Team Peacemaker is back — and this time, they’re in the DCU.
Thursday saw the launch of the second season of “Peacemaker,” a spin-off of James Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad” starring John Cena as the titular vigilante on a long, slow journey toward redemption. It’s one of the biggest seasons of television in DC history, with Gunn teasing strong ties to the new DC movie universe.
But “Peacemaker” is far from the first successful DC show. The comic book brand has had a long, storied history on television, with a number of hit series in both live-action and animation across various networks.
Check out these nine superhero series streaming now on HBO Max.
“Batman: The Animated Series”
No list about DC on television would be complete without mention of “Batman: The Animated Series.” Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski’s animated adventures of the Caped Crusader remain influential to this day, redefining the character for a new generation. The series would eventually continue in numerous successful follow-ups, including “The New Batman Adventures” (which is included as “Batman: TAS” Season 3 on HBO Max), “Batman Beyond” and the theatrically released “Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.”
One of the show’s greatest contributions was the introduction of Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Conroy’s rich, deep voice set the gold standard for Batman adaptations going forward. The late Conroy would go on to appear in a number of future Batman projects, including shows, movies and video games. Often joining him was Mark Hamill as The Joker (also introduced in “Batman: TAS”). Hamill’s pitchy, delirious vocal performance provides a perfect balance of Joker’s humor and menace, ranking him among the best of the Clown Prince of Crime’s many iconic portrayals.
Beyond Joker, the commitment to the Dark Knight’s vast coterie of supervillains in “Batman: TAS” helped the show make its mark on the superhero’s legacy. Several members of Batman’s rogues gallery today feel inextricable from the stories presented in “The Animated Series.” Paul Dini penned a new backstory for Mr. Freeze in the early episode “Heart of Ice,” revolutionizing future interpretations of the character in comics. Dini and Timm also created Harley Quinn in the show’s first season, introducing a character who has since crossed over to become one of DC’s biggest characters on the page and the screen. More recently, Mike Flanagan cited “Batman: TAS” two-parter “Feat of Clay,” by Marv Wolfman and Michael Reaves (starring Ron Perlman as Clayface) as an inspiration for the upcoming “Clayface” movie — though Hossein Amini has since been tapped to rewrite the script.
“Doom Patrol”
“Doom Patrol” carries the distinction of being one of the more “comic booky” shows on HBO Max, adapting one of DC’s strangest superhero teams in all their weird glory. The show was among a handful of series to premiere on DC’s own streaming service, DC Universe, before moving over to HBO Max. DC Universe has since transitioned into the comics-only platform DC Universe Infinite.
The series takes inspiration from Grant Morrison’s foundational comic book run on “Doom Patrol.” Though the super team was created by Arnold Drake, Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani in 1963’s “My Greatest Adventure #80,” Morrison revolutionized the team with their surreal, off-beat writing style. It’s considered a signature book from Morrison, who’s regarded as one of the great DC writers for their stories like “All-Star Superman” and “JLA.”
The show captures the strangeness of the Doom Patrol well, introducing TV audiences to the team of Jane (Diane Guerrero), Elasti-Woman (April Bowlby), Negative Man (Matt Bomer), Robotman (Brendan Fraser), Cyborg (Joivan Wade), The Chief (Timothy Dalton) and more. The series ran for four seasons, carrying one of comics’ oddest teams through 46 episodes of weirdness.
“Harley Quinn”
Another show that moved from DC Universe to HBO Max, “Harley Quinn” brings DC’s now iconic character back to animation in an R-rated series of her own. The show stars Kaley Cuoco as the titular Batman character, stepping out from The Joker’s shadow as she discovers herself outside of their abusive relationship.
The comedy series has been lauded for its use of the expansive DC universe (particularly as it involves lesser-known characters) and humorous portrayals. Fans of the Harley Quinn/Poison Ivy duo have likewise praised the progression of their romantic relationship over the course of the show. Some DC fans may critique the overexposure of the character (especially since Margot Robbie’s introduction in 2016’s “Suicide Squad” helped skyrocket her popularity), but “Harley Quinn” is still a beloved example of how entertaining the highly comic character can be.
“Justice League Unlimited”
Also spawning from the expansive Bruce Timm animated TV universe, “Justice League Unlimited” follows up the “Justice League” cartoon with a bigger roster and deeper cuts from the DC Universe. Conroy returns to voice Batman in both “Justice League” series, joined by founding members Superman (George Newbern), Wonder Woman (Susan Eisenberg), John Stewart’s Green Lantern (Phil LaMarr), Martian Manhunter (Carl Lumbly), Wally West’s Flash (Michael Rosenbaum) and Shayera Hol’s Hawkgirl (Maria Canals-Barrera).
The series, which ran from 2004 to 2006, sees Timm and his crew play with a bigger toybox than ever before, taking the love for DC Comics exhibited in their other shows and demonstrating it on a grander scale. The animated format allows for a broader look at the DC world than any live-action project has managed, folding characters like the New Gods and members of the JSA into a series with Kryptonians and Amazons of Themyscira. To date, it’s one of the strongest representations of comic book storytelling in film and television.
“My Adventures with Superman”
One of the newer entries on this list, “My Adventures with Superman” is a thrilling cartoon adaptation of the Man of Steel that both understands the character’s history and manages to put a new spin on his world. Jack Quaid and Alice Lee are an exceptional pair as Clark Kent and Lois Lane, perfectly capturing the incredible chemistry of one of comic books’ best couples. Ishmel Sahid has a fun and lively take on Jimmy Olsen — a character it’s nice to see return to the spotlight in recent years.
With just 20 episodes under their belt so far, showrunners Jake Wyatt, Brendan Clougher and Josie Campbell have already made their mark with an exciting animated adaptation of the Last Son of Krypton. With a planned third season and a Jessica Cruz-focused “My Adventures with Green Lantern” on the way, there’s a lot left to look forward to with this easy, delightful take on the DC universe.
“Peacemaker”
Fans were introduced to John Cena’s Christopher Smith, also known as Peacemaker, in “The Suicide Squad.” “I cherish peace with all my heart,” he says in the film. “I don’t care how many men, women and children I need to kill to get it.” When Gunn announced that the character would be receiving a spin-off (prior to the film’s release), it became an immediate example of “Who asked for this?”
Whoever did, we should be grateful.
In “Peacemaker” Season 1, Gunn plumbs the depths of his broken protagonist, exploring the tragedy and insecurity that inform his twisted mission. Like every Gunn project, the show has a lot of humor and a lot of heart (in some select instances, competing against each other). Also, like every Gunn project, the series boasts a strong ensemble, one consisting of Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Freddie Stroma, Robert Patrick and a particularly exceptional Chukwudi Iwuji (who later played The High Evolutionary in Gunn’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”).
But “Peacemaker” is the most the writer/director has ever gotten to work with a character in an uninterrupted stretch, and it shows. On top of being a fun superhero adventure, “Peacemaker” features some of Gunn’s strongest and most resonant character work to date. Cena has never been better.
“The Penguin”
Matt Reeves’ Gotham universe expanded in “The Penguin,” a limited series from Lauren LeFranc further exploring Colin Farrell’s titular criminal. If “The Batman” evokes a Fincher thriller in the world of the Dark Knight, “The Penguin” is “The Sopranos” for the Gotham underworld.
Farrell is completely dialed in, delivering a transformative performance as Oz Cobb, otherwise known as The Penguin. The actor makes the villain as hateable and pathetic while also selling himself as a dynamic underdog. It’s a tough line to walk, but Farrell delivers some of his best character work yet. Love him or despise him, Farrell’s Oz is never anything less than wholly engaging. Equally impressive is Cristin Milioti, who plays the spurned Falcone daughter, Sofia. Milioti’s fiery and passionate performance is a highlight of the series and a fantastic addition to this Batman world. “The Penguin” is currently nominated for numerous Emmys in the Limited Series division — and it’s not hard to see why.
“Superman & Lois”
The CW DC universe (known as the Arrowverse) was a massive project consisting of several interconnected shows. Though “Superman & Lois” didn’t start until nearly a decade after “Arrow” began the world (and it kept its crossovers to a minimum), it remains arguably the universe’s finest series.
The show revamps the Superman mythos by dropping in on Clark Kent and Lois Lane when their twin sons, Jonathan and Jordan, are teenagers. Though this takes a page from Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason’s DC Rebirth-era “Superman” comics (in which Superman and his young son Jon Kent were superheroes together), it also changes this formula in key and exciting ways.
From the show’s first moments, “Superman & Lois” demonstrates a perfect understanding of these characters and what makes them lasting. Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch deliver two exceptional performances as this iconic comic couple. They are some of the best renderings of Clark and Lois to date.
“Watchmen”
“Watchmen” isn’t the best story in the “Watchmen” universe, nor is it the best television series created by Damon Lindelof. Instead, it has to settle for merely being an exceptional piece of television and comic book storytelling.
The limited series presents an all-new story in the world of “Watchmen,” skipping decades ahead of the events of Alan Moore’s esteemed comic book series. The show features several returning characters (such as Jean Smart as Silk Spectre and Jeremy Irons as Ozymandias) as well as newcomers — primarily, Regina King’s central protagonist Sister Night.
“Watchmen” takes the spirit of Moore’s comic book into a new era, presenting an intelligent superhero story with thematic weight and stellar performances. The original story has had a lot of poor follow-ups, but Lindelof’s HBO series should not be counted among them. It is, quite possibly, the best DC TV series to date.
