Appreciation for Animation (Part 2)

Here we'll be continuing The Panel Biter's most recent list for DC's best animated features, so if you haven't checked out Part 1 you might want to look into that first to fully enjoy this list. Now, let's go on with The Panel Biter's Top 5 DC Animated Movies.

#2. Batman: Under the Red Hood

Anyone who knows the about the death of Jason Todd must know just how complicated-and later just how simple-Todd's revival as The Red Hood really was. This animated movie not only streamlines Jason Todd's revival, but adds to the story with well-presented characters. Batman, Red Hood, and The Joker get the most screen time, but characters like Nightwing, Ra's al Ghul, and Black Mask also have a place in the story. This story challenges the morals of Batman, as when The Red Hood first appears in Gotham City he takes the lives of criminals, believing Batman to be too weak to it himself. The flashbacks to Jason's time as Robin also personify him as a very different Boy Wonder, giving the viewers a much different impression to him than other Robins shown on screen before. The climax of this animated feature between Batman and his thought-dead sidekick will have you on the end of your gargoyle. Oh, I mean seat.

#1. Justice League Doom

This animated feature gets the number one spot not just for it's balance, it's premise, or it's characters, but mainly for it's presentation of The Justice League. Not since the Justice League animated cartoon has the JL been shown so well as an actual team. "Justice League: Doom" combines elements of the "Tower of Babel" storyline and the creation of The Legion of Doom. This time around the JL team is made up of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, and The Martian Manhunter. Their main enemy is the immortal villain Vandal Savage and his band of criminals, The Legion of Doom: Metallo, Bane, The Cheetah, Star Sapphire, Mirror Master, and Malefic. Vandal uses each villain in combination with stolen anti-Justice League plans-crafted by Batman as emergency measures-to take down each Leaguer one by one. These plans include a Kryptonite bullet for Superman, a wrist-mounted speed controlled explosive for The Flash, an oxygen triggered flammable sweat formula for The Martian Manhunter, and many other twisted contingencies. And for fans of The Teen Titans, Cyborg also appears as The Justice League's eventual seventh member. Aquaman? Oh, uh, he's in space or something. This animated movie leans on the structure of The JL, testing the trust between themselves and Batman himself. The ending also shines on the democratic nature of the team, as well as the loyal friendship between Batman and Superman.

I'd like to give a few honorable mentions to "Batman: Gotham Knight", "Justice League: The New Frontier", and "Wonder Woman". If you don't have time to dig into DC's comic books, I'd recommend any of these fantastic animated movies as they present detailed lore and loyal presentations of DC's finest heroes and villains. Thanks for reading!

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