Batman: The Ultimate Evil themes concerning child sexual abuse and explored the topic of child sex tourism. The publisher required Vachss to follow certain rules, like making a clear distinction between fiction and reality and prohibiting the Batman character from killing, cursing, or having sex. In the story, billionaire Bruce Wayne, who as a child witnessed the murder of his parents Thomas and Martha, encounters the social worker Debra Kane, who takes Wayne to check up on her clients: he sees clear cases of child abuse and brave but futile resistance to it. Wayne's loyal butler, Alfred Pennyworth, gives him the secret files from
Batman: The Animated Series of the greatest animated television shows of all time (again after "The Simpsons"). TV Guide ranked "Batman: The Animated Series" the seventh Greatest Cartoon of All Time (out of 60). Due to the success of "Batman: The Animated Series", many crew members went on to design and produce "" for The WB Network. During this time they created "The New Batman Adventures", which featured the same streamlined animation style as "Superman: The Animated Series", as well as numerous character re-designs from the original series despite taking place in the same continuity. In 1999, a futuristic spin-off series titled "Batman Beyond"