I honestly think the Batman from the Timmverse is the all time best version as it combines both in many ways.
And as it happens, it's anniversary time! Batman the Animated Series made it's television debut on September 5th, 1992.
It's really remarkable. 33 years and it still holds up amazingly well. The casting, the art direction and design, the music, the writing .. it was one of the best interpretations of Batman ever done.
Anyone that knows me knows I am not a cartoon guy. And there's a reason for that. Back in the 60's when I was a small child cartoons flat out SUCKED. They were atrocious. There was always a cute little talking dog or cat. I never got the sense that the protagonists were in any kind of real danger. There was usually a lot of standing around and not a lot of movement because TV animation was terrible in those days. Even as a six year old that insulted my intelligence. I much preferred reading my comics to watching Saturday morning cartoons. Yes, in the comics Superboy had a pet dog and Supergirl had a pet cat but at least they didn't talk.
And so, at the 1992 San Diego Comic Con, when it was announced that Batman The Animated Series was making it's world premiere upstairs in room 6, I didn't bother trying to stifle a yawn. I had no interest. I was in the DC booth with a friend who was trying to talk me into going to see it and I said no, sorry. It'll be stupid, I sneered. There'll be a cute talking dog, I jeered. No action, no adventure, no fisticuffs or excitement. Just Batman talking to Alfred in the cave and maybe riding around in the Batmobile with the dog for a bit. It would basically be a half hour commercial for selling toys, I said. Well, Peter David (Yes, THAT Peter David) overheard our conversation and said "Oh, no. You're wrong, sir. I've seen the pilot and it was so good. Better than anything I've seen before. Do yourself a favor and go." Well, you don't get a better recommendation than that. And it turned out, as we all know now, it really was as good as Peter said. When I saw him again later I thanked him.
So happy anniversary, BTAS! Thanks for the adventures and the great memories.