Years ago I read an article that referred to Batman's "innumerable screen appearances". The phrase stuck with me. As part of my "watch everything I own" agenda that I started this year on New Years' Day, I've been watching my Batman collection this past month and a half or so.
This has led me to two things I'd like to explore here. The fallacy of "innumerable" and my list of the best versions of the main characters as we've been treated to over the years.
First, let's look at that "innumerable" list of Batman appearances. For the purposes of this list, let's stick to those movies and/or television shows which either have "Batman" in the title or at least feature the Dark Knight as the main character. I'm excluding his appearances as part of a team in shows (and soon to be movies) such as Justice League, or guest appearances or cameos such as his appearance in Suicide Squad or the brief glimpses of him seen in the show Birds of Prey. While they're fun and I can enjoy them, I'm also not including the LEGO versions of the character.
Live action.
1943 Batman (12 part serial)
1949 Batman and Robin (15 part serial)
1966 Batman (tv series, 3 seasons)
1966 Batman (movie featuring the tv series cast)
1968 The Adventures of Batman (animated series)
1977 The New Adventures of Batman (animated series)
1989 Batman (movie)
1992 Batman Returns (movie)
1992 Batman - The Animated Series (animated series, 3 seasons)
1993 Batman - Mask of the Phantasm (animated movie)
1995 Batman Forever (movie)
1997 Batman and Robin (movie)
1997 Batman and Superman Movie - World's Finest (animated movie)
1998 Batman and Mr. Freeze - Sub-Zero (animated movie)
1999 Batman Beyond (animated series, 3 seasons)
1999 The New Batman Adventures (animated series, 1 season)
2000 Batman Beyond - Return of the Joker (animated movie)
2003 Batman - Mystery of the Batwoman (animated movie)
2004 The Batman (animated series, 5 seasons)
2005 Batman Begins
2005 Batman Vs. Dracula (animated movie, featuring cast of The Batman)
2008 Batman - Gotham Knight (animated movie)
2008 The Dark Knight (movie)
2008 Batman - The Brave and the Bold (animated series, 5 seasons)
2009 Superman/Batman - Public Enemies (animated movie)
2010 Batman - Under the Red Hood (animated movie)
2010 Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (animated movie)
2011 Batman - Year One (animated movie)
2012 Batman - The Dark Knight Returns (2 part animated movie)
2012 The Dark Knight Rises (movie)
2014 Son of Batman (animated movie)
2014 Batman - Assault on Arkham (animated movie)
2014 Beware the Batman (animated series, 1 season)
2015 Batman Vs. Robin (animated movie)
2015 Batman Unlimited - Animal Instincts (animated movie)
2016 Batman - Bad Blood (animated movie)
2016 Batman Unlimited - Monster Mayhem (animated movie)
2016 Batman V Superman (movie)
2016 Batman Unlimited - Mechs vs. Mutants (animated movie)
2016 Batman - The Killing Joke (animated movie)
2016 Batman - Return of the Caped Crusaders (animated movie featuring cast of the 1966 series)
By my tally, that's 20 seasons of animated television, 3 seasons of live action, 2 serialized films, 20 animated films and 9 live action films. Innumerable? Nope.
Sure there's a ton more fan film/cameo/send up type appearances plus some official stuff that only appears on YouTube that has never made it to dvd release, but that's what's out there for purchase and that's really the only fair count.
So what about that other matter?
In the old days when this little blog hummed with visits, I'd have framed this as a poll or a quiz. Today a reasonable number of replies would probably take years. So here's my assessment, and mine alone.
I'm going to give you my opinion of the best versions of the following, taken from any and all available Batman or Batman related properties: Batman (3 categories), Bruce Wayne, Robin, Commissioner Gordon, Alfred, Batgirl, Harvey Bullock, Joker, Catwoman, Riddler, Two-Face, Bane and Penguin. There are other characters, of course, who might well be rated, but these 13 are the essential core of the mythos, more or less.
Let's start with the villains. Without great villains, Batman is a crazy guy who wears his underwear on the outside and little more.
Penguin. He's been played by Burgess Merideth, David Ogden Stiers, Paul Williams, Danny DeVito and many others, but none compare to the menace and cunning of Robin Lord Taylor's Machiavellian Oswald Cobblepot, aka The Penguin on Gotham.
Bane.
He's showed up in a couple of live action versions, most notably the suave, almost charming version in The Dark Knight Rises, but for me, Danny Trejo captures the character best. A single appearance as the character in the animated series Young Justice, sadly recast for a later appearance, saw Trejo give the character his gravelly, menacing voice. No monosyllabic droning as the character did in Batman and Robin, no Sean Connery dulcet tones, just a hard man doing hard things. Awesome.
Two-Face.I'm going out on a limb here. I'm picking a version yet to be. Next year (2017) will see the release of a second direct to dvd animated feature starring Adam West and Burt Ward, featuring William Shatner as Two-Face.
Considering he's really only up against Tommy Lee Jones' scenery chewing Harvey Dent in Batman Forever and the decent version crafted by Richard Moll (Bull from Night Court) in Batman - The Animated Series, I predict that Shat will kill it Batman Vs. Two-Face.
Riddler.Hands down, Frank Gorshin. Jim Carrey totally ripped Gorshin's entire shtick in Batman Forever and it rang hollow in every moment.
Many have portrayed the character in animated versions, with Freddy Krueger actor Robert Englund's turn being a stand out, but no one has ever come close to the manic, brilliant, larger than life version created by Gorshin.
Plus, he totally pulled off the green spandex onesie.
Catwoman.Move over Michelle Pfeiffer, Anne Hathaway and even Eliza Dushku.
Julie Newmar.
If I need to tell you why, we can't be friends.
The Joker.
Only one man. Mark Hamill. Yes, Luke Skywalker.
Hamill's turn as the Joker in Batman - The Animated Series is the Gold Standard. Heath Ledger got the Oscar but Hamill gets the love, from me at least.
Nobody does that laugh better.
Harvey Bullock.
Robert Costanzo brought gruff, slobbish detective Bullock to the screen first but the character was generally limited to minor griping about caped vigilantes and cookie cutter cop lines.
Brilliant character actor Donal Logue has taken that limited template and created a broad, brusk, immensely likeable layabout, the cop version of a hooker with a heart of gold.
He might be a bit dirty, he might be lazy, he might be cynical and jaded but he's just so good at it...
Batgirl.I hate to do it, but I gotta.
The late, great Yvonne Craig originated the character who was created for the third season of the 1966 Batman series and it hurts me to have to pick someone else.
But.
Dina Meyer mainly played Barbara Gordon and her wheelchair bound "Oracle" but on a couple of occasions, fans of the show Birds of Prey got to see Meyer as Batgirl. While the outfit was a repainted update of the outfit worn by Alicia Silverstone in Batman and Robin, Meyer wore it better. Sexy, tough and bat-tastic!
Alfred Pennyworth.I really thought it would be Michael Caine.
Truly, this is the most surprising one on my list. Michael Caine is a great actor and when he was cast as Alfred, I thought it about the most perfect casting since Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister.
But Sean Pertwee owns the part on Gotham. He's a tough, former S.A.S. operative, raising a rich orphan and kicking ass while doing so. Guns, fights, explosives and a spot of tea.
Commissioner Gordon.This one's easy. Of all the live action versions, Gary Oldman actually looks like Jim Gordon. 70's 'stache and all.
Plus, ya know, acting. Phenomenal, wicked acting.
Honourable mention to Bob Hastings, who rocked Gordon on Batman - The Animated Series.
Robin.Probably the toughest to pick. Not so much because of a plethora of great performances or a lack thereof, but because of the character himself.
Most of the time, Robin is hardly more than a prop, comic relief or an exposition monkey. He rarely gets developed as a character, so it's hard to find an actor to pick as great at portraying the character.
The only real exceptions to that rule are Burt Ward in the 1966 Batman series and two actors who voiced the character over multiple seasons on television.
Scott Menville played a great Robin on Teen Titans for 5 seasons and would be my pick if not for playing the "same" character on the horrific Teen Titans Go.
Jesse McCarthey played Robin, who grows up to become Nightwing on Young Justice and gave us the most well rounded version of the character to date.
Bruce Wayne.Totally separate from Batman, possibly clinically so, Bruce Wayne is an altogether different character portrayal than Batman.
Batman must lurk under the charm and poise of Bruce Wayne but with only rare exceptions, only the audience can see the hints of Batman's rage and power.
Michael Keaton. Somehow the smoldering, pent up anger is there on his face, even when it's not.
Batman. The character is complex and as such, I've allowed 3 picks for 3 distinct, vital facets of screen versions of The Dark Knight.
Batman. The Look.I'll take flack for this but I stand by it. George Clooney.
While I hated the silver//black Batsuit that Clooney wears at the end of the film, the pictured suit worn at the beginning of Batman and Robin is, bar none, the best looking Batman ever filmed. It could only be better if it had been blue and grey with yellow in the bat-symbol and belt.
And that jaw. Good grief.
Batman. Bad-assery.
Seriously. Affleck's Post-Apocalyptic Trench Coat Batman is far and away the most intimidating Bat, EVER.
Plus, Ben Affleck's Batman kicks Superman's ass.
Batman. The whole deal.
Kevin Conroy.
Nobody better, period. First in Batman - The Animated Series, then the Arkham video game series and lately in several animated films, including the recent Batman - The Killing Joke, again (possibly for the final time) opposite Mark Hamill's Joker.
His Batman voice is legend. His take on the character classic. The best, ever.
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