[Blaster86]

I've grown up with and been alive for many Batmans. Adam West was still regularly on TV. Keaton, Kilmer, Clooney, Bale, Affleck in the movies I've seen. Rino Romano, Deidrich Bader and even Jason O'Mara.

Through it all, when I think about "who played Batman?" or "Who was Batman?" My first thought is and will always be Kevin Conroy. When I read a comic book and Batman is speaking, I hear Kevin Conroy. He was the best at showing Bruce Wayne and Batman were actually very different people. The change in pacing and tone between the two made it easy to believe that it was two different people talking. His portrayal was also the best at showing that Batman was Batman and Bruce Wayne was the secret identity. The animation was part of this, but it was Conroy's voice that gave it gravitas and life. None of the other voice actors I listed have ever been able to show you the duality of Bruce/Batman. Really, no other actor has. Some have tried to emulate Conroy but it just isn't the same. Bale's altering of his voice to that animal-like growl when wearing the cowl was almost impossible to understand and came off as campy.