The DCAU is known for having a lot of cartoon shows that are incredibly dark, especially compared to other superhero cartoon shows for the time
- Batman Beyond, set in a gritty Cyberpunk future Gotham City. It was Batman: The Animated Series up to eleven: more mature stories, edgier violence, and an even bleaker tone. And to think the network originally wanted it to be a "kid-friendlier" Batman show.
- Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker has a quite brutal flashback showing the Joker's death. It was rated PG-13.
- Lobo (Webseries) subverts this despite the huge amount of gore, swearing and sexual content.
- The third and final season of Gotham Girls has a more dramatic tone compared to the first two seasons.
