Batman: The Animated Series 10 Best Characters

For possibly the first time, this show really illustrated an old comics axiom: Superman sees his Clark Kent identity as a necessity but wishes he could always use it; Batman sees his Bruce Wayne identity as a necessity, hates it, and wishes he never had to use it. Bruce would much rather be Batman all the time, and considers the occasions he has to put on his Bruce Wayne disguise as a waste of crime-fighting time.

Kevin Conroy is the first actor to really nail these dual aspects of Bruce / Batman, but it can be argued that he did so better with Bruce. He used distinctly different voices to portray both, and always made sure that his depiction of Bruce was everything Batman is not - casual, clumsy, lighthearted, even a touch cowardly sometimes.

Adam West and Michael Keaton essentially played Batman/Bruce the same in costume or out (although, Keaton DID portray his Bruce Wayne as being right on the edge of losing it.) Conroy made you believe that Bruce Wayne, a jet-setting playboy spending his time at charity galas and dating beautiful women without a care in the world, was just a skin that Batman slipped on and off as needed, another tool in his arsenal.

It's easy to voice a hero; not so much to voice the fool.