Kevin Conroy has one of the longest ongoing associations with any superhero character, perhaps even the longest. The actor first voiced the Caped Crusader in 1992’s acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series, and though that show ended in 1995, his performance earned him the credit to carry on fighting crime in Gotham City in numerous other projects.
But without that first role, it’s possible none of his further success would’ve come through, hence its significance is not lost on the man in the cowl. Yesterday marked 28 years since the animated show’s premiere, to which Conroy gave this simple salute:
What a privilege to be a part of https://t.co/NaU7Ee0fpg
— Kevin Conroy (@RealKevinConroy) September 7, 2020
The rest, as they say, is history. Zillions of serials, direct-to-DVD movies, heck, it even yielded a live-action appearance in last year’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event. I have to confess, I’m not familiar with his work beyond the Batman: Arkham games, but having played through all three (no, Origins does not count), there’s no doubt in my mind as to his talent as a voice artist.
A while back, some bright spark on Twitter put together short vocal samples of every actor to have played Bats, and the gulf in class between Conroy and the rest was stark. Bale, Keaton and Affleck all went for variations on semi-incomprehensible gruffness, with none standing out too much. Conroy, on the other hand, shone with depth and charisma, naturally cognizant of the acute demands on a voice actor.
If you’ve got any thoughts on Conroy, Batman: The Animated Series, “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” the ineluctable passage of time, or all of the above, drop a comment below. The years may pass on, but there’s no sign of him leaving Gotham anytime soon.