Bruce Wayne is easily the most iconic and definitive version of Batman the world has ever known. Since making his debut, Wayne has accomplished all sorts of things within the DC universe, becoming one of the most important and popular characters in comics.
However, Bruce hasn’t always been DC’s main Batman. On several occasions, other characters have donned the Batsuit for themselves, setting out to do things differently, or due to Bruce’s absence. Of course, some of the more notable replacements for Bruce have been Dick Grayson, the first Robin, and Jim Gordon, one of Batman’s closest allies. Looking at some specific factors between them, here are our thoughts on Dick vs Jim, and who made the better Batman.
11 Grayson: Training
Of course, between the two, Dick Grayson is easily going to be the better fighter. Having been an incredibly skilled acrobat long before ever meeting Bruce Wayne, Dick has always had the advantage of being in incredible shape. Likewise, even after training with Batman himself, Dick only honed his skills throughout the years, even surpassing Bruce in certain ways.
However, Jim did shape up when it was time for him to become Batman. However, he was never the most skilled combatant, and often relied on Rookie or other technology to do a lot of the physical work. While he still knew how to throw a punch, Dick was easily the better fighter between them.
10 Gordon: Sidekick
As far as sidekicks go, Gordon definitely had the better one. While Damian Wayne makes sense as Robin, the character was still very new at the time Dick took the mantle, and his personality made him very violent and oftentimes difficult to work with.
Rookie, on the other hand, is a robot that follows orders as they are given and as precisely as possible, arguably making him the more effective partner for the Dark Knight. While Damian himself has certainly come a long way and is the far more dynamic character, Rookie did make for the better sidekick.
9 Grayson: Allies
Without Batman in the picture, Jim Gordon has very few allies to rely on in terms of major threats. Of course, he still has the backing of the GCPD and a few close friends of his own, but he doesn’t exactly have a “Super Signal” to summon Superman when things get too out of hand.
Thanks to his time as Robin, Dick is familiar with all sorts of other superpowered characters, and is even very close with some of them. Almost everyone who ever served as a Teen Titan would likely come to his aid if need be, and even a few members of the Justice League would happily help if possible. Though Jim has some close friends, Dick’s allies are in much higher places, both literally and figuratively.
8 Gordon: Batmobile
While Dick’s Batmobile certainly had a much sleeker and more practical design, Gordon’s Bat-Truck served several other purposes aside from getting Batman from point A to point B. Firstly, the truck was equipped with all sorts of advanced technology, including almost any gadget Gordon may need as he fights crime.
Secondly, the incredibly powerful design of the Bat-Truck was guaranteed to make Batman’s presence in Gotham known, which was part of the reason the GCPD did it in the first place. Not only did Gordon’s Batmobile offer more in terms of practicality, but it also fit well within the theme of establishing Gordon as Batman.
7 Grayson: Costume
With only a few minor differences between his own suit and Bruce’s, Dick Grayson had the better Batsuit over Gordon. The classic blue went well with the 2 triangle wrist blades and the Bat-emblem on the belt that gave the suit a bit of distinction, while still honoring the person who held the mantle before.
While it makes sense for Gordon’s suit to be more distinct, the design of Rookie made him look more like a rabbit than a bat, and also took a very armored approach. Even Gordon’s suit that he wore under it was incredibly plain with no cape, all-black spandex, and a bright yellow emblem on the chest. Despite being a nice change of pace, Godron’s suit was just slightly less practical and too different from the original costumes.
6 Grayson: Enemy Power Level
Looking at the enemies the two faced off against, it seems a bit unfair to compare them in this manner. Even excluding the foes Grayson defeated as Robin or Nightwing, he had a slightly longer run as Batman than Gordon did, allowing him to fight a few more foes.
Throughout his run, Gordon’s main antagonist was Mister Bloom. Though Bloom himself was very powerful, Grayson definitely proved his own by fighting opponents such as Flamingo, Red Hood, and Joker, just to name a few. While both characters did their fair share of good as Batman, Dick took down far deadlier opponents than Jim Gordon.
5 Tie: Experience
In regards to experience, both characters had a great idea of how to approach being Batman. Considering how they have both worked with Bruce for years since donning the suits, they both had a general idea of how to tackle crime in Gotham.
Likewise, both characters had ideas of what to differently in order to make an attempt at being a more effective Batman. While Dick may have been the better combatant, both characters are deeply rooted in Gotham City and are both logical choices for Batman’s successor.
4 Tie: Personality
No matter how one looks at it, the differences in personality between these characters as Batman doesn’t exactly make one a better Batman than the other. Of course, both were a bit more lighthearted in their approach, but their differences still made them equally effective.
Furthermore, part of exploring these characters in this situation is part of the fun of their stories to begin with. While it was sad to see Bruce gone, seeing how Dick and Jim rise to the occasion was incredibly interesting to see. Despite the differences in their personality, both made appropriate changes to Batman that, for the most part, were welcomed by fans.
3 Tie: Equiptment
Part of being Batman is having some of the most advanced gadgetry and technology on your person at all times. As mentioned previously, Gordon had his bases covered in this regard, but Grayson certainly did as well.
While the differences in the tech the characters used was notable, they still fit the different personalities of each character, and also featured some more advanced stuff that Bruce has yet to use. In being Bat-themed as well, both versions gave readers plenty of insanely cool gadgets to help hold down the fort until Bruce made his return.
2 Making Batman Their Own: Gordon
Though both characters made Batman their own by the end of their respective runs, Gordon really pushed the boundaries of what the character could be a bit more than Dick. By attempting to work within the law, Jim set out to completely reinvent the symbol of what Batman could be.
Grayson, on the other hand, kept things fairly close to how Bruce would run them and, while it was likely more comfortable for readers, only made some small changes to the Batman mythos. While Gordon’s ideologies weren’t always the most effective for fighting crime, exploring that aspect of what Batman could be was a very respectable part of the character’s journey.
1 Winner: Grayson
Despite being so close, it is hard to see how Dick wouldn’t be the better Batman in the end. While Gordon still did a lot of good in his time as the Dark Knight, Dick was just more effective and traditional.
Keeping closer to Bruce’s own methods is also the better choice, as working within the GCPD isn’t always the best way to get things done. Likewise, considering the character’s relationship with the original Batman, seeing Dick in the cowl just makes a bit more sense overall. Though Jim gave it his all, Dick has proved that he is the more appropriate successor to Batman several times over.