Something sets Kevin Conroy’s Bruce Wayne apart from other Batman actors, after all there is a reason Conroy is considered to be the definitive Batman. Conroy began his career as the Caped Crusader in 1992 with the premiere of Batman: The Animated Series, which introduced a new generation to the Dark Knight. Conroy continued voicing the character for decades and, while semi-retired, has continued to revisit the character in recent years, even portraying a live-action Bruce Wayne in the Arrowverse interpretation of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Though many place Conroy’s Batman on a pedestal, his animated Bruce Wayne is often an afterthought, despite Bruce being half the role.

There have been nearly 30 actors who have portrayed the character across film, television, and animation, and still, Conroy remains the voice heard by comic book readers. Some will argue this is due to the beautiful animation and overall aesthetic of Batman: The Animated Series or the memorable tales Conroy has brought to life. However, doing so would undercut the character choices Kevin Conroy brought to the role, especially in his portrayal of Bruce.

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Kevin Conroy’s Bruce Wayne is what sets his entire performance apart from other Batman actors. Conroy, through a variety of techniques, allows Bruce to take on a persona apart from Batman - something that is simply nonexistent in many interpretations of the character. Although Bruce’s role in Batman: The Animated Series may seem insignificant given his limited screen time, the reality is those moments with Bruce reveal who that character truly is, and provide audiences with a sense of Batman’s internal duality. This internal duality is fundamental to the character and was often overlooked by previous actors. Even now, it is the most difficult component of Batman for actors to portray.

Kevin Conroy Batman Mark Hamill Joker Christian Bale Bruce Wayne

What Conroy does best is giving Bruce Wayne a unique persona while subtly indicating that it is inherently falseness. This is not to say that he plays Bruce as insincere, but rather to say he understands that Bruce is the mask Batman wears in public. This was something previously unexplored by past Batman actors, who often did little to differentiate between the two. Actors have since done the same, including Christian Bale and Ben Affleck, who both created false personas for Bruce. These public personas often made Bruce out to be unintelligent, drunk, and an out-of-touch billionaire, which is fine, but at times comes across as a cop-out.

They fell short of Conroy’s construction Bruce Wayne, who wasn’t as one-dimensional of a character. Instead, Conroy played Bruce as an intelligent and charming businessman that is able to hold his own in the board room and in a more relaxed space, even taking on a smoother character voice in a higher tone distinct from Batman’s deeper more affirmative voice. It’s subtle and doesn’t feel forced, though it is still obvious that Batman’s is the true voice. Nonetheless, both characters feel genuine, which may explain why Kevin Conroy’s work resonates with so many audiences.

If Kevin Conroy was not able to capture the duality of Bruce Wayne/Batman from the start of Batman: The Animated Series, he wouldn’t hold the position he does today. It’s this insight into the character that has allowed him to stand out. Conroy understood the complexity of Bruce’s relationship with Batman. He understood that one isn’t more important than the other and recognized Bruce’s true responsibility to portray a certain image to the general public. One that is both wholly different from Batman and wholly genuine. Simply put, if one half of a character does not feel authentic it harms both sides.

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