''The Batman'' is an American
animated television series based on the
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. ( doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with the ...
superhero
A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...
Batman. Developed by Michael Goguen, Marcus McNaughton,
Duane Capizzi
Duane Capizzi is an American writer and television producer. He is known for his extensive work in animated series for television, including the Emmy Award-winning '' Transformers: Prime'' for which he was Co-Executive Producer and Head Writer, ...
, and produced by
Warner Bros. Animation, the series first aired on
Kids' WB on September 11, 2004, then
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, ...
on April 2, 2005. The show would become exclusive to the former network for its third, fourth, and fifth seasons in early 2006. ''The Batman'' won six
Daytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...
s over the course of its run. Many elements from previous Batman storylines were borrowed and adapted, such as those from the
comic book
A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
s,
film series and the animated shows like ''
Batman: The Animated Series'' from the
DC Animated Universe, but it remained strictly within its own distinct continuity. ''
Jackie Chan Adventures'' artist
Jeff Matsuda served as art director and provided the character designs. The production team altered the appearances of many of the comic books'
supervillain
A supervillain or supercriminal is a variant of the villainous stock character that is commonly found in American comic books, usually possessing superhuman abilities. A supervillain is the antithesis of a superhero.
Supervillains are of ...
s for the show, such as the
Joker, the
Penguin
Penguins (order Sphenisciformes , family Spheniscidae ) are a group of aquatic flightless birds. They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere: only one species, the Galápagos penguin, is found north of the Equator. Highly adap ...
, and the
Riddler.
All five seasons are available on
DVD. In 2005, a direct-to-DVD movie titled ''
The Batman vs. Dracula
''The Batman vs. Dracula'' is a 2005 American direct-to-video animated superhero- horror film based on '' The Batman'' television series. The film is a crossover with the 1897 horror novel '' Dracula''. The film was released to DVD on October 1 ...
'' was released. ''The Batman'' also received a spin-off comic book series, ''The Batman Strikes!'', published by
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. ( doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with the ...
; it was set in the same continuity as the show and featured the same art style.
Synopsis
The Batman, the costumed protector of
Gotham City, is secretly billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne (voiced by
Rino Romano). The series focuses on Batman's earlier years of his crime-fighting career, as he began fighting crime three years prior to the start of the series, and the Gotham City police do not publicly acknowledge the
vigilante's existence. Operating out of a secret lair underneath Bruce Wayne's mansion—known as the Batcave—Batman and his butler,
Alfred Pennyworth (voiced by
Alastair Duncan), stop crime with the assistance of high-tech gadgets and a supercomputer.
Season 1
At the start of the first season, crime in Gotham is in decline, but Gotham Chief of Police Angel Rojas (voiced in the pilot by
Edward James Olmos and later by
Jesse Corti), orders his officers to hunt down Batman. This marks the first acknowledgment of Batman's existence in the series. Despite the chief's orders, one of his detectives,
Ethan Bennett (voiced by
Steven Harris), believes the city needs Batman. At the start of the series, Bennett is assisted by a new partner from Metropolis,
Ellen Yin
The following is a list of characters that have appeared in the television series '' The Batman'', which ran from September 11, 2004, to March 22, 2008. The animation style bares a strong resemblance to that of ''Jackie Chan Adventures'', since Je ...
(voiced by
Ming-Na), who slowly becomes torn between her commitment to
law and order and her personal feelings toward Batman.
Throughout season 1, both Bennett and Yin are tasked with capturing Batman. During this first season, Bruce Wayne finds himself torn between his responsibilities as Batman and his regular life, though the latter is supported by Gotham's mayor, Marion Grange (voiced by
Adam West who played Batman in the 1960s ''
Batman'' TV series). By the end of the season, Bennett is
torture
Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons such as punishment, extracting a confession, interrogation for information, or intimidating third parties. Some definitions are restricted to acts ...
d and
mutated by the Joker, transforming Bennett into
Clayface. As Clayface, he is forced into hiding, while his partner Yin finally realizes she was right about Batman and forms an alliance with him.
Among the villains introduced this season are the
Joker (voiced by
Kevin Michael Richardson), the
Penguin
Penguins (order Sphenisciformes , family Spheniscidae ) are a group of aquatic flightless birds. They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere: only one species, the Galápagos penguin, is found north of the Equator. Highly adap ...
(voiced by
Tom Kenny),
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Debuting as "the Cat" in ''Batman'' #1 (spring 1940), she is ...
(voiced by
Gina Gershon),
Mr. Freeze (voiced by
Clancy Brown
Clarence John "Clancy" Brown III (born January 5, 1959) is an American actor. Prolific in film and television since the 1980s, Brown is often cast in villainous and authoritative roles.
Brown's film roles include Viking Lofgren in ''Bad Boys'' ...
),
Firefly (voiced by
Jason Marsden), the
Ventriloquist and Scarface (voiced by
Dan Castellaneta
Daniel Louis Castellaneta (; born October 29, 1957) is an American actor, comedian, and writer. He is best known for voicing Homer Simpson on the animated series ''The Simpsons'' (as well as other characters on the show such as Abraham "Grampa" ...
),
Man-Bat (voiced by
Peter MacNicol),
Cluemaster
The Cluemaster is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman as well as a recurring enemy of Tim Drake, the third Robin. Cluemaster first appeared in ''Detective Comic ...
(voiced by
Glenn Shadix
William Glenn Shadix (April 15, 1952 – September 7, 2010) was an American actor and comedian. He was known for his role as Otho in Tim Burton's horror comedy film ''Beetlejuice'' and as the voice of the Mayor of Halloween Town in ''The Nightmar ...
), and
Bane
Bane may refer to:
Fictional characters
* Bane (DC Comics), an adversary of Batman
* Bane (''Harry Potter''), a centaur in the ''Harry Potter'' series
* Bane (''The Matrix''), a character in the ''Matrix'' film trilogy
* Bane the Druid, a Gua ...
(voiced by
Joaquim de Almeida in the first appearance,
Ron Perlman in the second, and
Clancy Brown
Clarence John "Clancy" Brown III (born January 5, 1959) is an American actor. Prolific in film and television since the 1980s, Brown is often cast in villainous and authoritative roles.
Brown's film roles include Viking Lofgren in ''Bad Boys'' ...
in the third).
Season 2
Throughout the second season, Batman continues to act outside of the law even though he has Detective Yin as an ally. Batman begins making a name for himself as a force for good when he saves a group of policemen from certain doom. In this season, his heroic act prompts the officers to support him rather than pursue him as a criminal. In the season finale, Police Chief Rojas finally uncovers Yin's involvement with Batman, forcing her to go on the run. Around this time, Commissioner
James Gordon (voiced by
Mitch Pileggi), the main law enforcement figure in most of the Batman mythos, rejects Rojas' belief that Batman is a criminal. Commissioner Gordon instead believes Batman to be an ally of the Gotham police force and is particularly impressed when Batman and Yin capture the Joker, Penguin, and Riddler. He is revealed to be Batman's secret ally off-screen and develops a signaling searchlight, the
Bat-Signal
The Bat-Signal is a distress signal device appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, as a means to summon the superhero, Batman. It is a specially modified searchlight with a stylized emblem of a bat affixed to the light, allowing ...
, allowing Batman to know that the police are firmly on his side.
This season introduces more villains, including
Rag Doll (voiced by
Jeff Bennett), the
Riddler (voiced by
Robert Englund),
Killer Croc (voiced by
Ron Perlman),
Spellbinder (voiced by
Michael Massee), and
Solomon Grundy (voiced by
Kevin Grevioux). Another new villain,
Hugo Strange (initially voiced by
Frank Gorshin, the original Riddler from the 1960s
''Batman'' TV series, who is later replaced by
Richard Green after Gorshin's death), is portrayed as a secondary character in the season. The characters Yin and Police Chief Rojas make their final appearances at the end of the season.
Season 3
In the third season, the show introduces a younger incarnation of
Barbara Gordon (voiced by Danielle Judovits), who is the police commissioner's daughter. Over the course of a two-part story, she secretly becomes
Batgirl
Batgirl is the name of several superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, depicted as female counterparts and allies to the superhero Batman. Although the character Betty Kane was introduced into publication in ...
. The show's opening title sequence changes this season, and the opening theme music (performed by
U2 guitarist
The Edge) is substituted with a lighter, '60s theme performed by
Andy Sturmer
Marvin Andrew Sturmer (born March 11, 1965) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and composer who co-founded the rock band Jellyfish in 1989. He was the group's lead vocalist, drummer, and primary songwriter. Following their break-up in 1 ...
. Throughout season 3, Barbara tries to become Batman's sidekick and be as good of an ally as her father. However, Batman frequently refuses to accept her help, although she proves herself to him by the end of the season.
This Batman-Batgirl storyline differs from the comic books. In previous incarnations of the story, Batman's first partner is
Dick Grayson, who becomes Robin and joins Batman as his apprentice, later leaving to become
Nightwing. The decision for Batgirl to be Batman's first sidekick in ''The Batman'' was due to Robin not permitted to be used in the show due to him being used in the ''
Teen Titans
The Teen Titans are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, frequently in eponymous monthly series. As the group's name indicates, the members are teenage superheroes, many of whom have acted as sidekicks to ...
'' animated series, which aired on Cartoon Network and due to the Bat-embargo (a restriction in place regarding usage Batman's allies and enemies in multiple animated shows based on the comics). This season also sees the destruction of Batman's original
Batmobile, which is replaced by an updated version for the remainder of the series.
Several more new villains from the Batman mythos are introduced this season, including
Poison Ivy (voiced by
Piera Coppola
Piera Coppola (born April 22, 1968) is an American voice actress.
Voice over roles Film
*'' Joseph: King of Dreams'' (2000) — Zuleika's servant, additional voices
Television
*'' The Batman'' (2005) — Pamela Lilian Isley / Poiso ...
), a different version of
Gearhead (voiced by
Will Friedle
Will Friedle () (born August 11, 1976) is an American actor and writer. He is best known for his role as Eric Matthews on the ABC sitcom ''Boy Meets World'' (1993–2000). In animation, he voices Terry McGinnis / Batman on ''Batman Beyond'' (19 ...
),
Maxie Zeus
Maximilian "Maxie" Zeus is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, primarily as a minor enemy of Batman. He is depicted as a mentally ill former history professor who is obsessed with Greek mythology and believes ...
(voiced by
Phil LaMarr), the
Toymaker
A toy or plaything is an object that is used primarily to provide entertainment. Simple examples include toy blocks, board games, and dolls. Toys are often designed for use by children, although many are designed specifically for adults and pe ...
(voiced by
Patton Oswalt
Patton Peter Oswalt (born January 27, 1969) is an American stand-up comedian, actor and writer. He is known as Spence Olchin in the sitcom '' The King of Queens'' (1998–2007) and for narrating the sitcom '' The Goldbergs'' (2013–present) as ...
),
Prank (voiced by
Michael Reisz),
Temblor (voiced by
Jim Cummings), and
D.A.V.E. (voiced
Jeff Bennett). Hugo Strange becomes a villain this season, having orchestrated the events of "
A Fistful of Felt" and "
Gotham's Ultimate Criminal Mastermind." The season finale concludes with his incarceration at
Arkham Asylum
The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane (), commonly referred to as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital/prison, named after the city of Arkham which appeared first in the stories of H. P. Lovecraft, and later appear ...
.
Season 4
With the conclusion of ''Teen Titans'' in 2006, the fourth season introduces
Dick Grayson (voiced by
Evan Sabara
''The Batman'' is an American animated television series based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. Developed by Michael Goguen, Marcus McNaughton, Duane Capizzi, and produced by Warner Bros. Animation, the series first aired on Kids' WB on S ...
). The opening episode of the season focuses on Dick Grayson's origins as Robin. Through the loss of Grayson's parents in a murder made to look like a circus accident, he is adopted by Bruce Wayne, who assists Grayson in bringing down the mafia boss responsible for his parents' deaths. The second episode in the season leads to Batgirl officially becoming part of the team, with each member divulging his or her secret identity to the others. This reveal eventually leads to Batgirl and Robin forming a sibling-like rivalry. One of the highlights of season 4 is the episode "
Artifacts", which described a possible future in the year 3027. Featuring flashback scenes to 2027, the audience gets a glimpse of an older Batman, Dick Grayson operating as
Nightwing (voiced by
Jerry O'Connell
Jerry O'Connell (born February 17, 1974) is an American actor and television host. He is known for his roles as Quinn Mallory in the television series ''Sliders'', Andrew Clements in ''My Secret Identity'', Vern Tessio in the film '' Stand by M ...
), and Barbara Gordon, now reliant on a wheelchair and having become the Oracle (voiced by
Kellie Martin). The episode also features elements from
Frank Miller's ''
The Dark Knight Returns
''The Dark Knight Returns'' (alternatively titled ''Batman: The Dark Knight Returns'') is a 1986 four-issue comic book miniseries starring Batman, written by Frank Miller, illustrated by Miller and Klaus Janson, with color by Lynn Varley, and pub ...
'', including the designs of both the Batman costume and the Batmobile. In the season finale, an alien invasion by entities called "
The Joining" causes Batman to work alongside another superhero from the
DC Universe
The DC Universe (DCU) is the fictional shared universe where most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. Superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green L ...
and an original member of the
Justice League,
Martian Manhunter (voiced by
Dorian Harewood), to thwart the aliens' plans. This is when Batman becomes part of the
Justice League of America
The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived b ...
.
More villains with new interpretations are once again introduced, including
Tony Zucco
Anthony Zucco is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. First appearing in ''Detective Comics'' #38 (April 1940), Zucco is a mobster responsible for murdering the parents of Dick Grayson, which leads to Gra ...
(voiced by
Mark Hamill, who voiced the Joker in the
DC animated universe),
Killer Moth (voiced by
Jeff Bennett),
Black Mask (voiced by
James Remar),
Rumor
A rumor (American English), or rumour (British English; see spelling differences; derived from Latin:rumorem - noise), is "a tall tale of explanations of events circulating from person to person and pertaining to an object, event, or issue in p ...
(voiced by
Ron Perlman), the
Everywhere Man (voiced by
Brandon Routh),
Harley Quinn (voiced by
Hynden Walch), and Francis Grey (voiced by
Dave Foley). The season also brought an end to Ethan Bennett's version of Clayface, including a storyline that redeemed Bennett by curing him of his condition. This gave writers the opportunity to introduce
Basil Karlo's version of the villain (voiced by
Wallace Langham in the first appearance, and
Lex Lang in the second appearance). Season 4 also featured a redesign of Bruce Wayne, with a more square facial and chin structure, making him reminiscent of the
DC animated universe Batman design.
This was the final season worked on by
Jeff Matsuda and
Michael Jelenic
Michael Christopher Jelenic (born May 12, 1977) is an American animator, screenwriter, producer, and director. He is best known for co-developing the animated series ''Teen Titans Go!'' alongside Aaron Horvath for Cartoon Network , both of whom departed from the show after the season finale.
Season 5
The final season on ''The Batman'', season 5, focused primarily on Batman and Robin, with the pair teaming up with some of the DC Universe's characters to battle different villains. These team-ups included
Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book '' Action Comics'' #1 ( cover-dated June 1938 and pu ...
(voiced by
George Newbern, reprising his role from ''
Justice League'' and ''
Justice League Unlimited
''Justice League Unlimited'' (''JLU'') is a 2004–2006 American superhero animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics univers ...
''),
Martian Manhunter ,
Green Arrow (voiced by
Chris Hardwick), the
Flash (voiced by
Charlie Schlatter, who previously voiced Flash in ''
Superman: The Animated Series''),
Green Lantern (voiced by
Dermot Mulroney), and
Hawkman
Hawkman is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1, published by All-American ...
(voiced by
Robert Patrick
Robert Hammond Patrick (born November 5, 1958) is an American actor. Known for portraying villains and honorable authority figures, he is a Saturn Award winner with four other nominations.
Patrick dropped out of college when drama class sparked ...
). Producer
Alan Burnett
Alan Burnett (; born February 17, 1950) is an American television writer-producer particularly associated with Warner Bros. Animation, Hanna-Barbera Productions, DC Comics, and Walt Disney television animation. He has had a hand in virtually ever ...
described the season as the show's "''
The Brave and the Bold
''The Brave and the Bold'' is a comic book series published by DC Comics as an ongoing series from 1955 to 1983. It was followed by two mini-series in 1991 and 1999, and was revived as an ongoing title in 2007. The focus of the series has varie ...
'' season". Both Batgirl and Commissioner Gordon were relegated to either guest or cameo appearances during the season, where Barbara Gordon, having graduated from high school, now attends college. The series finale (shown as a 40-minute movie) features all the members of the Justice League who made an appearance in the series, along with Batgirl, as they fight against a renewed effort of
the Joining to invade Earth.
Most of the villains featured in the season are reinterpretations of those that fought against the DC heroes who teamed-up with Batman. These villains include
Lex Luthor (voiced by
Clancy Brown
Clarence John "Clancy" Brown III (born January 5, 1959) is an American actor. Prolific in film and television since the 1980s, Brown is often cast in villainous and authoritative roles.
Brown's film roles include Viking Lofgren in ''Bad Boys'' ...
, reprising his role from the
DC Animated Universe),
Mercy Graves
Mercy Graves is a supervillain appearing in multimedia and American comic books published by DC Entertainment and DC Comics. Created for the DC Animated Universe (DCAU), she first appeared in 1996 on '' Superman: The Animated Series'' as the perso ...
(voiced by
Gwendoline Yeo),
Metallo (voiced by
Lex Lang),
Count Vertigo (voiced by
Greg Ellis), the
Toyman (voiced by
Richard Green), the
Shadow Thief
Shadow Thief is the name of three fictional supervillains published by DC Comics. The first is a recurring foe of Hawkman named Carl Sands.
Shadow Thief appeared in the seventh season episode of the Arrowverse television series ''Arrow'', portraye ...
(voiced by
Diedrich Bader),
Sinestro
Thaal Sinestro () (or simply Sinestro) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, particularly those featuring Green Lantern. Sinestro is a former Green Lantern Corps member who was dishonorably discharged for abu ...
(voiced by
Miguel Ferrer), and the
Mirror Master (voiced by
John Larroquette). Only the
Terrible Trio
The Terrible Trio is a group of Supervillain, supervillains appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, first appearing in ''Detective Comics'' #253 (March 1958). Individually known as Fox, Vulture, and Shark, their respective real names wer ...
(voiced by
David Faustino,
Grey DeLisle, and Googy Gress),
the Wrath
''The Wrath'' is a 2018 South Korean horror mystery film directed by Yoo Young-sun, starring Seo Young-hee and Son Na-eun. It is a remake of the 1986 Korean horror film ''Woman's Wail''. The film was released on November 8, 2018.
Premise
Set ...
(voiced by
Christopher Gorham
Christopher Gorham (born August 14, 1974) is an American actor who is best known for the ABC series ''Ugly Betty''. He has also appeared in such series as '' Insatiable'', ''Popular'', ''Odyssey 5'', '' Felicity'', '' Jake 2.0'', '' The Magician ...
), and
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is a chemical element with the symbol P and atomic number 15. Elemental phosphorus exists in two major forms, white phosphorus and red phosphorus, but because it is highly reactive, phosphorus is never found as a free element on Ea ...
are reinterpretations of Batman villains. Phosphorus differs in the show from the comic version, in that Firefly mutates into him, giving him the same radioactive skills and incorporating Phosphorus's insanity, while the Terrible Trio mutated themselves and their victims into human-animal hybrids using a mutagen created by
Doctor Kirk Langstrom.
Episodes
Home media
All of the
DVD releases of ''The Batman'' are released by
Warner Home Video (via DC Entertainment and
Warner Bros. Family Entertainment) and presented in its original broadcast version and in story continuity order. The DVD releases of ''The Batman'' are also presented in a 4:3 fullscreen
aspect ratio. However, the entire series is available in its original 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio on
Amazon Video, Blu-ray,
Google Play,
HBO Max
HBO Max is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in the United States on May 27, 2020, the service is built around the libraries of HBO, Warner Bros., Cartoon Ne ...
, and the
Xbox Video
Microsoft Movies & TV (US only), or Microsoft Films & TV (Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand), previously Xbox Video and Zune Video, is a digital video service developed by Microsoft that offers full HD movies and TV shows available ...
Store. The first two seasons and ''
The Batman vs. Dracula
''The Batman vs. Dracula'' is a 2005 American direct-to-video animated superhero- horror film based on '' The Batman'' television series. The film is a crossover with the 1897 horror novel '' Dracula''. The film was released to DVD on October 1 ...
'' movie are available on
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mu ...
in 16:9. On March 1, 2022, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment released the whole series on
Blu-ray
The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of st ...
for the first time. The ''Batman vs. Dracula'' film is not included in the complete series Blu-ray release.
* ''The Complete First Season'' DVD (2 discs, episodes 1–13) (release date: February 7, 2006)
* ''The Complete Second Season DVD'' (2 discs, episodes 14–26) (release date: September 12, 2006)
* ''The Complete Third Season'' DVD (2 discs, episodes 27–39) (release date: April 10, 2007)
* ''The Complete Fourth Season'' DVD (2 discs, episodes 40–52) (release date: November 20, 2007)
* ''The Complete Fifth Season'' DVD (2 discs, episodes 53–65) (release date: July 8, 2008)
* ''The Complete Series'' Blu-ray (6 discs, release date: March 1, 2022) the Batman vs Dracula film not included.
* ''
The Batman vs. Dracula
''The Batman vs. Dracula'' is a 2005 American direct-to-video animated superhero- horror film based on '' The Batman'' television series. The film is a crossover with the 1897 horror novel '' Dracula''. The film was released to DVD on October 1 ...
'' DVD (1 disc, feature-length animated movie) (release date: October 18, 2005)
''The Batman'' Official Games
''The Batman'' Plug and Play TV Video Game
''The Batman'' Plug and Play TV Video Game (a.k.a. Plug 'n Play) was released in 2004 by
Jakks Pacific. It features ''The Batman'' tracking down notable villains from the show, including
The Joker,
Firefly,
Mr. Freeze,
Bane
Bane may refer to:
Fictional characters
* Bane (DC Comics), an adversary of Batman
* Bane (''Harry Potter''), a centaur in the ''Harry Potter'' series
* Bane (''The Matrix''), a character in the ''Matrix'' film trilogy
* Bane the Druid, a Gua ...
, and
Penguin
Penguins (order Sphenisciformes , family Spheniscidae ) are a group of aquatic flightless birds. They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere: only one species, the Galápagos penguin, is found north of the Equator. Highly adap ...
. The game comes with a custom ''The Batman'' controller which connects to a TV via RCA connectors.
The Batman: The CobbleBot Caper
''The Batman'': The CobbleBot Caper is a
Macromedia Flash
Toonami game released on
cartoonnetwork.com in 2005. The video game featured a series of levels involving a kidnapped scientist, with gameplay resembling that of the
Jakks Pacific's ''The Batman'' Plug and Play Video Game released in 2004, with a level in
CobbleBot Manor being almost an exact replica of a similar level in the TV Game. ''The CobbleBot Caper'' features The Batman tracking down and fighting two notable villains from the show,
Penguin
Penguins (order Sphenisciformes , family Spheniscidae ) are a group of aquatic flightless birds. They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere: only one species, the Galápagos penguin, is found north of the Equator. Highly adap ...
and the Kabuki Girls. The game is no longer available on
cartoonnetwork.com.
''The Batman Strikes!''
''The Batman Strikes!'' is a
DC comic book
A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
series featuring
Batman and is a spin-off comic book series of ''The Batman''. Part of DC's line for young readers, the series lasted 50 issues in total, with the last issue shipping in October 2008.
Collected editions
Crew
* Michael Goguen – Supervising producer
*
Duane Capizzi
Duane Capizzi is an American writer and television producer. He is known for his extensive work in animated series for television, including the Emmy Award-winning '' Transformers: Prime'' for which he was Co-Executive Producer and Head Writer, ...
– Supervising producer
*
Glen Murakami – Producer
*
Jeff Matsuda – Producer
* Linda M. Steiner – Producer
*
Sander Schwartz – Executive producer
*
Alan Burnett
Alan Burnett (; born February 17, 1950) is an American television writer-producer particularly associated with Warner Bros. Animation, Hanna-Barbera Productions, DC Comics, and Walt Disney television animation. He has had a hand in virtually ever ...
– Executive producer
* Kimberly A. Smith – Associate producer
*
Sam Liu
Sam Liu is an American animation producer, director, storyboard artist and character designer. He is best known for directing animated superhero films at both Marvel Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation.
Sam attended the University of Califor ...
– Director
* Brandon Vietti – Director
*
Seung Eun Kim
Seung-Eun Kim ( Korean: 김승은) is a Korean-born American artist, director and animator. He is a three-time Emmy nominee, and three-time Annie Award nominee. Kim has worked in animation since 1996.
Highlights of his career include:
* Godzi ...
– Director
* Michael Hack – Casting director
*
Ginny McSwain
Ginny McSwain is an American voice actress, voice casting director, and animation production professional from Los Angeles, CA.
Life and career
McSwain graduated from Stephens College in 1974, before moving to Los Angeles. She has worked as cas ...
– Casting director
*
Andrea Romano – Casting director (seasons 4–5)
*
Ginny McSwain
Ginny McSwain is an American voice actress, voice casting director, and animation production professional from Los Angeles, CA.
Life and career
McSwain graduated from Stephens College in 1974, before moving to Los Angeles. She has worked as cas ...
– Voice director (seasons 1–3)
*
Andrea Romano – Voice director (seasons 4–5)
*
The Edge – Theme music creator
Awards
''The Batman'' received
Annie Award nominations for Best Animated Television Production in 2005 and 2006, and for Best Music in a Television Production in 2006.
''The Batman'' was nominated for 12 Daytime Emmy Awards during its five-year run, with a total of six wins.
In 2005, it was nominated for Outstanding Special Class Animated Program, an Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program (
Kevin Michael Richardson as the Joker), Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction and Composition, and Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Live Action and Animation (for which it won).
In 2006, it was nominated and won Outstanding Special Class Animated Program and Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Live Action and Animation.
In 2007, it was nominated for Outstanding Special Class Animated Program and won Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Live Action and Animation.
In 2008, it was nominated for Outstanding Special Class Animated Program and Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program (Kevin Michael Richardson as the Joker), and won Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Live Action and Animation, and Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing – Live Action and Animation.
''The Batman'' was also nominated for Motion Picture Sound Editors "Golden Reel Awards" for Sound Effects Editing in 2005, 2008, and 2009, winning in 2008.
Reception
''The Batman'' received a mostly favorable response from fans and critics (7.3/10 IMDb), with praise aimed at the modernized take on the classic Batman comic book mythos, the unique and interesting twists to the characters, and the performances of the voice cast, such as Rino Romano's portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman. However, the show never won over diehard fans the way the earlier animated series did, with criticism leveled on the odd character designs, deviations from the Batman mythos and animation style. Nevertheless, ''The Batman'' was a critical and commercial success and popular enough to last for five seasons.
See also
* ''
The Batman vs. Dracula
''The Batman vs. Dracula'' is a 2005 American direct-to-video animated superhero- horror film based on '' The Batman'' television series. The film is a crossover with the 1897 horror novel '' Dracula''. The film was released to DVD on October 1 ...
''
* ''
Batman: The Animated Series''
* ''
The New Batman Adventures''
References
External links
*DC page
TV seriescomic*
*
The Batman at WarnerBros.comThe Batman at The World's FinestThe Batman at Batman: Yesterday, Today, & BeyondThe Batman (TV Series)from DC Wikia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Batman, The
2000s American animated television series
2004 American television series debuts
2008 American television series endings
American children's animated action television series
American children's animated adventure television series
American children's animated mystery television series
American children's animated superhero television series
American children's animated science fiction television series
Animated Batman television series
Animated Justice League television series
Animated television shows based on DC Comics
CW4Kids original programming
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program winners
English-language television shows
Kids' WB original shows
Television series by Warner Bros. Animation
The CW original programming
The WB original programming
Toonami
Works by Christopher Yost
Cartoon Network original programming