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Natter
Changed line(s) 210,212 (click to see context) from:
* JackOfAllTrades: Among the members of the Bat-Family, Bruce is this in terms of overall ability (at least when writers aren't going full-on 'Bat-God' mode). He isn't the natural acrobat or leader Dick Grayson is, he doesn't have the level of [[OmniscientDatabase computer and intel-gathering skills]] Oracle has, he lacks Cassandra Cain's [[CharlesAtlasSuperpower incredible martial arts ability]], and admitted to himself that Tim Drake would eventually surpass him as the World's Greatest Detective. But the fact that he is still very good and experienced in all such fields allow him to more then pull his own weight whatever the circumstance. Fairly reasonable, considering the [[GameBreaker implications]] that would result in him actually being the best at everything.
** Nevertheless, he still outdoes them as a [[TheStrategist strategist]] and [[BatmanGambit tactician]] and he still ''is'' "The World's Greatest Detective".
*** And [[TheCowl instilling pants-crapping fear and dread into evildoers.]]
** Nevertheless, he still outdoes them as a [[TheStrategist strategist]] and [[BatmanGambit tactician]] and he still ''is'' "The World's Greatest Detective".
*** And [[TheCowl instilling pants-crapping fear and dread into evildoers.]]
to:
* JackOfAllTrades: Among the members of the Bat-Family, Bruce is this in terms of overall ability (at least when writers aren't going full-on 'Bat-God' mode). He isn't the natural acrobat or leader Dick Grayson is, he doesn't have the level of [[OmniscientDatabase computer and intel-gathering skills]] Oracle has, he lacks Cassandra Cain's [[CharlesAtlasSuperpower incredible martial arts ability]], and admitted to himself that Tim Drake would eventually surpass him as the World's Greatest Detective. But the fact that he is still very good and experienced in all such fields allow him to more then pull his own weight whatever the circumstance. Fairly reasonable, considering the [[GameBreaker implications]] that would result in him actually being the best at everything.
**everything. Nevertheless, he still outdoes them as a [[TheStrategist strategist]] and [[BatmanGambit tactician]] and he still ''is'' "The World's Greatest Detective".
*** And [[TheCowl instilling pants-crapping fear and dread into evildoers.]]Detective".
**
*** And [[TheCowl instilling pants-crapping fear and dread into evildoers.]]
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* GuileHero: He's one of the sharpest heroes in DC universe of them all. If you lack superpowers than make them up with wits and smarts. There's a reason why he's called the "World's Greatest Detective". Especially in group settings where his companions and adversaries have superpowers that render his [[ScienceHero gadgets]] and [[ActionHero martial arts prowess]] less relevant. He's not called the World's Greatest Detective for nothing, and his habit of spinning victory from available resources have spawned the popular belief that he can take down any opponent with nothing more than "ample time to prepare."
to:
* GuileHero: He's one of the sharpest heroes in DC universe of them all. If you lack superpowers than make them up with wits and smarts. There's a reason why he's called the "World's Greatest Detective". Especially in group settings where his companions and adversaries have superpowers that render his [[ScienceHero gadgets]] and [[ActionHero martial arts prowess]] less relevant. He's not called the World's Greatest Detective for nothing, and his His habit of spinning victory from available resources have spawned the popular belief that he can take down any opponent with nothing more than "ample time to prepare."
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Changed line(s) 190,191 (click to see context) from:
* FriendToAllChildren: Kids don't fear Batman. Batman hurts the bad guys, not kids. Every child knows this. Batman makes DAMN sure to never betray children's faith in him. In fact, if a criminal is about to hurt a child and the child says that Batman's gonna kick his butt... well, the criminal's [[TemptingFate tempting fate if he proceeds]], cause Batman WILL show up and '''destroy''' him.
** Kids respect Batman, too; in ComicBook/TheDarkKnightReturns, Batman tells a kid to watch his language and the kid replies "Yes, sir".
** Kids respect Batman, too; in ComicBook/TheDarkKnightReturns, Batman tells a kid to watch his language and the kid replies "Yes, sir".
to:
* FriendToAllChildren: Kids don't fear Batman. Batman hurts the bad guys, not kids. Every child knows this. Batman makes DAMN sure to never betray children's faith in him. In fact, if a criminal is about to hurt a child and the child says that Batman's gonna kick his butt... well, the criminal's [[TemptingFate tempting fate if he proceeds]], cause Batman WILL show up and '''destroy''' him. \n** Kids respect Batman, too; in ComicBook/TheDarkKnightReturns, Batman tells a kid to watch his language and the kid replies "Yes, sir".
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Changed line(s) 179,180 (click to see context) from:
* TheDreaded: One of the most feared heroes in the entire DC Universe. Even those who don't fear Superman, have fear of Batman.
** To the point that a Sinestro Corps ring tried to recruit him. For those of you who don't know, the Sinestro Corps is the opposite of the Green Lantern Corps, and their yellow rings are powered by inspiring fear. Corps members are chosen on a planet-to-planet basis, meaning Batman is THE SCARIEST THING ON EARTH.
** To the point that a Sinestro Corps ring tried to recruit him. For those of you who don't know, the Sinestro Corps is the opposite of the Green Lantern Corps, and their yellow rings are powered by inspiring fear. Corps members are chosen on a planet-to-planet basis, meaning Batman is THE SCARIEST THING ON EARTH.
to:
* TheDreaded: One of the most feared heroes in the entire DC Universe. Even those who don't fear Superman, have fear of Batman.
**Batman. To the point that a Sinestro Corps ring tried to recruit him. For those of you who don't know, the Sinestro Corps is the opposite of the Green Lantern Corps, and their yellow rings are powered by inspiring fear. Corps members are chosen on a planet-to-planet basis, meaning Batman is THE SCARIEST THING ON EARTH.
**
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Natter
Changed line(s) 169,170 (click to see context) from:
* DoesntLikeGuns: Post GoldenAge. Missiles, lasers, and other things, particularly weapons systems mounted on his vehicles, seem to be fair game, as long as they don't resemble pistols. He'll also pick up a gun under extremely dire circumstances, [[spoiler:such as shooting Darkseid in order to save the universe]]. The reasons vary from writer to writer. Originally, the idea that Batman hates guns was linked to his parents' murder when he was a child. There are practical and legal reasons, too--self-awareness that he's a vigilante and the knowledge that in being so he has no business killing, while guns make it much too easy to kill and much too hard to be nonlethal. In his original Detective Comic appearances, he frequently used firearms and lethal force against villains. The creators only removed his use of firearms when they worried that it would make him resemble the Shadow too closely. Today, most depictions have Batman bending enough to arm his vehicles, for disabling vehicles and removing obstacles. It's amazing how strict some Batman adaptations are about this, even when you'd think they'd ditch it. In ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'', Batman hospitalizes countless {{mooks}}, snaps the Joker's spine (paralyzing but not killing him), and has machine guns on his car. When he uses the guns, he internal monologues to the reader, "Rubber Bullets. Honest."
** Technically the military contracts thing isn't true, as we've seen various examples of military-grade hardware produced by [=WayneTech=], from night vision goggles to attack helicopters. Presumably Bruce is fine with it as long as his company isn't manufacturing any weapon systems (those can be sourced from other contractors).
** Technically the military contracts thing isn't true, as we've seen various examples of military-grade hardware produced by [=WayneTech=], from night vision goggles to attack helicopters. Presumably Bruce is fine with it as long as his company isn't manufacturing any weapon systems (those can be sourced from other contractors).
to:
* DoesntLikeGuns: Post GoldenAge. Missiles, lasers, and other things, particularly weapons systems mounted on his vehicles, seem to be fair game, as long as they don't resemble pistols. He'll also pick up a gun under extremely dire circumstances, [[spoiler:such as shooting Darkseid in order to save the universe]]. The reasons vary from writer to writer. Originally, the idea that Batman hates guns was linked to his parents' murder when he was a child. There are practical and legal reasons, too--self-awareness that he's a vigilante and the knowledge that in being so he has no business killing, while guns make it much too easy to kill and much too hard to be nonlethal. In his original Detective Comic appearances, he frequently used firearms and lethal force against villains. The creators only removed his use of firearms when they worried that it would make him resemble the Shadow too closely. Today, most depictions have Batman bending enough to arm his vehicles, for disabling vehicles and removing obstacles. It's amazing how strict some Batman adaptations are about this, even when you'd think they'd ditch it. In ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'', ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns''
** Batman hospitalizes countless {{mooks}}, snaps the Joker's spine (paralyzing but not killing him), and has machine guns on his car. When he uses the guns, he internal monologues to the reader, "Rubber Bullets. Honest."
** Technically the military contracts thing isn't true, as we've seen various examples of military-grade hardware produced by [=WayneTech=], from night vision goggles to attack helicopters. Presumably Bruce is fine with it as long as his company isn't manufacturing any weapon systems (those can be sourced from other contractors)."
** Batman hospitalizes countless {{mooks}}, snaps the Joker's spine (paralyzing but not killing him), and has machine guns on his car. When he uses the guns, he internal monologues to the reader, "Rubber Bullets. Honest.
** Technically the military contracts thing isn't true, as we've seen various examples of military-grade hardware produced by [=WayneTech=], from night vision goggles to attack helicopters. Presumably Bruce is fine with it as long as his company isn't manufacturing any weapon systems (those can be sourced from other contractors).
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Changed line(s) 168,169 (click to see context) from:
* DependingOnTheWriter: Having a seventy-year history will result in ''massive'' amounts of this.
** This is perhaps best represented in the [[https://writingiseasier.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/batman-alignment-chart.jpg Batman alignment chart]]
** This is perhaps best represented in the [[https://writingiseasier.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/batman-alignment-chart.jpg Batman alignment chart]]
to:
* DependingOnTheWriter: Having a seventy-year history will result in ''massive'' amounts of this.
**this. This is perhaps best represented in the [[https://writingiseasier.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/batman-alignment-chart.jpg Batman alignment chart]]
**
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This isn't an example of Death Is Cheap since the character in question didn't actually die.
Deleted line(s) 168 (click to see context) :
* DeathIsCheap: [[spoiler:Bruce's set to return in ''The Return of Bruce Wayne'' and it was revealed in the tie-ins to ''ComicBook/BlackestNight'' that the corpse Superman found and was buried was an AxCrazy Darkseid-created clone.]]
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Dead link
Deleted line(s) 86 (click to see context) :
** Case in point: "[[http://lydeanwooster.com/comics/batman/DC029.shtml Death...to Doctor Death!]]"
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None of these are Berserk Buttons since these things were make any normal person angry.
Changed line(s) 66,74 (click to see context) from:
** Sometimes happens between Batman and Talia Al Ghul, DependingOnTheWriter.
* BerserkButton:
** He also has a ''very'' dim view of bad things happening to children, as the Sewer King [[PapaWolf found out the hard way]].
--->'''Batman:''' I don't pass sentence. That's for the courts to decide. But this time, '''this time''', I am ''sorely'' tempted to do the job myself.
** If you kill a couple in front of their young child, Batman will 1.) Have a flashback and 2.) Hunt you down no matter where you go. And then 3.) '''''Make. You. Suffer.''''' Like you have never suffered before or, you will hope, since.
** Then there's the chilling scene in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyondReturnOfTheJoker'' in which Batman is subjected to watching the Joker torture and brainwash Tim Drake. Batman reacts with a [[UnstoppableRage fury that leaves no illusions to his intent.]]
--->'''Batman:''' (To Joker) I'll break you in two.
** One story deconstructed the "kill a couple in front of their young child" button. Batman was pursuing a criminal named Angel Lupo for murdering his pregnant sister. While on the run, Lupo shot and killed a couple in front of their son leaving the boy in a state of shock. Batman has the usual flashback and is bent on bringing Lupo to justice. Then it's revealed that [[spoiler:Angel had nothing to do with the first murder. His ''girlfriend'' (without his knowledge) had his sister killed in order to free him of the responsibility of caring for his sister. Not that it matters, since the baby's father (the ''Ventriloquist'') guns down Lupo in a fit of misdirected vengeance.]] Then it turns out that [[spoiler:Lupo didn't kill the boy's parents either -- the ''boy'' shot and killed his own parents and Lupo just happened to be nearby when it happened. Batman's Berserk Button made him pursue a man who, while still a career criminal, didn't commit any of the murders in the story and led him astray from the real killers.]]
--->'''Batman:''' Everything I've done in the past three nights, I've been doing for the wrong little boy.
* BerserkButton:
** He also has a ''very'' dim view of bad things happening to children, as the Sewer King [[PapaWolf found out the hard way]].
--->'''Batman:''' I don't pass sentence. That's for the courts to decide. But this time, '''this time''', I am ''sorely'' tempted to do the job myself.
** If you kill a couple in front of their young child, Batman will 1.) Have a flashback and 2.) Hunt you down no matter where you go. And then 3.) '''''Make. You. Suffer.''''' Like you have never suffered before or, you will hope, since.
** Then there's the chilling scene in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyondReturnOfTheJoker'' in which Batman is subjected to watching the Joker torture and brainwash Tim Drake. Batman reacts with a [[UnstoppableRage fury that leaves no illusions to his intent.]]
--->'''Batman:''' (To Joker) I'll break you in two.
** One story deconstructed the "kill a couple in front of their young child" button. Batman was pursuing a criminal named Angel Lupo for murdering his pregnant sister. While on the run, Lupo shot and killed a couple in front of their son leaving the boy in a state of shock. Batman has the usual flashback and is bent on bringing Lupo to justice. Then it's revealed that [[spoiler:Angel had nothing to do with the first murder. His ''girlfriend'' (without his knowledge) had his sister killed in order to free him of the responsibility of caring for his sister. Not that it matters, since the baby's father (the ''Ventriloquist'') guns down Lupo in a fit of misdirected vengeance.]] Then it turns out that [[spoiler:Lupo didn't kill the boy's parents either -- the ''boy'' shot and killed his own parents and Lupo just happened to be nearby when it happened. Batman's Berserk Button made him pursue a man who, while still a career criminal, didn't commit any of the murders in the story and led him astray from the real killers.]]
--->'''Batman:''' Everything I've done in the past three nights, I've been doing for the wrong little boy.
to:
* BerserkButton:
** He also has a ''very'' dim view of bad things happening to children, as the Sewer King [[PapaWolf found out the hard way]].
--->'''Batman:''' I don't pass sentence. That's for the courts to decide. But this time, '''this time''', I am ''sorely'' tempted to do the job myself.
** If you kill a couple in front of their young child, Batman will 1.) Have a flashback and 2.) Hunt you down no matter where you go. And then 3.) '''''Make. You. Suffer.''''' Like you have never suffered before or, you will hope, since.
** Then there's the chilling scene in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyondReturnOfTheJoker'' in which Batman is subjected to watching the Joker torture and brainwash Tim Drake. Batman reacts with a [[UnstoppableRage fury that leaves no illusions to his intent.]]
--->'''Batman:''' (To Joker) I'll break you in two.
** One story deconstructed the "kill a couple in front of their young child" button. Batman was pursuing a criminal named Angel Lupo for murdering his pregnant sister. While on the run, Lupo shot and killed a couple in front of their son leaving the boy in a state of shock. Batman has the usual flashback and is bent on bringing Lupo to justice. Then it's revealed that [[spoiler:Angel had nothing to do with the first murder. His ''girlfriend'' (without his knowledge) had his sister killed in order to free him of the responsibility of caring for his sister. Not that it matters, since the baby's father (the ''Ventriloquist'') guns down Lupo in a fit of misdirected vengeance.]] Then it turns out that [[spoiler:Lupo didn't kill the boy's parents either -- the ''boy'' shot and killed his own parents and Lupo just happened to be nearby when it happened. Batman's Berserk Button made him pursue a man who, while still a career criminal, didn't commit any of the murders in the story and led him astray from the real killers.]]
--->'''Batman:''' Everything I've done in the past three nights, I've been doing for the wrong little boy.
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Changed line(s) 52,53 (click to see context) from:
* BatmanCanBreatheInSpace: TropeNamer. Franchise/{{Batman}} does this in one of the early issues of ''Justice League International'' [[spoiler:(granted, it was due to the New Genesis-created training satellite's programming directive to not actually harm its opponents, thus causing it to create an artificial atmosphere when Bats's space helmet gets broken, but all the same).]]
** One issue of ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'' showed Batman training himself, not to be able to breathe in space, but to at least survive the vacuum of space for a couple of seconds. The ComicBook/MartianManhunter helps while wondering if he should.
** One issue of ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'' showed Batman training himself, not to be able to breathe in space, but to at least survive the vacuum of space for a couple of seconds. The ComicBook/MartianManhunter helps while wondering if he should.
to:
* BatmanCanBreatheInSpace: TropeNamer. Franchise/{{Batman}} does this in one of the early issues of ''Justice League International'' [[spoiler:(granted, it was due to the New Genesis-created training satellite's programming directive to not actually harm its opponents, thus causing it to create an artificial atmosphere when Bats's space helmet gets broken, but all the same).]]
**same)]]. One issue of ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'' showed Batman training himself, not to be able to breathe in space, but to at least survive the vacuum of space for a couple of seconds. The ComicBook/MartianManhunter helps while wondering if he should.
**
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It was first on list instead of alphabetical.
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* BrokenAce: While Batman stands head and shoulders above the greater majority of heroes in the DCU, it's fairly obvious that in doing so he's not the most well-adjusted or emotionally mature individual, has great difficulty forming close relationships, and frequently experiences friction with people whom he is close to. This is also occasionally [[LampshadeHanging acknowledged]] by Bruce himself; in one instance, Nightwing laments over the belief that he can never match up to Bruce, who assures him that despite living a very similar life in the same line of work Dick hadn't allowed it to mess him up as much, having a much more positive personality and maintaining a good relationship with every fellow hero he knows, and as such [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming was already better than him]].
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* BrokenAce: While Batman stands head and shoulders above the greater majority of heroes in the DCU, it's fairly obvious that in doing so he's not the most well-adjusted or emotionally mature individual, has great difficulty forming close relationships, and frequently experiences friction with people whom he is close to. This is also occasionally [[LampshadeHanging acknowledged]] by Bruce himself; in one instance, Nightwing laments over the belief that he can never match up to Bruce, who assures him that despite living a very similar life in the same line of work Dick hadn't allowed it to mess him up as much, having a much more positive personality and maintaining a good relationship with every fellow hero he knows, and as such [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming was already better than him]].
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Changed line(s) 42 (click to see context) from:
** He fills this role when he's required to be in an ensemble. Despite having no inherent superpowers, he's earned a spot in the inner circle of the ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'', fighting alongside the likes of Franchise/{{Superman}} courtesy of a steel-trap intellect combined with a bit of a mean streak that means he can consider plans other members can't, and consider them ''well''. Batman has the proven ability to develop the means to disable each of his fellow Leaguers -- proven when those plans were stolen by villains and used to great effect. Batman's {{badass}}ery has been stretched to ridiculous proportions, and many comic readers firmly believe that Batman is invincible. [[PopularityPower And some writers agree]].
to:
** He fills this role when he's required to be in an ensemble. Despite having no inherent superpowers, he's earned a spot in the inner circle of the ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'', fighting alongside the likes of Franchise/{{Superman}} courtesy of a steel-trap intellect combined with a bit of a mean streak that means he can consider plans other members can't, and consider them ''well''. Batman has the proven ability to develop the means to disable each of his fellow Leaguers -- proven when those plans were stolen by villains and used to great effect. Batman's {{badass}}ery skill has been stretched to ridiculous proportions, and many comic readers firmly believe that Batman is invincible. [[PopularityPower And some writers agree]].
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normal reaction, not the trope
Deleted line(s) 76 (click to see context) :
** Don't ever kill an ally or close friend of his -- if you do you'd better hope he keeps his [[ThouShaltNotKill no killing rule]]. Batman's done this twice with ComicBook/TheJoker; first when the Joker killed Jason Todd, and second when Batman thought the Joker killed his childhood friend Thomas Elliot (since the Joker's the trope namer for JokerImmunity, he survived both attacks).
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** In general don't ever kill an ally or close friend of his -- if you do you'd better hope he keeps his no killing rule. Batman's done this twice with ComicBook/TheJoker; first when the Joker killed Jason Todd, and second when Batman thought the Joker killed his childhood friend Thomas Elliot (since the Joker's the trope namer for JokerImmunity, he survived both attacks).
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Changed line(s) 201 (click to see context) from:
* EmergingFromTheShadows
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Changed line(s) 197 (click to see context) from:
* DoubleConsciousness
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* {{Fiction 500}}
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* GoodIsNotNice
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* {{Hunk}}
* HurtingHero
* HurtingHero
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* LanternJawOfJustice
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* PowerOfHate: In some of his incarnations, the hate for the villain that killed his parents drives him to be the Batman. (Other incarnations are more about justice, or protecting people.)\\\
to:
* PowerOfHate: ThePowerOfHate: In some of his incarnations, the hate for the villain that killed his parents drives him to be the Batman. (Other incarnations are more about justice, or protecting people.)\\\
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* SecretIdentityIdentity
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* SpiritedCompetitor
* StealthExpert
* StealthExpert
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* SugarAndIcePersonality
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* SuperheroesWearCapes
* SuperheroesWearTights
* SuperheroesWearTights
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* TechnicalPacifist
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* TwoFirstNames
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* WarriorTherapist
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* BigDamnHeroes
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* ByronicHero
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Changed line(s) 64 (click to see context) from:
* BerserkButton: Don't ever kill an ally or close friend of his -- if you do you'd better hope he keeps his [[ThouShaltNotKill no killing rule]]. Batman's done this twice with ComicBook/TheJoker; first when the Joker killed Jason Todd, and second when Batman thought the Joker killed his childhood friend Thomas Elliot (since the Joker's the trope namer for JokerImmunity, he survived both attacks).
to:
* BerserkButton: BerserkButton:
** Don't ever kill an ally or close friend of his -- if you do you'd better hope he keeps his [[ThouShaltNotKill no killing rule]]. Batman's done this twice with ComicBook/TheJoker; first when the Joker killed Jason Todd, and second when Batman thought the Joker killed his childhood friend Thomas Elliot (since the Joker's the trope namer for JokerImmunity, he survived both attacks).
** Don't ever kill an ally or close friend of his -- if you do you'd better hope he keeps his [[ThouShaltNotKill no killing rule]]. Batman's done this twice with ComicBook/TheJoker; first when the Joker killed Jason Todd, and second when Batman thought the Joker killed his childhood friend Thomas Elliot (since the Joker's the trope namer for JokerImmunity, he survived both attacks).
Changed line(s) 67,68 (click to see context) from:
*** If you kill a couple in front of their young child, Batman will 1.) Have a flashback and 2.) Hunt you down no matter where you go. And then 3.) '''''Make. You. Suffer.''''' Like you have never suffered before or, you will hope, since.
*** Then there's the chilling scene in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyondReturnOfTheJoker'' in which Batman is subjected to watching the Joker torture and brainwash Tim Drake. Batman reacts with a [[UnstoppableRage fury that leaves no illusions to his intent.]]
*** Then there's the chilling scene in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyondReturnOfTheJoker'' in which Batman is subjected to watching the Joker torture and brainwash Tim Drake. Batman reacts with a [[UnstoppableRage fury that leaves no illusions to his intent.]]
to:
Changed line(s) 70,71 (click to see context) from:
*** One story deconstructed the "kill a couple in front of their young child" button. Batman was pursuing a criminal named Angel Lupo for murdering his pregnant sister. While on the run, Lupo shot and killed a couple in front of their son leaving the boy in a state of shock. Batman has the usual flashback and is bent on bringing Lupo to justice. Then it's revealed that [[spoiler:Angel had nothing to do with the first murder. His ''girlfriend'' (without his knowledge) had his sister killed in order to free him of the responsibility of caring for his sister. Not that it matters, since the baby's father (the ''Ventriloquist'') guns down Lupo in a fit of misdirected vengeance.]] Then it turns out that [[spoiler:Lupo didn't kill the boy's parents either -- the ''boy'' shot and killed his own parents and Lupo just happened to be nearby when it happened. Batman's Berserk Button made him pursue a man who, while still a career criminal, didn't commit any of the murders in the story and led him astray from the real killers.]]
-->'''Batman:''' Everything I've done in the past three nights, I've been doing for the wrong little boy.
-->'''Batman:''' Everything I've done in the past three nights, I've been doing for the wrong little boy.
to:
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--->'''Huntress:''' Did I just see you cheating?\\
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---> '''Nightwing:''' ''If you don't want to talk with someone, why do you even have a passenger seat in the Batmobile?''
---> '''Batman:''' ''Balance.''
---> '''Nightwing:''' ''...was that a joke? [pause] Of course not.''
--->-- ''Hush''
---> '''Batman:''' ''Balance.''
---> '''Nightwing:''' ''...was that a joke? [pause] Of course not.''
--->-- ''Hush''
to:
--->
'''Batman:'''
---> '''Nightwing:''' ''...
'''Nightwing:''' ...was that a joke? [pause] Of course not.
--->--
-- ''Hush''
Changed line(s) 119 (click to see context) from:
--->'''Lt. Gordon:''' I ''gotta'' get me one of those.
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* SituationalSociability: Bruce Wayne generally presents himself as a RichIdiotWithNoDayJob. In reality Bruce, or rather Batman, is stoic and serious. He cultivates the image to further blur any potential line between Bruce Wayne and Batman.
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Changed line(s) 4,5 (click to see context) from:
-> ''"[[TheMafia Ladies. Gentlemen.]] You have eaten well. You've eaten Gotham's wealth. Its spirit. Your feast is nearly over. [[ComicBook/BatmanYearOne From this moment on]] -- [[TerrorHero none of you are safe.]]"''
to:
-> ''"[[TheMafia Ladies.''"Ladies. Gentlemen.]] You have eaten well. You've eaten Gotham's wealth. Its spirit. Your feast is nearly over. [[ComicBook/BatmanYearOne From this moment on]] on -- [[TerrorHero none of you are safe.]]"''
"''
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* TheAce[=/=]BrokenAce: While Batman stands head and shoulders above the greater majority of heroes in the DCU, it's fairly obvious that in doing so he's not the most well-adjusted or emotionally mature individual, has great difficulty forming close relationships, and frequently experiences friction with people whom he is close to. This is also occasionally [[LampshadeHanging acknowledged]] by Bruce himself; in one instance, Nightwing laments over the belief that he can never match up to Bruce, who assures him that despite living a very similar life in the same line of work Dick hadn't allowed it to mess him up as much, having a much more positive personality and maintaining a good relationship with every fellow hero he knows, and as such [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming was already better than him]].
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* TheAce[=/=]BrokenAce: BrokenAce: While Batman stands head and shoulders above the greater majority of heroes in the DCU, it's fairly obvious that in doing so he's not the most well-adjusted or emotionally mature individual, has great difficulty forming close relationships, and frequently experiences friction with people whom he is close to. This is also occasionally [[LampshadeHanging acknowledged]] by Bruce himself; in one instance, Nightwing laments over the belief that he can never match up to Bruce, who assures him that despite living a very similar life in the same line of work Dick hadn't allowed it to mess him up as much, having a much more positive personality and maintaining a good relationship with every fellow hero he knows, and as such [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming was already better than him]].
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* [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys All Guys Want Bad Girls]]: Bats likes his women tough, dangerous and morally ambiguous. Hence his clear preference for villainesses such as Talia Al Ghul (whom he got over) and Catwoman (whom he likes ''much'' more than he would ever admit). He actually used this to figure out that someone was actually a villainess. [[spoiler:In fact, this tendency was enough to convince him in "Batman RIP" that the woman he was becoming attracted to was TheMole out to betray him to the bad guys - she was a bit too nice for him...]]
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* [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys All Guys Want Bad Girls]]: AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Bats likes his women tough, dangerous and morally ambiguous. Hence his clear preference for villainesses such as Talia Al Ghul (whom he got over) and Catwoman (whom he likes ''much'' more than he would ever admit). He actually used this to figure out that someone was actually a villainess. [[spoiler:In fact, this tendency was enough to convince him in "Batman RIP" that the woman he was becoming attracted to was TheMole out to betray him to the bad guys - she was a bit too nice for him...]]
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* BashBrothers: On occasions, Batman and Robin. This trope could have easily been called "Dynamic Duo".
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* BashBrothers: BashBrothers:
** On occasions, Batman and Robin. This trope could have easily been called "Dynamic Duo".
** On occasions, Batman and Robin. This trope could have easily been called "Dynamic Duo".
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* BatmanGambit: TropeNamer. Again.
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* BatmanGambit: TropeNamer. Again.As the World's Greatest Detective, Batman frequently predicts his Rogues' behaviors to his own advantage.
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* GoodIsNotNice[=/=]GoodIsNotSoft
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* GoodIsNotNice[=/=]GoodIsNotSoftGoodIsNotNice
* GoodIsNotSoft: Sure, Batman won't kill anybody, but he's not afraid to hospitalize criminals who cross his path.
* GoodIsNotSoft: Sure, Batman won't kill anybody, but he's not afraid to hospitalize criminals who cross his path.
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** JerkassFacade[=/=]JerkWithAHeartOfGold: ... though he is most consistently portrayed as this.
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if is just a speculation and not canon..
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* SuddenlyEthnicity [[spoiler: Ironically, requires actual detective work. While it's long been speculated that Bruce and Katherine Kane, the ComicBook/{{Batwoman}}, were related, as Martha Wayne's maiden name was Kane, it was unclear as to how closely their families were intertwined. That is, until ''Detective Comics'' #935. During a conversation between Kate and her father Jacob, it is revealed in no uncertain terms that Jacob and Martha were ''brother and sister'' which means that Bruce, by extension, as judaism is passed on maternally, is ''ethnically jewish''. This has yet to be explicitly stated in canon, however.]]
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Being cut per TRS
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---> ''"[[TheMafia Ladies. Gentlemen.]] You have eaten well. You've eaten Gotham's wealth. Its spirit. Your feast is nearly over. [[ComicBook/BatmanYearOne From this moment on]] -- [[TerrorHero none of you are safe.]]"''
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** Superman is not currently super-intelligent in canon (he was during the Silver Age canon); Wonder Woman may have been on Earth the longest but was mostly on Paradise Island and until the present times has little experience with people other than Greek mythology and Amazons; and The Flash is a forensic scientist (not skilled in all forms of science like Batman). Batman knows a lot about many topics, including crimonology, and not only thinks through but in cynical situations is highly intelligent and sometimes even DangerouslyGenreSavvy. Hence, he is still TheSmartGuy to the Justice League.
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** Superman is not currently super-intelligent in canon (he was during the Silver Age canon); Wonder Woman may have been on Earth the longest but was mostly on Paradise Island and until the present times has little experience with people other than Greek mythology and Amazons; and The Flash is a forensic scientist (not skilled in all forms of science like Batman). Batman knows a lot about many topics, including crimonology, and not only thinks through but in cynical situations is highly intelligent and sometimes even DangerouslyGenreSavvy.intelligent. Hence, he is still TheSmartGuy to the Justice League.
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World's Greatest Detective gains even more gravitas to that title
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* SuddenlyEthnicity [[spoiler: Ironically, requires actual detective work. While it's long been speculated that Bruce and Katherine Kane, the ComicBook/{{Batwoman}}, were related, as Martha Wayne's maiden name was Kane, it was unclear as to how closely their families were intertwined. That is, until ''Detective Comics'' #935. During a conversation between Kate and her father Jacob, it is revealed in no uncertain terms that Jacob and Martha were ''brother and sister'' which means that Bruce, by extension, as judaism is passed on maternally, is ''ethnically jewish''. This has yet to be explicitly stated in canon, however.]]
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* BigGood: To the Bat Family, and Gotham as a whole.
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** He fills this role when he's required to be in an ensemble. Despite having no inherent superpowers, he's earned a spot in the inner circle of the ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'', fighting alongside the likes of {{Superman}} courtesy of a steel-trap intellect combined with a bit of a mean streak that means he can consider plans other members can't, and consider them ''well''. Batman has the proven ability to develop the means to disable each of his fellow Leaguers -- proven when those plans were stolen by villains and used to great effect. Batman's {{badass}}ery has been stretched to ridiculous proportions, and many comic readers firmly believe that Batman is invincible. [[PopularityPower And some writers agree]].
to:
** He fills this role when he's required to be in an ensemble. Despite having no inherent superpowers, he's earned a spot in the inner circle of the ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'', fighting alongside the likes of {{Superman}} Franchise/{{Superman}} courtesy of a steel-trap intellect combined with a bit of a mean streak that means he can consider plans other members can't, and consider them ''well''. Batman has the proven ability to develop the means to disable each of his fellow Leaguers -- proven when those plans were stolen by villains and used to great effect. Batman's {{badass}}ery has been stretched to ridiculous proportions, and many comic readers firmly believe that Batman is invincible. [[PopularityPower And some writers agree]].
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* GeniusBruiser: He's one of the most intelligent heroes in all of comics and has a figure that can pass for ''{{Superman}}'' in a dim light, is one of the world's greatest martial artists and stealth fighters, and only seems lacking [[BadassNormal in a world filled with superpowered heroes and villains]]... all of whom [[BadassBookworm he can figure out how to defeat.]]
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* GeniusBruiser: He's one of the most intelligent heroes in all of comics and has a figure that can pass for ''{{Superman}}'' ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' in a dim light, is one of the world's greatest martial artists and stealth fighters, and only seems lacking [[BadassNormal in a world filled with superpowered heroes and villains]]... all of whom [[BadassBookworm he can figure out how to defeat.]]
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* IdentityImpersonator: He's probably done it as much as {{Superman}}!
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* IdentityImpersonator: He's probably done it as much as {{Superman}}!Franchise/{{Superman}}!
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* UnderwearOfPower: Just like {{Superman}}. Batman is one of the older examples, though nowadays (Post-Knight Saga and then Post-Return) his Underwear on the outside is usually either absent, not shown, or the same color as the rest of him (and thus hard to see).
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* UnderwearOfPower: Just like {{Superman}}.Franchise/{{Superman}}. Batman is one of the older examples, though nowadays (Post-Knight Saga and then Post-Return) his Underwear on the outside is usually either absent, not shown, or the same color as the rest of him (and thus hard to see).
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* AmazonChaser: In some incarnations, when he's not taking interest in Talia or Selina, he has shown at least some attraction and respect for [[Franchise/WonderWoman Wonder Woman]].
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* WeakButSkilled: CharlesAtlasSuperpower aside, he's a normal human in a universe full of {{Physical God}}s (with one of them able to punch hard enough to [[CosmicRetcon break the universe and reform it]]). He's still one of the best superheroes in the DCU, and one of the big three of the Justice League.
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* CrazySane: It's been suggested on occasion that being Batman helps keep Bruce stable; in the JLA arc "Divided We Fall", Bruce and Batman are split into two different people, and Bruce, denied the outlet for his anger Batman allows him, discovers he's slipping dangerously towards becoming AxCrazy.
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** In ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', Batman's distaste for guns gets lampshaded in Creator/GrantMorrison's ''[[Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica JLA]]/[=WildCATS=]'' crossover, in which the League hooks up with the premiere heroes of Jim Lee's Creator/{{Wildstorm}} line. At one point when both teams go up against Epoch the Time Lord, Batman asks the raygun-toting Grifter just how good he is. When Grifter brags that in his universe Batman would have been ''his'' kid sidekick, Batman then adds, "Then you won't mind doing this without the guns." Grifter pauses for a {{Beat}}, then quips, "Aw, why not? I'll try anything once!" The beginning of the crossover features an encounter with Epoch and Wally West while he was still Kid Flash, who sizes up his new foe's huge high-tech rifle by commenting, "One of the first things I've learned in the superhero game. 'Gun' equals 'bad guy'."
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** In ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', Batman's distaste for guns gets lampshaded in Creator/GrantMorrison's ''[[Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica JLA]]/[=WildCATS=]'' crossover, in which the League hooks up with the premiere heroes of Jim Lee's Creator/{{Wildstorm}} line. At one point when both teams go up against Epoch the Time Lord, Batman asks the raygun-toting Grifter just how good he is. When Grifter brags that in his universe Batman would have been ''his'' kid sidekick, Batman then adds, "Then you won't mind doing this without the guns." Grifter pauses for a {{Beat}}, then quips, "Aw, why not? I'll try anything once!" The beginning of the crossover features an encounter with Epoch and Wally West while he was still Kid Flash, who sizes up his new foe's huge high-tech rifle by commenting, "One of the first things I've learned in the superhero game. 'Gun' equals 'bad guy'."
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* FreudianExcuse: he battles crime because his parents were murdered by a criminal. in ComicBook/TheDarkKnightReturns, Alfred recalls a moment in bruce's childhood where he was read a story that involved a criminal, and he wouldn't sleep until he was reassured that the criminal was swiftly punished.
* FriendToAllChildren: Kids don't fear Batman. Batman hurts the bad guys, not kids. Every child knows this. Batman makes DAMN sure to never betray children's faith in him. In fact, if a criminal is about to hurt a child and the child says that Batman's gonna kick his butt... well, the criminal's *in TheDarkKnightReturns, batman tells a kid to watch his language and the kid replies yes, sir. kids respect batman, too.[[TemptingFate tempting fate if he proceeds]], cause Batman WILL show up and '''destroy''' him.
* FriendToAllChildren: Kids don't fear Batman. Batman hurts the bad guys, not kids. Every child knows this. Batman makes DAMN sure to never betray children's faith in him. In fact, if a criminal is about to hurt a child and the child says that Batman's gonna kick his butt... well, the criminal's *in TheDarkKnightReturns, batman tells a kid to watch his language and the kid replies yes, sir. kids respect batman, too.[[TemptingFate tempting fate if he proceeds]], cause Batman WILL show up and '''destroy''' him.
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* FreudianExcuse: he He battles crime because his parents were murdered by a criminal. in In ComicBook/TheDarkKnightReturns, Alfred recalls a moment in bruce's Bruce's childhood where he was read a story that involved a criminal, and he wouldn't sleep until he was reassured that the criminal was swiftly punished.
* FriendToAllChildren: Kids don't fear Batman. Batman hurts the bad guys, not kids. Every child knows this. Batman makes DAMN sure to never betray children's faith in him. In fact, if a criminal is about to hurt a child and the child says that Batman's gonna kick his butt... well, the criminal's*in TheDarkKnightReturns, batman tells a kid to watch his language and the kid replies yes, sir. kids respect batman, too.[[TemptingFate tempting fate if he proceeds]], cause Batman WILL show up and '''destroy''' him.him.
** Kids respect Batman, too; in ComicBook/TheDarkKnightReturns, Batman tells a kid to watch his language and the kid replies "Yes, sir".
* FriendToAllChildren: Kids don't fear Batman. Batman hurts the bad guys, not kids. Every child knows this. Batman makes DAMN sure to never betray children's faith in him. In fact, if a criminal is about to hurt a child and the child says that Batman's gonna kick his butt... well, the criminal's
** Kids respect Batman, too; in ComicBook/TheDarkKnightReturns, Batman tells a kid to watch his language and the kid replies "Yes, sir".
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** This was {{Lampshaded}} in a Marvel/DC crossover with ComicBook/ThePunisher, where the Joker mused that Batman must have had a similar tragedy to that of Frank Castle, but Batman's tragedy must have happened when he was a child -- dressing up in a costume, and nifty gadgets are more a child's ideas than Castle's skull motifs and machine guns.
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** This was {{Lampshaded}} in a Marvel/DC crossover with ComicBook/ThePunisher, where the Joker mused that Batman must have had a similar tragedy to that of Frank Castle, but Batman's tragedy must have happened when he was a child -- dressing up in a costume, costume and nifty gadgets are more a child's ideas than Castle's skull motifs and machine guns.
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!!'''Batman''' (Bruce Wayne)
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Batman_Portrait_8742.jpg]]
---> ''"[[TheMafia Ladies. Gentlemen.]] You have eaten well. You've eaten Gotham's wealth. Its spirit. Your feast is nearly over. [[ComicBook/BatmanYearOne From this moment on]] -- [[TerrorHero none of you are safe.]]"''
Bruce Wayne was a carefree child born into the humongously wealthy and prominent Wayne family, but one night, after seeing a movie (usually something to do with ''Franchise/{{Zorro}}'' - if you know the background of Zorro, you'll know why that's important), he and his loving parents took a shortcut through a dark alleyway, inevitably leading to a mugger (named Joe Chill in most versions) shooting both of them dead.
The distraught Bruce was raised in current continuity by the family butler, Alfred Pennyworth, as well as the family doctor, Leslie Thompkins. (pre-ComicBook/{{Crisis|on Infinite Earths}}, Bruce was raised by his uncle Philip Wayne, with Alfred only joining the Wayne household in Bruce's adulthood). The memory, however, would never fade, and Bruce, realizing what a CrapsackWorld Gotham was, decided to do something about it.
As soon as he was of age to inherit the family fortune, Bruce engaged on a world-wide journey, rigorously studying mathematics, science, martial arts, you name it. Many years later, he returned to Gotham, ready to fight crime as a vigilante, but on his first night out, realized that he lacked one element: fear.
[[ComicBook/BatmanYearOne When a bat that suddenly crashed into his living room reminded him of an incident in his youth, when he stumbled into a cave full of bats, he decided to adopt a bat motif]] as a means to terrify criminals and become the legendary figure Batman. This has worked to some degree, as most common criminals are scared shitless of him, and organized crime began to lose its hold on the city, but nearly as soon as Batman made his debut, a new breed of criminals began to pop up... ones dressed in garish costumes and bearing colorful masks... which unfortunately causes many people to wonder if Batman is directly responsible for the criminals he faces.
As years went on, Bruce has joined many superteams in the fight against crime, most notably the Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica and the Outsiders. Unfortunately, due to the growing cynicism in the DC Universe, Batman began to distrust others more and more, which was ultimately addressed in ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'', where the Brother Eye satellite he created was responsible for the creation and control of the metahuman-hunting cyborgs, the O.M.A.C.s. Following his HeelRealization, Bruce [[ComicBook/FiftyTwo took off for a year]] in order to rebuild Batman. [[ComicBook/GrantMorrisonsBatman He was the target of the villainous organization]], the Black Glove, who wished to break him utterly and kill him. Barely escaping, [[ComicBook/FinalCrisis he was tortured by the New God Darkseid to be used as a template for new soldiers]]. After an attempt to kill Darkseid, Bruce Wayne was ultimately 'killed' by the Omega Sanction [[spoiler:which sent his soul into [[FateWorseThanDeath an endless loop of lives, each one worse than the last]].]] As expected of as popular a character as he, he came back, and he decided to make the Batman idea an international organization called Batman, Inc, while leaving the title of Gotham's Batman to his first Robin Dick Grayson. After the ComicBook/{{New 52}} reboot, Bruce is back to being Gotham's Batman.
Note that while Bruce Wayne is the most famous and most shown Batman, he is by no means the only one. Various other characters have taken up the mantle. But make no mistake: he is THE Batman. If anyone ever just refers to "Batman", they're referring to Bruce. [[WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond Terry]], [[NinetiesAntiHero Azrael]], and [[LegacyCharacter Dick]] typically need an addendum to the name if you're talking about them.
----
* TheAce[=/=]BrokenAce: While Batman stands head and shoulders above the greater majority of heroes in the DCU, it's fairly obvious that in doing so he's not the most well-adjusted or emotionally mature individual, has great difficulty forming close relationships, and frequently experiences friction with people whom he is close to. This is also occasionally [[LampshadeHanging acknowledged]] by Bruce himself; in one instance, Nightwing laments over the belief that he can never match up to Bruce, who assures him that despite living a very similar life in the same line of work Dick hadn't allowed it to mess him up as much, having a much more positive personality and maintaining a good relationship with every fellow hero he knows, and as such [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming was already better than him]].
* ActionHero: Batman is involved in plenty of action. He is a top martial artist who is trained. Batman is able to take on numerous people at a time.
* AdvantageBall: Batman almost always has the advantage in direct conflict. Three guys with knives or a dozen Mooks with machine guns, it makes no difference. As such, the general method of his rogues gallery to deal with him is to attack him indirectly, especially by undermining what he believes in and threatening those he values.
* [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys All Guys Want Bad Girls]]: Bats likes his women tough, dangerous and morally ambiguous. Hence his clear preference for villainesses such as Talia Al Ghul (whom he got over) and Catwoman (whom he likes ''much'' more than he would ever admit). He actually used this to figure out that someone was actually a villainess. [[spoiler:In fact, this tendency was enough to convince him in "Batman RIP" that the woman he was becoming attracted to was TheMole out to betray him to the bad guys - she was a bit too nice for him...]]
* AnguishedDeclarationOfLove: [[spoiler:After Selina got badly hurt by Hush who was trying to get to him through her, Bruce visits her at the hospital, unmasked, and eventually confesses that she's the only woman to have ever held a place in his heart.]]
* AntiHero: Generally a KnightInSourArmour or a PragmaticHero. In his earliest days, he was an UnscrupulousHero and actually willfully ''killed'' criminals, a stark contrast to his ThouShaltNotKill attitude in modern times. However, Batman's status as an anti-hero ultimately depends on who's writing or portraying him; many have leaned towards a more traditional idea of heroism. For example, while Frank Miller's fits this trope like a glove, it's really hard to describe Adam West's Batman as an anti-hero. ValuesDissonance plays a big role in this. Back then, using a gun to fight criminals was considered standard in comic books, and no one saw it as "immoral" or "anti-heroic" in the slightest. In fact, Batman was portrayed as more of an IdealHero than he does nowadays, in most cases.
** ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' gives us the image of Bruce Wayne just like that - an old man with no wife, no children, and no family except for his dog. He finds a new family in Terry [=McGinnis=] the new Batman [[spoiler:who is also his son thanks to a clandestine genetic experiment.]]
* TheAntiNihilist: Of a sort. Bruce Wayne loses his parents at a young age to a completely random tragedy, essentially destroying his established notions about the order of the world and his place in it. Becoming Batman is his way of giving his life a new meaning and imposing his own sense of order on a chaotic world.
* BadassBaritone: Most versions of him have this and it is very easy for readers to imagine him speaking in a very deep voice, partly due to [[Creator/KevinConroy Kevin Conroy's]] extensive voiceover work.
* BadassCape: He wore his cape this way long before it was popular. Still does!
** That, and Batman's cape lets him glide in some versions.
** ''Film/BatmanForever'' had Batman covering himself with his fire-proofed cape in order to shield himself from the flames of a burning building that Two-Face trapped him in. Only Batman could have pulled this off.
** Batman's cape is so awesome that it actually has the ability to change size. (Particularly evident in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'') When he's investigating for clues inside, the cape comes down to his knees, but when posing on a rooftop dramatically, it grows longer than his whole body. Now that's badass!
* BadassAndChildDuo: Batman and all of the other Robins and Batgirls.
** Currently, Bruce/Batman with Damian/Robin (who happens to be his biological son).
* BadassNormal: The TropeCodifier for superheroes. Those who do not realize this usually end up learning it all too well.
** He fills this role when he's required to be in an ensemble. Despite having no inherent superpowers, he's earned a spot in the inner circle of the ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'', fighting alongside the likes of {{Superman}} courtesy of a steel-trap intellect combined with a bit of a mean streak that means he can consider plans other members can't, and consider them ''well''. Batman has the proven ability to develop the means to disable each of his fellow Leaguers -- proven when those plans were stolen by villains and used to great effect. Batman's {{badass}}ery has been stretched to ridiculous proportions, and many comic readers firmly believe that Batman is invincible. [[PopularityPower And some writers agree]].
*** Music/WesleyWillis put him [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ogid9D0rcEI in his place]], though.
*** To put it another way, whenever a Justice League villain mockingly says of Batman, "He doesn't even have any powers!", ''[[PassThePopcorn get some popcorn]]''.
*** An {{Elseworld}} Spectre has described him as "the zenith of human fortitude and ambition", while an in canon Superman described him more simply as "the most dangerous man on the planet".
*** Honestly, Batman's Badass Normal status is cemented by the fact that several high-profile beings (including the above mentioned Spectre and Superman) have such high regard for a "mere mortal". [[MysteriousWaif Harbringer]] once referred to him as "the Scourge of all Evil."
*** Batman is such a badass normal, current Batman writer Creator/GrantMorrison has stated that he actually does have superpowers. What is his superpower? Being Batman.
*** It got to the point where when Creator/NeilGaiman wrote Batman's funeral in ''ComicBook/WhateverHappenedToTheCapedCrusader'' it's stated that Batman's reward for his life isn't to die, but to be reborn again as Batman in another universe. He's so badass death doesn't stop him, and the laws of creation can't stop him in his quest to fight crime.
*** He actually JUDO-FLIPPED SUPERMAN across a god damned ROOM during World's Finest in WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries, and Supes looked dazed. Superman doesn't take it well and shoulder-rams Batman across the other side of the room -- only for Batman to get right back up and shove a chunk of Kryptonite in his face.
* BashBrothers: On occasions, Batman and Robin. This trope could have easily been called "Dynamic Duo".
** Batman and Red Hood/Robin II: even after all the time that passed between Jason's death and his return, they're able to fall right back in to this and work together flawlessly.
** Also, with Superman. Examined in the World's Finest maxiseries; the first time they meet with the explicit purpose of working together, they're at a function as Bruce and Clark when the guest of honor, a world-famous plastic surgeon is kidnapped. They split up and both go after the kidnapper, which so spooks the hostage that he runs out into the street and gets himself killed. When they compare notes they both observe that this happened because they didn't work together. The rest of the series is about their annual meetings to honor their failure and learn to work together until they're working as a well-oiled machine. [[spoiler: Some of their guilt is mitigated when they learn at the end of the maxiseries that said hostage was actually the surgeon's body double who had kidnapped and replaced the real man after giving him amnesia in an attempt to steal his fortune. The real reason he was so spooked was because he was afraid that Batman and Superman would expose his scheme.]]
* BatmanCanBreatheInSpace: TropeNamer. Franchise/{{Batman}} does this in one of the early issues of ''Justice League International'' [[spoiler:(granted, it was due to the New Genesis-created training satellite's programming directive to not actually harm its opponents, thus causing it to create an artificial atmosphere when Bats's space helmet gets broken, but all the same).]]
** One issue of ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'' showed Batman training himself, not to be able to breathe in space, but to at least survive the vacuum of space for a couple of seconds. The ComicBook/MartianManhunter helps while wondering if he should.
* BatmanGrabsAGun: Another TropeNamer. If Batman ever gets serious enough to not only grab a gun, but fight with the intent to kill, there is no force in the universe that can stop him. Darkseid found this out the hard way in ''Final Crisis''.
* BatmanGambit: TropeNamer. Again.
* BecomingTheMask: Bruce Wayne adopted the identity of Batman as a means to fight injustice. As with most Batman tropes, this is the dark version. It's not that he loves being Batman so much he doesn't want to go back to being Bruce Wayne. It's that he IS Batman because he has to be even when dressed and acting like Bruce Wayne. It's a strong contrast to the modern version of Superman, who always thinks of himself as Clark Kent regardless of the costume.
** In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', a villain puts a device in Bruce Wayne's ear that constantly talks to him, trying to make people think he's crazy with age and hearing voices. Bruce easily deduces someone's trying to drive him mad and eventually Terry [=McGinnis=] finds the culprit and brings him to justice, and this conversation ensues:
--> '''Terry:''' Tell me something, why were you so sure those voices weren't coming from you.
--> '''Bruce:''' Well first, I know I'm not psychotic.
--> '''Terry:''' I hope your other reason's more convincing.
--> '''Bruce:''' And second, the voice kept calling me "Bruce." In my mind, that's not what I call myself.
--> '''Terry:''' What DO you call yourself?
--> (Cue "Do I really have to say it?" stare from '''Franchise/{{BATMAN}}''')
--> '''Terry:''' Oh yeah... I suppose you would... [[LegacyCharacter but that's MY name now...]]
--> '''Bruce:''' Tell THAT to my subconscious...
* BelligerentSexualTension / UnresolvedSexualTension: With Catwoman, mostly. And, even though he hates to admit it, he thoroughly ''enjoys'' it. So does she.
** Sometimes happens between Batman and Talia Al Ghul, DependingOnTheWriter.
* BerserkButton: Don't ever kill an ally or close friend of his -- if you do you'd better hope he keeps his [[ThouShaltNotKill no killing rule]]. Batman's done this twice with ComicBook/TheJoker; first when the Joker killed Jason Todd, and second when Batman thought the Joker killed his childhood friend Thomas Elliot (since the Joker's the trope namer for JokerImmunity, he survived both attacks).
** He also has a ''very'' dim view of bad things happening to children, as the Sewer King [[PapaWolf found out the hard way]].
--->'''Batman:''' I don't pass sentence. That's for the courts to decide. But this time, '''this time''', I am ''sorely'' tempted to do the job myself.
*** If you kill a couple in front of their young child, Batman will 1.) Have a flashback and 2.) Hunt you down no matter where you go. And then 3.) '''''Make. You. Suffer.''''' Like you have never suffered before or, you will hope, since.
*** Then there's the chilling scene in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyondReturnOfTheJoker'' in which Batman is subjected to watching the Joker torture and brainwash Tim Drake. Batman reacts with a [[UnstoppableRage fury that leaves no illusions to his intent.]]
--->'''Batman:''' (To Joker) I'll break you in two.
*** One story deconstructed the "kill a couple in front of their young child" button. Batman was pursuing a criminal named Angel Lupo for murdering his pregnant sister. While on the run, Lupo shot and killed a couple in front of their son leaving the boy in a state of shock. Batman has the usual flashback and is bent on bringing Lupo to justice. Then it's revealed that [[spoiler:Angel had nothing to do with the first murder. His ''girlfriend'' (without his knowledge) had his sister killed in order to free him of the responsibility of caring for his sister. Not that it matters, since the baby's father (the ''Ventriloquist'') guns down Lupo in a fit of misdirected vengeance.]] Then it turns out that [[spoiler:Lupo didn't kill the boy's parents either -- the ''boy'' shot and killed his own parents and Lupo just happened to be nearby when it happened. Batman's Berserk Button made him pursue a man who, while still a career criminal, didn't commit any of the murders in the story and led him astray from the real killers.]]
-->'''Batman:''' Everything I've done in the past three nights, I've been doing for the wrong little boy.
* BetrayalInsurance: The idea that Batman has a stockpile of kryptonite in case Superman ever goes rogue is extremely common. The idea that [[CrazyPrepared he also has plans to take down any other Justice League member he might have to]] is almost as common.
* BigDamnHeroes
* BloodKnight: Loathe as he is to admit it, there's a big part of Bruce Wayne that really, really enjoys the violence that comes with being Batman. It's also strongly implied that he uses this enjoyment of fighting as an anger release outlet so that he doesn't snap and kill someone.
* BombThrowingAnarchists: In ''ComicBook/SupermanRedSon''. [[InformedAttribute Also, he's been described as an "idealist anarchist"]] by Frank Miller. [[Creator/ChristianBale So did one of the actors who played him.]]
* BruceWayneHeldHostage: TropeNamer.
** ''ComicBook/TheLongHalloween'' had a variant where Poison Ivy was hired by mobsters to mind-control Bruce Wayne into going along with a money laundering scheme; since this was early in his career, there was no Robin, but thankfully Selina Kyle caught on to Bruce's odd behavior and saved the day as Catwoman.
** In a comic book version of the [[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries animated series]] universe, Bruce Wayne is taken hostage on a charity cruise by Poison Ivy and her overgrown plant henchmen. To escape, Bruce Wayne makes a "foolish" attack at the villains and is immediately swatted overboard, where he is free to swim to cover and become Batman.
*** That happened in the cartoon too, they just later put it in the comic... Or vice versa.
** Subverted in ''The Sword of Azrael'', in which Bruce spends the miniseries captured, and is rescued by Azrael.
*** Though the kidnappers had nothing against Batman or Robin specifically, a variation of this trope showed up in a ''Robin'' comic wherein Tim Drake got himself kidnapped on purpose in order to save the other kids who'd been grabbed.
* BuildingSwing: Goes hand in hand with his GrapplingHookGun.
** When not in the Batmobile, the [[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries animated Batman]] often uses a high-tech grappling gun to swing dramatically across Gotham City. Maybe just when the traffic's bad. In the live action ''Series/{{Batman}}'', clumsily-produced Batarang and rope sequences were used from time to time, along with the lame sideways-wall bit. Batman first used his grappling gun in the 1989 Tim Burton movie, though in this case he tended to use them just to go straight up, or horizontally on a zipline rather than swinging like Spider-Man.
* BulletproofVest: Batman's costume has evolved into a suit of advanced lightweight armor with the ChestInsignia intended to draw fire to his thick chest piece.
* ByronicHero
* CainAndAbel: [[spoiler: If Lincoln March really is Thomas Wayne Jr, then Bruce is the Abel.]]
* CaptainErsatz: On his first appearance, he was Radio/TheShadow in a bat costume. There's also quite a bit of Franchise/{{Zorro}} in his DNA, which has been acknowledged in most recent versions by establishing that it was a Zorro movie he and his parents went to see on the fatal night.
* CharacterizationMarchesOn: To be expected with over 70 years of comics. It may be particularly jarring for some readers though, upon seeing some of his earlier incarnations. Like the 60's version with {{Camp}}, but even further back, in his first published adventures, Batman ''killed'' people, and had no problems whatsoever using a gun. While it is understandable, given both the time period, as well as that this was just the first incarnation of the character, it's still a far cry from the Batman known by most people today.
** Case in point: "[[http://lydeanwooster.com/comics/batman/DC029.shtml Death...to Doctor Death!]]"
** He also displayed a fondness for puns and cracked jokes during fights, not unlike what Spider-man would do later. IE, "Have a seat", while smacking villains with a chair, or, while beating the Joker "You may be the JOKER, but I am the KING OF CLUBS!" or "You played your last hand!".
** And, on more than one occasion, he referred to himself as "Poppa", in the third person, as in "Quiet, or Poppa spank!" or "Right into Poppas arms!".
** At the end of Catwoman's first story, he deliberately lets her escape, and jokes with Robin that it was purely because he thought she was hot. This even though she was implied to cold-bloodedly kill a security guard in the story.
* CharityBall: Bruce Wayne, being a wealthy playboy, attends a lot of these.
* CharlesAtlasSuperpower: Like you wouldn't believe. He seems to have miraculously avoided being shot in any way that could hurt him, recovered from having his back snapped in half with no ill effects (albeit with the help of a friend with healing powers), and constantly goes toe to toe with superhuman foes and triumphs, just because he's trained that hard. His various pupils, including all the Robins, show similar abilities.
** Batman has moved away from this; he wins battles less because of training and more because of tactics. One could say that Batsy's power is AwesomenessByAnalysis to an amazing degree; he makes sure he can analyze any weakness as quickly as possible. You never see him fight an amazingly powerful superhuman straight on. More often than not, he avoids gunfire by staying in the shadows where Mooks can't see, wearing the best bulletproof suit millionaire playboy money can buy, and/or disabling enemies before they have a chance to shoot.
*** Creator/GrantMorrison is largely responsible for switching Batman's primary ability from CharlesAtlasSuperpower to CrazyPrepared. His Batman is still impossibly capable. Having tea with a monk, he ''reflexively'' swapped cups, assuming his was poisoned (it was). ''In the time it took the monk to blink''.
** In ''ComicBook/TheBatmanAdventures'' #6, it was a plot point that Bruce Wayne is capable of an unassisted ten-foot vertical jump. The world record is ''four''.
* ChestInsignia: Either it's just a Bat logo, or the Bat logo in a yellow circle. [[DependingOnTheArtist Depends on who's drawing it.]] This was lampshaded in ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'', where Batman admits that the famous bright yellow background is, obviously, a great big target. He then goes on to explain that he did it because he "can't armor my head".
** Some of the [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] stories have the bat-emblem used as a diamond-edged cutting tool.
* TheChessmaster: One of the most intelligent superheroes and an utterly brilliant tactician. If you don't have a superpower then improve your smarts instead.
* ChickMagnet: Bruce is very attractive and appealing to the opposite sex.
* ChosenConceptionPartner: Talia Al-Ghul is very keen on having children with Bruce. She was partially successful with Damian, although that didn't turn out as she wanted.
* ClearMyName: Occupational hazard of having dubious PR, plot of the major storyline ''Bruce Wayne: Murderer?'' and ''Bruce Wayne: Fugitive''. Notable because the [[TrueCompanions Batfamily members]] were the ones doing the clearing up, while Batman considered that "[[SecretIdentity Bruce Wayne]]" had just become a burden to be abandoned, even saying that "[[SecretIdentityIdentity Bruce Wayne doesn't exist]]".
** In a bizarre reversal, Batman races against time to clear ''the Joker's'' name in ''The Joker: Devil's Advocate'', as his insanity defense finally fails and he's sentenced to death, but for a murder he didn't actually commit.
* ClothesMakeTheLegend: You don't even need to see his emblem - Bats is so infamous and feared that he can be identified ''just by the silhouette of his cowl.''
* CombatPragmatist: He is the DC's poster boy for this trope.
--->'''Huntress:''' Did I just see you cheating?\\
'''Batman:''' ''Winning.''
** However, he still [[DoesNotLikeGuns won't use a gun]].
* TheComicallySerious: Especially in storylines featuring the JLA. Anything can be made funnier by adding Batman as the straight guy. A rare exception is found in the ''ComicBook/TheKillingJoke'', [[spoiler:when The Joker tells him [[ActuallyPrettyFunny a joke that makes them both laugh]].]] More typically: In "Hush", when Nightwing and Batman are in the Batmobile discussing Catwoman (well, Nightwing is discussing her... Batman is glaring off into the distance ignoring him):
---> '''Nightwing:''' ''If you don't want to talk with someone, why do you even have a passenger seat in the Batmobile?''
---> '''Batman:''' ''Balance.''
---> '''Nightwing:''' ''...was that a joke? [pause] Of course not.''
--->-- ''Hush''
* ConfirmedBachelor: Poses as TheCasanova in his Bruce Wayne persona. Privately, his reasons are closer to a combination of MarriedToTheJob and ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies.
* CoolCar, CoolPlane, CoolBoat, and CoolGarage:
** The Batmobile in its various incarnations, has [[TropeNamer come to define this trope]] to the point where any character's cool car may be dubbed the [[{{Thememobile}} (Character's Name)-mobile]] (real-world example: the famous "[[UsefulNotes/ThePope Popemobile]]"). Just to let you know, the Batmobile (nicknamed "The Tumbler") in ''Film/BatmanBegins'' is ''a Lamborghini Gallardo-Hummer H2 crossover''. When Lt. Gordon gets a view of the Batmobile, he says:
--->'''Lt. Gordon:''' I ''gotta'' get me one of those.
*** The Batmobile from ''Film/BatmanBegins''/''Film/TheDarkKnight'' is closer to a [[CoolTank Cool]] ''[[CoolTank Tank]]''.
*** In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', it's a ''[[FlyingCar flying]]'' [[FlyingCar car]].
*** And in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'', it can transform into a ''HumongousMecha''.
** The Batplane, and sometimes [[BlackHelicopter Batcopter]].
*** Batman's small one-man copter, [[http://www.comictreadmill.com/CTMBlogarchives/2009Images/WhirlyBat673.JPG The Whirly-Bat]] has its own legion of fans.
** Various incarnations of the Batboat. Especially the ones that turn into a Batsub.
*** In the ''Captain Leatherwing'' {{Elseworld}}, Pirate Batman has the Flying Fox.
** The Batcave. The [[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries animated series version]] not only contains the Batmobile, but a whole fleet of cars of various models when Batman needs a less conspicuous ride.
*** Taking it even further: in the ''Hush'' story arc, the Batcave has revolving racks featuring every Batmobile ever seen.
*** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6E_l4nAi8U And this one, kinda.]]
*** Bizarrely, the Batcave came with it's own resident genius, Harold, that nobody remembered until Hush got ahold of him.
* CoveredWithScars: Since the 1970s, his body is often shown to be covered in scars from his multiple fights.
* TheCowl: He was [[TropeCodifier practically built this trope, or at least the way it is seen now]], but is not the UrExample, and is not exactly the TropeMaker. The description describes the quintessential BatmanColdOpen, emerging from the shadows and inducing fear in all the criminals his eyes meet. Most examples of the trope nowadays are at least partially influenced by the Dark Knight.
* CrazyPrepared: A good thing for the most part.
** He apparently spends most of his time devising contingency plans to use in the event that he has to fight a given individual, to the point that it's widely said that Batman can [[UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny beat anyone or anything "if he's prepared"]]. For example, he carries [[spoiler:a chunk of Kryptonite]] on his utility belt at all times, "just in case". He also prepares himself to an [[strike:almost]] unhealthy extent, regularly injecting himself with antitoxins in the off chance a poison wielding villain might attack him, and training most of his day. There are some thing you just can't ever see coming, like [[TabletopGame/{{Deadlands}} zombie Abraham Lincoln]] [[UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny armed with an assault rifle]]. Such are his preparation skills that he's earned a place amongst the TropePantheons, specifically, in the [[Pantheon/{{Mentalism}} House of Mentalism]].
** Batman has attempted to be prepared in case of the inevitable superhero FaceHeelTurn, most notably in two infamous incidents. In the "Tower of Babel" arc of the Justice League comic, it was mainly confined to the League. The second was shortly after ''ComicBook/IdentityCrisis'' where Batman decided to secretly tab '''every''' superhero/metahuman on Earth he could, so he built the Brother Eye program to monitor them. Both blew up in his face horribly (Ra's found and used the files and Brother Eye was hijacked by Max Lord and, later, [[ComicBook/LexLuthor Alexander Luthor]]).
** In an issue of ''Gotham Adventures'', a criminal "artist" named Kim escapes from Arkham and begins leaving clues at crime scenes in a manner reminiscent of the Riddler. Riddler is furious that someone is stealing his gimmick and tracks Kim down himself. As they fight, Riddler asks what all the "clues" were supposed to mean. Kim reveals that they were actually references to an art film by a foreign director, and he was merely making an artistic statement. Riddler rants about how that is completely pointless, as ''nobody'' will ''ever'' understand such a reference, and the ''point'' of leaving clues is to give your opponent a fighting chance. Whereupon Batman shows up and reveals that he understood the clues just fine. When asked why he would watch random films and memorize the biographical information of their directors, Batman replied "In case I had to."
** In one issue of JLA, the Martian Manhunter has shifted into a Japanese woman using the name Hino Rei. Batman recognises J'onn instantly, and mentions that "the name is a giveaway". Yes, Batman knows enough about ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' to spot the name of Sailor Mars. Amusingly, this is because the author got pranked; he asked a friend for a Japanese woman's name that would translate out to 'Poet of Mars', thus establishing Batman's linguistics genius; instead his friend deliberately gave him the secret ID of Sailor Mars, and so the author inadvertently established Batman's otaku cred.
** Batman's crazy preparation is shown to an extreme in the ''[[Creator/GrantMorrisonsBatman Batman: RIP]]'' storyline, in which we find that [[spoiler:in case of [[MindRape psychological attack]], he has created a backup personality known as "The Batman of Zur-En-Arrh". Said personality might actually ''be'' crazy, making this a literal example.]] This is not, however, not the first time he's done something like this. In a Gotham Knights story, Bruce uses a contingency plan that involves [[MemoryGambit hypnotizing himself]] to essentially strip the Batman part of his identity and leave only the Bruce Wayne part, in case someone found out and he needed to take extra measures to convince them (and others) otherwise.
** Rather infamously in JLA 59 Batman engineered the defeat of Polaris to end with the JLA victorious, Superman's healing accelerated by the hole in the ozone layer and ''himself standing on a teleportation disk he had hidden in the arctic for just such an occasion''. Appropriately he ends the comic with the words "always plan ahead".
** In an issue of ComicBook/SupermanBatman, it is revealed that Batman carries around a lead-lined mirror ''just in case'' Superman ever turns evil and Batman can't avoid his heat vision. Because, you know, that situation comes up so often. (although, considering the rate at which it happens in Superman/Batman, it may actually come up quite a lot...)
** During the Hush arc of Batman, it is revealed that if he is ever knocked unconscious, his helmet will release tear gas on anyone brave enough to reach for his mask, as well as his suit tasering anyone stupid enough to touch him. The taser shows up in ''Film/TheDarkKnight''.
** Lampshaded by Jaime Reyes, the ComicBook/BlueBeetle, in one of his teamups with Batman. An enemy has just ambushed them by essentially spawning an arctic blizzard ramped UpToEleven above them, causing them to get buried in a few meters of snow. After Beetle breaks out and stops the blizzard by scaring off their attacker...
--->'''Blue Beetle:''' Batman! Hold on! I'll find you and get you out! Can you break out the Bat-Snowblower or something?\\
''(minor explosion)''\\
''(Batman digs his way out of the hole caused by the explosion)''\\
'''Blue Beetle:''' ''(in awe)'' Please don't tell me you actually have a Bat-Snowblower...\\
'''Batman:''' Heating flare capable of melting through ice in a hurry. You'd be surprised what you pack after going up against Mr. Freeze enough times.
** Further demonstrated in an issue of ComicBook/SupermanBatman where the world is under the control of Gorilla Grodd except for Batman. Batman's arm is robotic and Superman is gone in space because the atmosphere has Kryptonite in it. By the end of some long convoluted that proves enough how CrazyPrepared Batman is, it turns out that it was just a simulation of that potential scenario just in case and Batman reveals to Alfred that he does these all the time.
** There was an {{Elseworlds}} comic called ''JSA: The Liberty Files'' which had an alternate reality version of Batman, Hour Man, and Mid-Nite on a train in their civilian identities. They were simply eating dinner when they were suddenly attacked by a villain. Batman, as Bruce Wayne, opens his jacket and throws two grenades. One of the heroes remarks, "You brought grenades to dinner?" to which Bruce replied, "I needed them, didn't I?".
** In ''ComicBook/TheDarkKnightStrikesAgain'', Batman is well prepared for Superman coming to pay him a visit. He has The Flash place small charges all over Supes, then the Atom shrinks down and messes with Supe's inner ear, brings part of the Batcave roof down on him, after which Green Arrow shoots him with a Kryptonite arrow, all before Batman then hands his ass to him with Green K gloves. And then for the CrowningMomentOfAwesome, Superman tells the Bat he only came to talk, to which Batman replies, 'We're done talking. Get out of my cave.'
** In one issue of Gotham Adventures, Harley Quinn writes a trashy romance novel that controls the mind of whoever reads it. Tim and Barbara were controlled while Bruce wasn't. Why? He wore leather gloves while reading it.
** Batman DoesNotLikeGuns, but he still takes his proteges to the firing range. When asked why, Batman explained that it's useful to know as much about guns as possible even if he doesn't use them.
** In one Brave and the Bold comic, Batman reveals that he keeps a one-way one-shot handheld teleporter preset to the vicinity of a black hole in his utility belt. Just in case.
** In ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamAsylum'', Batman reveals [[spoiler:he has a second Batcave built under the Asylum.]] When asked why by an incredulous Oracle, he replies "It's me, remember?."
* CreepyGood: Some interpretations of Franchise/{{Batman}}'s membership in the [[Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica Justice League]] are portrayed this way. Everyone has their seat at the table, and Batman's off in a corner being quiet (if you notice him at all). This crosses pretty well with his status as CrazyPrepared. The rest of the League is creeped out that this guys has files on how to kill/maim/disable the rest of them. That, and being creepy is Batman's schtick.
** In some shorts, this overlaps with {{Determinator}} in how he takes up cold cases of unidentified murder victims, even if the only thing he can do is give their families closure.
** There's also ComicBook/TheQuestion, who even Batman thinks is a little unhinged.
* DarkerAndEdgier: Following the Silver Age, Batman became (and still is) one of the grittiest heroes you could find with an emphasis on fear and a brutal fighting style, most of what he does stemming from what he views as his failures and an insanely violent RoguesGallery. Despite this, [[DarkIsNotEvil his strong moral integrity remains one of the most consistent in comics.]]
* DarkIsNotEvil: He is often one of the best barometers of what the writer wants you to think is morally acceptable in all of comicdom, despite his black clothing, bat-motif, and fear-based methods.
* DatingCatwoman: With the obvious, but also with Jezebel Jet, Lady Shiva (well, maybe that was more UST), Talia Al Ghul and a few others. He's well aware of his penchant for this trope and it's actually an important plot point in ''R.I.P.''
** The [[AlternateUniverse Earth-2]] versions of the characters actually married and had a kid, the original Huntress. [[CutLexLuthorACheck Why bother stealing when you're married to a multimillionaire?]] The main versions became a couple too, and Bruce even revealed his identity to her and she moved into the mansion with him. The relationship didn't last, but they both developed a respect for each other and Batman mostly looks the other way when Catwoman does her thing.
** However, things got a bit more interesting with the two. Continuing to dance around one another constantly to the point of a nearly functional relationship, then to a distant one due to fear of repercussions from their knowledge of one another's identity, the couple have certainly reheated things a bit since Bruce's return to the present... long story. Regardless, she has even accompanied him on his international travels to establish Batman Inc. Maybe not a perfect relationship, but hey.
*** Unfortunately for those who may have enjoyed it, all that CharacterDevelopment in their relationship has been set back to square one with the 2011 DC Universe reboot, in which Catwoman has no idea who Batman is behind the mask (although she suspects he knows who she is). Doesn't [[spoiler:stop her from having costumed sex with him though]].
*** In ''ComicBook/GothamCitySirens'', it was mentioned that Catwoman and Talia are probably the only two women Batman has truly loved. It's not surprising that both of them are villainesses.
** Very explicit in one standalone strip called "Date Night", Batman catches Catwoman in the middle of a robbery and chases her through various romantic locations including a flower stall and a fancy restaurant, all the while Catwoman is talking and flirting with him as if they were actually on a date. When he finally catches her, they briefly fight and she leaves him tied up and dangling upside down from a fire escape, kisses him goodnight and runs away.
** In ''Batman the Dark Knight'' after the 2011 reboot, Bruce is attracted to Jaina Hudson, but becomes suspicious of her after new villainess White Rabbit issues the same "Catch me if you can" flirtatious challenge Jaina made in their first meeting. His suspicions are debunked when the White Rabbit shows up on the radar while he is on a date with Jaina. [[spoiler:It turns out he was right after all, since Jaina has the power to split herself into two people -- her normal self and the White Rabbit.]]
* DeadpanSnarker: Sometimes. For example, from his DCAU iteration:
--> '''Batman:''' ''[to Wonder Woman, regarding their (potential) relationship]'' One: dating within the team always leads to disaster. Two: you're a princess from a society of immortal warriors; I'm a rich kid with issues... lots of issues.
** Whenever Franchise/{{Batman}} (in any incarnation) isn't either moping around in {{Wangst}} or being TheComicallySerious, he's generally the one with a deadpan line. Or, as Jaime Reyes (''ComicBook/BlueBeetle III'') put it, "Batman's actually kind of funny, in a dry, scary way." Typically, Batman needs Superman as a foil if he's going to be funny.
* DeathGlare: Quite famous for using these, despite being a TechnicalPacifist.
** A good example was during the "Contagion" arc. Other members of the Bat-family are trying to disperse an angry mob, to no effect. Cue Batman appearing, pointing a finger, giving a Death Glare to the entire mob, and stating: "Disperse. NOW." It worked.
* DeathIsCheap: [[spoiler:Bruce's set to return in ''The Return of Bruce Wayne'' and it was revealed in the tie-ins to ''ComicBook/BlackestNight'' that the corpse Superman found and was buried was an AxCrazy Darkseid-created clone.]]
* DependingOnTheWriter: Having a seventy-year history will result in ''massive'' amounts of this.
** This is perhaps best represented in the [[https://writingiseasier.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/batman-alignment-chart.jpg Batman alignment chart]]
* DoesntLikeGuns: Post GoldenAge. Missiles, lasers, and other things, particularly weapons systems mounted on his vehicles, seem to be fair game, as long as they don't resemble pistols. He'll also pick up a gun under extremely dire circumstances, [[spoiler:such as shooting Darkseid in order to save the universe]]. The reasons vary from writer to writer. Originally, the idea that Batman hates guns was linked to his parents' murder when he was a child. There are practical and legal reasons, too--self-awareness that he's a vigilante and the knowledge that in being so he has no business killing, while guns make it much too easy to kill and much too hard to be nonlethal. In his original Detective Comic appearances, he frequently used firearms and lethal force against villains. The creators only removed his use of firearms when they worried that it would make him resemble the Shadow too closely. Today, most depictions have Batman bending enough to arm his vehicles, for disabling vehicles and removing obstacles. It's amazing how strict some Batman adaptations are about this, even when you'd think they'd ditch it. In ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'', Batman hospitalizes countless {{mooks}}, snaps the Joker's spine (paralyzing but not killing him), and has machine guns on his car. When he uses the guns, he internal monologues to the reader, "Rubber Bullets. Honest."
** Technically the military contracts thing isn't true, as we've seen various examples of military-grade hardware produced by [=WayneTech=], from night vision goggles to attack helicopters. Presumably Bruce is fine with it as long as his company isn't manufacturing any weapon systems (those can be sourced from other contractors).
** After Dick became a Bludhaven police officer, Bruce made it clear that he didn't like him wearing his service revolver around the cave.
** ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'' takes this to a symbolical level as Batman makes an "once in a lifetime" exception and [[strike:shoots]] "poisons" Darkseid [[spoiler:with an anti-New God gun only to be [[FateWorseThanDeath "killed"]] by the villain's eye beams a mere second after pulling the trigger]].
** In another Batman story by Grant Morrison, ''Joe Chill in Hell'', a young Batman confronts his parents' killer, Joe Chill, and torments the man, depriving him of sleep, sneaking up on him in disguise, and generally just scaring the crap out of him for a month, all building up to the point where [[DrivenToSuicide Batman drives Chill to commit suicide]].
** In a particularly amusing inversion, in an early Detective Comics appearance Bats comments that he hates taking human life - immediately before machine-gunning a car full of baddies from his biplane. [[http://sacomics.blogspot.com/2005/08/batman-and-guns.html This blog]] has a good rundown on instances where he used a gun. In fact, in UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks, he didn't even have the "dislikes guns" angle, and had a handgun that he wasn't afraid to use.
** While Batman's aversion to guns has generally grown over time, there are some situations in the older comics where Batman refuses to use a gun. In Detective 453 (the same series in which Batman fires a machine gun into a car full of bad guys), Batman is told to shoot a single bullet into the ground to prove he isn't really Batman, or be shot to death by a room full of criminals. He doesn't do it. This is probably due more to the inconsistency of older comics and a lazy writer, but it's probably the most extreme example of this rule.
** In ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', Batman's distaste for guns gets lampshaded in Creator/GrantMorrison's ''[[Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica JLA]]/[=WildCATS=]'' crossover, in which the League hooks up with the premiere heroes of Jim Lee's Creator/{{Wildstorm}} line. At one point when both teams go up against Epoch the Time Lord, Batman asks the raygun-toting Grifter just how good he is. When Grifter brags that in his universe Batman would have been ''his'' kid sidekick, Batman then adds, "Then you won't mind doing this without the guns." Grifter pauses for a {{Beat}}, then quips, "Aw, why not? I'll try anything once!" The beginning of the crossover features an encounter with Epoch and Wally West while he was still Kid Flash, who sizes up his new foe's huge high-tech rifle by commenting, "One of the first things I've learned in the superhero game. 'Gun' equals 'bad guy'."
** ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' used this as a plot point in the final episode. Bat-Mite is trying to get the series cancelled and ComicBook/AmbushBug attempts to stop him, but Batman refuses to listen when Bug tells him that the world has been changed. That is, until Batman uses a pair of handguns to fight crime, which Bug points out is an '''insanely''' OutOfCharacterMoment; at this point Batman finally realizes that Bug is right and starts fighting back against Bat-Mite.
* DoubleConsciousness
* TheDreaded: One of the most feared heroes in the entire DC Universe. Even those who don't fear Superman, have fear of Batman.
** To the point that a Sinestro Corps ring tried to recruit him. For those of you who don't know, the Sinestro Corps is the opposite of the Green Lantern Corps, and their yellow rings are powered by inspiring fear. Corps members are chosen on a planet-to-planet basis, meaning Batman is THE SCARIEST THING ON EARTH.
* {{Elseworlds}}: Batman has had quite a few Elseworld stories about him, but the one that was most memorable (and actually influenced the mainstream Batman and the comics medium in general) was ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns''. That aside, he may be the single most popular subject of Elseworlds tales.
* EmergingFromTheShadows
* EscapeArtist: Go find a collection of Batman comics and count the number of times he's successfully escaped a trap. We'll wait.
* {{Expy}}: He started out as this to Franchise/{{Zorro}} and pulp heroes as Radio/TheShadow and Franchise/SherlockHolmes. Fortunately, he evolved into his own unique character.
* FateWorseThanDeath: [[spoiler:In ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'', Darkseid blasted Batman with the Omega Sanction and puts Bruce in a loop of horrible lives.]]
* TheFettered: He'll use any means necessary to take crime down, but he will never drift from his moral code willingly. Many of his enemies call him out for it.
* {{Fiction 500}}
* {{Flanderization}}: Bruce Wayne was originally depicted as merely [[RichIdiotWithNoDayJob Comfortably Well-Off]]. Now, he's one of the two richest men in Franchise/TheDCU. Batman himself has become increasingly ultra-competent and infallible in the past few decades. The flanderization of Batman was necessary to keep him interesting in the context of the Justice League. He's one of the few characters without a true super power, so the question of why they keep him around (aside from maybe his money) needs answering. Having him be the greatest strategist in existence gives him a purpose and a reason for being one of the guys in charge.
** He's also portrayed as the "brooding loner" of the Justice League. This is despite the fact that the "Bat-family" has more members than Superman's friends and allies, two of the five Comicbook/{{Robin}}s have led the Comicbook/TeenTitans, one of those two also led ComicBook/YoungJustice, the other is considered the most trustworthy man in the hero community, and Oracle acts as the MissionControl. He is a close friend of a lot of superheroes as well, and he managed to be something of a father to [[ComicBook/{{Batgirl 2000}} Cassandra]] [[BrokenBird Cain]].
* FreudianExcuse: he battles crime because his parents were murdered by a criminal. in ComicBook/TheDarkKnightReturns, Alfred recalls a moment in bruce's childhood where he was read a story that involved a criminal, and he wouldn't sleep until he was reassured that the criminal was swiftly punished.
* FriendToAllChildren: Kids don't fear Batman. Batman hurts the bad guys, not kids. Every child knows this. Batman makes DAMN sure to never betray children's faith in him. In fact, if a criminal is about to hurt a child and the child says that Batman's gonna kick his butt... well, the criminal's *in TheDarkKnightReturns, batman tells a kid to watch his language and the kid replies yes, sir. kids respect batman, too.[[TemptingFate tempting fate if he proceeds]], cause Batman WILL show up and '''destroy''' him.
* FrothyMugsOfWater: Inverted. Bruce Wayne doesn't drink, afraid that it'll ruin his edge; however, a socialite like himself must on occasion be seen drinking, to erase any suspicion of being Batman. Thus, he will often drink non-alcoholic beverages, usually ginger ale, prepared to look to others as though they are made with alcohol. He'll even go so far as to act drunk, usually as an excuse for slipping out to chase after criminals.
* GeniusBruiser: He's one of the most intelligent heroes in all of comics and has a figure that can pass for ''{{Superman}}'' in a dim light, is one of the world's greatest martial artists and stealth fighters, and only seems lacking [[BadassNormal in a world filled with superpowered heroes and villains]]... all of whom [[BadassBookworm he can figure out how to defeat.]]
* GoodIsNotNice[=/=]GoodIsNotSoft
* GrandfatherClause: Probably one of the only characters to not get laughed at for placing "Bat" in front of his equipment. Though in more recent years he has done this a lot less. He refers to the Batmobile and Batcave as "The car" and "The cave", and it's his sidekicks who employ the funny names. He does still call his favored weapons "Batarangs", though.
* GrapplingHookGun: Batman also [[AlternateCompanyEquivalent inspired]] Nighthawk from the ComicBook/SquadronSupreme in its many incarnations. Particularly in the "Supreme" series, in his own mini he uses it to blast through his analogue of the Joker, Whiteface, to create an anchor as he jumps after a baby he threw off. Then proceeds to kill him (Whiteface, not the baby!) by ripping out his guts with it. In ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'', Batman opts for a grappling-hook rifle. Of course, that was made before Batman's grappling gun was standard fare.
* GuileHero: He's one of the sharpest heroes in DC universe of them all. If you lack superpowers than make them up with wits and smarts. There's a reason why he's called the "World's Greatest Detective". Especially in group settings where his companions and adversaries have superpowers that render his [[ScienceHero gadgets]] and [[ActionHero martial arts prowess]] less relevant. He's not called the World's Greatest Detective for nothing, and his habit of spinning victory from available resources have spawned the popular belief that he can take down any opponent with nothing more than "ample time to prepare."
* GuyLiner: Every film incarnation since Michael Keaton invokes the IrislessEyeMaskOfMystery by donning dark eye shadow, which extends the black mask.
* HesBack: After his adventures to get back to the present, Batman is back in the saddle and ready to give Dr. Hurt the beat-down of his life.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Superman. And in the New 52, with [[Comicbook/{{Nightwing}} Dick Grayson]].
* HighAltitudeInterrogation: One of Batman's favorite methods for questioning mooks.
* HonestCorporateExecutive: His Bruce persona is generally portrayed this way.
* HopeBringer: Even in the darkest and most cynical stories and adaptations, Batman is always portrayed as a symbol of hope to the people of Gotham.
* HorrifyingHero: ''"I'm telling ya, man!! '''A GIANT BAT!!"''' ''
* {{Hunk}}
* HurtingHero
* IdentityImpersonator: He's probably done it as much as {{Superman}}!
* ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies: Has been forced to give up many a love interest because of this.
* IWorkAlone: ''Suuuure'' you do.[[note]]To list: All five Robins (Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown (who later became Batgirl and Spoiler), and Damian Wayne), Barbara Gordon (as Batgirl and Oracle), Cassandra Cain (as Batgirl and Orphan), Kathy Kane, Helena Bertinelli, Selina Kyle (on occasion), Harper Row, The Justice Society of America, and the entire Justice League.[[/note]]
* JackOfAllTrades: Among the members of the Bat-Family, Bruce is this in terms of overall ability (at least when writers aren't going full-on 'Bat-God' mode). He isn't the natural acrobat or leader Dick Grayson is, he doesn't have the level of [[OmniscientDatabase computer and intel-gathering skills]] Oracle has, he lacks Cassandra Cain's [[CharlesAtlasSuperpower incredible martial arts ability]], and admitted to himself that Tim Drake would eventually surpass him as the World's Greatest Detective. But the fact that he is still very good and experienced in all such fields allow him to more then pull his own weight whatever the circumstance. Fairly reasonable, considering the [[GameBreaker implications]] that would result in him actually being the best at everything.
** Nevertheless, he still outdoes them as a [[TheStrategist strategist]] and [[BatmanGambit tactician]] and he still ''is'' "The World's Greatest Detective".
*** And [[TheCowl instilling pants-crapping fear and dread into evildoers.]]
* {{Jerkass}}: In some portrayals, though this is best summed up in four words - [[Creator/FrankMiller I'm the Goddamn Batman!]]
** JerkassFacade[=/=]JerkWithAHeartOfGold: ... though he is most consistently portrayed as this.
* KnightInSourArmor: In general, Bruce is almost always a KnightInSourArmor (or in this case a Dark Knight in Sour Armor, with the only possible exceptions being when he makes some wry observation about a situation he or the JLA are in).
* KnockoutGas: One of his standard tricks, Batman has used knockout gas from various sources: bombs, canisters, guns, etc.
* TheLancer: Not in his own series. To Superman in the Justice League, but as the biggest and most recognizable superhero after Superman, he's effectively this for the entire industry.
* LanternJawOfJustice
* LatexPerfection: He's ripped off masks to reveal his entire costume underneath, ears and all.
* LethalChef: He even screws up ''tuna sandwiches''.
* ManChild: A rather subtle version, believe it or not. Never mind the fact that dressing up as a giant bat and swearing to exterminate crime seems like a rather childish thing to do, Bruce's emotional development was stunted the moment his parents died. Add to the fact that he seems to relate to young people (re: the Robins and Batgirls) better then he does adults and many stories also make note of the fact that while all criminals fear Batman, [[FriendToAllChildren children do not]].
** This was {{Lampshaded}} in a Marvel/DC crossover with ComicBook/ThePunisher, where the Joker mused that Batman must have had a similar tragedy to that of Frank Castle, but Batman's tragedy must have happened when he was a child -- dressing up in a costume, and nifty gadgets are more a child's ideas than Castle's skull motifs and machine guns.
** Made more apparent in Flashpoint. The Batman of that universe is essentially the same tragedy, but with [[spoiler:Bruce dying instead of his parents.]]
* McNinja: One of the best examples in America. He even trained in Japan.
* MiseryBuildsCharacter: Batman envelopes the very heart of this trope.
* MoralityChain: Jim Gordon has pulled him back from the brink of [[KnightTemplar Knight Templardom]] more than once, including [[spoiler:shooting him to keep him from killing the Joker.]]
* MoralityPet: Bruce admits that Dick Grayson is one for him.
* MyGreatestFailure: Several, because he believes that every failure he encounters is his fault. The top five are (in chronological order): The "creation" of ComicBook/TheJoker; [[ComicBook/TheLongHalloween Harvey Dent's transformation into Two-Face]]; [[ComicBook/ADeathintheFamily Jason Todd's death]]; losing control of Gotham's gangs during ''War Games'', which led to the torture of Stephanie Brown and her near-death; and [[ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis allowing his suspicions of his fellow supers to overcome him and building Brother Eye]], which then hi-jacked by Max Lord and led to the death of [[ComicBook/BlueBeetle Ted Kord]]. And, more recently, [[spoiler:Damian's death]].
* NayTheist: Depending on who is writing him, Batman is either this or an atheist. According to the Comic Book Religion database, he is a lapsed Catholic.
* NeverMyFault: Will almost never admit to being wrong in an argument. It's partly why so many people have difficulty establishing any kind of relationship with him.
* NinetiesAntiHero: Ever wonder why Azrael (AKA Batman [=II/AzBats=]) was brought in? It was due to Bats demonstrating way too much of this trope in the eighties (''ComicBook/TheKillingJoke'' is a prime example).
** Indeed, the overwhelming popularity and critical acclaim of ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'' was one of the major influences on the rise of the NinetiesAntiHero in the first place (As well as UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks in general).
* NoBadassToHisValet: Alfred is immune to Batman's fear-striking methods. In a black and white short story titled "Sunrise", an old woman finds him injured and is not amused when he attempts to brush it off.
-->'''Woman:''' You don't look fine to me. What on earth happened?\\
'''Batman:''' Look, lady--\\
'''Woman:''' Don't "look, lady" me! You're acting like a five year old.
* NoSenseOfHumor: Batman is sometimes depicted as this, DependingOnTheWriter.
* NotSoDifferent: Most of his iconic foes are escaped lunatics, but he is far from the picture of perfect mental health and ''knows it''.
* ObfuscatingStupidity: His guise as Bruce Wayne demands it.
** DependingOnTheWriter, Bruce Wayne is still a well-respected philanthropist and (occasionally) scientist. It's just he's also an international playboy.
* OffhandBackhand: A master at this, which he later taught to his successor, Terry.
* OffscreenTeleportation: Chances are, if you're not looking at him, he's gone somewhere else and fast.
* OneSuperOnePowerset: Batman is the head of Wayne Enterprises, has fought against and alongside many superpowered beings that possess advanced technology, use magic, and have reliable and effective mutagens. Despite this, he has been, and most likely always will be, only a mere BadassNormal CrazyPrepared genius detective.
* OrphansOrdeal: He watched his parents die as a kid...
* OverprotectiveDad: According to fandom, he's this.
** Canon when Batgirl III was dating Superboy.
* PapaWolf: Don't hurt his sidekicks.
** FriendToAllChildren: Don't hurt kids, period.
** Hurt his actual, biological son? He'll water board you. With acid.
* PacifismBackfire: This is one of his biggest problems. His ThouShallNotKill attitude and stubborn refusal to kill major criminals, especially the Joker, end up indirectly causing more casualties and/or injuries in the long run. Exactly how big said problem is depends on the writer, though.
* TheParagon: Depending on the continuity.
* TheParanoiac: Batman is frequently accused of being a paranoiac; how much this is true is a case of DependingOnTheWriter, but he certainly demonstrated many paranoid traits, including a grim attitude, ControlFreak tendencies, and a habit of resorting to violence to solve his problems, with some stories going so far as to imply that being the Batman is simply an excuse for Bruce to take revenge for the murder of his parents by beating the crap out of criminals every night. He also has a [[JadeColoredGlasses grim and bleak view of the society he lives in]]- mostly because that society is [[CrapsackWorld Gotham City]], and his explicit reason for choosing a Bat as his gimmick is to scare the hell out of his enemies. However, most stories portray him as fundamentally an idealist, who actually does trust his allies (just brutally aware that he lives in a world where MindControl, DemonicPossession, and exposed secret identities are all very real dangers) and who is actually an extremely humble man who has decided to sacrifice his life to the cause of saving others from the evil that took his family away from him.
** Indeed, the staff at Arkham Asylum (which is a place where either Batman fits in seamlessly, or is the absolute worse place he should be, depending on the writer) seem to have ''some'' understanding of Batman's issues and follow either written or well-known-but-unwritten-rules about how to deal with him when he shows up. And he shows up pretty damn often, either because he needs to talk to one of the patients or because he's responding to an incident. Some of these rules seem to be: 1) Only one person should speak to him, either the most senior staff member present or whomever he came to see. 2) Do not attempt to start a conversation with him or try to engage in small talk. 3) Keep your distance. More than an arm's length is absolutely essential. Batman has very defined boundaries that he does ''not'' like anyone invading. 4) Stay in front of him. He keeps his back to a wall at all times. When walking, he does not allow anyone to walk behind him. 5) If he tells you to do something, no matter what it is, ''do it immediately.'' This is particularly true if he tells you to leave the area or leave him alone with someone. 6) Batman has extensive knowledge of medical procedures, psychiatric principles, and pharmacology. Things do not need to be expressed or explained in layman's terms. 7) If you are under duress from one of the patients, he'll know immediately. 8) Batman is regarded as staff, and personal and confidential information about the patients can be discussed with him.
* ParentalAbandonment: HIS PARENTS ARE ''[[MemeticMutation DEEAAAAAAAD!!!]]''
* ParentalFavouritism: He tries to hide it, but it's no secret that Dick Grayson is his favourite Robin. He's the only one Bruce treats like an equal, the one Bruce trusts the most, and the one he's proudest of. Heck, in ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'', when the Golden Age Superman asks Bruce to help him recreate his own Earth, Bruce's one and only question? Is Dick a better person on that Earth? Even Brother Eye knows that Dick is Bruce's favourite ''and Bruce programmed Brother Eye!''
* ParentalSubstitute: You may be discerning a theme here. Bruce is this to primarily all of the Robins and Batgirls. Bruce is a substitute father to all of the Robins and has adopted them all: Dick, Tim and Jason with the exception of Damian, because Damian is Bruce's biological son. He has also been a substitute parent/father to all of the Batgirls including Stephanie Brown, Helena Bertinelli and Cassandra Cain, whom he has adopted.
** Also, Alfred and Leslie Thompkins are both parental substitutes for him. In his biggest moments of honesty, Bruce has explicitly said that Alfred and Leslie, more than anyone, are the ones who've kept him from going over the edge.
* PimpedOutCape: In some continuities where his cape has some gadgets built in.
* PowerCopying: Batman tends to keep items from his defeated villains handy, such as a vial of Scarecrow's fear gas, and one of Mr. Freeze's guns.
** BatmanCanBreatheInSpace originates from Batman's ability to do anything and have the audience accept it. Because he's Batman. [[CrazyPrepared And he already planned ahead for the possibility of being attacked by]] gigantic mutated wombats fueled by VENOM, wearing suicide vests. So it makes perfect sense that he already has a plan.
* PowerOfHate: In some of his incarnations, the hate for the villain that killed his parents drives him to be the Batman. (Other incarnations are more about justice, or protecting people.)\\\
You could also say that he feels nothing but hate for the Joker. And after all the Joker put him through, you can't really blame him.\\\
Batman hates hates HATES murder (and violent crime in general) and injustice of the world itself and is therefore driven to don the cowl to exterminate these things or end up showing the world he died trying.
* PrecisionGuidedBoomerang: Batarangs ''have got to be'' related to ComicBook/CaptainAmerica's shield.
* TheProudElite: Bruce is handsome, and, while charming, tries to be aloof enough that he makes people think he's a bit arrogant. However, when he catches criminals as Batman, he'll get them jobs at Wayne Enterprises.
* ReallyGetsAround: As Bruce Wayne this is to be expected, but Vicky Vale is the most well known. As Batman: Catwoman and Talia to name a few.
* RecklessPacifist: On and off. Excluding incarnations that actually did kill people (or just refused to save them), The Bat has been known to get really, really rough with with his enemies despite his ThouShaltNotKill policy.
* RedBaron: The Batman has been known by the following nicknames: The Caped Crusader, the Masked Manhunther, the Darknight Detective which would evolve into his most distinctive title - the Dark Knight.
* ReluctantWarrior: Hates violence, but is prepared to use it to stop crime. Subverted by every interpretation since the dawn of the Dark Age, so Batman's mileage may definitely vary.
* TheRevealPromptsRomance: Batman has unmasked himself as Bruce Wayne to various women in various continuities. Neither the reveal nor the romance has stuck, yet.
* RichIdiotWithNoDayJob: Bruce Wayne is the poster boy.
* {{Roofhopping}}: One of his many specialties.
* RoguesGallery: One of the most recognizable in all of comics.
* ScienceHero: Not quite as emphasized as the other flavors of hero he fills, but with his skill in scientific analysis and his seemingly unlimited gadgets, he more than qualifies.
* SecretIdentityIdentity
* SeriesMascot: Of DC Comics, alongside Superman.
* ShadowArchetype: Of Franchise/{{Superman}}. Most of his rogues are ones of himself.
* ShellShockedVeteran: It should be obvious. Seeing your parents shot can give you psychological scars but believing that dressing up as a bat and act all vengeance and justice will honor their memories sure is a given proof that you need help.
* ShrineToTheFallen: Batman keeps Jason Todd's costume on display in the Batcave. [[spoiler: Later, he does the same to Damian, but he gets better.]]
* SignatureTeamTransport: Batman has plenty of Bat-vehicles, but the Batmobile is the most iconic.
* SmallStepsHero: He spends a vast, billion-dollar fortune to punch out one criminal at a time.
* TheSmartGuy: When he's with the Justice League. Not so much on his home turf, where everyone he hangs out with is ''also'' a genius.
** Though FridgeLogic sets in when Superman is supposed to be super-intelligent. Martian Manhunter and Green Lantern have a lot more experience with aliens, Wonder Woman's been on earth the longest, The Flash is a scientist and Aquaman has a comprehensive knowledge of everything water-related. Probably he's the only one who'll 1) look into actual criminology and 2) remember to think things through.
** Superman is not currently super-intelligent in canon (he was during the Silver Age canon); Wonder Woman may have been on Earth the longest but was mostly on Paradise Island and until the present times has little experience with people other than Greek mythology and Amazons; and The Flash is a forensic scientist (not skilled in all forms of science like Batman). Batman knows a lot about many topics, including crimonology, and not only thinks through but in cynical situations is highly intelligent and sometimes even DangerouslyGenreSavvy. Hence, he is still TheSmartGuy to the Justice League.
* SociallyAwkwardHero: Social skills isn't one of his strong points. He doesn't seem to know how to behave like a RichIdiotWithNoDayJob as Bruce Wayne.
* SpiritedCompetitor
* StealthExpert
* StealthHiBye: Possibly the TropeCodifier.
* StepIntoTheBlindingFight: Often invoked by Batman with his use of shadows and smoke pellets to scare criminals. It disorients his enemies and make them easier to pick off one by one. In ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'' Bane was a member of the League Of Shadows and knows of their tricks of using darkness to distract enemies in battle, so when Batman tries to use these same tactics on Bane, he mocks him for it and goes into a BadassBoast about how he is made of Shadows.
* TheStoic: Added to his TheComicallySerious, usually, though he does have bouts of anger or other emotions.
* TheStrategist: He has no peer as a combat strategist and plan-maker in Franchise/TheDCU. Quite simply, if Batman cooks up a plan, it's probably the BEST plan.
* SugarAndIcePersonality
* SuperheroSobriquets: The Dark Knight, the Caped Crusader, the World's Greatest Detective, the Dark Knight Detective.
* SuperheroesWearCapes
* SuperheroesWearTights
* SuperReflexes: Acquired through training.
* SurvivorGuilt: Bruce/Batman's ENTIRE LIFE revolves around the guilt he felt at his parents' murder.
* TheTeamNormal: In superhero ensembles.
* TechnicalPacifist
* TerrorHero: Batman seeks to put enormous fear into anyone he goes up against. Given that he's one of the most dreaded heroes in comics, even among superpowered villains despite having no superpowers himself, he is very good at it. There are criminals who have no fear of guys like Franchise/{{Superman}} that are scared ''shitless'' of Batman.
* ThouShaltNotKill: Nearly every version has this, an exception being the Burton movies. WhatMeasureIsANonHuman is in full effect.
** Other exceptions include anyone who is truly immortal, such as Solomon Grundy or Clayface. Lethal force is necessary against them, but they can come back from even the worst of blows. And when Batman does have to exchange blows with Darkseid, you can damn well bet that Batman is doing is absolute best to hurt the bastard.
* TrueLoveIsBoring: One of the major reasons why Bruce will probably never settle down.
* TwoFirstNames
* UnclePennybags: At his friendliest, Bruce has had quite a few moments of this.
* UnderestimatingBadassery: Done constantly by superpowered villains who have never faced him before. After they do fight him, they figure out why he's one of the most [[TheDreaded feared]] heroes of them all.
* UnderwearOfPower: Just like {{Superman}}. Batman is one of the older examples, though nowadays (Post-Knight Saga and then Post-Return) his Underwear on the outside is usually either absent, not shown, or the same color as the rest of him (and thus hard to see).
* UnstoppableRage: He might not show much emotion, but his attack on the Joker in ''Hush'' is one of the few times that he does. And it's not pretty to look at (the art itself was gorgeous, though).
* UsedToBeASweetKid: A rare heroic example. Had his parents not been killed by a mugger in the alley, he would still be the same vigilante, minus the GoodIsNotNice personality.
* VitriolicBestBuds: Batman and Superman are [[DependingOnTheWriter sometimes]] depicted this way, as both Type 1 and Type 2 - while they respect each other and acknowledge there is a need for both of them, they would rather have as little to do with each other as possible.
* WarriorTherapist
* WeaponOfChoice: [[BattleBoomerang Batarangs]] are his signature weapons.
* WellDoneSonGuy: He ''does'' say it. It's just that he only says it when you've been ''perfect''.
* WhatTheHellHero: With [[spoiler:Damian's death]], his progressive SanitySlippage and the fact that he TookALevelInJerkass have led to this from each member of the family in "Batman and Robin" volume 2, starting with issue 19.
** Batman [[MadScientist experiments on]] FrankensteinsMonster in Victor Frankenstein's own castle to see what makes him tick so that he can learn a secret to resurrection. Tim is horrified, and Frankenstein also calls him out in a somewhat more calm fashion.
** Batman brings Jason to the place where he first died [[spoiler:in the hopes of jogging Jason's memory to remember how he was brought back to life]]. Needless to say, he's none too pleased with Bruce's idea.
** Barbara gets so fed up that she decides that if he ''needs'' [[spoiler:a Robin]], she'll take up the role as a ReplacementGoldfish, just to shut him up.
* WhereDoesHeGetAllThoseWonderfulToys: From his family fortune. An analysis on the history of said wonderful toys can be found [[http://www.comics101.com/comics101//?mode=project&action=view&project=Comics%20101&chapter=53 here.]]
* WorldsBestWarrior: Doesn't matter who or what he's up against, Batman can win or will be instrumental in victory. No one is safe from Batman. No one.
* WouldHitAGirl: Well, not ''first'' but if she's coming at him with the intent to fight or kill him, she's fair game.
* WouldntHurtAChild: A good way to make him pissed off for real is to hurt or threaten children in front of him.
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[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Batman_Portrait_8742.jpg]]
---> ''"[[TheMafia Ladies. Gentlemen.]] You have eaten well. You've eaten Gotham's wealth. Its spirit. Your feast is nearly over. [[ComicBook/BatmanYearOne From this moment on]] -- [[TerrorHero none of you are safe.]]"''
Bruce Wayne was a carefree child born into the humongously wealthy and prominent Wayne family, but one night, after seeing a movie (usually something to do with ''Franchise/{{Zorro}}'' - if you know the background of Zorro, you'll know why that's important), he and his loving parents took a shortcut through a dark alleyway, inevitably leading to a mugger (named Joe Chill in most versions) shooting both of them dead.
The distraught Bruce was raised in current continuity by the family butler, Alfred Pennyworth, as well as the family doctor, Leslie Thompkins. (pre-ComicBook/{{Crisis|on Infinite Earths}}, Bruce was raised by his uncle Philip Wayne, with Alfred only joining the Wayne household in Bruce's adulthood). The memory, however, would never fade, and Bruce, realizing what a CrapsackWorld Gotham was, decided to do something about it.
As soon as he was of age to inherit the family fortune, Bruce engaged on a world-wide journey, rigorously studying mathematics, science, martial arts, you name it. Many years later, he returned to Gotham, ready to fight crime as a vigilante, but on his first night out, realized that he lacked one element: fear.
[[ComicBook/BatmanYearOne When a bat that suddenly crashed into his living room reminded him of an incident in his youth, when he stumbled into a cave full of bats, he decided to adopt a bat motif]] as a means to terrify criminals and become the legendary figure Batman. This has worked to some degree, as most common criminals are scared shitless of him, and organized crime began to lose its hold on the city, but nearly as soon as Batman made his debut, a new breed of criminals began to pop up... ones dressed in garish costumes and bearing colorful masks... which unfortunately causes many people to wonder if Batman is directly responsible for the criminals he faces.
As years went on, Bruce has joined many superteams in the fight against crime, most notably the Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica and the Outsiders. Unfortunately, due to the growing cynicism in the DC Universe, Batman began to distrust others more and more, which was ultimately addressed in ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'', where the Brother Eye satellite he created was responsible for the creation and control of the metahuman-hunting cyborgs, the O.M.A.C.s. Following his HeelRealization, Bruce [[ComicBook/FiftyTwo took off for a year]] in order to rebuild Batman. [[ComicBook/GrantMorrisonsBatman He was the target of the villainous organization]], the Black Glove, who wished to break him utterly and kill him. Barely escaping, [[ComicBook/FinalCrisis he was tortured by the New God Darkseid to be used as a template for new soldiers]]. After an attempt to kill Darkseid, Bruce Wayne was ultimately 'killed' by the Omega Sanction [[spoiler:which sent his soul into [[FateWorseThanDeath an endless loop of lives, each one worse than the last]].]] As expected of as popular a character as he, he came back, and he decided to make the Batman idea an international organization called Batman, Inc, while leaving the title of Gotham's Batman to his first Robin Dick Grayson. After the ComicBook/{{New 52}} reboot, Bruce is back to being Gotham's Batman.
Note that while Bruce Wayne is the most famous and most shown Batman, he is by no means the only one. Various other characters have taken up the mantle. But make no mistake: he is THE Batman. If anyone ever just refers to "Batman", they're referring to Bruce. [[WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond Terry]], [[NinetiesAntiHero Azrael]], and [[LegacyCharacter Dick]] typically need an addendum to the name if you're talking about them.
----
* TheAce[=/=]BrokenAce: While Batman stands head and shoulders above the greater majority of heroes in the DCU, it's fairly obvious that in doing so he's not the most well-adjusted or emotionally mature individual, has great difficulty forming close relationships, and frequently experiences friction with people whom he is close to. This is also occasionally [[LampshadeHanging acknowledged]] by Bruce himself; in one instance, Nightwing laments over the belief that he can never match up to Bruce, who assures him that despite living a very similar life in the same line of work Dick hadn't allowed it to mess him up as much, having a much more positive personality and maintaining a good relationship with every fellow hero he knows, and as such [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming was already better than him]].
* ActionHero: Batman is involved in plenty of action. He is a top martial artist who is trained. Batman is able to take on numerous people at a time.
* AdvantageBall: Batman almost always has the advantage in direct conflict. Three guys with knives or a dozen Mooks with machine guns, it makes no difference. As such, the general method of his rogues gallery to deal with him is to attack him indirectly, especially by undermining what he believes in and threatening those he values.
* [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys All Guys Want Bad Girls]]: Bats likes his women tough, dangerous and morally ambiguous. Hence his clear preference for villainesses such as Talia Al Ghul (whom he got over) and Catwoman (whom he likes ''much'' more than he would ever admit). He actually used this to figure out that someone was actually a villainess. [[spoiler:In fact, this tendency was enough to convince him in "Batman RIP" that the woman he was becoming attracted to was TheMole out to betray him to the bad guys - she was a bit too nice for him...]]
* AnguishedDeclarationOfLove: [[spoiler:After Selina got badly hurt by Hush who was trying to get to him through her, Bruce visits her at the hospital, unmasked, and eventually confesses that she's the only woman to have ever held a place in his heart.]]
* AntiHero: Generally a KnightInSourArmour or a PragmaticHero. In his earliest days, he was an UnscrupulousHero and actually willfully ''killed'' criminals, a stark contrast to his ThouShaltNotKill attitude in modern times. However, Batman's status as an anti-hero ultimately depends on who's writing or portraying him; many have leaned towards a more traditional idea of heroism. For example, while Frank Miller's fits this trope like a glove, it's really hard to describe Adam West's Batman as an anti-hero. ValuesDissonance plays a big role in this. Back then, using a gun to fight criminals was considered standard in comic books, and no one saw it as "immoral" or "anti-heroic" in the slightest. In fact, Batman was portrayed as more of an IdealHero than he does nowadays, in most cases.
** ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' gives us the image of Bruce Wayne just like that - an old man with no wife, no children, and no family except for his dog. He finds a new family in Terry [=McGinnis=] the new Batman [[spoiler:who is also his son thanks to a clandestine genetic experiment.]]
* TheAntiNihilist: Of a sort. Bruce Wayne loses his parents at a young age to a completely random tragedy, essentially destroying his established notions about the order of the world and his place in it. Becoming Batman is his way of giving his life a new meaning and imposing his own sense of order on a chaotic world.
* BadassBaritone: Most versions of him have this and it is very easy for readers to imagine him speaking in a very deep voice, partly due to [[Creator/KevinConroy Kevin Conroy's]] extensive voiceover work.
* BadassCape: He wore his cape this way long before it was popular. Still does!
** That, and Batman's cape lets him glide in some versions.
** ''Film/BatmanForever'' had Batman covering himself with his fire-proofed cape in order to shield himself from the flames of a burning building that Two-Face trapped him in. Only Batman could have pulled this off.
** Batman's cape is so awesome that it actually has the ability to change size. (Particularly evident in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'') When he's investigating for clues inside, the cape comes down to his knees, but when posing on a rooftop dramatically, it grows longer than his whole body. Now that's badass!
* BadassAndChildDuo: Batman and all of the other Robins and Batgirls.
** Currently, Bruce/Batman with Damian/Robin (who happens to be his biological son).
* BadassNormal: The TropeCodifier for superheroes. Those who do not realize this usually end up learning it all too well.
** He fills this role when he's required to be in an ensemble. Despite having no inherent superpowers, he's earned a spot in the inner circle of the ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'', fighting alongside the likes of {{Superman}} courtesy of a steel-trap intellect combined with a bit of a mean streak that means he can consider plans other members can't, and consider them ''well''. Batman has the proven ability to develop the means to disable each of his fellow Leaguers -- proven when those plans were stolen by villains and used to great effect. Batman's {{badass}}ery has been stretched to ridiculous proportions, and many comic readers firmly believe that Batman is invincible. [[PopularityPower And some writers agree]].
*** Music/WesleyWillis put him [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ogid9D0rcEI in his place]], though.
*** To put it another way, whenever a Justice League villain mockingly says of Batman, "He doesn't even have any powers!", ''[[PassThePopcorn get some popcorn]]''.
*** An {{Elseworld}} Spectre has described him as "the zenith of human fortitude and ambition", while an in canon Superman described him more simply as "the most dangerous man on the planet".
*** Honestly, Batman's Badass Normal status is cemented by the fact that several high-profile beings (including the above mentioned Spectre and Superman) have such high regard for a "mere mortal". [[MysteriousWaif Harbringer]] once referred to him as "the Scourge of all Evil."
*** Batman is such a badass normal, current Batman writer Creator/GrantMorrison has stated that he actually does have superpowers. What is his superpower? Being Batman.
*** It got to the point where when Creator/NeilGaiman wrote Batman's funeral in ''ComicBook/WhateverHappenedToTheCapedCrusader'' it's stated that Batman's reward for his life isn't to die, but to be reborn again as Batman in another universe. He's so badass death doesn't stop him, and the laws of creation can't stop him in his quest to fight crime.
*** He actually JUDO-FLIPPED SUPERMAN across a god damned ROOM during World's Finest in WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries, and Supes looked dazed. Superman doesn't take it well and shoulder-rams Batman across the other side of the room -- only for Batman to get right back up and shove a chunk of Kryptonite in his face.
* BashBrothers: On occasions, Batman and Robin. This trope could have easily been called "Dynamic Duo".
** Batman and Red Hood/Robin II: even after all the time that passed between Jason's death and his return, they're able to fall right back in to this and work together flawlessly.
** Also, with Superman. Examined in the World's Finest maxiseries; the first time they meet with the explicit purpose of working together, they're at a function as Bruce and Clark when the guest of honor, a world-famous plastic surgeon is kidnapped. They split up and both go after the kidnapper, which so spooks the hostage that he runs out into the street and gets himself killed. When they compare notes they both observe that this happened because they didn't work together. The rest of the series is about their annual meetings to honor their failure and learn to work together until they're working as a well-oiled machine. [[spoiler: Some of their guilt is mitigated when they learn at the end of the maxiseries that said hostage was actually the surgeon's body double who had kidnapped and replaced the real man after giving him amnesia in an attempt to steal his fortune. The real reason he was so spooked was because he was afraid that Batman and Superman would expose his scheme.]]
* BatmanCanBreatheInSpace: TropeNamer. Franchise/{{Batman}} does this in one of the early issues of ''Justice League International'' [[spoiler:(granted, it was due to the New Genesis-created training satellite's programming directive to not actually harm its opponents, thus causing it to create an artificial atmosphere when Bats's space helmet gets broken, but all the same).]]
** One issue of ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'' showed Batman training himself, not to be able to breathe in space, but to at least survive the vacuum of space for a couple of seconds. The ComicBook/MartianManhunter helps while wondering if he should.
* BatmanGrabsAGun: Another TropeNamer. If Batman ever gets serious enough to not only grab a gun, but fight with the intent to kill, there is no force in the universe that can stop him. Darkseid found this out the hard way in ''Final Crisis''.
* BatmanGambit: TropeNamer. Again.
* BecomingTheMask: Bruce Wayne adopted the identity of Batman as a means to fight injustice. As with most Batman tropes, this is the dark version. It's not that he loves being Batman so much he doesn't want to go back to being Bruce Wayne. It's that he IS Batman because he has to be even when dressed and acting like Bruce Wayne. It's a strong contrast to the modern version of Superman, who always thinks of himself as Clark Kent regardless of the costume.
** In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', a villain puts a device in Bruce Wayne's ear that constantly talks to him, trying to make people think he's crazy with age and hearing voices. Bruce easily deduces someone's trying to drive him mad and eventually Terry [=McGinnis=] finds the culprit and brings him to justice, and this conversation ensues:
--> '''Terry:''' Tell me something, why were you so sure those voices weren't coming from you.
--> '''Bruce:''' Well first, I know I'm not psychotic.
--> '''Terry:''' I hope your other reason's more convincing.
--> '''Bruce:''' And second, the voice kept calling me "Bruce." In my mind, that's not what I call myself.
--> '''Terry:''' What DO you call yourself?
--> (Cue "Do I really have to say it?" stare from '''Franchise/{{BATMAN}}''')
--> '''Terry:''' Oh yeah... I suppose you would... [[LegacyCharacter but that's MY name now...]]
--> '''Bruce:''' Tell THAT to my subconscious...
* BelligerentSexualTension / UnresolvedSexualTension: With Catwoman, mostly. And, even though he hates to admit it, he thoroughly ''enjoys'' it. So does she.
** Sometimes happens between Batman and Talia Al Ghul, DependingOnTheWriter.
* BerserkButton: Don't ever kill an ally or close friend of his -- if you do you'd better hope he keeps his [[ThouShaltNotKill no killing rule]]. Batman's done this twice with ComicBook/TheJoker; first when the Joker killed Jason Todd, and second when Batman thought the Joker killed his childhood friend Thomas Elliot (since the Joker's the trope namer for JokerImmunity, he survived both attacks).
** He also has a ''very'' dim view of bad things happening to children, as the Sewer King [[PapaWolf found out the hard way]].
--->'''Batman:''' I don't pass sentence. That's for the courts to decide. But this time, '''this time''', I am ''sorely'' tempted to do the job myself.
*** If you kill a couple in front of their young child, Batman will 1.) Have a flashback and 2.) Hunt you down no matter where you go. And then 3.) '''''Make. You. Suffer.''''' Like you have never suffered before or, you will hope, since.
*** Then there's the chilling scene in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyondReturnOfTheJoker'' in which Batman is subjected to watching the Joker torture and brainwash Tim Drake. Batman reacts with a [[UnstoppableRage fury that leaves no illusions to his intent.]]
--->'''Batman:''' (To Joker) I'll break you in two.
*** One story deconstructed the "kill a couple in front of their young child" button. Batman was pursuing a criminal named Angel Lupo for murdering his pregnant sister. While on the run, Lupo shot and killed a couple in front of their son leaving the boy in a state of shock. Batman has the usual flashback and is bent on bringing Lupo to justice. Then it's revealed that [[spoiler:Angel had nothing to do with the first murder. His ''girlfriend'' (without his knowledge) had his sister killed in order to free him of the responsibility of caring for his sister. Not that it matters, since the baby's father (the ''Ventriloquist'') guns down Lupo in a fit of misdirected vengeance.]] Then it turns out that [[spoiler:Lupo didn't kill the boy's parents either -- the ''boy'' shot and killed his own parents and Lupo just happened to be nearby when it happened. Batman's Berserk Button made him pursue a man who, while still a career criminal, didn't commit any of the murders in the story and led him astray from the real killers.]]
-->'''Batman:''' Everything I've done in the past three nights, I've been doing for the wrong little boy.
* BetrayalInsurance: The idea that Batman has a stockpile of kryptonite in case Superman ever goes rogue is extremely common. The idea that [[CrazyPrepared he also has plans to take down any other Justice League member he might have to]] is almost as common.
* BigDamnHeroes
* BloodKnight: Loathe as he is to admit it, there's a big part of Bruce Wayne that really, really enjoys the violence that comes with being Batman. It's also strongly implied that he uses this enjoyment of fighting as an anger release outlet so that he doesn't snap and kill someone.
* BombThrowingAnarchists: In ''ComicBook/SupermanRedSon''. [[InformedAttribute Also, he's been described as an "idealist anarchist"]] by Frank Miller. [[Creator/ChristianBale So did one of the actors who played him.]]
* BruceWayneHeldHostage: TropeNamer.
** ''ComicBook/TheLongHalloween'' had a variant where Poison Ivy was hired by mobsters to mind-control Bruce Wayne into going along with a money laundering scheme; since this was early in his career, there was no Robin, but thankfully Selina Kyle caught on to Bruce's odd behavior and saved the day as Catwoman.
** In a comic book version of the [[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries animated series]] universe, Bruce Wayne is taken hostage on a charity cruise by Poison Ivy and her overgrown plant henchmen. To escape, Bruce Wayne makes a "foolish" attack at the villains and is immediately swatted overboard, where he is free to swim to cover and become Batman.
*** That happened in the cartoon too, they just later put it in the comic... Or vice versa.
** Subverted in ''The Sword of Azrael'', in which Bruce spends the miniseries captured, and is rescued by Azrael.
*** Though the kidnappers had nothing against Batman or Robin specifically, a variation of this trope showed up in a ''Robin'' comic wherein Tim Drake got himself kidnapped on purpose in order to save the other kids who'd been grabbed.
* BuildingSwing: Goes hand in hand with his GrapplingHookGun.
** When not in the Batmobile, the [[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries animated Batman]] often uses a high-tech grappling gun to swing dramatically across Gotham City. Maybe just when the traffic's bad. In the live action ''Series/{{Batman}}'', clumsily-produced Batarang and rope sequences were used from time to time, along with the lame sideways-wall bit. Batman first used his grappling gun in the 1989 Tim Burton movie, though in this case he tended to use them just to go straight up, or horizontally on a zipline rather than swinging like Spider-Man.
* BulletproofVest: Batman's costume has evolved into a suit of advanced lightweight armor with the ChestInsignia intended to draw fire to his thick chest piece.
* ByronicHero
* CainAndAbel: [[spoiler: If Lincoln March really is Thomas Wayne Jr, then Bruce is the Abel.]]
* CaptainErsatz: On his first appearance, he was Radio/TheShadow in a bat costume. There's also quite a bit of Franchise/{{Zorro}} in his DNA, which has been acknowledged in most recent versions by establishing that it was a Zorro movie he and his parents went to see on the fatal night.
* CharacterizationMarchesOn: To be expected with over 70 years of comics. It may be particularly jarring for some readers though, upon seeing some of his earlier incarnations. Like the 60's version with {{Camp}}, but even further back, in his first published adventures, Batman ''killed'' people, and had no problems whatsoever using a gun. While it is understandable, given both the time period, as well as that this was just the first incarnation of the character, it's still a far cry from the Batman known by most people today.
** Case in point: "[[http://lydeanwooster.com/comics/batman/DC029.shtml Death...to Doctor Death!]]"
** He also displayed a fondness for puns and cracked jokes during fights, not unlike what Spider-man would do later. IE, "Have a seat", while smacking villains with a chair, or, while beating the Joker "You may be the JOKER, but I am the KING OF CLUBS!" or "You played your last hand!".
** And, on more than one occasion, he referred to himself as "Poppa", in the third person, as in "Quiet, or Poppa spank!" or "Right into Poppas arms!".
** At the end of Catwoman's first story, he deliberately lets her escape, and jokes with Robin that it was purely because he thought she was hot. This even though she was implied to cold-bloodedly kill a security guard in the story.
* CharityBall: Bruce Wayne, being a wealthy playboy, attends a lot of these.
* CharlesAtlasSuperpower: Like you wouldn't believe. He seems to have miraculously avoided being shot in any way that could hurt him, recovered from having his back snapped in half with no ill effects (albeit with the help of a friend with healing powers), and constantly goes toe to toe with superhuman foes and triumphs, just because he's trained that hard. His various pupils, including all the Robins, show similar abilities.
** Batman has moved away from this; he wins battles less because of training and more because of tactics. One could say that Batsy's power is AwesomenessByAnalysis to an amazing degree; he makes sure he can analyze any weakness as quickly as possible. You never see him fight an amazingly powerful superhuman straight on. More often than not, he avoids gunfire by staying in the shadows where Mooks can't see, wearing the best bulletproof suit millionaire playboy money can buy, and/or disabling enemies before they have a chance to shoot.
*** Creator/GrantMorrison is largely responsible for switching Batman's primary ability from CharlesAtlasSuperpower to CrazyPrepared. His Batman is still impossibly capable. Having tea with a monk, he ''reflexively'' swapped cups, assuming his was poisoned (it was). ''In the time it took the monk to blink''.
** In ''ComicBook/TheBatmanAdventures'' #6, it was a plot point that Bruce Wayne is capable of an unassisted ten-foot vertical jump. The world record is ''four''.
* ChestInsignia: Either it's just a Bat logo, or the Bat logo in a yellow circle. [[DependingOnTheArtist Depends on who's drawing it.]] This was lampshaded in ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'', where Batman admits that the famous bright yellow background is, obviously, a great big target. He then goes on to explain that he did it because he "can't armor my head".
** Some of the [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] stories have the bat-emblem used as a diamond-edged cutting tool.
* TheChessmaster: One of the most intelligent superheroes and an utterly brilliant tactician. If you don't have a superpower then improve your smarts instead.
* ChickMagnet: Bruce is very attractive and appealing to the opposite sex.
* ChosenConceptionPartner: Talia Al-Ghul is very keen on having children with Bruce. She was partially successful with Damian, although that didn't turn out as she wanted.
* ClearMyName: Occupational hazard of having dubious PR, plot of the major storyline ''Bruce Wayne: Murderer?'' and ''Bruce Wayne: Fugitive''. Notable because the [[TrueCompanions Batfamily members]] were the ones doing the clearing up, while Batman considered that "[[SecretIdentity Bruce Wayne]]" had just become a burden to be abandoned, even saying that "[[SecretIdentityIdentity Bruce Wayne doesn't exist]]".
** In a bizarre reversal, Batman races against time to clear ''the Joker's'' name in ''The Joker: Devil's Advocate'', as his insanity defense finally fails and he's sentenced to death, but for a murder he didn't actually commit.
* ClothesMakeTheLegend: You don't even need to see his emblem - Bats is so infamous and feared that he can be identified ''just by the silhouette of his cowl.''
* CombatPragmatist: He is the DC's poster boy for this trope.
--->'''Huntress:''' Did I just see you cheating?\\
'''Batman:''' ''Winning.''
** However, he still [[DoesNotLikeGuns won't use a gun]].
* TheComicallySerious: Especially in storylines featuring the JLA. Anything can be made funnier by adding Batman as the straight guy. A rare exception is found in the ''ComicBook/TheKillingJoke'', [[spoiler:when The Joker tells him [[ActuallyPrettyFunny a joke that makes them both laugh]].]] More typically: In "Hush", when Nightwing and Batman are in the Batmobile discussing Catwoman (well, Nightwing is discussing her... Batman is glaring off into the distance ignoring him):
---> '''Nightwing:''' ''If you don't want to talk with someone, why do you even have a passenger seat in the Batmobile?''
---> '''Batman:''' ''Balance.''
---> '''Nightwing:''' ''...was that a joke? [pause] Of course not.''
--->-- ''Hush''
* ConfirmedBachelor: Poses as TheCasanova in his Bruce Wayne persona. Privately, his reasons are closer to a combination of MarriedToTheJob and ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies.
* CoolCar, CoolPlane, CoolBoat, and CoolGarage:
** The Batmobile in its various incarnations, has [[TropeNamer come to define this trope]] to the point where any character's cool car may be dubbed the [[{{Thememobile}} (Character's Name)-mobile]] (real-world example: the famous "[[UsefulNotes/ThePope Popemobile]]"). Just to let you know, the Batmobile (nicknamed "The Tumbler") in ''Film/BatmanBegins'' is ''a Lamborghini Gallardo-Hummer H2 crossover''. When Lt. Gordon gets a view of the Batmobile, he says:
--->'''Lt. Gordon:''' I ''gotta'' get me one of those.
*** The Batmobile from ''Film/BatmanBegins''/''Film/TheDarkKnight'' is closer to a [[CoolTank Cool]] ''[[CoolTank Tank]]''.
*** In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', it's a ''[[FlyingCar flying]]'' [[FlyingCar car]].
*** And in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'', it can transform into a ''HumongousMecha''.
** The Batplane, and sometimes [[BlackHelicopter Batcopter]].
*** Batman's small one-man copter, [[http://www.comictreadmill.com/CTMBlogarchives/2009Images/WhirlyBat673.JPG The Whirly-Bat]] has its own legion of fans.
** Various incarnations of the Batboat. Especially the ones that turn into a Batsub.
*** In the ''Captain Leatherwing'' {{Elseworld}}, Pirate Batman has the Flying Fox.
** The Batcave. The [[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries animated series version]] not only contains the Batmobile, but a whole fleet of cars of various models when Batman needs a less conspicuous ride.
*** Taking it even further: in the ''Hush'' story arc, the Batcave has revolving racks featuring every Batmobile ever seen.
*** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6E_l4nAi8U And this one, kinda.]]
*** Bizarrely, the Batcave came with it's own resident genius, Harold, that nobody remembered until Hush got ahold of him.
* CoveredWithScars: Since the 1970s, his body is often shown to be covered in scars from his multiple fights.
* TheCowl: He was [[TropeCodifier practically built this trope, or at least the way it is seen now]], but is not the UrExample, and is not exactly the TropeMaker. The description describes the quintessential BatmanColdOpen, emerging from the shadows and inducing fear in all the criminals his eyes meet. Most examples of the trope nowadays are at least partially influenced by the Dark Knight.
* CrazyPrepared: A good thing for the most part.
** He apparently spends most of his time devising contingency plans to use in the event that he has to fight a given individual, to the point that it's widely said that Batman can [[UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny beat anyone or anything "if he's prepared"]]. For example, he carries [[spoiler:a chunk of Kryptonite]] on his utility belt at all times, "just in case". He also prepares himself to an [[strike:almost]] unhealthy extent, regularly injecting himself with antitoxins in the off chance a poison wielding villain might attack him, and training most of his day. There are some thing you just can't ever see coming, like [[TabletopGame/{{Deadlands}} zombie Abraham Lincoln]] [[UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny armed with an assault rifle]]. Such are his preparation skills that he's earned a place amongst the TropePantheons, specifically, in the [[Pantheon/{{Mentalism}} House of Mentalism]].
** Batman has attempted to be prepared in case of the inevitable superhero FaceHeelTurn, most notably in two infamous incidents. In the "Tower of Babel" arc of the Justice League comic, it was mainly confined to the League. The second was shortly after ''ComicBook/IdentityCrisis'' where Batman decided to secretly tab '''every''' superhero/metahuman on Earth he could, so he built the Brother Eye program to monitor them. Both blew up in his face horribly (Ra's found and used the files and Brother Eye was hijacked by Max Lord and, later, [[ComicBook/LexLuthor Alexander Luthor]]).
** In an issue of ''Gotham Adventures'', a criminal "artist" named Kim escapes from Arkham and begins leaving clues at crime scenes in a manner reminiscent of the Riddler. Riddler is furious that someone is stealing his gimmick and tracks Kim down himself. As they fight, Riddler asks what all the "clues" were supposed to mean. Kim reveals that they were actually references to an art film by a foreign director, and he was merely making an artistic statement. Riddler rants about how that is completely pointless, as ''nobody'' will ''ever'' understand such a reference, and the ''point'' of leaving clues is to give your opponent a fighting chance. Whereupon Batman shows up and reveals that he understood the clues just fine. When asked why he would watch random films and memorize the biographical information of their directors, Batman replied "In case I had to."
** In one issue of JLA, the Martian Manhunter has shifted into a Japanese woman using the name Hino Rei. Batman recognises J'onn instantly, and mentions that "the name is a giveaway". Yes, Batman knows enough about ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' to spot the name of Sailor Mars. Amusingly, this is because the author got pranked; he asked a friend for a Japanese woman's name that would translate out to 'Poet of Mars', thus establishing Batman's linguistics genius; instead his friend deliberately gave him the secret ID of Sailor Mars, and so the author inadvertently established Batman's otaku cred.
** Batman's crazy preparation is shown to an extreme in the ''[[Creator/GrantMorrisonsBatman Batman: RIP]]'' storyline, in which we find that [[spoiler:in case of [[MindRape psychological attack]], he has created a backup personality known as "The Batman of Zur-En-Arrh". Said personality might actually ''be'' crazy, making this a literal example.]] This is not, however, not the first time he's done something like this. In a Gotham Knights story, Bruce uses a contingency plan that involves [[MemoryGambit hypnotizing himself]] to essentially strip the Batman part of his identity and leave only the Bruce Wayne part, in case someone found out and he needed to take extra measures to convince them (and others) otherwise.
** Rather infamously in JLA 59 Batman engineered the defeat of Polaris to end with the JLA victorious, Superman's healing accelerated by the hole in the ozone layer and ''himself standing on a teleportation disk he had hidden in the arctic for just such an occasion''. Appropriately he ends the comic with the words "always plan ahead".
** In an issue of ComicBook/SupermanBatman, it is revealed that Batman carries around a lead-lined mirror ''just in case'' Superman ever turns evil and Batman can't avoid his heat vision. Because, you know, that situation comes up so often. (although, considering the rate at which it happens in Superman/Batman, it may actually come up quite a lot...)
** During the Hush arc of Batman, it is revealed that if he is ever knocked unconscious, his helmet will release tear gas on anyone brave enough to reach for his mask, as well as his suit tasering anyone stupid enough to touch him. The taser shows up in ''Film/TheDarkKnight''.
** Lampshaded by Jaime Reyes, the ComicBook/BlueBeetle, in one of his teamups with Batman. An enemy has just ambushed them by essentially spawning an arctic blizzard ramped UpToEleven above them, causing them to get buried in a few meters of snow. After Beetle breaks out and stops the blizzard by scaring off their attacker...
--->'''Blue Beetle:''' Batman! Hold on! I'll find you and get you out! Can you break out the Bat-Snowblower or something?\\
''(minor explosion)''\\
''(Batman digs his way out of the hole caused by the explosion)''\\
'''Blue Beetle:''' ''(in awe)'' Please don't tell me you actually have a Bat-Snowblower...\\
'''Batman:''' Heating flare capable of melting through ice in a hurry. You'd be surprised what you pack after going up against Mr. Freeze enough times.
** Further demonstrated in an issue of ComicBook/SupermanBatman where the world is under the control of Gorilla Grodd except for Batman. Batman's arm is robotic and Superman is gone in space because the atmosphere has Kryptonite in it. By the end of some long convoluted that proves enough how CrazyPrepared Batman is, it turns out that it was just a simulation of that potential scenario just in case and Batman reveals to Alfred that he does these all the time.
** There was an {{Elseworlds}} comic called ''JSA: The Liberty Files'' which had an alternate reality version of Batman, Hour Man, and Mid-Nite on a train in their civilian identities. They were simply eating dinner when they were suddenly attacked by a villain. Batman, as Bruce Wayne, opens his jacket and throws two grenades. One of the heroes remarks, "You brought grenades to dinner?" to which Bruce replied, "I needed them, didn't I?".
** In ''ComicBook/TheDarkKnightStrikesAgain'', Batman is well prepared for Superman coming to pay him a visit. He has The Flash place small charges all over Supes, then the Atom shrinks down and messes with Supe's inner ear, brings part of the Batcave roof down on him, after which Green Arrow shoots him with a Kryptonite arrow, all before Batman then hands his ass to him with Green K gloves. And then for the CrowningMomentOfAwesome, Superman tells the Bat he only came to talk, to which Batman replies, 'We're done talking. Get out of my cave.'
** In one issue of Gotham Adventures, Harley Quinn writes a trashy romance novel that controls the mind of whoever reads it. Tim and Barbara were controlled while Bruce wasn't. Why? He wore leather gloves while reading it.
** Batman DoesNotLikeGuns, but he still takes his proteges to the firing range. When asked why, Batman explained that it's useful to know as much about guns as possible even if he doesn't use them.
** In one Brave and the Bold comic, Batman reveals that he keeps a one-way one-shot handheld teleporter preset to the vicinity of a black hole in his utility belt. Just in case.
** In ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamAsylum'', Batman reveals [[spoiler:he has a second Batcave built under the Asylum.]] When asked why by an incredulous Oracle, he replies "It's me, remember?."
* CreepyGood: Some interpretations of Franchise/{{Batman}}'s membership in the [[Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica Justice League]] are portrayed this way. Everyone has their seat at the table, and Batman's off in a corner being quiet (if you notice him at all). This crosses pretty well with his status as CrazyPrepared. The rest of the League is creeped out that this guys has files on how to kill/maim/disable the rest of them. That, and being creepy is Batman's schtick.
** In some shorts, this overlaps with {{Determinator}} in how he takes up cold cases of unidentified murder victims, even if the only thing he can do is give their families closure.
** There's also ComicBook/TheQuestion, who even Batman thinks is a little unhinged.
* DarkerAndEdgier: Following the Silver Age, Batman became (and still is) one of the grittiest heroes you could find with an emphasis on fear and a brutal fighting style, most of what he does stemming from what he views as his failures and an insanely violent RoguesGallery. Despite this, [[DarkIsNotEvil his strong moral integrity remains one of the most consistent in comics.]]
* DarkIsNotEvil: He is often one of the best barometers of what the writer wants you to think is morally acceptable in all of comicdom, despite his black clothing, bat-motif, and fear-based methods.
* DatingCatwoman: With the obvious, but also with Jezebel Jet, Lady Shiva (well, maybe that was more UST), Talia Al Ghul and a few others. He's well aware of his penchant for this trope and it's actually an important plot point in ''R.I.P.''
** The [[AlternateUniverse Earth-2]] versions of the characters actually married and had a kid, the original Huntress. [[CutLexLuthorACheck Why bother stealing when you're married to a multimillionaire?]] The main versions became a couple too, and Bruce even revealed his identity to her and she moved into the mansion with him. The relationship didn't last, but they both developed a respect for each other and Batman mostly looks the other way when Catwoman does her thing.
** However, things got a bit more interesting with the two. Continuing to dance around one another constantly to the point of a nearly functional relationship, then to a distant one due to fear of repercussions from their knowledge of one another's identity, the couple have certainly reheated things a bit since Bruce's return to the present... long story. Regardless, she has even accompanied him on his international travels to establish Batman Inc. Maybe not a perfect relationship, but hey.
*** Unfortunately for those who may have enjoyed it, all that CharacterDevelopment in their relationship has been set back to square one with the 2011 DC Universe reboot, in which Catwoman has no idea who Batman is behind the mask (although she suspects he knows who she is). Doesn't [[spoiler:stop her from having costumed sex with him though]].
*** In ''ComicBook/GothamCitySirens'', it was mentioned that Catwoman and Talia are probably the only two women Batman has truly loved. It's not surprising that both of them are villainesses.
** Very explicit in one standalone strip called "Date Night", Batman catches Catwoman in the middle of a robbery and chases her through various romantic locations including a flower stall and a fancy restaurant, all the while Catwoman is talking and flirting with him as if they were actually on a date. When he finally catches her, they briefly fight and she leaves him tied up and dangling upside down from a fire escape, kisses him goodnight and runs away.
** In ''Batman the Dark Knight'' after the 2011 reboot, Bruce is attracted to Jaina Hudson, but becomes suspicious of her after new villainess White Rabbit issues the same "Catch me if you can" flirtatious challenge Jaina made in their first meeting. His suspicions are debunked when the White Rabbit shows up on the radar while he is on a date with Jaina. [[spoiler:It turns out he was right after all, since Jaina has the power to split herself into two people -- her normal self and the White Rabbit.]]
* DeadpanSnarker: Sometimes. For example, from his DCAU iteration:
--> '''Batman:''' ''[to Wonder Woman, regarding their (potential) relationship]'' One: dating within the team always leads to disaster. Two: you're a princess from a society of immortal warriors; I'm a rich kid with issues... lots of issues.
** Whenever Franchise/{{Batman}} (in any incarnation) isn't either moping around in {{Wangst}} or being TheComicallySerious, he's generally the one with a deadpan line. Or, as Jaime Reyes (''ComicBook/BlueBeetle III'') put it, "Batman's actually kind of funny, in a dry, scary way." Typically, Batman needs Superman as a foil if he's going to be funny.
* DeathGlare: Quite famous for using these, despite being a TechnicalPacifist.
** A good example was during the "Contagion" arc. Other members of the Bat-family are trying to disperse an angry mob, to no effect. Cue Batman appearing, pointing a finger, giving a Death Glare to the entire mob, and stating: "Disperse. NOW." It worked.
* DeathIsCheap: [[spoiler:Bruce's set to return in ''The Return of Bruce Wayne'' and it was revealed in the tie-ins to ''ComicBook/BlackestNight'' that the corpse Superman found and was buried was an AxCrazy Darkseid-created clone.]]
* DependingOnTheWriter: Having a seventy-year history will result in ''massive'' amounts of this.
** This is perhaps best represented in the [[https://writingiseasier.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/batman-alignment-chart.jpg Batman alignment chart]]
* DoesntLikeGuns: Post GoldenAge. Missiles, lasers, and other things, particularly weapons systems mounted on his vehicles, seem to be fair game, as long as they don't resemble pistols. He'll also pick up a gun under extremely dire circumstances, [[spoiler:such as shooting Darkseid in order to save the universe]]. The reasons vary from writer to writer. Originally, the idea that Batman hates guns was linked to his parents' murder when he was a child. There are practical and legal reasons, too--self-awareness that he's a vigilante and the knowledge that in being so he has no business killing, while guns make it much too easy to kill and much too hard to be nonlethal. In his original Detective Comic appearances, he frequently used firearms and lethal force against villains. The creators only removed his use of firearms when they worried that it would make him resemble the Shadow too closely. Today, most depictions have Batman bending enough to arm his vehicles, for disabling vehicles and removing obstacles. It's amazing how strict some Batman adaptations are about this, even when you'd think they'd ditch it. In ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'', Batman hospitalizes countless {{mooks}}, snaps the Joker's spine (paralyzing but not killing him), and has machine guns on his car. When he uses the guns, he internal monologues to the reader, "Rubber Bullets. Honest."
** Technically the military contracts thing isn't true, as we've seen various examples of military-grade hardware produced by [=WayneTech=], from night vision goggles to attack helicopters. Presumably Bruce is fine with it as long as his company isn't manufacturing any weapon systems (those can be sourced from other contractors).
** After Dick became a Bludhaven police officer, Bruce made it clear that he didn't like him wearing his service revolver around the cave.
** ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'' takes this to a symbolical level as Batman makes an "once in a lifetime" exception and [[strike:shoots]] "poisons" Darkseid [[spoiler:with an anti-New God gun only to be [[FateWorseThanDeath "killed"]] by the villain's eye beams a mere second after pulling the trigger]].
** In another Batman story by Grant Morrison, ''Joe Chill in Hell'', a young Batman confronts his parents' killer, Joe Chill, and torments the man, depriving him of sleep, sneaking up on him in disguise, and generally just scaring the crap out of him for a month, all building up to the point where [[DrivenToSuicide Batman drives Chill to commit suicide]].
** In a particularly amusing inversion, in an early Detective Comics appearance Bats comments that he hates taking human life - immediately before machine-gunning a car full of baddies from his biplane. [[http://sacomics.blogspot.com/2005/08/batman-and-guns.html This blog]] has a good rundown on instances where he used a gun. In fact, in UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks, he didn't even have the "dislikes guns" angle, and had a handgun that he wasn't afraid to use.
** While Batman's aversion to guns has generally grown over time, there are some situations in the older comics where Batman refuses to use a gun. In Detective 453 (the same series in which Batman fires a machine gun into a car full of bad guys), Batman is told to shoot a single bullet into the ground to prove he isn't really Batman, or be shot to death by a room full of criminals. He doesn't do it. This is probably due more to the inconsistency of older comics and a lazy writer, but it's probably the most extreme example of this rule.
** In ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', Batman's distaste for guns gets lampshaded in Creator/GrantMorrison's ''[[Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica JLA]]/[=WildCATS=]'' crossover, in which the League hooks up with the premiere heroes of Jim Lee's Creator/{{Wildstorm}} line. At one point when both teams go up against Epoch the Time Lord, Batman asks the raygun-toting Grifter just how good he is. When Grifter brags that in his universe Batman would have been ''his'' kid sidekick, Batman then adds, "Then you won't mind doing this without the guns." Grifter pauses for a {{Beat}}, then quips, "Aw, why not? I'll try anything once!" The beginning of the crossover features an encounter with Epoch and Wally West while he was still Kid Flash, who sizes up his new foe's huge high-tech rifle by commenting, "One of the first things I've learned in the superhero game. 'Gun' equals 'bad guy'."
** ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' used this as a plot point in the final episode. Bat-Mite is trying to get the series cancelled and ComicBook/AmbushBug attempts to stop him, but Batman refuses to listen when Bug tells him that the world has been changed. That is, until Batman uses a pair of handguns to fight crime, which Bug points out is an '''insanely''' OutOfCharacterMoment; at this point Batman finally realizes that Bug is right and starts fighting back against Bat-Mite.
* DoubleConsciousness
* TheDreaded: One of the most feared heroes in the entire DC Universe. Even those who don't fear Superman, have fear of Batman.
** To the point that a Sinestro Corps ring tried to recruit him. For those of you who don't know, the Sinestro Corps is the opposite of the Green Lantern Corps, and their yellow rings are powered by inspiring fear. Corps members are chosen on a planet-to-planet basis, meaning Batman is THE SCARIEST THING ON EARTH.
* {{Elseworlds}}: Batman has had quite a few Elseworld stories about him, but the one that was most memorable (and actually influenced the mainstream Batman and the comics medium in general) was ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns''. That aside, he may be the single most popular subject of Elseworlds tales.
* EmergingFromTheShadows
* EscapeArtist: Go find a collection of Batman comics and count the number of times he's successfully escaped a trap. We'll wait.
* {{Expy}}: He started out as this to Franchise/{{Zorro}} and pulp heroes as Radio/TheShadow and Franchise/SherlockHolmes. Fortunately, he evolved into his own unique character.
* FateWorseThanDeath: [[spoiler:In ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'', Darkseid blasted Batman with the Omega Sanction and puts Bruce in a loop of horrible lives.]]
* TheFettered: He'll use any means necessary to take crime down, but he will never drift from his moral code willingly. Many of his enemies call him out for it.
* {{Fiction 500}}
* {{Flanderization}}: Bruce Wayne was originally depicted as merely [[RichIdiotWithNoDayJob Comfortably Well-Off]]. Now, he's one of the two richest men in Franchise/TheDCU. Batman himself has become increasingly ultra-competent and infallible in the past few decades. The flanderization of Batman was necessary to keep him interesting in the context of the Justice League. He's one of the few characters without a true super power, so the question of why they keep him around (aside from maybe his money) needs answering. Having him be the greatest strategist in existence gives him a purpose and a reason for being one of the guys in charge.
** He's also portrayed as the "brooding loner" of the Justice League. This is despite the fact that the "Bat-family" has more members than Superman's friends and allies, two of the five Comicbook/{{Robin}}s have led the Comicbook/TeenTitans, one of those two also led ComicBook/YoungJustice, the other is considered the most trustworthy man in the hero community, and Oracle acts as the MissionControl. He is a close friend of a lot of superheroes as well, and he managed to be something of a father to [[ComicBook/{{Batgirl 2000}} Cassandra]] [[BrokenBird Cain]].
* FreudianExcuse: he battles crime because his parents were murdered by a criminal. in ComicBook/TheDarkKnightReturns, Alfred recalls a moment in bruce's childhood where he was read a story that involved a criminal, and he wouldn't sleep until he was reassured that the criminal was swiftly punished.
* FriendToAllChildren: Kids don't fear Batman. Batman hurts the bad guys, not kids. Every child knows this. Batman makes DAMN sure to never betray children's faith in him. In fact, if a criminal is about to hurt a child and the child says that Batman's gonna kick his butt... well, the criminal's *in TheDarkKnightReturns, batman tells a kid to watch his language and the kid replies yes, sir. kids respect batman, too.[[TemptingFate tempting fate if he proceeds]], cause Batman WILL show up and '''destroy''' him.
* FrothyMugsOfWater: Inverted. Bruce Wayne doesn't drink, afraid that it'll ruin his edge; however, a socialite like himself must on occasion be seen drinking, to erase any suspicion of being Batman. Thus, he will often drink non-alcoholic beverages, usually ginger ale, prepared to look to others as though they are made with alcohol. He'll even go so far as to act drunk, usually as an excuse for slipping out to chase after criminals.
* GeniusBruiser: He's one of the most intelligent heroes in all of comics and has a figure that can pass for ''{{Superman}}'' in a dim light, is one of the world's greatest martial artists and stealth fighters, and only seems lacking [[BadassNormal in a world filled with superpowered heroes and villains]]... all of whom [[BadassBookworm he can figure out how to defeat.]]
* GoodIsNotNice[=/=]GoodIsNotSoft
* GrandfatherClause: Probably one of the only characters to not get laughed at for placing "Bat" in front of his equipment. Though in more recent years he has done this a lot less. He refers to the Batmobile and Batcave as "The car" and "The cave", and it's his sidekicks who employ the funny names. He does still call his favored weapons "Batarangs", though.
* GrapplingHookGun: Batman also [[AlternateCompanyEquivalent inspired]] Nighthawk from the ComicBook/SquadronSupreme in its many incarnations. Particularly in the "Supreme" series, in his own mini he uses it to blast through his analogue of the Joker, Whiteface, to create an anchor as he jumps after a baby he threw off. Then proceeds to kill him (Whiteface, not the baby!) by ripping out his guts with it. In ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'', Batman opts for a grappling-hook rifle. Of course, that was made before Batman's grappling gun was standard fare.
* GuileHero: He's one of the sharpest heroes in DC universe of them all. If you lack superpowers than make them up with wits and smarts. There's a reason why he's called the "World's Greatest Detective". Especially in group settings where his companions and adversaries have superpowers that render his [[ScienceHero gadgets]] and [[ActionHero martial arts prowess]] less relevant. He's not called the World's Greatest Detective for nothing, and his habit of spinning victory from available resources have spawned the popular belief that he can take down any opponent with nothing more than "ample time to prepare."
* GuyLiner: Every film incarnation since Michael Keaton invokes the IrislessEyeMaskOfMystery by donning dark eye shadow, which extends the black mask.
* HesBack: After his adventures to get back to the present, Batman is back in the saddle and ready to give Dr. Hurt the beat-down of his life.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Superman. And in the New 52, with [[Comicbook/{{Nightwing}} Dick Grayson]].
* HighAltitudeInterrogation: One of Batman's favorite methods for questioning mooks.
* HonestCorporateExecutive: His Bruce persona is generally portrayed this way.
* HopeBringer: Even in the darkest and most cynical stories and adaptations, Batman is always portrayed as a symbol of hope to the people of Gotham.
* HorrifyingHero: ''"I'm telling ya, man!! '''A GIANT BAT!!"''' ''
* {{Hunk}}
* HurtingHero
* IdentityImpersonator: He's probably done it as much as {{Superman}}!
* ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies: Has been forced to give up many a love interest because of this.
* IWorkAlone: ''Suuuure'' you do.[[note]]To list: All five Robins (Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown (who later became Batgirl and Spoiler), and Damian Wayne), Barbara Gordon (as Batgirl and Oracle), Cassandra Cain (as Batgirl and Orphan), Kathy Kane, Helena Bertinelli, Selina Kyle (on occasion), Harper Row, The Justice Society of America, and the entire Justice League.[[/note]]
* JackOfAllTrades: Among the members of the Bat-Family, Bruce is this in terms of overall ability (at least when writers aren't going full-on 'Bat-God' mode). He isn't the natural acrobat or leader Dick Grayson is, he doesn't have the level of [[OmniscientDatabase computer and intel-gathering skills]] Oracle has, he lacks Cassandra Cain's [[CharlesAtlasSuperpower incredible martial arts ability]], and admitted to himself that Tim Drake would eventually surpass him as the World's Greatest Detective. But the fact that he is still very good and experienced in all such fields allow him to more then pull his own weight whatever the circumstance. Fairly reasonable, considering the [[GameBreaker implications]] that would result in him actually being the best at everything.
** Nevertheless, he still outdoes them as a [[TheStrategist strategist]] and [[BatmanGambit tactician]] and he still ''is'' "The World's Greatest Detective".
*** And [[TheCowl instilling pants-crapping fear and dread into evildoers.]]
* {{Jerkass}}: In some portrayals, though this is best summed up in four words - [[Creator/FrankMiller I'm the Goddamn Batman!]]
** JerkassFacade[=/=]JerkWithAHeartOfGold: ... though he is most consistently portrayed as this.
* KnightInSourArmor: In general, Bruce is almost always a KnightInSourArmor (or in this case a Dark Knight in Sour Armor, with the only possible exceptions being when he makes some wry observation about a situation he or the JLA are in).
* KnockoutGas: One of his standard tricks, Batman has used knockout gas from various sources: bombs, canisters, guns, etc.
* TheLancer: Not in his own series. To Superman in the Justice League, but as the biggest and most recognizable superhero after Superman, he's effectively this for the entire industry.
* LanternJawOfJustice
* LatexPerfection: He's ripped off masks to reveal his entire costume underneath, ears and all.
* LethalChef: He even screws up ''tuna sandwiches''.
* ManChild: A rather subtle version, believe it or not. Never mind the fact that dressing up as a giant bat and swearing to exterminate crime seems like a rather childish thing to do, Bruce's emotional development was stunted the moment his parents died. Add to the fact that he seems to relate to young people (re: the Robins and Batgirls) better then he does adults and many stories also make note of the fact that while all criminals fear Batman, [[FriendToAllChildren children do not]].
** This was {{Lampshaded}} in a Marvel/DC crossover with ComicBook/ThePunisher, where the Joker mused that Batman must have had a similar tragedy to that of Frank Castle, but Batman's tragedy must have happened when he was a child -- dressing up in a costume, and nifty gadgets are more a child's ideas than Castle's skull motifs and machine guns.
** Made more apparent in Flashpoint. The Batman of that universe is essentially the same tragedy, but with [[spoiler:Bruce dying instead of his parents.]]
* McNinja: One of the best examples in America. He even trained in Japan.
* MiseryBuildsCharacter: Batman envelopes the very heart of this trope.
* MoralityChain: Jim Gordon has pulled him back from the brink of [[KnightTemplar Knight Templardom]] more than once, including [[spoiler:shooting him to keep him from killing the Joker.]]
* MoralityPet: Bruce admits that Dick Grayson is one for him.
* MyGreatestFailure: Several, because he believes that every failure he encounters is his fault. The top five are (in chronological order): The "creation" of ComicBook/TheJoker; [[ComicBook/TheLongHalloween Harvey Dent's transformation into Two-Face]]; [[ComicBook/ADeathintheFamily Jason Todd's death]]; losing control of Gotham's gangs during ''War Games'', which led to the torture of Stephanie Brown and her near-death; and [[ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis allowing his suspicions of his fellow supers to overcome him and building Brother Eye]], which then hi-jacked by Max Lord and led to the death of [[ComicBook/BlueBeetle Ted Kord]]. And, more recently, [[spoiler:Damian's death]].
* NayTheist: Depending on who is writing him, Batman is either this or an atheist. According to the Comic Book Religion database, he is a lapsed Catholic.
* NeverMyFault: Will almost never admit to being wrong in an argument. It's partly why so many people have difficulty establishing any kind of relationship with him.
* NinetiesAntiHero: Ever wonder why Azrael (AKA Batman [=II/AzBats=]) was brought in? It was due to Bats demonstrating way too much of this trope in the eighties (''ComicBook/TheKillingJoke'' is a prime example).
** Indeed, the overwhelming popularity and critical acclaim of ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'' was one of the major influences on the rise of the NinetiesAntiHero in the first place (As well as UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks in general).
* NoBadassToHisValet: Alfred is immune to Batman's fear-striking methods. In a black and white short story titled "Sunrise", an old woman finds him injured and is not amused when he attempts to brush it off.
-->'''Woman:''' You don't look fine to me. What on earth happened?\\
'''Batman:''' Look, lady--\\
'''Woman:''' Don't "look, lady" me! You're acting like a five year old.
* NoSenseOfHumor: Batman is sometimes depicted as this, DependingOnTheWriter.
* NotSoDifferent: Most of his iconic foes are escaped lunatics, but he is far from the picture of perfect mental health and ''knows it''.
* ObfuscatingStupidity: His guise as Bruce Wayne demands it.
** DependingOnTheWriter, Bruce Wayne is still a well-respected philanthropist and (occasionally) scientist. It's just he's also an international playboy.
* OffhandBackhand: A master at this, which he later taught to his successor, Terry.
* OffscreenTeleportation: Chances are, if you're not looking at him, he's gone somewhere else and fast.
* OneSuperOnePowerset: Batman is the head of Wayne Enterprises, has fought against and alongside many superpowered beings that possess advanced technology, use magic, and have reliable and effective mutagens. Despite this, he has been, and most likely always will be, only a mere BadassNormal CrazyPrepared genius detective.
* OrphansOrdeal: He watched his parents die as a kid...
* OverprotectiveDad: According to fandom, he's this.
** Canon when Batgirl III was dating Superboy.
* PapaWolf: Don't hurt his sidekicks.
** FriendToAllChildren: Don't hurt kids, period.
** Hurt his actual, biological son? He'll water board you. With acid.
* PacifismBackfire: This is one of his biggest problems. His ThouShallNotKill attitude and stubborn refusal to kill major criminals, especially the Joker, end up indirectly causing more casualties and/or injuries in the long run. Exactly how big said problem is depends on the writer, though.
* TheParagon: Depending on the continuity.
* TheParanoiac: Batman is frequently accused of being a paranoiac; how much this is true is a case of DependingOnTheWriter, but he certainly demonstrated many paranoid traits, including a grim attitude, ControlFreak tendencies, and a habit of resorting to violence to solve his problems, with some stories going so far as to imply that being the Batman is simply an excuse for Bruce to take revenge for the murder of his parents by beating the crap out of criminals every night. He also has a [[JadeColoredGlasses grim and bleak view of the society he lives in]]- mostly because that society is [[CrapsackWorld Gotham City]], and his explicit reason for choosing a Bat as his gimmick is to scare the hell out of his enemies. However, most stories portray him as fundamentally an idealist, who actually does trust his allies (just brutally aware that he lives in a world where MindControl, DemonicPossession, and exposed secret identities are all very real dangers) and who is actually an extremely humble man who has decided to sacrifice his life to the cause of saving others from the evil that took his family away from him.
** Indeed, the staff at Arkham Asylum (which is a place where either Batman fits in seamlessly, or is the absolute worse place he should be, depending on the writer) seem to have ''some'' understanding of Batman's issues and follow either written or well-known-but-unwritten-rules about how to deal with him when he shows up. And he shows up pretty damn often, either because he needs to talk to one of the patients or because he's responding to an incident. Some of these rules seem to be: 1) Only one person should speak to him, either the most senior staff member present or whomever he came to see. 2) Do not attempt to start a conversation with him or try to engage in small talk. 3) Keep your distance. More than an arm's length is absolutely essential. Batman has very defined boundaries that he does ''not'' like anyone invading. 4) Stay in front of him. He keeps his back to a wall at all times. When walking, he does not allow anyone to walk behind him. 5) If he tells you to do something, no matter what it is, ''do it immediately.'' This is particularly true if he tells you to leave the area or leave him alone with someone. 6) Batman has extensive knowledge of medical procedures, psychiatric principles, and pharmacology. Things do not need to be expressed or explained in layman's terms. 7) If you are under duress from one of the patients, he'll know immediately. 8) Batman is regarded as staff, and personal and confidential information about the patients can be discussed with him.
* ParentalAbandonment: HIS PARENTS ARE ''[[MemeticMutation DEEAAAAAAAD!!!]]''
* ParentalFavouritism: He tries to hide it, but it's no secret that Dick Grayson is his favourite Robin. He's the only one Bruce treats like an equal, the one Bruce trusts the most, and the one he's proudest of. Heck, in ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'', when the Golden Age Superman asks Bruce to help him recreate his own Earth, Bruce's one and only question? Is Dick a better person on that Earth? Even Brother Eye knows that Dick is Bruce's favourite ''and Bruce programmed Brother Eye!''
* ParentalSubstitute: You may be discerning a theme here. Bruce is this to primarily all of the Robins and Batgirls. Bruce is a substitute father to all of the Robins and has adopted them all: Dick, Tim and Jason with the exception of Damian, because Damian is Bruce's biological son. He has also been a substitute parent/father to all of the Batgirls including Stephanie Brown, Helena Bertinelli and Cassandra Cain, whom he has adopted.
** Also, Alfred and Leslie Thompkins are both parental substitutes for him. In his biggest moments of honesty, Bruce has explicitly said that Alfred and Leslie, more than anyone, are the ones who've kept him from going over the edge.
* PimpedOutCape: In some continuities where his cape has some gadgets built in.
* PowerCopying: Batman tends to keep items from his defeated villains handy, such as a vial of Scarecrow's fear gas, and one of Mr. Freeze's guns.
** BatmanCanBreatheInSpace originates from Batman's ability to do anything and have the audience accept it. Because he's Batman. [[CrazyPrepared And he already planned ahead for the possibility of being attacked by]] gigantic mutated wombats fueled by VENOM, wearing suicide vests. So it makes perfect sense that he already has a plan.
* PowerOfHate: In some of his incarnations, the hate for the villain that killed his parents drives him to be the Batman. (Other incarnations are more about justice, or protecting people.)\\\
You could also say that he feels nothing but hate for the Joker. And after all the Joker put him through, you can't really blame him.\\\
Batman hates hates HATES murder (and violent crime in general) and injustice of the world itself and is therefore driven to don the cowl to exterminate these things or end up showing the world he died trying.
* PrecisionGuidedBoomerang: Batarangs ''have got to be'' related to ComicBook/CaptainAmerica's shield.
* TheProudElite: Bruce is handsome, and, while charming, tries to be aloof enough that he makes people think he's a bit arrogant. However, when he catches criminals as Batman, he'll get them jobs at Wayne Enterprises.
* ReallyGetsAround: As Bruce Wayne this is to be expected, but Vicky Vale is the most well known. As Batman: Catwoman and Talia to name a few.
* RecklessPacifist: On and off. Excluding incarnations that actually did kill people (or just refused to save them), The Bat has been known to get really, really rough with with his enemies despite his ThouShaltNotKill policy.
* RedBaron: The Batman has been known by the following nicknames: The Caped Crusader, the Masked Manhunther, the Darknight Detective which would evolve into his most distinctive title - the Dark Knight.
* ReluctantWarrior: Hates violence, but is prepared to use it to stop crime. Subverted by every interpretation since the dawn of the Dark Age, so Batman's mileage may definitely vary.
* TheRevealPromptsRomance: Batman has unmasked himself as Bruce Wayne to various women in various continuities. Neither the reveal nor the romance has stuck, yet.
* RichIdiotWithNoDayJob: Bruce Wayne is the poster boy.
* {{Roofhopping}}: One of his many specialties.
* RoguesGallery: One of the most recognizable in all of comics.
* ScienceHero: Not quite as emphasized as the other flavors of hero he fills, but with his skill in scientific analysis and his seemingly unlimited gadgets, he more than qualifies.
* SecretIdentityIdentity
* SeriesMascot: Of DC Comics, alongside Superman.
* ShadowArchetype: Of Franchise/{{Superman}}. Most of his rogues are ones of himself.
* ShellShockedVeteran: It should be obvious. Seeing your parents shot can give you psychological scars but believing that dressing up as a bat and act all vengeance and justice will honor their memories sure is a given proof that you need help.
* ShrineToTheFallen: Batman keeps Jason Todd's costume on display in the Batcave. [[spoiler: Later, he does the same to Damian, but he gets better.]]
* SignatureTeamTransport: Batman has plenty of Bat-vehicles, but the Batmobile is the most iconic.
* SmallStepsHero: He spends a vast, billion-dollar fortune to punch out one criminal at a time.
* TheSmartGuy: When he's with the Justice League. Not so much on his home turf, where everyone he hangs out with is ''also'' a genius.
** Though FridgeLogic sets in when Superman is supposed to be super-intelligent. Martian Manhunter and Green Lantern have a lot more experience with aliens, Wonder Woman's been on earth the longest, The Flash is a scientist and Aquaman has a comprehensive knowledge of everything water-related. Probably he's the only one who'll 1) look into actual criminology and 2) remember to think things through.
** Superman is not currently super-intelligent in canon (he was during the Silver Age canon); Wonder Woman may have been on Earth the longest but was mostly on Paradise Island and until the present times has little experience with people other than Greek mythology and Amazons; and The Flash is a forensic scientist (not skilled in all forms of science like Batman). Batman knows a lot about many topics, including crimonology, and not only thinks through but in cynical situations is highly intelligent and sometimes even DangerouslyGenreSavvy. Hence, he is still TheSmartGuy to the Justice League.
* SociallyAwkwardHero: Social skills isn't one of his strong points. He doesn't seem to know how to behave like a RichIdiotWithNoDayJob as Bruce Wayne.
* SpiritedCompetitor
* StealthExpert
* StealthHiBye: Possibly the TropeCodifier.
* StepIntoTheBlindingFight: Often invoked by Batman with his use of shadows and smoke pellets to scare criminals. It disorients his enemies and make them easier to pick off one by one. In ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'' Bane was a member of the League Of Shadows and knows of their tricks of using darkness to distract enemies in battle, so when Batman tries to use these same tactics on Bane, he mocks him for it and goes into a BadassBoast about how he is made of Shadows.
* TheStoic: Added to his TheComicallySerious, usually, though he does have bouts of anger or other emotions.
* TheStrategist: He has no peer as a combat strategist and plan-maker in Franchise/TheDCU. Quite simply, if Batman cooks up a plan, it's probably the BEST plan.
* SugarAndIcePersonality
* SuperheroSobriquets: The Dark Knight, the Caped Crusader, the World's Greatest Detective, the Dark Knight Detective.
* SuperheroesWearCapes
* SuperheroesWearTights
* SuperReflexes: Acquired through training.
* SurvivorGuilt: Bruce/Batman's ENTIRE LIFE revolves around the guilt he felt at his parents' murder.
* TheTeamNormal: In superhero ensembles.
* TechnicalPacifist
* TerrorHero: Batman seeks to put enormous fear into anyone he goes up against. Given that he's one of the most dreaded heroes in comics, even among superpowered villains despite having no superpowers himself, he is very good at it. There are criminals who have no fear of guys like Franchise/{{Superman}} that are scared ''shitless'' of Batman.
* ThouShaltNotKill: Nearly every version has this, an exception being the Burton movies. WhatMeasureIsANonHuman is in full effect.
** Other exceptions include anyone who is truly immortal, such as Solomon Grundy or Clayface. Lethal force is necessary against them, but they can come back from even the worst of blows. And when Batman does have to exchange blows with Darkseid, you can damn well bet that Batman is doing is absolute best to hurt the bastard.
* TrueLoveIsBoring: One of the major reasons why Bruce will probably never settle down.
* TwoFirstNames
* UnclePennybags: At his friendliest, Bruce has had quite a few moments of this.
* UnderestimatingBadassery: Done constantly by superpowered villains who have never faced him before. After they do fight him, they figure out why he's one of the most [[TheDreaded feared]] heroes of them all.
* UnderwearOfPower: Just like {{Superman}}. Batman is one of the older examples, though nowadays (Post-Knight Saga and then Post-Return) his Underwear on the outside is usually either absent, not shown, or the same color as the rest of him (and thus hard to see).
* UnstoppableRage: He might not show much emotion, but his attack on the Joker in ''Hush'' is one of the few times that he does. And it's not pretty to look at (the art itself was gorgeous, though).
* UsedToBeASweetKid: A rare heroic example. Had his parents not been killed by a mugger in the alley, he would still be the same vigilante, minus the GoodIsNotNice personality.
* VitriolicBestBuds: Batman and Superman are [[DependingOnTheWriter sometimes]] depicted this way, as both Type 1 and Type 2 - while they respect each other and acknowledge there is a need for both of them, they would rather have as little to do with each other as possible.
* WarriorTherapist
* WeaponOfChoice: [[BattleBoomerang Batarangs]] are his signature weapons.
* WellDoneSonGuy: He ''does'' say it. It's just that he only says it when you've been ''perfect''.
* WhatTheHellHero: With [[spoiler:Damian's death]], his progressive SanitySlippage and the fact that he TookALevelInJerkass have led to this from each member of the family in "Batman and Robin" volume 2, starting with issue 19.
** Batman [[MadScientist experiments on]] FrankensteinsMonster in Victor Frankenstein's own castle to see what makes him tick so that he can learn a secret to resurrection. Tim is horrified, and Frankenstein also calls him out in a somewhat more calm fashion.
** Batman brings Jason to the place where he first died [[spoiler:in the hopes of jogging Jason's memory to remember how he was brought back to life]]. Needless to say, he's none too pleased with Bruce's idea.
** Barbara gets so fed up that she decides that if he ''needs'' [[spoiler:a Robin]], she'll take up the role as a ReplacementGoldfish, just to shut him up.
* WhereDoesHeGetAllThoseWonderfulToys: From his family fortune. An analysis on the history of said wonderful toys can be found [[http://www.comics101.com/comics101//?mode=project&action=view&project=Comics%20101&chapter=53 here.]]
* WorldsBestWarrior: Doesn't matter who or what he's up against, Batman can win or will be instrumental in victory. No one is safe from Batman. No one.
* WouldHitAGirl: Well, not ''first'' but if she's coming at him with the intent to fight or kill him, she's fair game.
* WouldntHurtAChild: A good way to make him pissed off for real is to hurt or threaten children in front of him.
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