10 Mind-Blowing Facts You Didn't Know About Batman: The Animated Series

3. The Series Was So Dark, It Was Boarded On Black Paper

batman animated series mr freeze
Warner Bros

BTAS was dark. Like, not just tonally - I mean literally. Bruce Timm, Eric Radomski and the others behind the series took inspiration from both Tim Burton's '89 Batman film and the Fleischer Superman shorts of the 1930s to create their timeless, art-deco version of Gotham.

It was imposing - a character in and of itself - and part of that was down to a brainwave from Radomski.

Wanting BTAS' backgrounds to stand out from other shows, the producer decided that all of them should be painted on black paper. The effects were extraordinary, and no doubt contributed to the unique tone and feel the series boasted in its earlier seasons.

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Content Producer/Presenter
Content Producer/Presenter

Resident movie guy at WhatCulture who used to be Comics Editor. Thinks John Carpenter is the best. Likes Hellboy a lot. Can usually be found talking about Dad Movies on his Twitter at @EwanRuinsThings.