Random Cartoon Comic Book Movies That Are Better Than Live-Action Superhero Movies (15 items)

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  (#1) Batman: Under the Red Hood

  • Neil Patrick Harris, Jensen Ackles, Kelly Hu, Jason Isaacs, Bruce Greenwood, Kevin Michael Richardson, Gary Cole, Dwight Schultz, Phil LaMarr, John DiMaggio, Carlos Alazraqui, Brian George, Fred Tatasciore, Wade Williams, Bruce Timm, Jim Piddock, Vincent Martella, Andrea Romano, Robert Clotworthy, Alexander Martella, Michael Villani, Keri Tombazian

  Batman: Under the Red Hood is an adaptation of an existing DC comic storyline, but it succeeded in bringing the story of the Red Hood to a larger audience. Both comic and film achieved the remarkable goal of bringing Jason Todd back to life. Todd, the much-maligned Robin who was once voted by fans to die, was depicted in such a way to make people actually care about him. The central mystery of Under the Red Hood is exciting enough, but it’s the hard-hitting action and drama after the reveal that really makes the plot strong. This is a much more personal Batman story than anything yet seen on the big screen.
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  (#2) Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox

  • Dana Delany, Nathan Fillion, Ron Perlman, Kevin McKidd, Michael B. Jordan, Justin Chambers, C. Thomas Howell, Cary Elwes, Kevin Conroy, Vanessa Marshall

  Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox is really more of a Flash movie than a Justice League movie, but it's no less awesome for it. The Flashpoint event in the comics helped reset DC continuity, and the film version also helped kick off a new animated continuity. Flashpoint Paradox does what very few superhero films have successfully done, by making time travel work as a concept. Flash’s time-meddling results in a wildly different and deliciously dark DC universe, where Thomas Wayne is Batman and Aquaman is at war with Wonder Woman. The world of Flashpoint is just plain cool, and there’s an excellent plot to boot. 
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  (#3) Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

  • Mark Hamill, Dana Delany, Marilu Henner, Abe Vigoda, Stacy Keach, Dick Miller, Jeff Bennett, Kevin Conroy, Robert Costanzo, Hart Bochner, Bob Hastings, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.

  Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is one of the first feature-length animated comic book films. It actually received a theatrical release in 1993. Heavily influenced by the successful Batman: The Animated Series, the movie lived up to the hype. It’s regarded as one of the best Batman stories out there, and certainly as one of the greatest mysteries that Bruce Wayne ever solved. The plot features roles for several of Batman’s greatest enemies, but it’s the reveal of the true identity of the titular Phantasm that makes it a memorable story.
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  (#4) Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker

  • Angie Harmon, Mark Hamill, Melissa Joan Hart, Rachael Leigh Cook, Teri Garr, Dean Stockwell, Michael Rosenbaum, Tara Strong, Lauren Tom, Kevin Conroy, Will Friedle, Mary Scheer, Arleen Sorkin, Mathew Valencia

  Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker takes place in the far-flung future of Gotham City, where Bruce Wayne has long since retired, replaced by young Terry McGinnis. McGinnis uses a tech-heavy Batsuit to become Batman Beyond. This feature film adventure is easily the highlight of the entire Batman Beyond concept, crafting a dark tale that examines the legacies of both the Batman and the Joker. Throw in an important role for Tim Drake, the most unheralded Robin, and you’ve got the makings of a futuristic classic.
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  (#5) Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1

  • Ariel Winter, Michael Emerson, Peter Weller, Michael McKean, Mark Valley, Wade Williams, David Selby

  Simply put, The Dark Knight Returns is one of the greatest graphic novels ever made. Thus, it’s no surprise that the animated version, which is essentially a shot-for-shot adaptation, is also amazing. The film was split into two parts, and is incredibly faithful to Frank Miller’s ever-relevant masterpiece. The only thing the film is missing when compared to the comics is Batman’s inner monologue, but the movie more than makes up for it with beautifully rendered action sequences. Batman and the Joker’s battle in the Tunnel of Love is a particularly memorable moment, and perhaps their greatest battle on film to date. 
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  (#6) Justice League: Doom

  • Nathan Fillion, Olivia d'Abo, Juliet Landau, Claudia Black, Michael Rosenbaum, Grey DeLisle, Alexis Denisof, Dee Bradley Baker, Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly, Carlos Alazraqui, Phil Morris, Brian George, Bruce Timm, Robin Atkin Downes, Jim Meskimen, Carl Lumbly, Paul Blackthorne, David Kaufman, Bumper Robinson, Danny Jacobs, Andrea Romano, Susan Eisenberg

  Justice League: Doom is a loose adaptation of the classic Tower of Babel storyline from the comics. In both stories, the Justice League find themselves facing a more formidable and organized set of antagonists than any that have appeared in the Marvel or DC cinematic universes. The villains have gained an advantage over the JLA by stealing a secret set of schematics from Batman, in which he dreamed up the perfect methods to defeat his teammates. It’s both the perfect example of why Batman is such a badass and why he’s not a great friend. 
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  (#7) The Incredibles

  • Samuel L. Jackson, Holly Hunter, Jason Lee, Craig T. Nelson, Wallace Shawn, Brad Bird, John Ratzenberger, Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, Sarah Vowell, Elizabeth Peña, Joe Ranft, Lou Romano, Bob Peterson, Bud Luckey, Jean Sincere, Spencer Fox, Peter Sohn, Brad Lewis, Frank Thomas, Jeff Pidgeon, Ollie Johnston, Teddy Newton, Dominique Louis, Bret Parker, Mark Andrews, Nicholas Bird, Maeve Andrews, Patrick Walker, Stephen Schaffer, Eli Fucile, Bob Scott, A. J. Riebli, Michael Bird, Pamela Gaye Walker, Jazzie Mahannah, Elizabeth Greenberg, Kimberly Adair Clark, Lori Richardson, Louis Martin Braga III, Wayne Canney, Katherine Ringgold, Mary Elizabeth Clark, Christopher Leyva, Ted Mathot, Randy Nelson, Deirdre Warin, Philip Wong, Dennis 'D.J.' Jennings, Juliet Greenberg, Billy Guardino, Juliet Pokorny

  The Incredibles is the greatest Fantastic Four movie ever made in everything but name. Whereas Fox Studios has produced several floppy attempts at getting a FF franchise off the ground, Disney's Pixar already seems to have perfected the formula for a family superhero team with their 2004 classic. The Incredibles, who are essentially an off-brand version of the Fantastic Four, are energetic, likeable, and interact with each other in realistic and believable ways like a real family. Who knew that people would enjoy superhero movies that were actually fun to watch?
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  (#8) Batman: Assault on Arkham

  • Matthew Gray Gubler, Neal McDonough, Kevin Conroy, Hynden Walch

  Batman: Assault on Arkham offers a glimpse at what a good R-rated DC movie could look like. In fact, Assault on Arkham is less a Batman movie and more of a Suicide Squad film with a Batman cameo. Assault on Arkham features Squad favorites like Deadshot, Harley Quinn, and Captain Boomerang, but doesn’t shy away from having them actually commit awful and violent acts, unlike the live action version. The plot features a small and tight location, which makes a lot more sense for a black ops team than the live-action film's citywide romp. 
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  (#9) Big Hero 6

  • Jamie Chung, Maya Rudolph, Génesis Rodríguez, James Cromwell, Alan Tudyk, T. J. Miller, Daniel Henney, Damon Wayans, Jr., Abraham Benrubi, Scott Adsit, Katie Lowes, Ryan Potter

  Big Hero 6 is the first animated film since Disney purchased Marvel. Nonetheless, Disney hit it out of the park with their first try, as Big Hero 6 was a critical success and a fan favorite. The film took a very obscure team from the comics and crafted a sweet, heartfelt, and downright funny tale from their limited published history. Surprisingly, Baymax became the breakout character of the year. 
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  (#10) Planet Hulk

  Planet Hulk is an adaptation of one of the most popular Hulk stories ever, in which Hulk finds himself marooned on an alien planet and forced into gladiatorial combat. It’s basically Gladiator starring the Hulk, and that might be the greatest pitch ever made for a movie. Despite featuring more than its fair share of action, Planet Hulk also succeeds at humanizing the jade giant in a way that's rarely achieved. In addition, Planet Hulk features a great battle between Hulk and the Silver Surfer that isn’t possible in the Marvel Cinematic Universe due to rights issues. 
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  (#11) Batman Vs. Robin

  Batman vs. Robin doesn’t exactly deliver on its title’s promise, but it does deliver an excellent, action-packed film. Batman vs. Robin features the Damian Wayne version of Robin, making this a sequel to Batman and Son (an excellent animated film in its own right). Batman vs. Robin is the animated debut of the Court of Owls, a highly impactful group of Batman antagonists that tries to recruit his son to their team of assassins. In the end, it’s more of a Batman and Robin team-up than a true battle between them, but it’s probably better that way. 
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  (#12) Hulk Vs

  • Graham McTavish, Nolan North, Fred Tatasciore, Kari Wahlgren, Steven Blum, Tom Kane, Michael Adamthwaite, Colin Murdock, Janyse Jaud, Mark Acheson, Bryce Johnson, Matthew Wolf, Jamyle Jared

  Hulk Vs was a two-part feature that gave the world the kind of Hulk action that has only been sparingly seen in theaters. The Hulk usually only gets to unleash for a few minutes in each of his live-action movie appearances, but Hulk Vs saw him going all out against Thor and Wolverine for over an hour each. The features are light on plot and heavy on action, but that’s perfect for a story centering around a giant, green, raging monster. In addition to the central roles played by Thor and Wolverine, Hulk Vs also features cameos from the likes of Loki, Sabretooth, and even Deadpool. 
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  (#13) Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme

  • Kevin Michael Richardson, Tara Strong, Phil LaMarr, Fred Tatasciore, Josh Keaton, Bryce Johnson, Jonathan Adams, Michael Yama, Masasa Moyo, Paul Nakauchi, Susan Spano

  2016’s Doctor Strange was a hit for Marvel Studios. The film did an admirable job of portraying Stephen Strange’s origin story, but the animated version that preceded it by almost a decade was arguably better. Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme tells the same basic story as the live-action version, with Strange seeking out the Ancient One, learning the mystic arts, and battling Baron Mordo and Dormammu. However, the animated medium allows for a more inventive and true-to-the-comics depiction of all that magical mumbo jumbo. 
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  (#14) Ultimate Avengers

  • Olivia d'Abo, Grey DeLisle, Dee Bradley Baker, Nolan North, Fred Tatasciore, Michael Massee, Steven Blum, Jim Ward, James Arnold Taylor, Andre Ware, Kerrigan Mahan, Quinton Flynn, Marc Worden, Keith Ferguson, Dave Boat, Nan McNamara, Justin Gross, Aileen Sander

  Ultimate Avengers 1 and 2 are like The Avengers, but more extreme. They’re two animated films based on Marvel’s Ultimate line of comics, which took their most famous characters and concepts and updated them for a modern audience. In fact, the Marvel Cinematic Universe borrows heavily from the Ultimate brand, which means that there are several moments in these two animated movies that would eventually show up in the live-action version. Still, Ultimate Avengers had way more leeway when it came to depicting violence, leading to a much more brutal battle with the Chitauri and even some heroic sacrifices.

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