Summary
Batman: The Animated Serieshad a profound impact on Batman’s lore in the DC Comics and beyond, making many changes and additions that forever altered the course of the character’s mythology. Premiering in 1992,Batman: The Animated Serieswas a Batman cartoon created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm that kickstarted the entirestory of the DC animated universe.The series was especially noteworthy for the many lasting changes it made to Batman’s lore that have since persisted in other stories.
Many of these changes are the result of how the series could introduce (or re-introduce) brilliant new characters that feel as if they should’ve been in Batman’s core cast all along.In other cases, narrative or stylistic changes in how the series progressed went on to influencecountless Batman movies, video games, other TV shows, and even the comics themselves. Because of just how big an impactBatman: The Animated Serieshad on the original stories it adapted, the 90s cartoon has become many fans' definitive version of Batman and Gotham City.
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10Harley Quinn’s DC Career Began With Batman: The Animated Series
The character is by far the series' most obvious contribution to DC
The most famous contributionBatman: The Animated Serieshad to the DC franchise as a whole was the introduction of Harley Quinn.Described as a psychiatrist that was seduced by the Joker until she succumbed to his particular brand of madness in the episodeMad Love, Dr. Harleen Quinzel became his sidekick and love interest, Harley Quinn, revolutionizing DC Comics forever. Since stepping out from the Joker’s shadow, Harley Quinn has struck out on her own to become one of DC’s single most popular characters.
After officially being integrated into the comics, Harley Quinn has since gone on to become a flagship character for DC. She was chosen as one of the brand’s few representatives in crossover games likeMultiversus,and has headlined her own live-action movie thanks to Margot Robbie’s great performance. If it wasn’t forBatman: The Animated Series,DC would never have been able to capitalize onHarley Quinn’s popularity.
11 Most Important Harley Quinn Moments That Define Her DC History
Harley Quinn has become one of the biggest tentpoles at DC Comics, and these 11 crucial moments in her history show just how she got there.
9Batman: The Animated Series' Tragic Mister Freeze Origin Story Defines The Character
From a typical burglar with a one-note gimmick to a sympathetic villain
Even ifBatman: The Animated Seriesdidn’t technically create Mr. Freeze, the series' interpretation of him totally redefined the character in DC Comics going forward. Originally,Mr. Freeze was a simple cold-themed villain Batman fought in the Silver Age, with no real motivation besides monetary gain and ridiculous bright yellow costume.Batman: The Animated Seriestransformed the character into the victim of a cryogenic accident, driven to crime in pursuit of a cure for his beloved wife’s illness.
It’s safe to say that theBatman: The Animated Seriesorigin for Mr. Freeze, as told in his debut episodeHeart of Ice, far more interesting than his humble beginnings.
The addition of Nora Fries and Victor’s endless quest for her wellness metamorphosed a one-note D-List villain into a deeply tragic yet cold-hearted monster.The mainline comics, as well as other major appearances of the character like Arnold Schwarzenegger’s portrayal inBatman & Robinor the video game version in the RocksteadyArkhamseries. It’s safe to say that theBatman: The Animated Seriesorigin for Mr. Freeze, as told in his debut episodeHeart of Ice, far more interesting than his humble beginnings.
8Kevin Conroy’s Batman Performance Is A Cornerstone Of DC’s Dark Knight History
Conroy just may be the definitive Batman actor
For as many greatlive-action Batman portrayalsas movies and TV shows have offered, Kevin Conroy’s voice work inBatman: The Animated Seriesstands in a league all its own.Ever since the first lines he uttered in the very first episode, Conroy had proven his ability to effortlessly capture the malice, tragedy, and strict code of honor Batman embodiesin his vocal performance alone. He also had a talent for emphasizing the line between Batman and Bruce Wayne as well, emphasizing the hero’s dual personality.
Following the finale ofBatman: The Animated Series,Kevin Conroy went on to reprise his role as Batman in numerous other projects, from video games like Netherrealm Studios’Injusticeseries to other animated DC universes.As such, he is highly regarded as the definitive voice of Batman, leaving behind a wonderful legacy following his tragic passing. WithoutBatman: The Animated Series,this legacy may have never began in the first place.
7Harley And Poison Ivy’s Relationship Eventually Blossomed Into Romance
The 90s cartoon sowed the seeds for DC’s biggest same-sex relationship
It wasn’t just the mere invention of Harley Quinn that left a big impact on DC Comics as a whole.Her relationship to another villainess, Poison Ivy, is also quite a commendable story element that would’ve never existed withoutBatman: The Animated Series’influence. In the show, particularly in the later seasons, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy became close friends, hinting at something more romantic as heavily as a cartoon for kids in the 90s was able to get away with.
This storyline has become a solid part of the Caped Crusader’s mythology, with their relationship getting more attention in the Max animated seriesHarley Quinn:
From this implication, following DC stories have been able to expand on a genuine romantic relationship between Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn,becoming the franchise’s most popular and prominent same-sex relationship. In particular, the animated HBO comedy seriesHarley Quinnwas able to put their romance in the spotlight, humorously navigating the trials and tribulations of two villains in love. Beyond the creation of Harley Quinn herself, it’s doubtful DC would’ve ever settled on such a direction withoutBatman: The Animated Series.
10 Hilarious Memes That Sum Up The Harley Quinn Animated Series
With The Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special coming soon, these memes are perfect for holding fans out for the upcoming hilarity.
Harley Quinn
Cast
Harley Quinn is a 2019 animated series focusing on the titular character’s evolution after severing ties with the Joker. As she seeks to establish herself as an independent force in Gotham City’s criminal underworld, the film explores her journey toward becoming Gotham’s criminal Queenpin.
It wasn’t just villains that the animated series' universe inspired
One of the coolest spin-offs to come out ofBatman: The Animated Serieshas to beBatman Beyond.Set in the far future years after the original show,Batman Beyondfollows the young upstart punk, Terry McGinnis, as he’s mentored by an older Bruce Wayne in becoming the next Batman, fighting crime in the cyberpunk world of Neo Gotham.An utterly unique blend of science fiction and superhero aesthetics,Batman Beyondis a creative, unique premise in the same universe as the original show.
Batman Beyonddeserves its own accolades regarding its impact on DC media as a whole.
Terry’s Batman has gone on to appear in DC comics and other properties, quickly becoming a fan-favorite incarnation of the character. Most recently, he was featured as one of the many cameos inJustice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths - Part 3, fighting the forces of the Anti-Monitor alongside the classic Batfamily. The natural progression ofBatman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyonddeserves its own accolades regarding its impact on DC media as a whole.
Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond is an animated action-adventure television series set twenty years after the events of Batman: The Animated series. Bruce Wayne, now in his twilight years, continues to fight crime with new gadgets, suits, and tech - but his old age has revealed that even the Caped Crusader has limits. Enter Terry McGinnis, a teenager with athletic prowess and a strong sense of justice. When pursued by a gang one night, Terry is helped by the elderly Bruce Wayne - an event that leads to Terry’s training as the new generation Batman.
5Batman: The Animated Series Created Renee Montoya
An underrated introduction of Batman: The Animated Series
While high-flying superheroes and dastardly villains are the most attention-grabbing additions toBatman: The Animated Series,it’s important to remember just how proficient the 90s show was at crafting relatable non-costumed characters.Enter Renee Montoya, a detective in the Gotham City Police Department created specifically forBatman: The Animated Series.Working alongside the cynical Harvey Bullock, Montoya comes into frequent contact with Batman while working in the major crimes unit.
Besides adding a much-needed splash of diversity to Gotham City’s typically monochromatic cast of characters,Montoya is a sympathetic, but not naive detective who rides the middle road in her relationship with Batman. Somewhere between Commissioner Gordon’s optimism and Bullock’s distaste for the vigilante, Montoya was preemptively incorporated into the DC Comics, eventually even making it into live-action via the cast ofGotham.Eventually, Montoya becomes the new Question, bringing her full-circle into the world of DC superheroes.
4Batman: The Animated Series Created Robin’s Sleek New Look
Tim Drake’s snappy outfit was directly inspired by the hallowed series
The third season ofBatman: The Animated Seriesis technically its own show, referred to asThe New Batman Adventures.This last installment of the series is known for itsdramatic redesigns of Batman villains, going over the entire art direction of the series with a striking new style. However, it wasn’t only Batman’s rogue’s gallery that benefitted from a change in wardrobe, asThe New Batman Adventuresalso focused on a new incarnation of Robin, Tim Drake, to replace Dick Grayson, who went solo to become Nightwing.
This signature look of Tim Drake’s Robin in particular would be reflected in the comics
Tim Drake’s Robin outfit is quite striking compared to Dick’s, with the garish lime-green accents replaced by a sleek red-and-black aesthetic. This signature look of Tim Drake’s Robin in particular would be reflected in the comics, which essentially copied the style ofBatman: The Animated Series.Tim Drake even keeps this color scheme when he evolves into a solo hero himself, Red Robin, updating it with a cowl and new bird-shaped emblem.
How To Watch All Batman Animated Series In Order
Batman is undoubtedly one of the most popular superheroes of all time, and DC’s Dark Knight has stared in a bevy of animated series over the decades.
3Barbara Gordon’s Batgirl Was Repopularized Because Of The Animated Series
Gordon’s Batgirl might’ve stayed in DC’s backlog of characters otherwise
By the time ofBatman: The Animated Series,Batgirl wasn’t a particularly popular character among DC Comics writers. Infamously, the Commissioner’s daughter, Barbara Gordon, was forced to hang up the cape and cowl in the source material after being brutally injured in aBatman: The Killing Joke,forcing her to take a more supportive role from her wheelchair under a new alias, Oracle. WhileBatman: The Animated Seriesmay have teased the Oracle plotline, the cartoon was instrumental in repopularizing a traditional Barbara Gordon Batgirl.
As a result, by the time DC got around to rebooting their comics universe, Barbara Gordon was brought back as Batman’s sidekick. It’s incredibly likely that this decision was due to the refreshed popularity of the character, who fans turning fromBatman: The Animated Seriesto the fresh comic line would’ve been disappointed to find relegated to a background tech support hero as Oracle. If not for the intervention ofBatman: The Animated Series,Barbara Gordon might’ve been relegated to the sidelines for the rest of her DC career.
2Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm Debuted An Interesting New Villain
Phantasm is an excellent addition to Batman’s collection of foes
The continuity ofBatman: The Animated Serieswasn’t just a TV show, having a collection of animated tie-in Batman movies to its name, as well. Perhaps the best of these wasBatman: Mask of the Phantasm,which introduced yet another brilliant female villain to DC Comics' mythology.In the film, Andrea Beaumont is the one-time fiancée of Bruce Wayne who becomes a masked supervillainto get revenge on the criminals who wronged her. Operating just like Batman but with lethal force, it’s up to the Caped Crusader to stop the copycat vigilante in her debut film.
As one ofBatman’s best love interests, Phantasm was popular enough in the film for Andrea Beaumont to be officially brought into the fold as a canonized Batman villain in the comics.Making her official DC print debut in the limitedBatman/Catwomancomic run, Phantasm has returned several times since her introduction in her titular movie. Yet another compelling original creation ofBatman: The Animated Series,Phantasm’s striking mask and scythe remain iconic imagery to this day.
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is the first movie in Bruce Timm, Eric Radomski, and Paul Dini’s DC Animated Universe, serving as a prequel to Batman: The Animated Series. It pits the Dark Knight against a mysterious vigilante known as the Phantasm, who forces Bruce Wayne to confront his crime-fighting crusade and his traumatic past. Iconic DC voice actors Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill return as Batman and Joker, respectively.
1Robin And Batgirl’s Relationship Was Expanded On By Batman: The Animated Series
Move over, Starfire
Dick Grayson has had no shortage of love interests throughout his lengthy DC Comics career, with the alien superhero Starfire being one of the most prominent. However,Batman: The Animated Seriessowed the seeds for a romance between Batman’s two most famous sidekicks that the comics would eventually follow through with.Even if Batgirl doesn’t end up with Robin in the continuity, the arc of their relationship across the events ofBatman: The Aniamted SeriesandThe New Batman Adventureswas quite compelling.
In the comics, Dick Grayson and Batgirl originally had far too great of an age gap for a proper romance to be appropriate, with Robin only briefly harboring a one-sided boyhood crush on his crime-fighting predecessor. In future continuity reboots, however, Batgirl was deaged to not only make this relationship a real possibility, but to give Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon the opportunity to be high school sweethearts. This is one of the most impactful changes to Batman canon thatBatman: The Animated Seriesis responsible for.
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Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series follows Bruce Wayne as he assumes the role of the masked vigilante Batman to combat crime in Gotham City. This acclaimed 1992 series explores his dual identity and features an array of iconic villains, while Bruce vows to avenge the murder of his parents.
