Five Failed Batman Romances

The latest issue of Batman features a major development in the long-running, on-again, off-again romance between the Caped Crusader and Catwoman.

Tom King’s run on Batman with Mikel Janin, David Finch, Danny Miki, and Jordie Bellaire has featured the thieving Selina Kyle as a major supporting character, showing the strength of their relationship and the lengths they go to protect each other.

Serving as an epilogue to the “I Am Bane” arc which saw Batman struggling to protect Gotham Girl and Psycho Pirate against the Venom-enhanced muscle man, the issue features Bruce Wayne attempting to attain some happiness in his life.


So he decided to propose to Selina Kyle—on a rooftop, as King has frequently featured in his run with the character.

But this isn’t the first time Batman has attempted to get serious and settle down with someone. The character has had relationships with quite a few women over the years—he’s even become a parent with one of them.

Unfortunately, none of the relationships have worked out long term, whether the reasons be irreconcilable differences, Batman‘s obsession with fighting crime, his S.O.’s being maniacal villains, or comic creators wanting a clean slate.

Here are some of Batman’s most memorable relationships that haven’t panned out…

Vicki Vale

Vicki Vale first appeared in the late 1940s as a reporter investigating Batman’s identity, often connecting the vigilante to Bruce Wayne.

The early stories often revolved around Batman tricking her into believing they’re two separate people.

Bruce and Vicki would be romantically linked from time to time over the next few decades, making her most memorable appearance in Tim Burton’s Batman movie. She would begin a relationship with Bruce in the comics as well, but the two would break up because of Bruce’s frequent absences.

She later appeared in the New 52 taking on a major role in the weekly series Batman Eternal and helps the Bat-Family reveal Jason Bard’s treachery and his connection to organized crime plaguing the city. She does not have a relationship with Bruce in this new continuity.

Shondra Kinsolving

Shondra Kinsolving was a physical therapist who helped Bruce Wayne recuperate after his back was broken by Bane.

The two developed feelings for each other due to the intimacy of their relationship. Shondra also possessed low-level healing powers that aided in her work, though they could not outright heal Bruce’s back without risk to her own life.

Shondra was later kidnapped by her villainous brother Benedict Asp, who would sedate her and use her abilities for his own gain. Bruce attempted to rescue her and gravely injured Asp in the fight. Shondra attempted to heal her brother, but in her drugged-out state she killed him instead.

Ridden with guilt over her Benedict’s death, she then used all of her abilities to completely heal Bruce’s back, but the strain was too much for her. Her mental state was permanently reduced to that of a child, destroying her mind so that Bruce could once again become Batman. Afterward Bruce made sure that she would be cared for for the rest of her days.

Jezebel Jet

During Grant Morrison’s run on the character, Alfred was worried that Batman was losing touch with his connection to Bruce Wayne and encouraged him to get back to the dating scene.

Bruce met Jezebel Jet, a former supermodel turned ruler of a small nation. The two instantly hit it off and became close, with Bruce even revealing his secret identity to her.

However, Jezebel was actually a member of the villainous Black Glove, a criminal organization composed mostly of rich people who were led by Doctor Hurt. The group was obsessed with gambling and mostly wanted to put Batman through a series of trials to see if he would succumb to defeat.

Jezebel’s treachery was meant to break Bruce Wayne, but Batman revealed he knew all along and was merely using her to further monitor the Black Glove’s schemes. She attempts to flee the country, but is caught by Talia al Ghul and her army of Man-Bat Ninjas. Talia kills Jezebel in her own twisted attempt to prove her love to Bruce.

Julie Madison

Julie Madison is one of Bruce’s most recent flames.

After debuting in the New 52 during the Zero Year event, she takes on a more prominent role in the Superheavy arc after Bruce suffers from amnesia. He does not remember his time as Batman, nor most of his life as Bruce Wayne, and Alfred refuses to tell him as he wants his surrogate son to finally be happy.

Bruce and Julie work at a community center in the Narrows, one of the worst areas in Gotham City. They interact and provide aid for many of the children who live nearby, including Duke Thomas. The two strike up a romance and Bruce is finally happy.

But with Jim Gordon filling in as Batman against the growing threat of Mister Bloom, the happiness couldn’t last. Bloom terrorized the city and Bruce slowly came to the realization that he was Batman. He could not turn away from his duty, and found he had created a machine that would replicate his personal traumas to recreate the drive, determination, and mindset to become Batman once again.

Julie supported his decision, albeit not devoid of sadness as it meant he would not remember their love for each other.

Talia al Ghul

Talia al Ghul might have the most twisted relationship with Batman.

The daughter of Ra’s al Ghul first appears in a story where she’s kidnapped by Dr. Darrk, the leader of the League of Assassins. Batman rescues her, kicking off what will become a long-running relationship with continued ramifications for the Dark Knight.

Talia and Ra’s concoct a plan where Dick and Talia are kidnapped as a test for Batman to see if he’d be a worthy husband to Talia and heir to Ra’s as the Head of the Demon. Talia and Batman make love, but Batman refuses to join her family’s twisted organization.

After various appearances in the decades where she is both friend and foe of Batman, she appears again. With her father dead, she assumes leadership of the Demon and reveals to Batman that she obtained his DNA and created a son in an artificial womb.

Now in his adolescent years, Damian has become unruly and Talia puts him under Batman’s care. She hopes that Bruce will be convinced to create a family with her, but he and Damian reject her villainous ways.

She then enacts a scheme with the criminal organization Leviathan intending to destroy everything Batman holds dear, including her own son for betraying her. She even creates a modified clone of Damian, called Heretic, a hulking brute with a baby face. Heretic kills Damian, but is then killed by Talia who refuses to love the monstrous version of her son.

Talia is then killed by Kathy Kane, the former Bat-Woman who is leading an organization against Leviathan called Spyral.

More Batman News:

Batman #24 is written by Tom King with art by Danny Miki and David Finch, and a cover by Tim Sale. You can view the official description below.

“Aftermath”! Gotham City is at peace…but a war is coming. Armed with the terrifying knowledge gained from the mysterious button, Batman prepares for the coming storm by making a proposition to one of his enemies—one that will change everything for the Dark Knight and his allies!

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