Batman has appeared in animation for decades now, both in team-ups such as The Super Friends, The Batman/Superman Hour, and Justice League and on his own in shows like The Adventures of Batman. But easily the best known and most loved animated iteration of the Dark Knight is Batman: The Animated Series, which debuted in September 1992.
Batman: The Animated Series introduced viewers to the voice of Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne/Batman, and he’d go on to eclipse Soule as the record-holder for time spent voicing the character. The series also featured a number of known actors in villainous roles, including Mark Hamill as the Joker, John Glover as the Riddler, Ron Perlman as Clayface, and many more.
The series also influenced the comic books it was based on in big ways, with the largest easily being the creation of Harley Quinn. Harley, voiced by Arleen Sorkin, quickly became such a popular character that DC chose to add her into the comic book canon. Another significant change was to Mr. Freeze’s backstory, which was eventually adopted by the comic books as well; Two-Face’s two-toned suit, created for the show, has also since gone on to become a common outfit for the villain.
Batman: The Animated Series saw the titular hero taking on the various villains that plague the city of Gotham, and while the cartoon saw more explicit scenes of violence it also never shied away from showing that Batman had empathy for even his most notorious antagonists. The Animated Series won multiple Emmy Awards during its run, including 1993 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program. The success of the show led to the creation of the DC Animated Universe at large, which would continue with shows like Superman: The Animated Series and, two years after The Animated Series’ conclusion, the sequel series The New Batman Adventures.
The New Batman Adventures ran for 24 episodes from September 13, 1997 to January 16, 1999, and put a far greater focus on the supporting members of the Bat-Family – Robin, Nightwing, and Batgirl – than the previous season. As Dick Grayson had adopted the Nightwing persona in the show’s continuity, Tim Drake was introduced as the new Robin; all of the starring characters were given new outfits, most of which were slightly more modern and streamlined. Many of the villains also received updated designs, most of which involved darker color schemes – the Joker’s redesign especially proved to be controversial, as they abandoned his usual clown makeup for black-sclera eyes, black hair, and yellowed teeth. The show featured the return of many of the voice cast from The Animated Series, helping to keep the continuity intact. Though not as successful or popular as its predecessor, it too would be nominated for multiple Emmys.
Fans can add a piece of Batman’s animated history to their collection right now through Hake’s Auctions, with a framed Batman cel and original art display in Auction #229. The cel features a full body image of Batman (depicted as the character appears in The New Batman Adventures) mid-leap, soaring through the skyscrapers of Gotham City. This visually-stunning piece also comes with a copy of Batman Animated, a look at the series from producer/writer Paul Dini and Chip Kidd. This auction closes on Wednesday and Thursday, March 11-12, 2020, so fans should get their bids in before this one slips away.
For a full look at the history of Batman in animation, pick up The Overstreet Price Guide to Batman, available now.
