Who’s your favorite Batman?
Besides Pattinson versus West versus Keaton, what about Jim Gordon in a mech suit or The Dark Knight who says “HH!”?
Film Features Batman
From left: Photo: Hulton Archive (Getty Images), Screenshot: Adventures Of Batman And Robin Cartoon Maker, Image: Greg Capullo/DC Comics, Image: Screenshot: Batman: Arkham City, Photo: Sunset Boulevard / Contributor (Getty Images) Graphic: Natalie Peeples
After singing the praises of various Caped Crusaders and Gotham rogues throughout Batman Week, the latest AVQ&A asks: Who’s your favorite Batman?
94 Comments
There’s something I’ve been wanting to tell people here for a while, and with the changes about to occur I figured now would be a good time. Here it is: I had a question of mine picked for an AVQ&A once(Marah Eakin was the one who told me it’d been picked): https://www.avclub.com/what-works-do-you-enjoy-more-because-they-re-so-ridicul-1798280159I was impressed by the range of responses from the writers in terms of both eras and forms of media, and the comments were a lot of fun too(I was a regular commenter by this time but didn’t comment on the article). One thing that strikes me about the article now is how appropriate the timing was in terms of my question. For one thing, it was dated to a very specific time in my life. I was with my dad in Oahu for a 10-day vacation when the article was posted. That’s not all: I had just quit doing amateur stand-up comedy(see footnote) after several years of going to open mics, and just after I got back home I got my first ever non-temporary job, which I had until I was laid off because of Covid(I have another job now) As for being dated in terms of the state of the world, it was a month before Trump announced his candidacy.BTW, here’s an audio clip of me doing stand-up, specifically doing impressions of Green Day and Rush if they wrote Christmas songs(starts about 1:20 and lasts about 2 mins): https://punchlinepodcast.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/punchpod_episode0086.mp3
So what is your answer to your own question?
There’s a lot of things I enjoy because of how dated they are, but what comes to mind the most now is ‘90s sci-fi. Here’s 5 minutes of pure, uncut ‘90s sci-fi for you:
I had a question picked for AV Club Q&A once, YEARS ago. I won’t post the link here, because they put my real name on it. It’s not a super common name, and Laserface is honestly enough of a sociopath that I don’t want him being able to find me.
Just shows up at your door with a stack of paper, all just screenshots of comments taken from here that he’s printed out.
That linked article has over 1100 comments. This current one probably won’t make it to 50. Thanks a lot spanfeller, you fuck
and
Favor to ask: could you please star/reply to my comment in the grays? It contains something I’ve wanted to tell people here for a while.EDIT: Thanks a ton!
Is it to defend blackface and TERFS?
Way to stay in character, but I don’t see anything there about blackface.
An easy way to spot a misogynist? When someone throws around the term “TERF”.
Did you see he does stand-up comedy? The mind boggles.
You are such a weird person. Is this all you do with your life?
My absolute favourite segments on here are “Laserface Vs. Dino Ironbody, Defender of Blackface”.
Last time I reported Laserface for his constant harassment of people he doesn’t like here, I was told that the site admins would speak to him, and that I should not engage with him. I agreed that I would not.In order to honor my promise, I will not tell him to fuck off like I would want to. Instead, I highly encourage anyone who is tired of this pompous, repetitive bully to email [email protected] and ask that they remove this troll from the site. Screenshots are helpful.
Well I think it’s more about not liking racists or people with ignorant opinions. I guess bullies don’t like being bullied much tho eh? Crazy. I don’t think I would call someone a troll for calling out assholes with shitty opinions. That’s not what a troll is.
man the commentariat for this site sucks these days. You used to be the minority, sigh.
I mean, fucking duh.
Not far behind:
Loving this B:TBATB clip. Second only to the “Birds of Prey” clip.
This is the right answer. Or maybe this is:
The Diedrich Bader Batman from Brave and The Bold is also highly recommended if you want a more comedic take.
Will Arnett definitely has the voice for it.
Do you wanna know my secret identity?
I quite like Grant Morrison’s Batman, though their take on the character got a really good run through their JLA run from 1996/97 to 2000. I like those stories play Batman as this utterly cool and confident character who is always in control.There’s some fantastic bits but I’m a far less enamoured with parts of their 2006-13 run on the character. The bits that don’t work for me are unfortunately the parts Grant is clearly very keen on – the 1950s very early Silver Age stuff which I have zero nostalgia for and has never really clicked with me despite my best efforts. The Black Hand stuff, Lots of Batman Incorporated and Batman RIP didn’t work great for me as a result.I really loved Batman and Son, Final Crisis and the Dick Grayson/Damian Batman and Robin run though.
I also loved the Grayson/Damian run.
Im not going to tell you who my favorite Batman is, but I’ll give you a Cloo.
I agree, Clu Gulager’s take on the Dark Knight is by far my favorite.
Man, this is such a difficult question as there such a wealth of great choices that still feel distinct of each other.
For comics, I’d have to go with Snyder’s version Batman. Partially because of recency bias, but there was something truly magnificent how he managed to explore so many aspects of the character while making him both feel like the biggest badass in the world while never losing sight that Batman is a tragedy, that there is no happy ending waiting for him.With movies, I need to give it more time as I fear my love for the new movie is affecting my current opinion a lot. Before seeing it, Ben Affleck was my favorite live-action Batman, but Pattinson’s version was so layered and awesome that it has a firm hold of my heart at the moment.
It’s okay, AV Club. I know you meant to say “Batman: The Animated Series”.
I’m going the more simple route here…
Who is your favorite Batman/Bruce Wayne?You can’t pick the animated Batman shows either. This is live action only. Yeah, I know there’s 1940’s live action Batman serial, but let’s be honest, almost no one can name the actor or has even seen it. If you can you’re in the minority. Let’s keep it to well known live action Batmans.The BatmenAdam West: Campy BatmanMichael Keaton: Dad BatmanVal Kilmer: Pretty BatmanGeorge Clooney: Smug BatmanChristian Bale: Psycho BatmanBen Affleck: Tortured BatmanRobert Pattinson: Emo Batman
My vote’s for Pete Holmes:
I saw the question and just immediately went “Kevin Conroy, duh.”It’s BTAS Batman. That’s the voice I hear in my head whenever I read a Batman comic.
First of all, “Team Yellow Oval” forever!Best Batman is early 70s Neal Adams Batman, with his grey cotton tights, classic utility belt, voluminous (but not ridiculous, over the top voluminous and combined with two-foot spiky bat ears like some later takes) cape & cowl and YELLOW OVAL around the bat symbol, because Team Yellow Oval forever! (And restore the yellow oval to Killing Joke, regardless of how problematic the book itself looks to us now.)
I’m guessing your preference is based more on aesthetics than practicality, but doesn’t the big yellow insignia undermine the stealth aspect of the character?
If I remember correctly, it’s suppose to draw the aim of criminals since it is the most bulletproof part of the suit. That explanation may be a Frank Miller recon but I still like it.
Of course, the real reason for the addition of the oval was to create a trademarkable symbol.
Yes it is, and I can’t even imagine caring less about that argument.
Can we talk more about Batman?
Morrison’s Batman is probably my favorite out of all these, although I think he works best in a group setting and doesn’t have a lot of dynamic to flesh out for solo adventures. And we just won’t talk about Final Crisis.One thing that’s funny though is reading old 80s pre-Frank Miller issues of Batman and seeing how utterly normal most other characters saw him. He’d just be walking around in broad daylight, showing up at crime scenes and talking to people to get clues, and everyone would just act like he was supposed to be there. “Oh hey Batman. No I didn’t see what happened but I did see a guy run down the alley that way wearing a blue cap. Sorry I couldn’t be more help!”
I’m also a huge fan of Morrison’s various Batmen. I mean, I love Morrison in general, but Serious House on Serious Earth, the whole Black Glove saga, Batman Inc (I love that idea so much, as well as Bruce doing the Tony Stark thing and admitting that he funds Batman, that’s way smarter than pretending they have no link at all), and also, Grayson being Batman for a bit! The whole inverted personalities where Batman smiles and has flips/quips and Robin is a stick in the mud martial arts terror, it was a nice vacation that I knew wouldn’t last. Even Morrison’s Jason Todd was enjoyable.
I like the Batman who does ballet and chain smokes. More this.
Hahaha, right? I can’t figure out what the hell is going on / what he’s doing, it’s such an odd, awkward movement.
He had switched to candy cigarettes for the more active lifestyle being Batman would require.That’s from the cover of Batman 45 in the New 52 volume, so it’s not really clear what he’s doing.
Is there anyone who’s a really big fan of Batfleck or his Bruce Wayne? I don’t hate them as much as they made no impression on me.
I wouldn’t go so far to say “big fan,” but I thought Batfleck did a nice job playing “paranoid over-the-hill” Batman which was a take I hadn’t really seen in the movies before.
His action scenes with Batman were some of the best ever. The only thing that bothers me about Batfleck is Ben’s giant cranium making the batcowl look wayyy too wide.
I bought his fighting scenes the most out of any Batman. Just more sheer brutality than technique, which is basically all you can do with a live action Batman wearing a 30 lbs suit.
I quite like him in the role and the stuff we saw of him.He’s not my favourite Batman but rewatching the Snyder trilogy of films last year (including the four hour Justice League), I dug the performance far more the second time than I did watching BVS or the original JL back in 2016-17.It’s a really interesting take on the character.
Same problem with the Joker in Suicide Squad.
I don’t think that version was horrible….just never had a chance to actually shine.
Really weird phase at DC studios at that time:
“We’ll just preview them, we have long term plans for them.”
“Sir, when will that be exact…”
“LONG TERM PLANS”
I thought he was pretty bad, but Leto’s gonna taint about any role (have never personally cared for his acting).
I was looking forward to at least his take.
For some reason, I’m very very picky with Batmen actors.
But…given the first Joker never shaved his mustache, I’m all for the wackiest interpretations of that character.
I kind of liked his voice modulator, it fit in with his more high-tech and futuristic approach. I still prefer Bale (and his growly voice), yet to see Pattinson, but I am excited.
Didn’t really like the voice modulator. Had he been a throat cancer survivor that’d have been something new. Also I feel like one of the cuts (maybe both?) of Justice League had him using it around his teammates in situations that didn’t make sense.
Yeah using a voice modulator around your teammates is just silly, even for a “super paranoid” Batman. I liked it because it fit into his futuristic aesthetic, just like Bale’s voice fit into Nolan’s aesthetic. I still think Arkham Conroy yelling at people is the best, but “Swear to me” was a good line and Bale nailed it.
I always thought he was the best looking Batman, if only because he resembled the Arkham City Batman the most. And the suit seemed flexible but still tough, but not like the body armor look of the Bale Batman or the rubberized suits of Keaton.
The one thing I’ll give Batfleck credit for is he looks fantastic in the Batman suit. The same can be said about Clooney. Hilarious that that’s the only good thing that can be said of either iterations.
For all the fuss that came about Affleck’s casting at the time, I was in the minority of supporting it, because I’m in the minority of actually liking his Daredevil movie, and feeling that would translate easily. It didn’t.
I was surprised how much I disliked his Batman. A lot of that is Zack Snyder’s fault, but some of it is on Affleck, too, who just never felt very dynamic in BvS, and was completely disengaged (by his own admission) for Justice League.
He was fine and I think I’d have liked him more if he had better material to work with. Snyder’s right-wing libertarian views made him very unlikeable.
Maybe it’s a result of how he was written, but his Batman and Bruce Wayne didn’t seem like alter egos. It was played as Bruce and Bruce in a mask with demon robot voice box. Must be a Snyder thing, because I also don’t recall there being much difference between Supes and Clark Kent in his universe.
The one in the middle reminds me of Berg Katse.
Kevin Conroy for animation.Christian Bale for live action.
There’s only one right answer: Old Man Batman, from Batman Beyond.That hair flip.
Was that the one where him and old lady Waller had a pretty intense confrontation in her bathroom where she walks out of the shower and is like “oh it’s you” completely nonplussed. I liked that scene a lot, they really have had more than a few battles of will over the years in the shows and comics.
The CW Crisis on Infinite Earths crosssover was not perfect, but I could forgive a lot for finally letting the best Batman, Kevin Conroy, play the role in live action, and also giving resolution to John Wesley Shipp’s Flash show, and bringing back Huntress and Oracle from Birds of Prey
PURE. WEST.No other answer is acceptable.
The scene with the shark is one of my all time favourite TV moments.
Favorite of all adaptations: Kevin ConroyFavorite Cinematic: Michael Keaton
Christian Bale will always mean the most to me as Bruce Wayne and Batman. His Bruce feels realistic with this dejected mourning and sympathetic humanity. Bale’s emotions feel raw and his Batman is brutal, heroic, and clever.
I’d also go with Morrison’s Batman takes, though with the “Serious House on Serious Earth” version and then the version of DICK GRAYSON! I knew it would only be temporary, both for the audience and Grayson himself being uncomfortable taking over the role full-time. Though it was a nice breath of fresh air seeing Batman smiling, flipping, and joking and Robin being the more dour/brutal, martial arts psycho one of the pair. And Alfred got to flex his mentor role even more than usual, as well as have a Batman who would actually eat and enjoy his food.
Arkham game series did a great job with the look and feel of all the reimagined characters, though I think Bane should have been more of a badass. That’s why I like Arkham: Origins the best, the boss fights were awesome and you couldn’t win just by dodging and chucking a batarang.
I prefer Michael Keaton as Batman. Adam West had a campy sense of humor about his TV Batman, but for all the Batmans I have seen, I’ll take Michael Keaton for the win.
I need to bring up how adorable Jill St. John looks in that scene.
The Animated Series, overall, but in the movies, I can’t believe I might be leaning towards Pattinson myself. He’s kind of a dick to Alfred, tho
Keaton all the way.
Kevin Conroy is the true Batman. Best television Batman, and Mask of the Phantasm is arguably the best Batman movie, too.
Kevin Conroy’s Batman. He was great in the role, and the long arc he had over the animated shows was fantastic.
Also, I’m using this as an excuse to post this:
Mine’s the Bat we never had: Patrick Warburton, an Alex Ross Batman brought to life.
The Michael Keaton Alex McLevy entry is such an eye roll. All boomers say this. Take the rose-tinted glasses off, as much as I love Batman Returns as a vintage Tim Burton flick, Keaton’s casting has always felt off to me. He has the worst jawline of any Batman.
Michael Keaton looks like he’s swimming in that cowl and ya’ll know it.
Holy shit, is that an amazingly stupid criteria to judge by.Also love the “I dont like it, therefore anyone who does is objectively wrong and must be judging purely by nostalgia” logic. Definitely not a self-important, narcissistic viewpoint. How could anyone actually like it if you dont? Total eyeroll!!!
Outside of comics? Kevin Conroy, no question.Comics-wise, I’m partial to the 80s version (Jim Aparo’s Batman is my platonic ideal Batman) and the 99/00s as written by Greg Rucka. They’re both competent yet fallible. Plus, there’s a good amount of detective work, and that really needs to be the main hook of Batman.
Let’s kill two birds with one stone.
I weep for what could have been with Batfleck, physically he was the best fit I think, and acting wise Affleck was more than capable, if only he had be given something to work with. So I guess I’ll go with Keaton.
Honestly, I really like what he did with the character in the Joss Whedon version of Justice League. Yes, I know Whedon is apparently an awful human being, but he did bring a bit of whimsy to Batman which I appreciated, and Affleck was perfect for. I like grimdark as much as the next guy (as long as I’m not standing next to Zach Snyder), but I also like a little humor now and then, even with Batman.
I agree, I think Whedon could have done a decent job with him, just looking at the characterization of the Angel character, especially once he spun off from BtVS.
Kevin Conroy.
If you’re bringing in comics Batman then the list should be 9 comics Batmen and DCAU Batman.My #1 is Dick Grayson Batman.
Honestly, never in my life, have I read a Batman comic and heard any other voice when reading the Batman monologue, than that of Kevin Conroy.
Like a lot of people, my first exposure to Batman on the big screen was the Tim Burton movies and Michael Keaton’s performance under the cowl, but nobody made more of an impression on me than Kevin Conroy.Maybe it was all of my formative exposure to the animated series, but Conroy’s steely tenor just crackled with presence. It gave the character this aura of calm calculated control. And as daunting of a task it must have been holding one’s own as the foil to Mark Hamill’s Joker, Conroy not only rose to the expectations, but even upstaged Hamill in many ways.Not only did it seem perfectly natural that THIS Batman could scowl right back into the faces of the collective Rogues’ Gallery with ease; but you could also understand how so many could be swayed to trust this Batman’s almost unbreakable facade and take up his crusade against crime as their own.
Another notable entry would be Grant Morrison’s limited Batman & Robin run. Essentially, after the death of Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson reluctantly hangs up Nightwing and dons the cowl in order to provide some measure of continuity to the now Batman-less Gotham City.It has sort of a “Prodigal Son” feeling to it, what with the weight of Grayson and Wayne’s well-documented philosophical differences hanging over Dick almost immediately as he takes on the job. Couple that with his insecurity around living up to Bruce’s Batman, and Dick’s arc is already super relatable and quite emotionally compelling.Returning to Wayne Manor and reuniting with Alfred gives the story a lot of gravity as well. But on top of all of this, Dick must now reign-in and take on the young and cynically impulsive Damian Wayne as his own Boy Wonder. All of these implications; a total accumulated mind-job alone; really help to create an underlying family drama that constantly threatens to overshadow an already dark and disturbing main plot (seriously, the villains they cook up in this run almost make the Rogues’ Gallery look like their ‘60s television counterparts).
Ben Affleck. He was a scary and intimidating Batman.