Batman: All 10 Joker actors ranked from worst to best

7. Kevin Michael Richardson

Appeared in: The Batman (2004 – 2008), The Batman vs. Dracula

It’s once again time for us to to take a moment and appreciate the highly-underrated animated series The Batman and one of the often overlooked voice performances that came with it. We are, of course, talking about Kevin Michael Richardson’s brilliant turn as The Joker.

Richardson’s debut came in the show’s very first episode, as the unusual Clown Prince of Crime made his presence felt on an unsuspecting Gotham City and a young Caped Crusader from Arkham Asylum. From there, he would become a regular thorn in The Batman’s side, popping up multiple times a season throughout the show’s five-season run.

The actor’s performance was superb. There was a roughness to his approach that ensured The Joker could intimidate when necessary with his bellowing voice, but the real appeal of his outing was the whimsicality in his performance. Most of the time, The Joker was having the time of his life, and Richardson was able to convey that with a light tone that just highlighted how chaotic and, again, whimsical this version of the character was.

We don’t appreciate the talent behind The Batman enough, and this Joker – from his unique look to Kevin Michael Richardson’s captivating Emmy-nominated performance – deserves that appreciation too.