Batman is probably the most famous and well-established character in comics and pop culture. The Dark Knight is defined by his deep moral center and strict adherence to a code of ethics. But even superheroes slip up sometimes.
Batman's adventures have been published by DC Comics for more than eight decades, and his exploits have been overseen by dozens of editors, writers and artists throughout the years. It isn't always easy to maintain consistency with that much history, and as such, Batman has acted out of character a few times across his long history.
10 Batman Has Fun Burning Men Alive In All-Star Batman & Robin, The Boy Wonder #6
There are multiple out-of-character Batman moments from writer Frank Miller and artist Jim Lee's 2005-2008 prequel to Miller's The Dark Knight Returns. All Star Batman & Robin, The Boy Wonder is full of perplexing moments, but one of the most bizarre occurs in the sixth issue.
Batman finds himself at the Gotham City docks, breaking up a smuggling ring that's bringing black market bleach into the city. It isn't out of character for Batman to take down criminals in violent ways. It is odd for him to ignite the bleach and laugh while his adversaries burn alive. Then, there's the sudden intervention of Black Canary who shows up out of nowhere to help Batman battle the punks. A team-up isn't so strange, but what happens afterwards is more than out of character, as Batman and Canary have sex with the carnage still raging.
9 Batman Wets Himself In Batman: The Widening Gyre #6
Kevin Smith is one of the world's most famous Bat-fans. So, when he revealed in 2009's Batman: The Widening Gyre #6 that the Dark Knight once wet his pants, it raised a few eyebrows.
Smith and artist Walt Flanagan have Batman reveal that the heat from an explosion he set off in Batman: Year One caused him to have a "bladder spasm." There's some real-world science here, as proximity to an explosion can cause such spasms. It's just a bit out of character for it to happen to someone as well-trained as Batman.
8 Batman Lets A Monster Die And Shrugs It Off In Batman (Vol 1) #1
Batman (Vol 1) #1 is one of the most important first issues in comics history. Not only did it see the first appearances of Joker and Catwoman, but it also featured the first time Batman used an airplane to kill.
Batman's policy of mercy hadn't yet been established, but it's odd to see Batman using his plane to literally hang a thug from the neck. In this story by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, one of Hugo Strange's goons gets snagged on a rope, and he tries to climb up to the Bat-Gyro to free himself. It's to no avail, though, as his own weight eventually drags him down, and he dies. In the end, Batman decides the criminal is "better off this way."
7 Batman Gets Addicted To Venom In Legends Of The Dark Knight #16-20
Batman on drugs isn't something most readers expect. This made writer Denny O'Neil's 'Venom' from Legends of the Dark Knight in 1991 out-of-character for the World's Greatest Detective.
Set in the early days of Batman's career, the Caped Crusader recognizes that fighting crime might be harder than he expected. He seeks out an extra edge in the form of the strength-enhancing Venom. Before long, Batman is addicted and basically becomes hired muscle for his pusher. Batman kicks the habit, but Venom would haunt him later. Bane would eventually use Venom against Batman in the classic 'Knightfall' arc.
6 Batman Leaves KGBeast For Dead In Batman (Vol. 1) #420
KGBeast was one of Batman's most formidable foes in the '80s and '90s. Prior to his showdown with Bane, the Russian monster was probably the biggest non-crocodile opponent Batman ever faced in a fistfight. The Beast was dangerous enough that Batman all but murdered him.
After a fierce battle with the enhanced Soviet assassin in the sewers, Batman is out of tricks. But being Batman, he knows every corner of his battleground. Batman forces KGBeast into a room the assassin can't escape from and leaves him for dead. Writer Jim Starlin and artist Jim Aparo suggest this was Batman's only recourse in Batman (Vol. 1) #420. Still, it's out of character for Batman to leave someone to die.
5 Batman Scares An Old Man To Death In The Untold Legend Of The Batman #1
The Untold Legend of the Batman was a 1980 retelling of Batman's origin by Len Wein, John Byrne, and Jim Aparo. This origin story is still mostly in line with what readers know and expect of Batman today. However, Batman does engage in some pretty out-of-character behavior.
In the first issue, Bruce Wayne finds that his late father's bat costume has been vandalized. Through his investigation, Batman learns the elder Wayne wore the costume to a charity function and foiled a robbery attempt by mobster Lew Moxon. Batman finds out that Moxon was partly responsible for the Waynes' murder. However, a head injury has left the retired crook with a damaged memory. Rather than let an old man live out his last days, Batman dons the old costume and makes Moxon think he's seeing ghosts, sending him fleeing into the path of an oncoming truck.
4 Batman Chuckles With The Joker In Batman: The Killing Joke
The Killing Joke, the 1988 Joker origin story by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland, is among the finest portrayals of Batman's nemesis. Joker reflects on how a single day transformed him from a struggling comedian into the world's most violent trickster. He theorizes that one day can alter anyone's psyche and tests it on Commissioner Gordon.
After shooting Gordon's daughter Barbara through the spine, Joker subjects Gordon to psychological torture before Batman saves the day. Ultimately, Batman makes a plea for the Joker to seek help. Joker turns him down but offers a joke instead - which Batman laughs along with. The Killing Joke is non-canon, but sharing a laugh with his worst enemy is definitely out of character for Batman.
3 Batman Sides With The Riddler In Batman (Vol. 3) #30
Tom King's 'War of Jokes And Riddles' has Gotham City collapsing under the weight of a war between Riddler and the Joker, and it's up to Batman to restore order. The surprising part is in Batman #30, where King (with artist Clay Mann) has Batman pick one of the super criminals' sides.
Batman decides to back the Riddler by weeding out the weakest criminal on the Joker's side, Kite Man, and exploiting him. Worse still, Batman does this knowing that the Riddler murdered Kite Man's son. Considering his own battle with trauma, it's unusual for Batman to take advantage of another person's tragedy.
2 Batman Tortures The Penguin In Batman: The Dark Knight (Vol 1) #2
Batman can get a little vicious sometimes, as he has taken liberties with his opponents' pain thresholds to get answers. But in Batman: The Dark Knight #2, writer/artist David Finch had Batman go uncharacteristically far in interrogating the Penguin.
"Too far" can mean many things, and breaking three of the Penguin's limbs certainly qualifies. Usually, when Batman resorts to extreme measures, it's in non-canon works where writers want to push Batman past his boundaries. When it's done in canon, it's a little jarring.
1 Batman Hands Azrael The Cape And Cowl In Batman (Vol 1) #498
'Knightfall' is one of the most influential Batman storylines ever, in which Bane famously broke the Dark Knight's back. Considering he was dealing with a cracked spine, one could concede that Bruce Wayne wasn't exactly thinking clearly one issue later when he, Robin (Tim Drake) and Alfred are discussing who can step into the cowl during Bruce's convalescence in Batman #498 by Doug Moench and Jim Aparo.
Nightwing is an option, as are countless other Bat-allies. However, Bruce decides that the religious extremist Azrael, who has no apprehension about murder, is a good fit to defend Gotham in his absence. It's out of character for Batman, whose sacred vow is to Gotham's safety, to entrust his city to someone with such a dubious history.