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Batman Family redirects here. See "Other uses", below, for more information about the two comic book series of this title.

Throughout the stories published in DC Comics comic books and that appear in adaptations in other media since 1939, the Batman character accumulates a number of recognizable supporting characters, among them, the "Batman family". The "Batman Family" is the informal name for a group of characters closely associated with Batman, generally costumed vigilantes who either have been trained by Batman or operate in Gotham City with his tacit approval.

Batman also forms strong bonds or close working relationships with other superheroes, including Justice League members Superman, Black Canary, and Green Arrow, as well as members of the Outsiders superhero team. Finally, characters in the Gotham City Police Department, particularly James Gordon, work closely with him. Others, such as Jason Bard, Harold, and Toyman work for him.

Contents 1 Batman Family 1.1 Current members 1.2 Status unclear 1.3 Deceased members 1.4 Former members 2 Supporting characters 2.1 Gotham City Police Department 2.2 Batman villains 2.3 Other heroes 2.4 Other supporting characters 3 Love interests 3.1 Film 3.2 Animation 3.3 TV Series 4 Other Continuities 5 Crossovers 6 Other uses 7 References 8 See also

[edit] Batman Family

The Batman Family operates like a network of similarly-minded superheroes with Batman as its head. Although some members occasionally resent Batman’s intrusion into their lives, they consider themselves his friends and try to guide and help him as well. In a 2002 storyline in which Bruce Wayne, Batman’s secret identity, is accused of murder, Batman's friends gather to prove his innocence. A number of writers have implied that this network keeps Batman from turning into a merciless vigilante.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Current members

Aside from Batman, current members include:

• Alfred Pennyworth – Batman’s butler and confidant, and the man who raised him after his parents were killed.
• Nightwing (Dick Grayson) an orphaned child acrobat who originally served as Batman’s sidekick Robin and became Bruce Wayne's ward and later adopted son. As an adult, he took up the identity of Nightwing, and served as Blüdhaven's protector, Gotham's ugly sister city to the south, until he left due to a crisis of conscience. He is now living in New York.
• Robin (Tim Drake) – another teenaged crime fighter who took-up the mantle of Robin to assist Batman. He is adopted by Bruce Wayne at the end of the Batman storyarc "Face the Face."
• Oracle (Barbara Gordon) – the daughter of Gotham police commissioner James Gordon and the original Batgirl. After she was left paraplegic by the Joker, she became Oracle, the information broker to the DC Universe, and founded a covert team of female operatives in the Birds of Prey comics. Barbara relocated to Metropolis after the events of "War Games".
• Catwoman (Selina Kyle) was one of Batman's early adversaries. She severed contact with Batman after Zatanna informed her that her mind was being manipulated along with the rest of the Secret Society. Apparently, this was why she had given up her life of crime to align herself with Batman and the Batman Family. One year after the events in Infinite Crisis, she retired and gave birth to a baby girl, although is called out of retirement by Batman to infiltrate an Amazonian sect during their attack. A new Catwoman has surfaced, Holly Robinson, whose allegiance is unknown.

[edit] Status unclear

• Batwoman, Kathy Kane, was initially a wealthy heiress who became a superhero, emulating her idol Batman, until she was assassinated by agents of the League of Assassins including the brainwashed Bronze Tiger. Her heroic identity was seemingly erased from history by the Crisis on Infinite Earths story. However, a new version of Batwoman, Kate Kane, appeared after the timeline-altering Infinite Crisis in the pages of 52. At this point, it is unclear whether she becomes a regular member of the Batman Family, although she did collaborate with Nightwing for a large portion of 52.
• The Question (Renee Montoya), Detective Montoya was added into the comics in the 1990s as a character adapted from the animated series. Renee then quit the GCPD and became a main character in the 52 limited series. Renee currently fights crime under the mantle of the Question with the current Batwoman, who is her lover. During the Countdown, Oracle (Barbara Gordon) solicits the assistance of the Question and Batwoman although they promptly refuse "Bird" status.
• Warlock's Daughter, Darla Aquista is the daughter of a Gotham Mob Boss. When she dies in a brutal Gotham Gang War, Henry Aquista, her father, travels the world with his daughter's corpse, looking for a way to bring her back to life, and eventually comes back to Johnny Warlock, who he finds overseas. Johnny trades Henry's life for Darla's. When she climbs out of the casket, she is born as Warlock's Daughter. She next appears in an airport in Istanbul preparing to fly to Gotham. Shortly after, we see Bernard, Tim's friend, driving in his car, which lifts off the ground. It is Warlock's Daughter, looking for Tim Drake, levitating the vehicle. She reveals that she now uses the name Laura Fell, and she needs to find Tim because she does not really know if she should be a super-hero or a villain.She seems to have chosen the earlier as she has worked with Shadowpact and the Bat Family.
• Catwoman, Holly Robinson, is a former prostitute trained by Wildcat and her friend Selina Kyle, to became the new Catwoman following the birth of Selina's daughter. Currently she is residing in an Amazon Shelter in Countdown with Harley Quinzel and Athena.
• Damian Wayne is the son on Batman and Talia al Ghul, therefore being both Son of the Bat, and grandson of the Demon. His status is unclear at the moment, but more should be revealed after the new storyline "Return of Ra's al Gul" coming out later this year

The following two have become villains/anti-heroes; however, they still maintain some form of contact with various members of the Bat Family:

• Batgirl, Cassandra Cain, is a martial arts prodigy and daughter of the assassin David Cain. Batman and Oracle trained her as the next Batgirl. As of the last issue of Batgirl, she has given up the Batgirl mantle. She later faked her own death, framed Robin for her murder, and is now the leader of the late Ra's al Ghul's organization, the League of Assassins. It is revealed later that the mercenary Deathstroke is in part responsible for brainwashing and influencing Cassandra's recent villainous activities. She is currently missing.
• Jason Todd was apprehended by Batman while attempting to steal the tires off the Batmobile. Recognizing promising skills in the troubled youth, Batman took Jason in and trained him to become the second Robin. He later was killed by the Joker on a quest to find his mother. Years later, he was resurrected and adopted the identity of the second Red Hood, which the Joker held prior to the incident that transformed him from failing comedian into the Clown Prince of Crime. Todd posed as Nightwing in New York City after the events in Infinite Crisis, but returned the mantle to Grayson shortly after Grayson moved to New York. He is currently touring the Multiverse with Donna Troy and Kyle Rayner.

[edit] Deceased members

• Azrael, Jean-Paul Valley, was the genetically modified assassin Azrael, who once replaced Bruce Wayne as Batman when he was badly injured by Bane. Valley defeated Bane, but grew increasingly paranoid and violent. Bruce was forced to reclaim the mantle of the Bat. Valley returned to the Azrael identity and attempted to regain Batman's trust. After many years, he did just that and served as an "Agent of the Bat" until his death. His body was never found.
• Stephanie Brown, was the daughter of the criminal Cluemaster and became a teenaged superhero, the Spoiler. She was Tim Drake’s love interest. Upon Tim's retirement as Robin, she replaced him as the fourth hero to use the name. Stephanie was fired for failing to follow Batman's orders. As Spoiler, she was tortured and killed by Black Mask.
• Orpheus was formerly a member of the GCPD and took up the Orpheus identity after a scandal that cost his badge. He became one of Batman's agents and posed as a crime boss; he was later killed by Black Mask.
• Harold, Harold was an aide of Batman's who helped design, make, and repair many of his gadgets. Harold was later killed by Hush.

[edit] Former members

• Huntress, Helena Bertinelli, is the daughter of a mafia boss who rejected crime and took to patrolling Gotham as a anti-heroine. While her relationship with Batman has been tenuous, she recently earned his respect in an issue of Birds of Prey.
• Sasha Bordeaux, who is Bruce Wayne's former bodyguard. She is now Black Queen of the government organization called Checkmate as well as a partial OMAC cyborg.
• Onyx was Orpheus' bodyguard and protector. She took up his position as gang leader after Orpheus' death. A bond developed between Onyx and Cassandra Cain (then Batgirl). After the events in Infinite Crisis, she has not been seen in Gotham and her whereabouts are unknown.
• Flamebird, alias Bette Kane, was the original Bat-Girl and niece of Batwoman in Batman stories of the early 60s. Following the timeline-altering Crisis on Infinite Earths, she was reimagined as the heroine Flamebird, who takes her inspiration from the original Robin.
• Harvey Dent was the former District Attorney, and previously known as the villain Two-Face. He was deemed cured after his facial reconstruction surgery by Dr. Thomas Elliot. Dent was requested by Batman to watch over Gotham City during his one year absence with Robin. Dent's style of justice has been more brutal that Batman's precision style vigilantism. Upon Batman's return to Gotham, there has been a series of grisly murders of several members of Batman's rogue gallery, and almost all evidence points to Dent. When confronted by Batman, Dent blew up his apartment. The inner turmoil created by the situation forced Two-Face out of his psyche once again, and he's seen re-scarring his face with a scalpel and acid.
• Dr. Leslie Thompkins: A physician who runs a small clinic in Crime Alley for Gotham's poor, Leslie is both a friend and colleague of Bruce Wayne's father, and one of the few people Batman has entrusted with his identity. She is devoted to pacifism, and while she does not approve of Batman's methods, she frequently lends him aid and has treated his wounds on numerous occasions. She has occasionally been romantically linked with Alfred. Dr. Thompkins left Gotham after the "War Games" storyline, out of shame that she let Stephanie Brown die. Batman told her don't go back to Gotham City or she will be arrested. Batman told her don't ever contact him again

[edit] Supporting characters

[edit] Gotham City Police Department

Main article: Gotham City Police Department

Members of the Gotham City Police Department have played prominent roles in Batman's extended 'family.' The GCPD were featured in their own series: the limited series GCPD: Gotham City Police Department and the ongoing series Gotham Central, in which they investigate the unusual crimes that plague the city, in a personal effort to minimize Batman's involvement. Gotham Central series ended its 40 issue run in 2006.

• James ("Jim") Gordon: The police commissioner of Gotham City, with whom Batman has a strong (though secret and unofficial) working relationship. Gordon, like other characters, has changed considerably over the years. Of particular note, is that in the early days of the characters, Gordon was not allied with Batman, and was more antagonistic towards him. However, he was a friend of Bruce Wayne. In "Batman: Year One", Gordon is portrayed as one of the few honest, non-corrupt Gotham cops. During "No Man's Land", Bruce offered him the knowledge of his secret identity, but Jim (still angry for Batman's early abandonment of Gotham in the days near the beginning of NML) refused to look and find out, hinting he may already know. Jim retired several months after NML, but returned to duty following the OYL jump.
• Harvey Bullock: A detective, Harvey was introduced as a subordinate secretly assigned to spy on and discredit Gordon. However, Bullock soon changed his mind and became loyal to the commissioner while having a deep suspicion of Batman.

[edit] Batman villains

Main articles: Batman villains and List of Batman villains

Batman comics have introduced many classic villains. His rogues gallery is arguably the most identifiable in modern fiction. The Joker, The Penguin, and Two-Face are some of the most recognizable foes. Batman's rogues gallery is notable for characters such as Catwoman, Talia, Poison Ivy, and The Riddler, who function both as allies and as villains.

Recently, emphasis on the psychological motivations of Batman villains have painted them in a much more sympathetic light than in their earlier stories: most notably Mr. Freeze, and the Ventriloquist in their Batman: The Animated Series incarnations.

[edit] Other heroes

Batman regularly interacts with other DC superheroes in titles such as the Justice League of America. A few, however, have a marked presence in the core Batman titles:

• Superman:
  

  

  Batman and Superman. Art by Jim Lee and Alex Ross.
  As two of the earliest superheroes, Batman and Superman are frequent costars in each other's titles, and are often used to highlight differences between vigilante and lawful crime-fighting. In the early crossovers, the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight were usually depicted as good friends who cheerfully assisted one another against foes who were too big to be dealt with alone. In more recent times, their friendship has been depicted as more uneasy, but still with a deep amount of respect. In the current chronology, Batman and Superman first encounter one another early in their careers when Superman arrives in Gotham City to arrest the notorious "outlaw" known as Batman, just as Batman is investigating a murderous criminal named Magpie. Superman left this encounter with Batman, believing he had the best of intentions, though disagreeing with Batman's methods. As Superman flew back to Metropolis, Batman lamented to himself that Superman was a remarkable individual and that "perhaps, in another lifetime, he might call the Man of Steel his friend." They have collaborated many times in the years since then, learning each other's secret identities, recognizing that their goals are essentially the same, and despite their frequent tense relationship, close allies and friends. Superman has entrusted Lex Luthor's Kryptonite ring to Batman, as a weapon to be used against Superman in case the Man of Steel should ever be turned against the people of Earth. In keeping with that attitude, Batman and Superman are often depicted as being the opposite sides of the same coin, both products of their environments, as indicated in their vastly different styles of crime fighting. Superman became a hero because he prescribed to wholesome idealism, while Batman was motivated by personal tragedy and a troubled past.

• Green Arrow: Oliver Queen began as a character very much inspired by Batman. He had a youthful ward, Speedy, much like Robin, as well as an Arrowcave, an Arrowcar, and an Arrowplane, similar to Batman's equipment. Most of these gimmicks were stripped by the 1970s, when both Batman and Green Arrow were revamped into more serious characters. Batman and Green Arrow have often been frequent partners, especially during the 1970s, when Batman's team up title, The Brave and the Bold, was one of the few places outside of the pages of JLA where the Emerald Archer could be found. Like with Superman, early team-ups between Batman and Green Arrow were very friendly, but their relations became strained in more recent incarnations. Batman and Green Arrow's interactions in the 1980s were often employed as counterpoints to differing techniques and political philosophies. Queen and Batman's relationship was further strained by the involvement of Green Arrow in the mindwiping events that happened in the pages of Identity Crisis, even though Queen voted against the mindwiping of Dr. Light and Batman, but this seems to have been forgiven for reasons unknown. Today, Green Arrow is frequently depicted as one of the few superheroes willing to stand up to Batman directly.
• Black Canary: Dinah Laurel Lance is a member of the Justice Society, the former lover of Green Arrow, and a member of Oracle's covert team in Birds of Prey. The relationship between Black Canary and Batman has not been stressed by the events of Identity Crisis, even though Black Canary was involved with the group who mindwiped Dr. Light.
• The Question: Originally a Charlton Comics superhero, created by Steve Ditko, Vic Sage was revamped by Dennis O'Neil in 1987. Since the late 1990s, the Question has had a recurring supporting role in various Batman titles. Sage dies of lung cancer in 52 Week 38; former GCPD detective Renee Montoya is now the new Question.
• Wildcat: Ted Grant, an original member of the Justice Society of America and an ex-heavyweight champion boxer, trained a young Bruce Wayne at one point. The two have remained close allies, and Batman has been quoted as saying that Grant is one of the few fighters he respects.
• Zatanna: Zatanna Zatara is a powerful sorceress, stage magician, and a former member of the Justice League of America. Her father, John Zatara, trained a young Bruce Wayne in escapology. Zatanna and Bruce have a working friendship in the comics, with Bruce calling her for assistance from time to time. Zatanna's standing with Batman after the events of Identity Crisis seems positive.
• Richard Dragon: As one of the top martial artists in the DC Universe, Denny O'Neil's Richard Dragon appears occasionally in Batman-related titles. Dragon is involved in training the modern Huntress, and allusions are made to his involvement training Batman himself.
• Toyman III: Hiro Okamura, a 13 year-old genius from Japan. He was recruited by Superboy and Robin (Tim) after he successfully created the composite Superman/Batman ship that saved Earth. He now works with Batman to create custom-equipment and weapons, replacing Harold.

[edit] Other supporting characters

• Lucius Fox: Although far less privy to his personal life, Lucius Fox is a trusted close associate of Wayne as his business manager responsible for both Wayne Enterprises and Wayne Foundation. Lucius does not know of Batman's secret identity, but in some incarnations (such as Batman Begins), it is hinted he knows Bruce is doing something, but prefers not to know exactly for the purpose of deniability.
• Jason Bard – a detective hired by the Dark Knight after the One Year Later jump. He is Batman's daytime liaison.
• Henri Ducard: Ducard is one of Wayne's few teachers who has had a continuing presence in the comics, having taught a young Bruce Wayne the art of the man-hunt. Ducard's moral ambiguity led to future conflicts with Batman.
• Lady Shiva: One of the most feared assassins in the world, Lady Shiva has often been a foe of Batman. However, after Batman broke his back fighting Bane, he went to Lady Shiva for training.
• Dr. Thomas Elliot: A surgeon introduced in the Hush storyline, Thomas Elliot is a childhood friend of the Wayne Family. Elliot and Wayne parted ways at a young age, after the death of Elliot's father.
• Ace the Bat-Hound: In 1955, a few months after the Superman mythos saw the introduction of Krypto, the Batman mythos saw the introduction and short duration of Ace, the Bat-hound, a German shepherd with a black mask covering most of his head. Ace later reappeared as Bruce's guard dog and companion in the television series Batman Beyond, and is currently seen as a character in the 2005 television series Krypto the Superdog. The modern comic-book version of Ace depicts him as a companion to Harold, rarely playing a role in the plotlines. Ace has not appeared since the "No Man's Land" storyline.
• Bat-Mite, Batman's self-proclaimed 'biggest fan' from another dimension, similar to Superman's nemesis, Mr. Mxyzptlk.

[edit] Love interests

Batman has had many romantic relationships with various female characters throughout his years fighting crime. The following characters do not include the various female hangers-on that Bruce has employed to maintain his image as a playboy.

• Julie Madison: In the earliest Batman comics, Bruce Wayne dates the often-imperiled Julie Madison. The two eventually separate and Julie weds into European royalty, much in the manner of Grace Kelly. In the movie Batman & Robin, Elle Macpherson plays Julie, though the character seems to have little in common with her comic book self. The character adds little to the plot, though many of her scenes were edited out of the film's final cut.
• Linda Page: Linda appeared during the Golden Age of Comics after Julie broke her engagement off with Bruce. A former socialite, she dedicated her time as a nurse for the elderly, instead of falling into the stereotype that rich women were spoiled and lazy. She dated Bruce for a few issues, but later fell between the cracks and disappeared.
• Vicki Vale: In several 1950s stories, reporter for the Gotham Gazette newspaper Vicki Vale, was shown as an occasional romantic interest of Batman. Vale appeared as a character in Tim Burton's first Batman feature film, portrayed by Kim Basinger, and also appeared in the recent animated feature The Batman vs. Dracula. Vicki Vale returned in the early 1980s, brought back by Doug Moench, and again in 2005 in All Star Batman and Robin.
• Patricia Powell: See Batman #165
• Virginia "Ginny" Jenkins: See Detective Comics #380 ("Marital-Bliss Miss!"), October 1968
• Selina Kyle: Batman's most well known romance is with Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, who represents a gray area in Batman's otherwise black and white life, blurring the line between good and evil. Catwoman has fought Batman on various occasions, yet the two share a mutual attraction to each other.
  

  

  Batman and Catwoman kiss on a rooftop in Hush.
  Formerly a jewel thief, Catwoman is now an anti-hero who defends Gotham City's East End. In pre-Crisis continuity, the Earth-Two versions of Batman and Catwoman were shown to have married in the 1950s, and later Selina gave birth to a daughter, Helena Wayne (alias Huntress) in 1957. In the current timeline, Batman and Catwoman became romantically involved during the "Batman: Hush" story arc.
  

  

  Catwoman and Batman in Batman: The Animated Series
  Batman ended the relationship because he was unsure if Catwoman had been a willing participant in Hush's plot. Even when their romance rekindled later on, Batman still suspected that Selina's reformation could be a result of a personality-altering mindwipe by Zatanna. In most versions of the character, the attraction Batman feels towards her is based on the fact that she's sort of a female version of himself: another dark, beautiful creature that prowls in the night. In some of these versions, such as in Tim Burton's Batman Returns, Selina (played by Michelle Pfeiffer) seems to be the true love of Bruce's life, as not only their costumed identities but also their disturbed psyches are described as similar, their relationship becoming intensely dramatic towards the end of the movie.
• Talia al Ghul: The daughter of the supervillain, Ra's al Ghul, Talia's father has encouraged the relationship in hopes of recruiting Batman as his successor. In the out-of-continuity graphic novel Batman: Son of the Demon, Talia bore his son (later named Ibn al Xu'ffasch in the also out-of-continuity Kingdom Come). Talia admires Batman in his drive, determination, and nobility, but is always torn between him and the love for her terrorist father. Unlike Catwoman, Talia is more than willing to play second-fiddle to Bruce's mission. The two are currently at odds, as Talia has been brainwashed into hating both her father and Batman; however, she claims to be the mother of his son Damian, introduced in Batman #656.
• Pamela Isley: A peculiar relationship can be found between Batman and Pamela Isley, aka Poison Ivy. There has always been a sexual tension between the two, most notably in their canonical earlier encounters.^[1][2] In Batman & Poison Ivy: Cast Shadows, Batman filled Ivy's cell at Arkham with flowers as a gift. The relationship even briefly deviated from the Batman/Ivy relationship into a Bruce/Pamela one when, in the comic series Batman: Gotham Knights, he helps her return to normal. This relationship has not been carried over to the mainstream Batman comics. In other instances, however, she is more than willing to kill Batman to achieve her goals.
• Silver St. Cloud: A storyline in the late 1970s featured Silver St. Cloud, who managed to deduce the secret of Bruce Wayne's alter ego, but she couldn't handle being involved with someone in such a dangerous line of work. The two parted ways; a 2005 miniseries features a return appearance of Silver St. Cloud; however, the romance has not been rekindled.
• Rachel Caspian: In a 1987 storyline "Batman: Year Two", Bruce Wayne falls in love with Rachel. Unfortunately, Rachel's father moonlighted as a murderous vigilante who committed suicide once losing a battle against a gun-wielding Batman. Discovery of her father's evils drove Rachel to pay her father's penance on his behalf by enrolling in a nunnery and breaking off her engagement with Bruce Wayne, who had prepared himself to end his crime-fighting career to marry her.
• Natalia Knight: The most remarkable of his love interests at the time was Nocturna aka Natasha Knight, brought in by Doug Moench in the early 1980s. She was a jewel thief who briefly adopted Jason Todd and knew that Bruce Wayne was Batman. What made her remarkable was that she suffered from a rare "light sensitivity" disease and her skin was bleached white. She disappeared during the last days of pre-Crisis Batman after being stabbed by her brother Charles, floating into the crimson sky of the Crisis in her balloon.
• Julia Pennyworth: The daughter of Alfred and a French Resistance fighter named Mlle. Marie, Julia was brought in by Doug Moench in the early 1980s.
• Vesper Fairchild: Fairchild's relationship with Bruce Wayne was establish during Doug Moench's second run on Batman in the 90s. A radio show host who left Gotham after the "No Man's Land" crisis, Fairchild was later killed by David Cain on orders from Lex Luthor.

• Shondra Kinsolving: Shondra is a psychic and the sister of Benedict Asp. She had a brief love affair with Batman, having been brought in to help him when he broke his back. Before Bruce could officially commit to her, Benedict kidnapped her and turned her abilities to evil use. Batman eventually defeated Benedict, but the damage to Shondra's mind was too great. As she healed Bruce's lingering injuries, Shondra's psyche regressed back into childhood. However, she recently made a cameo in Batman: Hush as one of the doctors assisting in Bruce Wayne's operation.
• Sasha Bordeaux: Assigned as Bruce Wayne's bodyguard, Sasha deduced that Bruce was Batman. She was framed for Fairchild's murder and later joined Maxwell Lord's Checkmate organization. During The OMAC Project, Bordeaux was turned into a cyborg OMAC but this incident has since been resolved. While Sasha and Batman kissed near the end of The OMAC Project, their relationship seems to have passed on.
• Wonder Woman: Diana and Bruce briefly dated within the pages of the Justice League of America comics, but nothing came of the relationship and the two remain friends. This is echoed in the Justice League animated series, but Bruce and Diana seem to grow very close in the TV show, and even Batman hints a romance between them in the episode "This Little Piggy."
• Jillian Maxwell: On Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special #1, 1993 (Reprinted: In Batman: Haunted Knight, 1996, trade paperback) during the beginning of his career, Bruce find himself attracted by a woman who called herself Jullian Maxwell after meeting her at a costume party. However, Alfred's suspicion of her led him to checking her background, discovering a criminal record of a woman, whose description matches Julian's, who used the aliases of Kathryn Cole, Christine Gherard, Diana Lopez, Pamela Weisman, and many other identity to seduce young wealthy men for their fortunes, then later arrange events that led to their deaths so she can have their wealth. After Alfred told Bruce of this, he was heartbroken, but Bruce kept an eye on the woman. When she used the identity Audrey Marguerite on Brazil, Bruce, as Batman, sent her a note, telling her to confess of all her crimes.

[edit] Film

• Dr. Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman): In Batman Forever, Bruce has a relationship with the psychiatrist, who is kidnapped by Two-Face and the Riddler, leading to the climactic showdown.
• Rachel Dawes (Katie Holmes): In Batman Begins, Bruce is romantically involved with his childhood friend who becomes an assistant district attorney. She ends the relationship with him when she finds out Bruce is Batman.

[edit] Animation

• Zatanna: In Batman: The Animated Series, while a young Bruce Wayne studies escape artistry under Zatara the Magician, he has a relationship with Zatara's daughter. When she later becomes the magician crime-fighter, Zatanna, she and Batman maintain a working relationship.

• Barbara Gordon: In Batman Beyond, a past romantic relationship between Barbara and Bruce is alluded to in conversation. This is also hinted at in the animated film Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman.

• Selina Kyle: In Batman: The Animated Series, Bruce Wayne regularly dates Selena Kyle . In Batman Beyond, Bruce hints at a relationship with Selina in his past. As in the comic books, sexual tension between their costumed characters is a major story point in Batman: The Animated Series.

• Andrea Beaumont: In the animated film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, most of the relationship between Bruce and Andrea is told through flashbacks. A major love interest, had their engagement not been called off due to Andrea's father's involvement with the mob, Wayne would have abandoned crime fighting forever and married Andrea.

• Kathy Duquesne: In Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman, while investigating the identity of Gotham's newest masked vigilante, Batman develops an affection to one of the suspects, Kathy Duquesne, daughter of mob boss Carlton Duquesne.

• Lois Lane: In a three-parter crossover episodes of Superman: The Animated Series/The New Batman Adventures, World's Finest, Bruce Wayne dates Daily Planet's star reporter Lois Lane after meeting her on Metropolis Airport. However, she breaks off the relationship after she discovers that he is Batman. This seems to have carried over to the comics as Lois Lane knows Bruce Wayne is Batman. They still have a very close friendship and she helps him keep an eye on the "reformed" Penguin while at a party of his. ^[3]

[edit] TV Series

In the original live action Batman series starring Adam West, Batman's relationships with women were somewhat more liberal. In many episodes, the Dark Knight would find himself in a night club, often with a far-fetched name such as the "What-a-Way-to-Go-Go", where he would dance his dance, the "Batusi".

[edit] Other Continuities

Several characters featured outside of modern Batman canon are of note:

• Helena Wayne: Pre-Crisis the Huntress was Helena Wayne, daughter to Earth-Two's Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle (Catwoman). The modern Huntress (Helena Bertinelli) has no biological relations to Catwoman or Batman.
• Carrie Kelly: Carrie Kelly became the first female Robin (chronologically though not canonically) in 1986's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. In Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again, the follow-up to DKR, Carrie is called Catgirl, as a call back to Catwoman.
• Batman (Terry McGinnis) is the lead character on the animated series Batman Beyond. Set in the near future, the series depicts the adventures of a new, younger Batman mentored by Bruce Wayne.
• Debra Kane: a character appearing in Andrew Vachss' novel, Batman: The Ultimate Evil. Kane is an investigator of child sex tourism crimes.

[edit] Crossovers

The following is a partial list of characters that Batman has worked with or befriended in several intercompany crossovers. These team-ups (for the most part) are to be considered non-canon,

• Spider-Man: Real name Peter Parker. A young man from New York, Peter Parker gained spider-like abilities after being bitten by a radioactive spider. When his Uncle Ben was gunned down by a robber, Peter became the masked vigilante known as Spider-Man. He has worked twice with Batman, once when the two teamed up to defeat the combined threat of the Joker and Carnage, and again when the two teamed up to fight Ra's Al Gul and Kingpin (comics). Later, during the "Marvel vs. DC" crossover event, Ben Reilly, (the second Spider-Man and Peter's replacement,) met the Joker, (who mistook him for Peter, even making reference to their first meeting), and later defeated Superboy during their battle. Batman, in turn, met Parker's nemesis Venom, although it's unclear if they actually fought each other or not.

• Spawn: Real name Al Simmons. Al Simmons was a highly decorated African American CIA agent who was murdered by his commanding officer Jason Wynn after he questioned the legality of his actions. Simmons was reborn on earth as a "Hellspawn", a servant of the demon known as Malebolgia. He came into conflict with Batman after he had come to New York City pursuing someone who was using the decapitate heads of homeless citizens to power an army of cyborgs. The two battled each other until learning that they were both after the same person. After teaming up to defeat their opponent, Batman struck Spawn in the face with a batarang before leaving to return to Gotham. This crossover is unique as it is considered canon in both the Spawn and All-Star Batman and Robin universes.

• The Darkness: Real name Jackie Estacado. Jackie Estacado was a young Mafia hitman, who on his 21st birthday discovered that a demonic parasite-like life form called "The Darkness" was inhabiting his body, granting him a vast array of supernatural powers. Initially, Jackie acted more as an anti-hero or villain, but after meeting Batman, decided to give up his his life of crime and use his powers to help people rather than just kill. Like the Spawn/Batman crossover, this is considered canon in Top Cow Productions' "The Darkness" universe.

• Hellboy: Real name Anung Un Rama. As a demon named Anung Un Rama, Hellboy was brought to Earth as an infant by Nazi occultists, but was rescued by Allied forces and raised by the United States' Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD). He met Batman after being sent to Gotham to help locate former "Starman (comics)" Ted Knight, who had been kidnapped by members of a Nazi cult. After fighting Batman and Hellboy, the cultists escaped, and Batman was unable to help Hellboy pursue them due to an unexpected attack on Gotham City by The Joker. Hellboy later rescues Ted with help from the current Starman (comics).

• Wolverine: Real name James Howlett, A.K.A Logan. James Howlett was a young man born in born in Alberta Canada in the 19th Century. At a young age, he discovered that he was a Mutant (Marvel Comics) with a powerful healing factor, animal-like senses, and a set of six claws, (three on each hand,) made of bone. Many years later, he was abducted and forced into the Weapon X program, which erased his memories and granted him an indestructible Adamantium skeleton. He adopted the name "Logan' after losing his memories, and eventually became a prominent member of the mutant super-hero team known as "The X-Men." When the DC Comics and Marvel universes were temporarily fused together as a result of the "Marvel V.S. D.C." crossover event, Wolverine was fused with Batman to create the hero known as Dark Claw. When the two universes were separated again, the two reverted back to thier individual bodies.

• Captain America: Real name Steve Rogers. Steve Rogers was an army reject who served as a test subject for the U.S. government's Super-Soldier serum, which was developed to combat the Axis Powers during World War 2. The serum gave him enhanced strength, speed, muscle mass, and durability. Near the end of the war, Rogers was frozen only to be revived many years later. During a story taking place in DC's "Elseworlds" line during World War 2, Captain America and his child sidekick James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes, teamed up with Batman and Robin to combat the threat of the Red Skull and the Joker. Later, during the "Marvel V.S. DC" crossover, Captain America fought against and was beaten by Batman. In the resulting Amalgam universe, Captain America was combined with Batman's ally Superman to create the hero known as "Super-Soldier".

[edit] Other uses

• All DC comic books, both unlimited series and limited series, related to Batman are occasionally called the Batman Family of series. Most of these series feature the characters described above, but some feature villains and general concepts from the Batman mythos.
• Two comic book series have used the title Batman Family. The first was an ongoing series that ran 20 issues from 1975 to 1978. This was an anthology title that featured Batman as well as characters related to him, predominantly Batgirl and Robin; issues combined new material with reprinted stories from the 1950s and 60s and the format was based upon the similar title, Superman Family. After this title ended in 1978, the Batman Family format was briefly adopted by an expanded version of Detective Comics for a few years before the comic was reduced back to a regular size. In 2002, an eight-issue limited series titled Batman: Family was published featuring the Batman family.

[edit] References

1. ^ Batman: Shadow Of The Bat 1995 Annual #3
2. ^ Batman 1997 graphic novel: Poison Ivy
3. ^ [Detective Comics #824]

[edit] See also

• Justice League
• Outsiders (comics)

v • d • e Batman
Creators	Bob Kane · Bill Finger · Other writers and artists
Supporting characters	Robin (Tim Drake) · Nightwing (Dick Grayson) · Batgirl · Batwoman · Alfred Pennyworth · Lucius Fox · Barbara Gordon · Commissioner Gordon · Harvey Bullock · Azrael · Huntress
Villains	Bane · Catwoman · Clayface · Harley Quinn · Joker · Killer Croc · Mad Hatter · Mr. Freeze · Penguin · Poison Ivy · Ra's al Ghul · Red Hood (Jason Todd) · Riddler · Scarecrow · Talia al Ghul · Two-Face  · Ventriloquist
Locations	Arkham Asylum · Batcave · Gotham City · Wayne Enterprises · Wayne Manor
Equipment	Batarang · Batmobile · Batcycle · Batsuit · Utility Belt
Miscellanea	Publications · Storylines · Alternate versions of Batman · Batman in popular media