Although many talented actors have lent their voices to the Caped Crusader, it's hard to beat the legendary Kevin Conroy in the leading role. For many fans who grew up watching the critically-acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series, Kevin Conroy represented the quintessential Dark Knight, at least in animated form.
Although Kevin Conroy had plenty of non-Batman-related credits to his name, it was his work providing the voice of the World's Greatest Detective for which he was most famous. Choosing Conroy's best performances as Batman is difficult, considering the actor brought a level of excellence to the role that's hard to match. However, fans can't go wrong with these selections.
Updated November 20, 2022 by Mark Hospodar: Fans of the Dark Knight were dealt a sad blow recently with the news of Kevin Conroy's death at the age of 66. For many, Kevin Conroy represented the definitive voice for Batman ever since the beloved Animated Series debuted in 1992.
Conroy's performance as Batman struck a chord with fans that will likely never be replicated again. As his most famous role, Kevin Conroy possessed dozens of excellent Batman voiceover work that will continue to live on. This list has been updated to include a few more worthwhile entries that fans of the incomparable late actor shouldn't miss.
9 Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm
Currently, the DC Animated Universe is filled with a plethora of films. Among them, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was the first and is arguably also one of the best. Spurred by the success of The Animated Series, Mask of the Phantasm is a feature-length Batman adventure with Kevin Conroy at the helm, along with Mark Hamill's incomparable Joker.
The movie revolves around a mysterious figure who murders several of Gotham City's most prominent criminals. Via flashbacks, fans also witness Bruce Wayne's earliest attempts at crimefighting before settling on the "Batman" persona. Bruce's relationship with his then-girlfriend, Andrea Beaumont, is also explored. It's in these moments where Conroy's performance is arguably the best.
8 Batman Beyond
When discussing Kevin Conroy's animated forays as the Dark Knight, it's important not to forget Batman Beyond, a TV series set in the same universe as The Animated Series. The show revolves around Terry McGinnis, a young man who inherits the mantle of Batman from an aging Bruce Wayne.
Although the focus of the show shifts to the new Batman, Bruce still plays a prominent role as Terry's mentor. Fans of The Animated Series will enjoy the new take on Conroy's familiar character, serving as a wiser, more world-weary presence than before. Even though Bruce has hung up the cowl personally, it's hard not to enjoy the dynamic between the new Batman and the old.
7 Injustice: Gods Among Us
Kevin Conroy's outings as Batman weren't limited to just television shows. He had a few video games under his belt too, the most prominent of which is understandably the Arkham trilogy. However, fans would be remiss if they skipped Injustice: Gods Among Us and its sequel, both of which featured Conroy as the voice of Batman.
These games incorporate a diverse variety of characters from the DC Universe. Of course, Batman plays a prominent role as well. In an alternate universe, Superman is tricked by the Joker into killing Lois Lane. The traumatic event spurs the Man of Steel to establish a dictatorship in which all crime is ruthlessly eliminated. Batman, along with a team of other heroes, leads the resistance against Superman's despotic rule.
6 Batman: The Killing Joke
Batman comics possess a lot of memorable and famous storylines. A graphic novel that DC fans often cite as one of the greatest Batman stories ever is Alan Moore's The Killing Joke. It's a violent tale in which the Joker paralyzes Barbara Gordon and subjects her father, Commissioner Gordon, to several acts of psychological torture.
In 2016, the story was given an animated film adaptation. Best of all, the movie featured Animated Series stalwarts Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, who reprised their iconic roles as Batman and the Joker, respectively. It's a treat hearing these two voice actors interact in a more adult-oriented setting outside of the more kid-friendly environs of The Animated Series. Although the film takes some creative license with the source material, it's never a bad idea to bring Conroy and Hamill together for a Batman adventure.
5 Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero
Mr. Freeze is one of Batman's most famous villains and was featured regularly in The Animated Series. Out of all those appearances, the episode "Heart of Ice" is still recognized as one of the best, which painted Mr. Freeze as a much more sympathetic and nuanced rogue, especially for a children's TV show.
Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero continues the saga revolving around Freeze's attempts to cure his wife Nora of a deadly disease. Even though it's a movie aimed at children, the film is still mature enough to appeal to older audiences as well. Of course, the strengths of the movie are highlighted even further by the tremendous voiceover work, in which Kevin Conroy took a central role.
4 Batman: Gotham Knight
With the abundance of DC animated movies available nowadays, it may be easy to overlook Batman: Gotham Knight, which was released in 2008. The movie is produced by four different Japanese studios and is composed of six interconnected tales featuring the Dark Knight. Interestingly, the stories told within Gotham Knight take place within the Christopher Nolan Dark Knight universe.
Christian Bale, however, does not provide the voice of Batman. Instead, Kevin Conroy once again provided his iconic voice to the proceedings. Each of the six stories features Batman tangling with a new threat. Although Gotham Knights might not be Conroy's most celebrated foray into animated Batman movies, he still delivered the same excellent quality to the role of Batman that fans will appreciate.
3 The Arkham Trilogy
Fans who want to witness Kevin Conroy's best work as Batman outside of movies or television don't have to look further than Rocksteady's Arkham trilogy. Although players inevitably differ in deciding which game is the best, one aspect that stays consistent across all three titles is the excellent voice work.
To say that Conroy sounds natural in this role would be an understatement. His lines are delivered pitch-perfectly and with the same steely determination that characterized his earlier outings as Batman so well. It may be a long time before another video game supplants the Arkham titles as the quintessential Batman experience. Conroy's contribution as the voice of the Dark Knight plays a large role in that assessment.
2 Batman: Rise Of Sin Tzu
Conroy's work on the Arkham trilogy of video games is rightfully regarded as some of his best work. Thus, older video games featuring Conroy as the Dark Knight have been overshadowed as a result. One great example is Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu, an action beat em' up from 2003 and set within the same universe as The Animated Series.
At the time, Rise of Sin Tzu received very middling reviews from critics and the game was seemingly forgotten. Since then, it has garnered cult classic status for its fun co-op gameplay and cast of familiar voice actors from The Animated Series, Kevin Conroy included. Any nostalgic gamer who enjoys revisiting old titles shouldn't ignore Rise of Sin Tzu.
1 Batman: The Animated Series
Readers probably aren't too surprised by the inclusion of this entry on the list. Kevin Conroy's first experience with the Dark Knight was also his best. The fact that Conroy sounded so natural as Batman without bordering on the ridiculous was a testament to the actor's skill in the leading role.
The distinction between Bruce Wayne and Batman is simple. As Bruce, Conroy's voice was light and almost playful. As Batman, he lowered his voice to a logical extent without sounding like he was trying to cough up several nails. It's a delicate balance that other actors have struggled to get down properly. The Animated Series is rightfully regarded as a beloved classic, due in no small measure to the voice talents of Kevin Conroy.