Wonder Woman
Let’s start with the hypothetical project that fans have been not-so-quietly dreaming about for years — Wonder Woman: The Animated Series. Although the Princess of Themyscira has graced several animated movies, she is the only one out of DC’s “Trinity” of central characters to not get her own animated television show — and it’s about time for that to change.
There’s certainly more than enough lore to fill out a Wonder Woman series — not only concerning Diana, but involving the other Amazon tribes and beloved characters like Nubia, Yara Flor, and Artemis. Throw in some of Diana’s mystical rogues gallery and cameos from other DC characters, and you’d get a recipe for success.
Bombshells
Carrying the Wonder Woman thread a little bit longer, DC’s Bombshells franchise feels tailor-made for an animated adventure — and its source material is definitely serialized enough to work as a show. The franchise, which has inspired a line of merchandise and multiple tie-in comics, showcases an alternate version of World War II with the female heroines of the DC universe on the frontlines.
Wonder Woman, Batwoman, Supergirl, and countless other characters could be the focus of a Bombshells animated series, all without counteracting their live-action counterparts. Plus, the animated medium could be the perfect format to bring some of the larger-than-life components of the series to life.
DCeased
In recent years, no “Elseworlds” concept has been popular in DC’s comics quite like DCeased, which imagines an alternate version of the DC universe rocked by an otherworldly zombie apocalypse. The premise has spawned multiple comic series and miniseries, with an ever-rotating roster of characters within it.
Even with the launch of Marvel’s Marvel Zombies animated series in 2024, there’s a lot within the source material of DCeased that could make an animated version of it stand out from the pack.
Justice League International
When some fans think of DC animated projects, they probably think of Justice League Unlimited, which ran on Cartoon Network from 2004 through 2006. The series featured an impressive and wide-ranging ensemble of DC characters — and if the present DC wanted to carry on the torch without retreading old grown, Justice League International would be a fun compromise. The zanier version of the super team, which includes off-kilter fan-favorites such as Fire, Ice, Booster Gold, and Blue Beetle, succeeded the central Justice League in the 1980s, and became beloved ever since.
While some of the JLI members already appeared in JLU, the concept of the team existing in their own animated series — either in its own canon or something else — would be downright delightful.
Amethyst
One corner of the DC universe that has remained a bonafide fan-favorite is Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld. Also known as Amy Winston, the character has built out a wild lore of fantasy and cosmic elements, being the protector of a fictional dimension named “Gemworld.”
Amethyst’s world has already been explored in animated back during Cartoon Network’s DC Nation days, with a series of shorts that gave her story a magical girl twist. That concept was already inspired enough, but if you factor in the recent fantasy trends of things like She-Ra: Princess of Power and Critical Role, it’s even easier to imagine an Amethyst animated series thriving today.
Kamandi
Another high-concept side of the DC universe — one that has been grossly unexplored for the past few years in comics or otherwise — is Kamandi, The Last Boy on Earth. A fan-favorite creation of Jack Kirby, Kamandi is the sole human survivor of a “Great Disaster” that turned the world into an apocalypse.
Kamandi’s world and supporting cast, which largely consists of talking animals, might be too ambitious to bring to life in live-action. But as a recent animated short from DC proved, the concept of Kamandi could absolutely thrive in animation, especially if it was rendered in a style reminiscent of Kirby’s.
Prez
Let’s acknowledge another one of the weirdest corners of DC lore — Prez. Initially published in 1973, the series followed the tenure of Prez Rickard, the first teen president of the United States. The concept was then hilariously rebooted in 2015 as a teenage girl named Beth Ross, who accidentally gets elected president after going viral on social media as “Corndog Girl.”
That latter Prez series found a way to weave in both Rickard’s and Ross’ tenures — something that a hypothetical animated series could do as well, while embodying the chaotic and colorful near-future world of the comic.
Shade
Another wild and aesthetically-ambitious legacy within DC — one that could thrive in an animated adaptation, is the mantle of Shade. Both Shade the Changing Man and Shade the Changing Girl — aliens with a reality-warping “M-Vest” — have been at the center of some incredibly trippy and thought-provoking stories over the years.
Just take one look at the covers for any incarnation of Shade, and it’s easy to imagine the concept thriving in an animated context.
Primer
One of DC’s more recent, but still trippy, creations is Primer. An entry into DC’s young adult line of graphic novels, the story follows Ashley Rayburn, a young girl and budding artist who can acquire new superpowers based on what color paint she wears.
The Primer graphic novel has become a runaway best seller since it was first released, and Ashley was introduced into the main DC line through an appearance in Teen Titans Academy. The character’s superpowers seems perfectly-suited for the world of animation — and her story could delight fans of all ages in the process.
Captain Carrot
And finally, you can’t talk about the untapped potential of DC animation without addressing the comics’ most cartoonish character — Captain Carrot. A rabbit-human hybrid who fights crime alongside of his Amazing Zoo Crew, Captain Carrot easily has the longest and weirdest legacy of DC’s “funny animal” characters. More recently, the character has functioned as a member of the Justice League Incarnate.
There are a near-infinite number of ways for a Captain Carrot series to thrive, either in a Roger Rabbit-esque hybrid of live-action and animation, or in a fully-animated Looney Tunes-esque series. Either way, it feels too perfect to not become a reality.
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What DC animated series do you want to see? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!