Fans are preparing for new takes on popular superheroes in upcoming animated series like Disney+'s Spider-Man: Freshman Year and HBO Max's Batman: Caped Crusader. Both cartoons are likely to become new favorites for fans, though they could also join a number of series that have been forgotten.

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So many superhero cartoons have aired over the years that it makes sense that a few would fall by the wayside. Some animated adaptations had to be toned down or changed so much they didn't appeal to classic fans. And some original TV superheroes focused too much on selling toys instead of staying memorable to cartoon fans and were forgotten.

10 The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show Is Just One Of Many Forgotten DC Classics

Plastic Man Holding A Sign With His Name On It

DC heroes like Superman and Batman have appeared in a few cartoons with the rest of the Super Friends. These cartoons have remained nostalgic for fans over the years. However, there was a few animated series starring less popular heroes that don't get talked about as often.

The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show starred the titular DC hero alongside a few other animated series from Ruby-Spears Productions. Plastic Man eventually shared the spotlight with his son Baby Plas as they fought original and forgettable villains. The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show aired for five seasons but is rarely given the recognition of other series.

Defenders of the Earth characters

Classic characters like The Phantom, Flash Gordon and Mandrake the Magician joined together as Defenders of the Earth in 1986. The heroes were joined by Mandrake's bodyguard Lothar as well as each of the main character's children. The Defenders fought against Ming the Merciless as he tried to exploit the resources of Earth in the near future.

Ming gathered the villains of the other heroes in the Defenders to fight them as well for a few episodes. The series aired 65 episodes before it was canceled. Ultimately, Defenders of the Earth failed to leave much of a lasting impression with Saturday morning audiences.

8 Cybersix Was A Genetically Engineered Superhero Who Partnered With A Panther

Cybersix and Data-7 from the animated series

The cartoon known as Cybersix was an animated adaptation of an Argentine comic strip that aired for one season in 1999. Cybersix followed the titular leather-clad hero as she fought against her creator, a mad scientist named Dr. Von Reichter and his young cloned son José. She disguised herself as a male teacher by day to hide her true identity as Cybersix from her enemies.

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She teamed up with a panther named Data-7, who was implanted with the brain of her deceased brother, Cyber-29. Cybersix didn't fit the mold of most superhero shows and didn't establish much of an audience outside of Canada. However, it still ignites the occasional bout of nostalgia when fans are reminded of the short-lived animated series.

7 MTV's Spider-Man: The New Animated Series Was Loosely Based On The Movie

Scene from Spider-Man The New Animated Series

Marvel's web-slinger has starred in quite a few successful animated series over the years, but one of them slipped by quite a few fans. MTV aired a CGI animated series in 2003 called Spider-Man: The New Animated Series. The MTV series was loosely based on the hit 2002 live-action Spider-Man adaptation from director Sam Rami.

It also featured Michael Clarke Duncan as Kingpin which seemed to merge the continuity with 2003's Daredevil. Spider-Man: TNAS introduced a few original characters and new takes on classic villains. However, it was quickly forgotten after it was canceled after one season.

6 The Savage Dragon Adapted Erik Larsen's Hit Series And Ran For Two Seasons

Savage Dragon animated series

Marvel and DC may have led the charge when it came to animated adaptations, but Image Comics also had a few cartoons over the years. The most well-known is undoubtedly Spawn which aired on HBO. However, Erik Larsen's long-running comic series also found success as a two-season-long animated adaptation called The Savage Dragon.

The cartoon aired on The USA Network and featured a number of characters from the original comics. The Savage Dragon even crossed over with other forgotten series like Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm and Street Fighter. While The Savage Dragon is fondly remembered by some who watched the show, the adaptation is otherwise forgotten by fans of superhero cartoons.

5 Stan Lee's Stripperella Starred Pamela Anderson As A Masked Superhero On SpikeTV

Scene from the Stripperella aniamted series

Spike TV launched in 2003 as "The First Network for Men" and featured a few original programs alongside reruns of classic series like Baywatch. One of the first originals was an adult animated series called Stan Lee's Stripperrella, which starred Pamela Anderson.

She voiced Erotica Jones, a secret agent and masked superhero who worked as an exotic dancer. Stripperella had a few breast-based abilities and used sex-themed gadgets in her career as a costumed crime-fighter. The series only aired for one season and failed to stand out to comic fans, despite the fact that it was created by Stan Lee for Spike.

4 The Zeta Project Was A Batman Beyond Spin-Off That Fans Quickly Forgot About

Zee on the Zeta Project

Fans will undoubtedly remember the hit Batman Beyond series that took place in the future of the DC Animated Universe. However, the only spin-off from the series has been largely forgotten by fans. The Zeta Project followed an advanced infiltration unit named Zeta who was created by the NSA to become a covert assassin.

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However, Zeta decided he didn't want to kill anymore and abandoned his mission. The NSA then spent two seasons tracking down the former assassin and his human ally Ro as they searched for Zeta's creator. The series ended without resolution and was canceled due to disagreements over the continuing direction of the series.

3 Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes Never Fully Aired Before It Was Canceled

Scene from Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes

The Fantastic Four's film & TV appearances have differed in quality over the years. Following 2005's live-action Fantastic Four adaptation, an animated cartoon was released called Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes. The cartoon was only loosely based on the live-action movie. The series reimagined the team and their villains, though an erratic airing schedule doomed the series.

Fans also weren't impressed with the animation which resulted in low ratings for the series. Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes did feature some interesting ideas, but ultimately failed in the execution. The series eventually aired all of the completed episodes, though it took years.

2 Jim Lee's WildC.A.T.S. Fought A Family-Friendly Alien War On CBS For One Season

WildCATs Animated Series

Another series from Image Comics was adapted into a cartoon in the '90s. Jim Lee and Brandon Choi's WildC.A.T.s first aired on CBS in 1994 for one season before it was canceled. The animated series included all of the powerful members of the WildC.A.T.s.

The WildC.A.T.s were a team of covert agents who fought for the Kherubim against the evil Helspont and his Daemonite army. The series simplified the comic story and focused tightly on the character. However, it also changed a number of details to make it suitable for children which lost some of the comic fans.

1 Legion Of Super-Heroes Aired On Kids WB! For Two Very Different Seasons

The second season of Legion of Super-Heroes with Superman-X

The DCAU released quite a few hit animated series since the debut of Batman: The Animated Series. However, 2006's Legion of Super-Heroes wasn't connected to the DCAU which might have made it less memorable for fans. A young Superman joined some of the most powerful members of the Legion of Super-Heroes as they protected the universe in the future.

However, the second season took a darker and more mature look at the team after they had dealt with some trauma. A clone of the Man of Steel from the future known as Kell-El/Superman-X joined the team to wage war against the powerful being known as Imperiex. The series had a number of fans but was canceled before fading away to obscurity.