10 Batman: The Animated Series Moments That Changed DC Forever
Summary
Many of these changes are the result of how the series could introduce (or re-introduce) brilliant new characters that feel as if they should've been in Batman's core cast all along. In other cases, narrative or stylistic changes in how the series progressed went on to influence countless Batman movies, video games, other TV shows, and even the comics themselves. Because of just how big an impact Batman: The Animated Series had on the original stories it adapted, the 90s cartoon has become many fans' definitive version of Batman and Gotham City.
10 Harley Quinn's DC Career Began With Batman: The Animated Series The character is by far the series' most obvious contribution to DC![]()
The most famous contribution Batman: The Animated Series had to the DC franchise as a whole was the introduction of Harley Quinn. Described as a psychiatrist that was seduced by the Joker until she succumbed to his particular brand of madness in the episode Mad Love, Dr. Harleen Quinzel became his sidekick and love interest, Harley Quinn, revolutionizing DC Comics forever. Since stepping out from the Joker's shadow, Harley Quinn has struck out on her own to become one of DC's single most popular characters.
After officially being integrated into the comics, Harley Quinn has since gone on to become a flagship character for DC. She was chosen as one of the brand's few representatives in crossover games like Multiversus, and has headlined her own live-action movie thanks to Margot Robbie's great performance. If it wasn't for Batman: The Animated Series, DC would never have been able to capitalize on Harley Quinn's popularity.
9 Batman: The Animated Series' Tragic Mister Freeze Origin Story Defines The Character From a typical burglar with a one-note gimmick to a sympathetic villain![]()
Even if Batman: The Animated Series didn't technically create Mr. Freeze, the series' interpretation of him totally redefined the character in DC Comics going forward. Originally, Mr. Freeze was a simple cold-themed villain Batman fought in the Silver Age, with no real motivation besides monetary gain and ridiculous bright yellow costume. Batman: The Animated Series transformed the character into the victim of a cryogenic accident, driven to crime in pursuit of a cure for his beloved wife's illness.
The addition of Nora Fries and Victor's endless quest for her wellness metamorphosed a one-note D-List villain into a deeply tragic yet cold-hearted monster. The mainline comics, as well as other major appearances of the character like Arnold Schwarzenegger's portrayal in Batman & Robin or the video game version in the Rocksteady Arkham series. It's safe to say that the Batman: The Animated Series origin for Mr. Freeze, as told in his debut episode Heart of Ice, far more interesting than his humble beginnings.
8 Kevin Conroy's Batman Performance Is A Cornerstone Of DC's Dark Knight History Conroy just may be the definitive Batman actor![]()
For as many great live-action Batman portrayals as movies and TV shows have offered, Kevin Conroy's voice work in Batman: The Animated Series stands in a league all its own. Ever since the first lines he uttered in the very first episode, Conroy had proven his ability to effortlessly capture the malice, tragedy, and strict code of honor Batman embodies in his vocal performance alone. He also had a talent for emphasizing the line between Batman and Bruce Wayne as well, emphasizing the hero's dual personality.
Following the finale of Batman: The Animated Series, Kevin Conroy went on to reprise his role as Batman in numerous other projects, from video games like Netherrealm Studios' Injustice series to other animated DC universes. As such, he is highly regarded as the definitive voice of Batman, leaving behind a wonderful legacy following his tragic passing. Without Batman: The Animated Series, this legacy may have never began in the first place.
7 Harley And Poison Ivy's Relationship Eventually Blossomed Into Romance The 90s cartoon sowed the seeds for DC's biggest same-sex relationship![]()
Custom Image by Brian Colucci It wasn't just the mere invention of Harley Quinn that left a big impact on DC Comics as a whole. Her relationship to another villainess, Poison Ivy, is also quite a commendable story element that would've never existed without Batman: The Animated Series' influence. In the show, particularly in the later seasons, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy became close friends, hinting at something more romantic as heavily as a cartoon for kids in the 90s was able to get away with.
From this implication, following DC stories have been able to expand on a genuine romantic relationship between Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, becoming the franchise's most popular and prominent same-sex relationship. In particular, the animated HBO comedy series Harley Quinn was able to put their romance in the spotlight, humorously navigating the trials and tribulations of two villains in love. Beyond the creation of Harley Quinn herself, it's doubtful DC would've ever settled on such a direction without Batman: The Animated Series.
6 Batman Beyond Spread To Other DC Mediums It wasn't just villains that the animated series' universe inspired![]()
One of the coolest spin-offs to come out of Batman: The Animated Series has to be Batman Beyond. Set in the far future years after the original show, Batman Beyond follows the young upstart punk, Terry McGinnis, as he's mentored by an older Bruce Wayne in becoming the next Batman, fighting crime in the cyberpunk world of Neo Gotham. An utterly unique blend of science fiction and superhero aesthetics, Batman Beyond is a creative, unique premise in the same universe as the original show.
Terry's Batman has gone on to appear in DC comics and other properties, quickly becoming a fan-favorite incarnation of the character. Most recently, he was featured as one of the many cameos in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths - Part 3, fighting the forces of the Anti-Monitor alongside the classic Batfamily. The natural progression of Batman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond deserves its own accolades regarding its impact on DC media as a whole.
5 Batman: The Animated Series Created Renee Montoya An underrated introduction of Batman: The Animated Series![]()
Image via Prime Video While high-flying superheroes and dastardly villains are the most attention-grabbing additions to Batman: The Animated Series, it's important to remember just how proficient the 90s show was at crafting relatable non-costumed characters. Enter Renee Montoya, a detective in the Gotham City Police Department created specifically for Batman: The Animated Series. Working alongside the cynical Harvey Bullock, Montoya comes into frequent contact with Batman while working in the major crimes unit.
Besides adding a much-needed splash of diversity to Gotham City's typically monochromatic cast of characters, Montoya is a sympathetic, but not naive detective who rides the middle road in her relationship with Batman. Somewhere between Commissioner Gordon's optimism and Bullock's distaste for the vigilante, Montoya was preemptively incorporated into the DC Comics, eventually even making it into live-action via the cast of Gotham. Eventually, Montoya becomes the new Question, bringing her full-circle into the world of DC superheroes.
4 Batman: The Animated Series Created Robin's Sleek New Look Tim Drake's snappy outfit was directly inspired by the hallowed series![]()
The third season of Batman: The Animated Series is technically its own show, referred to as The New Batman Adventures. This last installment of the series is known for its dramatic redesigns of Batman villains, going over the entire art direction of the series with a striking new style. However, it wasn't only Batman's rogue's gallery that benefitted from a change in wardrobe, as The New Batman Adventures also focused on a new incarnation of Robin, Tim Drake, to replace Dick Grayson, who went solo to become Nightwing.
Tim Drake's Robin outfit is quite striking compared to Dick's, with the garish lime-green accents replaced by a sleek red-and-black aesthetic. This signature look of Tim Drake's Robin in particular would be reflected in the comics, which essentially copied the style of Batman: The Animated Series. Tim Drake even keeps this color scheme when he evolves into a solo hero himself, Red Robin, updating it with a cowl and new bird-shaped emblem.
3 Barbara Gordon's Batgirl Was Repopularized Because Of The Animated Series Gordon's Batgirl might've stayed in DC's backlog of characters otherwise![]()
By the time of Batman: The Animated Series, Batgirl wasn't a particularly popular character among DC Comics writers. Infamously, the Commissioner's daughter, Barbara Gordon, was forced to hang up the cape and cowl in the source material after being brutally injured in a Batman: The Killing Joke, forcing her to take a more supportive role from her wheelchair under a new alias, Oracle. While Batman: The Animated Series may have teased the Oracle plotline, the cartoon was instrumental in repopularizing a traditional Barbara Gordon Batgirl.
As a result, by the time DC got around to rebooting their comics universe, Barbara Gordon was brought back as Batman's sidekick. It's incredibly likely that this decision was due to the refreshed popularity of the character, who fans turning from Batman: The Animated Series to the fresh comic line would've been disappointed to find relegated to a background tech support hero as Oracle. If not for the intervention of Batman: The Animated Series, Barbara Gordon might've been relegated to the sidelines for the rest of her DC career.
2 Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm Debuted An Interesting New Villain Phantasm is an excellent addition to Batman's collection of foes![]()
The continuity of Batman: The Animated Series wasn't just a TV show, having a collection of animated tie-in Batman movies to its name, as well. Perhaps the best of these was Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, which introduced yet another brilliant female villain to DC Comics' mythology. In the film, Andrea Beaumont is the one-time fiancée of Bruce Wayne who becomes a masked supervillain to get revenge on the criminals who wronged her. Operating just like Batman but with lethal force, it's up to the Caped Crusader to stop the copycat vigilante in her debut film.
As one of Batman's best love interests, Phantasm was popular enough in the film for Andrea Beaumont to be officially brought into the fold as a canonized Batman villain in the comics. Making her official DC print debut in the limited Batman/Catwoman comic run, Phantasm has returned several times since her introduction in her titular movie. Yet another compelling original creation of Batman: The Animated Series, Phantasm's striking mask and scythe remain iconic imagery to this day.
1 Robin And Batgirl's Relationship Was Expanded On By Batman: The Animated Series Move over, Starfire![]()
Dick Grayson has had no shortage of love interests throughout his lengthy DC Comics career, with the alien superhero Starfire being one of the most prominent. However, Batman: The Animated Series sowed the seeds for a romance between Batman's two most famous sidekicks that the comics would eventually follow through with. Even if Batgirl doesn't end up with Robin in the continuity, the arc of their relationship across the events of Batman: The Aniamted Series and The New Batman Adventures was quite compelling.
In the comics, Dick Grayson and Batgirl originally had far too great of an age gap for a proper romance to be appropriate, with Robin only briefly harboring a one-sided boyhood crush on his crime-fighting predecessor. In future continuity reboots, however, Batgirl was deaged to not only make this relationship a real possibility, but to give Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon the opportunity to be high school sweethearts. This is one of the most impactful changes to Batman canon that Batman: The Animated Series is responsible for.
Upcoming DC Movie Releases Joker: Folie a Deux
Release Date October 4, 2024 Superman (2025)
Release Date July 11, 2025 Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
Release Date June 26, 2026 The Batman Part II
Release Date October 2, 2026![]()
Batman: The Animated Series ![]()
DC Extended Universe Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
close Please verify your email address.
Send confirmation email close You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.
Manage Your List Follow Followed Follow with Notifications Follow Unfollow Close Thread Sign in to your ScreenRant account We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful.
Be the first to post Attachment(s) Please respect our community guidelines. No links, inappropriate language, or spam. Your comment has not been saved
Send confirmation email This thread is open for discussion.
Be the first to post your thoughts.
[圖擷取自網路，如有疑問請私訊]
- Harley Quinn's introduction in Batman: The Animated Series forever changed DC, leading to her immense popularity and solo projects.
- Mr. Freeze's tragic backstory in Batman: The Animated Series redefined the Batman villain, impacting comics, movies, and video games.
- Kevin Conroy's portrayal of Batman in the series set a standard for the character's voice acting, becoming a definitive version of The Dark Knight.
Many of these changes are the result of how the series could introduce (or re-introduce) brilliant new characters that feel as if they should've been in Batman's core cast all along. In other cases, narrative or stylistic changes in how the series progressed went on to influence countless Batman movies, video games, other TV shows, and even the comics themselves. Because of just how big an impact Batman: The Animated Series had on the original stories it adapted, the 90s cartoon has become many fans' definitive version of Batman and Gotham City.
10 Harley Quinn's DC Career Began With Batman: The Animated Series The character is by far the series' most obvious contribution to DC
The most famous contribution Batman: The Animated Series had to the DC franchise as a whole was the introduction of Harley Quinn. Described as a psychiatrist that was seduced by the Joker until she succumbed to his particular brand of madness in the episode Mad Love, Dr. Harleen Quinzel became his sidekick and love interest, Harley Quinn, revolutionizing DC Comics forever. Since stepping out from the Joker's shadow, Harley Quinn has struck out on her own to become one of DC's single most popular characters. After officially being integrated into the comics, Harley Quinn has since gone on to become a flagship character for DC. She was chosen as one of the brand's few representatives in crossover games like Multiversus, and has headlined her own live-action movie thanks to Margot Robbie's great performance. If it wasn't for Batman: The Animated Series, DC would never have been able to capitalize on Harley Quinn's popularity.
9 Batman: The Animated Series' Tragic Mister Freeze Origin Story Defines The Character From a typical burglar with a one-note gimmick to a sympathetic villain
Even if Batman: The Animated Series didn't technically create Mr. Freeze, the series' interpretation of him totally redefined the character in DC Comics going forward. Originally, Mr. Freeze was a simple cold-themed villain Batman fought in the Silver Age, with no real motivation besides monetary gain and ridiculous bright yellow costume. Batman: The Animated Series transformed the character into the victim of a cryogenic accident, driven to crime in pursuit of a cure for his beloved wife's illness. The addition of Nora Fries and Victor's endless quest for her wellness metamorphosed a one-note D-List villain into a deeply tragic yet cold-hearted monster. The mainline comics, as well as other major appearances of the character like Arnold Schwarzenegger's portrayal in Batman & Robin or the video game version in the Rocksteady Arkham series. It's safe to say that the Batman: The Animated Series origin for Mr. Freeze, as told in his debut episode Heart of Ice, far more interesting than his humble beginnings.
8 Kevin Conroy's Batman Performance Is A Cornerstone Of DC's Dark Knight History Conroy just may be the definitive Batman actor
For as many great live-action Batman portrayals as movies and TV shows have offered, Kevin Conroy's voice work in Batman: The Animated Series stands in a league all its own. Ever since the first lines he uttered in the very first episode, Conroy had proven his ability to effortlessly capture the malice, tragedy, and strict code of honor Batman embodies in his vocal performance alone. He also had a talent for emphasizing the line between Batman and Bruce Wayne as well, emphasizing the hero's dual personality. Following the finale of Batman: The Animated Series, Kevin Conroy went on to reprise his role as Batman in numerous other projects, from video games like Netherrealm Studios' Injustice series to other animated DC universes. As such, he is highly regarded as the definitive voice of Batman, leaving behind a wonderful legacy following his tragic passing. Without Batman: The Animated Series, this legacy may have never began in the first place.
7 Harley And Poison Ivy's Relationship Eventually Blossomed Into Romance The 90s cartoon sowed the seeds for DC's biggest same-sex relationship
Custom Image by Brian Colucci It wasn't just the mere invention of Harley Quinn that left a big impact on DC Comics as a whole. Her relationship to another villainess, Poison Ivy, is also quite a commendable story element that would've never existed without Batman: The Animated Series' influence. In the show, particularly in the later seasons, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy became close friends, hinting at something more romantic as heavily as a cartoon for kids in the 90s was able to get away with. From this implication, following DC stories have been able to expand on a genuine romantic relationship between Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, becoming the franchise's most popular and prominent same-sex relationship. In particular, the animated HBO comedy series Harley Quinn was able to put their romance in the spotlight, humorously navigating the trials and tribulations of two villains in love. Beyond the creation of Harley Quinn herself, it's doubtful DC would've ever settled on such a direction without Batman: The Animated Series.
6 Batman Beyond Spread To Other DC Mediums It wasn't just villains that the animated series' universe inspired
One of the coolest spin-offs to come out of Batman: The Animated Series has to be Batman Beyond. Set in the far future years after the original show, Batman Beyond follows the young upstart punk, Terry McGinnis, as he's mentored by an older Bruce Wayne in becoming the next Batman, fighting crime in the cyberpunk world of Neo Gotham. An utterly unique blend of science fiction and superhero aesthetics, Batman Beyond is a creative, unique premise in the same universe as the original show. Terry's Batman has gone on to appear in DC comics and other properties, quickly becoming a fan-favorite incarnation of the character. Most recently, he was featured as one of the many cameos in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths - Part 3, fighting the forces of the Anti-Monitor alongside the classic Batfamily. The natural progression of Batman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond deserves its own accolades regarding its impact on DC media as a whole.
5 Batman: The Animated Series Created Renee Montoya An underrated introduction of Batman: The Animated Series
Image via Prime Video While high-flying superheroes and dastardly villains are the most attention-grabbing additions to Batman: The Animated Series, it's important to remember just how proficient the 90s show was at crafting relatable non-costumed characters. Enter Renee Montoya, a detective in the Gotham City Police Department created specifically for Batman: The Animated Series. Working alongside the cynical Harvey Bullock, Montoya comes into frequent contact with Batman while working in the major crimes unit. Besides adding a much-needed splash of diversity to Gotham City's typically monochromatic cast of characters, Montoya is a sympathetic, but not naive detective who rides the middle road in her relationship with Batman. Somewhere between Commissioner Gordon's optimism and Bullock's distaste for the vigilante, Montoya was preemptively incorporated into the DC Comics, eventually even making it into live-action via the cast of Gotham. Eventually, Montoya becomes the new Question, bringing her full-circle into the world of DC superheroes.
4 Batman: The Animated Series Created Robin's Sleek New Look Tim Drake's snappy outfit was directly inspired by the hallowed series
The third season of Batman: The Animated Series is technically its own show, referred to as The New Batman Adventures. This last installment of the series is known for its dramatic redesigns of Batman villains, going over the entire art direction of the series with a striking new style. However, it wasn't only Batman's rogue's gallery that benefitted from a change in wardrobe, as The New Batman Adventures also focused on a new incarnation of Robin, Tim Drake, to replace Dick Grayson, who went solo to become Nightwing. Tim Drake's Robin outfit is quite striking compared to Dick's, with the garish lime-green accents replaced by a sleek red-and-black aesthetic. This signature look of Tim Drake's Robin in particular would be reflected in the comics, which essentially copied the style of Batman: The Animated Series. Tim Drake even keeps this color scheme when he evolves into a solo hero himself, Red Robin, updating it with a cowl and new bird-shaped emblem.
3 Barbara Gordon's Batgirl Was Repopularized Because Of The Animated Series Gordon's Batgirl might've stayed in DC's backlog of characters otherwise
By the time of Batman: The Animated Series, Batgirl wasn't a particularly popular character among DC Comics writers. Infamously, the Commissioner's daughter, Barbara Gordon, was forced to hang up the cape and cowl in the source material after being brutally injured in a Batman: The Killing Joke, forcing her to take a more supportive role from her wheelchair under a new alias, Oracle. While Batman: The Animated Series may have teased the Oracle plotline, the cartoon was instrumental in repopularizing a traditional Barbara Gordon Batgirl. As a result, by the time DC got around to rebooting their comics universe, Barbara Gordon was brought back as Batman's sidekick. It's incredibly likely that this decision was due to the refreshed popularity of the character, who fans turning from Batman: The Animated Series to the fresh comic line would've been disappointed to find relegated to a background tech support hero as Oracle. If not for the intervention of Batman: The Animated Series, Barbara Gordon might've been relegated to the sidelines for the rest of her DC career.
2 Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm Debuted An Interesting New Villain Phantasm is an excellent addition to Batman's collection of foes
The continuity of Batman: The Animated Series wasn't just a TV show, having a collection of animated tie-in Batman movies to its name, as well. Perhaps the best of these was Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, which introduced yet another brilliant female villain to DC Comics' mythology. In the film, Andrea Beaumont is the one-time fiancée of Bruce Wayne who becomes a masked supervillain to get revenge on the criminals who wronged her. Operating just like Batman but with lethal force, it's up to the Caped Crusader to stop the copycat vigilante in her debut film. As one of Batman's best love interests, Phantasm was popular enough in the film for Andrea Beaumont to be officially brought into the fold as a canonized Batman villain in the comics. Making her official DC print debut in the limited Batman/Catwoman comic run, Phantasm has returned several times since her introduction in her titular movie. Yet another compelling original creation of Batman: The Animated Series, Phantasm's striking mask and scythe remain iconic imagery to this day.
1 Robin And Batgirl's Relationship Was Expanded On By Batman: The Animated Series Move over, Starfire
Dick Grayson has had no shortage of love interests throughout his lengthy DC Comics career, with the alien superhero Starfire being one of the most prominent. However, Batman: The Animated Series sowed the seeds for a romance between Batman's two most famous sidekicks that the comics would eventually follow through with. Even if Batgirl doesn't end up with Robin in the continuity, the arc of their relationship across the events of Batman: The Aniamted Series and The New Batman Adventures was quite compelling. In the comics, Dick Grayson and Batgirl originally had far too great of an age gap for a proper romance to be appropriate, with Robin only briefly harboring a one-sided boyhood crush on his crime-fighting predecessor. In future continuity reboots, however, Batgirl was deaged to not only make this relationship a real possibility, but to give Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon the opportunity to be high school sweethearts. This is one of the most impactful changes to Batman canon that Batman: The Animated Series is responsible for.
Upcoming DC Movie Releases Joker: Folie a Deux
Release Date October 4, 2024 Superman (2025)
Release Date July 11, 2025 Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
Release Date June 26, 2026 The Batman Part II
Release Date October 2, 2026
Batman: The Animated Series 
DC Extended Universe Your changes have been savedEmail is sent
Email has already been sent
close Please verify your email address.
Send confirmation email close You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.
Manage Your List Follow Followed Follow with Notifications Follow Unfollow Close Thread Sign in to your ScreenRant account We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful.
Be the first to post Attachment(s) Please respect our community guidelines. No links, inappropriate language, or spam. Your comment has not been saved
Send confirmation email This thread is open for discussion.
Be the first to post your thoughts.
- Terms
- Privacy
- Feedback
[圖擷取自網路，如有疑問請私訊]
|
本篇 |
不想錯過? 請追蹤FB專頁! |
 | 喜歡這篇嗎？快分享吧！ |
相關文章
tag_dc
