While there have been many recognizable stars who have played Batman on screen, the credit for the distinctive voice of the character in various animated series and video games goes to the late Kevin Conroy. Beginning his stint with Batman: The Animated Series in 1992, Conroy went on to voice the iconic superhero in many television series and video games for over 3 decades.
The artist’s final portrayal of Batman was in 2022 for the video game Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League in which he lent his voice for the cult superhero who tragically dies at the end. The veteran actor though, was fully committed to his role and gave the storyline and the character the respected they deserved.
Kevin Conroy’s Final Portrayal Of Batman Is Inspiring
Popular voice actor and Batman veteran Kevin Conroy passed away in 2022 after a short battle with cancer. Having made his name for immortalizing the Caped Crusader in multiple animated series and video games for many years, Conroy became a cult figure among gaming buffs and DC fans. His final role before his death ironically heralded the demise of Batman in the video game, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.
The game developed by Roksteady Studios, is a spinoff of the Batman: Arkham series and set five years after Batman: Arkham Knight. Many gaming buffs felt that the DC icon’s death hit too close to home for Conroy who was suffering from cancer at the time. But reports from his camp indicate that the actor knew exactly what he was getting into, and was fully on board to bring the character a full circle.
The actor’s representative was all praise for him and his wholehearted commitment to Batman’s fate in the video game. Speaking to TMZ, he stated that Conroy as always, gave his 200 percent to the voicing Batman’s lines despite his failing health. Addressing fans’ concerns, he said that the artist always lived in the moment and believed in giving his best at that point of time.
“I’m also certain that, while recording, Kevin’s own death never entered his mind.”
With his unfortunate death, Kevin Conroy has left behind a legacy of memorable performances and will go down in history as one of the most successful voice artists in the industry.
Why Are Gaming Fans Upset With Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League?
Video game buffs have had to exercise a lot of patience before the release of Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League. The action adventure game was originally supposed to be launched in 2022, but was indefinitely postponed multiple times before finally releasing in February 2024. The game also signaled the end of an era when Kevin Conroy passed away shortly after voicing Batman for the last time.
According to a report in Forbes, the game opened to mixed responses with many fans from across the world questioning the storyline and ending. To begin with, Conroy’s death also heralded the tragic demise of Batman which fans were not pleased with, as they felt that it disrespected the actor’s personal struggles with cancer and served as an unwarranted reminder of his own mortality.
Other gamers who were hardcore lovers of the Arkham game franchise were very disappointed that their favorite DC superhero suffered a weak and straightforward death at the hands of Harley Quinn who shoots him point black in the head. This anticlimactic ending left fans feeling inadequate and devoid of proper closure.
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League is available on PlayStation 5 and XBox Series X/S.
