The Animated Series’ – Joker & More Get New McFarlane Toys Figures

The Big Picture

Batman: The Animated Series remains the definitive version of the iconic DC hero, gaining popularity through comic revivals, home releases, and new toys.
McFarlane Toys has unveiled Wave 2 of their BTAS action figures, featuring Robot Batman, The Riddler, The Joker, and Commissioner Gordon, each with a build-a-figure piece.
The incredible voice acting, including Kevin Conroy as Batman, Mark Hamill as Joker, and John Glover as Riddler, elevated the series to a new level, with the actors recording together like an old radio drama.

Over 30 years later, Batman: The Animated Series remains the definitive version of the iconic DC hero in any medium. The series, which debuted in 1992, has become more and more popular every year thanks to comic revivals, multiple 4K and Blu-ray releases, and a handful of new toys. This includes the king of DC action figures, McFarlane Toys, who just unveiled Wave 2 for their BTAS line on social media.

The four new figures include Robot Batman, The Riddler, The Joker, and Commissioner James Gordon. Each figure comes with a build-a-figure piece to make the villainous Lock-Up. The latter of which was a villain who was created specifically for BTAS in 1994 for his underrated self-titled episode. In that episode, the character was a former Arkham Asylum employee named Lyle Bolton who was fired for being abusive towards the inmates.

In the series, Lyle Bolton had a similar vigilante mission to Batman, but his methods were much more lethal, which put him at odds with The Dark Knight. While only appearing in one episode, the villain was a great counterargument to the way the fan-favorite hero operated. Along with the build-a-figure piece, each figure comes with their fair share of accessories, including Riddler’s cane, an extra head for Batman, and a megaphone for Commissioner Gordon.

‘Batman: The Animated Series’ Was Elevated by Incredible Voice Acting

Kevin Conroy’s Batman is widely considered the definite Batman thanks to his killer combination of mature tragedy, gravitas, and genuine humanity. However, what elevated his performance was the voice cast around him. Mark Hamill’s Joker and John Glover’s Riddler are just a few brilliant examples of this. Like Conroy’s version of Batman, this is the definitive rogues’ gallery because the ensemble didn’t play it like they were in a Saturday morning cartoon, they played it straight like they were in a live-action setting.

It also helped that each episode recorded was done like an old radio drama with every actor being present together to read their lines. That’s something that was rarely done in the early 90s, and it’s even rarer in today’s animation world. The voices and recording process was the first step to separate this legendary series from the pack. From its breathtaking animation to the star-studded cast to the endlessly rich storytelling, BTAS is next to none. That’s why, three decades later, it’s great to see companies like McFarlane Toys continue the show and Conroy’s historic legacy.

Batman: The Animated Series is currently streaming on Max. While you’re binging away, you can pre-order Mcfarlane’s Target exclusive Wave 2 on their website. Each figure is $24.99 individually and will be released on January 26, 2024. You can preview the figures below.