borderline useless supporting characters, and overall generic and forgettable plots episode to episode. I did like the show, but they definitely missed the mark here. You can find better interpretations of all these characters elsewhere, which I think makes the show even worse in my eyes.
To better illustrate what this show is desperately missing, Batman: The Animated Series has all of the things I mentioned plus more, which is probably why that show is regarded as not only one of the best DC shows, but best shows of all time in general. Each villain there challenges Batman in a different way, making each episode unique and interesting (Joker promotes chaos when Batman promotes order, Scarecrow instills fear in Batman when Batman usually instills fear in his enemies, etc.) Not to mention how Batman goes about defeating his villains, which is usually in an interesting and often ironic way, making each encounter memorable. Also, Bruce Wayne is given much more attention than Clark Kent was, really rounding off a complete and relatable character. Superman is SUPPOSED to be a relatable character, but they never bring any attention to what makes him relatable, thus he's just another superhero punching bad guys. Final comparison to BTAS, the supporting characters like Jimmy and Lois do almost nothing for Superman/Clark. Robin and Alfred constantly were anchors for Batman/Bruce, keeping him thinking straight on certain matters, and if they weren't in the show it would be noticeable and worse off. I can't say the same for Jimmy and Lois.
I think it says something when the best(highest rated) episodes of this show are the ones with Batman in them. Not to say there weren't other episodes without Batman that I enjoyed, because there were, but it isn't nearly enough out of the 52 here to recommend this show to anyone, especially DC fans.
In conclusion, Superman: The Animated Series, in my opinion, is disappointing for its lack of interesting villains, a deep/relatable/dynamic Superman, borderline useless supporting characters, and overall generic and forgettable plots episode to episode. I did like the show, but they definitely missed the mark here. You can find better interpretations of all these characters elsewhere, which I think makes the show even worse in my eyes.
Stylish and charming
son_of_cheese_messiah17 March 2014
This, even more than the previous Batman animated series, is strongly influenced by the 1940s Max Fleischer cartoons. It is noticeably sunnier than the Batman, which might lead some to underrate it. It is perhaps more child friendly than the Batman series, with for example, Lois Lane constantly depicted wearing the same clothes, but the makers clearly understand the difference between the two superheroes, Batman is a punisher of the guilty while Superman is a defender of the innocent.
The writing, while not so daring as the Justice League series of the same time, is not without innovation. Interesting readings of the Parasite, Luthor and in particular Brainiac mean that this is no slavish copy of the comicbook. The one dud of the first series is "the Main man" an ill-considered story which unfortunately straddles two episodes. Lobo is a crude (in many senses of the word) and his presence (with badly drawn disproportioned body) jars with the aesthetic of the cartoon just as the cliché ridden electric guitar which accompanies him jars with the stylish orchestral score of the rest of the series. I can only imagine he was a 'hot' character at the time so that's why he was included? Otherwise it is a mystery. In any case a very weak story (even for a single episode, but this is a tow parter!) involving an insipid DC version of Marvel's The Collector called The Preserver fails to convince. And this is further weakened by the fact that Brainiac is himself presented as something of a Preserver in far better episodes.
Other than that this is a great and charming (isn't it great to use the word 'charming' to describe a product of the 1990s? show that is worth watching.
The writing, while not so daring as the Justice League series of the same time, is not without innovation. Interesting readings of the Parasite, Luthor and in particular Brainiac mean that this is no slavish copy of the comicbook. The one dud of the first series is "the Main man" an ill-considered story which unfortunately straddles two episodes. Lobo is a crude (in many senses of the word) and his presence (with badly drawn disproportioned body) jars with the aesthetic of the cartoon just as the cliché ridden electric guitar which accompanies him jars with the stylish orchestral score of the rest of the series. I can only imagine he was a 'hot' character at the time so that's why he was included? Otherwise it is a mystery. In any case a very weak story (even for a single episode, but this is a tow parter!) involving an insipid DC version of Marvel's The Collector called The Preserver fails to convince. And this is further weakened by the fact that Brainiac is himself presented as something of a Preserver in far better episodes.
Other than that this is a great and charming (isn't it great to use the word 'charming' to describe a product of the 1990s? show that is worth watching.
If it wasn't for the success of Batman the animated series.
SpunkyCh3 December 1998
If it wasn't for the success of Batman the animated series, it is likely that this series wouldn't have been made. It is a great series. The material from this series is taken largely from the comics and "Lois and Clark". It is undoubtedly along with Batman one of the finest adaptions ever done of these characters for television or the movies. It is far easier to make the characters believable animated than it is to do live action. While not nearly as good as the Batman material I personally lean towards Supes everytime. It is fine action adventure in the truest sense of the word. Excellent drama. Lots of fun to be had here.
Superman the animated series reboot
Cityboymccleary612 December 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Superman the animated series 1996 was a great series but the show needs in to have a reboot series in 2028. The characters of the show like Superman/ Clark Kent, Jimmy, Lois Lane and Professor Hamilton are great characters who also be in the reboot. Superman protects Metropolis from Lex Luthor and other super villains. The reboot will have the same design as the original 1996 but the only difference Superman the animated series will have new adventures and new casts of the show. Superman changes into Clark Kent and work at the Daily Planet but when's there's trouble he changes into Superman and saves the day.
Even a non-Superman fan can be won over.
Animany9425 December 2018
Thanks to you Warner Bros. Animation for bringing me both exactly what expected from The Man of Steel and a lot more, because I feared that I would be bored watching my least favorite superhero in this series.
While not as complex as the masterfully crafted characters of Batman: TAS, I was presented with many entertaining characters old and new like the intimidating Darkseid and the destroyer of Krypton himself Brainiac and the hilarious Mr. Mxyzptlk. Other memorable villains include the business-man Lex Luthor who quickly became my favorite and the tragic case of Bizarro.
As a non-Superman fan I still have my own problems with Superman himself, because I think he's quite a bore, but I didn't expect anything else. Tim Dailey may be "the voice of Superman" for the fans like Kevin Conroy is to Batman fans, but I personally prefer the Justice League series' George Newbern.
My praise towards Superman: TAS goes to the colourful animation and the reinvention of the Superman mythos along with the episodes Brave New Metropolis, The Late Mr. Kent and World's Finest.
A treat for Superman fans and superhero fans in general and, yes, even a non-Superman fan can occasionally get a new appreciation for the Man of Steel.
While not as complex as the masterfully crafted characters of Batman: TAS, I was presented with many entertaining characters old and new like the intimidating Darkseid and the destroyer of Krypton himself Brainiac and the hilarious Mr. Mxyzptlk. Other memorable villains include the business-man Lex Luthor who quickly became my favorite and the tragic case of Bizarro.
As a non-Superman fan I still have my own problems with Superman himself, because I think he's quite a bore, but I didn't expect anything else. Tim Dailey may be "the voice of Superman" for the fans like Kevin Conroy is to Batman fans, but I personally prefer the Justice League series' George Newbern.
My praise towards Superman: TAS goes to the colourful animation and the reinvention of the Superman mythos along with the episodes Brave New Metropolis, The Late Mr. Kent and World's Finest.
A treat for Superman fans and superhero fans in general and, yes, even a non-Superman fan can occasionally get a new appreciation for the Man of Steel.
See also
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