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Batman: The Animated Series

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For other television adaptations, see Batman in television.
For the tie-in video game, see Batman: The Animated Series (video game).

Batman: The Animated Series
Also known asThe Adventures of Batman & Robin
Genre
Created byEric Radomski
Bruce W. Timm
Based onBatman
by Bob Kane (credited) and Bill Finger (uncredited)
Developed by
Written by
Voices of
Theme music composerDanny Elfman
Composers
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes85 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersJean MacCurdy
Tom Ruegger
Producers
Running time22 minutes
Production companyWarner Bros. Animation
Original release
NetworkFox Kids
ReleaseSeptember 5, 1992 (1992-09-05) –
September 15, 1995 (1995-09-15)
Related

Batman: The Animated Series (often shortened as Batman TAS or BTAS)[1] is an American animated superhero television series based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. Developed by Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski, and produced by Warner Bros. Animation, it originally aired on Fox Kids from September 5, 1992, to September 15, 1995, with a total of 85 episodes.[2][3] Mid-way through the series' run, it was re-titled The Adventures of Batman & Robin.

Batman: The Animated Series has received widespread acclaim since its release and was hailed as a groundbreaking superhero show, receiving praise for its writing, art design, voice acting, orchestrated soundtrack, and modernization of its title character's source material.[4][5] Its critical success led to the show winning multiple Daytime Emmy Awards,[6] as well as the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Programming.[7]

After the series ended its original run, a follow-up titled The New Batman Adventures began airing on Kids' WB in 1997 as a continuation of the series, featuring a revamped animation style. Lasting 24 episodes, it has often been included in the same syndicated re-run packages and home media releases as the final season. Batman: The Animated Series also became the first in the continuity of the shared DC Animated Universe, which spawned further animated TV series, feature films, comic books and video games with much of the same creative talent, including the 1993 theatrical release Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.

Production

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Development

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In 1990, following the success of the Tiny Toons series, Warner Bros. Animation president Jean MacCurdy announced to the animation team that Warner wanted to develop several of its licenses, including Batman.[8][9][10] Following this news, Bruce Timm was tasked with designing Batman, and Eric Radomski was assigned to design the sets.[9] Radomski, who knew Batman primarily from the 1966 series and the 1989 Tim Burton film, was particularly inspired by the latter.[10] At the request of Jean MacCurdy, Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski, who had never worked together before, produced a silent short film called The Dark Knight's First Night in about six weeks in order to pitch the series to Fox. They decided to draw inspiration from the 1940 Superman series and received assistance from the studio Lightbox Animation. The project was greenlit by Fox before they had even seen the short, but this led to Timm and Radomski taking charge of the project, despite having no prior experience producing a series.[9][10] Since the series had no writers at this stage, MacCurdy recruited Alan Burnett, who was considering leaving animation due to his frustration with the restrictions imposed by the Broadcast Standards and Practices department. It was the short film, along with MacCurdy's assertion that the series would feature guns and fighting, that convinced Burnett to participate. At the time, animated series were generally not very diverse, being mainly aimed at children and constrained by numerous restrictions, especially concerning violence.[8][10] The production had to navigate these censorship guidelines; although weapons could be shown and characters could shoot, the series was not allowed to depict bullet holes or show characters dying, for example.[10]

Unlike most other animated series, the artists, directors, and writers worked closely together to ensure effective communication. Each writer received a "scripture bible" written by Bruce Timm, along with writers Paul Dini and Mitch Brian, to outline the overall vision of the series and its characters.[11][12]

Visual style and themes

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Originally, the series was partly inspired by Tim Burton's blockbuster Batman (1989), which portrayed Batman's universe as darker than in previous adaptations.[13][10] The series also took influence from Burton's follow-up film, Batman Returns (1992).[14] The creators abandoned some of the gothic aspects of the film, instead incorporating more Art Deco elements inspired by 1940s New York, coining this unique aesthetic "Dark Deco." Without a precise temporal setting, the city features a blend of 1940s cars, police "blimps," and futuristic helicopters, alongside Batman's advanced vehicles, while television broadcasts are shown in black and white. The backgrounds were drawn on black paper to create darker settings, whereas white paper is typically used.[10][8][9] Radomski issued a standing order to the animation department that all backgrounds be painted using light colors on black paper as opposed to the industry standard of dark colors on white paper.[15]

The series employs "vintage" colors, partly inspired by the 1940s Superman cartoons, as well as film noir classics like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1921), Citizen Kane (1941), and Metropolis (1927).[10] Background designer Ted Blackman cited Eyvind Earle and Bruce McCall as influences, particularly for their ability to depict "cartoonish settings."[16] The distinctive visual combination of "noir" imagery and Art Deco design was dubbed "Dark Deco" by the producers.[17]

The show depicts outright physical violence against antagonists, including realistic firearms (though only one character, Commissioner Gordon, was ever depicted as having been shot, in the episode "I Am the Night"). First-time producers Timm and Radomski reportedly encountered resistance from studio executives, but the success of Burton's first film allowed the embryonic series to survive long enough to produce a pilot episode, "On Leather Wings", which, according to Timm, "got a lot of people off our backs".[15]

Animation and characters design

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For the first 65 episodes, Warner Bros. Animation outsourced the series to several animation studios around the globe. These studios included Spectrum Animation, Sunrise, Studio Junio, and Tokyo Movie Shinsha in Japan; Dong Yang Animation, Koko Enterprises Ltd., and AKOM in South Korea; Jade Animation in Hong Kong; Blue Pencil in Spain; and Network of Animation (NOA) in Canada. Tokyo Movie Shinsha (TMS) also animated the opening credits for the first season. However, AKOM was fired due to inconsistent animation quality in several episodes, such as "Cat Scratch Fever" and "Moon of the Wolf."[18]

Bruce Timm described feeling frustrated by having to realistically draw animated characters in his previous projects: "I knew that at twenty-four drawings per second, each little line had to be drawn thousands of times; the more lines on a character, the less time an animator has to draw those lines correctly, especially on a television budget and schedule. The result: bad animation."[16] As a result, the characters were simplified to facilitate animation—everything had to be reduced to the essentials.[19][16] For example, instead of Two-Face's plaid shirt, he wears a suit with one side white and the other black to emphasize his internal conflict.[20][21][10] Poison Ivy does not wear a leaf-covered costume; instead, she dons a simple one-piece outfit.[22]

During preproduction, character designer Kevin Nowlan stated that his challenge was to convey as much as possible using as few lines as possible.[23] He also mentioned that real people served as inspirations, such as Rhea Perlman for Jesse and George Will for The Ventriloquist. Initially, Nowlan designed The Penguin and The Riddler based on the 1966 Batman series, but his designs were ultimately rejected. Instead, The Penguin's appearance was modeled after his depiction in the film Batman Returns, featuring deformities and slicked-back black hair. Similarly, Catwoman adopted Michelle Pfeiffer's blonde hair.[24][25][26] Bruce Wayne was inspired by Walter M. Baumhofer's Doc Savage and Dick Tracy, created by Chester Gould.[16] The appearance of the Gray Ghost was largely inspired by the hero The Shadow.[27] Other character inspirations include the Mad Bomber, who was based on Bruce Timm, while Charlie Collins was based on Alan Burnet.[28] Harvey Bullock's appearance was inspired by one of the criminals Batman fights in the short film The Dark Knight's First Night.[29]

The series is also notable for its supporting cast. Numerous known actors provided voices for a variety of recognizable villains. Most notable was Mark Hamill, previously famous for his role as Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars trilogy, whose prominence as a voice actor was heightened through his "cheerfully deranged" portrayal of the Joker.[30] The role was originally given to Tim Curry, but he developed bronchitis during the initial recording sessions.[31] John Glover, who later voiced the Riddler, also auditioned for the Joker role. Hamill, who found himself to be the biggest fan of the Batman comics among the cast, credited the laughs he had honed on stage in Amadeus with landing him the role. The recording sessions, under the supervision of voice director Andrea Romano, were recorded with the actors together in one studio instead of taking separate recordings, as is typical. This method would later be employed for all subsequent series in the DC Animated Universe. Al Pacino was considered to voice Two-Face in the series, but he declined the offer;[32] Richard Moll was instead cast in the role. Other actors included Ron Perlman as Clayface, Roddy McDowall as the Mad Hatter, David Warner as Ra's al Ghul, Michael York as Count Vertigo, Kate Mulgrew as Red Claw, George Murdock as Boss Biggis, Ed Asner as Roland Daggett and George Dzundza as the Ventriloquist.

One of the series' best-known inventions is the Joker's assistant, Harley Quinn, who became so popular that DC Comics later added her to mainstream comic book continuity. The Penguin underwent change for the series; his appearance was remodeled after the version seen in Batman Returns, which was in production simultaneously with the series' first season. New life was also given to lesser-known characters for the series, such as the Clock King. In addition, dramatic changes were made to other villains such as Clayface and Mr. Freeze, the latter of whom was changed from a gimmicky mad scientist to a tragic figure whose "frigid exterior [hid] a doomed love and vindictive fury".

In order to complete the first season's 65 episodes, Warner Bros. Animation outsourced the series to several different overseas animation houses: Spectrum Animation, Sunrise, Studio Junio and Tokyo Movie Shinsha in Japan, Dong Yang Animation, Koko Enterprises Ltd. and AKOM in South Korea, Jade Animation in Hong Kong, Blue Pencil in Spain and Network of Animation (NOA) in Canada.[33] TMS also animated the first season's opening theme sequence. AKOM was eventually fired due to its inconsistent animation in many episodes such as "Cat Scratch Fever" and "Moon of the Wolf".[34]

Writing and voice recording

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One of the intentions of the series was to make the audience feel empathy for Batman's enemies, so even if Batman were to win, the episode was not necessarily a happy ending.[10] Some characters notably had their stories reworked, while others were created for the series. Supposed to appear in a single episode, Harley Quinn remains the most successful and impactful character created in the Batman mythos. First appearing in the episode "Joker's Favor," she serves as the Joker's assistant and sidekick. The character is partly based on the one played by Arleen Sorkin, a friend of Paul Dini, during a dream sequence in an episode of Days of Our Lives. Paul Dini wanted to put a henchwoman with the Joker, similar to what was seen in the 1966 Batman series. Her real name is Harleen Quinzel, and she is named Harley Quinn in reference to the character Harlequin from the Commedia dell'arte, whose costume shape she is modeled after. Her black and red colors are inspired by the character Daredevil from the 1940s.[35][36]

Soundtracks

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The series initially took a variation of music written by Danny Elfman for the Burton films as its theme; later episodes of the series used a new theme with a similar style by Shirley Walker, an occasional collaborator of Elfman. The score of the series was influenced by Elfman's work on the Burton films, as well as music of 1940s film noir.[37] Walker's work on The Flash series (1990) caught the attention of Bruce Timm. Although initially hesitant, she joined the project after being impressed by the show's art and character depth. While collaborating with Elfman to incorporate his Batman film score, she also created her own "memorable" theme for the series.[38]

Walker’s approach to composing was notably sophisticated. She crafted character-specific themes based on traits, voice acting, and design, mirroring the techniques of composers like John Williams and Howard Shore. Beyond Batman: The Animated Series, she went on to contribute to Superman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond, helping to define the sound of the DC Animated Universe.[38]

Characters

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Main Characters

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Supporting Characters

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Villains

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Batman's rogues gallery includes various iconic villains: The Joker, Poison Ivy, Penguin, and more.

Supporting Villains

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Release

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Television broadcasts

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Produced by Warner Bros, Batman: The Animated Series features episodes that are typically 22 minutes long, fitting into half-hour time slots.[39] Season 1 consisted of 65 episodes,[8] and initially premiered in prime time on the Fox network. It began with a special broadcast of the first episode, "On Leather Wings," on September 6, 1992, to promote its upcoming debut on Fox Kids. The regular prime time schedule started on December 13, 1992, with the episode "I Am the Night," airing Sundays at 7 PM ET.[40] The season concluded on September 16, 1993.[8]

The success of the first season prompted executives to demand more episodes and higher ratings. To attract younger audiences, the studio required Robin to appear in every episode, resulting in changes to the show's look, storylines, and title. The series was renamed The Adventures of Batman and Robin, and later The New Batman Adventures. This shift affected potential storylines, including a scrapped episode featuring Catwoman and Black Canary due to Robin's absence.[41] The Hub Network aired the series from September 6, 2011, to November 29, 2013. The channel aired a 10-episode marathon of the series on July 20, 2012, to coincide with the theatrical release of The Dark Knight Rises and even created an animated version of one of the film's trailers, featuring Kevin Conroy and Adrienne Barbeau re-dubbing Batman and Catwoman's dialogue from the trailer.[42]

Home media and streaming service

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The home media releases of the series began with VHS tapes distributed by Warner Home Video in the mid-1990s.[43][44] These VHS releases were primarily episodic compilations, including titles like The Legend Begins (1992),[45] The Penguin,[46] and Joker's Return (1997), each featuring a selection of episodes centered around specific villains.[47] DVD releases of the series began in the early 2000s, starting with Volume One, which included the first 28 episodes. This was followed by Volume Two, Volume Three, and Volume Four subtitled The New Batman Adventures. A complete series box set, featuring all 109 episodes along with commentaries, featurettes, and behind-the-scenes content, was released in 2008.[48][49]

On October 30, 2018, Warner Bros. released. a remastered–Blu-ray edition to celebrate the show's 25th anniversary. This set included all episodes in high-definition, as well as the animated films Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) and Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero (1998) as bonus features. The Blu-ray collection also offered digital copies, new featurettes, and collectible art cards.[50][51][52][53]

On September 15, 2018, the series was added to the DC Universe streaming service, featuring both standard-definition and high-definition options.[54] After DC Universe transitioned to a comics-exclusive platform, the series moved to HBO Max on January 1, 2021, as part of WarnerMedia's library.[55]

Episodes

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Main article: List of Batman: The Animated Series episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
First releasedLast releasedNetwork
165September 5, 1992 (1992-09-05)September 17, 1993 (1993-09-17)Fox Kids
220May 2, 1994 (1994-05-02)September 15, 1995 (1995-09-15)

Adaptations

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The series adapted classic Batman comic books tales into memorable episodes including "The Laughing Fish" brought Joker's antics from Detective Comics #475-476 to life as he tried to copyright Jokerized fish. In "The Cape & Cowl Conspiracy," Batman faced deadly traps inspired by Detective Comics #450. "Moon Of The Wolf" saw Batman investigating werewolf attacks based on Batman #255. "The Demon's Quest" introduced Ra's Al Ghul from Batman #232 and #244. "Two-Face" delved into Harvey Dent's backstory, while "A Bullet For Bullock" had detective Harvey Bullock teaming up with Batman to crack a dangerous case.[56]

In other media

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Sixteen minutes of animated segments in the video game The Adventures of Batman & Robin for the Sega CD are sometimes referred to as a "lost episode" of the series. These segments are intended to be interspersed between gameplay elements of an early-1990s video game and as such, the sound, color and story are not quite of the same quality as the actual television program. And because Sega did not have to follow the censorship rules of the show, the fights are also a little more violent. Many of the show's voice actors reprised their roles for the game, and are thus in the lost episode as well. Similar cutscenes appear throughout the video games Batman: Vengeance and Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu.[57]

Reception

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Critical reception

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Batman: The Animated Series holds a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes, with all 21 critics giving it a positive review. The Animated Series is hailed as a landmark in animated television, particularly in the superhero genre, reimagining Gotham City through a film noir lens, and modernizing Batman into a contemporary animated format. The decision to paint animation cels on black boards to enhance its dark and nocturnal atmosphere was lauded as groundbreaking visual choice that distinguished it from conventional animated shows.[58] Critics unanimously praised the series for its mature tone, storyline, voice acting, visual aesthetic, and fidelity to the source material; Kevin Conroy's performance as Batman was singled out for acclaim.[58][5][59] Scott Mendelson's Forbes article celebrates the series as the best superhero TV show, highlighting its grounded, life-sized drama and realistic portrayal of villains with relatable motivations. Mendelson also discusses how the series addresses real-life issues such as divorce and homelessness, showcasing its maturity and intelligence. Its emphasis on character-driven stories and adult themes has solidified its enduring appeal and established it as the quintessential Batman portrayal.[60] Maya Phillips' review for New York Times highlights the series' impact on how Batman was portrayed in media; much like the 1989 film Batman, the series departed from previous campy versions, embracing a darker, more mature narrative influenced by Frank Miller's comics while balancing serious themes with humor. The review applauds the series for revitalizing classic villains and introducing memorable characters like Harley Quinn, cementing its influence on subsequent Batman adaptations and foreseeing the franchise's enduring popularity across different media platforms.[61]

Accolades

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Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
1992 Annie Awards Best Animated Television Program Nominated
[62]
1993 Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Animated Program Jean MacCurdy, Tom Ruegger, Alan Burnett,
Eric Radomski, Bruce W. Timm, Boyd Kirkland,
Kevin Altieri, and Frank Paur 		Nominated
[63]
[6]
Outstanding Writing in an Animated Program Paul Dini, Martin Pasko, Michael Reaves,
and Sean Catherine Derek 		Won
Outstanding Film Sound Editing Thomas Milano, Bob Lacivita, Mark Keatts,
Matthew A. Thorne, Aaron L. King, Robert Hargreaves,
Jeff M. Sliney, Mike Dickeson, and Russell Brower 		Nominated
Outstanding Music Direction and Composition Harvey Cohen (for "Cat Scratch Fever") Nominated
Shirley Walker (for "Feat of Clay: Part 2") Nominated
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming One Hour or Less) Jean MacCurdy, Tom Ruegger, Alan Burnett,
Eric Radomski, Bruce Timm, Randy Rogel,
and Dick Sebast (for "Robin's Reckoning: Part 1") 		Won
[7]
Saturn Awards Best Genre Television Series Nominated
[64]
1994 Annie Awards Best Animated Television Program Nominated
[65]
Best Individual Achievement for Creative Supervision in the Field of Animation Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski Nominated
Best Individual Achievement for Story Contribution in the Field of Animation Paul Dini Nominated
Best Achievement for Voice Acting Mark Hamill Nominated
Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Animated Program Jean MacCurdy, Tom Ruegger, Alan Burnett,
Eric Radomski, Bruce W. Timm, Frank Paur,
and Dan Riba 		Nominated
[6]
Outstanding Writing in an Animated Program Alan Burnett, Laren Bright, Michael Reaves, Paul Dini,
Brynne Stephens, Randy Rogel, and Martin Pasko 		Nominated
Young Artist Awards Best Youth Actor in a Voice-Over Role: TV or Movie Scott McAfee Nominated
[66]
1995 Annie Awards Best Animated Television Program Nominated
[67]
Best Individual Achievement for Music in the Field of Animation Shirley Walker Nominated
Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Film Sound Editing Mark Keatts, Tom Maydeck, Russell Brower,
Robert Hargreaves, Matthew A. Thorne, John Hegedes,
Daryl B. Kell, J.J. George, and Mike Dickeson 		Nominated
[6]
Outstanding Music Direction and Composition Shirley Walker Nominated
1996 Daytime Emmy Awards Harvey Cohen and Shirley Walker (for "A Bullet for Bullock") Won
[6]
Outstanding Sound Editing – Special Class Robert Hargreaves, Matthew A. Thorne, Russell Brower,
Mike Dickeson, Bob Lacivita, Tom Maydeck, Mark Keatts,
John Hegedes, Patrick Rodman, and Kelly Ann Foley 		Won
Outstanding Sound Mixing – Special Class Harry Andronis, Matthew A. Thorne, and Tom Maydeck Nominated
2019 Online Film & Television Association Awards Television Hall of Fame: Productions Inducted
[68]

Legacy

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Batman: The Animated Series has often been ranked as one of the greatest animated television shows ever made.[69][70][71] In 1992, Entertainment Weekly ranked the series as one of the top television series of the year.[72] IGN.com listed the series as the best adaptation of Batman anywhere outside of comics, the best comic book television show of all time[73] and the second-best animated series of all time (after The Simpsons).[74][75] Wizard magazine also ranked it No. 2 of the greatest animated television shows of all time (again after The Simpsons). TV Guide ranked it the seventh-greatest cartoon of all time.[76]

In his reference book, Batman: The Complete History, Les Daniels described The Animated Series as coming "as close as any artistic statement has to defining the look of Batman for the 1990s."[77] Animation historian Charles Solomon gave the series a somewhat mixed assessment, commenting that "the dark, Art Deco-influenced backgrounds tended to eclipse the stiff animation and pedestrian storytelling" and concluding that the series "looked better in stills than it did on the screen."[78]

Several new characters, and other revamped backstories introduced in the series later made their way into comics and other media. Most notable was Harley Quinn, who was initially introduced in the Batman: The Animated Series episode "Joker's Favor", with the character being inspired and voiced by Arleen Sorkin. The character made her comics canon appearance in 1999 and is now one of the most popular characters in DC.[79] The show is also known the reinvention of Mr. Freeze in the episode Heart of Ice where they changed him from a laughing stock to a tragic villain.

The dark atmosphere, mature themes, and even some of the voice cast from the series are employed in the Batman: Arkham video game series.[80] Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Arleen Sorkin, and Robert Costanzo reprise their roles. Furthermore, the first two games are co-written by series veteran Paul Dini. Also, Batman's design and costume in The Animated Series are featured as an alternate skin in Batman: Arkham City. These skins are available as downloadable content; they were also available in pre-orders at GameStop and a valid membership to Power-Up Rewards.[81] There are also Animated-inspired alternate skins for Catwoman, Nightwing, and Robin.

Actor Robert Pattinson, who portrays Batman in The Batman (2022), has cited Batman: Mask of the Phantasm as an example of Batman media that effectively captured the character's psyche in a fashion he hoped his interpretation would emulate.[82] The series is a key inspiration for the 2024 animated series Batman: Caped Crusader, again developed by Bruce Timm.

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Canceled projects

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A Catwoman spin-off series based on Batman: The Animated Series was briefly considered by the Fox network in the early 1990s. Despite some initial production work, the project was eventually canceled.[83] Another continuation of the series was in development as an audio podcast drama, with most of the original cast returning along with writer Alan Burnett, but the project was put on hold following Kevin Conroy's passing.[84]

Feature films

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  • Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) – based on The Animated Series; the film started production as a direct-to-video release, but was ultimately changed into a theatrical release.[85] Although the film was not a financial success upon its initial release, it earned widespread acclaim and has since become a commercial success through its various home media releases.[86]
  • Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero (1998) – a direct-to-video release, which was produced as a tie-in to the 1997 film Batman & Robin. SubZero's release was delayed until the following year due to Batman & Robin failing to meet commercial and critical expectations.[87]

Follow–ups

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Main article: DC Animated Universe

The DC Animated Universe (DCAU) began with Batman: The Animated Series in 1992, which became a critical and fan favorite. Its success led to Superman: The Animated Series (1996), followed by The New Batman Adventures, which debuted in 1997 as a direct sequel to BTAS with a revamped animation style to align with Superman: The Animated Series. The sequel also featured several crossovers with Batman's world.[88]

This sequel served as a bridge between the Fox-era Batman and later DCAU spinoffs on The WB and Cartoon Network. Though initially a distinct series, it is now regarded as the third season of Batman: The Animated Series, bringing the Batman storyline into alignment with the broader universe and paving the way for future series like Justice League and Batman Beyond. The DCAU continued to expand with the kid-friendly Static Shock and the oft-forgotten Zeta Project, further enriching its world. In 2001, Justice League united Superman, Batman, and five other heroes, leading to Justice League Unlimited—a sprawling series that celebrated DC Comics by introducing a vast array of characters and storylines.[88][89][90]

Comic adaptations

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Main articles: The Batman Adventures and Batman: The Adventures Continue

Batman: The Animated Series was accompanied by a tie-in comic book, The Batman Adventures, which followed the art style and continuity of the show rather than other Batman comic books.[91] This comic series, through various format changes reflecting the evolving world of the show and its spin-offs, outlasted the series itself by nearly a decade. It was ultimately canceled in 2004 as part of a broader effort to conclude the DC Animated Universe.[91][92] One notable milestone of The Batman Adventures was the first official comic appearance of the character Harley Quinn in issue No. 12, which has since become highly sought after by collectors and fans.[93] DC announced in February 2020 that Paul Dini, Alan Burnett and artist Ty Templeton would be leading a new miniseries titled Batman: The Adventures Continue, set to be published in April 2020. This new series is based on the animated series and follows shortly after its conclusion, featuring Tim Drake as he adjusts to his role as the new Robin alongside Batman.[94]

Novels

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There was also a short-lived series of tie-in novels, adapted from episodes of the series by science fiction author Geary Gravel. To achieve novel-length, Gravel combined several related episodes into a single storyline in each novel. The novels included:

  • Shadows of the Past ("Appointment in Crime Alley", "Robin's Reckoning" two-parter) (1993)
  • Mask of the Phantasm (Batman: Mask of the Phantasm) (1993)
  • Dual to the Death ("Two-Face" two-parter, "Shadow of the Bat" two-parter) (1994)
  • The Dragon and the Bat ("Night of the Ninja", "Day of the Samurai") (1994)[95]

Video games

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Several video games based on the animated continuity were released during the 16-bit game-machine era, using The Adventures of Batman & Robin second season branding. Konami developed a game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), while Sega released versions of the game for the Genesis/Mega Drive, Mega-CD, and Game Gear. The SNES, Genesis/Mega Drive and Game Gear versions were side-scrolling action games, while the Mega-CD version featured a 3-D driving adventure. All of the games had art true to the series, while Sega's versions featured art elements directly from the show's creators.[96] The CD version has over 20 minutes of original animated footage comparable to the most well-crafted episodes,[97] with the principal voice actors reprising their roles.

There was also a game made for the Game Boy based on the series and created around the same time. Developed and published by Konami, this game was distinctive upon the fact that it still used the earlier Batman: The Animated Series moniker instead of The Adventures of Batman & Robin second season title given to the other games.[98]

In Lego DC Super-Villains, a downloadable content level was released, based on the Batman: Mask of the Phantasm film, and contained some characters from the show, including the Batman: The Animated Series version of Batman, The Joker, Harley Quinn, Two-Face, Andrea Beaumont as The Phantasm, The Mad Hatter, Man-Bat, and Captain Clown.[99]

Merchandise

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In the 1990s, toy manufacturer Kenner released a range of action figures and vehicles inspired by the television series. Aimed primarily at children, these toys have become real collector's items twenty years later. To commemorate Batman's 75th anniversary, DC Collectibles released a line of articulated figurines in October 2014, featuring the characters from the series. These are not toys but rather collectible figurines. 22 characters were released by the end of 2015.[100]

References

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Cited text

[edit]
  • Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  • Solomon, Brian (May 2023). Superheroes!: The History of a Pop-Culture Phenomenon from Ant-Man to Zorro. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781493064526.
  • Dini, Paul; Kidd, Chip (1998). Batman Animated. Perennial Currents. ISBN 0-06-107327-X.

References

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