Batman: The Animated Series 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] The acclaim led to 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.[8]
Overview
The series took influence from Tim Burton's live-action films, Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992), and the acclaimed Superman theatrical cartoons produced by Fleischer Studios in the early 1940s.[9] In designing the series, Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski emulated the Burton films' "otherworldly timelessness", incorporating period features such as black-and-white title cards, police airships and a "vintage" color scheme with film noir flourishes.[10]
The visual style of the series was based on the artwork of Radomski, and the gothic look of Gotham City was derived from his initial designs.[11] In addition, 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).[10] The distinctive visual combination of "noir" imagery and Art Deco design was dubbed "Dark Deco" by the producers.[12]
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.[13]
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".[10] During the series' production, producer Alan Burnett wrote an episode without dialogue entitled "Silent Night" to explore more of Batman's sexual life, but this was never produced. Burnett also intended to make an episode featuring a female vampire that would bite Batman to suck his blood, but plans never materialized.[14]
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.[15] The role was originally given to Tim Curry, but he developed bronchitis during the initial recording sessions.[16]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.[17] 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;[18]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".
Production
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.[19] 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".[20]
The 20 episodes of the second season were animated largely by Dong Yang, with the exception of three done by Studio Junio ("A Bullet for Bullock", "Avatar" and "Baby-Doll") and one done by Jade Animation ("The Terrible Trio").[19]
Characters
The Joker's accomplice Harley Quinn, Gotham City police detective Renee Montoya, the vigilante Lock-Up, former actor Simon Trent, brainwashed comedian-turned-supervillain Condiment King, and ninja Kyodai Ken are original creations who became characters in the comics. Older villains that were lesser known from the comics, such as Count Vertigo, the Mirror Man and the Clock King, were modified for the series in both appearance and personality. Other original antagonists were created, such as Roland Daggett, Red Claw, the Sewer King, Boss Biggis, Grant Walker, H.A.R.D.A.C., and Emile Dorian, but to little acclaim, and did not make any appearances outside the series, though Daggett was re-imagined as businessman John Daggett for The Dark Knight Rises.
Though the Joker's origin is never shown in the series (one of only two villains in the series who never got an origin episode, the other one being The Penguin), some of his past is seen in the feature film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. In flashbacks, he is shown before his accident but does not speak or is referred to by name. His potential real name, Jack Napier (the same name of Jack Nicholson's version of the character from Tim Burton's 1989 film), is established in the episodes "Dreams in Darkness" when it is spoken by Dr. Bartholomew and in "Joker's Wild" where it is written in a dossier. The use of this origin was due to the show being heavily patterned after the success and influential tone of Tim Burton's film. However, when The New Batman Adventures began, during the era of Joel Schumacher's films, Joker's origin was retained but his identity was retconned as being merely one of many aliases as seen in the episode "Beware the Creeper", meaning his true identity is still unknown. This reflected the efforts of the writers to put the character back in line with his conflicting multiple origins from the comics.
While the use of this origin was based on the Jack Nicholson version, Mark Hamill was given the note "Don't do Nicholson" before his audition.[21] During production, Hamill asked the production team (consisting of Timm, Radomski, and Romano) if he could play one of the villains after a small appearance as Ferris Boyle in "Heart of Ice". Even though Tim Curry had already recorded a few episodes, Hamill was given the part after Curry developed bronchitis and departed the series. 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.[17] He worked to craft a multifaceted laugh for the Joker that could change to reflect the Joker's current mood, likening it to a musical instrument.[22] When recording his lines with the other actors, Hamill would stand while the other actors would remain seated to invest himself in the role. Hamill's interpretation of the Joker is considered to be groundbreaking for the voice-acting industry, and led to Hamill having an enormously successful voice-acting career.[22] Of the many influences for his performance, including Jay Leno and Howard Cosell, Hamill cited Claude Rains' performance in the 1933 film The Invisible Man.[23][24]
Aside from creating characters that crossed over into the main line of DC Comics, several of the series' reinterpretations were carried over as well. Mr. Freeze was revised in the comics to emulate the series' tragic story, the success of which actually compelled DC to bring the character back after "killing" him off some years earlier. Clayface was revised to be much more similar in appearance to his animated counterpart; and Two-Face's double-sided, black-and-white suit has become a common appearance for the character.
Bruce Wayne / Batman
At the age of eight, Bruce Wayne, the son of billionaire philanthropists, witnessed the murder of his parents, Thomas and Martha, during a mugging on the street. The event left him traumatized and mentally scarred for the rest of his life. Bruce was placed in the care of his family's butler, Alfred Pennyworth. Over the years, Bruce slowly turned the pain and trauma he sustained into a burning fuel for a lifelong obsession, as he underwent rigorous training in mental and physical conditioning. Having observed the rampant crime and corruption in Gotham City, Wayne swore an oath to dedicate his entire life to fighting crime, in a bid to avenge the murder of his parents, while being guided by his self-enforced moral code to never kill and to refrain from using firearms (which he detested, as the tool of his parents' murder). Inspired by his childhood fear of bats, Wayne reasoned that he could use that fear against the criminals he faced, and adopted the identity of 'The Batman', a feared, near-mythical bat-like vigilante.
The show also featured numerous adaptations of various Batman comics stories. The following episodes were adaptations:
The episode "Appointment in Crime Alley" is based on "There Is No Hope in Crime Alley" from Detective Comics #457 (March 1976) by writer Denny O'Neil and artist Dick Giordano.
The episode "The Laughing Fish" was based on three Batman comics, blended together; "The Joker's Five-Way Revenge" from Batman No. 251 (September 1973) by Denny O'Neil with art by Neal Adams, followed by "The Laughing Fish" and "Sign of the Joker!" from Detective Comics #475–476 (February–March 1978), both by writer Steve Englehart with art by Marshall Rogers. During a spotlight podcast from Comic-Con 2007, Paul Dini explained that the reason why the episode combined those stories was that the show's creators could not adapt them separately, because their content and thematic elements would not have been cleared by the censors.[26]
"The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne" was based on the comic stories "The Dead Yet Live" and "I Am the Batman!" from Detective Comics #471–472 (August–September 1977) by Steve Englehart.
"Moon of the Wolf" is based on the comic story of the same name by writer Len Wein with art by Neal Adams, from Batman No. 255 (April 1974).[26]
The episode "Terror in the Sky" is loosely based on "Man-Bat Over Vegas", originally presented in Detective Comics No. 429, by writer and artist Frank Robbins. The setting has been shifted from Las Vegas to Gotham Harbor, and in keeping with the family-friendly rating of the television show, the She-Bat is not a vampire in the adaptation. The final line of the episode, "the nightmare's finally over", is similar to one of the final lines from the original comic, "Now Fran's vampire nightmare is about over".
The episode "Almost Got 'Im" appears to be influenced by a four-issue story arc in Batman #291–294 (1977), entitled "Where Were You on the Night Batman Was Killed?". All four stories were written by David Vern Reed and drawn by John Calnan under the direction of Batman editor Julius Schwartz. In each of the four issues, one of Catwoman, the Riddler, and the Joker all recount their claims to have killed Batman. However, the plot for "Almost Got 'Im" is quite different (six stories in the show, and four completely different ones in the comic book), with only the Joker as an overlapping antagonist.
Two-Face's strategy in "Almost Got 'Im" (strapping down Batman to a giant coin and flipping the coin in the air) was taken from the comic World's Finest Comics No. 30 (September 1947) by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane. In a backup tale, both Batman and Robin were tied to a giant penny that was catapulted onto spikes by a lesser-known villain, the Penny Plunderer. That is the same giant penny which is part of the decoration of the Batcave.
"Off Balance" is a direct adaptation of "Batman: Into the Den of the Death-Dealers" from Detective Comics #411 (May 1971), written by writer Dennis O'Neil and drawn by artists Bob Brown and Dick Giordano. Famous for the first appearance of the mysterious character Talia.
The two-part episode "The Demon's Quest" is a direct adaptation of "Daughter of the Demon" from Batman No. 232 (June 1971) and "The Demon Lives Again" Batman No. 244 (September 1972), written by Dennis O'Neil and drawn by artist Neal Adams. Famous for introducing one of Batman's deadlier foes; Ra's al Ghul, the father of Talia.[26]
The episode "Sideshow" is loosely based on "A Vow from the Grave" from Detective Comics No. 410 by writer Dennis O'Neil and artists Bob Brown and Dick Giordano. This episode adapted the comic book story with the inclusion of a separate Killer Croc story.
"A Bullet for Bullock" is based on the comic of the same name from Detective Comics No. 651 (October 1992), by writer Chuck Dixon and artist Graham Nolan.[26]
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 of 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 shows 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.[27]
Feature films
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.[28] 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.[29]
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.[30]
The Animated Series was accompanied by a tie-in comic book, The Batman Adventures, which followed the art style and continuity of The Animated Series instead of other Batman comic books. The Batman Adventures, through several format changes to reflect the changing world of the series and its spin-offs, outlasted the series itself by nearly a decade, finally being cancelled in 2004 to make way for the tie-in comic of the then-new, unrelated Batman animated series; The Batman. The character of Harley Quinn's first official comic appearance occurred in issue No. 12 of the series. It has become highly sought after by collectors and fans of the character.[31]
Superman & Batman Magazine
It is a tie-in for Batman: The Animated Series and The Batman Adventures, with 8 issues published between 1993 and 1995. The stories feature the appearances of Superman and other DC characters before their appearances in the base series and spinoff television series, but otherwise unrelated to the stories in the subsequent television series.[32]
DC announced in February 2020 that Paul Dini, Alan Burnett and artist Ty Templeton would be leading a new miniseries, Batman: The Adventures Continue, to be first published in April 2020, based on the animated series and following shortly after its conclusion, with Tim Drake still adjusting as the new Robin to Batman.[33]
Novels
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)
Dual to the Death ("Two-Face" two-parter, "Shadow of the Bat" two-parter)
The Dragon and the Bat ("Night of the Ninja", "Day of the Samurai")
Batman: The Animated Series premiered on the Fox Broadcasting Company's children's block Fox Kids on September 5, 1992, and aired in that block during weekday afternoons at 4:30 pm. In December, just three months after its debut, Fox also began airing episodes of the series on prime-time Sunday evenings (followed by the live-action sitcom Shaky Ground); however, the TV ratings fell short (as the show aired opposite the perennial favorite 60 Minutes), and the series was removed from this time slot in March 1993.[citation needed]
After the series produced its 65th episode (the minimum number necessary for a TV series to be successfully syndicated), Fox Network executives ordered a second season of 20 more episodes that was later reduced to airing weekly on Saturday mornings. The second season featured Robin more prominently and, as a result, was retitled The Adventures of Batman & Robin in the title credits;[34] this run of episodes had two new opening sequences and ending credits. In total, the series reached 85 episodes before finishing its original run on September 15, 1995.[citation needed]
Cartoon Network aired reruns of Batman: The Animated Series from March 2, 1998, to August 18, 2004. On July 3, 2000, the series was added to Cartoon Network's Toonami line-up. In 2005, reruns of the series were aired on Cartoon Network's sister channel Boomerang.[citation needed]
The series later began airing on Toon Disney's Jetix line-up on September 30, 2007, again alongside Superman: The Animated Series (despite Warner Bros. being one of Disney's biggest competitors).[35]
The show aired on Teletoon Retro (a Canadian broadcasting channel), debuting on January 8, 2010. The first 65 episodes were confirmed, with the first being "The Cat and Claw, Part 1". The show was scheduled to air on a weekly basis, airing at 7:00 am, 6:00 pm, and midnight. All times are Eastern.[36]
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.[37]
Reception
Critical reception
Batman: The Animated Series, holds a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes, with all 21 critics giving it a positive review. Widely 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.[38] Critics unanimously applaud the series for its mature tone, storyline, voice acting, visual aesthetic, and fidelity to the source material.[38][5][39] 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.[40] Maya Phillips' review on New York Times highlights the series pioneering impact on Batman's television portrayal. Premiering in 1992, the series departed from previous campy versions, embracing a darker, more mature narrative influenced by Frank Miller's comics. It deftly balanced serious themes with humor, showcased by Kevin Conroy's acclaimed voice performance as Batman. 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.[41]
Legacy and influence
Batman: The Animated Series has often been ranked as one of the greatest animated television shows ever made.[42][43][44] In 1992, Entertainment Weekly ranked the series as one of the top television series of the year.[45]IGN.com listed the series as the best adaptation of Batman anywhere outside of comics, the best comic book television show of all time[46] and the second-best animated series of all time (after The Simpsons).[47][48]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.[49] The widespread acclaim led the series to win four Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Animated Program.[50][51]
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."[52] 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."[53]
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.[54]
The dark atmosphere, mature themes, and even some of the voice cast from the series are employed in the Batman: Arkham video game series.[55]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.[56] 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.[57]
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
Batman: The Animated Series featured a strong musical score written by several different composers throughout the course of the series. The main theme of the show, which was heard during the opening and ending credits of each episode, was composed by Danny Elfman. At first, Elfman turned down Bruce Timm's offer to compose the theme for the show and so Timm hired Shirley Walker to do so. However, Elfman later changed his mind and composed a variation of his 1989 Batman film theme for the series. Walker's unused theme went on to become the main theme for the second season of the show, when the name was changed to The Adventures of Batman & Robin.[65]
In 1996, Walker won her first Daytime Emmy Award for her music direction of the episode "A Bullet for Bullock" (scored by Harvey R. Cohen). She would then go on to win another Daytime Emmy Award in the category of music-composition for Batman Beyond in 2001.[66]
Although at least twenty-four different composers worked on the series,[67] Walker, Lolita Ritmanis, and Michael McCuistion are regarded as the main contributors. After the series finished up in 1995, the three then went on to score Superman: The Animated Series (which also featured a theme by Walker) in 1996, The New Batman Adventures in 1997 and Batman Beyond in 1999. Television composer Kristopher Carter scored alongside Walker, Ritmanis, and McCuistion throughout the many DCAU series and later filled in for Walker after her death in 2006.[citation needed]
Soundtracks
On December 16, 2008, La La Land Records announced the release of a soundtrack companion to Batman: The Animated Series on a two-disc CD set, which featured 11 episode scores (including those of "On Leather Wings", the "Two-Face" two-parter, "Joker's Favor" and "Perchance to Dream"). The release was limited to a pressing of 3,000 copies, which sold quickly.[68] About one month after its release, the soundtrack set had sold over 2,500 copies. According to a spokesperson of La La Land Records, the sold out status of the soundtrack "can only help as the label hopes to convince Warner Bros. to release more Batman: The Animated Series soundtracks."[69] The soundtrack received largely positive reviews.[70][71]
On March 24, 2009, La La Land Records released the complete score for the animated film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. It was a limited edition of 3,000 units and has since sold out.[72]
The 2008 soundtrack was re-released in July 2012, minus "Gotham City Overture" (a suite featuring Walker's themes from the series, some of which do not appear elsewhere on the album) and "Music of the Bat 101" (a bonus track with Walker herself demonstrating the show's main music).[73] The re-release is a limited edition of 5,000 units by La La Land Records.[74]
On July 19, 2012, La La Land Records also released a four-disc CD set with a further 21 episode scores (including those of "Heart of Ice", the "Feat of Clay" two-parter, "Almost Got 'Im" and "The Laughing Fish"), titled Batman: The Animated Series – Original Soundtrack from the Warner Bros. Television Series, Volume Two.[75] Volume 2 is a limited-edition release of 3,500 units by La La Land Records.[76]
On October 7, 2014, La La Land Records released a four-disc set with another 24 episode scores (including those of the "Robin's Reckoning" two-parter, "Mudslide", "I Am the Night" and "The Man Who Killed Batman"), titled Batman: The Animated Series – Original Soundtrack from the Warner Bros. Television Series, Volume Three.[77] Volume 3 is a limited-edition release of 3,000 units by La La Land Records.[78]
On March 29, 2016, La La Land Records released the complete soundtrack for the animated film Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman. It was a limited edition of 2,000 units.[79]
On July 26, 2016, La La Land Records released Batman: The Animated Series – Original Soundtrack from the Warner Bros. Television Series, Volume Four, which contains the remaining material from the first 65 episodes. The final nine episode scores from the first season are featured (including those of "Fear of Victory", "His Silicon Soul" and "Joker's Wild"), as well as never-before-released cues from scores featured on earlier volumes. Volume 4 is a limited-edition release of 3,000 units by La La Land Records.[80]
On July 22, 2014, WaterTower Music released six digital albums on download and streaming platforms (covering La La Land's first and second volumes, including "Gotham City Overture" and "Music of the Bat 101") for the series in honor of the 75th anniversary of Batman.[86]
Asterisked tracks contain thematic material by Shirley Walker; double-asterisked tracks contain Danny Elfman's Batman theme.
Volume 1 track listing
Disc One (Total Time 76:05)
Gotham City Overture 14:01 (not included on the re-release)
Batman: The Animated Series – Main Title (Danny Elfman) 1:02
"On Leather Wings" (Shirley Walker):
Sub-Main Title / Batwing / Bat Attack 1:51
Batman Drives to Gotham 1:00
Batman Investigates / Batman Uses Infrared / Police Rush Building 1:48
Batman Escapes / Batman Flies 1:48
Bats / Evidence Goes Up in Smoke / The Formula / Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Bat 3:01
Gotham from the Air / Ride 'Em Batman / Epilogue 2:16
"The Last Laugh" (Shirley Walker):
Sub-Main Title 1:35
The Submarine / Joker Loots Gotham 2:35
Alfred Loses It 0:58
Bat Boat / Batman Catches the Big Fish / Batman Fights the Bad Guys 2:18
Cliff-Hanger Under Water / Batman A.K.A. Houdini 1:56
Batman the Terminator 2:01
Batman vs. Joker / Batman vs. Joker Part 2** 3:47
"It's Never Too Late" (Lolita Ritmanis):
Sub-Main Title / Stromwell's Flashback 2:01
Batman on Top of Church / Stromwell Arrives at Pete's / Thugs Exit 1:20
Stromwell Confronts Thorne 1:15
It's Party Time / Batman Carries Stromwell 0:48
Stromwell Sees Joey 1:41
Stromwell Tricks Batman / Thorne's Men Move In / Thorne Chases Stromwell 3:22
Stromwell's Flashback #2 1:45
Batman Cracks Heads / Thorne Removed 1:20
"Pretty Poison" (Shirley Walker, Lolita Ritmanis and Michael McCuistion):
Ground Breaking Ceremony / Penitentiary Time Lapses 1:11
Batman Catches a Chopper / The Chopper Crashes / Rooftop Chase 1:58
Batman Sneaks Around 1:09
A Little Plant Muzak / The Carnivorous Plant 0:59
Batman vs. Poison Ivy / Poison Ivy in Prison 3:52
"Christmas with the Joker" (Shirley Walker, Lolita Ritmanis and Michael McCuistion):
14 Seconds Opening / Jingle Bells / The Joker Blasts Off 1:03
Down the Mountain / Sidewalk Red Herring 0:51
'Pukey Christmas Music / Christmas with the Joker / Game Show Music 2:18
The Train Crashes 1:19
Observatory Cannon / Cannon Out of Control / Robin Blows Up Cannon 1:11
More Game Show Music / Drive to the Toy Company 1:39
Nutcracker Suite Medley 1:24
Pie in Batman's Face / Dangling Hostages Saved / Deck the Halls 1:40
Disc Two (Total Time 74:02)
Batman: The Animated Series – Alternate Main Title (Shirley Walker) 1:09
"Two-Face, Part I" (Shirley Walker):
Harvey's Nightmare / Dent's Soap Box 2:24
Batman Tracks Dent 2:07
Split Personality / Harvey / Harv 4:21
"Two-Face, Part II" (Shirley Walker):
Part One Recap 0:33
Sub-Main Title / The Heist 1:49
Bruce Wayne's Nightmare / Two-Face Remembers 2:47
Batcycle / What About Grace? 1:58
My Name Is Two-Face 1:52
The Great Equalizer / Where There's Love 4:03
"Joker's Favor" (Shirley Walker):
Sub-Main Title / Cussing Out the Joker / I Had a Bad Day 3:18
Joker's Hide-Out 1:19
Charlie's Neighborhood / Joker Finds Charlie 1:18
Charlie Arrives in Gotham / Joker Collects His Favor 0:42
Harley's Party Source 0:44
Crashing the Party 1:33
Batman Saves the Commissioner / Batman's After the Joker / Charlie Gets the Joker 3:38
"Vendetta" (Michael McCuistion):
Sub-Main Title / Conway Is Abducted 0:43
A Clue / The Crocodile's Lair 1:27
Another Clue 1:19
Croc's Cave / Killer Croc 2:52
Batman Chases Croc / Sewer Fight 2:54
Bullock Gets the Croc 1:09
"Perchance to Dream" (Shirley Walker):
Sub-Main Title / The Dream Begins 0:52
It's Impossible / Bruce Sees Batman / Bruce Watches Batman at Work 2:14
My Life Is a Dream 2:48
Climbing the Church Tower / Belltower Fight 2:45
Your Own Private Wonderland / Back to Reality 2:48
"Birds of a Feather" (Shirley Walker):
Birds of a Feather 1:54
That Fine Roman Nose / Penguin vs. Muggers 2:32
Penguin Takes Veronica 0:40
The Drop / Rubber Duckie Ride 1:50
The Penguin's Opera / High Society 2:19
Batman: The Animated Series – End Credit (Danny Elfman) 0:34
Music of the Bat 101 (Bonus Track) 6:45 (not included on the re-release)
Volume 2 track listing
Disc One (Total Time 73:54)
Batman: The Animated Series Main Title (Danny Elfman) 1:05
Beware the Gray Ghost – Carl Swander Johnson:
Beware the Gray Ghost 0:54
Simon Trent 1:47
Trent Meets Batman / Trent Runs 1:33
He Runs But He Can't Hide 0:36
Trent Helps Batman 0:55
Lethal Toys / The Ghost Saves Batman 1:25
Toy Car Chase 0:43
Gray Ghost's Shrine / Mistaken Identity 0:46
Twisted Ted / Up in Smoke 1:36
Bruce's Hero 0:31
Beware the Gray Ghost – Bonus Track:
Gray Ghost Suite 1:24
The Cat and the Claw, Part I – Harvey R. Cohen, Wayne Coster, Shirley Walker:
The Catwoman (S. Walker) 4:51
Riding the Truck* (W. Coster) 1:01
Multigon International (W. Coster) 0:18
Introducing Red Claw (H. Cohen) / A Word with the Boss (W. Coster) 0:55
Catwoman at Multigon H.Q. (S. Walker) / Cats in the Office (S. Walker) (Features "Ode to Joy" by L. Beethoven) 1:31
Batman Rescues Catwoman* (H. Cohen) / Lovers or Enemies (W. Coster) 3:33
Who Will Save You? 0:30
The Cat and the Claw, Part II – Harvey R. Cohen
The Cat and the Claw 0:44
The Train* 1:59
Bruce Wayne's Chaperone / A Bumpy Ride 1:57
Alley Cat* / Catwoman Strikes* 3:30
Bat Draft* 2:14
The Fallen Resort* 0:57
More Than You'll Ever Know* 0:46
The Cat and the Claw – Bonus Tracks:
String Quartet (W. Coster) 1:01
Ode to Joy (Composed by L. Beethoven; Arranged by Shirley Walker) 0:10
Introducing Red Claw (Alternate) (H. Cohen) 0:39
Ode to Joy Alternates (Composed by L. Beethoven; Arranged by Shirley Walker) 0:28
Nothing to Fear – Shirley Walker
Nothing to Fear 0:43
Machine Gun / The Scarecrow Arrives 1:42
The Vault** / Sprinklers 3:22
Scarecrow's Hideout 0:22
Scarecrow's Backstory 0:35
Batman's Flashback / Batman and Alfred 0:46
Scarecrow Invades the Museum / Scarecrow's Attempt at Escape** 2:13
Dirigible Flight / Fear Strikes Again / Escape and Explosion 3:22
Scarecrow Discovered / Scarecrow is Captured / Scarecrow on a Skewer 1:54
"Feat of Clay: Part I", "Feat of Clay: Part II", "It's Never Too Late", "Joker's Favour", "Nothing to Fear", "Pretty Poison", "Be a Clown", "Appointment in Crime Alley"
Warner Home Video (via DC Comics Entertainment and Warner Bros. Family Entertainment) has released Batman: The Animated Series on DVD in Region 1 in three volume box sets. A fourth volume containing all 24 episodes of The New Batman Adventures was also released and these episodes now also begin with the original Season 1 opening sequence, and also end with the standard final credits. Warner Home Video later released Batman: The Complete Animated Series, which features all episodes from both the original series and The New Batman Adventures, on DVD in Region 1. The set includes all features from the four individual volumes, plus a bonus 17th disc with a new special feature and a 40-page collector's book containing artwork.[214] The DVD was originally on sale for a limited time only and went out of print in January 2009. Warner Home Video released a second printing of the DVD in May 2009, but then withdrew it three months later.
DVD name
# of episodes
Release date
Additional information
Batman: The Animated Series – Volume 1
28
July 6, 2004, June 5, 2018 (re-release)
Episodes 1–28
Commentary on "On Leather Wings" and "Heart of Ice"
"The Dark Knight's First Night" Featurette
"Batman: The Legacy Continues" Featurette
Tour of the Batcave
Other Super Hero Favorites
Batman: The Animated Series – Volume 2
28
January 25, 2005, June 5, 2018 (re-release)
Episodes 29–56
Commentary Tracks
Robin Rising Featurette
Gotham's Guardians Featurette
Voices of the Knight Featurette
Trailers
Batman: The Animated Series – Volume 3
29
May 24, 2005, June 5, 2018 (re-release)
Episodes 57–85
Episodes 1–20 (The Adventures of Batman & Robin)
Audio and Video Commentaries
Extra Animated Cell 4"×6" In Some Sets
Gotham's New Knight — Featurette on Batgirl as Batman's Newest Ally
Batman: The Animated Series – Volume 4 from The New Batman Adventures
24
December 6, 2005, June 5, 2018 (re-release)
All 24 episodes of The New Batman Adventures
Audio and Video Commentaries
Batman: The Complete Animated Series
109
November 4, 2008
All 85 episodes of Batman: The Animated Series
All 24 episodes of The New Batman Adventures
40-page collector book
Region 2
Volumes 1 and 2 were released on DVD in the UK on October 10, 2005 (Volume 1), and August 21, 2006 (Volume 2). These DVD volumes were exclusive to the retail chain HMV in the United Kingdom, a complete series 25th-anniversary collection was released in the UK on October 30, 2017, containing all four volumes. Volumes 3 and 4 were previously unreleased in the UK before the 25th-anniversary box set release. On June 14, 2008, Volume 1 was re-released in the UK as a non-HMV exclusive, though both the artwork and the extras remain the same as the original HMV exclusive release.[215] Volume 2 was released in the same way on March 3, 2009.[216]
DVD name
# of episodes
Release date
Additional information
Batman: The Animated Series – Volume 2
4
2004
" Episode Introductions by Producer/Director Bruce Timm"
" Voices of Gotham City"
4 Episodes Include:
" The Underwellers"
" P.O.V."
" The Forgotten"
" Be a Clown"
Batman: Secrets of the Caped Crusader
4
April 4, 2005
Trailer
Voice of the Night
Episodes Include
"The Cat and The Claw Parts I and II"
"Heart of Ice"
" See No Evil"
Region 3
In Hong Kong, the show was packaged into four different DVD volume sets just as it was done in Region 1. Volumes 1 and 2 were both released on February 28, 2005, while Volume 3 was released July 7, 2005, and Volume 4 was released February 17, 2006.[217]
Region 4
In Australia, Volume 1 was released on October 19, 2005.[218] Volumes and the box set are available at websites like eBay.com, Amazon.com and Quicksales.com. All four volumes are available on the Australian iTunes Store, and were released individually on DVD on November 9, 2016, by Village Roadshow.
Blu-ray
During the series's 25th anniversary panel at the New York Comic Con on October 8, 2017, it was announced that the complete series and all 24 episodes of The New Batman Adventures would be released on Blu-ray later in 2018 (due to the financial success of the Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Blu-ray release in 2017).[219][220] The Blu-ray release came out in fall 2018.[221]
The numbered, limited-edition box sets also included a code for a free digital SD and HD copy of the complete series, three collectible Funko Pocket Pops of Batman, the Joker and Harley Quinn, seven exclusive lenticular cards of original animation artwork, as well as Blu-ray copies of both spin-off animated films Mask of the Phantasm and SubZero.[222][223]
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.[227] The CD version has over 20 minutes of original animated footage comparable to the most well-crafted episodes,[228] 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.[229]
Due to the success of Batman: The Animated Series, many crew members went on to design and produce Superman: The Animated Series for The WB. During this time they created The New Batman Adventures, a direct sequel to the original series, featuring a revamped animation style that matched with Superman: The Animated Series.[230]
In 1999, a futuristic spin-off series titled Batman Beyond premiered on The WB, featuring a teenager named Terry McGinnis taking on the duties of Batman under the guidance of an elderly Bruce Wayne.[231]
Canceled projects
Fox approached Bruce Timm to make a spin-off centered on Catwoman, but the project was abandoned shortly thereafter.[232]
Another continuation of the series was in development in the form of an audio podcast drama, with most of the cast returning along with writer Alan Burnett, before Conroy's passing.[233]
^Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 114–122. ISBN978-1476665993.
