Batman is one of the most iconic superheroes in comics and one of the most complex, with nearly a century of accumulated lore behind him at this point. With this Mariana Trench of mythology to explore, adaptations always made perfect sense. From the first film series to the TV shows and beyond, we live in a world where Batman is constantly being remade and reinvented.
One of the most successful reimaginings is Batman: The Animated Series, created by Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski. In stark skyscraper canyons descending beneath a menacing red sky, this cartoon introduced a new generation of viewers to Batman and his rogues gallery. The art was stellar, as was the noir-tinged storytelling, but just as important was the cast. Here was Mark Hamill as the Joker and the late Arleen Sorkin as Harley Quinn. And holding it all together was Kevin Conroy, stern and perfectly unrecognizable, bringing just the tiniest trace of dark humor as Batman.
I’ve been thinking a lot about Conroy these past few days. A fan favorite, his death in 2022 devastated the community and underscored something that had been felt for a long time: here truly was Batman for the ages. This summer brought news of a new Batman game, Batman Arkham Shadow, with Roger Craig Smith returning to the character after his turn in Batman: Arkham Origins. New Arkham games are always welcome and I’m sure Smith will do a great job. But it was a great opportunity for me to think about Conroy again and be grateful for what he brought to the role, regardless of the medium.
I can honestly say that Conroy’s voice shaped much of my youth. When he died, and I’m sure I’m not alone, I felt like a part of my childhood memories changed for good. When I think of Batman these days, I think of Conroy. Even now, when I read a Batman comic, it’s Conroy’s voice speaking the lines in my head. Again, I’m sure I’m not alone in this.
Crucially, for me, Conroy’s performance is the definitive take on both Batman and Bruce Wayne. He created the perfect dual-identity voice, with the shift in tone as he moves between identities being understated but still clear and distinct. As he spent more time with the character, his performance seemed to deepen as well. You would feel more and more for this weary man fighting a war he knows he can’t really win.
Even Batman fans who missed the animated series will be familiar with Conroy’s Batman. He gave an amazingly rich performance in the main trilogy of Arkham games. Ever since that first ride into Arkham Asylum with the Joker, Rocksteady’s decision to use voices from the animated series has paid off in terms of depth and grounding. Here was a Batman you could really trust.
You see it in different ways. Despite the wide cast of villains and heroes, Arkham’s core games are essentially two-handed most of the time. There’s Batman crawling through a vent, and there’s Joker taunting into his ear or head. Conroy and Hamill’s work on the animated series gave them a history of playing off each other to build off of – Hamill becoming sharper and more devious as Conroy became quieter, more menacing and reserved. Conroy channeled controlled rage into these performances, but also something more: recognition, a deep, deadly frustration with someone with whom he had a real history. These two were great together.
And as the Arkham games progressed, they became more interested in exploring the psychological aspects of Batman, all aided by an immersive gameplay that allowed players to enter that head and the inner world of the character’s personal fear. The games take Batman to some truly strange places. One moment I’ll never forget is the Joker’s death at the end of Arkham City: a perfect moment of deep emotion from Conroy. I see it. Batman emerges from the doors of the Monarch Theater solemnly carrying the Joker’s body, clearly distraught and clearly confused. The scene comes close to Batman losing a friend. Only Conroy could make the following quote believable, in part because his Batman has already shown a full range of emotions throughout the animated series:
“Even after all you’ve done, I would have saved you.
It’s clear that the role meant a lot to Conroy as well. For anyone interested in learning more about this remarkable actor, I recommend his contribution to the DC Comics 2022 Pride Anthology, Finding Batman, in which he talks about his experiences as a gay man working in the entertainment industry. (Conroy has felt the need to hide his sexuality over the years and has spoken movingly about the discrimination he endured and the jobs he lost.)
Sometimes it feels like with Conroy gone, we live in a world without Batman. But the strength of the character, and I think Conroy got it beautifully, is the way it could be reworked and interpreted. There will be many Batmans in the years to come, but Kevin Conroy will always be my Batman. And I will always be grateful.