4. Kevin Conroy
Appeared in: Batman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures, Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, DC Universe Original Animated Movies, Batman: Arkham games
If you were asked to read a few lines of Batman dialogue from a comic book, there is a strong chance that, in your head, those lines would sound like Kevin Conroy.
It’s hard to describe the impact that Conroy has had on the Batman legacy, but there is the reason as to why the late, great performer is the only voice actor on this list.
His debut offering came in the classic Batman: The Animated Series, in which he provided the voice of the Dark Knight for 85 episodes – and it was during those episodes that he made an unforgettable impression on fans. Throughout the series, he used contrasting tones to explore the difference between Batman and Bruce Wayne (a technique successfully employed by Michael Keaton), using a sharper, gruff almost-bark-like tone for the Caped Crusader while adopting a calmer, more seductive approach for his human side.
It’s no surprise that his performance was praised by just about everyone and, as a result, he would go on to voice the character in all of the DC Animated Universe spin-offs (series, video games and films), before becoming part of the wider DC furniture as he gave Batman a voice in countless unrelated animated movies and video games.
Like Adam West did before him, Conroy defined Batman for a specific generation, shaping the childhoods of countless people through his work and giving life to The Dark Knight without ever having to put on the mask. We’ll never forget his incredible additions to the legacy of Batman.