TRAGIC LOVE MONTH #2: Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, by Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski (1993)

Type of Media: Animation

Yeah, bet you weren't expecting this movie here, were ya?

Batman is probably the most reliably popular character in DC's stable of superheroes these days. It isn't hard to see why; in a universe filled with cosmic demigods like Superman and Martian Manhunter, Batman is just a man on a mission to avenge his parents. He gets tired, he gets emotional, and his ideals are rooted in personal trauma, which all make him sympathetic in a way that Supes just can't be. He's a rich character, which is why there are so many different successful takes on him.

When thinking about the best versions of Batman, most people's minds will jump straight to the live-action adaptations, particularly the Nolan films, and skip over the many Batman cartoons. That's a big mistake, though, as Batman: The Animated Series is a fantastic depiction of the character. It defined how people perceived Batman throughout the 90s and early 2000s, and set the tone for how DC would handle their animated series for over a decade. It was dark, mature, and focused on developing driving personal motivations for both Batman and his cast of villains.

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is the first movie The Animated Series would spawn, and actually had a theatrical release unlike most other animated DC movies (though it failed financially due to lack of promotion). It focuses on Batman's love life, an aspect of his character that's rarely developed. Though the main plot is about a group of crime bosses getting murdered by a cloaked vigilante people mistake for Batman, the real heart of the story is a series of flashbacks that show a young Bruce Wayne falling in love with a woman named Andrea Beaumont, and having to choose between risking his life to fight crime and settling down into a normal life.

While this is a story that could probably be told in a two-part episode of the show, the feature-length run time lets you see how agonizing a decision this is for Bruce. He pleads at his parents' grave for permission to abandon his vow to fight crime, saying "I didn't count on being happy." But once Bruce chooses Andrea and proposes to her, her father gets into a bad situation with his criminal business partners, forcing her to flee and abandon their engagement. This is the final wound that pushes Bruce to embrace fear over love and don the cowl. Years later Andrea returns to Gotham, inspiring a glimmer of hope in Bruce that they could still be together. Once he meets her, though, it's clear that she made a similar choice to the one he made

All of the praises typically heaped on The Animated Series hold true for Mask of the Phantasm. Its version of Gotham is iconic, a forest of Art Deco skyscrapers crawling with Streamline Moderne cars, epitomizing a dark city that is both sophisticated and dangerous. Bruce Timm's angular, 1950s-inspired art compliments both the gritty film noir tone and superhero action. The voice cast is amazing, with Dana Delany creating a perfect mate for Bruce as the confident and capable Andrea Beaumont, and Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reminding everyone why, even to this day, they are the go-to voices for Batman and the Joker.

If you have fond memories of Batman: The Animated Series, or if you consider yourself a Batman fan but have never checked out the animated Batman shows, watch Mask of the Phantasm. It isn't just another kid's cartoon from the 90s, it's one of the best Batman stories you can find outside of the comic books.