7 Batman Stories Too Dark for the DCU

Batman is one of the most popular superheroes in the world, and is especially known for having some very dark stories. He is called the Dark Knight, after all. Batman has been called the hero that curbs humanity’s worst impulses, the one who braves the darkness so that other people will never have to feel the pain it brings. However, in the upcoming Brave and the Bold movie, James Gunn seems to want to take at least a slightly more lighthearted approach to the Caped Crusader. With that idea in mind, there are some Batman stories that are simply too dark or gruesome to ever be in any light. With that said, let’s look at the top seven Batman stories the DCU can never adapt to the big screen. 

As a content warning, the last two entries on our list detail very horrible events that involve children, so read at your own caution.

7) Absolute Batman

The Absolute Batman series is a home run of a series. It’s a phenomenal modernization and reinvention of the Batman mythos, and creates a horrible and tragically beautiful tale of one man standing against the tide of darkness, and the trusted allies he recruits along the way. However, as much as fans love this series, it’s not something that can be adapted to the silver screen. While the villains and situations Batman confronts aren’t too out of the ordinary for his usual tales, the sheer level of violence is. Absolute Batman is completely over the top with its gruesome, edgy, blood-splattering violence. Heck, in just the first story arc alone Batman cut off a man’s hand, stabbed Black Mask in the eyes with his cowl’s ears, and kicked a baby into the horizon. I adore Absolute Batman, but there’s no way this could ever be properly adapted to the DCU without raising the age rating drastically, which they cannot and should not do.

6) Batman: Damned

Batman: Damned is a supernatural and psychological thriller from DC’s Black Label. It follows Batman in his quest to discover who seemingly just killed the Joker, and why he can’t seem to remember what happened. The journey takes him to the seedy, magical and manic sides of Gotham, guided along his path by dark magic extraordinaire John Constantine. All the while, Bruce is forced to wonder if he is the one who did in the Joker, and if he’s even still in his right mind at all. The story and ending especially say exactly why this story shouldn’t be adapted to the DCU, but of course the biggest reason of all is that this is the comic that gave us the infamous naked Batman panel, and adapting it without that scene would be a crime.

5) Batman & Dracula Trilogy

This trilogy of books follows the Dark Knight in his struggle against the legendary vampire Dracula. In putting an end to the hellspawn, Batman himself is turned into a creature of the night. The last two books detail his slow descent into madness and bloodlust, eventually killing the Joker and needing to have his heart staked. In the final book, Batman is once again unleashed on Gotham as a skeletal specter of pure vengeance, slaughtering his rogues and even draining the ever loyal Alfred’s blood. Seeing Batman transition into the absolute monster he becomes is painful to watch, and most definitely way too dark for Gunn’s movie universe.

[RELATED: 5 Batman Villains That Need Their Own TV Show]

4) Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on a Serious Earth

This 2004 graphic novel is Grant Morrison’s first foray into writing Batman, and they immediately made their mark. The book is a psychological horror comic that follows Batman as he travels through an Arkham Asylum that has been overtaken by its inmates, with a special focus on how each of their insanities work with the characters. Batman is written as zealously driven and borderline psychopathic, a critique of his portrayal in the 80s and the perfect character to face the shockingly real depictions of insanity that haunt each of the Dark Knight’s rogues. Their intensity of their craziness creates a downright horrifying atmosphere that will leave the readers haunted.

3) Batman: The Killing Joke

Batman: The Killing Joke is dark not just because of what happens inside it, but because of the impact it had on the comic book industry, and Batman’s character, as a whole. It has the twisted origin of the Joker, the psychological torture of Jim Gordan, and the implied assault and definitive paralysis of Barbara Gordan. This comic took the Batman fandom by storm, and why it is an incredible story in how it dissects the relationship between the Dark Knight and the Clown Prince of Crime, even acclaimed horror writer Alan Moore says he went too far with it. It irrevocably forced the idea that Batman has to be this dark, brooding character in super serious situations to the public eye, and treated Barbara Gordan as an accessory more than a character. Batman’s works are still held against this dark style to this day, so it makes sense that this is one story that James Gunn should never adapt if he wants to maintain a lighter tone in his DCU.

2) Batman: Night Cries

Batman: Night Cries is an especially dark story because the subject matter it tackles isn’t a supernatural demon or killer clown, but something very real and very present in too many people’s lives: abuse. Specifically, it follows Batman and Jim Gordon as they investigate a new serial killer who is specifically targeting child abusers, and are forced to confront the fact that abuse is one crime that they might never really be able to alleviate. The comic dives into very serious topics with an earnestness that is fairly rare for this type of story, and shows the brutal struggle Batman and Gordon go through to try and help these children who have faced far more pain and fear than they ever should have. 

1) Batman: The Ultimate Evil

As the title suggests, this novel by Andrew Vachss details Batman in a confrontation with one of the most evil things in our world. In it, Batman tacks down a child trafficking ring that his mother, Martha, had been researching before her death. Not only does this story detail how Bruce’s parents were assassinated because of how close Martha got to bringing the fictional country of Udon Khai’s crimes to light, but also details explicitly how child trafficking rings operated in the real world Thailand at the time. Batman learns about all the different kinds of child abuse, from negligence to sexual, and tackles the horrible culture of sex tours. This is truly the darkest Batman story to date, because the evils it presents are still very present in our own world every day. It makes us realize how we each have a responsibility to try to make the world a better place, but while this story is important, it is definitely way too dark for the DCU.

So there we have seven Batman stories that are far too dark for the DCU. This list is of course non-exhaustive, and there are plenty of comics that almost made this list. Two definite honorable mentions are Batman: The Cult and “The Black Mirror.” Think any other Batman stories deserve to be on this list? Let us know in the comments below!