This is by no means a "true" list, nor is it supposed to be one canon.
This is an order to watch these movies most conviniend. Chronology is all over the place and the movies contradict each other quite a lot (at least untill the FLASHPOINT PARADOX). But there is a way to watch them, for this whole thing to make SOME chronological sense.
It is still a WIP, and I will organize while watching ...
Last Update:2018-10-06
Continuity: Obiously the VERY first one :)
A great story with an underdesigned main protagonist. These shorts are really must watches. Thet look amazing, are smooth and use the limited running time perfectly!
Rating:
Animation: 10/10
Character Design: 9/10
Narrative: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
FINAL VERDICT: MUST WATCH
Continuity: It's the 60s
Another amazing Showcase... these things ARE actually (mostly) better than the feature animations. It even had some reall horror elements, that would disturb me 30 years ago, so that is a big plus ;)
Rating:
Animation: 10/10
Character Design: 10/10
Narrative: 9/10
Overall: 9/10
FINAL VERDICT: MUST WATCH
Continuity: Obviously the first one feature lenght one
While cinematically not as amazing as BATMAN BEGINS, this is still an incredible adaptation directed mostly at teens and (young) adults.
The atmosphere is very dark, the characters are ruthless and the fights are bloody.
Beautifully animated - no really - this thing looks amazing!
One thing I did not really like, was Batmans voice, other than that, this can sit proudly next to BATMAN BEGINS.
Running time of just over 60 minutes never lets it outstay its welcome.
Rating:
Animation: 9/10
Character Design: 10/10
Narrative: 9/10
Overall: 10/10
FINAL VERDICT: MUST WATCH
Continuity: The epilogue to Batman Year One.
This short makes amazing use of its limited running time of about 15 minutes. The story is well structured as a sort of epilogue to Batman Year One.
One thing of note... the amazing animation is used to portray some "slutty" elements. Not that I mind, but I'ld rather not watch this with my mother.
Rating:
Animation: 9/10
Character Design: 9/10
Narrative: 8/10
Overall: 8/10
FINAL VERDICT: WATCH IT
Continuity: Very early in his career
Even though, this is not part of any continuity (it definetly does not fit to well with the Nolan-verse), these stories are kinda suposed to show the early career of Nolans Batman and we do not have many of those early Batman days in animated form.
The quality of the stories, the animation and the narrative are mixed, but still on the very positive side of the spectrum.
If you look for something straight foreward and classic, then do not let your expectations overshadow this massive collection of awesome!
1. Have I Got a Story for You
We get to see Batmans actions through the eyes of children with their limited understanding of what exactly happens AND with their imagination runing amok. Is Bats a literal shadow? Is he a Man-Bat or a robot?
Each kid interprets, what it sees in a diffrent way and that makes a rather uneventfull duel for the Dark Knight, an entertaining adventure for the vierwer. The character designs reach from abstract to downright ugly, but the animation and locations make up for it.
Rating Animation: 8/10
Rating Character design: 6,5/10
Rating Narrative: 10/10
Overall: 8/10
2. Crossfire
Another amazingly animated short, which choses the police perspective. Light on story, dense on atmosphere. Definetly a great watch.
Rating Animation: 9/10
Rating Character design: 10/10
Rating Narrative: 8/10
Overall: 8/10
3. Field Test
A great story about how Bruce chooses his tools. A little slow burn but still rewarding. I did not care for the character designs though.
Rating Animation: 10/10
Rating Character design: 6/10
Rating Narrative: 10/10
Overall: 8/10
4. In Darkness Dwells
Another great one with great vizuals and dense story. The colors, the perspectives and the fights make this one a true gem!
Rating Animation: 10/10
Rating Character design: 9/10
Rating Narrative: 9/10
Overall: 9/10
5. Working Through Pain
A more mystical, or spiritual episode which might be the visual icing on the cake. 10 minutes of pure spectacular art. This might be the stand out episode to me.
Rating Animation: 10/10
Rating Character design: 10/10
Rating Narrative: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
6. Deadshot
This might be some of the best Batman action ever. A visual feast with intense beats and a great villain.
Rating Animation: 15/10
Rating Character design: 10/10
Rating Narrative: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
FINAL VERDICT: AMAZING!!!
Continuity: I like to believe that Batman emerges in world before Metahumans, so I would put it somewhere here
Well... this definetly is NOT the Jenkins movie. There is some true cringe in it, with the playfull nude amazons in the lake, or some of Steve's coments. It is not offensive, but 10 years later it does stick out, especially when the dialogue is about how men are all bad, but then we get a tit shot while she is getting dressed (and this is directed by a she).
I never have anything against "fan service" (for example I do not mind the Catwoman strip from the SHOWCASE short) but the message of Wonder Woman is way out of sync with the presentation.
The ending "kinda" redeems this movie (with an underutilized almost badass army of Ares and some "not for children" moments) but at the end it just never really gets really constantly good.
The visual quality also does not hold a candle to YEAR ONE or GOTHAM KNIGHT.
Rating:
Animation: 7/10
Character Design: 7/10
Narrative: 6/10
Overall: still just a 6/10
FINAL VERDICT: MIGHT WANT TO SKIP
Continuity: Still early in his career and similary to Gotham Knight not really part of this continuity, but I would not miss this one (Joker already managed to initiate Harleens change to Harley.
I always liked it, but need to rewatch it. It is a slow burn though.
Rating Animation: 8/10
Rating Character design: 8/10
Rating Narrative: 9/10
Overall: 8/10
Continuity: As with Wonder Woman, I like to have it somewhere later, a quasi end of beginnings...
Another one of those that start promising but past the mid point just kinda disengage. It is surprising how the lanterns use the power of imagination and yet at the same time are so devoid of it.
Watch it or rather don't, not a big improvement on the live action one.
Rating Animation: 8/10
Rating Character design: 8/10
Rating Narrative: 6/10
Overall: 6/10
Continuity: I KNOW this makes no sence at all in this timeline... it is set in the 50ies or 60ies after all, BUT we get the story on the Martian Manhunter, another version of Hal Jordens origin and the initial group dynamics of the Leaguers... so even if not by true chronology, than at least thematycly this makes sense here.
I did not really care for the looks, but the beginning was very engaging. The mystery of the centre was promising, but only until its final reveal.
The film was to busy juggling origin stories and setups only to suddenly shift to final battle mode.
Rating:
Animation: 6/10
Character design: 8/10
Narrative: 6/10
Overall: still just a 7/10
FINAL VERDICT: ITS A MESSY BUT OK TIME
Continuity: This might happen anywhere on the timeline, but I hate having Supermans Death be the first Superman story here, so out of decency, this one gets this spot.
Knowing the capabiliteis of the folks responisble for DC Animation I have to say I am impressed. This thing is so smooth animated, so well directed and edited, with the perfect score, it's biggest downside is its short story. But for the short time it runs, it is non stop wow-ness factor!
Rating Animation: 10/10
Rating Character design: 9/10
Rating Narrative: 9/10
Overall: 9/10
FINAL VERDICT: MUST WATCH
Continuity: Olie and Dinah are still together
I like to see the wiseass Arrow more, the TV Version, even if it has some ups, in the end, was just Batman painted green. Here we get a character that reminds me of the person Dinah talks about in Simones Bird of Prey run.
Rating Animation: 7/10
Rating Character design: 8/10
Rating Narrative: 8/10
Overall: 8/10
FINAL VERDICT: WATCH IT
Continuity: First of all: time jump
We go from the early beginning right to an ending... As there is no animated origin to Sups, it actually all starts here for him (when you use selfreferencing as breadcrumbs in the Superman movies, then this one must be the first)
I was surprised how much I liked it, never read the comics (though I do intend to), so the story went places I never expected and even moved/touched me a bit at the end.
Rating Animation: 8/10
Rating Character design: 8/10
Rating Narrative: 9/10
Overall: 9/10
FINAL VERDICT: SURPRISINGLY GOOD
Continuity: Superman references his own death expierience
Similar to THE NEW FRONTIER, this movie deteriorates by its mid point to mindless fist fights, duels and general destruction. From all my comic reading of DC I REALLY do not remember there to be this much, but I have not read thissource material YET.
The first half was very decent though, but this ain't no BATMAN YEAR ONE or GOTHAM KNIGHT.
Rating Animation: 7/10
Rating Character design: 8/10
Rating Narrative: 6/10
Overall: 7/10
FINAL VERDICT: BACKSTORY TO APOCALYPSE
Continuity: References the demise of Luthors presidential career in PUBLIC ENEMIES.
Correcting EVERY misstep of it's predecessor, this one is an absolut blast to watch. The animation is so much better, combined with the better editing and music... the overall direction is badass. But the story holds its ground to the end and is not overstuffed with idiotic fist fights with freaks that come out of nowhere. Maybe Public Enemies has these encounters better presented in its source material, but that movie failed utterly.
This one has stakes and emotional gravitas and great choreographed fights (loved the Wonder Woman bits).
Rating Animation: 9/10
Rating Character design: 9/10
Rating Narrative: 10/10
Overall: 9/10
FINAL VERDICT: MUST WATCH
Continuity: Still the early days of Supergirls presence on earth plus the engagement at the end.
Not as strong as APOCALYPSE but still better then PUBLIC ENEMIES this warants a good time. There seems to be some unneccessary continuity errors and the art style is not as strong also.
Rating Animation: 7/10
Rating Character design: 8/10
Rating Narrative: 8/10
Overall: 8/10
FINAL VERDICT: WORTH WATCHING
Contiunity: I kinda think that the first JL movie should be after the Bats & Sups team-ups
While I genuinly liked the ending, the buildup felt like a choir. We had drops of story squeezed between fist fights right up to the finale on Earth Prime.
Visually this one was also rather among the weekest.
Rating Animation: 6/10
Rating Character design: 5/10
Rating Narrative: 5/10
Overall: 5/10
FINAL VERDICT: NOT REALLY
Continuity: The JL orbiting station is finished
A lot better than Crisis with much more personal stakes and a more plausible (or structurly sound presented) plot.
The visual side is also much better, but all the improvements still only make this one an average expirience.
Rating Animation: 7/10
Rating Character design: 6/10
Rating Narrative: 7/10
Overall: 7/10
FINAL VERDICT: AN OK TIME
Continuity: Clark and Louis already are a thing and Brianiac already attacked Boston (and Kandor is o display, even though it got released in the previous movie)
Many of these animated features either loose steam by the end or they loose themsleves in mindless fist fights, but this one continued to surprise, engage and thrill me uping the ante till the very end.
The visual side was VERY shaky. Some scenes looked downright ugly, while others were beautifully designed.
In the end one of the MUST WATCH'es!
Rating Animation: 7/10
Rating Character design: 7/10
Rating Narrative: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
FINAL VERDICT: MUST WATCH
One of the best Batman movies period. Bat fights with his own demons for his and Jasons soul. One of the emotionally deepest and most brutal of DC animated movies with probably THE BEST soundtrack of all of them.
This adapatation is a work of art!
Rating Animation: 10/10
Rating Character design: 10/10
Rating Narrative: 15/10
Overall: 15/10
FINAL VERDICT: MUST WATCH!
Continuity: This has got to be the last Joker story before his catatonic state in THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS (imo). Also I think that it is emotionally more interesting to watch after UNDER RED HOOD (and we see on Batmans screens that one of the Robins has been severly been beaten).
If you forget the Batgirl awkwardness (like a very bad Ally McBeal Episode), IF you get to the main portion, the adaptation, than what you end up is not a great movie, but still a mighty good one.
Rating Animation: 8/10
Rating Character design: 9/10
Rating Narrative: 6/10
Overall: 7/10
FINAL VERDICT: SURVIVE THE BEGINNING
Continuity: This does not really fit well. Louis does not yet now about Supermans identity, yet Brainiac is defeated, but Kandorr remains unreleased. Still, I think this one is a beautifull end to Supermans story before Flashpoint. But again... it REALLY messes up the continuity...
As someone who is not really a Supes-fan (only casually interested) and who has not read this comic (but now definetly intends to) I really liked it. At times it seems like a few disjointed episodes forced together, but overall a very good watch, with a bizarre, yet sad and hopefull ending.
Rating Animation: 8/10
Rating Character design: 8/10
Rating Narrative: 8/10
Overall: 8/10
Continuity: I know this is "suposed" to be part of the old and classic animated show, but from what I heard it only shares its designs, so I though havin this thing here is better than not havin git at all.
Wow... this was stupid, offensive, kinda sexist and juvenille... and I luv'd it. BRING ON THE SEQUEL!
Continuity: Time travel alows for some freedom in its placement... only thing is, it has to be after Red Hood!
Strange, crazy and unbelievable. I am not sure if what I saw I liked it, but for good or bad this was a unique epxpierience, I will have to repeat at some point (if my mind feels ready for it).
Rating Animation: 7/10
Rating Character design: 7/10
Rating Narrative: 6/10
Overall: 6/10
FINAL VERDICT: STRANGE
Rating Animation: 15/10
Rating Character design: 15/10
Rating Narrative: 15/10
Overall: 15/10
FINAL VERDICT: PIECE OF ART
Rating Animation: 15/10
Rating Character design: 15/10
Rating Narrative: 15/10
Overall: 15/10
FINAL VERDICT: BITTERSWEET AWESOMENESS
Continuity: Ground Zero for the New DC Animated Universe
A very intruiging starting of point for the new movies. The story and the characters felt a lot like the INJUSTICE games, but this is by no means a con.
Rating Animation: 9/10
Rating Character design: 9/10
Rating Narrative: 9/10
Overall: 9/10
FINAL VERDICT: AWESOME
I did not like this at all. All the characters seemed so diffrent, mostly Wonder Woman was my least favorite version, but all the others seemed absurdly cocky and arogant. The story was just another excuse to showcase fistfights, but the animation quality was waaaay below quality.
I know for sure, that while I am going to return to the Whedon/Snyder movie, even if it is a bitter sweet expierience, I will never watch this again. I hope the comics are way better.
There is also quite some origins stories packed into this, and those are definetly the weakest versions I have seasn/read yet.
Rating Animation: 6/10
Rating Character design: 7/10
Rating Narrative: 4/10
Overall: 5/10
FINAL VERDICT: If not for it's significance for the overall narrative I would say skip this.
Rating Animation: 8/10
Rating Character design: 7/10
Rating Narrative: 8/10
Overall: 7/10
FINAL VERDICT: Much needed improvement over WAR.
I do not get the hate. It has the DC darkness down, but also has some greatly applied MCU humor.
The animation quality has been better, as was the soundtrack. But this is a true joy and might be the best one since FLASHPOINT.
From what I read, Damian gets a lot of heat, but he has the age-apropriate emotionality with a mind, that clearly springs off of his fathers. The way he was portrait was spot on (says me who has not read those tales YET).
Rating Animation: 7/10
Rating Character design: 7/10
Rating Narrative: 9/10
Overall: 8/10
FINAL VERDICT: And we are back in must watch teritory.
I did enjoy this very much, but I had certain problems with the writing. I never read the New52, but the Way the Court of Owls was presented here, was paperthin and naive. Also the ending had some terribly written moments.
But the movie WAS enjoyable, great action, great moments and great music.
Rating Animation: 7/10
Rating Character design: 7/10
Rating Narrative: 6/10
Overall: 7/10
FINAL VERDICT: A pleasing entry but still a big step down
Rating Animation: 8/10
Rating Character design: 8/10
Rating Narrative: 8/10
Overall: 8/10
FINAL VERDICT: There are NUNja's in here... need I say more?
Let's call this Bruce's nightmare :P
Damian does grow on me more and more, but so do the other Titans. I had never any contact with Titans material, prior to the new TV-Show, and I must say, after next pay-day I am getting the first few volumes of the NEW TEEN TITANS :)
Great sutff.
Rating Animation: 8/10
Rating Character design: 8/10
Rating Narrative: 9/10
Overall: 9/10
FINAL VERDICT: So much better than expected
