This list will take into account the character himself, the show/movie he is featured in, and the animation.
Honorable Mention
HISHE Superman (YouTube)
These videos are hilarious and you should all check them out!!
20. The Dark Knight Returns: Part 2 (2013)
Voice: Mark Valley
While the critically acclaimed book and animated movie is considered one of the best Batman stories ever told, there is no denying that Frank Miller does not write a good Superman, at all – in fact he writes an very poor Superman to say the least. In this story he is used as a government pawn and is destroyed by a senior-citizen Batman.
19. Young Justice (2010)
Voice: Nolan North
This is a great cartoon with awesome animation that ended much too early, that said, it’s Superman is very distant and refuses to accept Connor Kent/Superboy until very late in the series. The animation is great, but the character just seems off a bit.
18. Justice League: War/ Justice League: Throne of Atlantis (2014/2015)
Voice: Alan Tudyk
Two animated titles under DC’s New 52 universe proved to be underwhelming. While the movies themselves are caught in the middle of a target market, trying a little too hard to be adult, the changes made to the classic character are not well received nor is his very forced romance with Wonder Woman. Also, his size 67 neck just looks ridiculous and the voice acting in the entire movie is awful.
17. The New Adventures of Superman (1966-69)
Voice: Bud Collyer
A decent show for its time, but just one you’d expect from a cartoon of its era. It doesn’t really hold up well, but it’s definitely watchable. Eventually it became the Superman-Aquaman Hour and later the Batman-Superman Hour.
16. Super Friends (1976-81)
Voice: Danny Dark
Put this in the same boat as the last. Very campy and sometimes ridiculous but entertaining if you take it for what it is. It served as the characters that an entire generation grew up with and is probably the reason why those Superman purists don’t like Man of Steel (lol)
15. Superman vs The Elite (2012)
Voice: George Newbern
Not a bad Superman, but not a very interesting movie either. It had its moments, but is ultimately very forgettable. Not a fan of the animation in this one either.
14. Batman Beyond (2000)
Voice: Christopher McDonald
An interesting concept in a great cartoon. It’s cool to see Superman’s friendship with Batman last as long as it does and the respect the two have for each other in their older age. There isn’t anything wrong with this version of the Man of Steel, but the aging hero can’t compare to some of the stories in his prime which is why this version can’t crack the top 10.
13. Justice League/ JLU (2001-06)
Voice: George Newbern
This was strange, because the same creators did such a good job of writing the character in Superman: The Animated Series but it didn’t translate to the team format. His character was misused in the first season (something the creators admit to) and I never liked George Newbern’s voicing of the character – he was relatively new to Superman and just didn’t hold up to Tim Daly’s performance. He felt more like a babysitter instead of a hero. Although this got better in the JLU series, it can’t crack the top 10.
12. Superman Unbound (2013)
Voice: Matt Bomer
Fans finally got Matt Bomer as Superman, except only his voice. He did a good job, too, but the story, involving Brainiac and the tutoring of Supergirl wasn’t as enticing as other Superman stories, but still a solid film. The animation was different than past iterations but a welcomed change as it’s always fun to see new designs.
11. Doomsday (2007)
Voice: Adam Baldwin
A good movie that was never as exposed as some of the other films on this list for whatever reason. The animation is good, one of the last Bruce Timm styled Superman’s. The story chronicles the battle between Superman and the monster Doomsday, as you may have guessed. Recently, creator Bruce Timm said that he was originally going to use a Man of Steel neck snap at the end of the movie but was told not to by Warner Bros. brass.
10. Justice League: Crisis on Two-Earths (2010)
Voice: Mark Harmon
One of the first movies that went in a different direction animation-wise, moving on from Bruce Timm. This is a very cool iteration of Supes, but given that there are so many characters in the story he’s a bit underused. That said, the animation is great and it’s a really interesting story that delves into DC’s multiverse. If you haven’t seen this one I suggest you check it out.
9. The Batman (2007-08)
Voice: George Newbern
Often overshadowed by the Timmverse, The Batman is a very solid show and does Superman more than justice. His character is very well written as is his young relationship with Batman. He only shows up in a few episodes but they really grasp the character well.
8. Superman/Shazam! The Return of Black Adam (2010)
Voice: George Newbern
While this is mainly a Shazam! (Captain Marvel) story, it features an extremely well written Superman. In an awesome team-up he helps Shazam! defeat Black Adam and also helps Billy Batson find his way in a few great scenes between the young boy and Clark Kent. This really captures the essence of the Superman character very well and is a very entertaining cartoon.
7. Justice League: Doom (2012)
Voice: Tim Daley
This movie that is loosely based on the Tower of Babel storyline from the comics in which Batman’s contingency plans get into the wrong hands and the Justice League is all but taken out. Doom is a great movie that really gets the character of Superman, especially in one scene where he tries to talk a jumper off a ledge SPOILER who ends up being Metallo. The animation is also very solid.
6. All-Star Superman (2011)
Voice: James Denton
A truly great story that explores an extremely powerful, dying Superman. It’s deeper and more philosophical than anything else on this list. While I’m not in love with the animation, the story more than makes up for it. It’s more of a one-shot storyline and not considered canon – but if you haven’t seen/read it it’s recommended.
5. Justice League: The New Frontier (2008)
Voice: Kyle MacLachlan
This golden-age-esque story that sees the formation of the Justice League. While Green Lantern and Flash are the primary characters, there are some great Superman scenes, including one with Batman in the batcave and one with Wonder Woman in some bar. He also shows off some sweet heroics at the end like only he can do. This is a really unique, modern story set in the golden age of comics and the animation is absolutely fantastic, definitely one of my favorites in that regard.
4. Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (2010)
Voice: Tim Daly
This movie sees the introduction of Kara Zor-El/Supergirl and her struggle to get acclimated to earth and live beyond Superman’s shadow. In it, we see Superman act as an older brother figure as he becomes very protective of his cousin, who ultimately gets kidnapped by just about everyone. But another really great story that gives us a side of Superman that we don’t often see. There’s some good humor also and we get to see a great dynamic between the Trinity.
3. Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009)
Voice: Tim Daly
This story truly captures the brotherly relationship between Batman and Superman in a fantastic way, and is one of my favorites because of it. This includes Superman saying the line SPOILER “That was my best friend and you just killed him!” when he thinks Batman dead and absolutely goes off on Lex Luthor and it’s awesome. That scene alone gets this film in the top 5.
2. Max Fleischer Superman (1941-43)
Voice: Bud Collyer
The original animated series that chronicled the life of Clark Kent, whose alter ego, Superman, saved the city and Lois in just about every episode. This is a fantastic cartoon that absolutely holds up the test of time. It’s like the Looney Tunes of Superman and everyone should watch at least one episode. Sure the stories are corny, but it perfectly captured the essence of the character as was originally intended.
1. Superman: The Animated Series/ The Batman-Superman Movie: World’s Finest (1996-2000)
Voice: Tim Daly
This may seem odd given how Justice League and JLU are so far behind, but as I said the writing for Superman just didn’t transfer to the team format well, in that they used him as a litmus test for just about every villain. This series is truly magnificent and captures the character perfectly, no matter what era of the Man of Steel you grew up with. The Batman/Superman movie is a perfect rendition of the first meeting between the two iconic characters. Bruce Timm just really understands these characters and delivers a series and a movie that will stand the test of time and should honestly be every child’s introduction to the characters.