10 Most Iconic Members of the Bat Family in DC Comics

The Batman Bat Family remains one of the most important groups of heroes in DC Comics, and the members of this family are all iconic heroes. It all started with Batman and Robin, with Dick Grayson as the original Boy Wonder. Since that time, the Bat Family consisted of Batman and his various Robin sidekicks, although he also has several other adjacent allies that work with him in the group, and he even had a temporary structured organization called Batman Incorporated, which opened it up to even more members. While Batman likes to claim that he likes to work solo, he is always best with his Bat Family.

From his Robins to other allies, here is a look at the most iconic members of the Bat Family in DC Comics.

10) Batwing

There have been two Batwings in the Bat Family. The first was David Zavimbi, and he was a member of Batman Incorporated, serving as Batman in Africa. However, the current Batwing in DC Comics is Lucas Fox, the son of Lucius Fox from Wayne Enterprises, and the man who replaced David when he retired. He has his father’s intellect, which means he is one of the best engineers who works with Batman, and is a true ally when it comes to creating vehicles, gadgets, and technical advancements for their costumes. He has also dated Barbara Gordon and remains a loyal member of the Bat Family and a close companion to Jean-Paul Valley, also known as Azrael.

9) Batwoman

Batwoman is Kate Kane, and similar to Batman, she portrays a socialite by day and a vigilante by night. However, unlike Batman, Kate left her wealthy family to join the military, where she became a trained soldier. When she came back to Gotham City, she chose to become a vigilante. Unlike Batman, who wanted vengeance for the death of his parents, Kate just wanted to be a hero with no other real reason behind it. She does get credit for her role as one of DC Comics’ most iconic LGBTQ+ heroes.

8) Tim Drake

Tim Drake is one of the most unique Robins who has ever worked with Batman. That is because Batman didn’t adopt him or take him in, and instead, Tim lived with his father and wanted to be Robin, so he set out to learn Batman’s secret identity to prove his worth. He later became Red Robin when Damian Wayne took over as the regular Robin, but no matter what identity he has taken on, he is the smartest hero to ever serve as Robin. Of all the members of the Bat Family, Tim is the best detective this side of Batman, and he might be better.

7) Red Hood

Jason Todd is the second person to ever serve as Robin in DC Comics. Unlike DIck Grayson, who was a gymnast whose parents were murdered, Jason was a foster child who was committing minor crimes. Batman got him off the streets and turned him into Robin. However, fans hated Jason, and a DC fan vote had Jason killed by Joker. Since then, Jason returned from the dead as Red Hood, and he has been more popular than ever. He is the deadliest member of the Bat Family, although his violent actions often put him at odds with the other members of the group.

6) Barbara Gordon

Barbara Gordon has always been one of the greatest members of the Bat Family, no matter what role she has played. She is Commissioner James Gordon’s daughter, and she served as the first Batgirl. However, thanks to Joker, she ended up shot and paralyzed, and she then became the Oracle. As the Oracle, she was one of the greatest representations of a hero with a physical disability in all of comics, and even in a wheelchair, she was one of the best heroes in DC Comics. She has regained her ability to walk, returned to her role as Batgirl, and is just as great as ever.

5) Damian Wayne

Damian Wayne is the current Robin, and he is the actual son of Batman. While most of the Robins were youngsters that Batman took in, Damian is Batman’s son with Talia al Ghul, and he was trained initially by Ra’s al Ghul and the League of Assassins. While he has embraced his father’s vision to be a hero, he still has a violent streak and is often prone to quickly ignoring his father’s orders and rushing off on his own. However, he is also loyal to the Bat Family and protects his family, even if he doesn’t always get along with them.

4) Catwoman

It took a while for Catwoman to become part of the Bat Family. Catwoman was originally a Batman villain, and she served in this role for decades before she finally turned the corner and became more of an antihero, although still with some of her criminal tendencies. Her entry into the Bat Family was thanks to her on-again-off-again romantic relationship with Batman, and the great respect the two have always had for each other. Batman and Catwoman almost got married, but even with the wedding canceled, they remain allies against the worst Gotham City has to offer.

3) Alfred Pennyworth

He has no powers, but Alfred Pennyworth was the heart and soul of the Bat Family. He served as the Wayne family butler and helped raise Bruce Wayne after the death of his parents. He helped Bruce raise Dick Grayson, worked with Jason Todd, and has been as helpful as he could with Damian Wayne. He was also a former military officer and had more training and fighting skills than most people knew. He was always there to defend Wayne Manor and the Bat Cave, and Batman has never had a stronger ally than Alfred.

2) Nightwing

Nightwing was the first Robin, and he has been with Batman longer than anyone other than Alfred Pennyworth. Not only is Dick the second most experienced superhero in the Bat Family, but he might be a better hero overall than Batman. He isn’t as strong a fighter as Batman and isn’t as great a detective, but Dick is the person with the heart to serve as the greatest of heroes. When Alfred died, he left his fortune to Dick because he knew Nightwing would use it to help people and not just buy more weapons like Batman would. Dick Grayson has always been the perfect counterbalance to the vigilante that Batman is.

1) Batman

Batman is, and he has always been, the most iconic member of the Bat Family because it is his family. Batman took in Dick Grayson when the boy’s parents died and turned him into one of DC’s greatest heroes. He took Jason off the streets and tried to give him a better life. He has cared for the man who raised him in Alfred. He also opened his arms to bring in Barbara Gordon, Tim Drake, Luke Fox, and others, and it is Batman who is the glue that holds the Bat Family together.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

Every Original Justice Leaguer Ranked By Power