10 Comic Book Characters Who Broke Batman
It's one thing to break Batman in two, but what happens when a villain gets inside his head?
Batman is one of the celebrated superheroes despite possessing no superpowers. It's not just because of his gadgets or fighting skills but his willpower. Batman's inner strength is so astounding, he is one of the only people who can resist the Scarecrow's Fear Gas and Poison Ivy's pheromone control. On top of that, he is highly resistant to psychic attacks.
Batman's phenomenal self-discipline is due to training mentally for years. This practice allows him to stay calm and logical in the direst situations while other superheroes would panic and fall apart.
No matter how many times he gets knocked down, he get back on his feet, insisting that he will never give up. However, there are a few times where Batman seemed truly beaten.
At the end of the day, Batman is only human, meaning that he has a breaking point just like everybody else. All you have to do is strike him where it hurts. His family. His friends. His principles. A very select few have managed to break Batman by saying the wrong thing, hurting his loved ones, or by beating the crap out of him.
He may be a hero, a member of the Justice League, and Gotham's protector, but Batman is far from invincible.
10. A Random Kid
The first issue of the Gotham Knights series begins with Batman working on a double-homicide. The victims, Senator Jack Myles and his wife, were shot dead in front of their son, Barrett.
Since Bruce Wayne's parents were murdered in front of him when he was ten, working on the case forces him to relive the worst moment in his life. Although he's dealt with murders countless times, Nightwing is worried "this one is gonna be hard on Bruce".
While Batman hunts down suspects, Nightwing says he's wasting time since they know who the killer is. Nevertheless, the Dark Knight says he can't close the case until he's exhausted all possibilities.
After double-checking the evidence, Batman concludes that the killer is the senator's son, Barrett. Despite being blessed with loving parents, Barrett was mentally disturbed and believed his life would be better without them.
There is nothing Bruce Wayne covets more than reuniting with his mother and father. To watch a child willingly throw that away for no real reason is the most insulting thing possible in Batman's eyes. The Gotham Knights series was meant to depict a more cynical side of Batman and this story was the perfect way to get this point across.