7. Batman Year One: Batman Comes To Dinner
I know most of you probably weren't expecting the hero to have much of a presence on a scary Batman moments list. This is in part due to the fact that the character of Batman has always attracted "a better class of criminal" who are generally either quite menacing, escaped mental patients, just flat out morbid, or most likely a combination of the three. However we must never forget (and never will thanks to the Nolan films) that Batman is a character who himself uses fear tactics to combat his enemies. Of all of my favorite "Batman scaring the crap out of someone" moments, one scene in Frank Miller's Batman: Year One will always resonate with me. During a lavish dinner with all of Gotham's most corrupt citizens, Batman blows up a whole side of the house, kills the lights, and is lit by only a small flambé fire. The Dark Knight's shadowy face will always be emblazoned in my mind thanks to the beautiful artwork of David Mazzucchelli in this panel. The faces of the dinner patrons are also rendered in a such a way as to show how truly frightened they are. Then you have some of Frank Miller's finest writing of his career: Ladies. Gentleman. You have eaten well. You have eaten Gotham's wealth. It's Spirit. Your feast is nearly over. From this moment on-- None of you are safe. (Frank Miller) Then The Bat-Man closes the lid on the flambé leaving everyone in somber terror. If anyone wants to know how scary Batman can be, look no further than Batman: Year One.