10 Most Evil Versions Of Batman
The dark knight's darkest incarnations.
Although the focus on evil versions of superheroes has of late been on Superman, his Gotham-based ally Batman has almost just as many.
Simply put, the idea of an evil Batman is too tantalizing not to broach from time to time. Whether you're doing an alternate version of Bruce Wayne, or someone else entirely who thinks they know what the cape and cowl stands for but couldn't be more wrong, seeing one of the medium's most prominent symbols of justice be turned into something altogether more ruthless and depraved is almost always intriguing.
But of course, some evil versions of Batman are more evil than others, and as comics continue to delve into darker territory with each passing year, the frequency in which these villainous Batmen have appeared on the page has continued to increase...
10. Azrael
After Bane breaks Batman's back, Azrael - the Bat-fandom's problematic fave before Jason Todd dug himself out of his grave and discovered his leather fetish - decides to take over the mantle until Bruce is feeling better.
Since we're talking about a broken back here, that recovery takes a good while, even with the best medical care Bruce can afford, so Azrael gets plenty of time in the cape and cowl to go absolutely flippin crazy with power, even redesigning the suit into a nineties monstrosity comprised of as many pointy edges as possible.
Azrael does everything that batman considers an absolute no-no while in the suit. He maims, he tortures, he rips apart every criminal he comes across, even the ones only guilty of minor offences.
In short, Azrael becomes the perfect nightmare of what Batman's detractors say he is - even if he did manage to wrest control of Gotham away from Bane.