Superman: The Animated Series may be one of the most underrated animated shows of the 90s. Perhaps due to the gargantuan popularity of Batman: The Animated Series, the Superman show is often overlooked in of its quality.
That being said, despite the fact that the show itself was very well received, there has been so many incredible Superman adaptations that it can be hard to declare one as the best adaptation, with many adaptations deciding to focus on different aspects of what makes Superman so great.
Best: Interconnected Universe
Interconnected universes have become commonplace at the moment, with the MCU, DCEU, and even the Godzilla Monster Universe being the most notable examples of the shared universe concept.
However, in the 90s the DC Animated Universe was the top dog. This allowed Batman to crossover into Superman: The Animated Series and even kickstarted the Justice League TV series. In addition to Batman, the Flash and Green Lantern also appeared on the show.
Not: Superman Vs The Elite
Superman vs The Elite is an adaptation of the classic comic book storyline ‘What’s Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way’. This adaptation delves deep into the Superman character, showing his motivations more closely than any other adaptation.
While the animation style is certainly odd and will take a while to get used to, it is certainly worth watching due to how well the movie explains the Man of Steel’s motivations.
Best: Villains
Due to the nature of the series, the show was able to feature some of the best villains from the comics. In addition to the likes of Lex Luthor and Darkseid, Metallo, Brainiac, and the Preserver made appearances during the show’s run.
This gave the series a strong rogues gallery with which it could base its foundation on. After all, a superhero story is only as good as the villains in it and Superman: The Animated Series is certainly greater because of them.
Not: Justice League
While this may be controversial as the Superman from Justice League is the same Superman from Superman: The Animated Series, the chemistry between Superman and the other heroes makes for a far more entertaining dynamic.
Furthermore, the stakes seem higher in the Justice League. This helps to add more tension to the episode than would typically be felt in his solo series, allowing Superman to flex his muscles against powerful enemies more consistently.
Best: Voice Acting
As with most of the DCAU, the voice acting was incredible. In a similar manner to Kevin Conroy’s Batman and Mark Hamill’s Joker, Tim Daly’s performance as Superman also deserves to be mentioned in the same breath.
Aside from Superman’s voice, Clancy Brown’s performance as Lex Luthor and Dana Delaney’s performance as Lois Lane are also fantastic pieces of voice acting that don’t often get the credit they deserve.
Not: All-Star Superman
An adaptation of the classic storyline by Grant Morrison, All-Star Superman does an incredible job of adapting this tricky graphic novel, magnificently exploring the character of Superman in a unique manner.
Additionally, and without delivering any spoilers for this brilliant story, it also features one of the most memorable endings to a Superman story of all time.
Best: Comic Book Centered Stories
Live-action adaptations often struggle to adapt the more hardcore comic book elements of Superman stories. Some of these stories are so whacky or outlandish that they just don’t transfer well to live-action.
On the other hand, animated adaptations such as Superman: The Animated Series are able to get away with more, allowing the creators to explore the more outlandish Superman stories. One of the most notable examples of this will be the show’s episode centered around Mr. Mxyzptlk.
Not: Darkness Of Man Of Steel
This gives the audience a new take on the Superman character, making him more than just a big blue Boy Scout. This movie is fairly underrated in of its characterization of Superman.
Best: Variety Of Stories
One of the strongest elements of Bruce Timm’s animated universe was the variety in his storytelling. Timm and the other DCAU creators were able to masterfully combine the light and the dark in their stories, making their stories easily enjoyable by young and old.
Not only did this variety in tone help to capture a wider audience, but it also allowed the creators to explore both the lighter and darker side of Superman’s character, allowing for Superman’s character to be tested even more than it would typically be in other adaptations.
Not: Christopher Reeve
Despite the fact that the Christopher Reeve movies may have aged to some extent, many still consider Christopher Reeve to be the definitive Superman. The actor brilliantly portrayed both the Clark Kent and Superman sides of the character, all while truly making the audience believe that a man could fly.
The iconic nature of Christopher Reeve’s incarnation, despite the quantity of the animated series, makes it difficult to declare the animated series as the best adaptation.
