My Top 10 Science Fiction and Fantasy Characters: #4

4. Terry McGinnis (Batman Beyond) 

It is not secret that I am a huge Batman fan and I have been one ever since I was a little kid watching Batman: The Animated Series. Kevin Conroy, in my opinion, is Batman and nobody else in television, film, or video games will ever take his place. As time progressed, Superman received his own show and it was only inevitable that the two heroes would cross paths. As the popularity of these two shows increased and the DC animated universe became intertwined, spinoff series were discussed and greenlit. Enter the first of these series, Batman Beyond. What could have just been a kid show about a young futuristic Batman turned out to be my favorite out of the DC animated universe. Wait, did I say Kevin Conroy is Batman? Oh, sorry, I meant Will Friedle. 

Ok, I am somewhat joking because Kevin Conroy will always be Bruce Wayne’s Batman, but Friedle portrays Terry McGinnis who is my favorite Batman out of them all. But, the original Batman is a classic, why would I like the beyond counterpart better? Well, there are a number of reasons I like Terry McGinnis better than Bruce Wayne. First Bruce Wayne is utterly psychotic. Have you ever read any of Grant Morrison’s run on Batman, the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, anyone? Bruce Wayne’s Batman is a man who is just too obsessed with his war on crime that it has clouded and pushed out every other aspect of his life. Terry McGinnis, on the other hand, experiences a tragedy in the death of his father but deals with this death in a much saner manner. While, he does don the Batman suit to carry out vengeance against those who caused the death of his father, his main purpose for being Batman is to make up for past sins. Also, McGinnis is able to still lead a somewhat normal life. He even gets married eventually  which is something Wayne was never able to do.

Second, I like my superheroes with powers and I consider Batman Beyond as a batman with superpowers. His suit provides flight, super strength, and super vulnerability. He is able to take punishment the original could only think of. Last, the dynamic of having two minds behind Batman instead of one makes Batman better in that if Wayne can’t think of something McGinnis can come up with a solution which he does on different occasions. Plus, the entertainment of having the two superb voice actors converse back and forth is great and enjoyable.

Something that got me really interested in the character again is the fact that DC Comics brought Terry McGinnis into the comics proper and even put him into continuity with Damian Wayne behind the computer instead of Bruce Wayne. However, with the death of Damian Wayne, I don’t know what that does to the continuity. I have been enjoying Adam Beechen’s writing in the Batman Beyond Unlimited series which continues the continuity of the animated universe (It is not a kid’s comic by any means, however) and it is my favorite ongoing comic series at this time.   

  

Best portrayal: Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker

Favorite moment(s): Terry at the behest of Bruce Wayne takes out the Justice League after one of their villains ransacks the mall where Terry’s Mom and Brother are shopping.

As he is chasing after Aquagirl in a water tank in the Fortress of Solitude, hundreds of Starros latch onto Terry to control his mind. With the batsuit, he electrocutes every one of them.