Holy animation, Batman! Ranking caped crusaders of yore
Batman has had plenty of different animated TV shows throughout the years, each bringing something new to the table. However, fans have long debated which iteration is truly the greatest, and with a new animated series slated for release in 2022, Batman: Caped Crusader, it would be best to review what came before to prophesy what’ll come next.
#6: Beware the Batman (2013)
Beware the Batman (2013) took the masked one back to his roots as a detective. The show follows Bruce Wayne as Batman fighting villains such as Professor Pyg, Deathstroke , and Killer Croc. Unlike previous series, Batman doesn’t have Robin as his sidekick, but rather Katana. This series was also different from previous shows due to the fact that it was animated in CGI rather than 2D animation. Beware the Batman was widely regarded as a financial failure, and along with its rather dull villains, these factors put Beware the Batman in the #6 spot.
#5: The Batman (2004)
The Batman (2004) stars Rino Romano as the caped crusader in this reboot of the famous Batman: the Animated Series (1992). This series takes the world’s greatest detective, and puts him up against familiar foes such as the Joker, the Penguin, and Firefly, as well as new foes like Black Mask. This series practically stripped the villains down to their essentials; for example, Catwoman is just a petty thief as opposed to Batman: The Animated Series, where she had multiple episodes focusing on her character development. Even though this series resets Batman’s character development from previous series, it still deserves a place in the spotlight.
#4: The New Batman Adventures (1997)
Serving as a sequel to Batman: the Animated Series (1992), The New Batman Adventures (1997) directly ties into the DCAU (DC Animated Universe), and serves as a pseudo prequel to the events of both Justice League (2001), as well as Justice League Unlimited (2004). Throughout this 24 episode series, Batman fights villains new and old with his sidekicks Batgirl and Robin, who this time around is Tim Drake rather than Dick Grayson. Even though The New Batman Adventures is a new Batman animated series, it still feels quite empty, mostly because of how short it is and its relatively boring plots. Most of these plots are practically copy and pasted from Batman: The Animated Series. However, the art style is quite appealing, and the animation is much smoother than its predecessor, so it gets the #4 spot.
#3: Batman Beyond (1999)
Batman Beyond (1999) was an interesting take on Batman, to say the least. This time, Batman was not Bruce Wayne, but instead a highschool boy named Terry McGinnis. Taking place in 2040, Batman Beyond begins shortly after the previous Batman betrays one of his most important moral vows, which leads Bruce Wayne to retire as the Batman. Terry McGinnis, takes up the mantle of the Batman, and protects the city of Gotham from evil-doers. Batman Beyond is still a great show, but its focus on corruption, apathy, and greed degrades it, so because of this, it gets the #3 spot.
#2: Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2008)
Batman: The Brave and the Bold took a different take on the character of Batman by drawing inspiration from the 60’s comics of Batman. In the show, Batman teams up with a variety of DC superheroes, such as Aquaman, Blue Beetle, and Plastic Man. Despite its exterior being a lot more bright and cheerful than previous series, Batman: The Brave and the Bold still has its darker episodes (ex. “Chill of the Night!”), but is overall more kid friendly than other series like Batman: The Animated Series (1992). One episode in particular that made this series really stand out was “Mayhem of the Music Meister!”, in which a villain named The Music Meister (voiced by Neil Patrick Harris) hijacks a communications satellite to take over the world with his voice. This episode was nominated for an Emmy and has even been called one of television’s best musical episodes. The show is quite enjoyable to watch, and with the colorful visuals, and the appealing art style, Batman: The Brave and the Bold is truly one of the best Batman animated shows there is.
#1: Batman: The Animated Series (1992)
Taking the #1 spot, Batman: The Animated Series (1992) was the first Batman animated series, and arguably the best, introducing Batman to a new generation of kids everywhere. Debuting in 1992, with the episode “The Cat & The Claw Part 1,” viewers are introduced to the caped crusader himself, Batman. The series follows the adventures of Bruce Wayne (voiced by Kevin Conroy, Matlock), also known as Batman, fighting crime, and bringing justice to Gotham City. Batman faces foes such as Clayface, the Riddler, Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze, Two-Face, and the clown prince of crime himself, the Joker. Batman teams up with other heroes such as his trusty sidekick, Robin, and Batgirl. This series started the whole DCAU, and has consistently been ranked as one of the best animated series of all time. Even the first Lego Batman minifigures (from 2006) were designed off of Batman: The Animated Series! Even though this series has some flaws, it is without a doubt that this show deserves the #1 spot on this list, due to its many feats, and how it even led to the entire DCAU being made as well.
By Evan Parfitt
Oshkosh West Index Volume 118 Issue 2
November 1st, 2021