History NightmareFuel / Batman

* '''''ComicBook/TheJoker'''''. Pre-Crisis, Post-Crisis, it doesn't matter - he is the TropeCodifier for MonsterClown for a reason. In his very first appearance, he utilizes his horrible Joker Venom without a second thought, laughing off any inevitable deaths he causes. Chronologically-speaking, even when you read a goofy Silver Age story where he's pulling some harmless heist, you're still looking at a MonsterClown with [[LackOfEmpathy completely apathetic]] spree-killings on his criminal record[[note]]which, not counting unearthly forces, contains the single biggest kill count in the DC universe (being over 2,000 murders)[[/note]]. Another part of what makes him so scary is how ''random'' he is -- he can be a harmless jester pulling elaborate pranks one minute and without warning try to poison the whole of Gotham. The worst part is that the Joker doesn't seem to notice any difference; pin-balling from HarmlessVillain to crossing the MoralEventHorizon is as easy as breathing for him. Lastly, he instills fear into many in-and-out-of universe, especially if you happen to be coulrophobic (fear of clowns). All of this manageable by someone who has no powers apart from an utterly unhinged mindset.

* Batman's disturbing portrayal of drug dependency in Venom which has a good dose of NightmareFuel and TruthInTelevision thrown in full spades. Part of the Legends of the Dark Knight anthology series (issues 16-20). Batman's reason to turning towards the fictional synthetic drug is because he failed to save one little girl from drowning to death in a cavernous section of the sewer. He ends up working unwillingly with the creator of the very drug and father of said aforementioned girl, Randolph Porter. and begins developing sensational use of the drug. Batman starts undergoing many changes (physically, psychologically and through motor functions). It's hard to read the whole story from beginning to end since we get to see first hand that Batman's reliance and dependency on Venom ends up showing an almost rarely seen human side of him. Begging and pleading for more of the stuff and wallowing in himself inside. And besides being weak, he becomes more highly deranged with occasional roid rages and actually enjoys causing pain and suffering on his foes (surprisingly without nearly killing them!). It's both [[NightmareFuel disturbing]] and [[TearJerker sad]] to see the beloved Dark Knight into a big shambling drug user. And not only does it affect him, but it also nearly destroys the kindled friendships of Commissioner James Gordon and Alfred, with him beginning to question Bruce's health and well being. In order for Bruce to overcome the addiction, he needed to isolate himself for a straight 30 days in his own cave! As you might expect, during his detoxing period. He undergoes various craves and also [[SanitySlippage suffers horrific hallucinations]]. This very arc from beginning to end is just NightmareFuel to begin with. Oh! And if you think just the description itself is bad... [[SchmuckBait Wait till you]] [[http://i.imgur.com/4RSZD6K.png get a]] [[http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/11112/111121690/3690821-1951947864-batma.jpg load of]] [[http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/scale_large/6/67663/2403056-new_edition.jpg This!]]

** What do you get when Batman is overwhelmed by the Joker's personality? The Batman Who Laughs, a nightmarish ghoul who is essentially the DC Universe's version of Character/JudgeDeath.

[[Franchise/{{Batman}} The Dark Knight]] has been up against some truly terrifying moments, no doubt in part due to his extensive Rogues' Gallery and the latter being made of a good chunk of dangerous and scary psychopaths. Below are but a smattering of the scariest moments.

The Dark Knight has been up against some truly terrifying moments, no doubt in part due to his extensive Rogues' Gallery and the latter being made of a good chunk of dangerous and scary psychopaths. Below are but a smattering of the scariest moments.

* ''NightmareFuel/TheBatman2021''

* The countless [[FountainOfExpies expies]] that Batman (and his allies) had to deal with throughout his years as a vigilante crimefighter is no laughing matter either! They're virtually literal dark mirrors on the Dark Knight himself and what he would of done had he not been so vigilant in his struggles for justice and the sanctity of Gotham City and the Gothamites residing. There are a few that deserve well deserve mention here since in their encounters they become something to dread whenever they show up. The infamous few that are just as much as our beloved Cape Crusader himself: 1. Owlman 2. The Wrath (I & II) 3. Hellhound 4. Catman 5. Killer Moth and finally the best for last. 6. Prometheus. Why him? [[BatmanGambit Because he single handedly]] [[CrazyPrepared out bested the whole entire JLA]]! And of course, to add more to this already hellish mentioning of true evils that mirror the Batman to a T. We have [[ComicBook/TheJoker Joker]], [[SplitPersonality Two-Face]], [[InsufferableGenius Riddler]], [[TheDreaded Scarecrow]] to name the few that mirror him just as well. Albeit, not as close as the aforementioned doppelgangers before them but just as bad.

* Roman Sionis. Or as his well known alias in crime, The Black Mask. Roman is another dark image on what would of happened or came to be if Bruce was a remorseless business mogul. Roman Sionis's road to crime began because of a few mistakes on his poor planning and control in business. Seeing turmoil of Roman's mistakes, Bruce Wayne bought the struggling business from Roman and relieved him of his control and began fluctuating his once previously owned business the Janus Cosmetic company and began making it return in booming success. Roman was outraged by this. In turn he founded the False Face Society and undertook many autocracies and became a [[BigBad big player in the criminal underworld.]] Not only does he deal in the [[ColdBloodedTorture "arrangements"]] of his business against his own associates or rivals alike, he makes sure that he get's his points across as best as he can. And as a Bonus! During a certain moment in Batman's crime fighting career, during a bout against the Dark Knight. Roman's desperate attempt to thwart Batman and Robin at his father's manor ended up with Roman setting it ablaze. Desperate to flee the burning structure, Batman and Robin incapacitate his legs with a batarang attached cable causing him to fall face first into his flame-engulfed, toys bringing his horrific accident to fruition. Roman ended up [[BodyHorror searing the very mask that is forever bound to his face]]. His face, now a grimacing skull of hate and rage as an untitled vendetta against Batman and his allies. He should definitely be mentioned here for the horrific inducing moments that he has delivered in Gotham City.

* Professor Hugo Strange, another well remembered and early recurring antagonist that predates fellow rogues [[ComicBook/TheJoker the Joker]] and Comicbook/{{Catwoman}}. In his early heydays, the Professor (like many others that fit the theme and times of the days of old) was a classic MadScientist throughout the 1940's. Mastering the art of chemicals, psychology, genealogy he did many unspeakable things ForTheEvulz. (Batman and the Monster Men come to mind?) He always pulled off cliffhangers on our readers and always returned [[TheUnfettered more determined then the last]]. In recent years, he has proven to be more wily, dangerous and even deranged than his previous incarnations. Being the very first villain and man to discover Batman's secret identity and having deep rooted resentment against Batman in very squicky fantasies (dressing up as Batman in a very creepy makeshift costume based on his, talking to a female mannequin and kidnapping Mayor Klass's daughter). Heck, the man managed to gain control for a brief time in Gotham during the Legends of the Dark Knight saga "Prey" by helping the G.C.P.D as a profiler in order to pursue and discover Batman's identity. Secretly, to tip the scale between Hugo and Batman he manages to take in an officer with a seething hate and disposition with the Dark Knight and manages to hypnotize him and groom him into a murderous vigilante called "Night Scourge". Using this as a means to show Gotham that Batman is a threat to society than being it's protector nearly [[ThePerfectCrime got away with it and almost turned all of Gotham against him]]. Fortunately, Batman cleared his name and made a brave stance and managed to prove to the police as well as the city that Hugo was not to be trusted. It get's [[FromBadToWorse so much worse though]] in the next arc titled "Terror". Hugo working hand in hand with [[ScaryScarecrows The Scarecrow]]. The entirety of the story [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope shows Hugo more unhinged, deranged and dangerous than previously in Prey.]] It proves that, when Hugo shows up. Something is very wrong, that trouble is brewing with his presence...

* Bane. Merciless, blood thirsty, [[GeniusBruiser intel]][[TheChessmaster ligent]], [[TheStrategist tactical]], and completely, ''unbelievably'' ''[[CombatPragmatist bru]]''''[[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown tal]]'', he's the one remembered for delivering the legendary finishing blow in the 1993 story arch ''ComicBook/{{Knightfall}}''. The blow that not only shattered Batman's spinal cord and forcing the Dark Knight into a [[TenMinuteRetirement brief retirement]] but also ruined him [[DespairEventHorizon spiritually]] as well. Even after the "Knightsaga" Bane is still a nightmarish force to be reckoned with. His highlights on the list? [[SchmuckBait Lets have a look]]! Bane fought Killer Croc to a stand still handicapped without the use of his precious Venom. He murders his father in a justifiable yet still dark DisproportionateRetribution his father was King Snake, a terrorist leader, martial artist and ruler of a terrorist organization called Kobra. And if you really want to be in his crosshairs, wait till he [[BodyHorror juices up with Venom]]. Being a [[ShadowArchetype dark mirror]] (like many villains that go against Batman) it goes to show how utterly terrifying Bane can be just like his rival.

* Right after ''ComicBook/TheKillingJoke'' was published, we had ''ComicBook/ADeathInTheFamily'', where the Joker showed everybody that UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks was over the hard way by brutally beating the second Robin, Jason Todd, with a crowbar in front of his mother. As if that weren't enough, he then leaves them both in a warehouse that blows up just as the battered Jason manages to untie his mother, killing them both. The fact that it was drawn with the bright colors of the Golden/Silver ages, but added just enough shading to look realistic, only made it worse; you've never seen blood this scarlet. And he does it all with that smile on his face.
* The way Robin's mother reacted: turning away with an uncomfortable mixture of disgust and denial, and lighting up a cigarette. Post-Crisis Jason was never a nice kid, but this is the kind of thing that screws anyone up.

* As [[WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief unbelievable]] as people find it, the ''No Man's Land'' storyline had quite a bit. First, the very premise: Gotham freaking City, mostly destroyed, then cut off from the rest of America, all laws, and all support, while the wackos run free. Add multiple references to cannibalism, constant moral ambiguity, and the Joker doing classically barbaric Joker-things like kidnapping babies and inciting insane cops to shoot their own, and you have horror that's near impossible to laugh off.
* People wanting to actually stay in the prison that was being run by Lock-Up.

* Batman himself is this in ComicBook/AllStarBatmanAndRobinTheBoyWonder. Unlike his dark but heroic counterparts in most media adaptations and comic books, this Batman is psychotic, violent, unstable, bloodthirsty sadist who KIDNAPS Dick Grayson and forces him to become Robin against his own will, verbally and physically abuses him, in order to prevent him from grieving over his parents' deaths, even slapping the boy in the face and gloats that he is going to put Dick through hell with sadistic smile on his face, which is NightmareFuel in itself. He also leaves Dick to fend for himself in the Batcave, by eating rats and then when he finds out Alfred fed him a proper meal, he threatens him. Alfred is closest thing Bruce currently has to a father. He also takes really creepy and borderline pedophilic interest in Dick, watching him ''before'' he became Robin. And as pointed out in [[WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall Linkara's]] review of the comic, Batman sounded like he was going to kidnap Dick Grayson even if his parents were alive and possibly would have killed the boy's parents himself if the assassin didn't do it first. And that's not all. He murders criminals in various cruel and shocking ways, like he throwing a Molotov cocktail that engulfs several of criminals with flames and also attacking corrupt police officers with sadistic joy. And if Linkara's observations are anything to go by, it is implied that Batman was involved in an incestuous relationship with or sexually abused by either of his parents, giving him a FreudianExcuse.
** The last part is wildly incorrect, and was incorrect even when Linkara brought it up. The line in the comic refers to Bruce as a child touching his mother's chest after the mugging to try and feel her heart-beat. The line is 'I touched my mother's breast', which he decided to interpret deliberately wrong

* There's a reason Victor Zsasz hasn't been in any animated adaptations. The man carves a mark into himself for every victim he kills... and he has a ''lot'' of marks. Zsasz stands out among Batman's rogue's gallery in being a simple, straight-up serial-killing psychopath. He has no supervillain origin, no sympathetic motives, he just likes to kill people. Or "free the zombies" as he calls it. Especially women. He doesn't wear a suit, or rule an empire. He's just some guy. He could literally ''be anyone.''

* Bane. Bane is a merciless, blood thirsty, [[GeniusBruiser intel]][[TheChessmaster ligent]], [[TheStrategist tactical]], [[CombatPragmatist brutal]] [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown person]]. He is the only person still remembered for delivering the legendary finishing blow in the 1993 story arch ''ComicBook/{{Knightfall}}''. The blow that not only shattered Batman's spinal cord and forcing the Dark Knight into a [[TenMinuteRetirement brief retirement]] but also ruined him [[DespairEventHorizon spiritually]] as well. Even after the "Knightsaga" Bane is still a nightmarish force to be reckoned with. His highlights on the list? [[SchmuckBait Lets have a look]]! Bane fought Killer Croc to a stand still handicapped without the use of his precious Venom. He murders his father in a justifiable yet still dark DisproportionateRetribution his father was King Snake, a terrorist leader, martial artist and ruler of a terrorist organization called Kobra. And if you really want to be in his crosshairs, wait till he [[BodyHorror juices up with Venom]]. Being a [[ShadowArchetype dark mirror]] (like many villains that go against Batman) it goes to show how utterly terrifying Bane can be just like his rival.

* Roman Sionis. Or as his well known alias in crime, The Black Mask. Roman is another dark image on what would of happened or came to be if Bruce was a remorseless business mogul. Roman Sionis's road to crime began because of a few mistakes on his poor planning and control in business. Seeing turmoil of Roman's mistakes, Bruce Wayne bought the struggling business from Roman and relieved him of his control and began fluctuating his once previously owned business the Janus Cosmetic company and began making it return in booming success. Roman was outraged by this. In turn he founded the False Face Society and undertook many autocracies and became a [[BigBad big player]] in the criminal underworld.]] Not only does he deal in the [[ColdBloodedTorture "arrangements"]] of his business against his own associates or rivals alike, he makes sure that he get's his points across as best as he can. And as a Bonus! During a certain moment in Batman's crime fighting career, during a bout against the Dark Knight. Roman's desperate attempt to thwart Batman and Robin at his father's manor ended up with Roman setting it ablaze. Desperate to flee the burning structure, Batman and Robin incapacitate his legs with a batarang attached cable causing him to fall face first into his flame-engulfed, toys bringing his horrific accident to fruition. Roman ended up [[BodyHorror searing the very mask that is forever bound to his face]]. His face, now a grimacing skull of hate and rage as an untitled vendetta against Batman and his allies. He should definitely be mentioned here for the horrific inducing moments that he has delivered in Gotham City.

* Batman Incorporated #8. [[spoiler: The entirety of Damian's death scene. Despite it arguably being a DyingMomentOfAwesome, it was ''also'' a RasputinianDeath as Damian went through a lot of torture trying to appeal to his Mother's better nature before finally getting stabbed through the chest.]]

* In ''The Man Who Laughs'', we see the effects of the Joker venom [[spoiler:from Batman's perspective. Even though he gets better soon (as it's all part of a plan), the loss of sanity is terrifying. And you can't help but wonder if he was ever fully cured...]]

* Creator/NeilGaiman's ''ComicBook/WhateverHappenedToTheCapedCrusader?'': [[spoiler:Alfred]] dressing up slowly as the Joker is bizarrely terrifying.

** And why is he doing all this? [[spoiler: He's performing a Satanic Ritual with Batman as the sacrifice and is putting Bats through all the pre-lim stuff before he kills him to unleash a demon on Gotham City. ''Holy fuck.'']]

** Batman #23.2 does a good job showing [[NotSoHarmlessVillain how terrifying]] [[BewareTheSillyOnes Riddler can be.]] Breaking into Wayne Enterprises, killing anyone who stands in his way, all so he can [[spoiler: [[ItMakesSenseInContext play a game of solitaire in peace]]]].

** Then there's his ultimate plan. Taking a drug designed to curb sociopathic tendencies and induce some empathy and reversing the effects, in order to drug every infant in Gotham to turn them into sociopathic killers like him. Even worse, [[spoiler:he may have succeeded.]]
* One particularly creepy, but rather unknown, adversary of Batman is Jane Doe. She is, as quoted by one of her personas, "a cipher, she's incomplete, her life is empty, so she covets the lives of others. She takes their lives so she can have their lives." In short, she learns people's traits, kills them, then wears their skin and acts like them. If that, and [[NauseaFuel what's really under her skin]] doesn't unnerve, it's also worth noting she's primarily responsible for [[spoiler:turn Warren White into The Great White Shark, who would go onto be one of Gotham's most feared mob bosses.]]

* There's also dark mirrors of Bruce Wayne as well to add more to the fuel. Thomas Elliot a.k.a Hush is the perfect closest to a doppelganger to Bruce. The [[LampshadeHanging irony that these two share when they were once childhood friends to one another's families]] and to each other. At the same time both suffered the losses of their mothers and fathers. The only slight difference? [[TearJerker Bruce lost his family through heart wrenching tragedy]]. Thomas on the other hand, lost his through his own means. [[spoiler: He sought personal independence due to the many years of abuse from his father and frail mother and wanted to obtain his inheritance sooner. He cut his parent's tire breaks on their car and manages to kill his own father, yet his mother was saved by the exceptional operational skill of Dr. Thomas Wayne fueling his hate for the Waynes. Years later he finished what he started by suffocating his own mother in cold blood with a pillow, all as the world thought that it was just a simple household accident.]] He murdered them just to obtain the family fortune. And he resents Bruce because he obtained his through true loss BEFORE his own family's demise. Hush's sole purpose in life is to destroy both the Batman and Bruce Wayne and [[TheUnfettered will stop at nothing to accomplish his goals]].
* Roman Sionis. Or as his well known alias in crime, The Black Mask. Roman is another dark image on what would of happened or came to be if Bruce was a remorseless business mogul. [[spoiler: Roman Sionis's road to crime began because of a few mistakes on his poor planning and control in business. Seeing turmoil of Roman's mistakes, Bruce Wayne bought the struggling business from Roman and relieved him of his control and began fluctuating his once previously owned business the Janus Cosmetic company and began making it return in booming success. Roman was outraged by this. In turn he founded the False Face Society and undertook many autocracies and became a [[BigBad big player]] in the criminal underworld.]] Not only does he deal in the [[ColdBloodedTorture "arrangements"]] of his business against his own associates or rivals alike, he makes sure that he get's his points across as best as he can. And as a Bonus! During a certain moment in Batman's crime fighting career, during a bout against the Dark Knight. [[spoiler: Roman's desperate attempt to thwart Batman and Robin at his father's manor ended up with Roman setting it ablaze. Desperate to flee the burning structure, Batman and Robin incapacitate his legs with a batarang attached cable causing him to fall face first into his flame-engulfed, toys bringing his horrific accident to fruition.]] Roman ended up [[BodyHorror searing the very mask that is forever bound to his face]]. His face, now a grimacing skull of hate and rage as an untitled vendetta against Batman and his allies. He should definitely be mentioned here for the horrific inducing moments that he has delivered in Gotham City.
* Batman's disturbing portrayal of drug dependency in Venom which has a good dose of NightmareFuel and TruthInTelevision thrown in full spades. Part of the Legends of the Dark Knight anthology series (issues 16-20). Batman's reason to turning towards the fictional synthetic drug is because he failed to save one little girl from drowning to death in a cavernous section of the sewer. He ends up working unwillingly with the creator of the very drug [[spoiler: and father of said aforementioned girl, Randolph Porter.]] and begins developing sensational use of the drug. Batman starts undergoing many changes (physically, psychologically and through motor functions). It's hard to read the whole story from beginning to end since we get to see first hand that Batman's reliance and dependency on Venom ends up showing an almost rarely seen human side of him. Begging and pleading for more of the stuff and wallowing in himself inside. And besides being weak, he becomes more highly deranged with occasional roid rages and actually enjoys causing pain and suffering on his foes (surprisingly without nearly killing them!). It's both [[NightmareFuel disturbing]] and [[TearJerker sad]] to see the beloved Dark Knight into a big shambling drug user. And not only does it affect him, but it also nearly destroys the kindled friendships of Commissioner James Gordon and Alfred, with him beginning to question Bruce's health and well being. In order for Bruce to overcome the addiction, he needed to isolate himself for a straight 30 days in his own cave! As you might expect, during his detoxing period. He undergoes various craves and also [[SanitySlippage suffers horrific hallucinations]]. This very arc from beginning to end is just NightmareFuel to begin with. Oh! And if you think just the description itself is bad... [[SchmuckBait Wait till you]] [[http://i.imgur.com/4RSZD6K.png get a]] [[http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/11112/111121690/3690821-1951947864-batma.jpg load of]] [[http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/scale_large/6/67663/2403056-new_edition.jpg This!]]
* Two-Face. [[BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind Harvey Dent's bout with his "evil" side of himself holds many classic struggles of one's internal thoughts.]] Not only is he unpredictable, well organized and wily. But, he's also shown to be adept and highly dangerous. From his obsession with the number two (.22 caliber guns, second place trophies, the 2nd National Banks, etc.) [[JudgeJuryAndExecutioner judging people's fate by a flip of his scarred sided coin]], to being a creepy StalkerWithACrush with Renee Montoya. Everybody knows of his [[BodyHorror horrific]] [[FacialHorror mangled left sided face.]] But when [[ThroughTheEyesOfMadness you really delve deep into his character and history,]] one can understand and summarize on what [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope drove him to becoming on who or what he is.]] All because of one instance during court by a certain thug [[spoiler: Salvatore Maroni]] [[ComicBook/TheLongHalloween testifying during the infamous "Holiday" murders.]]

* Bane. Bane is a merciless, blood thirsty, [[GeniusBruiser intel]][[TheChessmaster ligent]], [[TheStrategist tactical]], [[CombatPragmatist brutal]] [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown person]]. He is the only person still remembered for delivering the legendary finishing blow in the 1993 story arch ''ComicBook/{{Knightfall}}''. The blow that not only shattered Batman's spinal cord and forcing the Dark Knight into a [[TenMinuteRetirement brief retirement]] but also ruined him [[DespairEventHorizon spiritually]] as well. Even after the "Knightsaga" Bane is still a nightmarish force to be reckoned with. His highlights on the list? [[SchmuckBait Lets have a look]]! Bane fought Killer Croc to a stand still [[spoiler:Handicapped without the use of his precious Venom.]]. He murders his father in a justifiable yet still dark DisproportionateRetribution [[spoiler:his father was King Snake, a terrorist leader, martial artist and ruler of a terrorist organization called Kobra.]]. And if you really want to be in his crosshairs, wait till he [[BodyHorror juices up with Venom]]. Being a [[ShadowArchetype dark mirror]] (like many villains that go against Batman) it goes to show how utterly terrifying Bane can be just like his rival.

* Professor Hugo Strange, another well remembered and early recurring antagonist that predates fellow rogues [[ComicBook/TheJoker the Joker]] and Comicbook/{{Catwoman}}. In his early heydays, the Professor (like many others that fit the theme and times of the days of old) was a classic MadScientist throughout the 1940's. Mastering the art of chemicals, psychology, genealogy he did many unspeakable things ForTheEvulz. (Batman and the Monster Men come to mind?) He always pulled off cliffhangers on our readers and always returned [[TheUnfettered more determined then the last]]. In recent years, he has proven to be more wily, dangerous and even deranged than his previous incarnations. Being the very first villain and man to discover Batman's secret identity and having deep rooted resentment against Batman in very squicky fantasies [[spoiler:(dressing up as Batman in a very creepy makeshift costume based on his, talking to a female mannequin and kidnapping Mayor Klass's daughter).]] Heck, the man managed to gain control for a brief time in Gotham during the Legends of the Dark Knight saga "Prey" by helping the G.C.P.D as a profiler in order to pursue and discover Batman's identity. Secretly, to tip the scale between Hugo and Batman he manages to take in an officer with a seething hate and disposition with the Dark Knight and manages to hypnotize him and groom him into a murderous vigilante called "Night Scourge". Using this as a means to show Gotham that Batman is a threat to society than being it's protector nearly [[ThePerfectCrime got away with it and almost turned all of Gotham against him]]. Fortunately, Batman cleared his name and made a brave stance and managed to prove to the police as well as the city that Hugo was not to be trusted. It get's [[FromBadToWorse so much worse though]] in the next arc titled "Terror". Hugo working hand in hand with [[ScaryScarecrows The Scarecrow]]. The entirety of the story [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope shows Hugo more unhinged, deranged and dangerous than previously in Prey.]] It proves that, when Hugo shows up. Something is very wrong, that trouble is brewing with his presence...

* There's a reason Victor Zsasz hasn't been in any animated adaptations. The man carves a mark into himself for every victim he kills... and he has a ''lot'' of marks. Zsasz stands out among Batman's rogue's gallery in being a simple, straight-up serial-killing psychopath. He has no supervillain origin, no sympathetic motives, he just likes to kill people. Or "free the zombies" as he calls it. Especially women.

* There's a reason Victor Zsasz hasn't been in any animated adaptations. The man carves a mark into himself for every victim he kills... and he has a ''lot'' of marks.

* '''''ComicBook/TheJoker'''''. Pre-Crisis, Post-Crisis, it doesn't matter - he is the TropeCodifier for MonsterClown and he shows it ''brilliantly''. In his very first appearance, he utilizes his horrible Joker Venom without a second thought, laughing off any inevitable deaths he causes. Chronologically-speaking, even when you read a goofy Silver Age story where he's pulling some harmless heist, you're still looking at a MonsterClown with [[LackOfEmpathy completely apathetic]] spree-killings on his criminal record[[note]]which, not counting unearthly forces, contains the single biggest kill count in the DC ''universe'' (being over 2,000 murders)[[/note]]. Another part of what makes him so scary is how ''random'' he is -- he can be a harmless jester pulling elaborate pranks one minute and without warning try to poison the whole of Gotham. The worst part is that the Joker doesn't seem to notice any difference; pin-balling from HarmlessVillain to crossing the MoralEventHorizon is as easy as breathing for him. Lastly, he instills fear into many in-and-out-of universe, especially if you happen to be coulrophobic (fear of clowns). All of this manageable by someone who has no powers apart from an utterly unhinged mindset.

* '''''ComicBook/TheJoker'''''. Pre-Crisis, Post-Crisis, it doesn't matter - he is the TropeCodifier for MonsterClown and he shows it ''brilliantly''. In his very first appearance, he utilizes his horrible Joker Venom without a second thought, laughing off any inevitable deaths he causes. Chronologically-speaking, even when you read a goofy Silver Age story where he's pulling some harmless heist, you're still looking at a MonsterClown with spree-killings on his criminal record - which, not counting unearthly forces, contains the single biggest kill count in the DC ''universe'' (being over 2,000 murders). Every single one of which he deems as comedy gold, never feeling a ''tingle'' of remorse for anyone he brutally kills. Another part of what makes him so scary is how ''random'' he is -- he can be a harmless jester pulling elaborate pranks one minute and without warning try to poison the whole of Gotham. The worst part is that the Joker doesn't seem to notice any difference; pin-balling from HarmlessVillain to crossing the MoralEventHorizon is as easy as breathing for him.

* Post-Crisis Joker in general is not fun for anyone with a fear of clowns.
** Scratch that - The Joker ''in general, period.'' In his very first appearance, he utilizes his horrible Joker Venom without a second thought, laughing off any inevitable deaths he causes. Chronologically-speaking, even when you read a goofy Silver Age story where he's pulling some harmless heist, you're still looking at a MonsterClown with spree-killings on his criminal record.
** Part of what makes him so scary is how ''random'' he is -- he can be a harmless jester pulling elaborate pranks one minute and without warning try to poison the whole of Gotham. The worst part is that the Joker doesn't seem to notice any difference; pin-balling from HarmlessVillain to crossing the MoralEventHorizon is as easy as breathing for him.

[[AC:Other]]

** ''ComicBook/DeathOfTheFamily'': ComicBook/TheJoker is back. He got his face skin back, and used a belt on it to wear it like a mask most grotesque. He got it from the police station, and turned off the lights and killed a load of cops. He seems to be re-enacting his biggest crimes from before, like poisoning the river and paralyzing Barbara Gordon. His motivation this time is to get rid of the Batfamily and Batman's network of allies. Why? Because he thinks that Batman has grown soft and weak thanks to them, and that Batman would be better off without them. Not only that, but it turns out that [[spoiler: he knows about the location of the Batcave, broke into Wayne Manor to take Alfred hostage and torture him, and he knows all the secrets of the Batfamily. When a guy like the Joker becomes TheChessmaster and knows your secrets, you're really in trouble]]!
*** In the end, arguably the scariest thing about ''Death of the Family'', [[spoiler:is that the Joker doesn't actually kill anyone. He does bring it about in a metaphorical sense however by turning everyone's trust away from Batman and breaking up the Bat-Family, with all of the horrors and BreakThemByTalking he inflicted on them.]] It further shows why he is the most personal and horrifying enemy of Batman as he has left him even more alone than he already was.

* Batman #497, [[WhamEpisode also known as the 11th issue in the infamous KnightFall story arc]], but better known by it's title of of ''[[GameBreakingInjury The Broken Bat.]]'' Imagine being a little kid, or a long time Batman fan(which many of us likely were at that time) wondering how things would go with Bruce's confrontation with Bane, Batman gives a big speech, slaps on his mask... [[CurbStompBattle and then spends the whole issue getting his ass kicked.]] Really, after the first few pages where Bane lays out his motives, it's a one sided confrontation from start to finish. Imagine the horror that must have went through the minds of many readers as they watched their hero get massacred, his every attempt to fight back failing pitifully. the battle was over before it even began, and both Bane and Batman knew it. And then final terrifying moment [[http://jaymckinnon.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/bane-breaks-batmans-back-rises.jpg where Bane puts Batman out of his misery, and breaks his back.]]

* People wanting to actually stay in the prison that was being run by Lockdown.

** The Joker in general. In his very first appearance, he utilizes his horrible Joker Venom. Chronologically-speaking, even when you read a goofy Silver Age story where he's pulling some harmless heist, you're still looking at a MonsterClown with spree-killings on his criminal record.