10 Worst Things That Ever Happened To Batman

3. Having His Memory Wiped (By His Friends) - Identity Crisis

Identity Crisis is a supremely controversial comic that burst onto the scene during the early noughties. Writer Brad Meltzer had previously helmed a compelling take on Green Arrow in the Archer's Quest alongside artist Phil Hester, and even went on to write his own stint on Justice League with artist Ed Benes, starting with The Tornado's Path.

Sadly though, Identity Crisis remains his most significant and lasting contribution to the DC mythos, despite those other stories being genuinely great.

I say sadly, mainly because while the book itself is great to look at and really nails the sense of community in the DC universe, it also regurgitates some nauseating comic book clichés. Oh, and did I mention it actually undermines the whole community aspect too, revealing how your favourite heroes are all terrible in a disastrous retcon that ends with Zatanna wiping Batman's memory? Well, it does, and it's so unbelievably stinky.

After Doctor Light (yes, the goofball Teen Titans Doctor Light) rapes Sue Dibny in the Watchtower, a group of heroes, including Green Arrow, Black Canary, Hal Jordan and Barry Allen, decide that Zatanna should mind-wipe Light and change his personality so that he'd become a buffoon. Batman stumbles upon them as they hatch this plan, at which point Zatanna mind wipes him too so he couldn't go to the rest of the League with his discovery.

Batman later discovers the deception, but long story short, having your friends mind wipe you for exposing their sinister punishment isn't exactly a chill thing to happen. On the upside, it isn't canon anymore, so Zatanna fans can breathe a sigh of relief.