Animator Post: Bruce Timm

Born on February 8, 1961, Bruce Walter Timm is an animator, character designer, and producer. Bruce Timm is my favorite artist of all time! Essentially, the cartoons he helped create span my entire childhood, and become the subject of nostalgic conversations with those of my generation. It is hard to believe that so many of my favorite cartoons are in some way related to this artist. He co-created, worked on, or produced my favorite cartoon shows growing up (ones that I still, for better or for worse view regularly) including Tiny Toon Adventures, Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures, Freakazoid! Batman Beyond and Justice League. I was inspired by the way his rather simple angular character designs came to life so vividly through the remarkable storytelling of each episode.

If any single moment can be tied to my decision to become an animator, it is a particular episode of Tiny Toon Adventures, where the cast peers into the world of creating cartoons. There are two episodes, actually. The very first episode chronicles a failed cartoonist's quest to create a successful cartoon, and he receives help from the Tiny Toons crew.

This image is a compilation of Superman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures

 

From Batman: The Animated Series

From The New Batman Adventures

It is interesting to see the progression of his animation and character design throughout the respective series. The New Batman Adventures is noticeably more minimalistic than Batman: The Animated Series, for example.With Batman from the two series Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures poised side-by-side, it is clear, as it was even during my childhood, that Timm's style had become more minimal. There is less visible detail in Batman's costume, with highlights largely absent in the cowl, boots, and gloves. His muscles are also less detailed.Similar examples of decrease in detail can be found in Timm's animations of The Joker and Catwoman from the transition of the two series. I am grateful for the experience of witnessing the evolution of Timm's style as it took place.

It is remarkable to see that Bruce Timm was able to convey comical, lightheartedness and serious action with equal conviction.To have worked on a series as dark as Batman: The Animated Series, where allusions to character deaths and violence abound, and yet to have worked on something as frivolous as Freakazoid! or Tiny Toon Adventures displays an impressive range of thought and creativity.

Timm's original ambition was to become a comic book artist, although this did not come to fruition to the extent he intended. He did, however, produce a comic mini-series based around Batman: The Animated Series, as well as a transition between it and The New Batman Adventures entitled The Batman Adventures: The Lost Years. These comics maintain the styles of their respective television shows, which their stories often parallel.

I cannot adequately express the profound impact this artist has had on my life. Should I ever become successful enough for others to write about me, they must cite Bruce Timm as my key inspiration.