BACK IN BATS
Kevin Conroy is the one true Batman. By Paul Semel

Despite some laughable portrayals of Batman on TV in the past, Kevin Conroy has voiced the hero to perfection since Batman: The Animated Series debuted in 1992. These days you can catch his work on Cartoon Network's Justice League series or UbiSoft's Batman: Vengeance.

At what age did you realize you had a cool voice?
Pretty early on. The funny thing is that when I was 17, I had this tough English teacher who said, "Mr. Conroy, you're not proving your masculinity with your voice." She thought it was fake.

Have you ever used it for evil?
I don't think using it to meet women is evil.

How did you get the Bat-gig?
I used to do commercial voice-overs to supplement my theater income, because theater doesn't pay much. This job came through my commercial agent. They apparently were having trouble casting the part because they didn't want someone cartoony. They wanted something more dramatic. But I had never done animation before. I wasn't even that familiar with Batman.

Have you become a fan now?
Oh yeah. Frank Miller's The Dark Knight [Returns] is just incredible.

So if you had a daughter, would you use the voice to scare of potential suitors?
Sure. I work with foster kids on the weekends, and I'm very possessive of the kids, so I would definitely use the voice.

How was doing the voice for the game different than doing it for the show?
I was surprised how hard it was. You rely on the storyline to keep you in character; there's a dramatic line throughout each episode that you follow. But you don't have that with the game; you're just doing these random lines, so it's sometimes hard to figure out how to stay in character.

The shows have featured such celebrities as Melissa Joan Hart, Henry Rollins, Rachael Leigh Cook and Ed Asner. When they record their voices, are you there too?
Oh yeah, that's half the fun. Because it's such a high-quality show, they've had no trouble getting anyone they want. I've gotten to meet everybody.

Who's the most fun to work with?
Well, the one I developed a really nice relationship with is Mark Hamill, who does the Joker. Aside from being very talented, he's just a good person.

Batman is friends with the Joker?
Oh, I know. Isn't that funny?

Whom do you identify with more: Batman or Bruce Wayne?
I kind of identify with both, but I also kind of think of Batman as being who he really is and Bruce Wayne being the alter ego. Bruce Wayne is the face he puts on to function in society, but in his heart, in his soul, he's Batman. And I kind of relate to that. After all, everyone puts on a face when they go out in society.

You're now doing the Bat-voice for Justice League. Besides not having as much work to do because it's an ensemble, what's different about this show for Batman?
Well, he's the same character--he's not changed--but that just makes him a bit of an outsider of the group. In fact, he only joins the group when there's an emergency.