If you ask any diehard DC Comics fan which superhero appears in the most titles, there's a pretty good chance their number one answer will be Batman. There's a reason the Dark Knight appears across his own family of titles, along with a few ensemble and event books as well, making his presence felt throughout the DC Universe.

While the majority of these appearances are by the original Bruce Wayne version of the hero, the number of people putting on the cape and cowl and calling themselves Batman has skyrocketed in recent months. Along with the heroic Batman, there are currently three future Batmen, an evil Batman imitator, and an army from the Dark Multiverse, all vying for the top spot as the Caped Crusader. And this doesn't take into account previous characters to take on the hero's cowl, such as Nightwing and Azrael.

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So, what prompted the sudden influx of Batmen? The easy answer is the hero's popularity. Much like Spider-Man at Marvel, Batman regularly shows up in comics, TV, animation and featured films, to the point where one could sometimes question whether DC has plans to promote other superheroes from its vast catalog. However, the fact remains that fans are drawn to Batman, and DC is wise to capitalize on the demand for the character. Consider it giving the people what they want.

Now, let's take a closer look at the various Batmen currently starring in different DC story arcs and events.

The Standard Bearer

One could be forgiven if they assumed there were multiple clones of Bruce Wayne parading around the DC Universe. At the moment, he's a featured player in the following titles: BatmanDetective ComicsJustice LeagueJustice League of America, Trinity and the event series Dark Nights: Metal, with All-Star Batman having just come to a close last year. As a member of DC's Trinity alongside Superman and Wonder Woman, Batman is one of the rare examples of a powerless superhero being more feared and respected than his god-like companions.

Tom King's Batman DC Comics

Writer Scott Snyder guided Batman through some of his toughest challenges after the start of the New 52, but Rebirth brought with it a new voice to the Batman title in Tom King. In his first year and a half helming the character, King and a murderers' row of top-level artists have introduced new supporting characters like Gotham and Gotham Girl, a reunion with his father during the Batman/Flash crossover "The Button," and the most shocking development being Bruce's engagement to Catwoman. Not to be outdone, Snyder currently has Batman as the focal point of Metal, with his longtime collaborator Greg Capullo, an event we'll return to a little bit later in our Batmen rundown.

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Future Tim Drake (Savior)

One of the biggest mysteries of DC's Rebirth era revolved around the identity of Mr. Oz. Before his secret was revealed, Mr. Oz began collecting certain figures across the DC Universe, including Doomsday, Mr. Mxyzptlk... and Tim Drake. The Detective Comics story arc "A Lonely Place of Living" saw Tim escape Mr. Oz's clutches, with help from another prisoner: a Batman from the future who just so happened to be Tim Drake of the Titans of Tomorrow.

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This twisted Future Tim saw his presence in the current-day as an opportunity to change the future. All he had to do was kill Batwoman. The Batfamily was able to stop him, but Future Tim persisted, eventually setting his sights on Superboy in "Super Sons of Tomorrow." The crossover also saw this Batman of the Future drop the cape and cowl for a new moniker: Savior.

It took the combined efforts of the Teen Titans, Superman and the Titans of Tomorrow to stand up to Savior on Superboy's behalf. Surprisingly, Savior ended up saving Superboy by absorbing his new solar flare power, resulting in the time-traveler being sucked back into Hypertime, leaving his current his whereabouts unknown.

Future Damian Wayne

Before "Super Sons of Tomorrow" kicked off, another future Batman made a brief cameo appearance in Super Sons #10. Damian Wayne of Grant Morrisson’s Batman #666, a version of Bruce Wayne’s son who sold his soul to the Devil to prevent the Apocalypse. There was a belief Future Damian would have a role to play in "Super Sons of Tomorrow," since the story already involved a Batman from the future. However, the crossover came and went without a peep from the prodigy.

One thing that should go into consideration when discussing Damian's future is his current relationship with Jonathan Kent. Though the two Super Sons got off to a rocky start, their latest adventures have brought them closer. Damian even lobbied to have Superboy added as a member of the Teen Titans, though he was ultimately outvoted. Whether or not these developments affect Future Damian's vendetta against the Apocalypse is something to monitor going forward.

Batman Beyond

Our third future Dark Knight is none other than Batman Beyond, who first hit the scene in the 1999 animated series of the same name. Terry McGinnis starred as the titular hero, taking on the mantle of Batman after Bruce Wayne became too old to carry on his war against crime. Instead of a spandex suit, however, Terry was outfitted with a better, high-tech version complete with rocket boots and an advanced internal system.

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As the New 52 came to a close, DC threw a curveball by replacing Terry with an older Tim Drake as Batman Beyond. This Tim Drake came from the Futures End reality, yet another of DC's post-apocalyptic future, but his mysterious disappearance led to Terry's return in the lead role. Terry's return also brings Bruce back into the picture as a mentor. One cool aspect of Batman Beyond is seeing Terry battle the same villains that Bruce faced off with in his day, including the League of Assassins and Ra's al Ghul.

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Dark Nights: Metal's Evil Batmen Of The Dark Multiverse

There are many different subplots playing out in DC's Metal event, but perhaps the most interesting are the evil Batmen from the Dark Multiverse. Led by the bat-god Barbatos, these dark incarnations of Batman come from bleak parallel Earths that were all destroyed. Even more, each evil Batman is a combination of Bruce Wayne and different heroes and villains in the DC Universe: The Drowned (Batman and Aquaman); The Devastator (Batman and Doomsday); The Murder Machine (Batman and Cyborg); The Merciless (Batman and Wonder Woman); The Red Death (Batman and Flash); The Dawnbreaker (Batman and Green Lantern); and The Batman Who Laughs (Batman and Joker).

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So far, these villains have the upper-hand on DC's heroes as Metal is still underway. They've even stood toe-to-toe with the Justice League. The likelihood of all seven evil Batmen surviving the event are slim, though it appears as though Batman Who Laughs' popularity has ensured DC will find a way to utilize the character in future stories.

Justice League's Batman Imitator

Writer Christopher Priest and artist Pete Woods took over the creative reigns of Justice League with Issue #34, taking the super-team on a different type of adventure. A civilian's death has caused the world to question superheroes, and the Justice League in particular. Also, things are tense within the team's own ranks, as they wonder if they're becoming super dictators. As if that wasn't enough, an unknown figure has begun kill in their name, making his first appearance in public as a chain-smoking Batman imitator.

This week's Justice League #37 adds an extra layer to our newest Batman, but it doesn't take away from the visual of seeing a smirking Dark Knight with a cigarette dangling from the side of his mouth.

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The DC Universe is overrun with Batmen at the moment. Whether they're heroic, evil doppelgangers or from the far-flung future, you'll be hard-pressed to open a comic and not see Batmen in it. Of course, with Batman being one of DC's most popular superheroes, the publisher wouldn't have it any other way.