Every Batman Cartoon In Chronological Order

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Batman is undoubtedly DC’s most successful and recognizable character. It’s fitting that Detective Comics lent its name and initials to the entire company. Batman’s appeal goes far beyond comic books; he’s been a huge part of entertainment for decades and will likely remain so for many years to come.

Batman isn’t just famous for his movies and comics – he’s also starred in many beloved animated series that have entertained audiences for generations. Watching these shows in order of their release offers a fascinating look at how the character of Batman has changed and developed over time. And with new series like Batwheels and Bat-Fam constantly being released, there’s always something fresh to discover in the world of Batman animation.

Following the huge popularity of the 1966 Batman TV show with Adam West, animated Batman cartoons were created to capitalize on that success. This series featured the Batman segments originally aired as part of The Batman/Superman Hour. Olan Soule stepped into the role of Batman, taking over from Adam West, and Casey Kasem – best known as the voice of Shaggy in Scooby-Doo – replaced Burt Ward as Robin.

Originally known as The Adventures of Batman, the show was later renamed Batman with Robin the Boy Wonder. This led to the creation of Super Friends as a follow-up series. While the animation style appears old-fashioned by today’s standards, it still has a certain appeal and represents a key moment in the evolution of Batman’s animated appearances.

After the popular first Batman cartoon and animated appearances of heroes like Superman and Aquaman, many DC Comics characters teamed up in 1973 for Super Friends. Although Batman wasn’t the only focus, he and Robin were key members of the show’s main group of heroes.

Originally titled Super Friends, the show was initially canceled after one season but brought back as Challenge of the Super Friends. It went through several name changes, including The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians, before finally ending in 1985. Similar to the earlier Batman series, Super Friends – in all its versions – definitely shows its age, but it played a key role in making the Justice League a popular part of pop culture.

The New Batman Adventures was a continuation of what came before, but with significant improvements to the animation. A delightful surprise was the return of Adam West and Burt Ward, reprising their iconic roles from the original live-action series years after it ended. They continued to shine, bringing the same playful humor and endearing quality to their characters that fans loved.

The animated series The New Adventures of Batman became increasingly quirky, introducing Bat-Mite, a comical, otherworldly helper inspired by the comic books. Similar to characters like Scrappy-Doo from Scooby-Doo and Kazoo from The Flintstones, Bat-Mite proved to be an unpopular addition and contributed to the show’s relatively short run.

As a huge animation fan, I still think Batman: The Animated Series is the gold standard. It really revolutionized how we saw Batman, and it did it with a completely fresh start. Bruce Timm and Paul Dini crafted a world with so much depth – the heroes and villains felt incredibly complex and real, and the show’s art style is just timeless, leaning into a beautiful, gothic look that still holds up today.

Batman: The Animated Series (BTAS) is a groundbreaking show, both for its stories and its animation quality. It also launched the popular DC Animated Universe, leading to series like Superman: The Animated Series and Justice League. The performances of Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamill as the Joker are particularly celebrated, and both actors continued in those roles until Conroy’s death in November 2022.

As a big fan of Batman: The Animated Series, I was thrilled when it continued beyond the original run. They gave it a bit of a visual update to match the look of Superman: The Animated Series which was popular at the time. It gave us two more really good seasons, even though not every character redesign quite hit the mark with longtime fans – and honestly, I can see why some people weren’t thrilled with certain changes!

The New Batman Adventures introduced compelling new stories that focused on the characters around Batman, including memorable villains like Harley Quinn. Importantly, it showed there was still strong interest in Batman, even after the poorly received film Batman & Robin. The show’s continued success within the DC Animated Universe paved the way for another popular and beloved sequel series.

Following up on earlier Batman animated series like The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures, and Justice League, Batman Beyond unexpectedly became a success. Despite the established Batman legacy, the show took a risk by moving Bruce Wayne out of the spotlight, but it quickly developed a dedicated fanbase that kept it on air for several seasons before its cancellation.

Mixing the youthful energy of Spider-Man with the futuristic, gritty world of Blade Runner, and then adding the tone of the Dark Knight, was a daring move. However, it resulted in a truly memorable character. Terry went on to appear in comic books and a special short film celebrating 75 years of Batman, and his story received a final conclusion in the Justice League Unlimited animated series.

Shows like Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series from the DC Animated Universe were very popular and helped keep these characters relevant for a wider audience. Their success paved the way for the first dedicated television series.

Kevin Conroy returned as the voice of Batman for the first two seasons, joining forces with other heroes like Wonder Woman, the Flash, Green Lantern, and Hawkgirl. While the original Justice League series was highly praised, Justice League Unlimited expanded on that success by featuring an even wider range of heroes and skillfully blending self-contained episodes with ongoing storylines.

Unlike the newer live-action movie, this animated version of The Batman emphasizes stylish action scenes over deep character development. Rino Romano voiced Batman, and this iteration featured a lot of cool, advanced gadgets, plus a Batcave that’s incredibly impressive – even a James Bond villain would be envious!

Though often overlooked, The Batman was a well-received series that has gained a larger following over time. The show ran for several seasons, successfully capturing the feel of the original Animated Series while also developing its own unique style for each character, including Batman, Batgirl, and even heroes like Martian Manhunter.

Even though the playfully over-the-top style of the 1960s “Batman” series is a thing of the past, the animated show Batman: The Brave and the Bold demonstrates that this fun, colorful take on the character still works today. Each episode features Batman (voiced by Diedrich Bader) partnering with a well-known or lesser-known hero for adventures reminiscent of classic Silver Age comics.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold was a lively and colorful Batman cartoon that followed the style of the original comic books. It was known for its distinct animation, clever humor, and exciting action. The show also introduced many fans to some of Batman’s more obscure allies, like Blue Beetle, helping to make them more popular.

Unlike other Batman cartoons, Beware the Batman—starring Anthony Ruivivar as the Dark Knight—stood out by forging its own path. It traded the usual bright, dynamic settings for a grittier, detective-focused tone and introduced lesser-known villains like Magpie and Professor Pyg, avoiding storylines from previous series.

The animated series Beware the Batman debuted a new partner for Batman, Katana, who also served as his driver. Their relationship mirrored that of The Green Hornet. While the show proved somewhat controversial among fans, largely due to its computer-generated animation style – a departure from other Batman cartoons – it’s remembered for featuring lesser-known villains instead of the usual, often overused, suspects. This focus on underrated characters is considered one of its strongest points.

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2026-02-23 05:10