Bane

[The Dark Knight]

Yes, that's a key aspect that I am glad was respected with the DCAU Bane. It's that even if he was introduced as a hired hitman/enforcer, it's factored into Bane's DCAU character that his agenda takes precedence over all. Thus making him a poor choice for a employee, or someone to team up with. Because he's simply not going to "go along with the program" if it's not meeting his own objective, and will think nothing of double crossing you once the opportune time comes. Bane's got the outer appearance of being a simple intimidating brute, but there's always that notion being alluded to that there's more going on under the surface.

Nolan gave the prison escape to Talia, which goes to my "Bane's comic origin is the best it can possibly be, so any deviation from that feels like a watered down compromise" comment. He finds out about Dent's true nature by chance - rather than personal surveillance. But I also put this Bane in the good category. He nonetheless has the intelligence to use that information for a future strategy. He is absolutely a ruthless intimidator and a plausible physical threat. If a Bane incarnation can meet those criteria I'm usually okay with the inevitable deviations. 

[The Laughing Fish]

I found this 2016 interview with Bane co-creator Graham Nolan, and he briefly mentions the character's appearance in BTAS.

https://dccomicsnews.com/2016/05/13/exclusive-interview-dcn-sits-down-with-graham-nolan-co-creator-of-bane/

So, Nolan's original sketch for Bane was exactly the same as the show? That tells you he and the animators share the same design sensibilities. It totally makes sense for the show to design his mask this way. If he wore a faceless mask like in the comics, it would've been very difficult to animate those contorting facial expressions at the end of the episode.

I think he has a point that the Arkham Asylum video game was the real gateway for casual fans to start taking notice of Bane. My only criticism of the Arkhamverse version is he's clearly doped out of his mind with Venom to the point he is nothing more than a hulking brute. But then again, if you look at Arkham Origins as his backstory, where he was initially a daring tactician until his last confrontation with Batman left his body and mind permanently damaged, it does make sense why the series went for the direction they took.

Too bad for Graham Nolan that the animated version of Bane remains the only portrayal of the character he has ever liked. Nolan's description of Bane's appeal as a tactician was probably what made him appreciate the character's appearance in BTAS, in addition to the show sharing his original ideas for his character design.

Fun fact: Nolan was able to draw his original design for a comic storyline called Bane: Conquest with co-creator Chuck Dixon.

[The Laughing Fish]

Despite that Bane was drastically toned down for the cartoon, his creators Chuck Dixon and Graham Nolan thought very highly of the BTAS portrayal.

I love that Bane was first voiced by Henry Silva. In general, I've always enjoyed how Bane was portrayed in their animated series' and in the various games. In the movies, not so much.

https://thebatmanuniverse.net/chuck-dixon/

The only version that I really liked was the animated series.  They had Henry Silva do the voice, and he did a Latin accent, and I loved that, and they also used my original mask design, the wrestling one I designed, which I thought was really cool.

https://dccomicsnews.com/2016/05/13/exclusive-interview-dcn-sits-down-with-graham-nolan-co-creator-of-bane/