The best order to watch the DC Animated Universe

On September 5^th 1992, Batman: The Animated Series made its television debut, introducing the world to a new take on the Caped Crusader via one of the best-loved TV shows of all-time. But it wasn’t just a new series that arrived that day, it was also the beginning of an animated universe – the DC Animated Universe.

From Batman: The Animated Series through various spinoff shows and movies, the DC Animated Universe rapidly expanded to become a sprawling universe filled with sensational stories and colourful characters. But how do you follow it? If you’re new to this corner of DC, what is the best order to watch the DC Animated Universe?

Here’s an easy to follow guide of what to watch and when to watch it. I have included all of the shows, shorts, webseries, and movies to provide an easy-to-follow run-through of the DCAU.

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The DC Animated Universe timeline order

• Batman: The Animated Series (1992) – Episode one: On Leather Wings to Episode 31: The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy
• Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)
• Batman: The Animated Series (1992 – 1993) Episode 32: Robin’s Reckoning: Part 1 to Episode 65: The Worry Men
• The Adventures of Batman & Robin (1994 – 1995) Episode 66: Sideshow to Episode 85: Batgirl Returns
• Batman Black and White motion comic short: Two of a Kind (2008)
• Batman & Mr. Freeze: Subzero (1998)
• Superman: The Animated Series (1996 – 1998) Episode one: The Last Son of Krypton Part 1 to Episode 41: Little Girl Lost Part 2
• The New Batman Adventures (1997) Episode two: Sins of the Father
• The New Batman Adventures (1997) Episode eight: Growing Pains
• The New Batman Adventures (1997) Episode one: Holiday Knights to Episode 24: Judgement Day
• Chase Me (2003) animated Catwoman short
• Gotham Girls web series Season One (2000) Episode one: The Vault to Episode ten: Lady-X
• Lobo web series (2000) Episode one: Lobo is a Four Letter Word to Episode 14: Repeating Offender
• Gotham Girls web series Season Two (2001) Episode one: Hold That Tiger to Episode ten: I’m Badgirl
• Gotham Girls web series Season Three (2002) Episode one: Ms.-ing in Action to Episode ten: Cold Hands, Cold Heart
• Superman: The Animated Series (1998) Episode 42: Where There’s Smoke to Episode 54: Legacy Part Two
• Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (2003)
• Static Shock Season One (2000 – 2001) Episode one: Shock to the System to Episode 13: Tantrum
• Justice League Season One (2001 – 2002) Episode one: Secret Origins Part One to Episode 26: The Savage Time Part Three
• Static Shock Season Two/Three (2002 – 2003) Episode 14: The Big Leagues to Episode 29: The Usual Suspect
• Justice League Season Two (2003 – 2004) Episode 27: Twilight Part One to Episode 49: Comfort and Joy
• Static Shock Season Three (2003) Episode 30: A League of Their Own – Part One to Episode 31: A League of Their Own – Part Two
• Justice League Season Two (2003 – 2004) Episode 50: Starcrossed – Part One to Episode 52: Starcrossed Part Three
• Static Shock Season Three/Four (2003 – 2004) Episode 32: Showtime to Episode 52: Power Outage
• Justice League Unlimited Season One/Two (2004 – 2005) Episode 1: Initiation to Episode 25: Divided We Fall (but not Episode 26: Epilogue)
• Justice League Unlimited Season Three (2005 – 2006) Episode 27: I Am Legion to Episode 39: Destroyer
• Batman Beyond Season One (1999) Episode one: Rebirth Part 1 to Part 13: Ascension
• Batman Beyond (2014) Batman 75^th Anniversary short
• Batman Beyond Season Two (1999 – 2000) Episode 14: Splicers to Episode 39: Ace in the Hole
• The Zeta Project Season One/Two (2001 – 2002) Episode one: The Accomplice to Episode seven: Hicksburg
• Batman Beyond Season Three (2000 – 2001) Episode 41: Kings Ransom to Episode 52: Unmasked
• The Zeta Project Season One/Two (2001 – 2002) Episode eight: Shadows to Episode 26: The Hologram Man
• Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000)
• Justice League Unlimited Season Two (2005) Episode 26: Epilogue

Important notes I

When it comes to Batman: The Animated Series, the episode order referred to above is based on how the episodes are numbered according to the Blu-ray/DVD boxset, rather than how they are numbered on some streaming platforms. Some streaming services use the original airdate order, rather than the chronological order (originally the show was aired out of order based on which episodes were completed and ready to air).

Over here in the U.K. (and I believe in the US), the first ep of Batman: The Animated Series to air in 1992 was The Cat and the Claw Part 1, but this is not the first episode of the show. The first episode of Batman: The Animated Series is On Leather Wings, it just didn’t make it to air first.

If all this seems a little confusing, don’t panic! Due to the nature of the storytelling in Batman: The Animated Series, for the most part it doesn’t make much of a difference what order you watch the early episodes.

Important notes II

It’s worth noting that some of the original shows were produced around the same time, or exist within the same time period, meaning some of the series may be slightly out of sync.

For example, Static Shock takes place during the same time period as Justice League, but there is a jump to the future for a crossover with Batman Beyond. It’s difficult to balance all of the shows without watching some content slightly out of sync, simply because of the order it was produced in (so please keep this in mind).

And when it comes to Gotham Girls and Lobo, these were originally released as webseries. Both shows are lesser known cartoons and have been seen by a much smaller audience than shows such as Batman: The Animated Series etc.

If you wish to skip the Gotham Girls and Lobo webseries you can. The core shows of the DC Animated Universe are Batman, Superman, Batman Beyond, Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, as well as the corresponding movies (Mask of the Phantasm, Subzero, Mystery of the Batwoman, and Return of the Joker), with Static Shock and The Zeta Project being fun extensions.

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Not included in the DCAU timeline

And now for a little bit of additional info…

If you’re familiar with the DCAU you might be wondering why a few movies are missing from the above timeline. The missing movies you might be thinking about are as follows:

• Superman: Brainiac Attacks (2006)
• Justice League: Gods and Monsters (2015)
• Batman and Harley Quinn (2017)
• Justice League vs. The Fatal Five (2019)

So, why are these films missing from the DCAU timeline? Simple: They are not part of the timeline.

The above movies are inspired by the DCAU, going so far as to use the same or similar animation style, but they are not part of the universe. The films contain various contradictory elements which stop them from being included in the DCAU.

For example, Superman: Brainiac Attacks uses most of the same character designs from Superman: The Animated Series but tonally it is very different, and certain elements of the story contradict the established continuity of the show. The character of Lex is also nothing like the one who appeared in the Superman/Justice League shows, essentially becoming a different character entirely.

As for Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, this was originally conceived as a movie to tie in with the DCAU, but the project was shelved. When the script was later dusted off, it was reworked to become an entry in Warner Bros.’ DC Universe Animated Original Movies collection (a completely different thing from the DCAU). As part of this reworking, it was given a new voice cast, new animation/character designs etc. So it really has nothing to do with the DCAU.

And then there is Justice League vs the Fatal Five, which was originally conceived as a different project entirely. When that project didn’t come to fruition, the character designs were changed to look like the DCAU/Bruce Timm designs, which were still popular with fans.

As for whether the movie is officially considered part of the same universe, Batman: The Animated Series co-creator Bruce Timm spoke to Comics Beat back in 2019 and said: “As for whether or not this is actually in DCAU continuity, the filmmakers leave it up to the viewers to decide for themselves.”

Personally, I don’t believe it is part of the DCAU. Some of these designs contradicted what had already been established in the DCAU (the look of Kilowog for example) and it feels more like a ‘cash in’, rather than a proper piece of the universe.

It’s best to think of Superman: Brainiac Attacks, Justice League: Gods and Monsters, Batman and Harley Quinn, and Justice League vs. The Fatal Five as alternate universe stories, rather than part of the core universe/timeline.

Should you watch them anyway? It is entirely up to you.

If I were to include these movies (and I personally wouldn’t), then I would place Justice League vs. The Fatal Five after the Justice League Unlimited episode, ‘Destroyer’, and place Batman and Harley Quinn after Justice League vs. The Fatal Five (i.e. before the events of Batman Beyond).

The other two movies are a little more problematic, as they just don’t fit. However, if you really wanted to shoe-horn them in the timeline, Brainiac Attacks would need to go somewhere within Superman: The Animated Series (but before the season finale), while Justice League: Gods & Monsters could be anywhere within the events of Justice League Unlimited.

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