In American superhero comics, death is a revolving door. There isn’t a superhero who hasn’t died at least once and then been brought back to life, and Batman is certainly no exception. but How many times has the Dark Knight died? And what caused his death? Let’s try to clarify.
One premise is necessary: In the boundless DC Multiverse, we will only consider the main DC universe, or at least the universe that was considered the main universe at the time of writing the story. So our goal is to go there and think only the ones that are the actual deaths of classic Batman/ Bruce Wayne (with a few exceptions).
Batman #233, 1971
throughout history”The Death Cheaters of Gotham City“, Bruce Wayne dies. As in most of the stories we will consider, it will only be an apparent death: In Batman #233, Batman willingly takes a barely-lethal dose of poison, brought back to life just a moment later be declared dead. Bruce Wayne’s goal was to gain access to an exclusive group of wealthy criminals, which was only granted entry to those who had experienced death themselves.
The Brave and the Bold No. 115, 1974
Another temporary death of Batman is included in the story.The corpse that wouldn’t die“. Bruce Wayne is electrocuted, died instantly trying to rescue a kidnapped woman. Luckily for him, superhero Atom decides to shrink down and literally invade his brain, possessing Batman’s corpse as if he were a pilot in a mecha to carry out Bruce Wayne’s mission. Luckily somehow the presence of Atom in Batman’s brain it will be enough to bring the Dark Knight back to life.
Batman #291-#294, 1977
As rumors of Batman’s mysterious death spread through Gotham City’s criminal underworld, many of Batman’s deadliest enemies take responsibility for the crime and tell the tale how they managed to overpower the Dark Knight. Ra’s al Ghul will arrive to hold some sort of court to determine who is Batman’s real killer, while a very animated Bruce Wayne tells Alfred that the Batman found dead was none other than a fan of his who loved it to disguise himself as his hero. Actually a cosplayer.
Legends of the Dark Knight #65-#68, 1989
In “Be healthy‘, during one of their usual clashes, the Joker finally manages to blow up Batman. After realizing his death, the Batman’s most fearsome villain finds himself left without a nemesis and recovering from his insanity. Unfortunately, his check of Batman’s condition must have been poorly executed, as it turns out the Dark Knight is still in action. drives the Joker back insane, and to restart the eternal struggle between the two rivals.
Detective Comics #644- #645, 1992
Electrocutioner, a new vigilante, tries to make his mark by eliminating killer Elmo Galvan. ends up electrocuting Batman, who dies (again) from electrocution. This time it will be Robin who saves the day by forcing Electrocutioner to use his electrical powers again on the deceased Batman. successfully defibrillate it failed after a few tries. bring it back to life.
JLA No. 74, 2002
During a confrontation with the Atlanteans the entire Justice League is destroyed, and every single member loses their life (including Batman and even Superman). In JLA #75, the next release, thanks to some timeline adjustments, a dash of magic, and similar devilry, All members of the Justice League are brought back to life without a scratch.
Batman #673, 2008
During a fight with the Bat Devil impostor, Batman receives a gunshot wound to the full chest. Though the bullet cannot pass through the Dark Knight’s breastplate, The impact gives Bruce Wayne a heart attack. After a near-death experience, Batman is revived by the bat-devil himself, only to be tortured shortly thereafter.
Last crisis, 2009
As we know, DC Comics has a habit of resetting its narrative continuity after a few years. One of the events used for this was Final Crisis, which took place in 2009 Batman’s death at Darkseid’s hands. Unlike previous times, Bruce Wayne’s death in this case is a bit more lasting (although not definitive) and allowed Neil Gaiman to tell a great story in Batman #686, which brings together the greatest villains in Batman history at his funeral.
The Court of Owls, 2011
In the course of one of his most brutal stories, Bruce Wayne is physically and psychologically devastated by the Court of Owls. After miraculously breaking free from the captivity he was forced into, Batman is the victim of a heart attack leaving him (again) lifeless. He is revived by Bluebird who, after being found lifeless, is able to defibrillate him with a car battery and wires.
The Dark Knight Returns, 1986
He may not be part of the “canon” DC Universe, but not mentioning Bruce Wayne’s death in The Dark Knight Returns would be a crime. In a dystopian future Batman is forced to fight to the death with a Superman in government wages. The clash ends in Batman’s inevitable death, but also in his victory. In fact, Bruce Wayne finds a way to fool Clark Kent’s keen senses by pretending to be dead, but continue to watch over the city from the shadows. A film adaptation of the DCEU was loosely inspired by this story (read our Batman v Superman review here).
Superman Red Son, 2003
Batman’s death in Superman Red Son’s alternate universe also deserves an honorable mention. Dissident Batman doesn’t believe in the utopia promised by a Soviet Superman, and thanks to his wits almost manages to defeat the Kryptonian. Batman’s plans are thwarted by Wonder Woman’s intervention, who reverses the situation. found himself defeated Batman decides to blow himself up to avoid being lobotomized by the Soviet government.
And what about the movies? One of Bruce Wayne’s fake deaths is told in the third part of Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises trilogy. According to one fan theory, the film’s ending hid Batman’s daughter.
