The Most Insane Storylines Where Batman Got Superpowers

Batman made a name for himself in the DC universe by being the antithesis of the superhero. In short, he possessed no technical powers. Admittedly, his powers of deduction, intelligence and physical prowess were frankly superhuman. However, fundamentally, wasn’t some alien from outer space, or an unfortunate victim of a radioactive waste spill or a mutant spider bite. 

Until we crack open the comics, of course. Comic books have never been a medium to do things in halves or push the boundaries of possibility on the regular. Our favourite heroes have died, been cloned, trapped in different dimensions, committed serious offences and somehow returned unscathed by the next issue. So, Batman getting superpowers shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Here are some of his best moments as a true superhero. 

A Bat With Fangs

In 1992’s Batman and Dracula: Red Rain (you might be able to guess where we’re going with this one…), Batman receives vampire-like abilities, and boy, do things get weird for him. In classic Batman style, he immediately uses his new abilities against the criminal vampires of Gotham (suspend your disbelief, this is a comic book).

What’s interesting is the way this occasion affects his relationship with himself. By the final chapter, Batman essentially rejects his ‘Bruce Wayne’ identity, which was always the duality he shared with so many of the villains he fought against. It gives them an internal conflict they each wrestle with, often unsuccessfully. That duality shapes their motivations as a whole, too, for example, Mr Freeze cryogenically freezing his dying wife while still an ordinary person is a driving force behind him accidentally becoming Mr Freeze. Many other batman villains follow that same origin story trope, as detailed in ExpressVPN’s graphic. In this case, Batman instead falls completely into his vampirism, continuing his crime-fighting work, minus the Bruce Wayne humanity that restrained him. He becomes a far more literal ‘bat’ man than we could ever have anticipated.    

The Immortal Bat

In 1999’s “Superman & Batman: Generations”, it’s a chance to see Batman shed his mortal chains altogether, in a truly outlandish storyline. A naturally ageing Bruce Wayne is lured into the ‘Lazarus Pit by Ras Al-Ghul. In fact, Lazarus Pits are actually a really interesting element of the Batman universe and are pretty extensively explained by the Batman Fandom. He reemerges having regained his vitality and reversed the ageing process. What is interesting is how this storyline doesn’t actually give Bruce permanent ‘immortality.’ Instead, he has to return to the cave to retain his youth. Batman is renowned for his adaptability, and yet here he chooses to simply jump headfirst into this unnatural pursuit of everlasting life, with few moral qualms considered on his part.

Source: Unsplash

A Deadly Bat

A Bruce Wayne that crosses the line and takes lives is always something that feels like a really unlikely turn for the Caped Crusader. It’s his main trope; appealing to the goodness in humanity, and the knowledge we always have a choice. Yet, in “Dark Nights: Metal – Batman: The Red Death #1” (2017), the opposite happens. The loss of numerous allies causes Batman to have a breakdown, and he ends up attaining the powers of the Flash and the consciousness of the Scarlet Speedster – becoming the extensively powered ‘Red Death.’ (Rapsheet’s detailed full list categorises his many powers) Rather than dishing out non-lethal beatdowns at a much higher rate, he goes overboard and is physically stopped before going any further. 

The above isn’t even scratching the surface of how ridiculous Batman manages to be at times. 1963’s “Detective Comics #322” sees Batman cursed to be a genie. With a literal magic lamp. There’s a time he learns to fly, a time he literally grows bat wings, and a time he goes blind and is able to develop powerful echolocation capabilities. In the end, we’re glad none of these storylines remains permanent fixtures. Batman represents one of few heroes in the DC Universe who doesn’t need a superpower to save the world. Although, any story with batman having actual bat wings is definitely worth a read!

The Most Insane Storylines Where Batman Got Superpowers

---

We hope you're enjoying BRWC. You should check us out on our social channels, subscribe to our newsletter, and tell your friends. BRWC is short for battleroyalewithcheese.

---

Trending on BRWC:

---

Cool Posts From Around the Web:

---

---