'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Comic book movies have been ruling the big screen for over a decade now. Marvel and DC have both cracked the code in that regard, churning out blockbuster after blockbuster. While most of these movies are live-action films, occasionally, the studios introduce the same beloved characters in a different format – animated.
And why not? After all, when it comes to comic book characters, animated movies come closest to depicting them as technically, they are both drawings. With accurate plot, design, and tone, animated movies stay loyal to their source and tell a story with the same intentions as the comic book writers.
With that in mind, we look at five of the best animated comic book heroes.
Sony's Spider-Verse could upset DC comic characters domination of the animated medium
5) Batman: Under the Red Hood
This animated magnum opus introduced us to one of the coolest comic book characters of all time - Red Hood. The newest Batman rival shined brightly on the screen and made his way into the hearts of numerous DC fans. An animated movie rivaling Nolan-level plot twists, Batman: Under the Red Hood made a significant contribution to Batman mythos.
4) Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox
You know you are in for a ride when DC creates a paradox, and not just any old paradox, but a Flashpoint Paradox, which turned out to be a universe-altering event. Told through the perspective of the fastest man alive, Flash witnesses a mind-boggling universe. Superman is a slave to the U.S. government, Batman is Thomas Wayne who straight-up murders his enemies, and Aquaman and Wonder Woman wage war against each other’s kingdoms.
And if you think it all sounds insane, wait till they reveal the identity of this universe’s Joker...
3) Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Parts 1 and 2)
In 1986, Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns did not just change the history of Batman as a character but of the comic book industry as a whole. It proved that the audience could accept and appreciate mature comic book stories. Magnificently recreated for the screen, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns told the story of a 55-year-old Batman who re-emerged on the streets of Gotham post-retirement.
The film portrays the Dark Knight as a big brooding brawler who breaks bones first and asks questions later. Divided into two parts, Dark Knight Returns is 152 minutes of pure unhinged Batman.
2) Batman: Mask of The Phantasm
In the early 1990s, when networks were producing light-hearted cartoons, Warner Bros. dropped a series so dark and clever that it defined a generation of viewers. Batman: The Animated Series carved the bat of Gotham in the heart of every kid. A movie in the same animated universe, Batman: Mask of The Phantasm became the pinnacle of storytelling.
A plot twist that blew the minds of kids and adults alike, a dark and gritty neo-noir setting, and exceptional voice acting by Kevin Conroy made this movie a masterpiece. The success of the quote “I am vengeance, I am the night, I am Batman” can be attributed to The Mask of Phantasm.
1) Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
In 2018, Sony released Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, a film that bagged an academy for Best Animated film. This film blurs the boundaries of the format and is considered not just an amazing animated comic book film but a revolutionary milestone in the history of cinema. Its jarring frames, vivid colors, and animation style are the closest we got to reading a comic book on a big screen.
With an incredible plot, memorable characters, and a soundtrack that touched us on so many levels, Spiderman: Into the Spider-verse was comic book cinema at its finest.
Sony recently overjoyed fans by launching a teaser for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, a sequel to Into the Spider-verse.
