*'''[[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 (comic book)|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 portion of ''52''.
*'''[[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 (comic book)|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 portion of ''52''.
*'''[[Renee Montoya| 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 (comic book)|52]]'' limited series. Renee, the second person known as [[Question (comics)|the Question]], currently fights crime with the current Batwoman, who is her lover. During the ''[[Countdown to Final Crisis|Countdown]]'', Oracle solicits the assistance of the Question and Batwoman although they promptly refuse "[[Birds of Prey (comic book)|Bird]]" status, andhas on at least two occasions worked under the orders of Oracle.
*'''[[Renee Montoya| 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 (comic book)|52]]'' limited series. Renee, the second person known as [[Question (comics)|the Question]], currently fights crime with the current Batwoman, who is her lover. During the ''[[Countdown to Final Crisis|Countdown]]'', Oracle solicits the assistance of the Question and Batwoman. Although they promptly refuse "[[Birds of Prey (comic book)|Bird]]" status, they have on at least two occasions worked under the orders of Oracle.
*'''[[Holly Robinson]]''' is a former prostitute trained by Wildcat and her friend Selina Kyle, to briefly become the new Catwoman following the birth of Selina's daughter. In her civilian identity, retaining the skills she learnt in training to become Catwoman, she was a main character in ''[[Countdown to Final Crisis|Countdown]]''. The series saw her receive extensive Amazonian training as part of [[Granny Goodness]]' scheme to acquire new [[Female Furies]]. In the series' denouement, she and former supervillain friend [[Harley Quinn]] return to civilian life in Gotham, together.
*'''[[Holly Robinson]]''' is a former prostitute trained by Wildcat and her friend Selina Kyle, to briefly become the new Catwoman following the birth of Selina's daughter. In her civilian identity, retaining the skills she learnt in training to become Catwoman, she was a main character in ''[[Countdown to Final Crisis|Countdown]]''. The series saw her receive extensive Amazonian training as part of [[Granny Goodness]]' scheme to acquire new [[Female Furies]]. In the series' denouement, she and former supervillain friend [[Harley Quinn]] return to civilian life in Gotham, together.
*'''[[Damian Wayne]]''' is the son of Batman and [[Talia al Ghul]], therefore being both Son of the Bat, and grandson of the [[Ra's al Ghul|Demon]]. His status is unclear at the moment as he is with his mother as of the story "Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul," which came out in the end of 2007. His future is foretold to have him be the new Batman.
*'''[[Damian Wayne]]''' is the son of Batman and [[Talia al Ghul]], therefore being both Son of the Bat, and grandson of the [[Ra's al Ghul|Demon]]. His status is unclear at the moment as he is with his mother as of the story "Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul," which came out in the end of 2007. His future is foretold to have him be the new Batman.
Throughout the stories published in DC Comics and 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. The Batman Family was also the title of a "giant-sized" anthology comic book published by DC from 1975 to 1978, which featured solo stories starring Batgirl and Robin, as well as other members of Batman's supporting cast.
The Batman Family comic book featured solo stories starring Batgirl and Robin in addition to reprints of Golden Age stories. Many issue of Batman Family featured Batman supporting characters such as Alfred, Batwoman, Vicki Vale, the Elongated Man, Man-Bat, The Huntress, and Ace the Bat-Hound. In 1978, after the DC Implosion, Batman Family merged with the long-running (but relatively poor-selling) Detective Comics, converting that book into a $1 68-page giant as of Detective #481 (Dec. 1978/Jan. 1979). (This arrangement lasted until November 1980, with issue #496, when Detective reverted to its traditional size and price.)
Batman Family
The Batman Family operates like a network of similarly-minded superheroes who operate in and around Gotham, with Batman as its head. The group usually are seen interacting with one another and assisting in each other's cases, even within their respective series. Although some members occasionally resent Batman’s intrusion into their lives, all respect him as a legend within the superhero community and rarely dare to challenge his authority. Most of the members also have a strong rapport with the Dark Knight due to their long and close relationships with him over the years, and consider him a close friend and/or ally, and acknowledge that he most likely shares that sentiment, no matter how adverse he is to actually showing it. In a 2002 storyline in which Bruce Wayne, Batman’s secret identity, is accused of murder, Batman's friends gather to prove his innocence. It has also been implied through Batman's history that this network serves as a surrogate family for Batman and keeps him from slipping too far into his ruthless vigilante persona.[citation needed]
Current members
Aside from Batman, current members include:
Alfred Pennyworth – Batman’s butler and confidant as well 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 protector of Blüdhaven, Gotham's ugly sister city to the south.
Robin (Tim Drake) – Another teenage crime fighter who took-up the mantle of Robin to assist Batman. After the last of his living family is murdered, he is adopted by Bruce Wayne at the end of the Batman story arc "Face the Face."
Oracle (Barbara Gordon) – The original Batgirl, daughter of Gotham police commissioner James Gordon. 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 called the Birds of Prey.
Catwoman (Selina Kyle) was one of Batman's early adversaries. In later years, she becomes his frequent love interest and defender of Gotham City's East End. One year after the events of Infinite Crisis, she retired (allowing Holly Robinson to take the mantle of Catwoman) and gave birth to a baby girl named Helena. She is called out of retirement by Batman to infiltrate an Amazonian sect during their attack. Following a series of kidnappings of her baby, Catwoman gave her up for adoption.
Batgirl (Cassandra Cain) - A martial artsprodigy and daughter of the assassinsDavid Cain and Lady Shiva. Batman and Oracle trained her as the next Batgirl. After abandoning this role, she briefly became leader of the League of Assassins. It is revealed later that the mercenary Deathstroke is responsible for brainwashing and influencing Cassandra's villainous activities. She has since joined the Outsiders, reclaiming the Batgirl mantle.
The Huntress (Helena Bertinelli) is the daughter of a slain mafia family. She rejected crime and took to patrolling Gotham as an anti-heroine. She serves as an agent of Oracle, one of the Birds of Prey. While her relationship with Batman has been tenuous, she recently earned his respect.
The Spoiler (Stephanie Brown) was the daughter of the criminal Cluemaster and became a teenaged superhero. 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 by Black Mask and "dies" as a result of this - in reality, her death is faked by Dr. Leslie Thompkins. She returns to Gotham, in costume, in Robin #172. The reasons behind her return are vague.
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 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, the second person known as the Question, currently fights crime with the current Batwoman, who is her lover. During the Countdown, Oracle solicits the assistance of the Question and Batwoman. Although they promptly refuse "Bird" status, they have on at least two occasions worked under the orders of Oracle.
Holly Robinson is a former prostitute trained by Wildcat and her friend Selina Kyle, to briefly become the new Catwoman following the birth of Selina's daughter. In her civilian identity, retaining the skills she learnt in training to become Catwoman, she was a main character in Countdown. The series saw her receive extensive Amazonian training as part of Granny Goodness' scheme to acquire new Female Furies. In the series' denouement, she and former supervillain friend Harley Quinn return to civilian life in Gotham, together.
Damian Wayne is the son of Batman and Talia al Ghul, therefore being both Son of the Bat, and grandson of the Demon. His status is unclear at the moment as he is with his mother as of the story "Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul," which came out in the end of 2007. His future is foretold to have him be the new Batman.
Talia al Ghul is the daughter of Ra's al Ghul and is the mother of Damian. She and Batman have a relationship but it is unclear they continue their relaionship when she becomes the new Demon's head.
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, an identity previously held by the Joker. Sent on a tour of the Multiverse with Donna Troy and Kyle Rayner, Todd briefly adopted the identity of Red Robin after meeting the Batman of Earth 51, before seemingly abandoning that identity and costumed heroism altogether once more.
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. She returns to the US and finds Tim Drake in Blüdhaven, but is trying to kill Robin under orders from Johnny. Eventually, she fights alongside Robin and saves his life during a battle with metacriminals in Blüdhaven before she's taken in by the Shadowpact.
Bat-Mite, a reality altering imp from the 5th dimension who was recently revealed to be in continuity in an issue of Superman/Batman. Previously, he was Batman's biggest fan, but his status is currently unknown.
Simon Dark, a mysterious vigilante active in Gotham City.
Edward Nigma, aka the Riddler, after awaking from a coma, he has gone legit opening a wellknown detective agency that sometimes helps out the Batman.
Jason Bard, a private investigator hired to be Batman's daytime liaison in the Face the Face story line, but according to Robin #176 Batman hasn't contacted him in 6 weeks.
Deceased members
Azrael (Jean-Paul Valley) was a genetically modified assassin 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. A return of the character or at least the identity of Azrael has been hinted at in recent issues of Booster Gold and Manhunter
Orpheus (Gavin King) was an agent of a shadowy organization that had outfitted him with crimefighting equipment and training. He became one of Batman's agents and posed as a crime boss but was later killed by Black Mask.
Harold Allnut, Harold was an aide of Batman's who helped design, make, and repair many of his gadgets. Harold was later killed by Hush.
Former members
Sasha Bordeaux, Bruce Wayne's former bodyguard. She is now Black Queen of the government organization called Checkmate as well as a partial OMACcyborg.
Onyx (Onyx Adams) was Orpheus' bodyguard and protector. She took up his position as gang leader after Orpheus' death. A bond developed between Onyx and Cassandra Cain. After the events of Infinite Crisis, she was not seen in Gotham until Birds of Prey #114 in 2007, which reveals she has remained an active vigilante and a contact of Oracle.[1]
Flamebird, (Betty 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, a series of grisly murders of several members of Batman's rogues gallery points to Dent. When confronted by Batman, Dent blows 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.
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 seriesGCPD: 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.
Some of Batman's rogues gallery is notable for sometimes functioning as allies as well as villains. Some examples of this are Catwoman, the Riddler, The Scarecrow, Poison Ivy and Talia al Ghul.
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.
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: File:Batman superman.jpgBatman 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 crimefighting. 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 subscribed 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 teamups 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 former member of the Justice Society and of Oracle's covert team in Birds of Prey as well as being the wife of Green Arrow, a founding member of the Justice League of America, and its current chairperson. 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, even proposing that they start a relationship before Bruce tells her he cares too much about her to bring her into his world.
Richard Dragon: As one of the 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. Hiro is revealed to be one of several robots, who fills in for the real toy man while incarcerated, this was revealed in Action Comics #865.
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. Depending on the incarnation, Lucius may know nothing of Bruce's secret life; have some hints about it (such as Batman Begins), where he knows Bruce is doing something, but prefers not to know exactly for the purpose of deniability; or know about it entirely, as is the case in The Batman and The Dark Knight
Jason Bard: a detective hired by the Dark Knight after the One Year Later jump. He is Batman's daytime liaison. Bard was engaged to Barbara Gordon during her Batgirl career.
Dr. Leslie Thompkins: A life long friend of Thomas Wayne and Bruce's godmother. She is a strict pacifist and used to run a clinic for criminals and drug addicts. She had a falling out with The Dark Knight after Stephanie Brown's apparent death.
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. In the movie Batman Begins but not the comics, he turns out to be Ra's Al Gul.
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.
Legs: a homeless Vietnam veteran, and resident of the streets of Gotham City. The character was frequently featured in cameo appearances in various Batman comics during the 80s and 90s. As of 2008, the character has not been utilized in published material and has fallen into obscurity.
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 seriesKrypto 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.
Aunt Harriet Cooper, the maternal aunt of Dick Grayson that appeared in the Batman comics in the 1960s.
Daphne Pennyworth, niece of Alfred Pennyworth and daughter of Wilfred Pennyworth, briefly appeared in the late 1960s/early 1970s.
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.
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.
In several 1950s stories, reporter for the Gotham Gazettenewspaper Vicki Vale, was shown as an occasional romantic interest of Batman. Vicki Vale returned in the early 1980s, brought back by Doug Moench.
Virginia "Ginny" Jenkins: Appears in 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.
File:Batcat.JPGBatman 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 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 the current timeline, Batman and Catwoman became romantically involved during the "Batman: Hush" story arc. File:BTASCATII.JPGCatwoman 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 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 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.
In Batman: The Animated Series, Bruce Wayne regularly dates Selina 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.
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. 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.
In Earth-22's Kingdom Come, Talia admires Batman in his drive, determination, and nobility, but is always torn between him and the love for her terrorist father.
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.[3][4] 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 although 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 crimefighting 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 established during Doug Moench's second run on Batman in the 1990s. 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.[5]
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."
Black Canary: Although Black Canary has a relationship with Green Arrow, she has shown an attraction to the Dark Knight when she and Batman has shared kisses from time to time. In "All-Star" Batman and Robin, the two show more of an attraction to one another.
Jillian Maxwell: In Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special #1, (reprinted in the trade paperback Batman: Haunted Knight) during the beginning of his career, Bruce find himself attracted to a woman who called herself Jillian 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 Jillian'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 in Brazil, Bruce, as Batman, sent her a note, telling her to confess of all her crimes.
Batman and Orion's wife Bekka, had a strong attraction to each other after she rescued him from Darkseid's forces on the planet Tartarus. She was later murdered. [6]
Lorna Shore: In Batman Confidential: Lovers & Madmen, Bruce met a museum curator Lorna Shore during the beginning of his career . It was love at the first sight as Bruce was able to find peace when he was with her for the first time since he was 8 years old after his parents' murder. However, after his encounter with The Joker, realize that there will be more enemies like him. To protect Lorna, he broke off their relationship. Lorna later leave the city, feeling that Gotham isn't safe anymore because of Batman and The Joker.
Jezebel Jet a woman who had lost her parents. She soon discovered that Bruce was Batman and is a factor in the ongoing story.
Rachel Dawes (Katie Holmes/Maggie Gyllenhaal): In Batman Begins, Bruce hopes to become romantically involved with his childhood friend, now an assistant district attorney. She tells him that she can't be with him until the time Gotham no longer needs the Batman. In The Dark Knight, Rachel is in a relationship with Harvey Dent. She is about to agree to marry Dent, and writes a note to Bruce Wayne telling him of her choice. However, The Joker kidnaps both Rachel and Harvey, resulting in Rachel's death and Harvey's transformation to Two-Face. Alfred later burns the note so that Bruce will believe Rachel would have chosen him.
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 crimefighter, Zatanna, she and Batman maintain a working relationship.
Andrea Beaumont: In the animated film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, most of the relationship between Bruce and Andrea is told through flashbacks. Andrea was a major factor during Bruce's struggle into becoming Batman. Bruce admitted that the pain of his parents death had lifted due to Andrea. Bruce decided to abandon his oath and proposed to Andrea. But Andrea gave back the ring the next day and went to Europe. Bruce meets Andrea again in the film and is crushed upon discovery of her being the Phantasm.
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 crossover between Superman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures,World's Finest, Bruce Wayne dates Daily Planet star reporter Lois Lane after meeting her at Metropolis Airport. However, she breaks off the relationship after she discovers that he is Batman. Bruce points the irony to Superman that she likes Bruce Wayne and Superman but not the latters alter egos. 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. [7]
Other continuities — Not Love Interests
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.
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. Terry is always treated similarly to the way Bruce treated Dick Grayson and Tim Drake in this continuity. Bruce has a respect for him and has found him to be a worthy person to wear the mask and that he is the one that makes Batman a good person. In Justice League Unlimited's Epilogue, it is revealed that Terry is the biological son of Bruce due to Amanda Waller's involvement in creating a new Dark Knight under Project Cadmus' final project, Project Batman Beyond.
