Batman is the type of character that needs no introduction. He's DC's biggest star, the character that everyone knows something about. His war to destroy crime has made him an icon and extending that to the rest of the DC Multiverse alongside his friends in the Justice League has cemented his legend. Batman is many things, but it all adds up to make him the best of the best.
Even with all of his superheroic tendencies, Batman is a vigilante first and foremost. His entire existence is about fighting crime in Gotham and making his city safer. There are many great vigilantes in comics, but Batman is generally considered the best.
10 He'll Sacrifice Anything For His City
What sets Batman apart from just about every other vigilante out there is how much he'll sacrifice. For example, Spider-Man believes in taking responsibility, but if Aunt May was in trouble, he would drop everything to save her. Batman isn't like that; he's made sacrifices for Gotham that have made what other heroes have given up look quaint by comparison.
Batman has put everything he has, including the people he loves, on the line for Gotham. His life as Bruce Wayne is nearly non-existent, and he's willing to do anything he can possibly can for Gotham. His levels of self-sacrifice are unheard of.
9 He's Built His Own Army To Help Him
The Bat-Family is the most efficient crime-fighting team ever. In his desire to build the family that a criminal took away from him, Batman has brought together orphans and those also missing something in their life to form an army like no other. The Bat-Family is as devoted to cleaning up Gotham as their mentor and represents just how seriously he takes his war.
Batman is smart enough to know he can't win on his own. He needs help, and that's where the Bat-Family comes in. The fact that they fill a yawning chasm inside him is icing on the cake. He's built an army and forged them into a potent weapon against crime.
8 He's Studied For Years To Be The Best
Batman didn't just dive into his war on crime. He spent years preparing for it, learning everything he could to make it all possible. He studied criminology, forensics, engineering, chemistry, and everything that would be relevant to fighting crime. He prepared himself in ways that many other vigilantes never do so that when he was ready to start he was already the best.
Batman's wide base of knowledge uniquely prepared him for his war on crime. All of this knowledge has come in handy over the years, helping him become an amazing detective and allowing him to defuse traps and tricks that would have cost many lives.
7 He Made His Body Into An Amazing Weapon
Batman is one of the greatest fighters on the planet, having honed his body into a weapon while enriching his mind. Batman has worked his body to the height of physical perfection; he's not superhuman, but he can punch through concrete and kick trees in half. He's agile and quick, and is an expert acrobatic. His body is yet another weapon in his repertoire.
On top of his physical conditioning, Batman has spent years mastering as many martial arts as he can. He's a master of armed and unarmed combat, able to turn just about fight into something he can win. Even the greatest martial artists the world knows have fallen to Batman.
6 His Costume Is Designed With More Than Aesthetics In Mind
Batman's costume is one of the best looking in comics, but it's so much more than just a cool costume. For example, his bat symbol is basically meant to be a target and is the most armored part of the costume. His cape is bulletproof and fireproof. His gloves are reinforced to allow his blows to hurt his enemies more. His cowl is armored and filled with tech that helps him in his detective work and combat.
Other vigilantes have cool costumes that just look great. Batman's is a masterpiece of form and function. It works to strike fear into his enemies, and it makes his vigilante work easier, allowing him to take the fight to the criminals of Gotham and survive.
5 The Batcave Is The Perfect Vigilante Base Of Operations
Every vigilante needs a base, but none of them can hold a candle to the Batcave. As far as bases go, it's a work in progress. Like everything Batman has, he's always working to make it better, filling it with cutting-edge equipment to make his war easier. It's the nerve center of his entire operation, a place to keep extra weapons and equipment, a hangar for his many vehicles, and somewhere he can heal and recuperate.
The Batcave the ultimate hiding place, one that few of his enemies ever found. The Batcave has everything a hero needs to succeed; Batman has ensured that. There is no better base in comics, and it gives Batman and the Bat-Family a headquarters like no other.
4 His Utility Belt Is Full Of Amazing Weapons And Equipment
Batman is an amazing hand-to-hand fighter, but he faces enemies that don't just depend on their fists and melee weapons. That's just part of what his utility belt is for. It's stocked with all kinds of weapons, ones he needs to battle against the most well-armed enemies. On top of that, it's equipped all manner of high-tech crime solving equipment.
Sure, there's definitely some weird stuff in there, but Batman has to be ready for anything. His utility belt allows that to happen. He's the most well-equipped vigilante ever because he knows what can happen in the field.
3 He's Usually The Smartest Person In The Room
Batman is a genius, there's no disputing that. People don't learn and understand everything he did without being intelligent; he not only knows a lot, but he understands how to use what he knows in unexpected ways. He's inventive in the best possible way. Anyone can memorize, but Batman uses his knowledge to innovate.
On top of that, Batman is always open to learning more. The pursuit of knowledge is a never-ending road, and Batman knows that. He has to be smarter than his enemies, so he's constantly learning, evolving his knowledge to become a better hero and vigilante.
2 He's Defeated The Most Dangerous Villains Ever
A vigilante protects their city from every threat and Batman is an expert at that. Gotham is filled with not only the most dangerous gangs and organized crime factions but also the deadliest costumed villains ever. Batman has triumphed over all of them. Few other vigilantes have faced down what he has, and he always finds a way to win.
From physical brutes like Man-Bat and Killer Croc, to masterminds like the Riddler and Bane, to crime lords like Black Mask, and insane yet crafty enemies like Joker and Two-Face, Batman has faced them all. More than that, he's triumphed. He has the skills and equipment needed to triumph over anyone.
1 He's Ready For The Impossible
Batman has learned a lot of lessons over his years as a vigilante, but one has been more important than the others: always be ready for the impossible. This has not only helped him when he was with the Justice League but also in his battles against the criminals of Gotham. Batman is routinely exposed to situations that no other vigilante could handle, and yet he always wins.
Batman has plans for just about every eventuality he can imagine, and he has quite the imagination. He's faced so much and knows that his foes are capable of anything; the only way to win is to be ready for even the most impossible events.