Batman: The Animated Series (1992 — 1995)

Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995) is an American animated superhero TV show based on the DC Comics character. Created by Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski and produced by Warner Bros. Animation, it originally aired on Fox Kids from 1992 to 1995 with a total of 85 episodes. The series drew inspiration from Tim Burton’s live-action Batman films and the acclaimed Superman theatrical cartoons produced by Fleischer Studios in the 1940s. In order to capture the ‘otherworldly timelessness’ seen in Burton’s movies, Timm and Radomski incorporated period elements like black-and-white title cards, police airships, and a “vintage” color palette with film noir influences. The show’s visual style was heavily influenced by Radomski’s artwork, which also provided the gothic atmosphere of Gotham City. To maintain consistency, all backgrounds were painted using light colors on black paper per Radomski’s directive instead of the industry standard of dark colors on white paper. This unique combination of ‘noir’ imagery and Art Deco design became known as ‘Dark Deco’ among the producers.

As the sole heir to the Wayne family fortune, Bruce Wayne leads a double life. By day, he adopts the persona of a wealthy and debonair socialite, but when night falls, he transforms into his alter-ego: The Batman, a fearless vigilante who fights crime in Gotham City. Along with his trusted allies Dick Grayson/Robin and Barbara Gordon/Batgirl, as well as Police Commissioner James Gordon, Batman tirelessly protects the streets from an array of dangerous criminals and adversaries. Ever since the tragic deaths of his parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne in Crime Alley, Bruce has devoted himself to avenging their deaths by becoming Gotham’s dark knight: The Batman. With unwavering determination, he takes on Gotham’s most notorious villains single-handedly, saving his city from a fate worse than death – eternal damnation.