The Batman fandom is currently reeling from the devastating news that iconic — some would even say definitive — Dark Knight actor Kevin Conroy has passed away at the age of 66. Conroy is, of course, most known for voicing the Caped Crusader for the past 30 years in a variety of media, from animated movies to video games, a role he first played in the acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series, which premiered in 1992.
In the wake of the news of Conroy’s death, Batman: The Animated Series head writer Paul Dini has shared a simple yet perfect tribute to the late actor on Twitter. Dini, who spearheaded the beloved series alongside collaborators Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett among others, posted a screenshot from 1993’s spinoff film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, depicting Conroy’s hero watching over Gotham City. The gorgeous animated frame now hits a lot harder than it did before.
After B:TAS concluded in 1995, Conroy went on to play Batman in every subsequent series in the so-called DC Animated Series, which also comprises Batman Beyond, Justice League, and Justice League Unlimited. His other turns as the character include the Arkham games and even an appearance playing Bruce Wayne in live-action in one episode of The CW’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event.
Earlier this year, Conroy also made his comic book writing debut, contributing an autobiographical story called “Finding Batman” to the DC Pride 2022 anthology special that explored his life and personal experiences as a gay man living through the AIDS crisis of the 1980s. Other B:TAS veterans to react to his passing so far include co-stars Adrienne Barbeau (Catwoman) and Diane Pershing (Poison Ivy).
