Batman The Animated Series co-writers and producers Paul Dini and Alan Burnett told CBR about how Kevin Conroy impacted the third volume of Batman: The Adventures Continue.
Speaking with CBR in an exclusive interview, Dini and Burnett were asked how the life and legacy of Conroy, who passed away in Nov. 2022, impacted DC's Batman: The Adventures Continue Season Three, a seven-issue series set within the same universe as the 1992-1995 television show which saw Conroy voice Batman/Bruce Wayne and the 1997-1999 follow-up, The New Batman Adventures. "I think the greatest gift Kevin gave us as creators, or myself and Alan, is that whenever we write the character now, at least for me, his voice reverberates in my head," Dini explained. "You brought up the political story. I could actually hear him talking, you know, first as Batman. 'I don't trust this Mayfield guy.' And then, when he is talking to him, the brief indecision in his voice, like, 'What does this guy mean?' When he's at the political rally, it's one of the rare times both he and Bruce are flustered by this. He's not in total control of what he's saying, and that really makes him mad. It really puts him in the palm of the villain's hand in a completely different way. So when we were writing that, I thought, 'Oh, yeah, I can definitely hear Kevin having a lot of fun with us.'"
Burtnett further said of Conroy's influence, "Well, he's one of the few people who never... There was never a problem with him about anything. He was game to try anything we threw at them. I think that's one of the things I loved about him. And his voice, which I described as uncommonly powerful and warm at the same time. He could layer dialogue you weren't expecting to be layered like that. He found a way of doing it. You know, he was on the stage for a long time. I actually saw him. Oh, what was this play? It was the murder play. I saw him on stage about 10 years before I met him, and I was thinking to myself at the time that this guy has a tremendous voice. That didn't click until like three years after working with him. He said, "I was in that play," and I said, "Oh my God, I saw you!"
Batman: The Adventures Continue Has Begun Its New Season
Batman: The Adventures Continue Season Three #1 is written by Burnett and Dini, features art by Jordan Gibson, colors by Monica Kubina, letters by Josh Reed, cover art by Kevin Nowlan and variant covers by Kelley Jones, Michelle Madsen, Steve Beach and Hayden Sherman. Released on Jan. 10, 2023, the issue introduces a new character named Oscar Delgado/Muscle, who has a long history with Batman and eventually gets recruited into Amanda Waller's Suicide Squad.
The synopsis for Batman: The Adventures Continue Season Three #2 reads, "Bruce Wayne and Harley Quinn don’t have much in common, except for Cassie Kendall. Beautiful and whip-smart, she nearly changed the course of Bruce’s life when she was his high school sweetheart, and shortly thereafter became Harley’s college fling. Now, after a long time away from Gotham, Cassie has returned and immediately has her sights set back on Bruce. But when Harley learns of Cassie’s return, she is all too happy (and manic, and unpredictable) to reconnect with her old college girlfriend. As Bruce’s and Harley’s paths cross, it becomes clear that all is not as it seems with Cassie Kendall…"
Batman: The Adventures Continue Season Three #2 releases Feb. 14, 2023, from DC.
Source: CBR