Batman: The Animated Signature Series

"BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SIGNATURE SERIES,"
HONORING THE GREATEST CARTOON EVER CREATED!

This always evolving set, as corny as it may sound, might be the culmination and absolute best representation of the numerous roads and multiple detours I've taken on my almost 40 year path of being a "collector of collectibles."

Like anyone my age, I was first introduced to (and immediately fell in love with) superheroes through cartoons.
From "Super Friends," Batman's guest appearances on "The New Scooby-Doo Movies," to "Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends," every Saturday morning (after mite hockey of course) found my eyes glued to the TV,
chomping on Cap'n Crunch, wondering what would happen next to our heroes!

And "Batman"... so many episodes of "Batman!"
The 1966 series, starring Adam West and Burt Ward, was played every weekday morning before school in syndication, and I would watch it dutifully in all of it's full color glory
(and missed a couple of buses to elementary school because of it!)!

Adam was my Batman, and he sounded the same as many of the Batman cartoons I had watched (I found out later that he was doing the voice work for some of them), and I watched every episode that I could find in the analog world we lived in, without the convenience of video on demand or even updated channel guides!

The logical next step for me was to start reading comics, and cartoons were indeed the gateway to that!
Of course, like many other children of the 1980s, the moment that truly ignited my lifelong love of comic book reading and collecting, began when I received the classic "JC Penney Comic Collectors Kit" as a holiday gift in 1987.
I read through the Spidey and Cap anthologies that came with it dozens and dozens of times
(and still have them to this day, passing them along to my children)!

Looking back now, and maybe even more impactful, is that I read the guide to collecting comics and the price guide that came along with it just as much.

With incredible timing that only a great mother could have (and a wee bit of luck), my mom ordered a monthly subscription through Marvel for "Amazing Spider-Man" for me. Up until then, it was a random grab for whatever looked "cool" at the checkout of our local grocery store.

My very first mail order comic book came in, direct from Marvel, wrapped in a brown paper sleeve...
a bold Spidey swinging through a circle with a TON of 300s plastered all over the red cover.
With just amazing art that I had never really ever seen before!

I had gotten the call... and I was hooked!


Within a year, my hands-down favorite DC character was brought to the big screen by Michael Keaton and Tim Burton... and I immediately found myself reading any story that I could get my hands on!
That summer I was introduced to "Year One," and "A Death In the Family," and spent more time than I thought humanly possible with "The Dark Knight Returns."
Sure, Spidey and Cap were my guys, and will always be... but everything became about collecting anything Batman, and the movie's merchandising blitz gave this teenager every opportunity to do so!

Now, fast-forward to 1992, with the release of the highly anticipated sequel "Batman Returns," and the animation department at Warner Bros' plan to release a spin-off cartoon in the movies' gothic style later that fall.

Wait, what?!? Batman? Darker, less "campy" style? Cartoons?!? I'M IN!


What I didn't realize on that September day way back in 1992, was exactly HOW impactful
"The Animated Series" would be for me both personally and professionally!

When I was 16, I was a co-owner of a sports card and memorabilia store, and I ALWAYS had an affinity for signed items.
For me, a card (and similarly a comic) can have multiple copies... hundreds, thousands or more...
but a signed item truly had a rareness and uniqueness to it. And a finality of sorts.

That hobby job and my lifelong love of WB cartoons lead to my being hired at a store I truly miss,
and wish my kids could have experienced... the famed Warner Bros. Studio Stores,
where I was the youngest person ever hired by them at the time (at 17).

The best way to explain me and WBSS, is to remember the "Cheers" episode when Norm was hired at a brewery!
It didn't take long for me to fall in love with every item, but I was attracted to the Animation Art Gallery most of all.

Working up the ranks, I earned shifts in "The Gallery," and ultimately became the manager there.
We worked to build a very large network of animation art collectors world-wide, including many of the biggest
DC Comics writers and artists at the time (some of which I can still call friends!).

I ran one of the most successful animation art galleries in the world, all from a Warner Bros. Studio Store in Buffalo, NY!
Due to the success of our incredible team, an amazing opportunity came our way...
as we were selected to host OUR Batman, Kevin Conroy, at an exclusive event in our store back in 2000.

WAIT! HOLY S&%T! IT'S ME AND BATMAN!

In all of the years that I have been a collector of comics, sports card and memorabilia, animation art, you name it,
I realize now how blessed that I have been. From Mickey Mantle to Stan Lee, I've met so many of our shared heroes.
And, I was fortunate enough to meet both of our "Batmen," and enjoy time with them.

I was lucky enough to meet Adam West multiple times before we lost him,
and was equally blessed to have him sign quite a few items for my family and I,
many of which I chose to have personalized because I wanted them that way.

In the end, Kevin and Adam truly formed and solidified my love of the "Caped Crusader"
and, fittingly, it is with the two of them where this particular set begins!

I now present to you, my CGC Signature Series
love letter to the greatest superhero
cartoon ever created!

AND THIS IS THE CROWN JEWEL OF THE ENTIRE COLLECTION!

SIGNED & ""TO BRUCE"" BY ADAM WEST ON 9/27/14
& SIGNED BY KEVIN CONROY ON 5/18/18

The very first time that I saw this book, I fell hard, and was angry for not thinking to do this myself!
I mean, COME ON! He even had him add the "To Bruce," JUST like in the episode!!! PERFECTION!



The unmatched Joe Pierson at "Piersonite Comics & Collectibles" had this available for sale,
and I watched it dutifully for what seemed like an eternity before striking up a conversation.

There are only TWO of these comics in the world signed by both graded at 9.8, with none higher.

After years, literal years, we finally worked out a deal to have me add it to my collection.

To best describe HOW long a period of time that I'm talking, seeing this book the first time inspired me
to begin this collection. I then partnered and worked with GalaxyCon and the incredibly awesome and
ALWAYS helpful Dan Partouche and his "One Stop Comic Shop" during the Covid lockdowns to get each
and every one of the books you see here in this set signed personally for me to add to my collection.

THEN, after ALL of that... we were finally able to work out the deal in June of 2022, before Kevin passed.

This book was THE inspiration for the set before you, and it was finally able to become a member of it!
The extremely rare item is home where it truly belongs, and I will forever be thankful to Joe Pierson
and his amazing selection of Signature Series at Piersonite Comics for letting me obtain it from him!.


Now... it's time to meet the rest of the team, which is always looking to add more members!

Each book in this collection was originally chosen to include only the FIRST ever cover appearance
of the character in "Animated Series" style, but as the collection grew, exceptions were made for
better and/or more unique covers to have these legendary actors sign.


However, the MAIN GOAL was (and still is) to always stay true to the style of these specific cartoon series,
so I wanted books and covers that captured that original look and feel of all three versions of the show:



"Batman: The Animated Series," of course...



the re-branded "The Adventures of Batman and Robin"...



as well as "The New Batman Adventures" style revamp introduced in 1997.

Therefore, I chose to focus primarily on only using books from the following comic series:

•"The Batman Adventures, 1992 - 1995"
- the 1st comic series, released to coincide with the debut of the cartoon

•"The Batman and Robin Adventures, 1995 - 1997"
- the 2nd series, to work in the new cartoon title to give Robin more props

•"Batman: Gotham Adventures, 1998 - 2003"
- the 3rd series, drawn and created in the style to fit the "New Batman Adventures" look

•"Batman: The Adventures Continue, 2020 - "
- the brilliant new (and going) series that carries on the tone of the originals

Now, sit back, and enjoy this nostalgic and wonderful trip through your childhood!

SIGNED & ""PENGUIN"" BY PAUL WILLIAMS ON 2/14/21

SIGNED, ""MY BEST"", ""SELENA KYLE"" & ""CATWOMAN""
BY ADRIENNE BARBEAU ON 7/28/21

SIGNED & ""CLAYFACE"" BY RON PERLMAN ON 8/14/21

SIGNED & ""EDWARD NYGMA - THE RIDDLER?"" BY JOHN GLOVER ON 2/18/21

SIGNED & ""DR. KIRK LANGSTROM - MAN BAT"" BY MARC SINGER ON 2/14/21

SIGNED & ""HARVEY DENT - TWO-FACE"" BY RICHARD MOLL ON 2/14/21

SIGNED, ""POISON IVY"" & ""DR. PAMELA ISLEY"" BY DIANE PERSHING ON 7/31/21

SIGNED & ""BRUCE WAYNE/BATMAN"" BY KEVIN CONROY ON 2/18/21

SIGNED & ""BRUCE WAYNE - BATMAN"" BY KEVIN CONROY
& ""DICK GRAYSON/ROBIN!"" BY LOREN LESTER ON 8/1/21

SIGNED "" RA'S AL GHUL"" BY DAVID WARNER ON 3/7/21

SIGNED & ""BARBARA GORDON/BATGIRL 2021"" BY MELISSA GILBERT ON 2/18/21

SIGNED & ""BATGIRL"" BY TARA STRONG ON 11/5/22

SIGNED & ""JONATHAN CRANE"" & ""SCARECROW"" BY JEFFREY COMBS ON 7/29/23

A few upgrades will need to be done, if possible, as a few of the books lost their former
9.8 Near Mint/Mint grades with some unfortunate rough handling at their respective signings.

And do NOT get me started on what CBCS considers a 9.8 (I'm looking at you, "Batgirl Adventures!")

I am also always on the hunt for more to add to this very unique set, however, time is sadly ticking on the opportunities to get signatures witnessed by some of these amazing actors!

I will say, that there is one specific character voice actor who has long evaded my collection and is,
by far, number one on my "Hit List"...

I'M COMING FOR YOU, HAMILL! :)

The original idea was to collect all the main heroes and villains, naturally.
The immediate problem that presented itself being a 25-30+ year-old show that featured many Hollywood
and stage acting legends of the time, was accessibility... and that was a two-pronged issue.
Not only was there the question of "HOW" would I be able to acquire the signatures (and get them CGC witnessed),
there of course was whether that actor was still alive or even able to.

Sadly, for many, that answer was no.
We had lost many of the great voices that contributed to the series over the years, some over 20 years ago.

Then, of course the most gut-wrenching of all, we all lost our Batmen, Adam and Kevin.

That has since expanded to as many voice actors (who appear on a cover of one of the main connecting Comic Series) as I can get to, some almost 30 years after their performances.

The Level of Difficulty For This Collection Is Set to "EXTREME"! For Example:

Michael Ansara (Dr. Victor Fries / Mr. Freeze)

- passed away in 2013 at the age of 91

Roddy McDowall (Jervis Tetch / The Mad Hatter)

- passed away in 1998, only 70 years old, before CGC was even created

Henry Silva (Bane)

- passed away in 2022 at age 95

Henry Polic II (Dr. Jonathan Crane / Scarecrow) - Original

- passed away in 2013, at only 68 years old

Aron Kincaid (Waylon Jones / Killer Croc)

- passed away in 2011, at only 70 years old

Arlene Sorkin (Dr. Harleen Quinzel / Harley Quinn)

- we lost our Harley unexpectedly in 2023, at only 67 years old

And that doesn't include losing great actors like Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (Alfred Pennyworth)
and Bob Hastings (Commissioner James Gordon),
whose contributions in every episode helped to make the series as great as it was!

Regardless, there are plenty of signatures to acquire of the
voice talent still out there for me to add to the collection.
The problem then becomes finding a suitable (and character matching) cover to add them to!

After all, if the book isn't going to look great aesthetically and have display-ability, why do it?

And, since all of these books were at one time 9.8s prior to getting them signed,
with a few coming back at lower grades... the upgrade game begins...