Regarded as one of the groundbreaking superhero series, Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski’s Batman: The Animated Series originally aired on Fox Kids from 1992 to 1995. Timm and Radomski borrowed filmmaker Tim Burton’s unique vision of the Bat-verse for their animated series commissioned by Warner Bros. The animated series became the first series in the continuity of the shared DCAU.
Upon its premiere, the animated series received a positive response from critics and the audience, especially for its writing, modern take on Batman, art design, and voiceovers. Batman: The Animated Series’ dark and brooding atmosphere depicting the gritty and glamorous city was perfectly showcased in the series. Bruce Timm revealed the specific period he wanted the series to set in.
Bruce Timm wanted to set Batman: The Animated Series in the ‘1930s’
In his interview with Les Daniels for his 1999 book Batman: The Complete History (via Greek Tyrant), Bruce Timm revealed the specific period he wanted to set Batman: The Animated Series in. He said,
“If it had been up to me, I would have set it literally in 1939… But writers find it really hard to write stories without falling back on computer screens and things like that.”
According to the publication, the series however did feature technology that was inspired by ’90s technology, such as outsize computers, discs, drives, and analyzers. The reports also suggested that the technology was carefully wrapped up in the classic Art Deco style, explaining that the high-tech widgets were seen operating alongside the old-fashioned elevated trains and 1940s-style sedans, making the series look like nothing else on television at the time.
Due to this, Batman: The Animated Series gained the attention of the audience, who appreciated the little details in the animated program that they had never seen before. The critics and the audience, which eventually led to making Batman one of the iconic characters in pop culture, appreciated the series’ visual style.
The appreciation and love Batman: The Animated Series got at the time makes it, even today, one of the most influential shows of all time. The late actor Kevin Conroy voiced the character of Bruce Wayne/Batman.
Mark Hamill touched upon voicing The Joker after Kevin Conroy’s passing
Mark Hamill, popularly known for playing Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, voiced the character of The Joker in Batman: The Animated Series. Kevin Conroy passed away on November 10, 2022, at the age of 66, following a private battle with intestinal cancer.
Back in 2023, Mark Hamill confirmed in his interview with Empire Magazine (via ComicBook) that he would no longer return to play the character. He said,
“They would call and say, ‘They want you to do the Joker’, and my only question was, ‘Is Kevin Batman?’ If they said yes, I would say, ‘I’m in’. We were like partners. We were like Laurel and Hardy. Without Kevin there, there doesn’t seem to be a Batman for me.”
Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy’s duo has been cited as one of the best portrayals of Batman and the Joker in pop culture. Fans understood the reason why the Star Wars actor didn’t wish to return to play the character.
According to ScreenRant, there have been just three actors who have managed to nail the role of The Joker on-screen compared to Hamill: Jack Nicholson in 1989’s Batman, Heath Ledger from The Dark Knight, and lastly, Joaquin Phoenix in The Joker.
Batman: The Animated Series is streaming on HBO Max.
