10 Characters Who Became Batman (Who Aren’t Bruce Wayne)

Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, is one of the greatest heroes in DC Comics and one of the most iconic characters in fiction. Debuting in 1939, Bruce helped to lay the foundations for the entire superhero genre. Still, Bruce is just a human and has been repeatedly forced to step down from his role as Gotham’s protector because of crippling injuries, getting old, or being presumed killed in action. Whenever Bruce leaves, a multitude of contenders fight for the right to be the Caped Crusader. And since Bruce has adopted and trained numerous young heroes to carry on his heroic legacy, there’s no shortage of potential replacements to step into the cowl of the Dark Knight. Ultimately, no matter who wears the mask, you can be certain that there will always be a Batman to rise and defend Gotham.

The question as to who should inherit the Batman mantle has been hotly debated both in-universe and among DC fans. This heated debate has led to storylines like Battle for the Cowl, where, after Bruce is presumed dead, numerous heroes and anti-heroes battle for the right to become the next Caped Crusader. These are the most impactful characters to take on the Batman mantle.

10) Alfred Pennyworth

Although Bruce’s lifelong butler and surrogate father Alfred Pennyworth is much more comfortable helping Batman behind the scenes, even he has had the opportunity to don the cowl. When the superpowered hero-turned-villain named Gotham was going on a rampage, Bruce needed to find a way to distract him. Enlisting Alfred’s help, Bruce had his butler wear the Batman uniform and drive the Batmobile to keep Gotham occupied. Alfred obliges and crashes the Batmobile into Gotham before running away, thus leading the villain into a trap set up by the real Batman. While Alfred did an admirable job as a distraction, he would much rather stay in the background, leaving Bruce to handle the real vigilante work.

9) Jason Todd

Out of all the Robins, Jason Todd, aka Red Hood, is arguably the most unhinged and violent, shaped as he was by his brutal death and resurrection. So, when Jason vied for the right to the Batman mantle after Bruce was presumed dead at the end of Final Crisis, it was not surprising that his take on the Dark Knight would be alarmingly ruthless. Jason crafted his own version of the Batman suit and began gunning down Gotham’s criminals. His bid to claim the mantle, however, was quickly thwarted when Dick Grayson intervened, swooping in to stop Jason from hurting anyone else and preventing further damage to Bruce’s heroic legacy.

8) Damian Wayne

As the biological son of Bruce, the mantle of Batman in many ways seems destined to fall into the hands of Damian Wayne. However, the possible future presented in Batman #666 showed that, if Damian didn’t learn to let go of the anger and ruthlessness he inherited from his mother, Talia al Ghul, then he was destined to become a grim and destructive Dark Knight, leading to a future in which Damian makes a pact with the Devil to become an immortal agent of vengeance. As Batman, this Damian has no problem killing criminals or blowing up buildings to annihilate supervillains. Fortunately, the Damian of the present day is learning to become a true hero, reducing the chances of this dark future ever coming to pass.

7) Tim Drake

Even before becoming the third Robin, Tim Drake was an expert detective who deduced Batman’s secret identity. This genius already makes him a good contender for the World’s Greatest Detective and the Batman mantle. When Bruce is presumed dead at the end of Final Crisis and people start fighting over who will become Batman, Tim Drake dons the cowl to stop Jason Todd’s reign of terror. Unfortunately, Jason quickly overpowers Tim, lodging a batarang into the young hero’s chest. Thankfully, Tim lives, but his injuries prevent him from continuing to operate as the Caped Crusader. Still, another version of Tim Drake, who became Batman Beyond, has travelled to the present, joining the all-new superhero team, the Terrific Ten.

6) Thomas Wayne

When Barry Allen inadvertently created the Flashpoint universe by changing the past to save his mother, he also accidentally produced a far more vicious version of Batman. In this timeline, it was Bruce, not Thomas and Martha Wayne, who died that night in crime alley at the hands of a mugger. Fueled by loss, Thomas becomes Batman, while Martha becomes the Joker. Unlike his son, Thomas uses guns to dispense lethal justice in Gotham. When Thomas survived the destruction of the Flashpoint universe, he was sent to the main DC Universe, where he acted as both an ally and an eventual enemy to Bruce. No matter his allegiance, Thomas Wayne in the Flashpoint universe is a profoundly tragic and compelling character whose story enthralls fans.

5) Jean-Paul Valley

After the events of “Knightfall” saw Bane shatter Bruce’s spine, a new –and more violent – hero stepped up to become Gotham’s new protector: Jean-Paul Valley, aka Azrael, who had been programmed from birth to be an assassin for a religious secret society. Bruce helped Jean-Paul break the hold of his programming and gave his blessing for the former assassin to take over his role as Batman. Wearing a high-tech Batsuit, Jean-Paul defeated Bane. Unfortunately, Jean-Paul’s programming resurfaced, turning him into a ruthless vigilante who killed criminals. Bruce eventually recovered from his injury, bested Jean-Paul, and reclaimed his title. Still, Jean-Paul’s time as the Caped Crusader was one of the most memorable moments in recent Batman history, and a scathing critique of the violent anti-hero tropes of the 90s.

4) Jim Gordon

Commissioner Jim Gordon has always been one of Gotham City’s primary protectors and one of Bruce’s closest friends. Even so, it was shocking to see Jim become the new Batman after Bruce went missing following his brutal encounter with the Joker. Lacking the decades of martial arts training that other Batmen had, Jim had to rely much more heavily on technology to become an effective Dark Knight. As part of a joint task force between the GCPD and the tech company Powers International, Jim was selected to become the new Batman. He underwent extensive training and received cybernetic implants, eventually suiting up in a hulking, weaponized mecha armor. Using his new enhancements, Jim protected Gotham from villains like Mr. Bloom until Bruce returned and Jim stepped down as Batman.

3) Jace Fox

Jace Fox is the most recent person to take on the Batman mantle. The eldest son of Lucius Fox, the designer of Bruce’s gadgets, Jace Fox had a strained relationship with his family after he accidentally killed someone in a hit-and-run. Years later, during a time when Bruce was missing once again, Jace decided to make up for his past misdeeds by becoming the new Batman. Jace begins his role as the Caped Crusader by overthrowing the Magistrate, a mercenary group that turned Gotham into a police state. After saving Gotham, Jace decided to move to New York City and become the Dark Knight of the Big Apple. Using his years of training as a soldier and mercenary, Jace extends the Batman legacy beyond the borders of Gotham.

2) Dick Grayson

The original Robin, Dick Grayson, has always been one of the first choices to assume the mantle of Batman. Although Dick has tried his best to be an independent hero as Nightwing, the cowl always finds a way back to him. During the Battle for the Cowl storyline, everyone was fighting for the right to be Batman. In the end, it was Dick who became the victor and started a year-long crusade as Gotham’s protector, with Damian as his Robin. A more compassionate Batman, Dick’s time as Damian’s mentor helped to mold the young assassin into a genuine hero. While Dick may not want to admit it, the Batman identity may be his destiny.

1) Terry McGinnis

Introduced in the animated series Batman Beyond, Terry McGinnis is the Dark Knight of the future. Terry stumbles upon the Batcave belonging to an old and retired Bruce. After his father is murdered, Terry dons a high-tech version of the Batsuit to avenge his death. With Bruce as his mentor, Terry became the Batman of Neo Gotham City. Terry is arguably the most unique person to become Batman, juggling the responsibilities of being a superhero work while still being a high school student. Unlike Dick, Terry actually wants to be Batman. Terry is also incredibly compassionate and is seeking to atone for his past misdeeds as a petty delinquent. Unburdened by the drama of the Bat-Family, Terry is the most well-rounded and well-meaning hero to continue Batman’s legacy.

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