BATMAN DAY – WHO ELSE WAS THE DARK KNIGHT?

Can Anyone Be The Bat?

Since his debut in 1939, BATMAN has been fighting crime in Gotham City. Coming out of tragedy, Bruce Wayne forged himself into a Dark Knight. His adventures and challenges have evolved over the years. They have pushed him to the breaking points. In certain cases, the effects have made him take a break from the mantle.

Even with prep time.

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It poses a great question of who can fill the role of Batman. Could anyone other than Bruce Wayne truly take the role? This has happened from time to time in the comics. Let’s take a look at some previous characters who stepped in and stepped up. Did they make the grade?

JEAN-PAUL VALLEY (AZRAEL)

After making his debut in the “Sword Of Azrael” series in 1992, Valley came in as a highly dangerous assassin. His connection to the Order of St. Dumas made things more complicated. Batman ultimately helped him break free of mental programming. This resulted in him becoming a vigilante and ally in fighting crime.

His timing was very convenient. BANE has come on the scene and initiated the “Knightfall” storyline. Wearing Batman done to nothing, Bane broke Batman’s back and left Gotham without a protector.

In one of his most egregious mistakes, Wayne chose Valley to take the Mantle over Dick Grayson. This ushered in an all New Batman era. After defeating Bane, Valley started slipping back into his previous mental state. Lines were crossed. The stain on the legacy became more motivation for Wayne to come back and take the role over. After defeating Valley, Wayne started a new run. Valley resumed his Azrael identity and that was that.

OVERALL GRADE: 2. Valley was forced into the role without really proving why he deserved it. Trying to make Batman more edgy never caught on. There’s a reason Frank Castle could never be Batman. Valley completely verified it.

JIM GORDON (new 52 era)

The new 52 era of DC Comics gave fans much to talk about. Some things worked. Others did not. Arguably the biggest win of that time was pairing Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo together on Batman. They took Batman into a horror-laced journey. It gave him many challenges while trying to experiment in new directions.

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One of which was making a change in the mantle. After the effects of “Endgame”, Bruce Wayne was taken out of the role. Needing someone to fill in, Gordon was elected into the position. That wasn’t the wildest call involved. The creative team put the younger Gordon into a Mecha-armored suit!

The results were very mixed. After dealing with Mr. Bloom, it was clear Gordon was in over his head. His armored was trashed. Gotham was in peril. It took an amnesic Bruce Wayne to decide to have his memories restored to fully reclaim the cowl.

OVERALL GRADE: 4. In this era, taking new directions has a great plan. Gordon as an armored Batman made sense for the story purpose. His intentions were good but there were too many obstacles for him to overcome. Gordon still ranks higher than Valley in many other character aspects.

DICK GRAYSON – NIGHTWING!

The Original Robin. Over the years, the high flying Grayson has learned first hand what is involved with being The Bat. The legendary pairing of him and Bruce Wayne has entertained millions throughout the years. There is only one enemy that they couldn’t defeat: Father Time.

Grayson had grown up before fans’ eyes. It came to a point where he could no longer be a “boy Wonder”. In “Tales Of The Teen Titans” #84 (1984), Grayson took a new persona. He became the hero known as Nightwing.

This lead to his own run as a heavily loved and respected figure int he DCU. It also showed how Batman needs a Robin whether he wants one or not.

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In “Knightfall”, Grayson was passed over for Jean Paul Valley as the successor to the Batman mantle. This lead to a darker era of Batman which strayed heavily away from the character. Once Bruce Wayne reclaimed the role, this mistake was fixed. When it was time to fill the role again, there was no mistake on who was taking it.

“Final Crisis” led to the displacement of Bruce Wayne. Presumed dead, there was a need to fill the mantle. In 2009’s “Battle for the Cowl”, Grayson won the role. This was a move that elated fans. He even got has own Robin in one Damian Wayne. Their adventures carried a different sense to them. Even with the change, it never lost the essence to fight for justice. The run lasted almost a year until Wayne returned. Even as brief as it was, it left no doubt on what kind of Batman Grayson could be.

OVERALL GRADE: 8. The mistake made in 1993 was rectified and the some with this move. Grayson’s crime-fighting skills are second to none. Following in his “father’s” footsteps is a natural progression for the character. His time as being a self-established hero worked to success in this manner.

It also allowed him to role reverse with Damian Wayne. No longer a sidekick, Grayson proved an important mentor. This role has only made him a more respected and loved hero in the DCU. If ever in present time there needs to be a reset, Grayson is the clear choice. Note: present time.

TERRY McGINNIS

Who would have thought in 1999 that a futuristic concept on the Dark Knight would spawn his future? In January of 1999, “Batman Beyond” debuted. Fans witnessed a young man named Terry McGinnis come crashing into the Batman world.

Father time caught up to Bruce Wayne. With heart issues, he needed to stop being Batman. Gotham declined and crime rose. After running from a Jokerz gang, McGinnis finds refuge in Wayne Manor. By Fate or luck, he stumbles upon the Batcave.

This meeting is also more problematic as he returns home to his father’s murder. Fueled by rage, McGinnis confronts Wayne for help in getting justice. After Derek Powers (who orchestrated his father’s murder) steals the evidence, McGinnis takes matters into his hands.

He steals a Bat suit and goes to confront Powers. In the altercation, Powers is mutated in Blight. McGinnis survives this encounter with help of a new mentor: Bruce Wayne.

From this day forward, they form a unique bond. McGinnis is out in the field while Wayne oversees from the cave. Their adventures take many turns. One of which is a reincarnated Joker to the future! As the bond forms, another event takes place which shatters everything we know.

It is revealed that McGinnis IS the biological son of Wayne.

Through a very complex tale, Amanda Waller reveals she engineered Wayne’s DNA to overtake Warren McGinnis’ genes. Waller went so far into planning to try re-creating the Joe Chill incident. Powers’ act beat her to the punch. This ensured the future would have a Batman. It is a lot to process and strains much with McGinnis. After accepting what has happened, McGinnis fully cements his future as Gotham’s Batman.

The character officially became part of DCU lore in 2010’s “Superman/Batman Annual 4”. His popularity hasn’t slowed down and generated a few series since.

OVERALL GRADE: 10. As far as Batmen go, McGinnis stands out as the leader of the pack. His character blends in elements of both Grayson and Wayne. He displays a fair share of the darkness of tragedy with more optimism of hope. There isn’t a side that leans more in favor. As each adventure progresses, McGinnis keeps expanding reach.

The stand-off with a resurrected Joker is prime example of past vs. future. It is a moment than many fans thought he became officially Batman. While Grayson is a better character as Nightwing, His Batman is a close 2nd to McGinnis. Maybe one day we will get that live action version, but for now, we have great comics to read.

That’s just some of the characters who have stepped into the role of Batman. Let me know in the comments where you have them ranked. Is there someone else you think should be mentioned? Shout them out while celebrating Batman Day. Until Next time, Thanks for reading!  CLICK HERE FOR MORE CONTENT FROM KEN