Top 5 Fridays: Top Five Versions of Batman(in comics)

Welcome back to another mediocre-I MEAN EXCITING edition of Top 5 Fridays! Last week we covered the Top 5 Versions of Superman (which you can read HERE ) in honor of the Dark Knight III: The Master Race coming out next week. We covered that major character, but we still have one other to look at! The Caped Crusader himself; BATMAN! That's right, today we'll be covering the Top 5 versions of the Dark Knight. As per usual, this is my list and I haven't read every Batman comic so if you don't see your favorite, I apologize. Enough talk! Let's begin!


5: Batmankoff

Damn that hat is silly! Okay, now that we got that out of the way, actually consider how this Batman operates. He isn't rich in this universe. He had no way to get around the world to train to be the Dark Knight, no way of getting weapons, no way to BE Batman. That is the true beauty of the character. He might not have fancy gadgets(until one traitorous officer supplies him with red solar lamps) but with his determination, he created a revolution that could fight the control of the Red Son Superman. The only real downside to the character is the fact he dies halfway through the Red Son story. I would love to have seen him and Superman team up against an other worldly figure, or have him create a Red Son Bat-family!

4: Kingdom Come Batman

This Batman has a pretty similar premise to the Batman in the Dark Knight Returns, with only one difference; This Batman never stopped patrolling. Even after his identity was outed, his home destroyed, and his body broken, Kingdom Come Batman only built his vigilante forces up to protect the world. By the climax of the story, he had created an army of Bat-Drones, had gained powerful allies such as Fate, the Arrow family, and Blue Beetle. He had an army and didn't use it to fight as the Justice League and the new wave of heroes were doing. He created the ultimate force to stem the loss of life. Even after the decade, Bruce stayed the same hero he was always meant to be.

3: Batman Beyond

This one could be considered cheating due to the fact its not a Wayne under the cowl, but Terry McGinnis has earned his spot on the list. I think that this entire premise could have gone downhill so quickly if it wasn't executed right. Take Bruce Wayne and remove him from the cowl. Rather then have one of the famous sidekicks that had been built up in the past, create a new kid who could be the Batman of the future. Give him a high tech bat-suit, which could have ruined the whole ninja training angle that the Bat always had. We mix it all together and we got a fresh version of a classic character that in contrast to the usual Dark Knight can stand as an equal to his dynasty.

2: Flashpoint Batman

I love this version of the Bat because of the fact that it could have just as easily existed like the main universe one, yet is so different than the one we know and love. If Chill's gun was only aimed slightly to the right, or Thomas decided he had to be the hero, Bruce would have died. The difference was that Thomas wasn't a boy. Where Bruce had the time to grow into the Dark Knight by traveling around the world and training, Thomas was left to have his anger boil until the day came that he beat Joe Chill to death. This isn't the detective, this is a soldier. A soldier that has the same skill set as the Caped Crusader and with a darker tone to match.

1: New 52 Batman

This might be a bit of a cop out as it is just the normal version of Batman, but actually think about all that he's been through in the years since the start of the New 52. He fought against the Riddler during the Zero Year when the power went out in Gotham. He has fought an evil organization that has controlled the city since conception. He has lost his company, his sanity, his family. He traveled to Apokolips and back to save his son, defeat the villains conspiring against him, and shut down villains like the Wrath and Anarky. His last adventure had him go against the Joker in a no win scenario, and even though he saved Gotham, he gave his life for it. Bruce is alive, but for now his Batman has died, he's gave his all to protect his city and is why he's at #1.

That's it for this week's Top 5 Friday! What's your favorite version of the Dark Knight? Leave a comment and i'll see you next time!