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5 Underrated Underused Spider-Man Villains

5 Underrated/Underused Spider-Man Villains

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Happy Monday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with a new entry in an older comic book series: Underrated and/or Underused Villains. Today, we focus on Spider-Man’s overlooked rogues’ gallery. The webhead has plenty of villains to his name, so it makes sense that a handful of villains may qualify. Notice how this list isn’t titled a Top 5. Numerous characters could make this list. If you don’t see your favorite underrated Spider-Man villain on this list, comment who would add.

The characters on this list may lean more toward underrated rather than underused or vice versa. Spidey has a wealth of villains, so we have more than one honorable mention. Let’s get to our list of five underrated/underused Spider-Man Villains.

Honorable Mention: Tombstone

I cheated with Tombstone. He shows up plenty in the comics, receives great adaptations in other media (I can’t wait for Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’s second season), and seldom gets overlooked as one of Spidey’s better second-tier villains. But I wanted to mention Tombstone. I love this character. One can never have enough Tombstone stories. I can’t wait to see Marvin Jones III (also known as Krondon) portrayal of Tombstone in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Brilliant casting. Krondon also provided Tombstone’s voice in the Spider-Verse series of animated films. I can’t wait.

Honorable Mention: Beetle

Beetle meets the criteria for underrated and underused. His redemption story (told through Thunderbolts) is wildly underrated; I’d love to see a Beetle redemption story in the MCU. Abe Jenkins (the original and most famous Beetle) seldom gets used in media outside comics, and the comics haven’t featured him recently because he’s dead. But no one stays dead in comics forever. Oddly enough, Tombstone’s daughter, Janice Lincoln, has taken the mantle as the new Beetle. So, there’s a chance we could see Janice in the MCU.

No version of Beetle is primarily a Spider-Man villain, and that’s why they make the honorable mention list. Beetle threatens the larger MCU, giving preference to Iron Man and Spider-Man. Abe’s origin story was reworked a bit and used as Mysterio’s backstory in Spider-Man: Far From Home. He craved respect and recognition, so he stole tech, made a super suit, and terrorized the normies. When he joined the Thunderbolts, originally pretending to be a hero, he found the respect and recognition he always craved as a hero, so he became one. Ah! What could’ve been in the MCU? Beetle is certainly one of the most criminally overlooked Marvel villains. But his freelance villainy causes him to just miss the list.

Honorable Mention: Hammerhead

A third honorable mention? Yeah, Spidey has a ton of fantastic villains. We could’ve made a list of 20 underrated/underused Spider-Man villains. Let us know if you’d like to see a second part to this list.

Hammerhead has some of the worst adaptations for a Spider-Man villain. Outside the comics, media portray him as an underling. That isn’t true. Hammerhead is Kingpin’s rival, an equal in every sense. Readers of Spider-Man comics know this, but anyone who only consumes Spidey content outside the comics will wildly underrate Hammerhead as a villain. And Hammerhead has one of the most tragic childhoods among Spidey villains. I won’t spoil it. It’s brutal. There’s a reason Hammerhead’s skull has been replaced with adamantium. Yikes!

Hammerhead just misses our list because he may soon get a good adaptation. Rumors of Hammerhead joining Spider-Man: Brand New Day abound. I’m writing this early and before the second season of Daredevil: Born Again, and there’s a chance Hammerhead could become the Kingpin rival he was always supposed to be. We’ll have to see.

That wraps up our honorable mentions. Let’s see who made the proper list.

5: Doppelganger

Sure, Doppelganger has low intelligence. He barely says more than one word, but Doppelganger has a ton of potential, inside and outside of comics. Doppelganger hails from the dimension of manifestations. The Magus created all of the doppelgangers–they created a doppelganger for everyone in Marvel Comics (kind of like the Bizarros in DC Comics)–to combat their counterparts. Spider-Man’s doppelganger was the only one who made it to Earth 616 (Marvel’s main timeline). Lost, Doppelganger didn’t know what to do and attacked Spider-Man. It was defeated. But Doppelganger was rescued and adopted, in a way, by Shriek. Doppelganger only hates Spider-Man because the one it calls “Mother” (Shriek) hates Spider-Man. Despite its villain status, Doppelganger has conducted heroic deeds, and that’s interesting.

Within Marvel Comics, few creative teams have explored Doppelganger, but when they do, those stories slap. There have been rumblings of a potential Doppelganger sighting in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but unlike Hammerhead, I doubt Doppelganger will get a good story. Fingers crossed.

4: Hobgoblin

Hobgoblin fits the bill of an underrated Spider-Man villain, but he also poses a good question. Can someone be overused and underused at the same time? When Hobgoblin makes it into a Spider-Man story, he dominates for a few years, and then he disappears for almost a decade. And the pattern repeats. Most creative teams who include Hobgoblin in a story are passionate about the character. That’s why Hobgoblin dominates the storylines. This shields Hobgoblin from a lot of “bad” storylines. In fact, Hobgoblin is one of the few Spider-Man villains on this list, and in the honorable mentions, without an awful story.

One does need to establish a Green Goblin before introducing Hobgoblin. Typically, Hobgoblin “borrows” Green Goblin’s gadgets and rebrands them. The Nineties Spider-Man animated series is the only exception I can think of when Hobgoblin appears before Green Goblin. It helps that Mark Hamill voiced Hobgoblin.

Honestly, I like Hobgoblin’s aesthetic more than Green Goblin’s, and I love the purple and green combination. Heck, those are Geekly’s colors. It must be Hobgoblin’s outfit, his more demonic and unhinged look, and that’s ironic. Green Goblin always has some form of mental illness, but usually, Hobgoblin has full control of his mental faculties. That can give Hobgoblin a more sinister vibe. He knows exactly what he’s doing.

3: Chameleon

Chameleon is Spider-Man’s first villain. In his first tale, Chameleon dresses up as Spider-Man to frame him for stealing government plans. This happens a lot for Chameleon. He frames Spidey for crimes he didn’t commit, but Chameleon is more of an espionage character. He has an awesome backstory. Without Chameleon, we may not get as fleshed out a Kraven the Hunter. The two are half-brothers. But Spider-Man creators miscast Chameleon. So, Chameleon may be more of a misused villain than an underused villain, but he is also underused.

Despite being Spider-Man’s oldest villain, Chameleon rarely shows up in other media, and when he does, it’s usually a cameo. I’m hopeful for Chameleon’s role in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’s second season. This version of Chameleon has potential. It also helps that Peter Parker’s father (Spoiler: Peter’s dad is alive in this cartoon series) worked as a spy. That could play into Chameleon’s background. We need Spidey to flex his detective muscle. Mysterio triggers Peter’s tingle, forcing him to rely on his Spider Sense. A full-thrust Spider Sense for Mysterio makes sense because Mysterio envelops the area around him with illusions. I could see a low-level twinge with the Chameleon, like Peter knows something’s amiss, but he can’t put his finger on it. Chameleon’s abilities only affect himself. We need better Chameleon stories.

2: Vermin

Before making this list, I knew who would reach the top. One can rearrange or replace any of the previous Spider-Man villains on this list, but the top two are chiseled in stone. You could swap one and two with each other, but we’ll get to number one in a minute. First, we’re talking about Vermin.

Vermin may take the mantle of the most underrated and underused Spider-Man villain. Most Spidey fans (who read the comic book) would say Kraven’s Last Hunt and The Child Within are two of the top three or four stories in Spider-Man history. Vermin features in both stories. Despite those two tales occurring decades ago, Vermin shows up in few other stories. See what I mean about underused? Some Spidey fans may forget Vermin was in Kraven’s Last Hunt. Talk about underrated. Sure, Vermin was Kraven’s pawn, but there’s a killer moment when Spider-Man loses his temper with Vermin. Love this story. We covered it more in a previous post.

And then we get to The Child Within. Ah! So good. A nine or ten-year-old child wanders into the sewers and asks Vermin to accompany him home. Vermin (a rat person) takes the kid to a mansion, but the kid refuses to go inside. By this point, we realize the kid is Vermin’s inner child. The mansion belongs to his parents. At first, Vermin’s parents don’t recognize him. We get Vermin’s tragic backstory, and I’m not going to spoil it here. You should read The Child Within.

Not only does Vermin have few–if any–“bad stories,” he’s featured in two of Spider-Man’s greatest stories. Who could possibly claim the top spot over Vermin?

1: Jackal

If you were to rank Spider-Man’s most important villains (the ones necessary to tell Spider-Man’s story), the list would look like the following:

1) Green Goblin
2) Doctor Octopus
3) Jackal

Spider-Man fans who read the comics know who Jackal is and would agree with this list–for the most part. Spidey fans who don’t read the comics are scratching their heads, wondering who the hell is Jackal? That’s why Jackal is number one on this list. He is one of Spidey’s most important villains, and not enough people know him. Jackal introduced The Punisher, hiring him to take down Spider-Man (during The Punisher’s first appearance), and he’s behind most, if not all, clone storylines. And Spidey has a ton of clone stories. The Clone Saga is the longest storyline in Spider-Man comic book history.

The original Jackal, Miles Warren, was one of Peter Parker’s college professors. Warren, in his mid to late fifties, crushed on Gwen Stacy. Ew. She’s more than half your age, creeper. After Gwen died, Warren blamed Spider-Man for her death. Spidey did web Gwen’s foot, causing her neck to snap. Jackal, pointing out this detail to Spider-Man, poured extra salt into Peter’s guilt. Peter already blamed himself for Gwen’s death. What ensued was a lot of cloning, cloning of Gwen Stacy, Peter Parker, and others. Eventually, Jackal would clone himself in an attempt to achieve immortality.

Jackal’s lack of a good adaptation outside of comics reminds me of Hobgoblin’s issue. Jackal is difficult to explain without a lot of setup, like Hobgoblin needing Green Goblin to exist first. Typically, Jackal needs Gwen Stacy to exist. You may even need her to perish. Often, Miles Warren gets introduced, and we never see his transformation into Jackal. And then there’s Jackal’s age. Since Warren is in his fifties, whenever he gets introduced as a side character in a movie or show, people overlook him. Warren appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man film series and Sony’s Spider-Man adjacent movies. Blink, and you’ll miss him. I hope the MCU takes its time to introduce Jackal in the future. Gwen may soon make her debut in the MCU. Jackal may not be far behind.

That’s our list of five underrated and/or underused Spider-Man Villains. There are plenty more villains who could’ve made this list. Let us know who you would add in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Geekly News: January 18, 2026, Spider-Man License Update

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Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. We have more video game and board game releases to discuss, but first, let’s discuss another angle of the MCU’s future. The Spider-Man license between Sony and Marvel/Disney may soon change.

Rumors of a New Spider-Man License Deal

Almost three decades have passed since Marvel Comics sold the movie rights to Spider-Man and other characters within Spider-Man’s universe (Venom, Carnage, Kraven, and others). Since the deal, Sony has done what it can to hold onto every character it can. The last couple of years we’ve seen Madame Web, Kraven, Morbius, and Venom: The Last Dance release to less than stellar responses. Let’s be real. Most of those movies stunk. I don’t blame any actor, director, or anyone else involved in those movies for their quality or for being involved in those movies. Some of them— like the Venom movies — made money, but audiences and critics didn’t rate them highly. But change could be in the air. According to trusted industry insider DanielRPK, Sony’s Spider-Man embargo may soon come to an end.

Why is Sony open to a new deal? We don’t know for certain. The aforementioned Venom: The Last Dance concluded the Spider-Man Villain movie franchise. Even if Sony chose to relaunch, reboot, or rework the franchise, Venom actor Tom Hardy has retired from the role, and Venom was the franchise’s biggest box office draw. Then, there’s the news that the Black Cat solo film has been cancelled, and the fact that Sony has begun cancelling films within the Spider-Man Villain movie franchise raises red flags.

According to Nerd Tower (via Twitter/X), Black Cat has been in production since at least 2021. Here’s what Nerd Tower recently shared: “There was a Black Cat movie in production, I saw storyboards and in a specific sequence, she was dressed as a goth at a costume party, cries in the bathroom, smears her makeup and makes the ‘mask,’ BAMMMM Black Cat ready for action. It was awful.”

True. That origin for Felicia Hardy/Black Cat sounds awful. But it’s not the worst storyline Sony’s Spider-Man Villain movie franchise has released. The less said about Madame Web, the better. Change must be on the horizon if Sony heard a movie pitch they didn’t like for Spider-Man or his villains. We don’t yet know what this means for the MCU’s Spider-Man or if a deal will happen with enough time for it to affect Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Negotiations between Sony and Marvel/Disney are ongoing and predate Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s development. There’s a chance we could see Venom, Carnage, Kraven, or the Sinister Six in the MCU.

But I wouldn’t hold my breath. Unless a deal occurred under the table, the best Spider-Man: Brand New Day could do is hint at the Spider-Man Villain movie franchise characters joining the MCU. But the next Spider-Man film could feature any number of these characters. I’d love to see a Sinister Six movie.

Mountain Goats: Legacy Launches on KickStarter

In Mountain Goats: Legacy, players battle each other for top spot on the mountain. Each turn, roll and combine dice to race up the mountain. Get to the top to score, but don’t get knocked off! If you roll the goat symbol, activate new abilities—powers that rotate every mission. As your story progresses, you’ll unlock even more powerful abilities and face tougher challenges. The mountain itself might even transform beneath your feet.

I’ve never played the original Mountain Goats, but I’ve heard great things. I’m unsure how Mountain Goats lends itself to a Legacy game, a game that can be played over multiple gaming sessions, and the game changes after each session, but I’m here for it. I saw the original Mountain Goats when it was first released at Origins and have been kicking myself for not trying it out during the convention. But I didn’t get much of a chance. Gamers flooded the tables where Mountain Goats was on display. Mountain Goats: Legacy is among the highly anticipated games for 2026 on most other board review sites. You can back Mountain Goats: Legacy for $39-88. There’s even an Enchanted Ivy, a dedicated solo variant of Mountain Goats for $19. If you’re interested in Mountain Goats: Legacy, check out its KickStarter page.

Small-Time Heroes Returns to GameFound

Small-Time Heroes is another title I haven’t had the chance to play yet. It’s received high marks on BoardGameGeek. In this cooperative deck builder, you’ll take on the role of one of the Small-Time Heroes and work together to defend the town. With each battle, you’ll build up your deck of cards, choosing from a variety of cards that represent your hero’s unique abilities. As your power builds, you will defeat waves of minions and end with a final boss battle. Defeat the boss before they defeat you!

I love publisher Solo Game of the Month’s mission. Produce high-quality and accessible solo board games each month. Small-Time Heroes continues this trend. The original Small-Time Heroes is available for $39, and so is its first major expansion. Small-Time Heroes’ GameFound page offers several other add-ons, too. If you’re interested in Small-Time Heroes, check out its GameFound page.

Boktor Launches on GameFound

Boktor is a cooperative adventure game for 1 to 6 players, blending dungeon-crawling, tactical combat, and character progression in a world where elemental chaos threatens to consume everything. Each game is a self-contained mission in which players take on the role of legendary heroes sent to explore a dynamically generated dungeon. Their goal: survive waves of enemies, gather powerful abilities, and confront the final Tyrant before the Vortex obliterates the land. I like Boktor’s idea of quick level-ups for your heroes. Too often, dungeon-crawlers like these take too long for the leveling to happen.

I’m getting Betrayal at House on the Hill vibes from Boktor’s map, and that’s a good thing. I always liked Betrayal’s exploration, and Boktor looks to include exploration. And the biggest issue with dungeon-crawling board games is the time it takes to learn and play them. Boktor boasts a 5-minute teaching of the rules and 60-minute game sessions. If that’s true, sign me up. We don’t know Boktor’s price point as of this write-up (it will release early next week), but if you’re interested in Boktor, check out its GameFound page.

What you can’t see… doesn’t exist. Cassette Boy is a puzzle action RPG where you control the game’s perspective to change the world you see. Rotate a 2D pixel-styled 3D world, using disappearing obstacles and newly appearing paths to uncover the mystery of the vanished moon. Honestly, I knew little about Cassette Boy before researching for this post, but the premise has me hooked.

Cassette Boy’s aesthetic channel slightly beefed up GameBoy graphics, but no one’s planning on playing this indie game for its graphics. Cassette Boy’s gameplay may be one of the better puzzle action RPG conceits since Katamari Damacy. It builds its story through gameplay, and that has me stoked. And for its listed price of less than $15 dollars, Cassette Boy may be worth a look. Cassette Boy is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, and Nintendo Switch.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon Releases

I sense a trend with the games (board games and video games) on this list. I’ve never played a game in the Trails series and have been meaning to for some time. If anyone knows where best to begin the series, let me know in the comments. The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon is not only a continuation of the Trails series of video games, but it’s the direct sequel to 2022’s The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II. Okay. I may not begin Trails with this title, but look how pretty.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon looks like a game I’d enjoy. It features an updated combat system–from the rest of the Trails series. Mechs play a large role. Yes, please. And the previous games from this series within the larger Trails series have received favorable reviews. The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2.

That’s all the geek news we have for you this week. If you’ve made it this far, you’re fantabulastical. We all know it. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Updated: Top 10 Cartoons Based Off Comic Books 2025

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Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. We’ve tackled the idea of cartoons or animated series based off comic books almost a decade ago with a Top 5 Animated TV Shows Based Off Comic Books. It’s a good idea to update this post. Our reasoning is three-fold: 1, it’s been long enough and more shows have been produced since 2015; we increased the number of shows on this list from five to ten; and Geekly forgot about a few shows inspired by comic books in the previous list. Whoops! Before we get into the shows, let’s set down some ground rules for this list.

1: Cultural relevance will play a role, as will the show’s overall quality.

2: Some of these shows’ animation doesn’t stack up to even its contemporaries, but they’re outstanding just the same.

3: We’ll have to stick with one show from a franchise because we wouldn’t want a list that includes only Batman and Spider-Man.

10) The Tick (1994-1996)

We’re kicking off this list with a cartoon that didn’t make the former Top 5 Cartoons based on comic books, 1994’s The Tick. We’ll be getting serious soon enough with the other titles on this list, so it’s only fitting that we begin with a goofy superhero who doesn’t take himself too seriously. Well, actually, The Tick character takes himself seriously, but he’s so off-the-wall bonkers that it’s difficult for viewers to take him seriously. The Tick is one of those animated shows that blends adult and child humor.

The partnership between The Tick and his sidekick Arthur is one of the best in superhero history, even if it draws inspiration from classic superhero duos. The Tick is a fun watch for anyone familiar with comic books and superheroes, because The Tick sends a relentless barrage of potshots at iconic heroes and villains at the audience.

Warning: The Tick uses a lot of puns. If you like Dad Jokes, great. If you’re not as into jokes like American Maid or El Seed, you may not get through too many Tick episodes. Either way, you should give The Tick theme song a listen. I dare you to not hum along. Tee hee!

9) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003-2009)

I have fond memories of the classic 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. 1987’s TMNT even took the second spot ten years ago, but that may have been due to nostalgia goggles. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot that occurred in the 2000s stays true to the source material and claims a spot on this list.

Produced by 4Kids Entertainment, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was a huge departure for the franchise. Because it stayed close to the comics’ tone, this version of TMNT had dark storylines, plenty of character growth, and amazing action sequences. Many shots in the 2000s TMNT would be at home with the best martial arts films.

The 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles set a new standard for the franchise. Sure, the TMNT franchise can still skew toward a younger audience, but the 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series proves that TMNT works for an older audience, too. Several characters from this show, such as the Shredder’s enforcer, Hun, were even adopted into the comics and future TMNT shows. Not bad for a reboot series.

8) Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994-1998)

Spider-Man: The Animated Series falls far from our previous list, but it’s a fantastic show. It fell victim to newer series, shows we forgot were based on comic books, and lifted restrictions (more on that with the next entry). Spider-Man: The Animated Series adapted many of the comic books’ best storylines. No other Spider-Man cartoon includes the breadth of Spider-Man: The Animated Series’ characters. It introduced numerous Spider-Man characters that had not yet been seen on the small or big screen.

Throughout Spider-Man: The Animated Series’ run, Spider-Man interacts with many Marvel comics characters: The Hulk, The X-Men, The Avengers, and The Fantastic Four. X-Men: The Animated Series may have started the Marvel animated universe of the Nineties, but Spider-Man: The Animated Series galvanized the Marvel universe. The Nineties Marvel Animated Universe paved the way for the MCU, and Spider-Man: The Animated Series was the linchpin.

7) Superman: The Animated Series (1996-2000)

We didn’t include Superman: The Animated Series in the previous list ten years ago because it was too close to Batman: The Animated Series, and we didn’t want more than one entry from a franchise. Forget that. We’re not including more than one show with the same main character. How about that? Moving on, Superman: The Animated Series did for the Man of Steel what Batman: The Animated Series did for the Dark Knight.

Superman: The Animated Series updated Superman’s stories for a new audience. The characters and tone mixes contemporary and classic Superman stories, making this animated version of Superman feel powerful, but not unbeatable. Supes’s supporting characters had memorable personalities that bounced off one another well. Superman: The Animated Series also introduced a generation of viewers to classic Superman villains like Lex Luthor and Brainiac, while giving viewers the first glimpse of Superman’s deadliest enemy, Darkseid.

I love how Superman: The Animated Series’ tone and differs from Batman: The Animated Series. The two are polar opposites, but look as if they belong within the same universe. Superman: The Animated Series is a testament to how great the DC Animated Universe was and often still can be. I’m also glad we’re able to extend this list to a Top Ten. There are so many great cartoons based off comic books.

6) Young Justice (2010-2022)

Yes! We’re lifting many of those odd self-induced limitations with the prior list. I didn’t include Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League, or Young Justice because they were part of the Batman: The Animated Series universe. What was I thinking? Young Justice is nothing like Justice League. Young Justice follows characters who are often pigeonholeed as sidekicks. Speedy, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Robin, and more team up in Young Justice.

Co-created by animation legend Greg Weisman (who also co-created Disney’s Gargoyles, another stellar series), Young Justice showcases many of Weisman’s strengths: fantastic character work, character development, and an emphasis on strong continuity. Young Justice’s emphasis on sidekicks is a great angle for an animated show. This conceit allows the audience to watch the characters grow and develop over many seasons.

Some Young Justice members strike out on their own and become their own heroes. Others remain on the team and mentor new heroes. Still others come to some shocking ends. Young Justice doesn’t shy away from grizzly ends. Young Justice survived cancellation and jumping between three networks before concluding its run. Thank goodness, because it’s one of the best modern animated shows based on a comic book.

5) Invincible (2021-Present)

Invincible is the most recent animated series on this list. Heck! It’s still in the middle of its run. This is what I mean by several new animated shows based on comic books have been released since our previous list ten years ago. Invincible basks in the fact that it’s a superhero show. It pokes fun at classic character types and comic book tropes, while simultaneously paying homage to these same ideas. It’s a delicate balance, but Invincible does a great job of handling this tightrope.

Yet Invincible uses its framing devices to tell very, and I mean very, mature stories that explore the mentality of being a superhero. Heroes and their loved ones struggle with this responsibility. Invincible shows a terrifying world where heroes, villains, and monsters battle each other among civilians.

Invincible sports a brilliant voice cast. It’s a modern classic, and it may just climb this list in another decade.

4) Justice League (2001-2004)

Simply put, Justice League was the culmination of Bruce Timm and Paul Dini’s years of work on the Batman and Superman animated series. Justice League was the next logical step. Justice League: Unlimited (2004-2006) continues where the original series left off and gives the series (as a whole) a proper ending.

Timm and Dini combine old and new storytelling tactics to form something new and exciting in Justice League. They pay homage to who these characters are in the comics and explore their interpersonal relationships. This is a theme for this list, but Justice League stays true to its comic book roots but add enough twists to make the show a must-watch for hardcore fans.

Justice League and Justice League: Unlimited understand each of their team members and give all of them ample time to shine. This is only possible because Timm and Dini had a decade to work with these characters, refining them and respecting the source material. I don’t want to spoil anything here, but these two series (which are really one long series) make for a great binge-watch. The cast is legendary.

3) DuckTales (1987-1990)

DuckTales was the one animated series that needed to be on the previous list. I forgot that DuckTales originated from the Uncle Scrooge comic book by Carl Barks. Scrooge McDuck’s globetrotting quests in search of treasure captivated viewers. It launched the Disney Afternoon line of cartoons. While none of the other series from that cartoon line made this list because they didn’t start as comic books, they took their cues from DuckTales. Much of Disney animation during the late Eighties and early Nineties followed DuckTales‘ lead.

And even though it originally released in the Eighties, DuckTales holds up surprisingly well. Scrooge McDuck and the dynamic trio of Huey, Dewey, and Louie join forces with Launchpad McQuack and Gyro Gearloose. DuckTales raised the profile of underused Disney characters and added plenty of new favorites. Because Uncle Scrooge’s adventures sent him all around the globe, DuckTales subtly taught geography and threw in some cultural references for good measure.

DuckTales was Disney’s first syndicated animated TV series. While it paved the way for other successful shows like TaleSpin and Chip n’ Dale Rescue Rangers, DuckTales had two direct spin-offs, Darkwing Duck and Quack Pack. Talk about a media powerhouse. But only takes our third spot. What shows could dethrone a legend like DuckTales?

2)  X-Men: The Animated Series (1992-1997)

The original X-Men: The Animated Series ranked high on our previous list. I’d be lying if I told you the phenomenal X-Men ’97 didn’t help this series climb higher on this list. Last year’s X-Men ’97 is the highest-rated Marvel Series on most review sites. I highly recommend it and can’t wait for the next season, but Geekly’s going with the original Nineties X-Men Series. We’re going with the source material.

And that’s what made the Nineties X-Men: The Animated Series so great. While the series that claims our top spot paved the way for authentic comic book storytelling in cartoons, X-Men doubled down by not shying away from epic X-Men tales. I never thought I’d see a “Days of Future Past” or the “Phoenix Saga” on the small screen, but X-Men: The Animated Series dived headfirst into the spectacle and long-form storytelling the X-Men comic book was known for. Did the show always stick the landing? No. But X-Men: The Animated Series set the standard for how the public saw The X-Men.

The X-Men: The Animated Series didn’t treat young viewers with kid gloves. It delved into mature themes of prejudice, death, and the effects of trauma, while maintaining a hopeful outlook with its stellar cast of characters. The continuation series X-Men ’97 captures almost every element of what made the original series great. Here’s to some new fond memories. And who knows? Perhaps, the X-Men: The Animated Series will claim the top spot in another ten years.

1) Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995)

Batman: The Animated Series claimed the top spot ten years ago, and it remains at the top of this list. Heck. I’ve seen other sites’ lists of the greatest comic book animated shows, and while some sites include some spicy inclusions (that I wouldn’t think would make a top 10), almost everyone is in agreement that Batman: The Animated Series is the greatest cartoon based on a comic book.

Kevin Conroy became a generation’s Batman. That’s not right. Conroy voiced Batman since 1992, and Warner Bros. continues to release animated films with Conroy as Batman more than thirty years later. Numerous animated Kevin Conroy Batman projects were released posthumously. So, he’s the voice of Batman for more than one generation. The rest of the cast is stellar. Not just stellar, iconic.

Speaking iconic, the Batman: The Animated Series’ soundtrack when I think of many Batman characters. I seldom need to watch an episode to pinpoint the antagonist. Our previous list noted Batman: The Animated Series’ introduction that didn’t even need to reveal the character’s name. You knew how Batman was from the symbol. Batman: The Animated Series serves as a definitive Batman for many people. It kickstarted the DC Animated Universe, which rivals the MCU and, for several people, dwarfs the MCU. Countless Batman: The Animated Series episodes won Emmies.

“Heart of Ice” is one of the Batman: The Animated Series episodes that earned an Emmy. This episode took a joke character, Mister Freeze, and grounded him into a fan favorite. Batman: The Animated Series did a lot of that during its four-year run. Side note: I can’t believe it’s been over thirty-three years since “Heart of Ice” originally aired. Yikes! Batman: The Animated Series claims the top spot. We’ll have to see if it continues to do so in another ten years.

Did we get the list right? Which shows would you add? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.