Summary
The realm ofDC Comicsis full of godlike beings from across the cosmos, yet the company’s most popular hero isBatman. Contrary to his peers, this gothic detective has no superpowers. He’s a human being with advanced training, extensive resources, and a taste for the theatrical. These aspects have made him iconic to both comic fans and general audiences. It’s a guise that anyone would want to emulate.
Even other DC heroes have donned Batman’s mantle. These swaps usually happen in standalone stories when Dark Knight is out of commission. The result is always a steep learning curve. On the upside, it makes the ensuing adventure insanely entertaining. There are fish out of the water, and then there are bats out of the belfry.
5Superman Saves The Day
Superman: The Animated Series
The Man of Steel and Caped Crusader have always been polar opposites. It’s why they initially keep their distance from each other in thehighly popular DC Animated Universe. That is, until one episode ofSuperman: The Animated Series.Season 3, Episode 2 saw the episodeKnight Time,in which Batman goes missing. Recognizing that Robin is stretched too thin, Superman assumes The Dark Knight’s mantle to help solve the mystery.
From the beginning, the Kryptonian hero completely out of his element. He’s uncomfortable with sneaking around in the shadows, and he overcomes Batman’s rogues through brute force rather than ingenuity and gadgets. Robin tries to show Supes the ropes, even fooling Commissioner Gordon. Needless to say, both are relieved when they rescue the real Batman. The two DC Titans have switched places several other times, but it’s usually a one-off gag or brief bamboozle. No instance has been as involved as this.
4Aquaman, Green Arrow, Shazam, & Plastic Man
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Batman: The Brave and the Boldis a wacky Silver Age series boasting a plethora of powerhouses from all corners of DC, but they all have a particular respect for Batman. When The Dark Knight lands in the hospital, they can’t stand by and watch Gotham fall to the criminal underworld. So, Aquaman, Green Arrow, Shazam, and Plastic Man each don a Batsuit and pose as their super-friend in Season 3, Episode 6’sNight of the Batmen.
Sadly, they all run into their own issues in adapting to Batman’s style. For instance, Green Arrow isn’t used to aiming with Batarangs, andAquaman’s weird powers show that hedoesn’t like being cut off from the sea.When the Joker defeats the pretenders, they can’t help but wonder how Batman does it. Luckily, the real deal saves them in a suit of robotic armor. He still appreciates the help, though, so they all work together until he heals. Even Batman needs an understudy.
3The Torch Passes To Nightwing
As the original Robin and surrogate son, Dick Grayson would be the natural choice to inherit Batman’s mantle. Though he eventually strikes out as his own hero, Nightwing,he nevertheless fills in for his mentor several times in the comics. The circumstances vary. The tales sometimes flash forward to when Bruce Wayne is dead or retired. Alternatively, it could be a temporary position when The Dark Knight is missing or otherwise unavailable. It’s never Dick’s preferred choice, but he performs the duty all the same.
These moments occasionally emerge onscreen.The Brave and the Boldfeatures a what-if episode where a retired Bruce Wayne dies. Grayson assumes the cape and cowl while Bruce’s son, Damian, suits up as Robin. This unlikely duo teams up again inBatman: Bad Blood. When Talia Al Ghul abducts Bruce for brainwashing, Dick and Damian unravel her plot. The former dresses as Batman out of necessity, and the latter lambastes him the whole way. Nightwing is probably the only DC hero who doesn’t want to be The Dark Knight.
2Alfred Pennyworth Does Double Duty
Batman (TV Series)
The person whom Bruce can rely on more than anyone is Alfred Pennyworth. The loyal butler becomes a surrogate father, andit’s clear he would do anything to protect his master. That occasionally includes preserving his secret identity. Whenever both Bruce and Batman must be present, Alfred dons The Dark Knight’s mantle. This happens numerous times in the comics, usually involving a face mask underneath the cowl and some extra padding. These aren’t the only workarounds, though.
The TV shows have different solutions. In the 1960sBatmanseries' 36th episode,Walk the Straight and Narrow, the disguised Alfred keeps his distance. Gordon asks what’s wrong, and the Caped Crusader replies that he has a contagious cold. 2004’sThe Batmanplays a similar card. When a pushy TV host suspects that Bruce Wayne is The Dark Knight, her cameraman spots the costumed hero on a rooftop. The visuals are dim and rainy, so he’s only visible in silhouette. That’s why Alfred is able to pull it off. His tenure is never a long-term gig; he only resorts to it for appearances. Of course, that’s not to say that he doesn’t have fun.
1Teenage Mutant Ninja Batman
Batman Vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Although it stems from the IDW comics,Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesis one of the weirdest butbestTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlecrossover flicksin DC history. Thankfully, the movie rolls with that weirdness in its humor. An especially silly moment occurs when the Turtles find the Batcave. Getting close to the mysterious Caped Crusader leaves them starstruck.
The ever-energetic Michelangelo can’t contain his excitement. He immediately dons a cape and cowl and sits astride the cave’s resident dinosaur statue. The party dude wants to stay up here all night. Sadly, Robin swoops in to knock him off his perch. There’s a certain irony in that. Then again, thisRobin is Damian Wayne, who was raised by the League of Assassins. Humor is lost on him.
