10 Incredible Batman Comics (That Don't Star Bruce Wayne)

Imagine if Black Panther wasn’t the king of a futuristic hidden country - instead, what if he was an orphan whose parents died of HIV, recruited to be a child soldier, and grown to be a police officer in the Democratic Republic of the Congo? That’s this book in a nutshell.

Originally created in Grant Morrison’s Batman Incorporated title, David Zavimbe was recruited by Bruce Wayne to be the Batman of Africa, but it wasn’t until the rocky-at-best start to the New 52 that Batwing got his own title written by Judd Winick, and he pulls no punches. Batwing is in a brutal land, where warlords still hold sway and the law is perpetually an uphill battle. That’s what makes this such an incredible Batbook.

David was raised in the darkest heart of his country, and we flashback to the horrors of his childhood while we cascade through a storyline that starts with the butcher named Massacre, who even takes out an entire police station with his machetes, and coming to a head with the first and only African superhero team: The Tower.

Unfortunately, halfway through the series’ run, David Zavimbe retired as Batwing and the suit was given to Luke Fox, Lucius Fox’ son. Instead of being the Batman of Africa, Luke would be just another member of the Bat-Family, with roots firmly in Gotham City. While the Luke era of the character was alright, it was never as epic as when it dealt with the Batman of Africa.