Batman

� ===After seeing his parents murdered, Bruce Wayne devoted his life to ridding Gotham City of evil. He trained himself to go over the human limits and returned as the greatest crimefighter who ever lived, The Batman.===

Batman Comic Book Publication History
Detective Comics #27 (1939): Batman's First Appearance Batman, one of the most influential comic book characters ever, was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, though Kane, who designed the character, often receives credit as the sole creator. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27, published in 1939, and later became popular enough to spawn his own books. Along with Superman and Wonder Woman, Batman has provided many of the core story arcs for the DC brand since his creation. He is unique for the simple reason that he has no super-human powers and is an ordinary human relying on intelligence, money, inventiveness, detective skills, and a terror-inducing M.O., or modus operandi, to beat his opponents. A regular member of the Justice League Of America, though not a founder, Batman makes up for his lack of super-human powers with a library of information and weaknesses of numerous villains (and his team-mates, should they ever go rogue). In the modern era, the Batman "universe" puts out more monthly comic books than any other universe in comics, though Marvel's X-Men often rivals it in sheer size. Beginning in the seventies many writers began to place the character back in his dark crime inspired roots including Dennis O'Neil, Steve Englehart, Len Wein and many others who made Bruce Wayne a facade and Batman the true persona. Frank Miller 's stories The Dark Knight Returns and Batman:Year One made Batman a moralistic force of nature that felt an almost instinctual need to protect Gotham City. Millers noir settings gave Batman stories a grim tone for some time to come, as the y delved into darker and more realistic themes. But in recent stories like Infinite Crisis and 52 have attempted to return the more heroic version of the character.

When Batman was introduced in Issue 27 of Detective Comics, he was already the vigilante known as Batman. In Detective Comics #33 the origin of the character was told. Bruce Wayne was the son of Thomas Wayne and his wife Martha Wayne. His parents were wealthy philanthropists in the high society of Gotham City. Bruce grew up in Wayne Manor and experienced a privileged life until one fateful night. Bruce and his parents went to the movies and were walking home. They were confronted by a small-time crook named Joe Chill. At first, Chill demanded their money, but he ended up shooting both Bruce’s parents to death instead. After the deaths of his parents, Bruce swore to rid Gotham City of evil for good. He began his intense mental a The Batman is born.nd physical training. Bruce mastered many skills including martial arts, chemistry, and escapology. Batman of this time used guns and would kill criminals though he had changed his ways in later comics. H e finished his training but realized that he alone could not rid the whole city of evil. He began to think of something that would strike terror in evil, when all of a sudden a bat flew through the window, scaring Bruce. He was inspired by the bat and would soon become Batman. Later Batman would take in Dick Grayson (later to be known as Nightwing), who would become his sidekick Robin. Together the "Dynamic Duo" fought many enemies including the Joker, who was to become Batman's greatest enemy. Batman eventually became one of the founding members for the Justice Society Of America. However it was later said that he and Supermanwere honorary members and only participated in limited JSA adventures. Batman would continue working with the Gotham City Police Department in fighting evil, and it later legally deputized Batman as a civilian police agent. Later Alfred would arrive to work as their butler, and eventually learning their identities and began working for them. Vicki Vale was also introduced during the 1940s; one of the numerous girlfriends of Bruce Wayne, she was created to mirror Lois Lane of Metropolis. She often spent her time trying to figure out the identity of Batman. Whenever she got close to figuring out Batman was Bruce Wayne, Batman would often trick her into believing he was not Bruce Wayne. Batman & Robin: The Dynamic Duo==Silver Age Batman== The Silver Age Batman changed little, but w hen DC Comics introduced the The DC Multiverse, it established that all the stories of Batman that were told in the Golden Age were actually Earth-Two Batman. It revealed that Earth-Two Batman had married Catwoman and fathered a daughter named Huntress. Earth-Two Batman would retire as Batman to take the job as Commissioner of the GCPD. It was revealed that Selina had been killed Silky Cernak, an old former henchman when she refused and attempted to arrest him. Eventually he died in his final adventure against a criminal named Bill Jensen who had acquired superpowers.

The Silver Age Batman had his back story expanded upon such as his uncle Philip Wayne raising Bruce for a while after his parents' deaths. He was also had an older brother named Thomas Wayne Jr. who had to be institutionalized after the death of his parents. It was revealed that his parents' killing had not been chance, but an assassination ordered by gangster Lew Moxon. Silver Age Batman As a child, Bruce's father had worn a bat costume (similar to Batman's future costume) to a masquerade party, where he encountered and stopped the mobster. Moxon swore revenge against Dr. Wayne, and hired the criminal Joe Chill to arrange a mugging that would result in their deaths. Also at some point in his training, he wore a costume similar to the future Robin's and he was trained by Harvey Harris, a Gotham City Police detective. During the Silver Age Batman would regularly team up with other heroes to fight evil. They began publishing World’s Finest Comics from the 1950s through the 1980s for team ups with Batman and Superman and other heroes. This depicted that Batman and Superman were close friends. In the early 1960s Batman later became a founding member of the Justice League of America.

In the late 1960s, Robin [Dick Grayson] began attending college because DC Comics wanted to revise Batman somewhat. Batman decided to move from Wayne Manor to one of his penthouse apartments on top of Wayne Foundation, so he could be closer to Gotham City and the crimes. Batman began to work solo during the 1970s and 1980s, but would occasionally team up with Robin and Batgirl.

This was the period where Batman started becoming a bit darker. Violent crimes were increasing, and there were many first appearances. The Joker finally made his first appearance since the Golden Age. The Joker was made extremely darker and more sadistic.

Ra's al Ghul also made his first appearance during this time period. Batman's older brother Thomas would reappear. Thomas had become an assassin, but his body had been taken over by the anti-hero Deadman. Batman was able to remove Deadman from his brother's body, but he soon died trying to save his brother from an assassin. Later Batman would quit the Justice League and formed his new group called the Outsiders. Batman was the leader of the group for a while, but he eventually quit it as well.

Modern Age Batman
Jason Todd was no Dick Grayson he had a mean streak in him After Crisis on Infinite Earths, the Earth-Two and the Batman that was on it was erased from history. DC Comics attempted to reboot many of the major character’s origins including Batman. The re-tooled history was recounted in Frank Miller’s run on Batman in the Year One story arc. This made Batman much darker and showed how much Batman dominates Bruce Wayne's psychology, The character of JIm Gordon in greater detail, and the corruption in the Gotham City Police Department, giving more of a reason for Gotham City to need Batman.

They left Dick's back story the same but changed Jason Todd's back story. They also got rid of Philip Wayne and had Bruce being raised by Alfred Pennyworth. Batman also was no longer a founding member of the Justice League. During the Son of the Demon story arc, Batman married Talia. It appeared that Talia had become pregnant, and when Talia was attacked, Batman nearly died trying to save her. Talia would conclude that she did not want to do this to Batman and pretended to have a miscarriage.

A death in the familyShortly after, in the story arc “A Death in the Family” Jason Todd wanted to find his biological mother. He traveled with Batman to the middle east. Eventually Jason found his mother, but the Joker got to her first and made a deal with her to bring Jason to building with out Batman where the Joker savagely beat him with a crowbar, then blew Jason up inside a building which killed him, These events where because in a telephone poll the public votes for Jason to be killed. After this tragic event, Batman became even darker and more violent when he battled crime. Later Tim Drake would become the next Robin in order to keep Batman sane and keep his humanity intact.

A Broken BatLater, during the Death and Return of Superman, Batman had his own crisis to deal with. In the Knightfall story arc, Batman was attacked in his own Batcave by his new enemy, a criminal called Bane. Bane broke Batman’s back, paralyzing him. Bruce decided to ask Azrael to take the role of Batman while he healed. As Azrael battled crime in his murderous stint as the Batman, Bruce Wayne healed and battled his own inner demons. Batman eventually fought Azrael and succeeded in defeating him. Bruce asked Nightwing to take the Batman mantle while he retrained himself. After that event, some changes were made in Batman’s history. Because of the DC event Zero Hour: A Crisis in Time, Batman was now not well known in Gotham and was actually an urban legend amongst some of the criminals and only known by a few people. Also they were never able to catch the killer of the Wayne couple, meaning they eliminated Joe Chill from the entire continuity.

Later during the “Hush” storyline, Hush was introduced. He was Bruce’s childhood friend and was a big influence for Bruce when they were young. Elliot had in fact been the enemy known as Hush and was attacking Batman by manipulating his enemies to attack him. He also tried to torture Batman by making him believe that Jason Todd was still alive. Batman fought the man who claimed to be Jason, but it proved to be Clayface. However, Jason was really alive and would eventually turn up later as the Jason Todd, reviving an early alias of the Joker.

The Third Robin, Tim DrakeWriters of both Batman and Superman stories have compared the two within the context of various stories, to varying results. Like Superman, the prominent persona of Batman's dual identities varies from time to time. Modern Age comics tend to portray Bruce Wayne as the facade, with Batman as the truer psychological representation of the personality (in comparison to the post crisis Superman, whose Clark Kent persona is the real personality,and Superman is the mask). '

Batman in Crisis after Crisis
In DC's 2005 limited series Identity Crisis, it was revealed that JLAmember Zatanna had erased part of Batman's memories, leading to his loss of trust in the rest of the superhero community worrying that someday, someone could possibly "cross the line."

In retaliation, Batman creates the Brother Eye satellite surveillance system to monitor every crusading adventurer on Earth. Its eventual co-opting by Maxwell Lord, Black King of the government organization known as Checkmate, is one of the main reasons that leads to the Infinite Crisis miniseries and the death of Ted Kord Blue Beetle.

In Infinite Crisis #7, Alex Luthor, Jr. mentions that in the newly-rewritten history of the "New Earth," created in the previous issue, the murderer of Thomas and Martha Wayne is captured, thus undoing the Retcon created after Zero Hour. Batman and a team of crusading adventurers destroy Brother Eye and the OMACs. Following Infinite Crisis, Batman, Nightwing, and Robin retrace the steps Bruce had taken when he originally left Gotham City, to "rebuild Batman."

Batman and the Ritual of Thogal and the Dark Master
During the crisis of 52, Batman left Gotham and journeyed to Nanda Parbat to endure the ritual/initiation of Thogal: Isolation in a cave for 30 days as a way to destroy whatever doubts remained in his mind and to "taste the flavor of death." After hallucinating about his past, present, and future he finally reached an ultimate black place in his mind/psyche/spirit "where my memories just...run out." It was there that he conceived the idea of a foe so clever that even the Dark Knight wouldn't know about it. What if Batman's very mind and spirit was under attack already? How would he defend himself? Or was this all a paranoid delusion? The inspired idea of a backup personality that could takeover and operate independently if Batman/Bruce's id was ever taken out was then initiated. Thogal was the perfect opportunity to install/program such a countermeasure. When the ritual was over Bruce reflected on his experiences and idea of an ultimate foe to a monk as they shared tea. This monk confirmed the idea of a Dark Master and attempted to poison Bruce. This attempt failed and Bruce relayed a message: "Tell him he was wrong to wait until I was ready. Tell him...I look forward to facing him." Was Batman the very source of the Dark Master!?!

Batman: One Year Later
Bruce adopts TimIn the "Face The Face" storyline, Batman and Robin return to Gotham City after their year-long absence. Also upon their return, Bruce adopts Tim as his son. The follow-up story arc in Batman, entitled: "Batman & Son," features Talia and a boy whom Talia claims is her son by Batman. His son, Damian, is a violent and spoiled child and is difficult to deal with at first, but despite his attitude he wants to become the next Robin and fought Tim Drake, Tim was by far the better fighter. However, Tim was trying to talk rather than fight, Damian used the opportunity to slice his throat. Batman and Talia battle each other only to have Talia launch a missile at the submarine that Batman, Talia, and their "son" are on. Batman had only found Damian's cape after the explosion. It was soon revealed that Damian had survived and had to have multiple organ transplants and a servant of Ra's Al Ghul tried to use Damian as a host for Ra's, but was defeated.

Batman and Son

Father and sonThe combination of the worlds best detective (Bruce Wayne) and the daughter of the greatest criminal mind (Ra's al Ghul) should bring forth something special. The Ultimate Child. Bred in an artificial embryo which allowed Damian to grow up with genetic perfection, to kill and replace his famous father. from the moment of his birth Damian was trained in the Murder Society to be the warrior king of a new medieval age. But he rebelled... impelled by guilt and followed by his consciousness. Though not a constant in the Bat-family, Damian is very much a dysfunctional member. He has made it very obvious that he hates the role Tim Drake plays in his fathers life and the fact he can't get to Tim's level, and his feeling for Nightwing are the same. However, he has shown a high level of respect to Alfred, as Alfred seems to have accepted Damian. ' ===Ra's Al Ghul Returns === Ra's Al Ghul has returned back form the dead. Ra's is looking for a new host because his body's former host betrayed Ra's and poisoned his body with radiation. Ra's intended to use Damian as a host, but he has refused. After escaping from his grandfather's ninjas he left to tell his father about Ra's's return. He showed up at the manor looking for his father, but found Robin. Robin didn't trust Damien and the two started fighting. Damien fled and ran into Alfred, but before he could say anything he was attacked by Robin again. Their final battle?

Meanwhile ninjas were getting close to the manor intending to capture Damian. Robin and Damian are soon attacked by ninjas, Robin manages to fend of the ninja's until Nightwing shows up to help the two,but the ninja's poison some lackey that were also sent to retrieve Damian. Nightwing leaves the boys to save the two women. Robin and Damian's bodies are brought to Ra's. The two soon reveal they they are awake and start fighting off the ninjas and amongst themselves, Damian soon leaves Robin during the fight. Ra's orders some women to care for Robin's wounds much to his surprise. However Robin refuses to allow Ra's to trick him. Ra's tries to tell Robin that he can bring his parents back and can teach and be a mentor. However Tim tells Ra's he'll stay loyal to his adopted father, Batman, but Ra's says Batman cares more for Damian. Ra's tells him that they can rule the world together, but Ra's knows he is trying to stall so he knocks him out. Batman and Talia survive a crash in the Bat-Plane and are soon attacked by ninjas and Talia is cut. However Batman's old friend I-Ching shows up to help him and beat the ninjas. Nightwing drops off Dragon Fly, Silken Spider, and Tiger Moth at Arkham, but their brains have been damaged by the poison and may not recover. Nightwing and Alfred travel to Tibet and are attacked by Ubu. Nightwing and Alfred are able to beat Ubu and leave.

Batman, Talia and I-Ching are soon surrounded by ninjas after getting into Ra's lair. However the ninjas do not attack, because Ra's has not ordered them to. Ra's walks up to Batman after they are given swords and the two being to fight. As they fight Ra's says Batman has gotten faster, but Ra's has the edge, because his body cannot feel pain and plunges himself on Batman's sword. Ra's has Robin and Damian's body's pulled out and says he will need a new body to fight the Sensei and wants a young body to do it in. Ra's tells Batman that he can't decide so he wants Batman to choose for him. Batman surprises Ra's by coming up with a third option, taking Ra's to the Fountain of Life in Nanda Parbat. Ra's, who had been searching for the Fountain of Life for a long period of his life, agrees and the two head for Nanda Parbat alone. They arrive just outside of Nanda Parbat to discover that Sensei and his ninjas have arrived before them. Batman saves a monk and then defeats the Sensei's Men of Death by himself. The two of them then headed for the Fountain beyond the Temple of Rama Kushna. There, they confront the Sensei, who is revealed to be Ra's al Ghul's father. Sensei stabs Ra's and appears to have killed him, then he battles Batman. Although Sensei's skill is far superior to Batman's, he can only continue at full strength for two minutes due to his age. However, Batman would be able to last longer then two minutes and was able to defeat Sensei knocks him into the Fountain of Life which kills him because he is not a pure soul.

The monks of Nanda Parbat check Ra's Al Ghul's body, but he takes over one of the monk's body and walks off. Batman, restored to full health and slightly de-aged after being soaked in the fountain, knows what Ra's has done and screams at him "RA'S!" Elsewhere, Robin is still haunted by Ra's offer to restore his loved ones to life. In the midst of a battle with Ra's ninjas, Tim breaks off in pursuit of the White Ghost, deciding that it is selfish of him to deny his parents and friends another chance at life. White Ghost tells Robin he can restore them, but only if Tim swears his undying loyalty to Ra's Al Ghul and forsakes Batman. Tim agrees, and is sent to a chamber with a Lazarus Pit. There he is confronted by Nightwing, who swears to stop him. Meanwhile, the monk body Ra's possessed is rapidly decaying like the last one. As a symbol of his rebirth, he offers Batman his friendship, but Batman refuses. Ra's again attempts to take over Damian's body. However Batman stops him and badly damages Ra's body deciding not to hold back. Batman orders Damian to grab a weapon and they begin to fight Ra's ninjas.

Soon Nightwing, Talia, Alfred and Robin arrive at Nanda Parbat and join the battle. Meanwhile White Ghost offers his body to Ra's Al Ghul and Ra's reveals that White Ghost is his son. Ra's agrees and takes over White Ghost body and due to White Ghost being his son and blood relative he is fully restored. Not wanting him to die Talia knocks Damian so she can take him to safety and leaves the battle. As Ra's joins the battle Batman, Robin, Nightwing and Alfred prepare to die fighting Ra's Al Ghul and his forces. However the monks invoke the power of their Goddess Rama Kushna and cause Nanda Parbat to sick into the ground giving Batman and his allies to chance to escape. Ra's men also escape the destruction. Nightwing pilots the plane back home while Batman hopes that Talia and Damian have gone some place where they can be safe. Alfred reminds everyone it's Christmas and they all have a toast to Family.

=== Batman After the Resurrection=== Two months after Ra's Al Ghul's resurrection Batman was back in Gotham attempting to capture a villain called the The Globe. The Globe has an obsession with globes and maps and had stolen a jewel-covered globe from British Museum. After Batman defeated the Globe Ra's Al Ghul and a group of his ninjas appeared. Ra's revealed that he was the real owner of the globe and had a receipt signed by Peter Carl Faberge for it's creation in 1901. Batman returned the Globe and Ra's revealed that the inside of the globe shows the location of every Lazarus Pit known on Earth. Ra's revealed he blamed Batman for Talia and Damian's departure and him being forced to live in The White Ghost's albino body which he deemed inferior. Batman battled Al Ghul's ninjas and was able to escape. Back at the cave Batman revealed he believed that a small part of White Ghost's consciousness is still present and is causing Ra's Al Ghul to act more violently towards Batman as he saw killing Batman as a way to gain his father's approval. Batman tracked Ra's down and spread knockout gas through the building putting all his ninjas to sleep. Batman battled Ra's and sent kicked him out a window. He survived and dressed as a guard he sent him to Arkham under the alias of Terry Gene Kase and stated that he has multiple personality disorder and has called himself Superman, Jesus and the "billionaire leader of a cabal of international assassins". He also has him under a prescription that will keep his speech slurred and give him zero mobility. He left Arkham welcoming him to Gotham with the hope that he will rot in there for decades.

Batman: R.I.P.
The events of R.I.P. stretched across the entire Bat-network as everybody connected to the Batman was forced to live their lives and do their jobs without him. As Tim Drake and Stephanie Brown (One-time Robin and now once again Spoiler) dealt with a Gotham lashing out in the absence of Batman, Nightwing dealt with a conflicted Two-Face, The OUTSIDERS where forced to work under limited orders, and Oracle and the Birds Of Prey fought off a group of internet-based criminals and the Joker. Where was Batman?

In the beginning, he was pre-occupied with the recovery of Catwoman's heart, as the demented Hush had cut it out and left her on a complicated machine to keep her alive. Once Batman recovered her heart and stopped Hush's twisted plan to take over Bruce Wayne's life, the Batman's life turned in a completely different direction. The Batman of Zur-en-arrh Bruce Wayne was dating Jezebel Jet, a supermodel who was very influential in her home country. Jezebel discovered Bruce was Batman relatively early in their relationship, and the reveal made the relationship easier for Bruce to handle. He let Jezebel so deep into his life, that he even introduced her to the Batcave. And that was where Batman may have made his gravest mistake.

Jezebel tried to convince Batman that he was just living a life he had fabricated in his own head as a child to cope with the death of his parents. This suggestion begins to effect Batman's already strained psyche (he had almost died and was forced to re-live very traumatic moments in his life as Batman just weeks earlier) and he passes out when Jezebel says aloud a word that was on all the Bat-computer's screens: Zur-En-Arrh. As he passed out, Dr. Hurt and minions of his diabolical club, The Black Hand, infiltrated the Bat-cave. They drugged Batman, beat Alfred, and wrecked havoc upon the cave.

When next we see Bruce Wayne, he is waking up in a pile of garbage with no memory of himself. he meets a man named Honor Jackson, who recognizes that Bruce is on serious drugs. As the two spend time together, working in shady dealings that Honor was involved in, Honor gave Bruce an old broken radio as a sentimental gift. After they parted, Bruce found out that Honor had died some time before Bruce met him.

The Black Glove is taking holdWith this information, Bruce seemed to snap. He made himself a costume out of red, yellow, and purple rags, and began referring to the broken radio as the "Bat-Radia". He then called himself "The Batman of Zur-En-Arrh" and began taking advice from Bat-mite.

Batman and Bat-mite finally make it to Arkham, where Bat-mite says he cannot follow. Inside, Batman is confronted by Joker, who has Jezebel Jet held captive, and kills her right in front of him using the flowers that make up Jokers laughing Gas. And as Batman regains his sanity and looses consciousness to the same poisonous flowers, Jezebel is okay, the Joker is smiling, Dr. Hurt is there, and everyone is asking Batman: "Now do you get it?" The story finally comes together when it is reveled that Jezebel Jet had been a part of the Black Glove all along. The word Zur-en-Arrh was written all over the city by Hurt as a subliminal trigger to be used when the time was right to break Batman's mind. While the now mentally stable Batman escaped the shallow grave the Black Glove put him in, Joker pointed out that no one had investigated Batman's "bat-radio". when they did, they activated a transmitter that brought Nightwing, Robin, Damion, and the League Of Assassins right to them. Batman hunted down Hurt, who tried to convince Bruce that he was his father, but Batman believed him to be Mangrove Pierce, an actor who had once been his father's double. As Hurt tried to escape, Batman infiltrated his escaping helicopter, causing it to crash in a blazing explosion. The Batman is now presumed dead, and The Bat-Family and all of Gotham must figure out what will happen without him.

Batman: Last Rights and Final Crisis
The Dark Knight has fallenBatman: Last Rights, which was billed as a sort of Epilogue to R.I.P., was at first believed to be a sort of recap of Batman's life as seen through someone else (believed to be Alfred's) eyes. However, as the story progresses, we learn that batman is being held by Mokkari, a minion of Darkseid. The plan was to create an army of clones using Batman as a template. The Story is really a mixture of Batman's memories and the replacement memories being pushed into him by a being called Lump. However, Batman could feel Lump in his mind, and fought back repeatedly, altering the memories and eventually finding Lump within his own mind. When Lump told Batman that someone was copying his DNA and memories to create an army with his same drive and dedication, Batman stopped fighting and gave Lump all of his memories. The memories, being fed into all of the clones, where too much for the clones to handle, and they all died of stress and agony in their test tubes. Deciding that the plan was a failure, Mokkari killed lump and ordered the entire factory to be shut down. As it turned out Batman saved the Radion bullet that was used to kill the New God Orion and loaded it into a gun intending to shot Darkseid and kill him, breaking his rule about never using firearms he shot Darkseid directly in the chest severly wounding him but was unable to avoid Darkseid's Omega Sanction, "The death that is life". His body was retrivied by Superman. In the last pages of Final Crisis after the ancient superhero caveman Anthro passes someone places the utility belt on him it is revealed to be Bruce Wayne who has escaped death yet again carving the Batemblem on a cave wall for some unknown purpose. No one is aware of Bruce Wayne's status in the ancient past all assume he has died in battle and so let the Battle begin.

BATTLE FOR THE COWL
Will Dick be the new Batman? Gotham has gone to hell and Robin and Nightwing are trying their hardest to set it right, they have developed the Network, made up of their best allies to help. Robin and Squire tracked and was about to take down some robbers but before they could take them down some else does, Robin and Squire don't see the person but he leaves them a note saying " I AM BATMAN" but before anything can be said Nightwing call's Robin for back up with a gang, they take the gang down. Meanwhile a coach full of Gotham's most dangerous criminal's on their was to Arkham but the coach is stopped by a small army of goons lead by the Black Mask after the criminals are off the coach Arkham is blown up [by the Joker] also they have caught on that Batman is no longer around, back in the Bat-cave Nightwing is looking at all of Batman's different suits when Tim walks in saying that one of them [Tim or Dick] needs to become the new Batman but Nightwing shrugs this off so Tim tells Dick about a man running around in a custom made Batman suit fighting crime [possibly Jason Todd] but this was no beginner he was experienced and knew what he was doing.

Tim uses his brilliant detective skills to work out where the phony Batman's hideout is, but Tim decides not to confront the fake Batman as Robin but as Batman, he uses the silver age Batman suit. Mean while Damian is joy riding in a Batmobile with a friend when Oracle calls him to do swoop of the docks, Damian's friend starts talking, Oracle takes control of the car and press's the eject button on Damian's friends seat and she goes flying into a small stream where Killer Croc and Poison Ivy are trying track the Batmobile, Croc eats the girl then knocks the car of the road into the stream, Damian is terrified and tries to talk his way out of it, Croc was about to eat Damian but Nightwing flies in on a hand glider and saves Damian but while their flying they are shot out of the air, on the ground they are quickly surrounded by goon but suddenly the phony Batman comes in shooting the goons.

Will Jason be Gotham's new protector?With Gotham on fire Dick tells the network to hunt down the Black Mask while he goes looking for Tim. Back at the Bat-Cave Damian has recovered and wants to go out to help but Alfred tells him it’s time to earn his keep and gives Damian his suit [the classic Robin tunic with the League of assassins robs] and tells him to go with Squire and find Tim. With Penguin caught by the Police instead of making a move for the city Two-Face is forced to flee the city by the new Black Mask. Dick is deeply upset at his adopted brother’s disappearance and wont rest until he finds Tim. Dick manages to track Tim by using a old tracking device in the Bat-suit Tim was wearing to Jason’s cave wear he finds Tim’s cape and cowl hung on a cross Dick picks it up and is electrocuted, Jason appears but before the fight can begin Dicks uses a holographic message that Bruce recorded before his death.

The holographic Bruce says that Jason was his biggest failure and that he need to be repaired mentally, he continues to say that he loved him but it was a mistake to train him, Jason and Dick begin to fight but as with Jason’s fight with Tim, Jason is the lesser skilled fighter of the two but again Jason uses his knowledge of his cave and gadgets to try to beat his opponent but this time it doesn’t work Dick is going ballistic at Jason for telling him that Tim is dead. Is Tim the next Dark Knight?In the tunnels of Jason’s cave a wounded but a very much alive Tim Drake [Wayne] makes his way out of the tunnels, he revels that he used a martial art technique called the possum reflex that Bruce taught him, the technique enables Tim to slow his heart rate to eight beats per minute which lead Jason to believe that he was dead but he says that it was the Bat-suits heavy armor that saved him.

Jason sets off bombs he laid in his cave, the explosions make all the tunnels cave in, Tim is to injured to move quickly and the ground collapse beneath him but before he can fall to his death Damian and Squire save him. The explosion forces Dick’s and Jason’s fight outside on to a moving train. Jason tells Dick that he is only mad at Dick because he didn’t take up the cowl so Jason did but Dick thinks Jason is only over-compensating for his past actions. Dick finishes the fight but his final blow is more powerful that he expected and sends Jason to the edge of the bridge, Jason only just hangs on, Dick tries to save Jason but Jason refuses to take his hand and lets go of the edge seemingly falling to his death.

A few days later a figure approaches the grand-father lock entrance to the cave below waiting for him are Alfred and Damian who has become the new Robin, so the question still remains who owns the mantle Dick or Tim? Who is the new Batman?

Dick Grayson as Batman
Dick Grayson takes up the cowl of BatmanDick’s first big decision as Batman was to give the mantle of Robin to Damian so he could keep a eye on him but he did this without consulting Tim, Tim feels betrayed but Dick tells him he wants Tim to be his second in command, his partner not his sidekick but their conversation is interrupted by Damian now wearing a new Robin suit and begins to mock Tim but he quickly regrets this when Tim punches Damian in the face and is only held back by Dick, Tim walks out with Dick shouting after him. Tim became Red Robin and traveled the World to find out if Bruce Wayne is really died.

Dick and Damian build a flying Batmobile which they uses for the first week of their partnership, Damian is hostile towards Dick often saying he wasn’t the real Batman.

Dick and Damian respond to the bat-signal, when they arrive on the police station’s roof they meet Jim Gordon and two other policemen where they are about to talk about Mr Toad and his connections when the policemen are radioed about trouble in the police station. Batman and Robin set of quickly down the stairs to the front desk to help the police. When the Dynamic Duo leave the roof Gordon and the two other Policemen comment on how different Batman and Robin are saying they used to be taller.

At the front desk a man who is on fire is injuring and burning police officers and is then joined by his assailants, a very, very fat man dressed in a tutu and three martial arts monks strapped together, Batman and Robin arrive to the front desk, Batman lets Robin fight the three monks but he can only fight them to a stand still but unable to beat them so Batman steps in and easily defeats them. The new RobinDamian goes against Batman’s orders and goes after the fat man while Batman fights the other gang members. The fat man revels they are there to free Mr Toad but he is stopped by Robin, the fat man is massive compared to Damian but during the fight Robin brutally breaks the fat man’s arm and then violently interrogates him. Damian is only stopped when Dick has to physically restrain him. When Damian was fighting the fat man someone managed to sneak into Mr Toad’s cell and kill him.

When the arrive back at the Bat-bunker Dick and Damian yet again come to verbal blows, Damian calls Dick a mockery to Bruce’s legacy and then rips the Robin badge of his uniform and tells Dick he will find a teacher he respects, he then gets on his motorbike a leaves.

Dick confides in Alfred telling him he’s having trouble adapting to his new role, after a lengthy conversion Alfred tells Dick his Batman needs to be more of a performance and less of a memorial, Dick agrees and goes to look for Damian on a new Batbike called the Quad-Bat.

Damian manages to track down where the fat man’s gang came from, he finds out they came from a circus where he finds a girl with a mask on crying and tided up begging Damian for help but before he can help the girl he is attacked by a massive group of people who are dressed in the same cloths as the girl and also have the same mask stuck on their face’s, Damian is overwhelmed by the numbers of the group and a man wearing a pig mask walks out talking to Damian while he tries to defend himself, on of the people in the masks then set of a massive explosion.

Batman is tearing up the city looking for Robin, he begins to integrate a Prisoner from the circus who tells him where Robin is, meanwhile Robin in a circus tent wakes up bound to a chair with ropes and in the presences of a man wearing a pig mask and he is putting doll masks on other people, after a short conversation, the pig Professor orders one of his goons, who all have the same plastic face burned on to their real face, to but one of the faces on to Robin. Damian breaks the ropes that where holding him to the chair and starts to fight the goon’s and easily bets them and Professor pig.

Meanwhile Batman stops one of Professor pyg’s goons who has a bomb but when looks to disarm it he finds out it empty and realizes that their not carrying bombs their carrying germs and protects himself from the goon spitting germs at him. Back at where Damian is being held, Robin is fighting more goons, he finds a teenage girl with one of Professor pyg’s plastic faces on her asking for help and Damian says that he promises to get her out, in the same room is the girls father who also has a plastic face and is being dragged around by Professor pyg, the girl gets a Bunsen burner and burns him with it.

Professor Pyg escapes through a window and jumps onto a rollercoaster cart, Robin follows him but he leaves the girl he promised to get out, Doctor Pig is still on fire, the two begin to fight but come flying of the cart at the corner, before Damian can get up Professor Pyg hits him over the head with a burning piece of wood but before he could deliver the final blow to Robin, Batman speeds in on the bat-quod, Professor Pyg gets up and tries to escape but runs into a wall. Batman and Robin finish of the rest of the goons. Batman then realises that this must be the place where they are keeping the deadly germs and goes looking for the antidote in case anyone was infected and calls Commissioner Gordon. Robin remembers the girl he left behind but the room is empty so she must have got out. Who's the new Red Hood?Later on while talking to Commissioner Gordon Batman revels that Professor Pyg was Lazlo Valentin and he created a new generation of Narcotics [drugs] and was selling it to Russian gangsters to finance his strange opposition with making doll people [the goons with the plastic faces] and that the drug is extremely addictive [this is the same drug one of the doll people tried to spray Batman with] and he was going to hold Gotham city to ransom. Batman also finds another Domino.

Later they track down part of the Black Glove, the group that came close to killing Bruce and nearly lobotomized Dick.

That night in Gotham hospital the young girl that Robin left in Pyg’s room was going around the Hospital killing all the other Doll face people even her own father until she is caught by security but before anything can be don the security guards get their heads blown off by a mysterious man asking for her help to clean up Gotham, the mysterious man is revelled to be the new Red Hood.

Revenge of the Red Hood In the absence of Bruce Wayne Dick must step up and take his place in more ways that one, Dick has to keep up with A-list social events [throwing and going to parties], he throws a massive ball for charity inviting some of the most powerful and famous people in the world and they all come because they want to be seen with the worlds new big name, Dick Grayson.

At the party Dick meets a english writer called Oberon Sexton, who is nicked named “The Gravedigger” due to his knowledge on criminals but before the two can start talking Lucius Fox interrupts the two to ask Dick about Wayne Enterprises.

Later that night the Gotham mafia boss’s are having a meeting, just as the Penguin is about to speak suddenly gunshots are fired and hit the mob bosses killing them it is revelled that the shooter is the new Red Hood and his partner Scarlet. Before they could kill the Penguin Batman and Robin break through the window and manage to stop Red Hood killing the Penguin.

Robin and Scarlet begin fight with Robin instantly taking the upper hand but Scarlet catches him with a teaser but he quickly recovers. Penguin cowers behind Batman pleading his innocence. These events occur in Batman: Streets of Gotham title

Harly Quinn is back on the streets and on the straight and narrow, She is mistakenly accused of robbing money from a store by the owner. The police are called but it oblivious that she did not commit the crime. As she is walking away she is yanked of the streets by Batman.

Batman tells her to leave Gotham and start again, she attempts to attack Batman but he simply dodges her and she is taken down by Robin who asks if he can cut out her tongue for talking to much but Batman told him next time.

Later on that night in one of the many red light districts of Gotham where Pimps and Prostitutes operate, a pimp is selling one of his girls, a twelve year old named Cady to a man in a limo for the night. While her pimp and a client are talking about money a large man starts in on them about the deal, The pimp does not like this and attacks the man, the man moves in front of Cady and starts a fight with the pimp, the man breaks the pimp's wrist with one hand and then beats down the man in the limo and punches the man who wanted to buy the Cady for the night with knuckle dusters that leave the word “abuse” on the man’s forehead, before the mystery crime fighter drives off in the battered limo Cady tells him her real name is Katy.

Gotham is on fireKaty is still in shock in what she just saw doesn’t notice a man walk past her and graze her arm, the man is revelled to be Firefly who plans on setting Gotham on fire. Meanwhile in Batman and Robin’s new home Wayne tower they have holding cells where they keep the worst criminals until Arkam is rebuilt, Damian is playing chess with Tommy Elliot who has now completely changed his appearance to that of Bruce Wayne but before they can finish their game they see on the news that Firefly’s plan is now taking effect and it is revelled that Firefly had gone around placing small chips in people that make the person completely set on fire.

Batman and Robin start to contain the situation and Damian proves that he is growing into his new role of Robin and has started to respect Dick as Batman. They soon relies that the fire is just not contained to that small area but almost all of Gotham is on fire.

These events take place in Batman 3 weeks from now Dick Grayson is in the old Bat-cave and he’s taking one hell of a beating but the mysterious figure is not revelled. Back in the present the Batman is making his presence felt in Gotham big time and even letting himself be caught on CCTV just to let everyone know that the Dark Knight lives on and no one is felling the effects of Batman’s return more that the two major crime bosses in Gotham Penguin and Two-Face.

To the confusion of his college Sergeant Pike Commissioner Gordon shines the Bat-signal every night but for only 5 minutes, he explains that its not to call Batman to him but to let Batman know he’s there if he needs him, meanwhile Dick is having trouble adjusting from his slim line and light body armour of his Nightwing suit to the heavy cape and limited vision mask of his new Batman suit he complains that the cap is still to heavy fill he’s fighting, Alfred points out that Dick has a more airborne fighting style to Bruce’s ground and pound style but Alfred sets to work on adjusting the weight of Dick’s Batman suit and will use a lighter and more durable form of Kevlar and he also tells Dick that Damian is waiting for their training session.

In the session Dick teaches Damian he has to anticipate his opponent’s moves not just lash out at them, Dick easily beats Damian. Elsewhere in the city Two-face has come to the conclusion that this Batman is not the same as the old one and has been looking through hours of CCTV footage of the new Batman to see if he recognizes the characteristics and the fighting style of Batman to see if he knows him. Later that night Dick then receives a tip about an illegal casino called the 522 Club which is being run by the Penguin. Batman shuts it down with ease; stating Bruce could have had fun with this job if he let it. Elsewhere the Penguin is asking the new Black Mask for help due to Batman shutting down all of his plans. Black Mask agrees and lends Penguin his best henchmen called Lyle Blanco. Lyle is an ex soldier who was massive in size and strength, and had been a subject of illegal Government experiments. He was only caught by the Police after he massacred 23 people because he could not stop laughing.

Batman fighting ClayfaceMeanwhile Two-Face continues to watch video tapes of the new Batman and notices that he is smiling. Dent’s right hand man says it is a rare thing to see the Dark Knight smile and Dent agrees. Back at the Bat-bunker, Dick reveals to Alfred that he’s been getting a lot of tips lately on criminals of unknown sources. He also states that he knows he’s being set up by someone and that he will be ready for them. Batman is testing some new upgrades in the Batmobile when he spots a building on fire. He stops the fire using an non- toxic foam. As the residents of the building escape, the Batmobile is suddenly under attack from massive rocks and Dick realizes that he’s been caught in a trap. The car continues to take a pounding but it does not really effect it seeing this the massive rocks begin to hit the building Batman had just saved and he tries to stop them using sonic pulses, the attackers then demand Batman get out of his car or they will destroy the building, the attackers are revealed as Penguin’s new muscle Lyle Blanco A.K.A The Solider and Clayface. Batman jumps out of the Batmobile and begins to fight back, Batman uses his smoke grenades so he can try and end the fight quickly, Dick uses a combination of his martial arts and gadgets to try and to the fight but he underestimates The Solider. Dick asks Alfred over the radio link to use the Batmobile to take out clayface so he can fight The Solider, Batman hits Solider with powerful martial arts techniques and tranqs but to no real effect but he eventually wins the fight but the two criminals where not alone and the third unseen member sets of an explosion so that The Solider and Clayface can escape. Two-Face in his Batman suitMeanwhile Two-face is looking for a teleporter who can take him into a location where a certain item was made and he had three candidates and when he finds the one who can carry out this task he kills the other two and revels where he wants to go, the original Bat-Cave.

Also going on at the same time Penguin is thanking Black Mask for his part in distracting Batman with The Solider and Clayface so he could pull a job but before Penguin can leave Black Mask has his men killed by the escaped Arkam asylum prisoners and tells Penguin that he now works for him.

Back at the Bat-bunker Alfred is a alerted by an alarm that indicates that someone has broken into the Bat-cave, Alfred quickly informs Dick, who goes to expect the Cave which has not been used since Dick became Batman, where he discovers that the giant penny coin has been uncovered and has scratches all over one side of it but before Batman can fully analyze the coin he is shot in the back with several high-powered darts [Dick then blames himself for thinning out his body armor to much so that he could move quicker] when he turns around he see’s his shooter is Two-face wearing his version of a Batman suit.

What does he have planned?Dent continues to beat Batman, when he stops Dick realizes that Two-face had pumped him full of the scarecrows toxins. Dent continues to rant on about how does not change and that Dick could not be the Batman. Dent revels that he’s been trying to teleport into the cave for years but had no success until today and that Batman would never leave himself open to attack.

Two-Face continues to rant at Dick when suddenly a shadowy figure appears and shoots three darts into Batman’s side, by the time Dent looks back to the floor only to see that Dick had disappeared. Two-Face was now locked in the Bat-Cave with the Batman.

Dent starts to panic and starts shooting shadows, Batman then starts to beat Dent, when the fight is over Two-Face, Dent is lying in a bloody mess and he finally believes that Dick is the same Batman as before he’s just changed.

The shadowy figure revels himself to be Alfred and that he shoot Dick with some adrenaline to help Batman’s body fight the toxins, Dick then tells Alfred that the cave is to dangerous to be left unattended and that they need to clear it out.

That night when being in a prisoner transport van being taken to Blackgate, Two-Face is broken out by the Black mask asking for Dent to come and work for him, Dent says he’ll pass and Black Mask tells him to leave Gotham.

Back at the Cave Dick and Alfred are staring to clear out the cave, Dick describes the cave as “a war room, a lab and an arsenal room but without it’s warrior” and that it need to left how Bruce found it, dark and empty. Later on Dick comes to Jason’s Robin tunic and Bruce’s Cowl, he tells Alfred that Jason’s tunic goes into storage because it was Bruce’s cross to bear not his but says that they will take Bruce’s cowl with them, while removing the case around Jason’s Robin suit, Dick finds a memory stick in the hollow base of the casing. Dick uses a computer in one of the bat-mobiles to view what was on it, the content of the memory shocked Dick, it was a file on Dick’s parents murder. In Batman #692, Dick is shown interrogating a member of Black mask's false face gang. The false face member mutters a series of numbers in Dick's ear, then he leaves the false face to Gotham's finest. Dick then spots several False Faces on the ground dead, that were caught in a crossfire, he finds a little pill and a fedora at the crime scene. Two days later, Dick meets Selina at wayne tower. They start to fuss about Bruce and about information about Black Mask. Dick then says to Selina, that he is not trying to replace the bond that Bruce and Selina had with each other. Selina then agrees to help Dick search for Black mask, however she said it would cost him $25,000 for the information, Dick then agrees to Selina's terms. Elsewhere, Dr. Hugo Strange is talking to Fright about a 50-year-old man to be the best candidate for Hugo's experiment instead of ex-arkham inmates. Hugo then mentions about how Dr. Death is going to "Take Care" of the inmates. Later in Midtown Gotham, Selina says to Dick that Black mask's hideout was in Devil's Square. However Dick already knew that Black mask was in Devil's Square, He wasted $25K just for information that he already knew. Then Selina tells Dick that a piece of estate has been bought in the outskirts of Gotham city, Dick then finds out that Mario Falcone moved into that piece of estate a little while ago. Dick fights Mario and his gang using multiple fighting styles, and then escapes into the shadows using a smoke grenade. Mario sends out dogs to find Batman, while Catwoman is stealing from them. The only one that sees Selina escape is Kitrina Falcone. Back at Devil's Square 100ft under water, Black Mask, and Fright, are watching Dr. Hugo Strange bring back Dr. Gruener. Hugo is successful in bringing the Doctor back from the dead, then Black mask reminds him of his past, and then Black mask gives Gruener his reaper scythe and also gives Gruener his fathers necklace.

These events occur in Batman: Blackest Night

The Flying Grayson's return from the grave!!Dick and Damian go to Wayne Manor cemetery to clean up the mess Black Hand had left, when they arrive they discover that Black Hand had dug up Bruce Wayne’s body and had taken his skull, also he had dug up Thomas and Martha Wayne’s bodies but had not taken but Dick was extremely annoyed and decides that their bones will be moved to the Bat bunker and begins to move them but Damian gets spooked and Dick tells him to go to the Batmobile and wait for him.

While this was happening 25’000 feet above Gotham the FBI have been informed of the dead villains and hero’s being brought back to live and are flying the remains of some villains to the JLA head quarters so that they would be save but the Black Rings come and claimed the dead bodies and turns them into Black Lantern’s, amongst the new Black Lantern’s are Blockbuster and the Ventriloquist.

Batman and Robin are on their way back to a cemetery to check on some graves and are disusing whether or not they are scared of death when suddenly Dick is possessed by the Deadman, who does not know that Dick is Batman and Damian is Robin so is shocked when he enters Batman’s body as instantly starts shouting, Damian recognises that something is wrong with Dick and starts punching Dick in hopes getting the Deadman out of him the combination of driving at 80 mile an hour and getting punched in the face make Deadman serve of the road.

Deadman then swaps bodies with Damian so he can talk to Batman, it is revelled that Deadman’s body had also been taken by the Black Lantern’s and he could also hear them whispering which was hurting him. They set off to the nearest cemetery, on the way Deadman tells Dick that Damian has some bad issue’s.

They arrive at the cemetery where Deadman starts to sense the Black Rings and leaves Damian’s body, it is revelled that the cemetery they are in is the final resting place of Jack and Janet Drake and their bodies have become Black Lantern’s, Dick calls Tim, who is in Paris dangling a man of the Eiffel Tower who he has beaten up and after Dick tells him what’s happened Tim starts to way back to Gotham. Dick’s parents have also been brought back as Black Lantern’s. Damian draws Batman attention to the Bat-signal in the sky which had been cracked and there are bodies lying on top of it. The Black Lantern's now have brought the deceased carcass of Bruce Wayne back as a Black Lantern. This was to play a part in the plan of Nekron to kill the Justice League, and have them return as Black Lantern's. Black Lantern Batman flied in the skies, and his only words were: "Emotional Tether Registered." Nekron quickly destroyed the Batman B.L. after he had put black lantern rings on the heroes of the JLA by having the rings fall from his mouth. It was reported in December that writer of Final Crisis, and Batman R.I.P., Grant Morrison, would be writing the return of Bruce Wayne in a six-issue mini-series, entitled: "The Return Of Bruce Wayne". This mini-series will feature Batman from different universes trying to work his way into our universe. It is slated to begin this April.

Equipment Batman''' is most notable for his use of gadgetry. Due to his wealth, money is no obstacle for the development of various gadgets he uses in fighting crime. The most recognizable of these is the Batarang, a thrown weapon that has a returning ability. This was slowly replaced by his grappling hook as a favored gadget over time. Other items include smoke or flash grenades, caltrops, a re- breather, and various anti-venoms. His heels have a sonic device which can summon a swarm of bats. This allows for dramatic escapes or diversions to keep his enemies busy. A Kryptonite ring was entrusted to Batman by Superman himself, to ensure a defense in case he were to ever go rogue. '''

Origin While Batman was studying how to fight crime, it crossed his mind that he could not do it effectively as Bruce Wayne. Realizing from his studies of psychology that “criminals are a superstitious, cowardly lot,” Batman began thinking of a way to strike terror into their hearts. One night he was in one of his rooms when a bat flew in through his window and sat atop a bust of his father. Realizing how the bat had frightened him, he decided to adopt that persona and he moddeled all his equipment with bat iconography in mind.

 

Bat-Suit
The earliest versions of the Bat suit were based on a Nomex survival suit, and Batman experimented with it until it was light enough for him to move quickly, but strong enough to protect him from attack.It is essentially a strengtened body stocking. The Batsuit is fitted with steel rivets for enhanced strength. The traditional colors of the suit are Black, Blue, and Grey.

Cowl: The cape and the cowl are one piece of the suit, with the cowl resembling a hood. Torso Piece: A light, tight fitting top with kevlar weave. Lower suit: Light, tight fitting pants strengthened with steel rivets and kevlar weave. Boots: Shock resistant boots. They are made from leather and kevlar. Gauntlets: gloves fitted with grappling blades, woven with kevlar.  On his arms, he has attached forearm gauntlets and Kevlar gloves which can make his arms an offensive weapon as well as defensive. The gauntlets also allow him to be protected from sharp objects. Batman wears a hood, which is basically his head gear. The ears contain an antenna and microphone. This allows him to hear over a long distance, or use them to embellish his voice. Parts of the hood are fitted with bullet-proof Kevlar. His hood also comes equipped with night and thermal vision. His cape is a special kind of fiber. It flows freely, which gives him his scary look, but he can send electrical waves through it so it becomes stiff. This allows him to glide, or slow down his fall, and is also flame-retardant. A small neck brace is used to absorb a large amount of force being pulled on his cape, so he will not be injured if falls and is hanging by his cape. Protection From His Cape

Cape
Batman's cape has undergone many redesigns from DC Comics artists throughout the years. It was originally inspired by the drawings of a wing-like cape by Leonardo Da Vinci. Later artists would begin making the wings look more cape-like. All the versions of Batman's cape, however, still retain the scalloped wing design at the bottom of the cape. The cape is used to help conceal Batman in the shadows, and it has also been used as a sort of parachute. In the movie adaptations, the cape has been shown to be made of Kevlar and to be resistant to bullets and fire. It has also been used as a hang glider. But Batman has never truly been able to fly using any of the various versions of his cape.

Variant suits
Batman has other various suits that he uses. Some of his suits provide extra power for him to fight meta-humans. He also has a SCUBA variant suit that is a fireproof version of his Batsuit that allows him to fight enemies like Firefly. Jean-Paul Valley redesigned the Batsuit when he abandoned his customary alias of Azrael to take over the mantle while Bruce was temporarily out of action. He created an armored suit that had shuriken launchers, flame-throwers, and other lethal weapons. In the Dark Knight Returns, Batman used special armor that used the cities power to give him super-strength, sonic rays, acid spray, and a thermal bomb. It was also extremely protective, being able to withstand blows from the Man of Steel. He almost beat Superman if his old heart did not give out, he would have been victorious. Another suit he used was in Kingdom Come.

Batman's Utility Belt

Utility Belt
Batman’s utility belt is one of his most characteristic items of special paraphernalia, and everyone in the "Batman Family" has the same designs on their utility belts. His enemies believe that if they have his belt, it will give them an advantage over him. However, Batman had designed the pockets to be locked, and only he knows how to open them. His belt has a security device on it where it can electrically shock someone, shoot a stun gas, or detonate an explosive device to prevent anyone from tampering with it. It is made of a leather strap with a solid steel buckle. The buckle is a miniature camera and a two-way radio. There are also compartments that hold collapsible "Batarangs." It can hold ten cylinder cartridges that are equipped vertically outside of the belt. The cylinders hold various tools and equipment Batman needs to fight crime and vary depending on his mission: Wielding A Batarang

- Remote control: Controls the batmobile and other vehicles, and WayneTech satellites. - Taser: This can incapacitate an opponent by means of non-lethal electrocution. - Termite grenades: Burn through most materials. - Forensics kit: 
 * Batarang: A shuriken of shakens, each designed like a boomerang and all with a boomerang effect. They are usually designed to look like a bat. Batarang shakens also vary in their sizes and effects.
 * Bat-bolas: It is an explosive ball that when thrown at an opponent’s feet, explode and ties them up in a nylon cord. Batman can also give an electric shock with a button on his gauntlets.
 * Bat-cuffs: These are bat-shaped handcuffs that are made of lightweight diamond-impregnated nylon. Theirs is a one-piece design. They slide open and closed so they can fit into his utility belt.
 * Bat-tracer: Used to attach on opponents to track their location.
 * Communication device: Ear-bug to communicate with allies.
 * Combat Knife: Batman carries a blade, though its never under any circumstance used in combat.
 * First aid kit: To heal injuries.
 * Gas Mask: Provides protection against various toxic gases.
 * Goo gun: A gun that fires adhesive substance to incapacitate an opponent.
 * Grappling hook: A gun that fires a line to swing from one area to another.
 * Night vision goggles: Lenses that allow Batman to see in the dark. They are currently built into his hood.
 * Kryptonite ring: Inside a lead-lined box is a ring, with a green kryptonite jewel, to weaken Superman if he ever goes rogue. - Laser torch: A laser that cuts through almost any material.
 * Oxy-acetylene torch: A newer version of the laser torch.
 * Line gun: Stronger version of the grappling gun in which the top clamps onto a big surface.
 * Lock picks: To pick locks, sometimes stored in Batman's gauntlets.
 * Micro camera: Mounted on his utility-belt buckle, it allows him to shoot photographs.
 * Miniature smoke grenades: These allow him to conceal himself from his enemies.
 * Miniature mines: Small explosives that detonate on touch.
 * Mini computer: A computer connected to WayneTech communications satellite.
 * Money: Whatever currency is needed.
 * Radar: Kept on his buckle, it emits a radar wave.
 * Re-breather: Allows Batman to breathe underwater or in a vacuum.

Skills & Abilities
Through out the years, Batman has been shown to become one of the most powerful human beings in the DC Universe even though he has never been possessed of any super-human powers at any time in his life. When Bruce Wayne lost his parents to a petty criminal, he inherited a large sum of money [Millions which later became billions thanks to Bruce's company dealing]. With so much money, Bruce was able to dedicate his time into training to become a crime fighter. Batman is known as the “World’s Greatest Detective.” His deductive skills have been shown to be almost limitless. Batman is fluent in many languages and is also a very brilliant scientist, such as chemistry and his specialty, forensic science. Batman also has a supercomputer that he dubbed the “Bat-Computer” in which he uses when he is solving cases. Tim Drake has been shown to be the only other person to have a full understanding of how to use the Bat-Computer. He is an expert user of many vehicles such as a car, motorcycle, helicopter, Jet-Skis, planes, boats, and hang gliders. Batman has been an excellent strategist from the start. When he first figured out that criminals were superstitious cowards, he began using the bat as intimidation to throw his enemies off balance. His utility belt also has a wide array of weapons which he may need during a fight. While he fights, he usually calculates several moves ahead to be able to calculate the best possible strategy to win. His teachers are Henri Ducard, Kirigi, African Bushmen, Monks, and Harvey Harris. Ducard taught him the art of manhunting. Kirigi taught him the art of ninjutsu. The African Bushmen taught him how to track. Monks taught him healing arts. Harvey Harris taught him detective skills

After finally returning to Gotham as the Batman, Bruce has become a master martial artist, acrobat, and escapologist. He is also an expert in many different and exotic weapons. However, with his parents having been killed by a gun, he has always rejected the use of guns. Due to him being a regular human being, his physical strength cannot be matched with a super-humanoid. However, he is still one of the greatest fighters in the DC Universe, and only a handful can defeat him. Throughout the years, Batman began putting himself through rigorous training in his Batcave, and it has made him so strong that it is near meta-human level. Having mastered several martial arts such as boxing, karate, jujitsu, kung fu, muay Thai, aikido, ninjitsu and kobudo(weapons handling), his being in the pinnacle of human physical condition combined with his genius-level intellect makes him arguably the most dangerous non-meta on the planet. He knows 127 major styles of combat. Even meta Humans fear the Batman; many consider him to be the best. Batman has even beaten Superman many times, using his intelligence. Unusual Features: Bruce has had many scars on his body, however his main scars are from many of his deadliest foes. As shown in Batman: Hush, He has been shot by Two-face, stabbed by Joker, and also slashed by Catwoman. 
 * Peak Of Human Strength: Batman has been seen to break out of steal cuffs and he has bended steal with his bare hands. Batman has also been seen to hold over 2,000lbs of ceiling.
 * Peak Of Human Durability: Batman has been shot many times, but has survived every time.
 * Peak Of Human Speed: Batman can run faster than any human on earth.
 * Peak Of Human Reflexes: Batman's reflexes were mastered at such a point, that he caught Green Arrow's arrow from mid flight. He can also dodge multiple gun fire at once.
 * Peak Of Human Agility: Batman's agility is greater than a Chinese acrobat and a Olympic athlete. His main agility that he uses to scale rooftops is Parkour, which he learned in France.

Characteristics: 

Hair Color: Black 

Eye Color: Blue 

Height: 6'3" 

Weight: 250lbs(98 kg) 

Age: 40 

The
Joker Ying and Yang The Joker is a homicidal maniac with a clown-like appearance who takes comedic delight in violent crime and challenging Batman. He is generally acknowledged to be Batman's arch-nemesis and worst enemy, gleefully citing the relationship between the two as being Comedy and Tragedy, Chaos and Order, two sides of the same coin, Yin and Yang. The Joker was responsible for the two most devastating events in Batman career the first is when he shot and crippled Barbara Gordon. The second and the possibly the worst incident in Batman’s career was brutal murder of the second Robin, Jason Todd, which almost drove Batman insane and the next time they meet Batman was full of Scarecrow’s fear toxins and came close to beating the Joker to death. The last time Bruce and Joker [now more deranged then ever and has further disfigured himself] where he played a massive part in the Black Gloves plan to not kill but render him brain dead he fought Batman then turned on the members of the Black Glove killing several of them. The relationship between the two is a complex one, Batman would not kill The Joker because it goes against his morals and The Joker won’t kill the Batman because he feels Batman completes him.



===Two-Face=== Formerly District Attorney Harvey Dent (a friend of Bruce Wayne's). Dent's latent multiple personality disorder fully took hold when half his face was horrifically scarred by Sal Maroni. He became obsessed with committing crimes themed around duality and opposites. He makes major decisions by flipping a two-headed coin on which one of the faces is scarred. Over the years, he has reformed at various times, with his face being surgically repaired, only to later fall back into the Two-Face persona. Two-Face made Batman watch as he beat the first Robin, Dick Grayson to a pulp, this event has stuck with both Batman and Dick for years.

The Riddler
Riddle me this.....Edward Nigma is a criminal mastermind who has a strange compulsion to challenge Batman by leaving clues to his crimes in the form of riddles and puzzles. Recently, he has seemingly abandoned his criminal lifestyle and has opted to utilize his skills to turn a profit as a freelance investigator. When the Riddler used on of Ra’s Al Ghul’s Lazarus pit to cure himself of cancer and when he teamed up with Hush he learned that Bruce Wayne was Batman he threatened to out him but Bruce told him that if he said anything he would tell Ra’s who used his Lazarus pit something the Riddler did not want.

===The Scarecrow=== Professor Jonathan Crane, an insane scientist and psychiatrist, specializes in the nature of fear. Dressed symbolically as a scarecrow, he employs special weapons, equipment and techniques designed to use fear to his advantage in his crimes. He suffers from a crippling fear of Bats himself.

The Demon Head

Ra’s Al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul (known as the Demon's Head), is a centuries-old eco-terrorist. He knows Batman's secret identity. He utilizes special pits known as Lazarus Pits which enable him to evade death, and live for centuries. He is the founder of the worldwide League of Assassins, though exactly when is unknown. Batman has a special relationship with Ra’s due to Bruce being the father of Ra’s grandson Damian and Ra’s has a huge respect for Batman’s intellect and calls him the detective. Ra’s has also tried to recruit Tim Drake from Batman believing that Tim will one day be better that his mentor Batman but Ra’s always fails.

The man that broke the bat

Bane
An escaped convict from an island prison in South America, Bane has abnormal strength as a result of having had experiments with a derivative of the drug Venom performed on him. He became known as The Man Who Broke the Bat when he broke Batman's spine, forcing Bruce Wayne to give up the Batman persona while he recuperated. Batman has managed to beat Bane in their other fights but Batman has described the events of Bane breaking his back the worst and scariest moment in his career and he still has nightmares of it. Batman now wears a strong spine guard and insists that Tim and Dick wear one.

Hush little baby don't you cry......

Hush
Thomas Elliot was a childhood friend of Bruce Wayne's. He targets both Batman and Bruce Wayne. Hush's name originates from a nursery rhyme Hush little baby. Hush is an excellent marksman and tactician and is one of the few people on earth who can match wits with Bruce Wayne. Recently Hush completely changed his appearance to match that of the dead Bruce Wayne so that he could steal his identity but after a short time he was caught by Bruce’s two adopted son’s and placed in a special prison cell below Wayne Tower.

Tick tock here's Crock

Killer Croc
Waylon Jones is a former crocodile wrestler turned into a criminal deformed by mutation into a humongous humanoid lizard. He has high intelligence and great strength, as well as crocodilian abilities, such as a keener sense of smell and the ability to hold his breath underwater for long periods of time. Due to his large stature and strength and ability to travel in Gotham’s sewage systems means he’s usually is a criminal for hire and never usually the brains of the crime but still hold a challenge for Batman when they fight.

Penguin
Crime lord and all round bird loverOswald Chesterfield Cobblepot, a short fat man with a long pointed nose, fancies himself a gentleman of crime. He usually wears a tuxedo, top hat, and monocle, and carries any variety of umbrellas which have various hidden functions such as vehicles or weapons. Cobblepot has become a major player in the Gotham crime world and has built up a criminal empire that would impress the likes of Lex Luthor. He has come into conflict with the Dark Knight many times over the years.

Not a people person

Poison Ivy
Pamela Lillian Isley, a former student of advanced botanical biochemistry, employs plants of all varieties and their derivatives in her crimes. She has the ability to control and manipulate all plant life and is immune to all poisons and toxins. She is often described as fanatical about defending plants from other humans, even being willing to murder for her beliefs. She also has a severe love/hate relationship with Batman. In some instances she claims to love him, in other encounters she functions as an ally, and at other times she is more than willing to kill him.

Anarky
AnarkyLonnie Machin, a teenage prodigy who, believing in anarchism, creates improvised gadgets and attempts to subvert government in order to improve society. Initially very young, his costume was designed to disguise his true age. More recent stories portray him as being in his late-teens. Batman recognizes him as a force for good, but does not support his violent methods. Recently the teen-ager Ulysses Hadrian Armstrong became the new Anarky but he doesn’t hold the same values as Lonnie and doesn’t want to stop crime just create chaos and Anarky but he is the arc-enemy of the third Robin, Tim Wayne.

"It's an Arsenal, a laboratory, a war room"
- Dick Grayson on the Batcave The BatCave is one of the most important factors in Batman's career as both a headquarters for his operation as well as a place of privacy for him to think. In Batman Begins the cave was described as being used in the underground railroads and it in the movies Bruce fell through the caves at a young age. The cave can be reached through many ways. One is by setting a grandfather cloak in the study to 10:47 (the time when Bruce's parents were killed). one version of an wat in to the Bat cave is after opening a William Shakespeare bust on the table of Bruce Wayne's study, a bookcase would slide over and one could reach it by sliding down "Batpoles." In Batman Forever

,
Bruce was able to slide down a tunnel that lead to the Cave from his office in Wayne Enterprises. A waterfall or camouflaged door is used for connecting to the road for the Batmobile. There is also a dry well entrance as well. Also almost anyone who knows Batman's true identity knows the location and how to enter the cave. Batman has several advanced computers that store data on many of his foes and he can connect to any network via a series of satellites. Batman has worked with several advanced minds on the creation of his system and often communicates to Oracle and use her computer skills.

Batman may at times use JLA computers when he feels his are not up to a certain task, due to the use of alien technology in the League's computers. The cave houses many of Batman's vehicles such as the Batmobile, Batbikes and the Bat-Wing to name a few. The BatCave is also a advanced bomb shelter and panic room and can even survive an earthquake such as during the Cataclysm. The BatCave also stores, and is home to, memorabilia collected from various adventures. Three items often seen in the cave are a defunct full-size mechanical Tyrannosaurus Rex, an equally large U.S. penny, and a Joker playing card. There are also other BatCaves in other locations aside form the one under the manor.

The Central BatCave,''' located fifty feet below the bottom of Robinson Park Reservoir, is accessible through a secret entrance at the foot of one of the Twelve Caesars statues at the north of the park. This safe house was put out of commission by Poison Ivy, her "Feraks," and Clayface. '''

The BatCave South''' is a boiler room of a derelict shipping yard on the docks across from Paris Island. This safehouse is accessible through a number of false manholes planted throughout Old Gotham streets. ''

The BatCave South-Central''' is located in the Old Gotham prototype subway station, a four-block stretch of track sealed in 1896 and forgotten. '''

The Northwest BatCave''' is a safe house located in the sub-basement of Arkham Asylum. Batman secretly stocked it with emergency rations, all-terrain vehicles, and battery-powered communication equipment. Batcave East: An abandoned oil refinery owned by Wayne Enterprises. It fell out of use during a gasoline crisis when the company moved all its holdings offshore decades ago. '''

The Los Angeles BatCave''' was used by the Outsiders when Batman rejoined the group as the headquarters. Another was introduced in 2002's Fugitive story arc, this time in the form of an abandoned submarine. ''' Bat bunker: Under the penthouse of the Wayne Foundation building, there is a secret bunker. As of Batman 687, Dick Grayson has taken to using this as his Batcave, stating that he wishes to embody the role of Batman in a way that is specific to him as well as getting closer to the action in the city. The bunker is as well-equiped as the original Batcave, including the Subway Rocket vehicle stationed beneath the bunker.

The Homosexual Interpretations That Almost Destroyed Batman
One of the most controversial questions popped up in the early 1950s. Are Batman and Robin gay lovers? The answer is left for the audience to interpret, so theoretically the answer could be yes and no. However, a psychologist named Fredric Wertham testified in the Senate to get comic books outlawed. The comic industry had to organize the Comics Code Authority, and comics had to obtain that Authority's seal of approval. Wertham published a book titled Seduction Of The Innocent in 1954. Six pages in that book were dedicated to Batman’s supposed connection to homosexuality. During this time, homosexuality was much more intolerable then nowadays. Note that every example used is seen through Fredric Wertham’s eyes, as his work is all based on long-since totally discredited theories and a vicious, evil bias against homosexuality--AND comics, which he had always hated. The homosexuality interpretation began when one of his gay patients brought in Detective Comics and began telling him how it became a fantasy if he could live with Bruce. The homophobic, misogynistic Wertham wrote in his book: "One young homosexual during psychotherapy brought us a copy of Detective Comics, with a Batman story. He pointed out a picture of ‘The Home of Bruce and Dick,’ a house beautifully landscaped, warmly lighted and showing the devoted pair side by side, looking out a picture window. When he was eight this boy had realized from fantasies about comic-book pictures that he was aroused by men. At the age of ten or eleven, ‘I found my liking, my sexual desires, in comic books. I think I put myself in the position of Robin. I did want to have relations with Batman. The only suggestion of homosexuality may be that they seem to be so close to each other. I remember the first time I came across the page mentioning the secret BatCave. The thought of Batman and Robin living together and possibly having sex relations came to my mind. You can almost connect yourself with the people. I was put in the position of the rescued rather than the rescuer. I felt I’d like to be loved by someone like Batman or Superman.’" Wertham stated that “the Batman type of story” was what caused children to have subconscious homosexual fantasies. Wertham came up with a totally ridiculous and evilly homophobic "theory" that “they lived in sumptuous quarters, with beautiful flowers in large vases, and have a butler. It is like a wish dream of two homosexuals living together.” Up until 1961, male homosexual activities were banned in the United States of America. So therefore it was easy for Wertham, in his quackery, to connect that Bruce Wayne used a secret identity to hide his true self, just as gays had to hide themselves prior to 1961. Another argument he advanced that Batman was gay was the supposed lack of women in Bruce Wayne’s life. During these times, it was thought that homosexuals hated women, so Wertham quickly jumped to the wrong, false, and lying conclusion that “Bruce and Dick must be homosexual because there were no women in their home.” He viewed Batman as an anti-feminine and wrote that there are only “masculine, bad, witch-like women. And if a girl is good looking, she is undoubtedly the villainous. If she is after Bruce Wayne, she will have no chance against Dick.” DC Comics would try to refute the allegations that Bruce and Dick were gay by introducing Batwoman, a former circus acrobat whose real name was Kathleen Kane, and her daughter, the first Bat-Girl, a fellow former circus acrobat whose own real name was Elizabeth "Betty" Kane, into the "Batman Family." In an interview with Julius Schwartz, who was then the editor of Batman comics in the 1960s, he stated that he had killed off Alfred and replaced him with Dick’s Aunt Harriet to have a woman in the house. The 1960s was the same time that Batman: The Series began to air on television. The television series seemed to support Wertham’s ludicrous theory of a homosexual Batman. The television series looked like it had everything Wertham said, from the happy "campy" atmosphere to the nice Batcave and no women in Bruce’s life. The next allegation was that Batman was the prime example of “the muscular male super type, whose primary sex characteristics are usually well-emphasized, while Robin is a handsome ephebic boy, usually shown in his uniform with bare legs. He often stands with his legs spread, the genital region discreetly evident.” This also pointed out the type of costumes they wore. Robin then wore little green shorts and pixie boots while Batman wore skin tight clothing.

However, just as these can be falsely interpreted as “gay,” it can and should be interpreted as “straight” by mentioning that Robin’s costume was originally designed in the 1930s and that it was made to be colorful for children, while Batman was a dark character. Batman’s skin tight clothing could be interpreted as clothing worn by American football players. The skin-tight clothing helped one avoid being grabbed. Perhaps most likely, it was designed in the fashion of circus strongmen and acrobats. Indeed it was circus outfits that inspired Superman garb and thus became the traditional garb of almost all Super-hero's for a long, time afterwords. So originally, Batman was never meant to be gay. However, it is up to the reader to interpret whatever they want. Many, many fans have seen this as a silly attempt to incorporate something into the history that simply isn't there. They have made the point that it takes a tremendous stretch to say that a homosexual relationship is represented here. But let’s see what the creators think: Alan Grant:"In my 40 years as a Batman reader, that question never occurred to me. Then, during my time as writer on the Batman titles, I was interviewed for an American college rag. The first question was, 'Is Batman gay?' Well, the Batman I wrote for 13 years ISN'T gay. Denny O'Neil's Batman, Marv Wolfman's Batman, everybody's Batman all the way back to Bob Kane...NONE of them wrote him as a gay character! Only Joel Schumacher might have had an opposing view." (READERS TAKE NOTE: Schumacher's own sexual orientation subsequently came into question.) Craig Lemon: "No, of course not. When in 'Batman' form, he is dedicated to the job in hand, romance doesn't enter into the equation. Maybe the correct question should be, 'Is Bruce Wayne gay?' Whereupon you could come up with a whole line of speculation relating to his continual use and abuse of women, his fondness for young boys, and his weird obsession with older men (Alfred, Jim Gordon)...all of which could be put together and give one of two readings: (a) he's gay; (b) he has a secret identity he's trying to hide.” Devin Grayson:“To answer your second question first, do I agree with people imposing their own 'readings' on establish FICTIONAL characters? Of course. That's the whole point of reading, to bring your imagination and experience to the text, and to come away feeling inspired or entertained or like you've made a connection with the universal (because as I keep insisting, fiction is about truth, not reality)... So now, specifically, is he gay? Well, I guess it depends who you ask, doesn't it? Since you're asking me, I'll say no, I don't think he is. I'm pretty attached to the idea of him having the impossible romance with Selina, and I also think he's someone who lives pretty far outside sexual self-expression as a general rule. I certainly understand the gay readings, though. There's lots there to play with and I think that's fun and cool. And, of course, had you asked me about Nightwing's sexuality, well, you might have gotten a very different answer.”'''

All-Star Batman and Robin
Bruce Wayne is a bachelor and just recently started his Batman career. He is going on a date with one of the most beautiful journalist in Gotham City, Vicki Vale. Alfred picks up Vicki at her apartment and informs her that they are going to watch a circus. Vicki was very excited that she is going on a date with Bruce Wayne. Bruce and Vicki meet up and they attend the show at the circus. Bruce becomes interested in a twelve year old boy named Dick Grayson and his acrobatic ability, and just as they finished their act, Dick’s parents were shot and killed right in front of him. Bruce leaves immediately without informing Vicki and gets into his Batsuit. Batman chases after the murderer and puts him down, the police are coming and B atman comments on how corrupt the men of the law are. Meanwhile, Vicki gets into a struggle with the policemen when they take Dick into their custody. They slap her across the face and leave. Vicki tells Alfred to get in the car and let her drive, she follows the policemen into the woods where they were about to beat Dick to death. However, a horde of bats arrive and start attacking the policemen. Batman then crashes through the police car, then grabs Dick and says, ''”On your feet, soldier. You’ve just been drafted. Into a war.”'' Batman then tosses Dick into his Batmobile, and they drive off. Batman believes the kid is strong and will make a useful sidekick. Meanwhile, Alfred and Vicki were badly injured when Batman came crashing in. Alfred bandages the both of them up, while Vicki becomes enraged at what had happened to Dick. She then passes out from her loss of blood. Batman meanwhile, continues to drive and still refuses to speak to Dick. Dick asks Batman what he wants with him, Batman tells him that he is going to be his ward. Dick falls asleep, but soon wakes up when Batman is being chased by the Gotham police. Batman then turns his car around and rams it into the other police cars, while laughing like a maniac. The Batmobile then turns into a jet and they fly off. Dick begins freaking out but Batman slaps him over the head to make him stop. Batman then begins thinking why he is doing this to a twelve-year-old kid. Batman decides to tell Dick that he wants him to fight crime. Meanwhile, at a local bar, the Black Canary was the bartender. However, she wants to become a crime fighter too. The drunks at the bar begin hitting on her, in response to which she beats the drunks badly. Back in the Batmobile, Batman flies the Batmobile into the ocean and it changes into a submarine. Word about Dick’s kidnapping spreads quickly, as in Metropolis, Superman discovers about the kidnap and is angered. Batman finally arrives at the BatCave when Alfred calls him. He tells him that Vicki was in an accident and is in critical condition.

Batman tells him to call Eckhart in Paris to help Vicki, Alfred tells him there’s no way Eckhart would do it. Batman then tells Alfred to get Clark Kent, to go fetch him, then hangs up. Batman smiles and was proud that he knew his secret identity already. Batman begins seeing himself in Dick, he then tells Dick that he is going to work and tells him to do whatever he wants in the cave. Alfred returns to the cave and gives Dick food. This angers Batman, because he wants Dick to go through the same thing he did. Wonder Woman has arrived in Metropolis for a meeting with Superman, the Green Lantern, and Plastic Man, the early Justice League. They begin discussing the Batman problem, and Wonder Woman gets angered that they just want to turn him into the authorities. Wonder Woman (who in this story arc is described as being much more misanthropic, or man-hating, than she had ever been shown to be before) just wants to hunt down Batman and beat him to death--strictly because he is a man. Her comments anger Superman, and just as she was about to leave, muttering how much she hates men, she kisses Superman. Meanwhile, back in Gotham, Batman runs amongst rooftops patrolling his city. He beats up a few thugs and saves a damsel in distress.

New wannabes have been turning up in Gotham, Barbara Gordon, a fifteen year old girl, is now running around in the city as Batgirl. Batman was patrolling the docks where the Black Canary was beating up a few thugs nearby. However, he does not get involved as he was waiting for some more corrupt cops who were transporting a criminal come by. Once they came, Batman kicks through the windshield and knocks the two of them unconscious. However, gunfire sounds off nearby and Batman knows immediately that the amateur needs help. After Batman saves Black Canary, she jumps into him and kisses him. Batman takes her home and then heads back to the batcave. There, he brought the man who murdered Dick's parents and allowed Dick to do whatever he wishes with Jocko-Boy Vanzetti. Batman was testing whether Dick would kill Jocko-Boy or not, to his pleasure, Dick did not kill him. Instead, he beat him until he spilled a name, the Joker. Afterwords, Batman tosses Jocko-Boy back into the trunk and tells Dick to stay at the batcave and come up with a mask and costume. Later, while Batman was driving, the Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) flashed his signal in the sky to get Batman's attention. He tosses Jocko-Boy into the harbor and heads to the Green Lantern. They have a quick chat and Batman returns to find Dick finished with his costume. Robin is now ready to go into action.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
The Dark Knight Returns may be one of the greatest Batman story everBruce Wayne has retired from the Batman mantle after the death of the second Robin, Jason Todd, and become an alcohol abuser. (This book came out before the death of Jason Todd in the main continuity.) Faced with horrible guilt, Bruce decided to stop being Batman and bury his past with alcohol. Ten years have gone by since he last put on the mask, Bruce is now a 55 year old man. Gotham City has been overwhelmed with crime as groups of teenagers calling themselves “Mutants” take over the city. However, Bruce would be forced to retake the mantle of Batman again after he encountered Mutant gangs the place where his parents died. The final incident that pushed Bruce over the edge and start being Batman again was His memory of the night his parents died after watching first few moments of The Mark Of Zorro,and the re-emergence of Two-Face. Bruce had funded a rehabilitation for Harvey Dent to recover; obviously it had not worked. Bruce rampages through his home, realizing the futility of his attempts to hide who he truly is. A lone Bat finally crashes through his window and Batman is born again. Batman begins his comeback battling against Mutants who were causing trouble. When Batman got into trouble due to his old age, a 13 year old girl named Carrie Kelly saved Batman. However, the feedback that Batman got was not as it used to be. The media has labeled him a “menace” and says that he is violating the criminals civil rights. After the some fights, Batman realizes that he is not what he used to be at the age of 55, his recovery and reaction time has greatly decreased. Batman would eventually confront Two-Face when he attempted to blow up Gotham’s twin towers. Batman stops Two-Face and discovers that his face was not splitted due to plastic surgery. However, he mutters to himself that they cannot run away from the monster inside them. Meanwhile, the Mutant gangs have been using Gotham City as their own personal playground. While Commissioner Gordon was walking to work, he was confronted by a teenager with an M60. Gordon kills the teenager in self-defense. Shortly afterward, Gordon was forced to retire from the Department. The Mayor had already hired a successor for Gordon’s position named Ellen Yindel, due to her anti-vigilante stance. Although Yindel did not understand why Gordon would allow such vigilantism, she was had a great deal of respect for ex-Commissioner Gordon. Meanwhile, Batman had been investigating how the Mutants can gain high tech weaponry, eventually discovering that a United States Army general officer had been supplying the Mutants with military weapons in exchange for cash. When Batman confronts him, he confesses and justifies his actions by saying he needs to help his sick wife. However, the general’s conscience is still eating him away, and he eventually commits suicide in front of Batman. Meanwhile, Carrie decided that she wanted to become the next Robin, so she went and bought a Robin outfit with her lunch money, and later that night, sneaked out of home and searched for Batman. Meanwhile, Batman decides to put a stop to the Mutants once and for all, so he drives his tank version Batmobile to the Mutants’ meeting ground at the city dump. Batman begins to open fire at them, but assures that they are just rubber bullets. Only one Mutant is standing and it is the Mutant Leader, taunting Batman to come out and fight like a man. Batman would be overpowered by the Mutant Leader, however, Carrie distracts the Leader and then takes the injured Batman away safely. As they are heading back to the Batcave, Carrie attends to Batman’s wounds. Batman recovers quickly and despite Alfred’s objections, Batman allows Carrie to become the new Robin. The Mutant Leader has still threatened that he will unleash his army on the city, however the Mayor tries to prove that he does not need Batman by negotiating one on one with the Leader. Unfortunately for this plan, however, the Leader rips the Mayor’s throat out with his teeth. Batman and Carrie have infiltrated their ranks by dressing up as Mutants. They spread a rumor that the Leader wants an assembly quickly. Afterwards, the Leader escapes from jail and meets up with Batman at a mud-hole. Batman decides that the only way to beat him is to slow him down in the mud-hole, in which he is successful. Batman then mutters to the Leader, ''”You don’t get it, boy...this isn’t a mudhole--it’s an operating table. And I’m the surgeon.”'' Commissioner Gordon finally officially retires and Yindel is appointed Commissioner. Batman’s greatest nemesis, the Joker, had been “rehabilitated” while he was incarcerated in Arkham Asylum. While Batman had been gone from Gotham City for a long time, the Joker did not have any reason to terrorize Gotham, and thus remained quiet in Arkham. However, after he sees Batman’s re-emergence on the television, his return to madness is hinted. The Joker convinces his psychiatrist, Dr. Bartholomew Wolper (who also hates Batman) that he is now sane and regrets his past decisions. Dr. Wolper decides to get the Joker on the Late Night Show with David Endochrine to show everyone that the Joker was caused by Batman. Yindel placed the building under heavy guard to be ready to arrest Batman. When Batman shows up, he is forced to battle the police force while the Joker releases his toxic smiling gas on the audience including Endochrine and Wolper. The Joker then escapes, and Batman begins his search for the Joker. The Joker heads to Selina Kyle’s place; she has become depressed and now likewise abuses alcohol. He then beats her and dresses her up as Wonder Woman for Batman. Yindel and the police then break into Selina’s place, but Batman and Robin escape just in time. Batman stuns Yindel when he tells her that she’d better be ready to protect the Governor from the Joker. The Joker continues his rampage and kills a group of Cub Scouts before Batman and Robin are able to arrive. However, Robin is able to prevent more deaths on a roller coaster on which the Joker had planted a bomb. Batman chases after the Joker and eventually the two fight. Batman beats the Joker badly and wonders whether he should kill the Joker. Eventually, Batman realizes that he is unable to kill the Joker since that would make him too much like the Joker, but he leaves the Joker paralyzed. The Joker begins laughing and taunting at how Batman is a coward. He then twists and breaks his own neck attempting to frame Batman for murder. Meanwhile, the President calls for Superman, who is now an undercover agent for the American government. He then tells Superman to keep an eye on Batman, but he is soon called to deal with a Soviet Union problem in South America.

The Sons of Batman have become more well known now, fighting crime like Batman but willing to kill those who broke the law. Batman is still injured from the fight against the Joker, but decides that he and Robin will train the Sons of Batman to fight crime with non-lethal methods. Soon, the Government dispatches Superman to take down Batman after he makes Gotham City the safest city in America. However, Oliver Queen, now a one-armed revolutionary, warns Batman of the Government’s plans. Batman begins preparing for his battle against Superman and is equipped with a powerful suit of armor, synthetic kryptonite, and a mysterious pill. Batman and Superman engage in a powerful battle, but Batman emerges the winner. However, Batman then suffers, and dies from, a heart attack shortly after. Meanwhile, Alfred Pennyworth detonates bombs that he and Batman had deliberately planted in the Batcave for just this purpose, and destroys Wayne Manor. Alfred dies right afterward. Bruce Wayne’s identity as Batman quickly becomes public knowledge, but his stocks and funds have already been sold to his heirs. With the Batcave and Wayne Manor destroyed, there is no solid evidence. The funeral is attended by James Gordon, Selina Kyle, Carrie Kelly, Clark Kent, and Ellen Yindel. Clark has been stricken with guilt and saddened by the death of his friend. As Clark begins walking away, he hears a heart beat inside the coffin, and after looking at Carrie, winks at her and leaves. Carrie later digs up Bruce’s body and it is revealed that he faked his death with the pill. Bruce Wayne now begins a new life, leading Robin, Green Arrow, and his army through unexplored caves beyond the Batcave, to begin their new lives. This story and Frank Milers version of Batman/ Bruce Wayne continues in The Dark Knight Strikes Again. The Dark Knight Returns explores the heroic nature of Batman, and his embodiment as the very soul and conscience of Bruce Wayne. Quite possibly Frank Millers masterpiece, Returns symbolizes both character and writer as truly legendary figures in comic book storytelling.

THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN. Frank Miller Dark Knight Returns Sequel.

Striking backBatman is three years in hiding and feels the time is right for his return. He sets the wheels in motion by freeing Captured hero Ray Palmer. Superman, still haunted by his defeat at Batmans hands, saves a plane from crashing, while contemplating killing him. The first of many pop culture news flashes are screened on a television, they show the heroes and vigilantes as fashionista sex gods, and fail to appreciate their true value. Catgirl leads the Batboys on an attack to free Barry Allen, one of the Batboys crosses the line and kills one of the guards. the mission is a success and the murderer is punished with a severe Catgirl beating. Batman finally shows up and comforts Catgirl. Superman is venting his anger towards Batman by destroying asteroids in space. He, Shazam, and Wonder Woman meet up aboard the old JLA HQ, to discuss the dawning Braniac attack on Earth. Superman has had enough and heads to the batcave to deal with Batman. He is beaten senseless by Flash,Atom and Green Arrow and finally confronted by Batman who beats him with Kryptonite gloves. He tells Kent to get out of the Batcave. Kingdom Come

Old and broken but never ready to give upNot even the world's most forceful will can hold together an aged body so badly broken and battered for so very many years. Batman, his physical frame reinforced by an exoskeleton, no longer dons the family cape and cowl. Now, out of costume but having long ago abandoned his foppish Bruce Wayne persona, he holes up night and day in his Batcave, remotely monitoring his robotic Bat-Knights, using them (with tremendous success) to maintain order in Gotham City. Batman, the aristocrat, believes (as billionaires are wont to do) that a measure of power and rule rightfully belongs in the hands of those who will grasp it and use it. However, he's just as unnerved by the threatened totalitarianism of the new Justice League as he is by the out-of-control "heroes" who run rampant through the streets, mocking the standards that Batman once set. When it comes to dealing with the threat of the "new breed" of heroes, Batman, as always, has his own ideas. Like Luthor, he's convinced that a steady, concentrated, methodical approach to the problem will win him the world. But unlike Luthor, Batman is spurred on instead to fast, hard-strike action by the reemergence of the League.

Speeding Bullets
Kal-El in Bruce Wayne's shoes.

Kal-El as BatmanWhen Doctor Wayne and Mrs. Wayne find a baby (Kal-El) in some kind of rocket, they take him up and raise him as their own. They name him Bruce and teach him respect for all people. Regardless of social class or race. Martha Wayne cultivated his heart and nurtured him with an unconditional love that shaped his soul. Doctor Thomas Wayne was a kind and compassionate father, despite his emotional reserve. He understood the power of Kal-El -- So quick, so agile: never a bruised or broken bone -- but he was more concerned with testing Bruce's Mental limits than his physical ones. He told Bruce "The cowards and bullies use violence, but you -- of all who live -- must aspire to something better. Something Higher." Many years passed and Bruce lived a happy life... Until one fatal night when Bruce and his family went out for dinner at a fancy restaurant and a movie of his choice. As the Wayne's were walking through an alley, a robber stops them and robs them. As Bruce watched as his parents were gunned down, he remembered his father's words "It's time to face the world Bruce." The robber pointed his gun at Bruce and fires two shots. Out of anger, Bruce's Kryptonian powers go out of control and he burns the robber with his heat vision. The next morning, Joe Chill (the robber) was found face down in an alley: Dead. Body burned almost beyond recognition. Next to him, they found Bruce, his eyes were wide and unseeing. Covered in his parent's blood. For years after that Bruce would constantly repeat "The bullets. The bullets. The bullets..." For years after the shooting, Bruce hid himself from the rest of the world, living in his parent's mansion in solitude. He hated violence and death with all his soul. The images of murder making him go insane. One day, a group of robbers invaded his house. Bruce uses his powers to brutally attack the robbers, tearing them apart with his heat vision. He decides there is much he can do with his powers. He takes up the identity of the Batman. Bruce also takes up a job as publisher at the "Planet" which was bought by Lexcorp. One day, when Lois was kicked out of Lex's Limo and was about to be attacked by a group of thugs, the "Batman" steps in and breaks them apart, he burns their flesh, splinters their bones. He was a dangerous psychopathic animal. After Lex Luthor supposedly died in a flood of chemicals and flames, he was reborn as the Joker. He kidnaps Lois and flies away with her. He reveals his plan to take over Gotham and begins his attack. The Joker commands his mercenary army -- supplied with guns, grenades, fire-bombs and everything else Lexcorp money could buy. He intended to take control of the city and remake it in his own warped image: "The independent nation-state of Jokerania" Batman eventually stops all the madness and reveals himself to be a true hero. A man of decency and high ideals. Batman in Darkest Knight  Batman with a Green Lantern ring. The story begins with Bruce Wayne sitting in a chair after a car accident afraid he might have to die. Bruce suddenly hears a voice. It says "You have been chosen Bruce. You shall receive power, Bruce Wayne. Power to bring justice to this far-flung section of space." Bruce then goes into his yard and sees a dying Green Lantern. Bruce had been awaiting this since the night his parents died. He was now a Green Lantern, one of many, one of the noblest calling imaginable. He would fight injustice, on this planet and many others. The Green Lantern then dies, but Bruce realizes his purpose. The Green Lantern's death gave him the way. The ring tells Bruce what he can do and what he must do to maintain the ring's' power. He makes an oath: "In the brightest day, in the darkest night, no evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil's might beware my power, Green Lantern's light." Bruce swears never to betray his oath. He now has the power to make them afraid. All he now requires is the aspect. The ring is as strong as his will. If he wants to be bullet proof, he is. It's wonderful. He can do anything he can think of. Ganthet then congresses with him and says his presence is required in the matter of a sentient designated "Sinestro," the Green lantern who had abused his power, using it to increase his own treasure and to abuse the rights of the innocent. Bruce then flies to another world where he meets Sinestro. A battle between the two ensues. Bruce uses Sinestro’s overconfidence to his advantage and defeats him. Bruce captures Sinestro and brings him to the headquarters of the Green Lantern Corps on Oa. It is as spectacular as anything he had ever imagined. For the first time, Bruce begins to be aware of what he is a part of. Sinestro receives his punishment and is transported to the anti-matter universe of Qward where he is granted a Yellow ring. Sinestro then goes to Gotham, where he causes many deaths. Bruce catches on to him, finds him, and the they fight. Bruce eventually comes out on top and Sinestro runs away. He searches for Sinestro for days, but he was unable to find him. During his search, Cat, Star Sapphire and Harvey Dent ambush him. He overcomes them and they run away. Bruce continues his search but is still unable to locate them, for Sinestro’s yellow cloaking field cannot be penetrated by his power-ringed satellites. By defying an order mad by Ganthet, Bruce was ordered to surrender the ring immediately. Four Lanterns, Katma Tui, Tomar Re, Kilowog, and Arisia are sent to retrieve the ring. While they are occupied fighting, Sinestro breaks into Bruce’s hideout and tampers with his Lantern so that the next time he charges his ring it would kill him. He was unable to complete the job when Green Lantern’s Superman, Flash, and Wonder Woman step in to stop him. Sadly though, Alfred died in the midst of battle. Bruce then leaves the world behind, his possessions, his legacy, and his home. He vows to find Sinestro and get revenge.

Red Son
The son of a pair of pro-capitalist dissidents, the boy who would become the Batman saw his parents get gunned down by Stalin's police force, and vowed revenge against Pyotr Roslov, the captain of the police.

Years later, however, Roslov managed to convince the Batman to help him eliminate Superman, arguing that with Superman out of the way, Batman's quest to kill Roslov would be more easily accomplished. Batman agreed, and kidnapped Wonder Woman and bound her with her own lasso in order to draw Superman into a wasteland, where he then bombarded the hero with simulated red sunlight. He forced the weakened Superman into a cellar, intending to lock him away for ever. Unfortunately for the Batman, Wonder Woman managed to destroy her lasso and removed the generator powering the lamps. Unwilling to be locked up, he instead detonated a bomb.

The Berlin Batman
Baruch Wane was the Batman of the city of Berlin during Nazi Germany in World War II. He fought authoritarian oppression, and frequently opposed the local chief of police Komissar Garten. He was also known to be training a sidekick, his girlfriend, a woman named Robin.

Batman & Dracula: Red Rain
After discovering Dracula was still alive and well, Batman enlists the aid of a vampire named Tanya to obtain the power necessary to defeat Dracula, while still keeping his humanity. He and Tanya lure Dracula's minions into the Batcave, where he destroys the roof of the cave, exposing all vampires inside to sunlight, destroying them. He later uses his new bat-like wings to fly and confront Dracula, eventually killing him by impaling Dracula on a tree that was destroyed by lightning, but at the cost of the last of his humanity. After Bruce's will is read by Alfred, Batman tells Alfred that although Bruce Wayne has died, the Batman will live on, thanks to his new vampire powers.

However, sometime later, the Joker is revealed to have taken leadership over Dracula's minions (who, according to the Joker, can't think about a new victim after their master's death). A team consisting of Batman, Catwoman (who is a werecat after being bitten by a vampire that turned to a werewolf), Commissioner Gordon, Alfred, and a group of Gotham police turned vampire hunters manage to kill the remaining vampires and crime bosses that sided with the vampires. The human group manage to destroy the crime bosses in the day, with Batman and Catwoman getting the vampires in a warehouse at night. Catwoman is killed after successfully killing the vampire that turned her. After realizing that the only person able to control his bloodlust is dead, he turns his anger towards the Joker, draining him of all his blood. Horrified by what he as done, he voluntarily allows Commissioner Gordon and Alfred to drive a wooden stake through his heart. But the staking didn't kill Batman. In the third series, titled Crimson Mist, Batman is restored by Alfred after a crime wave takes the city in an attempt to give Gotham a savior again. However, Batman is driven mad by his body's decay and his new longing for blood. Batman then goes and drains Penguin, Riddler, Poison Ivy, Black Mask, Scarecrow, and other Arkham inmates of their blood. Two-Face and Killer Croc are the only villains left and form an alliance with Commissioner Gordon and Alfred to combat Batman. They form a plan: lure Batman into his new lair in the Batcave and set off explosives to expose Batman to the sun. However, during the struggle, Two-Face and Killer Croc attempt to kill Commissioner Gordon and Alfred. Alfred gives his life to give Batman the strength needed to save Gordon. After killing Two-Face and Killer Croc, Batman convinces Gordon to set off the explosives. Gordon is crushed by rubble in the explosion, and Batman walks into the sunlight, hoping that he will finally have the peace he's been seeking since his transformation.

Batman One Million
The Batman that will be eighty-three millennia later.

When 15,000 children were forced to watch the massacre of their parents, one of them vowed to become the Batman. He became the defender of the terrifying Asylum Planet, Pluto. Batman One Million was intent on stopping the Hourman Virus.

Batman One Million’s physical prowess is unequaled, he has an IQ of 1045, and his technology is leagues beyond anything Bruce has.

"Batman is not a man. He is an ideal. He is justice."