9 Times Batman Was Forced To Surrender His Cowl
Even Bruce Wayne needs a break sometimes.
Bruce Wayne's dedication to the role of Gotham City's watchful guardian is almost superhuman, but even Batman needs a rest sometimes.
Although the billionaire playboy is by far the most recognisable version of the Caped Crusader, there are times when circumstances have prevented him from carrying out his vigilante duties in the world of comics, animation and film.
During the Dark Knight's darkest hours, others have taken up the cowl, from original Robin Dick Grayson to the overzealous Jean-Paul Valley, now known as Azrael.
While these experiments have yielded mixed fortunes, the fact others have taken on the mantle to save the day drives home the point that Batman is more than man.
Master Wayne created a symbol when he channeled his childhood trauma into a concept that could save Gotham from the evil plaguing its streets, and it is this very idea that makes the character one of the most timeless creations in pop culture history.
Here are nine times Batman was forced to relinquish his cape and cowl, and in some cases called upon others to take up the cause in his absence.
9. Knightfall
A broken back will stop you from doing many things, and it should come as little surprise that being Batman is one of them.
During the Knightfall event, the venom-fuelled villain Bane liberates Arkham Asylum, forcing the Caped Crusader to burn himself out while rounding up virtually every rogue he's ever previously encountered.
Having learned his secret identity, the hulking criminal mastermind strikes when Bats is at his most vulnerable and the battle leaves our hero with a damaged spine.
The aftermath of Knightfall sees Bruce Wayne confined to a wheelchair and in need of a successor to watch over Gotham during his extended layoff.
He should probably have known better than to call on Azrael, an assassin trained by the Order of St. Dumas, as his stand-in successor, and the events which followed are testament to that.
Although the Jean-Paul Valley incarnation of Batman did succeed in taking down Bane and a number of other Gotham cronies, he grew increasingly violent, adopting an armoured costume complete with razor sharp claws.
Following Bruce's recovery later in the KnightSaga, Azrael is unwilling to relinquish the cowl without a fight, which eventually goes the way you'd expect it to.
So what did we learn from this little exercise? Never allow conditioned assassins with bloody pasts within 50 feet of the cape and cowl, among other things.