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This week, DC Animation introduced viewers to a new animated Batman in Justice League: Gods and Monsters. And while this particular Dark Knight is quite the departure from typical interpretations, he still stirs memories of the animated crusaders who predate him. In honor of this DARK Dark Knight’s debut, we present the best animated batmen to grace our small screens.
Batman: The Animated Series
I mean, isn’t this the whole reason you clicked on the story? While all the other Dark Knights on this list are great and all, they barely hold a flame to Batman: The Animated Series’ Caped Crusader, the high master of all animated Batmen. Through the deft writings of Paul Dini and iconic designs of Bruce Timm, The Animated Series provided a Batman that fans of every variety could enjoy. Dark, but not gritty, humorous, but not slapstick, and righteous in his crusade against Gotham’s underworld, this animated Batman distilled the character’s best interpretations into a timeless hero.
Batman: The Brave And The Bold
You have to respect a Batman series that honors shark repellent bat-spray just as highly as Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns. Though introduced as a simple team-up show with other DC Universe characters, Batman: The Brave and the Bold quickly found its footing as a celebration of Batman—warts and all. This series ran head-first into Batman’s quirkier Silver Age material, and yet still made it work. Right down to an art style that honored classic Batman artist Dick Sprang, this series wore its heart on its sleeve and never apologized for what it was. And like the best Pixar movies, the show’s self-referential attitude and moments of meta-commentary let older know that they were in on the jokes while pleasing a younger demographic. And of course, and series that successfully utilizes Ambush Bug wins in our book.
LEGO Batman
Everything is awesome about this miniature Dark Knight. Chris Pratt’s Emmit may have been the LEGO Movie’s top-billed star, but (as always) it was Batman who stole the show. This bricked Batman ironically embraced the character’s cockier side, making for a Dark Knight who felt more like a super bro than a superhero. But as much of a dink that he was, LEGO Batman fueled some of the film’s funniest scenes. It didn’t hurt that eternal funny man Will Arnett voiced the character, perfectly timing his jokes for a Batman that actually had a sense of humor. LEGO Batman was such a hit, that Warner Bros. awarded him with his very own feature film for 2017.
Batman Beyond
No animated Batman has added to the character’s overall mythos more than Batman Beyond. While every other cartoon was an interpretation on the Batman legend, Batman Beyond presented something original. Through the futuristic adventures of an elderly Bruce Wayne and his young successor, Terry McGinnis, fans were introduced to fresh takes on classic Batman villains like The Joker, Clayface, Mad Hatter, and more. Batman Beyond was the DC Animated Universe’s first attempt at world-building, crafting an actual timeline for the once-timeless work that Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series existed in. And while the greater sense of mythology pleased DC Diehards, some of the show’s best moments came from man under the mask. As a high schooler with feet of clay, Terry was the first relatable Batman that DC had produced in any universe. In his struggle to balance a social life, school work, and crime fighting, McGuiness felt like Peter Parker in his best (or worst, depending how you look at his) Silver Age Days.
Though the original animated series has been off the air for more than a decade, Batman Beyond’s appeal endures amongst fans. The character was recently introduced to main DC Comics cannon, where he now has a new ongoing series. Admittedly, the new series is a stark departure from the original animated continuity, but that same basic appeal of “Batman in the Future” remains.
The Batman
No one can deny that the first post-Batman the Animated Series show started on shaky ground, The Batman eventually evolved into quite an enjoyable take on the Batman. Set during the Dark Knight’s early years, the show blazed unexplored territory with an inexperienced and self-doubting Dark Knight.The show’s real sticking point, however, came in animator Jeff Matsuda’s bold and inventive redesigns of Batman’s rogues gallery. When the show first aired, half the fun was seeing how the famed anime artist would twist characters like Riddler, Bane, The Joker, and more. While you can skip the first season and miss little, the show really picks up steam in the latter season when Robin—and eventually—the Justice League enter the fray. However, we still have a hard time forgetting kung-fu Penguin..that was a stretch for any interpretation of Batman.
Who is your favorite animated Batman? Please the comments!
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