A History of Kevin Conroy's Evolution as Batman

Hello and welcome to an Adventure(s) Time's special installment, a look at animated heroes of the past. This week, we're covering a suggestion from reader Ethan Dragon. He asked about the changes actor Kevin Conroy has adopted over the years while voicing Batman. Given the excitement over the Blu-Ray release of Batman: The Animated Series, and the enduring love of Conroy's performance, this seemed like a great topic.

So, to begin, let's establish that Kevin Conroy was already working steadily before auditioning for the part of Batman. He's likely best known in live-action for his role in the CBS drama Tour of Duty. Conroy's a Juilliard trained actor, who actually roomed with Robin Williams while in school. (And studied with Kelsey Grammer at Juilliard. Just imagine Batman and the Beast's wild college days.)

Batman (TAS) Begins

Conroy auditioned for the role of Batman with no real knowledge of the character, outside of the old Adam West series. After the producers informed him this was the antithesis of their Batman, Conroy searched for inspiration. He found it in Hamlet, a role he performed earlier at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, California. The producers, following a frustrating search, were floored. They knew immediately they'd found their Batman.

The actor assumed he'd be doing "maybe twelve episodes" in 1991 when cast. He now holds the record for portraying Batman longer than any other actor. (Conroy speaks at length about his time as Batman with Lights Camera Austin.) Following the run of Batman: The Animated Series, Conroy returned for The New Batman Adventures, Batman Beyond, Justice League, and Justice League Unlimited.

Years later, he began voicing Batman for several of the animated films, beginning with 2008's Batman: Gotham Knight. (Cast there not only for his voice, but his ability to loop lines. A necessity for the film, animated in Japan with the dialogue dubbed in.) He's also voiced Batman in numerous video games. Most famously in the Arkham series, beginning with 2009's Arkham Asylum.

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Whatever Happened to the Vapid Playboy?

So, inarguably, Conroy's interpretation of Batman and Bruce Wayne is iconic. Going back to the earliest episodes, however, you'll notice it's not quite "there" yet. Earlier episodes have Batman speaking far more dialogue than you'd expect from the "Dark Knight" incarnation. He even cracks a few jokes...many of them terrible. Batman isn't quite so gruff, and Bruce Wayne...well, he's barely recognizable.

Bruce Wayne in Batman the Animated Series

As Conroy told The Hollywood Reporter, "My template for the two voices was the 1930s film The Scarlet Pimpernel. I played Bruce Wayne as sort of a humorous playboy to counteract the brooding nature of Batman." He expounds on this in a panel appearance, archived on Youtube:

It just seemed too funny. I was actually using a lot of humor, I was doing things, a lot of sarcasm...he had a real sarcastic edge to him. Which I thought was great to contrast the Batman character...and it was, but it didn't work in this noir dark world that they created. So I actually had to go back and rerecord the first like six episodes...just the Bruce Wayne voice, just to tone him down, to make him closer to the Batman voice, because they liked the distinction idea but it just had to be very subtle.

Bruce? Are You Feeling Okay?

The altered Bruce Wayne ended up sounding nearly identical to Conroy's natural speaking voice. Even with Bruce Wayne sounding "more like" Batman, they're still two separate voices in Batman: The Animated Series. When the show was revamped as The New Batman Adventures, however, the distinctive Bruce Wayne was gone.

Rumor has it, Kids' WB! felt children would be confused with two different voices for the same character. So, secret identity be damned, Bruce and Batman spoke the same. And, with Batman now surrounded by a team of sidekicks, the writing for the character also changed. With fewer lines, Batman became a darker, more solitary figure. Conroy's Batman grew more stern, less traditionally heroic.

Ain't these tears in my eyes tellin' you?

The New Adventures set the template for Conroy's later portrayals of Batman. He grew even gruffer with Batman Beyond, portraying an isolated Bruce Wayne entering his eighties. Returning to the present day with Justice League, Conroy kept the same distance from his teammates that we saw on New Adventures. Justice League and Justice League Unlimited did return some humor to the character, however. The flirtation between Batman and Wonder Woman, for example, gave Conroy new avenues to explore. The episode "This Little Piggy" even enabled the producers to work in something they'd wanted for years -- an excuse for Conroy to sing. Batman's performance of "Am I Blue" is certainly a quirky way to close the episode. Amongst fans, though, it's now a classic.

Today, even with the conclusion of Batman: The Animated Series, and the Arkham games, Conroy can still be expected to pop up as Batman. He's recently wrapped up the role on Justice League Action, and even makes odd appearances, such as Canadian Bat, Man! in Kevin Smith's Yoga Hosers. He's the definitive Batman for more than one generation. And while there has been an evolution over the years, every incarnation feels perfect for the character.

That’s all for now. Thanks to Ethan Dragon for his suggestion. If you have any topics for the future, just leave a comment or contact me on Twitter.