Batmanisn’t just the most successful and iconic hero in DC Comics, he also has anequally famous set of villains. Having been faced with some of the same foes for eight decades, the Caped Crusader has been forced to form temporary alliances with these antagonists for the greater good. Ranging from unwanted members of the Justice League to conflicted characters trying to correct their mistakes, some of these unlikely partnerships have made for excellent adventures.
Batman’s team-upswith villains have made for some of his best adventures, forcing him to balance his quest for justice with the greater good. These stories also bring out the depth and complexities of various villains, exploring the tragic origins and complicated motivations that fuel their actions. While some of these stories resulted in long-term moves to the side of good, most simply explore how pragmatic DC’s villains can be.
10Justice League #30 (and Onward)
Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, Doug Mahnke, Scott Hanna, Rod Reis, and Dezi Sienty
The New 52 took DC Comics in a new direction for its characters, and the sudden transformation of several villains to the side of good is a good example of the change. One of the most iconic moments from the era’sJustice Leaguerun came when Lex Luthor arrived at Wayne Manor, where he blackmailed Bruce Wayne into letting him join the League - using his secret identity as Batman as leverage.
His time on the Justice League was transformative for Luthor, even leading to him seemingly changing his stripes for the better by the dawn of DC’s Rebirth era. Seeing the villain confront Wayne with his secret will forever be a highlight of this period of DC, and Luthor did prove to be a valuable asset for the team. TheJustice League has housed an interesting slew of charactersin the past, and Lex showed how much a villain can enrich their stories.
9Batman: Reptilian
Garth Ennis, Liam Sharp, and Rob Steen
Batman: Reptilianfollows the arrival of a monster to Gotham City, where it wipes outBatman’s rogues galleryin one fell swoop. After investigating the murder scene, the Caped Crusader is led to Killer Croc, where he realizes the reptilian villain is not only capable of asexual reproduction, but has spawned the very monster in the sewers. In response, the hero enlists the help of the unsuspecting father to accompany him beneath the city to defeat the creature.
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Batman: Reptilianis a brilliant pairing of creators, with Liam Sharp’s surrealist painted art style accentuating the dark, creature feature tone of Garth Ennis' writing. The story ends on an action-packed note, with the Dark Knight forced to fight the monster from the inside out - meanwhile, Croc does what he can to help.
8The Joker War Saga
James Tynion IV, Jorge Jiménez, Tomeu Morey, Clayton Cowles, and More
During the massiveJoker Warcrossover event, Batman was forced to take on the Clown Prince of Crime in the aftermath of the villain’s conquest of the city. With the streets plunged into a seemingly-endless crime spree, the hero barely survives the onslaught, leading to him stumbling upon Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, who reluctantly shelter and aid him.
Batman also teams up with Two-Face on a side adventure, and he seeks the aid of Harley Quinn, resulting in the fan-favorite “Bat-tery” moment. The event remains the crowning jewel in James Tynion IV’s run on the character, esepcially with Jorge Jiménez as his collaborator, and delivered readers some instant fan-favorite moments, bringing Harley into the Bat-Family fold.
7Batman #232
Dennis O’Neil, Neal Adams, Dick Giordano, and John Costanza
Batman#232 begins with the abduction of Robin, prompting Ra’s al Ghul to seek out the Caped Crusader, claiming his daughter has also been kidnapped. Unaware of the villain’s true nature, Bruce Wayne agrees to accompany him on their globe-trotting journey into perilous mountains in search of their loved ones. Upon reaching their destination, Wayne realizes he’s been duped, and that his new ally has been testing him, seeing if he’s worthy as a successor to his empire.
As the introduction of Ra’s al Ghul,Batman#232 remains one of the best single issues in the hero’s history, building up the Demon’s Head as an intellectual and tactical threat to Wayne. For the bulk of the story, the pair work together in what seems like a rescue story, and the final revelation makes the whole issue work even better.
6Detective Comics Vol. 4: Cold Vengeance
Peter J. Tomasi, Doug Mahnke, Keith Champagne, Christian Alamy, David Baron, Rob Leigh, and More
In 2019, writer Peter J. Tomasi’sDetective Comicsrun intersected with the Year of the Villain event with an extended Mr. Freeze story, collected in one edition asCold Vengeance. In this story, Lex Luthor aids Mr. Freeze, reviving Nora so that they can be a couple. While the pair initially engage in a crime spree together, Freeze’s desire to turn away from villainy causes a rift between them, with the newly-revived Nora enjoying her power. In his desperation, the tragic villain turns to Batman to bring down his wife.
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Cold Vengeanceis one of the best Mr Freeze comics since the character’s debut, especially since it answers the question once and for all as to what would happen if Nora was revived. Seeing the Caped Crusader partner with his most tragic villain delivered a satisfying tale and remains one of the highlights of Tomasi’s run on the title.
5Batman: Hush
Jeph Loeb, Jim Lee, and More
While Catwoman has spent most of her modern existence as Gotham’s resident antihero, most of her best stories still make a point of having her walk the line between crime and heroism. As such, her team-ups with Batman make for some excellent comics, most notablythe seminal storyHush. The story follows the arrival of a new villain with ties to Bruce Wayne’s past who attempts to kill him, with all clues leading back to the Riddler.
Hushcontains a number of brilliant moments that remain iconic today, most notably Batman fighting a Poison Ivy-controlled Superman - and Catwoman dropping Lois Lane from a building to snap him out of it. The story remains one of the best Bat/Cat tales in DC history and was an inflection point in their relationship.
Joshua Williamson, Howard Porter, Tomeu Morey, and Steve Wands
Bane has been one of Batman’s most interesting villains since his debut inBatman:Vengeance of Bane#1 by Chuck Dixon, Graham Nolan, Eduardo Barreto, Adrienne Roy, and Bill Oakley. Rather than being a maniacal, unreasoning foe, he’s instead defined by his ambition, intelligence, and strength, casting him as a mirror image of the hero. Under DC’sOne Bad Dayline of villain-focused one-shots, Bane was cast in his own tale, which explored his quest to stop the use of the Venom serum to enhance monstrous villains.
Batman and Bane actually have an extensive history of teaming up, butOne Bad Daycasts them in one of their most action-packed stories to date. Confronted by the threat of out-of-control hulking villains, the pair work together for the greater good, and Bane swears to complete the mission when the hero seemingly perishes. The story finishes on a touching note as the redeemed villain learns to move beyond his rivalry with the Bat.
3Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #26-29 - “Impossible”
Mark Waid, Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain, and Steve Wands
Mark Waid and Dan Mora’sBatman / Superman:World’s Finestseries has quickly gone down with readers as a modern classic thanks to its treatment of arguably the best friendship in superhero comics. In the story arc “Impossible” - which is collected inWorld’s Finest Vol. 6, set for release in 2025 - the heroes' Fifth Dimensional rivals, Mr. Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite, team up to try and save the world from Doom-Mite, a Darkseid-style villain from their realm.
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“Impossible” makes for a great magic-themed team-up story, one that has the World’s Finest team partnering with their Fifth Dimensional counterparts to save the world. The story also spotlights some lesser-known characters, such as Prince Ra-Man and Doctor Occult, as everyone pulls together to defeat Doom-Mite.
2Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 9: Deface the Face
James Robinson, Carmine Giandomenico, Stephen Segovia, Ivan Plascencia, and Rob Leigh
During his brief stint writingDetective Comics, James Robinson turned in an excellent detective team-up story featuring Batman and Two-Face working together. The story revolves around a plot orchestrated by Kobra to attack Gotham City, forcing the Caped Crusader to turn to his old friend, Harvey Dent, for help. With the two competing personalities vying for control, the complex villain’s duality makes for a central theme in the story.
“Deface the Face” explores the dual nature of Two-Face, highlighting the fact that while the villain may be dominant, the heroic attributes of Dent are still present. The six-issue story arc gives readers a combination of a good detective story, a nuanced character study, and a climactic, action-packed finale.
1Batman & the Joker: The Deadly Duo
Marc Silvestri, Arif Prianto, and Troy Peteri
The long-awaited Batman comic by Marc Silvestri,Batman & the Joker: The Deadly Duofollows the uneasy alliance between the Dark Knight and the Joker. The revelation that their respective allies, Jim Gordon and Harley Quinn, have been kidnapped prompts the two rivals to head out on a road trip. As the story progresses, the unlikely allies realize that they’re pawns in the game of a victim of their never-ending war.
The Deadly Duoperfectly honors one of comics' greatest rivalries, even going so far as to give the Clown Prince of Crime his own batsuit. Combining the time-honored road trip with a horror tone and emotional finale, the miniseries is everything aBatmancomic should be.
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
