I am the Night by Daniel Dockery

At a time when televised cartoons—especially within the superhero genre—were often over-looked, The Animated Series introduced an entire generation of soon-to-be Batman fanatics to the caped crusader. The series triumphed into what is largely considered one of the best superhero cartoons of all time, and the best depiction of Batman mythology in any format.

But the road to genre-defying and genre-defining success was hardly guaranteed. Along the way, co-creator Bruce Timm and his team of artists at Warner Bros Animation battled a landscape prejudiced against all things Batman. Internal struggles led the writing team and the network to debate everything (literally everything) about how best to depict Batman—from whether or not the eco-friendly hero would have a recycling bin in the Batcave to how many women he was allowed to kiss onscreen.

In I Am the Night, Daniel Dockery lovingly deep dives into The Animated Series and the cartoon renaissance it inspired, becoming the definitive primary source for new and old fans of the series alike. Including exclusive interviews with the team behind the cartoon and many never-before-shared insights about the series, I Am the Night will surprise even the staunchest of Batman enthusiasts and capture what made people first fall in love with the series. As many ups and downs as the DC Cinematic Universe may have, Batman is eternal–and so is The Animated Series.

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I grew up on Saturday morning cartoons, although by the time Batman: The Animated Series arrived I was starting to drift away from children's television as school took over. Even so, I remember hearing just how highly people spoke of it. I've always been curious about what made this particular series such a landmark.

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📚 Post-Reading

As I thought...

Daniel Dockery's I Am the Night is far more than a history of one television programme. While Batman: The Animated Series remains the heart of the book, it also paints a fascinating picture of the wider animation industry during the early 1990s and shows how one ambitious cartoon helped reshape superhero television for years to come.

The sheer amount of work that goes into producing an animated series is astonishing. From writing and storyboarding to animation, voice acting, music and studio negotiations, every episode represents the efforts of countless creative people working together. Dockery makes the process accessible without oversimplifying it, giving readers a real appreciation for the craft behind the finished product.

I particularly enjoyed seeing how many artists, writers and producers moved between different studios and projects. Watching careers develop across multiple iconic cartoons gives the book an extra layer of depth, and it was impossible not to smile whenever another familiar title appeared. (Whoo, Gargoyles!)

It surprised me by...

Just how influential Batman: The Animated Series proved to be. The book makes a compelling case that it helped spark a renaissance in superhero animation, and tracing that influence through the years is one of its greatest strengths.

Some of the behind-the-scenes discussions are wonderfully unexpected. Reading about debates over seemingly tiny details—right down to what colour Catwoman's hair should be or how many women Batman could kiss on screen—offers a reminder that every creative decision, no matter how small it seems, has someone arguing passionately for or against it.

By the time I finished, I found myself wanting to revisit the series with fresh eyes. Not just to enjoy Batman's adventures, but to appreciate the artistry, creativity and determination that brought them to life.

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👀 Who I'd Recommend It To

• Fans of Batman: The Animated Series
• Readers interested in animation history
• Anyone curious about how cartoons are made
• Superhero fans looking to understand the medium's evolution