If you’re a fan of Batman, then there’s no getting around what happened in Crisis on Infinite Earths. The voice of adaptations like Batman Beyond, Batman: The Animated Series, or even the movies and video games made his first live action acting appearance on the second part of the show. Kevin Conroy was able to take a few seconds on camera to breathe life to the Batman we’ve all envisioned in our minds.
Kevin Conroy has forever been known as Batman to fans from his voice alone, but now we can associate him with his acting in the five-part crossover event, Crisis on Infinite Earths. Conroy at 64 plays an aging Batman who’s incapable of walking without mechanical assistance; this is all thanks to the Superman of his world.
According to an interview with the Washington Post, he says the feeling is something ineffable. “To actually get to do a live-action version of Bruce Wayne… I don’t know how to describe it.” While it may be a bit out of his comfort zone, he’s no novice at being Batman, and he’s quite smart about what he has going for him. As he says himself, he’s got the edge over other actors being the voice of fan’s imaginations, and he’s willing to capture that to the fullest.
In many respects, his works have aged gracefully since the early 90’s. Some of the remasters like Batman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond show of his vocal talents to an even greater promise. It’s because of this that he’s so respected and familiar among fans; if you ever read a Batman comic, it’s likely his voice that you’re thinking of.
Fans have established their appreciation for his vocal talent, and while it’s a different kind of respect compared to other actors, Conroy doesn’t see it that way. He’s never thought of it as “just voice acting,” and he’s approached Crisis on Infinite Earths with the same enthusiasm.
Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat