Kevin Conroy (1955-2022)

A Voice Actor with a Genuine Spirit

Watching Batman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures, Batman Beyond, Justice League, Justice League: Unlimited, and the animated films were all part of my childhood and what made me into the person that I am today. A fan of animation, superheroes, comics, and being the best version of myself when no hero can be found. Kevin Conroy’s portrayal of the Dark Knight had always stuck with me when I was growing up.

As a child, I never quite understood how Kevin’s voice portrayal of Bruce Wayne and Batman had made such a deep impact on my life. I remember the wonderful memories of just eating a bowl of cereal whenever I was watching Batman fighting crime, showing empathy towards his enemies who turned to evil through bad circumstances, and the well-written dialogue that each character had. What I find most interesting is that I finally understood a lot of the important themes and messages of these incredible stories as I have gotten older. Those messages that being who you need to be in life takes a lot of courage, having faith in the worst circumstances, building a strong mental fortitude, displaying compassion when it’s most needed, having empathy towards your enemies, understanding people on where they’re coming from, believing in hope when life gets hard, having the confidence to confront your fears, insecurities, and doubts, and having that determination that would carry you through the darkest hours of your life. Batman never had it easy being a superhero because he knows what he does will be an endless war that would eventually not provide him a happier and more fulfilling life.

On a more nostalgic note, meeting Kevin back in 2014 was a special moment in my life. I would have never thought that meeting him would bring upon the lost kid within me that dreamed soo much of being a superhero. I can’t remember exactly what I told him, but I do remember asking him for a hug (which he called “The Bat” hug). I certainly needed that hug because I was lost in life, and sometimes you just need that sense of comfort and confirmation that everything is going to be alright. Needless to say, he was a kind, charismatic, generous, and empathetic individual that I am grateful that I got the chance to meet in this lifetime.

Receiving the bad news this morning was the kind of news that I didn’t want to hear. It’s hard to lose someone that makes an impact in your life through their work. An artist’s goal is to open up the hearts of the viewers through various forms of expression.

I do get sentimental about life because I understand that no one is going to be around forever, which is something that is at the forefront of my mind every day. The simple fact that tomorrow isn’t ever promised to any of us, makes me cherish the people that I have in my life because one day it will hurt most deeply when they’re gone.

Nonetheless, Kevin Conroy was not only a brilliant and beloved voice actor, but he was also a genuine person that cared about others. I’ll miss him because without his creativity and his compassion toward his audience, I wouldn’t know where I would be in my life at this moment. May the Lord in Heaven greet you with loving and open arms, Kevin! You’ll always be my Batman and the superhero that came through the television screen when I was down in the dumps. Thank you for everything as always.

Yours Truly,

Josh