The New Batman Adventures (often shortened as TNBA) is an American animated superhero television series based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, which aired on Kids' WB from September 13, 1997 to January 16, 1999. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, it is a continuation of Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995), serving as the third season of the show and the third series in the DC Animated Universe. It was followed by Batman Beyond (1999–2001). The series had a revamp, replacing the previous art style of its predecessor with streamlined designs for more consistent animation, and to maintain similarity with the simultaneously running Superman: The Animated Series (1996–2000), with episodes airing on Kids' WB under the title The New Batman/Superman Adventures.
Stories in this series tend to give more focus to Batman's supporting cast, which include fellow crimefighters Robin, Nightwing and Batgirl, among others. The show also features guest stars such as Supergirl, Etrigan the Demon and The Creeper, characters who would later appear with Batman in Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. The 2001 video game Batman: Vengeance and its follow-up Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu are based on this series.
Overview
The New Batman Adventures premiered on Kids' WB just two years after Batman: The Animated Series ended its original run on Fox Kids. During the midst of working on Superman: The Animated Series, the network approached the creative team asking them if they could do more episodes of Batman, which would air alongside Superman. To freshen the look of the new show, the art style was revamped from Batman: The Animated Series for more consistent and fluid animation, as well as to keep similarity with Superman: The Animated Series. The show also had a significant change in focus from the original series, with episodes focusing less on Batman and more on the many characters that inhabited Gotham City.
Production
Batman was given a sleeker, brawnier appearance with an overall darker costume: the yellow ellipse surrounding the bat emblem on his chest and the blue highlights of his cape and cowl were both removed and his utility belt has pouches instead of capsules and is now light brown instead of yellow, which resembles his appearance in Batman: Year One. His gadgets and vehicles were given a sleeker, redesigned look with a more black color scheme. Bruce Wayne's appearance was also changed from the previous series: his hair was brushed back to highlight his face, with blue eyes instead of black, and his regular business suit was changed from brown to black. Kevin Conroy's voice for Batman became more stern, as well as less distinguishable from his voice for Bruce than in the original series. The writers made an effort to keep Batman's dialogue as terse and grim as possible, in order to heighten the contrast between him and the lighthearted supporting cast, this also highlighted his character change from the original series.
Batgirl's costume was changed to a look similar to her original outfit from her comic debut in Detective Comics #359 and in her appearance in the Silver Age of comics, which is now a black bodysuit with yellow gloves and boots, but keeps her blue cape and cowl and yellow bat-symbol and utility belt. Her father Commissioner Gordon's appearance was also altered, with a more slender build and a flat-top hairstyle. Producer Paul Dini said that Batgirl would appear in every episode of the new series because "Kenner wants to do a line of toys, we're taking advantage of the publicity from her being in Batman & Robin, and we just love Batgirl". In addition, Melissa Gilbert was recast with Tara Strong (credited under her maiden name Tara Charendoff) as the voice of Batgirl, as the creative team wanted a younger-sounding voice. While Batgirl did not actually appear in every episode, she did appear more often than Batman's other partners in the series. She also was Batman's main partner in the series rather than Robin, which differs the series from most Batman television series and in the comics (as Robin is usually Batman's main partner).