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DC Animated Universe

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A Justice League Unlimited promotional image.

The DC animated universe is a series of animated television shows and related spin-offs which share the same continuity. Most of these animated series are adapted from DC Comics properties. The abbreviation "DCAU" is often used. This continuity is also sometimes referred to as the Timmverse (after Bruce Timm, the continuity's most consistent creative influence) and in the past, the Diniverse (after Paul Dini, who has mostly departed from Warner Bros. Animation)

In-continuity in the DCAU

While there have been several animated series based upon DC Comics characters over the decades, what is commonly accepted as the "DC animated universe" refers to the stable of shows and films that spin off from Batman: The Animated Series, the original show in this universe. Older shows such as Super Friends and newer shows such as The Batman are not part of this continuity.

TV series

The DC animated universe primarily consists of these animated series (and their related films; see below):

Films

The following spin-off films also are part of the continuity:

Web cartoons

Two canonical DCAU Macromedia Flash web cartoon series were downloadable from the WB website, and were voiced by their original actors. As can be expected, the animation wasn't up to par with the television shows. However these webtoons were well received, neither show is available on DVD as of this writing.

Comic books

Many of the DCAU shows have also had comic books created based on the characters of the shows. Bruce Timm has declared most of them non-canon, although they are still based on the continuity of the shows. The comics are (not counting annuals, or specials):

  • The Batman Adventures (#01 - #36)
  • Batman and Robin Adventures (#01 - #25)
  • The Batman Adventures: The Lost Years (#01 - #05)
  • Batman: Gotham Adventures (#01 - #60)
  • Superman Adventures (#01 - #66)
  • Batman Beyond: The Mini-Series (#01 - #06)
  • Batman Beyond Adventures (#01 - #24)
  • Gotham Girls (#01 - #05)
  • Justice League Adventures (#01 - #34)
  • Batman Adventures (#01 - #17)
  • Batman: Harley and Ivy (#01 - #03)
  • Justice League Unlimited Adventures (#01 - Current)

On a different note, issue #22 of DC Comics' Superman/Batman series, which explores alternate realities, had a character transported to an alternate version of Gotham City patrolled by a Batman using the Batman Beyond version of the costume. This has been the first time the DCAU and the mainstream comic book DC continuity have crossed over, but it has not been the first time elements from the former have appeared in the latter (as the mainstream DC continuity's Harley Quinn and Renee Montoya, as well as other elements, such as Mr. Freeze's origin, were adapted from the animated universe).

DC Adventures: Possible Canon

While they may not be officially be part of established of the DC Animated Universe, some of the comics could fit in the series canon (provided they don't contradict the episodes or expand on events):

  • The Batman Adventures Annual #2- Batman meets Jason Blood/Etrigan, the two team up to fight Ra's al Ghul.
  • The Batman Adventures Lost Years- Covers what went on between Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures. TNBA episodes "Sins Of The Father" and "Old Wounds" uses bits from the comic.
  • Batman Gotham Adventures #6- Batman and team help Deadman to solve his murder. Is refered to in Justice League Unlimited episode, "Dead Reckoning"

Other TV series

TV shows that are considered to be separate from the animated universe by most, but that could be connected according to some theories are:

Each of those shows is believed to be associated with the DC animated universe differently. The Batman is completely separate from the animated continuity.

Krypto the Superdog

Krypto the Superdog is more of a regular children's cartoon than an all-ages animated series. The debate stems from the appearance of Superman in the show, although not enough of him was seen to deduce whether he was the same as appearing in Justice League Unlimited. However, the background shots of Metropolis strongly resemble those in the Superman animated series. As a counterpoint, Lex Luthor, is shown as a businessman at a time he was in jail in the DCAU, and his appearance is distorted from that in the DCAU. It is possible that this series, much like the non-canonical comic books, uses the continuity of the DCAU, but not vice versa.

Teen Titans

A source of controversy among fans had surrounded the place of the series in the DC Animated Universe. Series producer Bruce Timm had stated that there will be no crossover with Justice League Unlimited, however it should be noted that he did consider doing it, and chose not to for style and presentation reasons. Also, series producer and creator Glen Murakami had stated that the inspiration for the series is the 1980s The New Teen Titans comic book series, and not the Justice League animated series. Although Batman does refer to the Titans in the Static Shock and Justice League crossover episode "Hard as Nails," there was no proof that the mentioned Titans relate in any way to the ones represented in this series. During the show's run it was never established to be a part of the larger DC Animated Universe.

Although not evidence of a shared setting, it is interesting to note that Speedy and (Kid) Flash are voiced by the same actors in both Teen Titans and JLU (Mike Erwin and Michael Rosenbaum respecively).

See Also

Inconsistencies within the DCAU

Most of the inconsistencies in the DCAU have been cleared up via retroactive continuity.

  • In the series Static Shock, Virgil Hawkins once said that "even Clark Kent had a day job." He would later meet Superman and not be aware of his secret identity, so it is now unclear what Static meant. Static's comment once made sense, as his series was originally separate from the other shows until a crossover episode with Batman began to link them. It can be argued, however, that Virgil knew of Clark Kent as a famous reporter, and thusly his comment was somehow connected to that recognition. However, Static co-creator Dwayne McDuffie's philosophy of comic crossover continuity is "don't worry about it."
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