Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, arguably the greatest Batman movie ever (yeah, you heard us), is finally out on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. And just in time for the animated classic’s 30th anniversary. But it’s a bittersweet release. Simply because we’re all still mourning the loss of that film’s Dark Knight, Kevin Conroy, who passed away a year ago. So, part of this new Mask of the Phantasm release is a special tribute to him from his friends and colleagues. You can watch a clip from that special feature, I Am the Knight, below:
Kevin Conroy is the definitive Batman as far as we’re concerned. He voiced the character for decades, starting with 1992’s Batman: The Animated Series, all the way through to 2019’s Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? He also voiced Bruce Wayne in numerous video games, not to mention DC ensemble shows like Justice League Unlimited and Justice League Action. And his “Old Man Bruce” was arguably the best part of Batman Beyond. He even got to play Bruce in live-action in 2019, as part of the CW’s Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover.
Among the folks paying tribute to Conroy in the featurette are Batman: The Animated Series co-creator Bruce Timm, producers Eric Radomski and Paul Dini, and voice director Andrea Romano. Notable DC Comics creators like Geoff Johns and Paul Levitz sing Conroy’s praises too. Timm admits that finding the right voice actor for other roles was relatively simple. But finding the right Batman? That was very difficult. Luckily, Andrea Romano had heard of a Juilliard-trained actor who would be perfect for the role. And the rest, as they say, is history. Other Dark Knights have come and gone in animation, some very good. However, all pale in comparison to Kevin Conroy, who will always be the best Batman ever.
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is now available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray.
