BIOGRAPHY:

"... I would say Bruce is probably the second most important person in television animation (if you consider Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera as one person)... He's the guy who proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that if you had the taste level and the commitment to the material along with the passion, you can achieve these kind of results. It set a new standard. It showed everybody that for the money available, you could do quality work."
Darwyn Cooke, in interview, Comic Book Artist Vol2 #3

Bruce Timm (1961- ) is the Emmy-Award winning producer, director and designer of Batman: The Animated Series, The Superman Adventures, Batman Beyond and Justice League, and is essentially the man responsible for the retro look of those animated TV series. He is a lifelong fan of comic books and always dreamed of drawing comics for a living, but after initially producing illustrations for small press publishers of pulp and horror magazines, he wound up the animation industry instead.

"... I basically wanted to be a comic book artist when I grew up. I think at some point I realised that I wasn't quite good enough to get into comics. I realised my own limitations. But I saw these really crappy cartoons on TV and I said, Well, at least I can draw that good."

In 1981 he started  work at Filmation and bounced around the industry doing layout and background designs on shows, and in his spare time drew minicomics. He finally settled at Warner Brothers Studios in 1989, where he has been ever since, becoming designer and co-producer of Batman: The Animated Series in 1990.

"I was in the right place at the right time. Warner Brothers decided to make 65 half-hours of Batman cartoons to capitalise on the success of the first feature film, and the hoped for success of the sequel. I was working at Warner on Tiny Toon. I've been a Bat-fan since I was a kid, so I put aside my Tiny Toons work and filled up an 8 1/2" by 11" page with Batman drawings and bang - there he was! Exactly as he appears on the TV screen - and tons of merchandising."

Although his comic book work is sparse to say the least, what little there is exudes quality - as the Eisner and Harvey award winning Batman: Mad Love one shot can testify - and all Bruce Timm comics are well worth seeking out.

Interviews:
Newsarama (2007)
Worlds Finest (2004)
Comicology (2002)
Comic Book Artist Special #1 (1999)
The Critical Eye (1999)
Complete Interview Listing Here>

Resources:
The Bruce Timm Gallery

Batman: Dangerous Dames & Demons
DC, 2003
In 1992, DC Comics launched their Batman Adventures comic series taking its visual cues from the dark deco look and character designs of the TV animated series. The animation staff were invited to work on some issues and Dangerous Dames & Demons features the best Bruce Timm Batman comics, including the Eisner and Harvey award winning Mad Love. Joyful cartooning with the all the grit taken out.

Batman: Harley & Ivy #1-3
DC, 2004
Bruce Timm and Paul Dini return to comics with a tale about Harley & Ivy, two of Batman's sexiest foes. Everyone's favourite femmes fatales are about to find themselves up against oily politicians, cut throat mercenaries, Batman and even Hollywood.

Batman: Animated
Perennial Currents, 1998
Since it's premiere in September 1992, Batman: The Animated Series has been acclaimed by enthusiastic viewers and longtime fans of the Batman character as the defining image of the Dark Knight on screen. This book is a behind the scenes story of the hit show that revolutionised television animation and brought a stunning new look to the legendary caped crusader. It contains a wealth of never before published pre-production and finished artwork from Bruce Timm and other artists that worked on the show, including Darwyn Cooke and Paul Rivoche. Essential reading for all Bruce Timm fans.

Books:
Modern Masters Vol 3: Bruce Timm (2004)
Batman Adventures: Dangerous Dames & Demons (2003)
Batman: Animated (1998) by Paul Dini & Chipp Kidd
The Batman Adventures: Mad Love (1994)

Comics:
Batman: Harley & Ivy #1-3 (2004)
Avengers #1 1/2 (1999)

Short Stories In:
Superman & Batman: World's Funnest (2001)
Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Comics #1-12 (2001-2002)
Nocturnals: Troll Bridge (2000)
Flinch #11 (1999)
Vampirella: Rebirth #3 (1999)
Fanboy #5 (1999)
Adventures In The DC Universe #3 (1997)
Batman: Black & White #1 (1996)
The Batman Adventures: Holiday Special (1995)
The Batman Adventures: Annual #2 (1995)
The Batman Adventures: Annual #1 (1994)