Frank Miller's Dark Knightįrank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (opens in new tab) was born of a quest for a return to form for Batman and his stories. Whatever your personal feelings about the show, there's no denying that it defined the public's perception of Batman for a generation, and lead to the revival not just of numerous Batman villains, including the Riddler and the Joker, but of a darker, more serious Batman in comic books as a reaction to the show's campy premise. Those fans that can't get past a Batman whose adventures and attitude are radically different from those of mainstream comics revile the show, while those with an appreciation for the material as a product of its time and place form a devoted cult following. The '60's Batman (opens in new tab) TV show's reliance on comedic guest stars, campy plots, and hokey dialogue have made it a 'love it' or 'hate it' proposition. Spurred by the superhero revival of comic books' Silver Age, executives at ABC developed the widely polarizing Batman television series starring Adam West and Burt Ward as Batman and Robin, respectively, to cash in on the growing trend. Over the course of three seasons, Batman Beyond (opens in new tab) gathered a devoted following and established Terry as a strong, unique version of Batman who faced off against not only his own rogues but some classic Bat-villains as well. Wayne takes McGinnis under his wing, giving him a high-tech suit with an array of gadgets and weaponry, and 'coaching' Terry via a special communications link. Working backward from that premise, Timm and Dini developed the story of Terry McGinnis, a high school student whose father is killed by corporate criminals, sparking a sequence of events the lead to McGinnis discovering a now-retired Bruce Wayne's secret history as Batman.

When they asked what the pair had in mind, Timm said the first thing that came into his head: 'Teenage Batman.' When B:TAS ended, producers Bruce Timm and Paul Dini were approached by Warner Bros. Batman: The Animated Series (opens in new tab) was hugely popular and inspired spinoffs for Superman and the Justice League.

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