In 1990, the Children’s Television Act was launched to lower the number of ads that a network could direct toward children during cartoons. This was the beginning of the demise of cartoons on network television that would culminate with the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which substantially regulates children’s television. This would impact network programming throughout the 2000s, but before that, the networks gave kids an explosion of new original content.
Some of the most memorable original content could be found on Kids’ WB. Let’s take a look at the network’s seven best ’90s cartoons!
Superman: The Animated Series
Superman: The Animated Series is set in the same universe as Batman: The Animated Series, and they crossover quite a bit. It ran for 3 seasons with 54 episodes and continued the same Art Deco design used in Batman. The series deals more with intergalactic villains, giving it a science-fiction vibe. Superman’s powers are also downplayed, so he has to work harder and shows more struggle when paired against a villain.
The big addition to the world of Superman was the addition of Jack Kirby’s Fourth World characters, notably Dark Seid. Dark Seid and the other fourth-world characters were formidable foes for Superman and expanded the universe created by Batman: The Animated Series that continued into Justice League and now the live-action movies.
