Mighty Max
Many animated shows of the 80s and 90s were very much merchandise driven and Mighty Max was no different. But where most cartoons made to sell toys had sizable action figures, Mighty Max was Polly Pocket for boys. Surely the cartoon for Mighty Max must have sucked, right? In the word of Lex Luthor, WRONG!!! Mighty Max was a dark series about the globe trotting adventures of the title character. Characters were frequently killed off mostly due to the actions of Skullmaster, the series main antagonist who was hammy and scary at the same time. The opening is another fine example of a no voice performance track with some exceptional electric guitar work.
Gargoyles
Like Batman: The Animated Series, Gargoyles was also a revolutionary show, doing things in animation that many shows steered clear of. It touched on gun safety, illiteracy and that just a few of the memorable things Gargoyles is known for. Featuring on-going story arcs, Gargoyles is composed of complex and interesting characters like the tragic Demona who refuses to take any responsibility for the massacre of her clan and instead wishes for all of humanity to suffer, and Daivid Xanatos, the coolest, suave and smartest bad guy that you can't help to love. It goes without saying that this series was very different from the usual shows that Disney produced.
Batman Beyond
This is not your father's Batman. Taking place 50 years after Justice League Unlimited, Batman Beyond takes place in a futuristic cyber punk Gotham City when a new, young Batman, Terry McGuinnis is mentored by the aged Bruce Wayne. Batman Beyond is in many ways, much darker than Batman: The Animated Series. The movie, Batman: Beyond Return of the Joker features some of the sickest things Batman's arch enemy has ever done. The opening sequence is still one of the sickest things I've ever seen.
Sonic the Hedgehog
Often reffered to as SatAM Sonic by fans, this is widely regarded as the best animated version of SEGA's mascot. It's plot was much more darker than that of the games and gave way to a lot of characters that would go on to appear in Archie's Sonic the Hedgehog comic that still going strong today. Much more was planned for this series, but after two season, it was given the axe.
Spider-Man
Many cartoons to star Marvel's iconic character have simply been called Spider-Man, but if memory serves, the 1967 show was the first animated version of Spidey we ever got. It's pretty much crap today, but back then, it was all fans had. What isn't crap is the opening theme song, which carries the same level of fame as the Adam West live action Batman theme song.
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