In the world of DC comics, Batman and his beloved foe Joker are a duo made in comic heaven. With so many iterations of these characters – both in animation and in live-action, fans around the world keep debating over which Batman is better than the other and which Joker is the best fit. But if there is one thing we can al agree on, is that no one can top Kevin Conroy when it comes to the Batman voice, and for years, he has been a the fan-favorite for generations of fans.
And when it comes to Conroy’s Batman, we automatically think of the maniacal Joker laugh by Mark Hamill. The one who was considered to be the wrong choice to play the Clown Prince of Crime when he was cast, proved everyone wrong, and gave us one of the very best iterations of the character. And as Kevin Conroy once said – for him, Hamill is his Joker. For years, he thought there was no one who could ever reach the level of craziness that Hamil brought with his performance, but one actor, very pleasantly, proved him wrong.
Heath Ledger’s Joker Was a Surprise for Kevin Conroy
For years, Mark Hamill’s Joker was the only Joker for Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy. They both made the greatest hero-villain duo that fans abdolutely adored. Conroy himself was in complete awe of Hamill’s Joker. So, in his mind, there was no one who could ever beat the Star Wars actor’s portrayal of the maniacal villain. But then 2008 gave us one of the greatest CBMs ever made – Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight – and with that came Heath Ledger‘s Joker.
Ledger’s Joker was one for the books. With his spine chilling performance, he was able to bring out the sociopathic villain from the streets of Gotham City to our screens with perfection. So much so that he became the first actor to win an Oscar for a comic book characters with his portrayal of Joker – an award he was bestowed with posthumously.
Talking to Cinema Debate, Kevin Conroy spoke about the different adaptations of the character. While he said that Mark Hamill’s Joker is his favorite, he also admitted that Heath Ledger was no way behind, just different from Hamill’s version, with both actors bringing a different kind of crazy to the character.
“Mark Hamill, I thought was “hands down” the most incredible Joker. But then we saw what Heath Ledger did, and wow this just a crazy amount of crazy. He’s not better than Mark but he’s just another kind of crazy, you know.”
Having spent years together in the recording booth as Batman and Joker, we can understand why Mark Hamill would be at the top of the list for Conroy. But as he admitted himself, Heath Ledger absolutely nailed the character.
Mark Hamil Refused to Continue as Joker After Kevin Conroy’s Passing
Much to the dismay and heartbreak of comic book fans around the world, Kevin Conroy passed away in November 2022 after an arduous battle with intestinal cancer. Along with fans, many of his colleagues, people Conroy had worked with for years, were also shocked by the news of his passing, including his beloved friend, Mark Hamill.
During a Q&A with fans at Fan EXPO San Francisco back in 2023, Mark Hamill said he would not voice Joker anymore. He was anyway thinking of stepping away from the role for a while but kept returning because Kevin Conroy was still voicing Batman. But with him gone, he decided that he was done with Joker for good. He told Empire:
“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.”
The 72-year-old actor said he “won’t voice the role unless it’s opposite Kevin Conroy’s Batman.” Quoting Joker from the pages of the comic books, Hamill said: “Without Batman, crime has no punchline.” (via Culture Crave)
Batman: The Animated Series – which started the journey between Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill as Batmam and Joker is available on Max.
