Batman Not only is DC Comics’ most successful and iconic hero, he also has an equally famous set of villains. Having faced the same enemies for eight decades, the Caped Crusader was forced to forge temporary alliances with these foes for the greater good. From unwanted members of the Justice League to conflicting characters trying to right their wrongs, some of these unlikely partnerships made for great adventures.
Batman’s collaborations with villains have been some of his best adventures, forcing him to balance his pursuit of justice with the greater good. These stories also reveal the depth and complexity of the various villains, exploring the tragic origins and complex motivations that fuel their actions. While some of these stories lead to long-term defections to the side of good, most simply explore how pragmatic DC villains can be.
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Justice League #30 (onwards)
Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, Doug Mahnke, Scott Hannah, Rod Reis and Desi Sienti
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 of that era Justice League the escape occurred when Lex Luthor arrived at Wayne Manor, where he blackmailed Bruce Wayne into allowing him to join the League, using his secret identity as Batman as leverage.
His time in the Justice League changed Luthor, even leading to him seemingly changing his views for the better by the start of DC’s Renaissance. Watching the villain confront Wayne and discover his secret will forever remain a highlight of this DC period, and Luthor truly proved to be a valuable asset to the team. There have been a lot of interesting characters in the Justice League in the past, and Lex showed how much a villain can enrich their stories.
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Batman: Reptile
Garth Ennis, Liam Sharp and Rob Steen
Batman: Reptile follows the monster’s arrival in Gotham City, where he destroys Batman’s gallery of rogues in one fell swoop. After investigating the murder scene, the Caped Crusader is led to Killer Croc, where he realizes that the reptilian villain is not only capable of asexual reproduction, but also gave birth to that same monster in the sewers. In response, the hero enlists the help of his unsuspecting father, who accompanies him under the city to defeat the creature.
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Batman: Reptile features a brilliant pairing of creators, with Liam Sharp’s surreal art style highlighting the dark, distinctive tone of Garth Ennis’s work. The story ends on an action-packed note as the Dark Knight is forced to fight the monster from within while Croc does his best to help.
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Joker War Saga
James Tynion IV, Jorge Jimenez, Tomeu Mori, Clayton Cowles and others
During the mass Joker War In the crossover, Batman was forced to fight the Clown Prince of Crime after the villain’s conquest of the city. With seemingly endless crime on the streets, the hero barely survives the onslaught, which leads to him running into Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, who reluctantly shelter him and help him.
Batman also teams up with Two-Face in a side adventure and enlists the help of Harley Quinn, leading to the fan-favorite “Battery” moment. The event remains a gem in the James Tynion IV story, especially with Jorge Jimenez as his co-writer, and provided readers with some instant fan-favorite moments by introducing Harley into the ranks of the Bat-Family.
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Batman #232
Dennis O’Neal, Neal Adams, Dick Giordano and John Costanza
Batman #232 begins with Robin’s kidnapping, prompting Ra’s al Ghul to seek out the Caped Crusader, claiming that his daughter has also been kidnapped. Unaware of the villain’s true nature, Bruce Wayne agrees to accompany him on a journey through the dangerous mountains in search of his loved ones. Upon reaching his destination, Wayne realizes that he has been deceived and that his new ally is testing him, seeing if he is worthy to become the successor to his empire.
As introduced to Ra’s al Ghul, Batman #232 remains one of the best single issues in the hero’s history, establishing the Demon’s Head as an intellectual and tactical threat to Wayne. For most of the story, the pair work together, creating something of a rescue story, and the final reveal makes the whole issue even better.
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Detective Comics Vol. 4: Cold Revenge
Peter J. Tomasi, Doug Mahnke, Keith Champagne, Christian Alami, David Baron, Rob Lee and others
In 2019, writer Peter J. Tomasi Detective comics run intersects with the Year of the Villain event, with Mr. Freeze’s extended story collected in one issue as Cold revenge. In this story, Lex Luthor helps Mr. Freeze by reviving Nora so they can become a couple. While the pair initially engage in criminal activity together, Freeze’s desire to turn away from villainy causes a rift between them, with the newly revived Nora enjoying her power. In desperation, a tragic villain turns to Batman to kill his wife.
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Cold revenge is one of the best Mr. Freeze comics since the character’s debut, especially because it once and for all answers the question of what would happen if Nora came to life. Watching the Caped Crusader partner with his most tragic villain was a satisfying tale and remains one of the highlights of Tomasi’s run for the title.
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Batman: Hush
Jeph Loeb, Jim Lee and others
Although Catwoman has spent most of her modern existence as Gotham’s resident anti-hero, most of her best stories still have her walking the line between crime and heroism. As such, her collaboration with Batman makes for some great comics, most notably a foundational story. Quiet. The story follows the arrival of a new villain with ties to Bruce Wayne’s past who is trying to kill him, with all the evidence leading to the Riddler.
Quiet contains a number of brilliant moments that remain iconic today, most notably Batman fighting a Poison Ivy-controlled Superman and Catwoman throwing Lois Lane out of a building to get him out of it. The story remains one of the best bat-cat tales in DC history and was a turning point in their relationship.
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Batman: One Bad Day – Bane
Joshua Williamson, Howard Porter, Tomeu Mori and Steve Wands
Bane has been one of Batman’s most interesting villains since his debut in Batman: Bane’s Revenge #1 by Chuck Dixon, Graham Nolan, Eduardo Barreto, Adrienne Roy and Bill Oakley. Instead of being a maniacal and unintelligent enemy, he is defined by his ambition, intelligence and strength, making him the mirror image of the hero. Under DC One bad day In a series of villain-centric one-shots, Bane played his own story that chronicled his quest to stop the use of the Venom serum to empower monstrous villains.
Batman and Bane actually have an extensive history of collaboration, but One bad day tells them in one of the most intense stories to date. Faced with the threat of massive villains out of control, the pair work together for the greater good, with Bane vowing to complete the mission when the hero appears to be dead. The story ends on a touching note as the redeemed villain learns to move beyond his rivalry with the Bat.
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Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #26–29 – “Impossible”
Mark Waid, Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain and Steve Wands
Mark Waid and Dan Mora Batman/Superman: The best in the world The series quickly gained recognition among readers as a modern classic for its portrayal of perhaps the best friendship in superhero comics. In the “Impossible” story arc – which is collected in World’s Best Vol. 6slated for release in 2025, rival heroes from the Fifth Dimension, Mister Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite, team up to try to save the world from Doom-Mite, a Darkseid-esque villain from their realm.
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“The Impossible” is a magnificent tale of magic in which the world’s best team collaborates with their fifth-dimensional counterparts to save the world. The story also features some lesser-known characters, such as Prince Ra-Man and Doctor Occult, who team up to defeat Doommite.
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Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 9: Ruin your face
James Robinson, Carmine Giandomenico, Stephen Segovia, Ivan Plasencia and Rob Lee
During his brief stint writing Detective comicsJames Robinson delivered an excellent detective story about the teamwork of Batman and Two-Face. The story revolves around a plot orchestrated by Cobra to attack Gotham City, forcing the Caped Crusader to turn to his old friend Harvey Dent for help. As two competing personalities vie for control, the complex duality of the villain becomes a central theme of the story.
“Deface the Face” explores the dual nature of Two-Face, highlighting the fact that while the villain may be dominant, Dent’s heroic qualities are still present. The six-issue storyline gives readers a combination of good mystery, detailed character exploration, and a climactic, action-packed ending.
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Batman and Joker: Deadly Duo
Marc Silvestri, Arif Prianto and Troy Peteri
The long-awaited Batman comic from Marc Silvestri. Batman and Joker: Deadly Duo tells about the uneasy alliance of the Dark Knight and the Joker. The discovery that their allies, Jim Gordon and Harley Quinn, have been kidnapped prompts the two rivals to embark on a journey. As the story progresses, unlikely allies realize that they are pawns in the game of victims of an endless war.
Deadly Duo pays full homage to one of the greatest rivalries in comics, even going so far as to give the Clown Prince of Crime his own battle suit. The miniseries combines a time-tested journey with horror and an emotional ending. Batman there must be a comic.