Movies - TV
A Few Batman: The Animated Series Villain Designs Left The Artist Disappointed
By MIKE SHUTT
"Batman: The Animated Series" remains a stand-out show among children and adults alike, with its great content and unique aesthetics. However, despite being considered an unimpeachable screen adaptation and gateway for many into the world of Batman, Robin, and Gotham, the show still left one of its own artists disappointed at some of the villains’ designs.
Kevin Nowlan, the man who created many of these characters for the show, explained his unhappiness with his designs for both the Penguin and the Riddler. He felt he was too heavily inspired by the characters from the Adam West-led TV show from the 1960s, which was the source of most people's familiarity with Batman prior to the animated series.
“I hadn't done much more than sketch the '66 TV character [for the Penguin] so I didn't have a lot invested in that one,” said Nowlan. “I also had Frank Gorshin in mind when I drew the Riddler.” Nowlan wasn't too thrilled with his Mad Hatter either, but fortunately, Roddy McDowell’s performance was brilliant, and in Nowlan’s words, “No one noticed the character design.”