History Franchise / DCAnimatedUniverse

There are a few web cartoons that are on the fringe level. The first is ''WebAnimation/LoboWebseries'', a completely adult oriented entry starring ''ComicBook/{{Lobo}}''. It was originally going to be a family friendly cartoon on Kids WB but got retooled because having the lead of an adult oriented franchise for a kids show is problematic. The second is ''WebAnimation/GothamGirls'' which featured a lot of female characters associated with Batman. It paved the way for ''ComicBook/GothamCitySirens''.

* ''WebAnimation/LoboWebseries'' (2000) [[note]]The only TV-MA-rated cartoon in the DC Animated Universe.[[/note]]

* BigBadEnsemble: There are numerous supervillains plaguing the setting, but the most recurring and important are the Joker, Lex Luthor, Brainiac, and Darkseid.

** [[spoiler:Hawkgirl is a spy and a soldier, not a space cop. For that matter, unlike [[ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmericaTowerOfBabel Batman]], the majority of the League voted for her to stay instead of kicking her out for a while.]]

''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' began first, intended as something of a tie-in with ''Film/BatmanReturns'' but with its own distinct canon and take on the mythos and airing on the Creator/FoxKids network. The high-quality animation, scripting and voice work received near instant praise, helping to redefine Batman to the general public as neither the campy Creator/AdamWest ''Series/{{Batman|1966}}'' or the ultra dark Creator/MichaelKeaton ''Film/{{Batman|1989}}'', but as someone who often has to protect his RoguesGallery from themselves. The specific character design is referred to as TimmStyle, and has been very influential with elements based on it seen in many western animation action shows. After 85 episodes over 3 seasons ([[SixtyFiveEpisodeCartoon 65 episodes in the first season]] alone, generally unheard of) the show ended in 1995. Soon afterward, the same creators went on to make ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'' for the Creator/KidsWB network, featuring a similar but more streamlined art style. When the license to ''Batman: TAS'' on Fox Kids expired, they went on to make an ArtShiftedSequel called ''The New Batman Adventures'' for the Kids WB, which in practice was more of a {{revival}} and featured a massive art redesign to match up with ''Superman: TAS''.

* SuperWeight:
** Type -1: [[spoiler: Bane]] by the time of ''Batman Beyond'', Mr Freeze as just a head, Lex Luthor [[spoiler:when afflicted by cancer]]
** Type 0: Lois Lane, Lex Luthor initially, Ma and Pa Kent, Mad Hatter [[note]]his tech is Type 2[[/note]], ComicBook/TheJoker [[note]]graduates to BadassNormal in ''Return of the Joker''[[/note]], Ventriloquist, Riddler, Amanda Waller, Jim Gordon, the Jokerz [[note]] individual members sometimes go into Type 1, and Chronos's gang in ''JLU'' veer into Type 2 and 3 [[/note]], The Shade without his staff
** Type 1: Bruce Wayne / Batman [[note]] Type 0 in ''Batman Beyond - while he still hits hard his heart problems prevent him pulling off various feats he could easily do as a young man [[/note]], Clark Kent under a red sun, John Stewart without a Green Lantern ring, Stargirl, Huntress, Two-Face, Rhino, Green Arrow, Shining Knight, Speedy, Clock King, Rick Flag, Jonah Hex, Bat-Lash, Lex Luthor by the time of ''JLU'', Dick Grayson / Robin I / Nightwing, Catwoman, Terry without the Batsuit, Harley Quinn, [[MadBomber Mad Stan]], Phantasm, Vigilante, King Faraday
** Type 2: Killer Croc, Poison Ivy, Ra's al-Ghul [[note]] when recently released from the Lazarus Pit. He'd qualify as a Type 1 depending on how recently he had access to a Lazarus Pit [[/note]], Terry [=McGinnis=] in the Batsuit, Copperheard, [=KGBeast=], S.T.R.I.P.E. in PoweredArmor, Cheetah
** Type 3: Mr Freeze, Clayface, Ten, Inque, [[WalkingWasteland Blight]], Ten of the original Royal Flush Gang [[note]] he's as strong as Superman and feels no pain, but his powers are very much localised [[/note]], Wonder Woman, Volcana, Metallo, Red Tornado, Solomon Grundy, Aquaman, Hawkgirl, Gorilla Grodd, Brainiac's android forms, Shadow Thief, Lex Luthor in his PoweredArmor [[spoiler:and unknowingly fused with Braniac]]
** Type 4: Ace of the original Royal Flush Gang (especially in her final appearance), the Flash, Martian Manhunter, Superman, Green Lanterns, Lobo, Kalibak, Darkseid, AMAZO initially, [[spoiler:Solomon Grundy]] resurrected and empowered by dark magic, the mechanised super-suit piloted by John Corben, [[spoiler:Luthor and Braniac]] after a FusionDance
** Type 5: [[spoiler: Amazo]] in ''JLU'' [[note]] was easily capable of teleporting a planet out of its way [[/note]], possibly Darkseid and Superman at full power, Metron, Mxyzptlk.
** Type 6: The Hands of Creation

* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueVsTheFatalFive'' (2019) was overseen by Bruce Timm and is done in the art style of ''Justice League Unlimited,'' though it's status as an official DCAU entry is unclear. Originally, the film was set to use the Phil Bourassa art style and models from Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths and Justice League: Doom, with the voice cast already having done their recordings. However, to avoid confusion with the New 52-based DCAMU movies, the film used the animation models from Justice League/Justice League Unlimited. While Bruce Timm hesitantly said the film was canon during the film's premiere at Wonder Con, in the audio commentary for the film, Timm admitted that due to the film being changed to a JLU type movie during post production, their would inevitably be some continuity issues. Ultimately, he said fans could decide on their own, and that he's a "firm believer in head-canon." The debate continues.

* ''Justice League Unlimited''

* LooseCanon: The animated installments are the only "definitive" part of the DCAU. Any [[RecursiveAdaptation comics]] set in the universe have very little importance to the larger story, and when they do, they can be overwritten if the author sees it fit. If you count them, then fine, if you don't, fine too.

[[AC:Webseries based on DC Animated Universe cartoons:]]

[[AC:Comic Books set in the DC Animated Universe include:]]

The DC Animated Universe is sometimes referred to as the "Timmverse" (after BruceTimm) or the "Diniverse" (after
PaulDini). It ended production with the final episode of ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited''. However, its influence continues to this day both in Comics and WesternAnimation, and due to the distinct art style of the 'verse (aka TimmStyle) being applied to later animated adaptations of Franchise/TheDCU, other properties are frequently and incorrectly cited as part of the DCAU. It is also partially responsible for most of Warner Bros. Animation's production having a Latin American Dub produced in Venezuela.

* CanonWelding: The showrunners initially maintained that the shows should be seen as standalones, they specifically said that they weren't sure whether ''Batman Beyond'' was the actual future of the DCAU (always saying it was a "possible future") or how ''Static Shock'' fit in, with Superman being directly alluded to as a fictional character in ''Static Shock''. Occasional episodes would start to connect them, such as the ''Batman Beyond'' episode "Meltdown", the various ''Justice League'' crossovers on ''Static Shock'', and the various time travel episodes on ''Static Shock'' and ''Justice League Unlimited'', that connected both shows to each other and to ''Batman Beyond'' definitively. The main shows ended with "Epilogue" merging elements and pieces from different eras and cementing ''Batman Beyond'' as the effective end of the DCAU. At least with the exception of the various episodes and movie that involve the 31st century Legion of Super Heroes.

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanAndHarleyQuinn'' (2017) was overseen by Bruce Timm and is done in a similar art style to ''The New Batman Adventures,'' serving as a throwback film to several media of Batman, including the animated series. While taking place Several statements from co-writer Jim Krieg, or the film's composers have stated it likely takes place in something of an AlternateContinuity to ''Batman: The Animated Series.''

The inevitable crossover occurred with "World's Finest", which teamed Batman and Superman against [[Characters/BatmanTheJoker the Joker]] and [[Characters/SupermanLexLuthor Lex Luthor]] and firmly placed them in a SharedUniverse. After several more crossovers, both shows ended about the same time in 1999, when ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' came on to take their place. While initially divisive for its premise as a teenage Batman in the future mentored by an elderly Bruce Wayne, ''Batman Beyond'' was able to continue the legacy of the prior shows and had many standout moments of its own. In fact, an episode featuring a future version of the ComicBook/JusticeLeague proved popular enough that Creator/CartoonNetwork made an order for the production to create ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' in 2001. This new show introduced what can be considered a third TimmStyle revamp, an attempt to include more individuality between characters that was lost with the streamlined design. With two seasons focusing on seven core members of the Justice League, the production staff made a massive ReTool for the series to include dozens of characters never before seen in the DCAU: ''Justice League Unlimited''. After another couple of seasons, reaching the absolute height of ambition to showcase the entire DC Comics roster, the DCAU officially ended in 2006, but was briefly revived in the latter half of TheNewTens.

** ''WesternAnimation/BatmanAndHarleyQuinn'' (2017)

** ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueVsTheFatalFive'' (2019)

The DC Animated Universe is sometimes referred to as the "Timmverse" (after character designer Creator/BruceTimm) or the "Diniverse" (after writer Creator/PaulDini). Some purists argue that "Timmverse" is more appropriate, as Bruce Timm was a more consistent creative force in the various shows than Paul Dini, who left before the end of it. Rather more to the point, Dini is a writer, not a character designer. Timm, who ''is'' a character designer, is the one responsible for the "standard DCAU art style". On the other hand, the writing of the DCAU is as notable as the art, plus the name is catchier (having [[RuleOfThree three syllables]] and all). On the ''other'' hand, Paul Dini was just the foremost of several writers and worked for Alan Burnett, who thus technically had more to do with the managing of the DCAU than Dini did. The debate continues.

The DC Animated Universe ended production with the final episode of ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited''. However, its influence continues to this day both in Comics and WesternAnimation, and due to the distinct art style of the 'verse (aka TimmStyle) being applied to later animated adaptations of Franchise/TheDCU, other properties are frequently and incorrectly cited as part of the DCAU. It is also partially responsible for most of Warner Bros. Animation's production having a Latin American Dub produced in Venezuela.

* ''WesternAnimation/SupermanBrainiacAttacks'': a tie-in work for ''Film/SupermanReturns''. The production team used the ''Superman: TAS'' character designs and many of the same voice actors, but otherwise has no connection to the series (Brainiac is treated as his first appearance).

* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueGodsAndMonsters'' was personally overseen by Bruce Timm and uses his art style, but it's an AlternateUniverse-style story with a radically re-imagined Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman all with different alter-egos.

* ArtEvolution: The universe as a whole steadily improved in animation with each new installment. This was first done with ''[[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries The New Batman Adventures]]'' in order to tie it in with ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'', as well as make it easier to keep characters [[OffModel On Model]].

** ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' had ''Justice League Adventures'' (which lasted 34 issues), a tie-in to the ''Justice League Unlimited'' retool that lasted 46 issues and a miniseries taking place after the events of unlimited titled ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueInfinity''.

** ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' had more comic adaptations than any other DCAU series: A six-issue miniseries where the first two issues adapted the series' premiere two-part episode "Rebirth", an ongoing that lasted 24 issues, a one-shot adapting ''ComicBook/BatmanBeyondReturnOfTheJoker'', a 2010 miniseries taking place in a BroadStrokes take on the DCAU canon, a 2011 miniseries that was a more legitimate continuation of the cartoon, digital-first comics ''Justice League Beyond''/''Justice League Beyond 2.0'', ''Superman Beyond'' and ''Batman Beyond 2.0'' (which were published in print through the comics ''Batman Beyond Unlimited'' and ''Batman Beyond Universe''), a 2015 series where the mantle of the future Batman was taken by an alternate timeline incarnation of Time Drake, a 2016 series where Terry [=McGinnis=] once again becomes the future Batman and the miniseries ''Batman Beyond: Neo-Year'', where Terry had to face being Batman without the guidance of the deceased Bruce Wayne.

* [[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman/DCAnimatedUniverse What Measure Is A NonHuman]]

The inevitable crossover occurred with "World's Finest", which teamed Batman and Superman against the Joker and ComicBook/LexLuthor and firmly placed them in a SharedUniverse. After several more crossovers, both shows ended about the same time in 1999, when ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' came on to take their place. While initially divisive for its premise as a teenage Batman in the future mentored by an elderly Bruce Wayne, ''Batman Beyond'' was able to continue the legacy of the prior shows and had many standout moments of its own. In fact, an episode featuring a future version of the ComicBook/JusticeLeague proved popular enough that Creator/CartoonNetwork made an order for the production to create ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' in 2001. This new show introduced what can be considered a third TimmStyle revamp, an attempt to include more individuality between characters that was lost with the streamlined design. With two seasons focusing on seven core members of the Justice League, the production staff made a massive ReTool for the series to include dozens of characters never before seen in the DCAU: ''Justice League Unlimited''. After another couple of seasons, reaching the absolute height of ambition to showcase the entire DC Comics roster, the DCAU officially ended in 2006, but was briefly revived in the latter half of TheNewTens.

The ''DC Animated Universe'' (''DCAU'' for short; also referred to as the "Timmverse" by fans) is a group of animated adaptations based on Creator/DCComics characters and, unlike [[WesternAnimation/DCComicsAnimated other DC adaptations]], all sharing the same continuity.

The inevitable crossover occurred with "World's Finest", which teamed Batman and Superman against the Joker and ComicBook/LexLuthor and firmly placed them in a SharedUniverse. After several more crossovers, both shows ended about the same time in 1999, when ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' came on to take their place. While initially divisive for its premise as a teenage Batman in the future mentored by an elderly Bruce Wayne, ''Batman Beyond'' was able to continue the legacy of the prior shows and had many standout moments of its own. In fact, an episode featuring a future version of the ComicBook/JusticeLeague proved popular enough that Creator/CartoonNetwork made an order for the production to create ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' in 2001. This new show introduced what can be considered a third TimmStyle revamp, an attempt to include more individuality between characters that was lost with the streamlined design. With two seasons focusing on seven core members of the Justice League, the production staff made a massive ReTool for the series to include dozens of characters never before seen in the ''DCAU'': ''Justice League Unlimited''. After another couple of seasons, reaching the absolute height of ambition to showcase the entire DC Comics roster, the ''DCAU'' officially ended in 2006, but was briefly revived in the latter half of TheNewTens.

* AdaptationDistillation: All of the ''DCAU'' installments took the best parts of all Creator/DCComics elements and modernized them.

** The final scene in the ''Justice League Unlimited'' episode "Epilogue" mirrored the first shot of the very first ''Batman: The Animated Series'' episode, with the episode being written before the series was renewed for its third & final season. Whilst it didn't end up book ending the ''DCAU'' (at least, not by ''our'' chronology), it did book end the first shot of ''Batman: TAS'' with the final shot of the future Batman.

* FamilyFriendlyFirearms: Averted in most cases, making the ''DCAU'' installments unique among animated TV shows and feature films of the late 1990s and early to mid 2000s eras. Although it's pretty rare for anyone ([[ShootingSuperman other than Superman]]) to actually get shot, as most bad guys who use guns seem to have graduated from the ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy.

* {{Leitmotif}}: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6x9YTh173o A constant element of the universe's musical scores]] - ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' famously had motifs for every major character, including full themes for every member of his rogues gallery. Superman had them less often, but most villains and heroes still had their own themes. The most famous themes from both of these installments remained with the characters for the entirety of the ''DCAU'', and this practice continued on to ''Justice League'' (along with ''Justice League Unlimited''), which gave several of the most important heroes themes.
* LooseCanon: The animated installments are the only "definitive" part of the ''DCAU''. Any [[RecursiveAdaptation comics]] set in the universe have very little importance to the larger story, and when they do, they can be overwritten if the author sees it fit. If you count them, then fine, if you don't, fine too.
* MotifMerger: In the ''DCAU'' crossover "World's Finest", the Bat-Signal (Batman's emblem) is broadcast onto the globe on top of the Daily Planet Building (Superman's).

* {{Ruritania}}: Kaznia, a Balkan nation that is referred to multiple times in several ''DCAU'' installments. It eventually joins the European Union by the final season of ''JLU''.
* SharedUniverse: The ''DCAU'' is a famous example. It was ''Superman: The Animated Series'' that really built it, since ''Batman: The Animated Series'' (barring Zatanna and Jonah Hex) did not feature or acknowledge other heroes, whereas Superman's three-parter pilot had Martha Kent mentioning "that nut in Gotham City", and had Superman meeting the Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Lobo and of course, several cross-overs with Batman, which ultimately led to ''Justice League''.
* SerialEscalation: It’s obvious in the two most common recurring villains of the ''DCAU'':

** ''The New Batman Adventures'' had largely standalone episodes, but the main story-arc was the Joker losing his influence in Gotham thanks to Batman shutting down his operations and being on the verge of being chased out of Gotham. The Joker's story-arc of going broke was used to explain his crossing over in the subsequent ''DCAU'' installments since being shut down in Gotham means he has to go to Metropolis and team up with Luthor (for the "World's Finest" crossover), and later to Dakota where he engages with ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'' and finally in the ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' where he becomes a national level threat, and also informs his actions in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyondReturnOfTheJoker''.
** ''Superman TAS'' and ''Justice League (Unlimited)'' were very arc-based in structure, and related since the former built the SharedUniverse of the ''DCAU''. Key arcs include Luthor going from businessman to criminal to politician and finally [[spoiler:aspiring God]], and the government's growing distrust towards Superman and superheroes in general. The other arc was the Fourth World [=/=] New Gods with Superman's rivalry with Darkseid which had long term consequences on the entire franchise.

* StuffBlowingUp: The vast majority of the ''DCAU'' installments feature scenes with the villain's [[CollapsingLair hideout exploding]], for reasons ranging from self-destruct devices to joy buzzers falling into loose wiring.

** In ''Superman: TAS'', we never see [[spoiler:Lois finding out about Clark Kent and Superman. There were plans to bring that scene at the end of the episode "Divided We Fall", but executives forbade the writers from including it. There was also plans for a Future Superman story to be included in ''Batman Beyond'' which would have seen an aged Lois Lane, and potentially feature an illegitimate child between Superman and Lashina leading another Apokoliptan invasion in the far future]].