Facebook – Top 50 FAVORITE Animated Programs of All Time: 44

44: Justice League Unlimited (2004-2006/Cartoon Network)

It would be pretty easy to include the entire Justice League run, but I really only liked it when it included all the oddball characters the DC universe has to throw around. While I’m a much larger fan of Marvel comics, overall, the truth is that DC has so many random, strange, and just out-there characters. The Question? Kilowag? Blue Beetle? These characters could never have their own show, but here? They can be fleshed into characters that can sustain a few episodes of presence. And I like that. Batman and Superman have had their own shows for years at this point, but who is going to give Martian Manhunter his own cartoon? That’s right, no one. Thank God.

Many episodes deal with a variety of topics, feature an amazing catalog of DC villains to meet the heroes, and can shift tone from episode to episode. Sometimes the storylines are dark as fuck, other times they are entertaining and comical. One particular episode of note is when Lex Luthor takes of the Flash’s body and has no idea who he is, resulting in some great comedy.

Plus, it continues the DC animated universe. Ends it, actually. This is a universe where Batman: TAS and that Superman cartoon come from. Its the same universe that featured Batman Beyond (actually, well, we’ll get to that). And it maintained those voice actors, giving Kevin Conroy yet another opportunity to play the Batman many of us grew up watching. The action was great, the writing was fantastic, and the ending was killer. While one of the weaker DC Animated Universe shows, it was awesome.

Favorite Episode:
Epilogue. Why? Because its the conclusion to Batman Beyond, a show that is 10x the show this is and never got the ending it deserved. It not only features tons of the same voice cast, but even ties into the second greatest Batman movie ever made, Mask of the Phantasm. Why? Because it could. And did. While Return of the Joker is a great ending for that show, the first season’s finale episode is a better ending.

Favorite Character:
I want to say Batman, but… well, that’s cheating. So I’m just going to go ahead and give it to Booster Gold. Why? Because he’s hilarious. His whole episode, he’s supposed to be keeping the innocents safe, but goes off on his own crazy adventure, full of himself (and shit). And he’s hilarious.

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Added March 30, 2017
Why wouldn’t DC and WB let these guys run the DC Film Universe?