Superhero Cartoon Episode Reviews

DC COMICS CARTOONS

_________________________________________

THE DC ANIMATED UNIVERSE

For animated movies, click here.

A review of (hopefully eventually all) of the parts of the cartoon series that make up the DC Animated Universe, a series of cartoons that were spun off of the success of the award-winning Batman: The Animated Series.

Superman: The Animated Series

Debuting in 1996 and spanning three seasons before being rolled into Justice League, this series was made as the third installment of the DCAU (or TAS-verse) adapts the man of steel into animation.

Superman, the Animated Series, Season 1:

• Episodes 1-3: The Last Son of Krypton, Parts 1-3
• Episode 4: Fun and Games
• Episode 5: A Little Piece of Home
• Episode 6: Feeding Time
• Episode 7: The Way of All Flesh
• Episode 8: Stolen Memories
• Episode 9-10: The Main Man, Parts 1-2
• Episode 11: My Girl
• Episode 12: Tools of the Trade
• Episode 13: Two's a Crowd

Superman, the Animated Series, Season 2:

• Episodes 1-2: Blast from the Past, Parts 1-2
• Episode 3: The Prometheon
• Episode 4: Speed Demons
• Episode 5: Livewire
• Episode 6: Identity Crisis
• Episode 7: Target
• Episode 8: Mxyzpixilated
• Episode 9: Action Figures
• Episode 10: Double Dose
• Episode 11: Solar Power
• Episode 12: Brave New Metropolis
• Episode 13: Monkey Fun
• Episode 14: Ghost in the Machine
• Episode 15: Father's Day
• Episodes 16-18: World's Finest, Parts 1-3
• Episode 19: The Hand of Fate
• Episode 20: Bizarro's World
• Episode 21: Prototype
• Episode 22: The Late Mr. Kent
• Episode 23: Heavy Metal
• Episode 24: Warrior Queen
• Episodes 25-26: Apokolips... Now! Parts 1-2
• Episodes 27-28: Little Girl Lost, Parts 1-2

Superman, the Animated Series, Season 3:

• Episode 1: Where There's Smoke
• Episode 2: Knight Time
• Episode 3: New Kids in Town
• Episode 4: Obsession
• Episode 5: Little Big Head Man
• Episode 6: Absolute Power
• Episode 7: In Brightest Day
• Episode 8: Superman's Pal
• Episode 9: A Fish Story
• Episode 10: Unity

Superman, the Animated Series, Season 4:

• Episode 1: The Demon Reborn
• Episodes 2-3: Legacy, Parts 1-2

_____________________________________________________________

BATMAN BEYOND

The sequel to the award-winning Batman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond jumps twenty years into the future where an unlikely boy, Terry McGinnis, comes across the secret identity of a retired Batman, and has to work to become Batman's successor in a whole new world. Known as "Batman of the Future" in some countries.

Batman Beyond, Season 1:

• Episode 1: Rebirth, Pt. 1
• Episode 2: Rebirth, Pt. 2
• Episode 3: Black Out
• Episode 4: Golem
• Episode 5: Meltdown
• Episode 6: Heroes
• Episode 7: Shriek
• Episode 8: Dead Man's Hand
• Episode 9: The Winning Edge
• Episode 10: Spellbound
• Episode 11: Disappearing Inque
• Episode 12: A Touch of Curare
• Episode 13: Ascension 

Batman Beyond, Season 2:

• Episode 1: Splicers
• Episode 2: Earth Mover
• Episode 3: Joyride
• Episode 4: Lost Soul
• Episode 5: Hidden Agenda
• Episode 6: Bloodsport
• Episode 7: Once Burned
• Episode 8: Hooked Up
• Episode 9: Rats
• Episode 10: Mind Games
• Episode 11: Revenant
• Episode 12: Babel
• Episode 13: Terry's Friend Dates A Robot
• Episode 14: Eyewitness
• Episode 15: Final Cut
• Episode 16: The Last Resort
• Episode 17: Armory
• Episode 18: Sneak Peek
• Episode 19: The Eggbaby
• Episode 20: Zeta
• Episode 21: Plague
• Episode 22: April Moon
• Episode 23: Sentries of the Last Cosmos
• Episode 24: Payback
• Episode 25: Where's Terry?
• Episode 26: Ace in the Hole

Batman Beyond, Season 3:

• Episode 1: King's Ransom
• Episode 2: Untouchable
• Episode 3: Inqueling
• Episode 4: Big Time
• Episode 5: Out of the Past
• Episode 6: Speak No Evil
• Episode 7-8: The Call, Parts 1-2
• Episode 9: Betrayal
• Episodes 10-11: Curse of the Kobra, Parts 1-2
• Episode 12: Countdown
• Episode 13: Unmasked

_____________________________________________________________

JUSTICE LEAGUE

Coming off the success of the ten-year-strong series of Batman: the Animated Series, Superman: the Animated Series and the New Batman Adventures, the next big step in the DC Animated Universe was the introduction and formation of the Justice League. Regarded as one of the best adaptations of DC comics, the DC Animated Universe takes elements from all comic-book incarnations of DC's most iconic superhero team to create one of the most definitive versions of the team ever.

Justice League, Season 1:

All episodes in Justice League are two-parters and three-parters, and all these individual 'stories' are reviewed in the same page. The episode list is ordered based on the recommended watching order, because the broadcast order shuffles around an episode or two due to one reason or another. Basically I removed 'Injustice for All' up as the fifth story instead of the ninth.

• Episode 1-3: Secret Origins, Parts 1-3
• Episode 4-5: In Blackest Night, Parts 1-2
• Episode 6-7: The Enemy Below, Parts 1-2 
• Episode 8-9: Injustice for All, Parts 1-2
• Episode 10-11: Paradise Lost, Parts 1-2
• Episode 12-13: War World, Parts 1-2
• Episode 14-15: The Brave and the Bold, Parts 1-2
• Episode 16-17: Fury, Parts 1-2
• Episode 18-19: Legends, Parts 1-2
• Episode 20-21: A Knight of Shadows, Parts 1-2
• Episode 22-23: Metamorphosis, Parts 1-2
• Episode 24-26: The Savage Time, Parts 1-3

Justice League, Season 2:

• Episode 1-2: Twilight, Parts 1-2 
• Episode 3-4: Tabula Rasa, Parts 1-2
• Episode 5-6: Only a Dream, Parts 1-2
• Episode 7-8: Maid of Honor, Parts 1-2
• Episode 9-10: Hearts and Minds, Parts 1-2
• Episode 11-12: A Better World, Parts 1-2
• Episode 13-14: Eclipsed, Parts 1-2
• Episode 15-16: The Terror Beyond, Parts 1-2
• Episode 17-18: Secret Society, Parts 1-2
• Episode 19-20: Hereafter, Parts 1-2
• Episode 21-22: Wild Cards, Parts 1-2
• Episode 23: Comfort and Joy
• Episode 24-26: Starcrossed, Parts 1-3

Justice League Unlimited, Season 1:

After the success of Justice League, the series continued in the highly-acclaimed Justice League Unlimited, which expanded the League's roster of seven into involving upwards to fifty heroes. Focusing on heroes old and new, Unlimited did something that no superhero cartoon before had attempted before -- serialization. The result is that the second season of Unlimited became easily one of the most-acclaimed superhero series for a good reason. 

• Episode 1: Initiation
• Episode 2: For the Man Who Has Everything
• Episode 3: Kids' Stuff
• Episode 4: Hawk and Dove
• Episode 5: This Little Piggy
• Episode 6: Fearful Symmetry
• Episode 7: The Greatest Story Never Told
• Episode 8: The Return
• Episode 9: Ultimatum
• Episode 10: Dark Heart
• Episode 11: Wake the Dead
• Episode 12: The Once and Future Thing, Part 1: Weird Western Tales
• Episode 13: The Once and Future Thing, Part 2: Time, Warped

Justice League Unlimited, Season 2:

• Episode 1: The Cat and the Canary
• Episode 2: The Ties that Bind (a.k.a. Miracles Happen)
• Episode 3: The Doomsday Sanction
• Episode 4: Task Force X
• Episode 5: The Balance
• Episode 6: Double Date
• Episode 7: Clash
• Episode 8: Hunter's Moon (a.k.a. Mystery in Space)
• Episode 9: Question Authority
• Episode 10: Flashpoint
• Episode 11: Panic in the Sky
• Episode 12: Divided We Fall
• Episode 13: Epilogue

Justice League Unlimited, Season 3:

• Episode 1: I Am Legion
• Episode 2: Shadow of the Hawk
• Episode 3: Chaos at the Earth's Core
• Episode 4: To Another Shore
• Episode 5: Flash and Substance
• Episode 6: Dead Reckoning
• Episode 7: Patriot Act
• Episode 8: The Great Brain Robbery
• Episode 9: Grudge Match
• Episode 10: Far From Home
• Episode 11: Ancient History
• Episode 12: Alive!
• Episode 13: Destroyer

___________________________________________________________

Young Justice

While sadly it ended relatively prematurely and remained in limbo after two seasons, Young Justice is a very ambitious cartoon with a high animation quality, bringing in various generations and incarnations of Teen Titans and Young Justice members to create a unique, all-new team that stars characters iconic to DC lore (Robin, Kid Flash, Speedy), more obscure, newer characters (Superboy, Artemis, Miss Martian) and brand-new ones (a new Aqualad), crafting a universe that plays hard and fast with implementing parts of DC lore. It really hit it stride with a time-skip and cast expansion in the second season, delivering a fun, large ensemble cast starring characters old and new.

Currently slated for a third season in 2019.

Young Justice, Season 1:

• Episode 1: Independence Day
• Episode 2: Fireworks
• Episode 3: Welcome to Happy Harbor
• Episode 4: Drop-Zone
• Episode 5: Schooled
• Episode 6: Infiltrator
• Episode 7: Denial
• Episode 8: Downtime
• Episode 9: Bereft
• Episode 10: Targets
• Episode 11: Terrors
• Episode 12: Homefront
• Episode 13: Alpha Male
• Episode 14: Revelation
• Episode 15: Humanity
• Episode 16: Failsafe
• Episode 17: Disordered
• Episode 18: Secrets
• Episode 19: Misplaced
• Episode 20: Coldhearted
• Episode 21: Image
• Episode 22: Agendas
• Episode 23: Insecurity
• Episode 24: Performance
• Episode 25: Usual Suspects
• Episode 26: Auld Acquaintance

Young Justice: Invasion [Season 2]:

• Episode 1: Happy New Year
• Episode 2: Earthlings
• Episode 3: Alienated
• Episode 4: Salvage
• Episode 5: Beneath
• Episode 6: Bloodlines
• Episode 7: Depths
• Episode 8: Satisfaction
• Episode 9: Darkest
• Episode 10: Before the Dawn
• Episode 11: Cornered
• Episode 12: True Colors
• Episode 13: The Fix
• Episode 14: Runaways
• Episode 15: War
• Episode 16: Complications
• Episode 17: The Hunt
• Episode 18: Intervention
• Episode 19: Summit
• Episode 20: Endgame

Young Justice: Outsiders [Season 3]:

• Season 3, Part 1:
• Episode 1: Princes All
• Episode 2: Royal We
• Episode 3: Eminent Threat
• Episode 4: Private Security
• Episode 5: Away Mission
• Episode 6: Rescue Op
• Episode 7: Evolution
• Episode 8: Triptych
• Episode 9: Home Fires
• Episode 10: Exceptional Human Beings
• Episode 11: Another Freak
• Episode 12: Nightmare Monkeys
• Episode 13: True Heroes
• Season 3, Part 2:
• Episode 14: Influence
• Episode 15: Leverage
• Episode 16: Illusion of Control
• Episode 17: First Impression
• Episode 18: Early Warning
• Episode 19: Elder Wisdom
• Episode 20: Quiet Conversations
• Episode 21: Unknown Factors
• Episode 22: Anti-Social Pathologies
• Episode 23: Terminus
• Episode 24: Into the Breach
• Episode 25: Overwhelmed
• Episode 26: Nevermore

________________________________________

Batman: The Animated Series

The definitive portrayal of the Dark Knight.

Batman, the Animated Series, Season 1: [TBA] 

• Episode 1: On Leather Wings
• Episode 2: Christmas With the Joker
• Episode 3: Nothing to Fear
• Episode 4: The Last Laugh
• Episode 5: Pretty Poison
• Episode 6: The Underdwellers
• Episode 7: P.O.V.
• Episode 8: The Forgotten
• Episode 9: Be A Clown
• Episode 10-11: Two-Face, Parts 1-2
• Episode 12: It's Never Too late
• Episode 13: I've Got Batman in My Basement
• Episode 14: Heart of Ice
• Episode 15-16: The Cat and the Claw, Parts 1-2
• Episode 17: See No Evil
• Episode 18: Beware the Gray Ghost
• Episode 19: Prophecy of Doom
• Episode 20-21: Feat of Clay, Parts 1-2
• Episode 22: Joker's Favor
• Episode 23: Vendetta
• Episode 24: Fear of Victory
• Episode 25: The Clock King
• Episode 26: Appointment in Crime Alley
• Episode 27: Mad as a Hatter
• Episode 28: Dreams in Darkness
• Episode 29: Eternal Youth
• Episode 30: Perchance to Dream
• Episode 31: The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy
• Episode 32-33: Robin's Reckoning, Parts 1-2
• Episode 34: The Laughing Fish
• Episode 35: Night of the Ninja
• Episode 36: Cat Scratch Fever
• Episode 37: The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne
• Episode 38-39: Heart of Steel, Parts 1-2
• Episode 40: If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?
• Episode 41: Joker's Wild
• Episode 42: Tyger, Tyger
• Episode 43: Moon of the Wolf
• Episode 44: Day of the Samurai
• Episode 45: Terror in the Sky
• Episode 46: Almost Got 'Im
• Episode 47: Birds of a Feather
• Episode 48: What is Reality?
• Episode 49: I Am the Night
• Episode 50: Off Balance
• Episode 51: The Man Who Killed Batman
• Episode 52: Zatanna
• Episode 53: The Mechanic
• Episode 54: Harley and Ivy
• Episode 55: Blind as a Bat
• Episode 56-57: The Demon's Quest, Parts 1-2
• Episode 58: His Silicon Soul
• Episode 59: Fire From Olympus
• Episode 60: Read My Lips

Batman: The Animated Series, Season Two:

The Adventures of Batman & Robin [Seasons Three & Four]:

The New Batman Adventures, Season One:
The New Batman Adventures, Season Two:

___________________________________________________________

TEEN TITANS

Taking a different approach to telling a superhero story than Justice League, Teen Titans is a zanier, more wacky and comedy-filled show aimed for a slightly younger audience. Here there's a bit less focus on secret identities or long-season-arching plots, with most episodes being standalone and interchangeable, but that does not stop the energetic cartoon from having season-wide arcs that are surprisingly well-written, introspective and character-building. Putting a lot more focus in adapting the spirit of the characters than outright stories or concepts from the comics, Teen Titans strikes a very unique balance between action, comedy and seriousness, resulting in an energetic and very well-written show. When there's trouble you know who to call...

Teen Titans, Season 1:

• Episode 1: Final Exam
• Episode 2: Sisters
• Episode 3: Divide and Conquer
• Episode 4: Forces of Nature
• Episode 5: The Sum of His Parts
• Episode 6: Nevermore
• Episode 7: Switched
• Episode 8: Deep Six
• Episode 9: Masks
• Episode 10: Detention (a.k.a. Mad Mod)
• Episode 11: Car Trouble
• Episode 12: Apprentice, Part 1
• Episode 13: Apprentice, Part 2 

Teen Titans, Season 2:

• Episode 1: How Long is Forever?
• Episode 2: Every Dog Has His Day
• Episode 3: Terra
• Episode 4: Only Human
• Episode 5: Fear Itself
• Episode 6: Date With Destiny
• Episode 7: Transformation
• Episode 8: Titan Rising
• Episode 9: Winner Take All
• Episode 10: Betrayal
• Episode 11: Fractured
• Episode 12: Aftershock, Part 1
• Episode 13: Aftershock, Part 2 

Teen Titans, Season 3:

• Episode 1: Deception
• Episode 2: X
• Episode 3: Betrothed
• Episode 4: Crash
• Episode 5: Haunted
• Episode 6: Spellbound
• Episode 7: Revolution
• Episode 8: Wavelength
• Episode 9: The Beast Within
• Episode 10: Can I Keep Him?
• Episode 11: Bunny Raven or How to Make a Titananimal Disappear
• Episode 12: Titans East, Part 1
• Episode 13: Titans East, Part 2

Teen Titans, Season 4:

• Episode 0: "The Lost Episode"
• Episode 1: Episode 257-494 (a.k.a. Don't Touch That Dial)
• Episode 2: The Quest
• Episode 3: Birthmark
• Episode 4: Cyborg the Barbarian
• Episode 5: Employee of the Month
• Episode 6: Troq
• Episode 7: The Prophecy
• Episode 8: Stranded
• Episode 9: Overdrive
• Episode 10: Mother Mae-Eye
• Episode 11: The End, Part 1
• Episode 12: The End, Part 2
• Episode 13: The End, Part 3

Teen Titans, Season 5:

• Episode 1: Homecoming, Part 1
• Episode 2: Homecoming, Part 2
• Episode 3: Trust
• Episode 4: For Real
• Episode 5: Snowblind
• Episode 6: Kole
• Episode 7: Hide and Seek
• Episode 8: Lightspeed
• Episode 9: Revved Up
• Episode 10: Go!
• Episode 11: Calling All Titans
• Episode 12: Titans Together
• Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo
• Episode 13: Things Change

________________________________________________________________________

Other Superhero Cartoons:

CW Seed :

An animated web-series spun off from the Arrow/Flash team, Vixen isn't a live-action series, but its ties to Arrow and the other CW shows, the fact that the live-action actors from the CW shows reprising their roles here, their canonicity to the CW shows and especially with Vixen herself making an appearance in live-action in Arrow, my reviews will be listed here for simplicity's sake. Has since been expanded to feature all other CW Seed ventures, including the Ray and Constantine's new series.

• Vixen, Season One
• Vixen, Season Two: Trial by Fire
• Freedom Fighters: The Ray [Season 1]
• Freedom Fighters: The Ray [compilation movie]
• Constantine: City of Demons [Season 1]
• Constantine: City of Demons [compilation movie]
• Deathstroke: Dragons and Knights, Episode 1

________________________________________________________________________

New DCEU

Tie-ins to James Gunn's movies, released in 2024 onwards.

• Creature Commandos, Season 1
  

________________________________________________________________________

Marvel Cartoons!

Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes

Released in 2010 and concluding in 2013, Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes is a critically-acclaimed cartoon starring Marvel's premiere superhero team, the Avengers, adapting a series that's a mixture of the more widespread Marvel Cinematic movies, as well as the comics that they were based upon.

Season One:

• Episode 1-2: Breakout, Parts 1-2
• Episode 3: Iron Man is Born
• Episode 4: Thor the Mighty
• Episode 5: Hulk vs. The World
• Episode 6: Meet Captain America
• Episode 7: The Man in the Ant Hill
• Episode 8: Some Assembly Required
• Episode 9: Living Legend
• Episode 10: Everything is Wonderful
• Episode 11: Panther's Quest
• Episode 12-13: Gamma World, Parts 1-2
• Episode 14: Masters of Evil
• Episode 15: 459
• Episode 16: Widow's Sting
• Episode 17: The Man Who Stole Tomorrow
• Episode 18: Come the Conqueror
• Episode 19: The Kang Dynasty
• Episode 20: The Casket of Ancient Winters
• Episode 21: Hail Hydra
• Episode 22: Ultron-5
• Episode 23: The Ultron Imperative
• Episode 24: This Hostage Earth
• Episode 25: The Fall of Asgard
• Episode 26: A Day Unlike Any Other

Season 2:

• Episode 1: The Private War of Doctor Doom
• Episode 2: Alone Against AIM
• Episode 3: Acts of Vengeance
• Episode 4: Welcome to the Kree Empire
• Episode 5: To Steal an Ant-Man
• Episode 6: Michael Korvac
• Episode 7: Who Do You Trust
• Episode 8: The Ballad of Beta Ray Bill
• Episode 9: Nightmare in Red
• Episode 10: Prisoner of War
• Episode 11: Infiltration
• Episode 12: Secret Invasion
• Episode 13: Along Came a Spider
• Episode 14: Behold... the Vision
• Episode 15: Powerless
• Episode 16: Assault on 42
• Episode 17: Ultron Unlimited
• Episode 18: Yellowjacket
• Episode 19: Emperor Stark
• Episode 20: Code Red
• Episode 21: Winter Soldier
• Episode 22: The Deadliest Man Alive
• Episode 23: New Avengers
• Episode 24: Operation Galactic Storm
• Episode 25: Live Kree or Die
• Episode 26: Avengers Assemble

__________________________________________________________

Marvel's M.O.D.O.K.

• M.O.D.O.K., Season 1 [2021]

New Marvel Animated Universe:

• Avengers Assemble, Season 1

Ultimate Spider-Man, Season 1:

• Episodes 1-2: Great Power / Great Responsibility
• Episode 3: Doomed
• Episode 4: Venom
• Episode 5: Fight of the Iron Spider
• Episode 6: Why I Hate Gym
• Episode 7: Exclusive
• Episode 8: Back in Black
• Episode 9: Field Trip
• Episode 10: Freaky
• Episode 11: Venomous
• Episode 12: Me Time
• Episode 13: Strange
• Episode 14: Awesome
• Episode 15: For Your Eye Only
• Episode 16: Beetle Mania
• Episode 17: Snow Day
• Episode 18: Damage
• Episode 19: Home Sick Hulk
• Episode 20: Run Pig Run
• Episode 21: I Am Spider-Man
• Episode 22: The Iron Octopus
• Episode 23: Not A Toy
• Episode 24: Attack of the Beetle
• Episode 25: Revealed
• Episode 26: Rise of the Goblin

Ultimate Spider-Man, Season 2:

• Episode 1: The Lizard
• Episode 2: Electro
• Episode 3: The Rhino
• Episode 4: Kraven the Hunter
• Episode 5: Hawkeye
• Episode 6: The Sinister Six
• Episode 7: Spidah-Man
• Episode 8: Carnage
• Episode 9: House Arrest
• Episode 10: The Man-Wolf
• Episode 11: Swarm
• Episode 12: Itsy-Bitsy Spider-Man
• Episode 13: Journey of the Iron Fist
• Episode 14: The Incredible Spider-Hulk
• Episode 15: Stan By Me
• Episode 16: Ultimate Deadpool
• Episode 17: Venom Bomb
• Episode 18: Guardians of the Galaxy
• Episode 19: Parent Trap
• Episode 20: Game Over
• Episode 21: Blade
• Episode 22: The Howling Commandos
• Episode 23: Second Chance Hero
• Episode 24: Sandman Returns
• Episode 25: Return of the Sinister Six
• Episode 26: Ultimate