Introduction | Projects | Characters | Actors & Artists | Episode Guides | Chronology | Forum | FAQ | Change Log

The Unofficial DC Multimedia List

Introduction

The List

This document is an attempt to catalogue the live action appearances of characters licenced from DC Comics (including the characters once owned by Quality Comics and Charlton Comics). This list begins with Bud Collyer’s 1940 radio portrayal of Superman and is intended to list which characters have appeared in what adaptation and who they were played by. It includes live action appearances (film, TV, stage), voice only appearances (radio, animation, webtoons), and interactive (video games) appearances. One or two anomalies are allowed - Captain Midnight did not originate in the comics, but he was there in spirit, and Chief O’Hara is better known to non-comics readers than almost all of the other characters on this list.

Movie studios and television networks have always been interested in comic book characters. They see the intellectual properties is a recognisable brand name with a proven fan base and an established background. In theory they get free advertising, a known audience, and at least a draft series bible. The drawbacks of comic related properties can be lack of respect for the source material (Superman IV: The Quest for Peace), lack of budget (Superman IV: The Quest for Peace) and letting the A-list star dictate the direction of the character (Superman IV: The Quest for Peace). However films and television shows based on licensed characters remain a popular, if quirky, sub-genre.

Spoiler Warning: Sometimes the presence of a character in a show or film is meant to be a surprise. Some of the entries in this list may spoil that surprise — this is done for completeness. Apologies if this spoils your viewing pleasure.

Notes

• The Justice League Unlimited Rule: This list is really meant to track actors and voice artists, so non-speaking animated cameos don’t really count — in those cases I’ll list characters with credited voices only. Of course if anybody wants to identify uncredited voices in cartoons then I’ll be very happy to include them.
• Data for pilot episodes is normally listed as part of the ongoing series and is only listed separately when it was not picked up by a network or there were significant change (i.e. tone or majority of the cast).
• A number of the Adventures of Superman episodes and the Superman episodes have been edited together as movies. These are not listed as separate projects and appearance details are listed as part of the original serial.
• The listed year is the first year the project aired. For a film this will be the year of release and for a TV series it will be the year of transmission of the first episode.
• As of July 2005 I’ve started to expand the list of DC Comics based computer games to include those that don’t include voice or live action work.
• Stuff that isn’t included: things that haven’t been released yet; mention of characters in songs; parodies of characters where it isn’t actually meant to be them (with random exceptions), fan-film teasers (I’ll wait for the full fan-film or full fan-trailer before adding the details) .

Information needed/to do:

• Obscure radio appearances
• Was there a live action host for the Plastic Man cartoon? Is their an Asian Plastic Man rip off films?
• Voice credits for the Superman computer games. Blurb says the original voice cast, but which characters and were there any changes?
• Does Andy Warhol’s 1964 Batman Dracula^W actually feature Batman? And was it ever finished? Also his 1966 Superboy film?
• Are the Mexican films “El Superman… Dilon” and “El Superman… Dilon II” actually about Superman? Apparently not.
• Voice credits for numerous Filmation and Super Friends guest-stars - I know of rather a lot of appearances, but I’m holding off including them until I can verify voice credits. I must confess I’ve only ever seen the Super Friends in German (which I don’t speak) — current ebaying a solution to that problem.
• Did the BBC do a JLA radio series? Possibly Justice League Taskforce?
• Way to include WildCATS, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, History of Violence, and the Global Frequency pilot.
• Double check against eBay Forums thread
• DC Vs Marvel from MUGEN - http://dcvsmarvel.asteroidm.com/

Acknowledgements

This project really wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for the amazing Internet Movie Database. Thanks and recognition must also go those valiant fellows who have supplied additional data, corrections and correlations (in no real order):

• Mike Grgurev for heads up on a number of fan films.
• C Horn, for the information about the Wonder Woman radio hoax.
• Hugh Davis for allowing me access to his own work on this subject including the Shazam!, Superman at 50, The State, Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, cameos on the Monkees, Tiny Toons Adventures, Pinky and the Brain, Electric Company, Lynda Carter Special/Variety Hour specials, and various commercials and public appearances.
• Lurker at large for the distinction between the Swamp Thing: The Animated Series and TV series, plus Super Friends Atom & Teen Titans Aqualad info, and a number of minor corrections.
• Ancient Gamer points out that DC did a tie-in comic for the Isis TV show. I haven’t included Isis as she isn’t DCU, but DC also published comics under a number of licences including Masters of the Universe, Thundercats and Star Trek.
• Gernot, M. Gernand, and Jim Barker for info on appearances in commercials and Sesame Street
• Also thanks to M. Gernand for reminding me of the Spy Smasher serial and for pointing out the Vigilante: Fighting Hero of the West serial, the Brady Kids guest appearances, the 1967 Wonder Woman: Who’s Afraid of Diana Prince? short (also noted by a number of others), more Legends of the Superheroes info, and the Superfriends Preview.
• Dom Dawes for confirming the Batman Women’s Lib Public Service Announcement #2 and for listing the DC movie serials (in particular Hop Harrigan and Congo Bill).
• Gareth Jones for pointing out the Lobo webtoon and confirming the WW Powergen advert.
• Chris Isaac for pointing out the Sarah Michelle Gellar MTV Movie Awards appearance as WW and Victor Freeze in Batman Beyond.
• Jerry Whitworth for a host of obscure villains, the American Express advert, a few corrections, the Zeta Project, the Bat in the Sun Productions website, the identity of the Ray trade-ad model and Robot Chicken, and the extended Tiny Toon credits.
• Orville Eastland for the Zatanna webtoon voice credits.
• Sideout for info on That ’70s Show.
• Merlin Jones and Rick Hodge for info on the 1967 Wonder Woman pilot.
• Thanks to Hal Shipman, Jim Caldwell, Todd, Wrath of Khan, and Mikel Midnight for info on Saturday Night Live.
• Tariq Baker for the Captain Marvel appearance on the Drew Cary Show show and the PSA: US Military.
• Joseph Short for pointing out a couple of typos and for clearing up a question mark.
• Joe Sadson for the Alfred & Linda Page Credits for the 1943 Batman.
• Jefferson Mills for the Chinatown Kid correction. Kevvy Kev for more details on the Snickers commercial.
• Philip Frey for a few spelling corrections and the Zero-Hour Video video.
• James (Batdingo) for over a dozen DC related commercials and other stuff (sorry for taking so long).
• Jonathan Markiewitz for the correction to his own credit.
• Ted Chmura at Milestone for details of his company’s roster of licensed personal appearances.
• Thanks to anybody else that even half mentioned appearances (even if you didn’t realise it). If I’ve missed your name off the list then let me know as I’ll add you (except Supporting Cast members — you’ll need to get your lead character to write in).

If you, your family or even your arch-enemy have any additions or corrections then please feel free to contact us by using our Feedback page.

Not included

Future Projects

Up and coming stuff from DC is thought to include:

• Announced: Joss Whedon’s Wonder Woman, sequels for Batman Begins and Constantine, David Goyer’s Flash film. A new series of animated direct to DVD films.
• Thought to be in early development: Green Lantern, Books of Magic, Death: High Cost of Living (directed by Gaiman), Shazam, Supergirl, Zatanna, Ex Machina, Watchmen, Losers, We3
• I’ve heard tale of Tim Burton working on a Batman musical.

I’m not really looking to catalogue the developmental limbo of DC film franchises, for that I recommend you check out Comics2Film or Comics Book Movies webpage.

There are also a lot of fan films that are in the works. How many of these will be finished remains to be seen. Normal policy is to only include films once their completed and out in the wild. The following is a brief list of those that appear closer to completion

• Catwoman: Copycat - they’ve released a teaser reel. Potentially brilliant.
• Batman: Seduction of the Innocent - a Huntress fan film, seems to have a large cast. One to watch out for.

Lucian’s Video Library

Projects that never materialised.

• Another Flash TV show from WB - no further details ever released. Appears still born.
• A Justice League Animated video game from Midway that was cancelled in early March 2004 (no reason was given)
• The Tim Burton’s Superman Lives! film featuring Nicolas Cage - you know the one that Kevin Smith keeps lambasting.
• The Anime version of the New Gods.
• The proposed 1980s Hanna Barbara Teen Titans animated series. See the Titans Tower Theatre website has more information.
• Wonder Woman and the Star Riders. She-Ra style girls cartoon series and actions figures featuring Wonder Woman

Believed bogus…

• Orson Welles 1946 version of Bat-Man featuring George Raft as Two-Face, James Cagney as the Riddler, Basil Rathbone as the Joker and either Welles or Gregory Peck as the Batman/Bruce Wayne. Invented by Mark Millar for The Column at CBR.
• The Tricky Chick. 1942 Wonder Woman try out by Tex Avery. Referenced at Cartoon Research’s Lost Facts. The footer of that page mentions that “All the stuff above is a joke”. Still has an amusing fake animation cell.
• The Wonder Woman Radio show - a hoax based on a log for the Jack Benny show.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. I remember a live action JLA or Super Friends show from the 1970s?

You’re thinking of the Legends of the Superheroes two part special - the superhero equivalent to the Star Wars Holiday Special.

2. What to the different classifications mean?

In order to give a little more structure to the list of shows, games, and films I decided to classify each one based on its connection to DC Comics (e.g. licensed project or fan film) and its media/format (e.g live action/motion picture, radio documentary).

Licenses:

• Official - a direct adaptation from a DC source; these are most of the licensed commercial films and TV shows (e.g. Batman: The Movie or Smallville)
• Guest appearance - an appearance of a character from a direct adaptation in another project (e.g. Superman on I Love Lucy)
• Homage - a non-commercial unofficial adaptation, this covers most serious fan films (e.g. Batman: Dead End or World’s Finest)
• Parody - an unofficial appearance or substantial reference to a character or property as part of a satire or parody as protected by free speech or fair use legislation (e.g. the various Saturday Night Live sketches or the parody fan films)
• Documentary - a project about the source material that may include dramatised material or partial adaptations of the source material (e.g. Superman at 50 or Superheroes: We work for tips)
• Promotional - a licensed appearance of a character to promote the source material or a third party product; this covers most commercials and personal appearances (e.g. ONSTAR commercials and public service announcements)
• Unofficial - commercial pastiches or unofficial international adaptations that bear a very strong resemblance to the source material, but are not believed to be official licensed from DC Comics (e.g. The Wild World of Batwoman or the Indian Superman film)

Media

• Live Action - characters portrayed by live actors on a screen (e.g. Batman Begins or Smallville)
• Animation - cartoons, flash animation - characters portrayed by voice artists (e.g. Batman the Animated Series)
• Radio - no visual adaptation, sound only - characters portrayed by voice artists (e.g. the classic Superman radio show)
• Video Game - an interactive, electronic adaptation - may or may not make use of voice artists (e.g. Superman 64 or Batman: Rise of Sin-Tsu)
• Performance - characters portrayed by live actors in person (e.g Seaworld’s Salute to DC’s Heroes)
• Special category: Print - models dressed up as DC characters (e.g. DC’s 1990s trade adds); included on a strict case-by-case basis

3. Which Buffy/Angel/Firefly actors have played DC characters?

Major characters include:

• Armin Shimmerman (Principal Synder) - Professor Milo
• Juliet Landau (Drusilla) - Plastique and Tala
• Amy Acker (Fred/Illyria) - Huntress
• Nathan Fillion (Caleb) - Vigilante
• Gina Torres (Jasmine/Zoe) - Vixen
• Adam Baldwin (Jayne Cobb) - Rick Flagg
• Morena Baccarin (Inara Serra) - Black Canary

Other mentions

• Seth Green helms Robot Chicken that parodies popular culture using old action figures.

---

Filmography and a large selection of this data is courtesy of The Internet Movie Database.
Spot a mistake? Contact Us.

Introduction | Projects | Characters | Actors & Artists | Episode Guides | Chronology | Forum | FAQ | Change Log