Main article: List of Batman family enemies

Batman faces a variety of foes ranging from common criminals to outlandish supervillains. Many
of them mirror aspects of the Batman's character and development, often having tragic origin
stories that lead them to a life of crime.[98] These foes are commonly referred to as Batman's
rogues gallery. Batman's "most implacable foe" is the Joker, a homicidal maniac with a clown-
like appearance. The Joker is considered by critics to be his perfect adversary, since he is the
antithesis of Batman in personality and appearance; the Joker has a maniacal demeanor with a
colorful appearance, while Batman has a serious and resolute demeanor with a dark appearance.
As a "personification of the irrational", the Joker represents "everything Batman [opposes]".[33]
Other long-time recurring foes that are part of Batman's rogues gallery include Catwoman (a cat
burglar anti-heroine who is an occasional ally and romantic interest), the Penguin, Ra's al Ghul,
Two-Face, the Riddler, the Scarecrow, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, Bane, Clayface,
and Killer Croc, among others. Many of Batman's adversaries are often psychiatric patients at
Arkham Asylum.

Allies

Alfred
Main article: Alfred Pennyworth

Batman's butler, Alfred Pennyworth, first appeared in Batman #16 (1943). He serves as Bruce
Wayne's loyal father figure and is one of the few persons to know his secret identity. Alfred
raised Bruce after his parents' death and knows him on a very personal level. He is sometimes
portrayed as a sidekick to Batman and the only other resident of Wayne Manor aside from Bruce.
The character "[lends] a homely touch to Batman's environs and [is] ever ready to provide a
steadying and reassuring hand" to the hero and his sidekick.[98]

"Batman family"

The informal name "Batman family" is used for a group of characters closely allied with Batman,
generally masked vigilantes who either have been trained by Batman or operate in Gotham City
with his tacit approval. They include: Barbara Gordon, Commissioner Gordon's daughter, who
has fought crime under the vigilante identity of Batgirl and, during a period in which she was
reliant on a wheelchair due to a gunshot wound inflicted by the Joker, the computer hacker the
Oracle; Helena Bertinelli, the sole surviving member of a mob family turned vigilante, who has
worked with Batman on occasion, primarily as the Huntress and as Batgirl for a brief stint;
Cassandra Cain, the daughter of professional assassins David Cain, and Lady Shiva, who
succeeded Bertinelli as Batgirl.

Civilians

Lucius Fox, a technology specialist and Bruce Wayne's business manager who is well aware of
his employer's clandestine vigilante activities; Dr. Leslie Thompkins, a family friend who like
Alfred became a surrogate parental figure to Bruce Wayne after the deaths of his parents, and is
also aware of his secret identity; Vicki Vale, an investigative journalist who often reports on
Batman's activities for the Gotham Gazette; Ace the Bat-Hound, Batman's canine partner who
was mainly active in the 1950s and 1960s;[99] and Bat-Mite, an extra-dimensional imp mostly
active in the 1960s who idolizes Batman.[99]

GCPD
Main article: Gotham City Police Department

As Batman's ally in the Gotham City police, Commissioner James "Jim" Gordon debuted along
with Batman in Detective Comics #27 and has been a consistent presence ever since. As a crime-
fighting everyman, he shares Batman's goals while offering, much as the character of Dr. Watson
does in Sherlock Holmes stories, a normal person's perspective on the work of Batman's
extraordinary genius.

Justice League
Main article: Justice League

Batman is at times a member of superhero teams such as the Justice League of America and the
Outsiders. Batman has often been paired in adventures with his Justice League teammate
Superman, notably as the co-stars of World's Finest Comics and Superman/Batman series. In
Pre-Crisis continuity, the two are depicted as close friends; however, in current continuity, they
are still close friends but an uneasy relationship, with an emphasis on their differing views on
crime-fighting and justice. In Superman/Batman #3 (December 2003), Superman observes,
"Sometimes, I admit, I think of Bruce as a man in a costume. Then, with some gadget from his
utility belt, he reminds me that he has an extraordinarily inventive mind. And how lucky I am to
be able to call on him."[100]

Robin
Main article: Robin (character)

Batman and Robin, art by Jack Burnley

Robin, Batman's vigilante partner, has been a widely recognized supporting character for many
years.[101] Bill Finger stated that he wanted to include Robin because "Batman didn't have anyone
to talk to, and it got a little tiresome always having him thinking."[102] The first Robin, Dick
Grayson, was introduced in 1940. In the 1970s he finally grew up, went off to college and
became the hero Nightwing. A second Robin, Jason Todd, appeared in the 1980s. In the stories
he was eventually badly beaten and then killed in an explosion set by the Joker, but was later
revived. He used the Joker's old persona, the Red Hood, and became an antihero vigilante with
no qualms about using firearms or deadly force. Carrie Kelley, the first female Robin to appear
in Batman stories, was the final Robin in the continuity of Frank Miller's graphic novels The
Dark Knight Returns and The Dark Knight Strikes Again, fighting alongside an aging Batman in
stories set out of the mainstream continuity.

The third Robin in the mainstream comics is Tim Drake, who first appeared in 1989. He went on
to star in his own comic series, and currently goes by the Red Robin, a variation on the
traditional Robin persona. In the first decade of the new millennium, Stephanie Brown served as
the fourth in-universe Robin between stints as her self-made vigilante identity the Spoiler, and
later as Batgirl.[103] After Brown's apparent death, Drake resumed the role of Robin for a time.
The role eventually passed to Damian Wayne, the 10-year-old son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al
Ghul, in the late 2000s.[104] Damian's tenure as du jour Robin ended when the character was
killed off in the pages of Batman Incorporated in 2013.[105] Batman's next young sidekick is
Harper Row, a streetwise young woman who avoids the name Robin but followed the
ornithological theme nonetheless; she debuted the codename and identity of the Bluebird in
2014. Unlike the Robins, the Bluebird is willing and permitted to use a gun, albeit non-lethal; her
weapon of choice is a modified rifle that fires taser rounds.[106] In 2015, a new series began titled
We Are...Robin, focused on a group of teenagers using the Robin persona to fight crime in
Gotham City.

Relationships

Family tree

Helena Wayne is the biological daughter of Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle of an alternate
universe established in the early 1960s (Multiverse) where the Golden Age stories took place.
Damian Wayne is the biological son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul,[62][107][108] and thus the
grandson of Ra's al Ghul. Terry McGinnis and his brother Matt are the biological sons of Bruce
Wayne and Mary McGinnis in the DC animated universe, and Terry has taken over the role as
Batman when Bruce has become too old to do so.

Romantic interests

Writers have varied in the approach over the years to the "playboy" aspect of Bruce Wayne's
persona. Some writers show his playboy reputation as a manufactured illusion to support his
mission as Batman, while others have depicted Bruce Wayne as genuinely enjoying the benefits
of being "Gotham's most eligible bachelor". Bruce Wayne has been portrayed as being
romantically linked with many women throughout his various incarnations. The most significant
relationships occurred with Selina Kyle, who is also Catwoman[109] and Talia al Ghul, as both
women gave birth to his biological offsprings, Helena Wayne and Damian Wayne, respectively.

Batman's first romantic interest was Julie Madison in Detective Comics #31 (September 1939);
however, their romance was short-lived. Some of Batman's romantic interests have been women
with a respected status in society, such as Julie Madison, Vicki Vale, and Silver St. Cloud.
Batman has also been romantically involved with allies, such as Kathy Kane (Batwoman), Sasha
Bordeaux, and Wonder Woman, and with villains, such as Selina Kyle (Catwoman), Jezebel Jet,
Pamela Isley (Poison Ivy), and Talia al Ghul.

Catwoman
Main article: Catwoman

While most of Batman's romantic relationships tend to be short in duration, Catwoman has been
his most enduring romance throughout the years.[110] The attraction between Batman and
Catwoman, whose real name is Selina Kyle, is present in nearly every version and medium in
which the characters appear, including a love story between their two secret identities as early as
in the 1966 film Batman. Although Catwoman is typically portrayed as a villain, Batman and
Catwoman have worked together in achieving common goals and are usually depicted as having
a romantic connection.

In an early 1980s storyline, Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne develop a relationship, in which the
closing panel of the final story shows her referring to Batman as "Bruce". However, a change in
the editorial team brought a swift end to that storyline and, apparently, all that transpired during
the story arc. Out of costume, Bruce and Selina develop a romantic relationship during The Long
Halloween. The story shows Selina saving Bruce from Poison Ivy. However, the relationship
ends when Bruce rejects her advances twice; once as Bruce and once as Batman. In Batman:
Dark Victory, he stands her up on two holidays, causing her to leave him for good and to leave
Gotham City for a while. When the two meet at an opera many years later, during the events of
the 12-issue story arc called "Hush", Bruce comments that the two no longer have a relationship
as Bruce and Selina. However, "Hush" sees Batman and Catwoman allied against the entire
rogues gallery and rekindling their romantic relationship. In "Hush", Batman reveals his true
identity to Catwoman.

The Earth-Two Batman, a character from a parallel world, partners with and marries the
reformed Earth-Two Selina Kyle, as shown in Superman Family #211. They have a daughter
named Helena Wayne, who becomes the Huntress. Along with Dick Grayson, the Earth-Two
Robin, the Huntress takes the role as Gotham's protector once Bruce Wayne retires to become
police commissioner, a position he occupies until he is killed during one final adventure as
Batman.

Batman and Catwoman are shown having a sexual encounter on the roof of a building in
Catwoman vol. 4 #1 (2011); the same issue implies that the two have an ongoing sexual
relationship.[111] Following the 2016 DC Rebirth continuity reboot, the two once again have a
sexual encounter on top of a building in Batman vol. 3 #14 (2017).[112]

Following the 2016 DC Rebirth continuity reboot, Batman and Catwoman work together in the
third volume of Batman. The two also have a romantic relationship, in which they are shown
having a sexual encounter on a rooftop and sleeping together.[112][113][114] Bruce proposes to Selina
in Batman vol. 3 #24 (2017),[115] and in issue #32, Selina asks Bruce to propose to her again.
When he does so, she says, "Yes."[114]
Batman vol. 3 Annual #2 (January 2018) centers on a romantic storyline between Batman and
Catwoman. Towards the end, the story is flash-forwarded to the future, in which Bruce Wayne
and Selina Kyle are a married couple in their golden years. Bruce receives a terminal medical
diagnosis, and Selina cares for him until his death.[114]

Abilities
Skills and training

Batman has no inherent superhuman powers; he relies on "his own scientific knowledge,
detective skills, and athletic prowess".[27] Batman's inexhaustible wealth gives him access to
advanced technologies, and as a proficient scientist, he is able to use and modify these
technologies to his advantage. In the stories, Batman is regarded as one of the world's greatest
detectives, if not the world's greatest crime solver.[116] Batman has been repeatedly described as
having a genius-level intellect, being one of the greatest martial artists in the DC Universe, and
having peak human physical conditioning.[117] As a polymath, his knowledge and expertise in
countless disciplines is nearly unparalleled by any other character in the DC Universe.[118] He has
traveled the world acquiring the skills needed to aid him in his endeavors as Batman. In the
Superman: Doomed story arc, Superman considers Batman to be one of the most brilliant minds
on the planet.[119]

Batman has trained extensively in various different fighting styles, making him one of the best
hand-to-hand fighters in the DC Universe. He has fully utilized his photographic memory to
master a total of 127 different forms of martial arts including, but not limited to, Aikido, boxing,
Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Capoeira, Eskrima, fencing, Gatka, Hapkido, Jeet Kune Do, Judo,
Kalaripayattu, Karate, Kenjutsu, Kenpo, kickboxing, Kobudo, Krav Maga, Kyudo, Muay Thai,
Ninjutsu, Pankration, Sambo, Savate, Silat, Taekwondo, wrestling, numerous different styles of
Wushu (Kung Fu) (such as Baguazhang, Chin Na, Hung Ga, Shaolinquan, Tai Chi, Wing Chun),
and Yaw-Yan.[120] In terms of his physical condition, Batman is in peak, Olympic-athlete-level
condition, easily-able to run-across rooftops in a Parkour-esque fashion. Superman describes
Batman as "the most dangerous man on Earth", able to defeat an entire team of superpowered
extra-terrestrials by himself in order to rescue his imprisoned teammates in Grant Morrison's first
storyline in JLA.

Batman is strongly disciplined, and he has the ability to function under great physical pain and
resist most forms of telepathy and mind control. He is a master of disguise, multilingual, and an
expert in espionage, often gathering information under the identity of a notorious gangster named
Matches Malone. Batman is highly skilled in stealth movement and escapology, which allows
him to appear and disappear at will and to break free of nearly inescapable deathtraps with little
to no harm.

Batman is an expert in interrogation techniques and his intimidating and frightening appearance
alone is often all that is needed in getting information from suspects. Despite having the potential
to harm his enemies, Batman's most defining characteristic is his strong commitment to justice
and his reluctance to take a life. This unyielding moral rectitude has earned him the respect of
several heroes in the DC Universe, most notably that of Superman and Wonder Woman.
Among physical and other crime fighting related training, he is also proficient at other types of
skills. Some of these include being a licensed pilot (in order to operate the Batplane), as well as
being able to operate other types of machinery. In some publications, he underwent some
magician training.

Technology

Batman utilizes a vast arsenal of specialized, high-tech vehicles and gadgets in his war against
crime, the designs of which usually share a bat motif. Batman historian Les Daniels credits
Gardner Fox with creating the concept of Batman's arsenal with the introduction of the utility
belt in Detective Comics #29 (July 1939) and the first bat-themed weapons the batarang and the
"Batgyro" in Detective Comics #31 and 32 (Sept. and October 1939).[23]

Personal armor
Main article: Batsuit

Batman's body armored costume incorporates the imagery of a bat in order to frighten criminals.
[121]
The details of the Batman costume change repeatedly through various decades, stories, media
and artists' interpretations, but the most distinctive elements remain consistent: a scallop-hem
cape; a cowl covering most of the face; a pair of bat-like ears; a stylized bat emblem on the
chest; and the ever-present utility belt. Finger and Kane originally conceptualized Batman as
having a black cape and cowl and grey suit, but conventions in coloring called for black to be
highlighted with blue.[121] Hence, the costume's colors have appeared in the comics as dark blue
and grey;[121] as well as black and grey. In the Tim Burton's Batman and Batman Returns films,
Batman has been depicted as completely black with a bat in the middle surrounded by a yellow
background. Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy depicted Batman wearing high-tech
gear painted completely black with a black bat in the middle. Ben Affleck's Batman in the DC
Extended Universe films wears a suit grey in color with a black cowl, cape, and bat symbol.

Batman's batsuit aids in his combat against enemies, having the properties of both Kevlar and
Nomex. It protects him from gunfire and other significant impacts. His gloves typically feature
three scallops that protrude from long, gauntlet-like cuffs, although in his earliest appearances he
wore short, plain gloves without the scallops.[122] The overall look of the character, particularly
the length of the cowl's ears and of the cape, varies greatly depending on the artist. Dennis O'Neil
said, "We now say that Batman has two hundred suits hanging in the Batcave so they don't have
to look the same ...Everybody loves to draw Batman, and everybody wants to put their own spin
on it."[123]

Batmobile
Main article: Batmobile
The 1966 television Batmobile, built by George Barris from a Lincoln Futura concept car

Batman's primary vehicle is the Batmobile, which is usually depicted as an imposing black car,
often with tailfins that suggest a bat's wings. Batman also has an aircraft called the Batplane
(later called the "Batwing"), along with various other means of transportation. In proper practice,
the "bat" prefix (as in Batmobile or batarang) is rarely used by Batman himself when referring to
his equipment, particularly after some portrayals (primarily the 1960s Batman live-action
television show and the Super Friends animated series) stretched the practice to campy
proportions. For example, the 1960s television show depicted a Batboat, Bat-Sub, and Batcycle,
among other bat-themed vehicles. The 1960s television series Batman has an arsenal that
includes such "bat-" names as the Bat-computer, Bat-scanner, bat-radar, bat-cuffs, bat-pontoons,
bat-drinking water dispenser, bat-camera with polarized bat-filter, bat-shark repellent bat-spray,
and Bat-rope. The storyline "A Death in the Family" suggests that given Batman's grim nature,
he is unlikely to have adopted the "bat" prefix on his own. In The Dark Knight Returns, Batman
tells Carrie Kelley that the original Robin came up with the name "Batmobile" when he was
young, since that is what a kid would call Batman's vehicle. The Batmobile was redesigned in
2011 when DC Comics relaunched its entire line of comic books, with the Batmobile being given
heavier armor and new aesthetics.

Utility belt