One of many greatest winners of DC Comics is Batman, and never simply because he is arguably DC’s greatest and most worthwhile superhero. Within the comedian books themselves, he has a superb win-loss document. He wins excess of he loses, however that does not imply that his loss column is spotless.
There have been uncommon situations the place the Darkish Knight has misplaced his fights in opposition to Gotham Metropolis’s most nefarious criminals. Generally, Batman must expertise a loss to humble him and encourage him to come back again even higher than earlier than, however for him to be taught from the loss, the loss has to shake the fiber of Batman’s being. These losses depart an impression and strengthen his journey as a hero. These are just a few examples of the worst losses that Batman has ever suffered by the hands of his enemies.
The Reaper
Batman: 12 months Two by Mike W. Barr, Alan Davis, Todd McFarlane, and Extra
This early into Batman’s profession, he had by no means confronted one other vigilante earlier than, particularly an opponent who may match him in hand-to-hand fight. As such, Bruce is thrown off his recreation for the primary time when he meets the Reaper. The primary time they’re eye-to-eye, Batman notes how dealing with somebody with armor could be tough, “however not unattainable.” For Batman, overcoming the Reaper at this stage in his life was nearly unattainable.
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Batman is then crushed down and torn to shreds – to the purpose the place he should retreat, exhibiting up in entrance of Alfred at Wayne Manor as a bloody shell of his former self. On this story, Batman learns that he cannot fight each enemy as he does the frequent goon. With villains just like the Reaper, he wants to plot an precise plan, and as soon as he plans forward of time for the Reaper, he can lastly defeat him.
Deacon Blackfire
Batman: The Cult by Jim Starlin, Bernie Wrightson, John Costanza and Invoice Wray
Batman’s defeats aren’t all the time bodily, however typically psychological. Generally, the psychological battle is extra damning for Batman than the bodily. That was by no means extra true than when he was kidnapped by cult chief Deacon Blackfire and his devoted band of followers. Over time, Batman is drugged and brainwashed to the purpose the place he turns into a prepared follower of the Deacon till he is freed by Robin.
Even then, Batman’s thoughts is damaged, and he begins to uncharacteristically doubt himself. Even worse, when Blackfire takes management of the town, Batman is simply too mentally defeated to confront him, selecting to desert Gotham as an alternative. He inevitably returns, however understanding that he was prepared to give up to injustice for maybe the primary time in his crimefighting profession, Blackfire wins ultimately.
Prometheus
JLA #16 by Grant Morrison, Howard Porter, John Dell, Ken Lopez, Pat Garrahy, and Heroic Age
Upon infiltrating the Justice League’s iconic headquarters (he kills the hero Retro and steals his id), this villain reveals himself with one line: “I am Prometheus, and I am right here to destroy the Justice League.” He sticks true to his phrase, immediately disposing of Metal, then Martian Manhunter, earlier than being confronted by Batman. Prometheus has downloaded the Watchtower’s schematics into his mind, together with an understanding of each League member’s weaknesses and thirty of the world’s best martial arts.
Upon their assembly, Prometheus warns Batman that his odds do not look good, particularly since a type of thirty discs in his mind is Batman himself. The Darkish Knight does not heed that warning, and earlier than he is aware of it, Batman is obliterated off-panel. One second, Prometheus leaps at a startled Batman, and the following time he is seen within the closing panel, Batman is laid out chilly.
Girl Shiva
Detective Comics #952 by James Tynion IV, Christian Duce, Fernando Blanco, Alex Sinclair, John Rauch, Allen Passalaqua, and Sal Cipriano
Girl Shiva, mom of Batgirl Cassandra Cain and an elite murderer, has notoriously been the one villain who Batman has struggled to defeat, regardless of his sidekicks doing so on a number of events. Nonetheless, Shiva has confirmed to be Bruce Wayne’s Achilles heel with regards to hand-to-hand combating. She’s Gotham’s finest fighter for a purpose and proves it as soon as once more on this concern, the place he and Shiva attempt to have a civil dialog whereas her League of Shadows seeks to assert Gotham for themselves.
When issues get bodily, Batman cannot a lot as land a punch on Shiva earlier than she forces him all the way down to the bottom with a mere wrist lock. Shiva is aware of that she will kill Batman at this second and has defeated him earlier than, however she spares him as an alternative. It is an embarrassing search for the Caped Crusader.
Bane
Batman #497 by Doug Moench, Jim Aparo, Dick Giordano, Adrienne Roy, and Richard Starkings
Some villains are capable of defeat Batman on a psychological stage, others on a bodily stage, however it’s uncommon to see somebody annihilate the World’s Best Detective in each realms. Bane is the uncommon exception when he orchestrates an Arkham Asylum breakout that exhausts Batman for a number of nights in an try to re-capture all of the inmates. Bane meets Bruce at Wayne Manor when he is at his most drained and weak, making the most of the scenario by selecting at what’s left of Batman and breaking him into items.
The “Knightfall” arc established Bane as an precise mastermind with as a lot brains as he has brawn. This defeat would not be a fluke both, as his overtaking of Gotham within the “Metropolis of Bane” arc, which options the homicide of Alfred Pennyworth, solely furthered the concept Bane is an adversary able to defeating Batman greater than as soon as.
The Courtroom of Owls
Batman: The Metropolis of Owls by Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, and Extra
Unearthing the Courtroom of Owls’ existence not solely shakes Batman to his core however shakes his understanding of Gotham. Batman slowly begins to research how the Courtroom of Owls could have performed an element in main occasions in Gotham’s historical past in an effort to shift the facility scales of Gotham Metropolis, together with the homicide of his dad and mom. His obsession with investigating his private connection to the Courtroom distracts Batman from the prime goal and virtually prices him his sanity.
When he is ambushed by a Talon, he awakens within the Courtroom of Owls’ labyrinth, spending what looks as if days making an attempt to flee when left to his personal gadgets. In doing so, he is sleep-deprived, food-deprived, and is actively dropping his thoughts. Some would say that anybody dressing like a bat belongs in Arkham Asylum, however the Owls prey on Batman’s sanity and make that presumption a actuality.
Sensei
Batman: The Resurrection of Ra’s al Ghul by Grant Morrison, Paul Dini, Peter Milligan, Fabian Nicieza, Tony Daniel, Freddie E. Williams II, Don Kramer, Ryan Benjamin, and Extra
Batman’s historical past with Ra’s al Ghul is well-documented, however not sufficient consideration is drawn to al Ghul’s appointed lieutenant of the League of Assassins and former chief of the Society of Assassins, Sensei. He is later revealed to be the daddy of Ra’s within the Resurrection of Ra’s al Ghul, however extra importantly, this arc exhibits how Sensei might be much more highly effective than Ra’s.
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Ra’s has defeated Batman prior to now, however Batman has by no means fallen as simply to Ra’s as he does to Sensei. Batman intervenes in an effort to cease Ra’s from resurrecting, however Sensei beats Batman practically to loss of life. Batman solely survives as a result of their struggle is disrupted. Earlier than they’re interrupted, Sensei takes benefit of a blinded Batman and in addition of the truth that Sensei has centuries price of combating expertise forward of the years of coaching Batman has had.
Failsafe
Batman #130 by Chip Zdarsky, Jorge Jiménez, Tomeu Morey, and Clayton Cowles
Whereas below the affect of his Zur-En-Arrh break up character, Batman constructed an unstoppable android referred to as Failsafe programmed with the target of killing Batman if he ever broke his no-kill rule. He is activated as soon as information breaks of Batman killing the Penguin (who faked his personal loss of life). Alfred was secretly put accountable for diffusing Failsafe in case of a false alarm or false accusation, however with Alfred useless, Failsafe will solely cease when his goal is full.
Failsafe manages to get the higher of Bruce, firing a blast that presumably kills him, however as an alternative sends him to an alternate universe. When Bruce returns, he has to face down Failsafe and his break up character, incapacitated with Failsafe taking his place as a greater Batman and an evil alternative. Batman finally returns to beat Failsafe, however the robotic proves itself the largest problem Batman has confronted in years.
Mutant Chief
Batman: The Darkish Knight Returns #2 by Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, Lynn Varley, and John Costanza
This definitive Batman story takes place in an alternate actuality the place Bruce Wayne retired from Batman duties following the loss of life of Jason Todd. As an outdated man, crime is worse than it is ever been because of a gang referred to as the Mutants. Seeing the chaos round him is sufficient to pull Batman out of the shadows. When he confronts the Mutants, he is in flip confronted by the Mutant Chief.
A struggle just like the one with the Mutant Chief is a younger man’s recreation, and along with now not being younger, the older Batman can be off form. Bruce takes discover of the a lot youthful, stronger, and sooner Mutant Chief. One kick to the stomach is sufficient to explode Batman’s mid-section. To say that the Mutant Chief destroys Batman could be an understatement. He must be bailed out and rescued within the nick of time by the brand new Robin, Carrie Kelley.
Batman Omega
Batman: Final Knight on Earth #3 by Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, FCO Plascencia, and Tom Napolitano
Because it seems, nobody can defeat Batman fairly like Batman himself. Raveled by an apocalyptic future, an older Bruce Wayne remodels himself as Omega after Batman is presumed useless. Batman Omega kills Darkseid, utilizing his head and Anti-Life Equation on Gotham Metropolis, turning into a tyrant within the course of. In a serious twist, Omega has been the true Bruce Wayne all alongside, and the protagonist that the readers have been following for 3 points straight has been a clone.
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Batman turned the precise villain that he had fought onerous in opposition to for years. The clone in the end defeats his twisted counterpart. Nonetheless, although, it is bittersweet to assume that the hardest opponent that Batman may ever face was himself – and that his greatest loss got here from dropping to himself.
Batman
One in every of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Solid by tragedy with the loss of life of his dad and mom, Bruce devoted his life to turning into the world’s main martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting a complete household of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages conflict on evil because the darkish knight of his hometown, Gotham Metropolis.
- Created By
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Bob Kane
, Invoice Finger - Alias
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Bruce Wayne
- Alliance
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Justice League, Outsiders, Batman Household
- Race
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Human
- FIRST APP
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Detective Comics #27 (1939)
