Even though I complained about the downward spiral that current day animation and the channels that put them on seem to be going through, I do have to admit that, at the moment, it's not half bad if you happen to be a comic book fan as well (like myself). Along with old re-runs of shows like the classic Batman animated series and the Justice League, Marvel and DC both have two shows out that are, at least if you ask me, some of their strongest animated programming offers to date: Batman - Brave and the Bold, and The Spectacular Spider-Man. These two shows truly embrace their source material, having both the story lines and the characters adhere closely to the comics, yet also presenting them in a new, unique matter that is exclusive to their respective shows. Gone are the days of the X-Men and Spider-Man 90's cartoons and their stiff animations and plots that catered more toward the adults who read the comics, rather than the kids they were intended for. Instead, the newer shows favor much more stylized and fluid animations, as well as easy to understand story arcs that don't require the watcher to actively follow the series in print form as well, though there is plenty here for current fans to love.

However, on the more "mature" side, DC truly seems to be embracing straight-to-DVD productions. To this date, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Batman have all gotten their own respective DVD animated film releases, as well as two that are cross overs. Though they have much in common with the style of the most recent Justice League television series, these films are rated PG-13, and embrace their freedom from television constraints by allowing blood and gore to be added to their exceedingly violent segments, as well as using much more well known and seasoned storylines. Their budget is often much larger, as well, and as such, the creators are able to get much more talented work for the voices on the productions. Again, as I said before, it's a pretty good time to be a comic book fan, in the realm of animation.