The Day The Batman Died.
- Connor
- Nov 11, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 18, 2023
Kevin Conroy died. For those who don't know who that is, he voiced Batman for years. Starting in the 90's with the Emmy-winning Batman the Animated Series all the way up till his passing. Many, myself among them, would argue he did not just voice Batman, but he was the definitive Batman. He embodies the character so fully and deeply, with all the strength and tragedy, the power and brokenness, and all the nuance necessary to capture what the caped crusader is meant to be. Something no other actor has managed to give to the role.
From BtAS, to Justice League, and Batman Beyond, Conroy gave a brilliant performance gripping monologues, hilarious one-liners, charisma akin to Bond, and deeply moving moments. His performance in the Batman Arkham Series was a huge part of the game series' success. Both his projects in animation and in video games received critical acclaim and were groundbreaking in their respective industries. This success came from the sheer creative wills of the teams behind them and the great attention to detail through high-quality storytelling. It is no doubt that Kevin embodied these qualities in his performance and as an actor.
Lastly,
Kevin is a gay man. Kevin's Batman is my Batman. The one I grew up with and had through my childhood. The voice I hear when I read comic books. He was so strong, so smart, so brave, so kind, he was a superhero. He was also broken and tragic, he was a man. I looked up to him. As I got older I appreciated how well written and performed the character was. I looked into the actor behind the performance and became a fan, I looked up to him. It wasn't till 2022, in DC's Pride series, that I found out he was a gay man. In a beautiful and powerful comic about Kevin, he tells his story of coming to terms with being gay. How his experience facing rejection, having to hide who he was, and losing friends during the aids crisis, is the foundational life experience his performance as Batman pulls from. The two versions of himself, his "public face" and "private face" become a means for him to operate in society. The yearning for a sense of safety and identity after years of suffering. This is Batman at his core and why Conroy, a gay man, is able to capture the character in his performance.
For me personally, having my childhood superhero who represented all those standard masculine virtues be played by a gay man is important to me. To have one, if not the, greatest superhero of all time be played by a gay man is so impactful. It shows me that my heroes don't have to be separated from my own sexuality. Masculinity doesn't have to be separated from homosexuality. It shows how the public at large can relate to the struggle of another person no matter where that struggle lies. Through the performance so many people love, they were truly relating to those same emotions central to Kevin's life experience as a gay man in a less accepting time. Their Batman is that story, even if they did not realize it, and the ability to not know it is why it's so important. Because it's not a gay story, it's the life experience that happens to be from a gay man. Life experience that is different for everyone but relatable to everyone. Kevin's sexuality is not necessary information to appreciate his performance, I did not know until this year, but it does add a fascinating layer, one that, as a gay man who looked up to Batman my whole life, is indispensable and invaluable.
RIP Kevin Conroy, RIP to THE Batman.
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