Greetings nerdy list aficionados and welcome back to top 10 nerd.
Today we’re back in the realm of alternate versions to look at some who may be better
than the originals with the caveat that well mileage varies on this sort of thing doesn’t
it and you need an awesome original to make these alternates from so no shade here just
cool alternate versions.
I’m Sasha and these are the Top 10 Alternate Versions Of Batman Better Than The Original.
Only the boldest claims here on Top 10 nerd.
Let’s get started.
I picked a lot of these cause the stories they came from were really interesting and
you should read them.
Number 10 - The Batmage – Batman and magic!
Batman isn’t one of those heroes whos’ all magic what is that no he knows it exists
and well doesn’t care for it but acknowledges that it also has it’s uses.
And we have an alternate version who was a mage I just love the idea of a magical Batman
cause you know it’s dark magic only the finest sorcery for our dark knight.
This is batmage and he doesn’t exist anymore but that’s fine he lives in our hearts.
This is Earth – 33 where technology has advanced because of magic.
Here there is a rivalry between the cobblepots and the Waynes and a cobblepot sorcerer murdered
bruces parents.
So it’s time for magical vengeance I mean justice.
Initially Bruce just wanted to learn magic to take down the not penguin, the sorcerer
cobblepot but the more he studied the dark arts he realized that evil had permeated into
the city itself and what better way to fight dark magic than with more dark magic.
K look Batman is a fight fire with fire kind of person.
He would join the league of shamans to bring peace to the world and what happened to him
well after flashpoint he was erased from existence.
Thanks a lot Barry.
Number 9 - Batman Earth 2 – So when the multiverse was first introduced it was just
2 Earths.
Earth one which was the home of the new silver age heroes so Barry Allen flash Hal Jordan
green lantern etc and Earth 2 and earth populated by golden aged heroes who had also aged the
appropriate amount of time between golden and silver ages.
However here’s where it gets a little convoluted superman and batman existed on both earths
but on earth 2 they were older versions of themselves who were continuing on with their
adventures this allowed for the birth of in universe legacy characters.
So Batman Bruce would age and retire he would marry catwoman have a daughter Helena wayne
the huntress.
He would come to a tragic end though when he would be forced out of retirement and would
die in the confrontation.
IT’s grim yes but it’s cool that it ends.
Earth Two was a solid universe good earth.
Would visit.
Number 8 - Batman Book of the dead – An elseworlds batman inspired by Egyptian mythology
and symbolism so he’s moon knight.
Ok real talk batman and moon knight have always been really different to all the people saying
that moon knight is marvel’s batman stop that’s real reductionist that’s like saying
so iron man is marvel’s batman.
I can feel some of you going but he is.
So in this story batman’s parents are archaeologists involved in uncovering a conspiracy of an
ancient Egyptian batgod who was erased from existence so don’t look him up he’s not
real.
I see you dc clever.
However when they uncover this batgod they’re murdered cause the world is not ready for
such knowledge well young bruce is inspired by the bat cartouche the murderer was trying
to get and becomes a pretty cool looking batman.
There are two issues of this and it was released in 1999 and I hope you like stargate cause
major stargate vibes.
Also aliens cause you know aliens built the pyramids ancient aliens.
Oh the bat gods name is nekhrun by the way.
I love the idea of just bat symbols all over Egyptian hierogliphs.
Bruce is real emo in this comic it’s honestly way better than it has any right to be.
Is being inspired by a cartouche better than a bat flying in your window I think it is.
Number 7 - Batman: Golden Streets of Gotham Batman but during the industrial revolution
so Bruno Vanekow is a laborer who returns to Gotham after years of working away and
is horrified to discover that his parents burned to death in an industrial fire because
of negligence batman’s true arch nemesis.
Also the boss who let them get burnt alive Joseph Chillingham so he begins looking for
evidence to try and bring him down but he’s inspired to work outside the law by Selina
whos’ a union boss.
His costume that he adopts is very much of the stage so he looks like a vaudevillian
actor running around I love it.
Seriously go check it out this is a really cool elseworlds stories he still adopts dick
grayson he works with Alfred who’s in the theatre fun stuff the whole thing is narrated
by old man dick grayson.
The joker is in it too.
Number 6 – Bat lantern, Not dawnbreaker no negative multiverse stuff here and not
the ship for those who got that you’re my people.
No this is Batman from the elseworlds story in darkest knight where batman is the green
lantern so take that Geoff johns Batman can’t wield a ring he’s too damaged pfft.
1994 begs to differ.
So Batman is just coming off his first crime fighting night you know the terrible one cause
that’s a thing now his first night out awful well then abin sur crashes nearby and is all
you’re closer than hal Jordan do you take this ring.
So bruce takes it and awaits instructions from the guardians so he becomes a batman
who is also green lantern he has like a fusion costume that really makes me miss the ears
and you get to see him interacting with hal’s supporting cast.
So bruce ends upstopping siniestro which sets them up as arch nemeses and sinestro is ice
cold he hunts down joe chill.
Seriously joe chill is not hard to find you didn’t need the big magical comfy chair
to tell you this new 52 bruce.
This is a really credible batman is the green lantern au well thought out and fun to read.
I’m down for this universe.
Number 5 – Wayne Williams no not that Wayne Williams if you don’t get my reference don’t
worry I’ll explain but aside from the name this alternate version is pretty neat.
So wayne Williams is from the just imagine series wherein the dc characters are reinvisioned
as invented by stan lee.
And it’s published through dc comics so fun collab his batman is wayne Williams so
his dad’s a cop who gets killed in the line of duty then he gets framed by a gang leader
of handz and vows revenge.
He dresses as a bat because he becomes a wrestler to save money.
So why is he batman cause why not but aside from that it’s an interesting story and
I like how hard his batman mask goes but his name oof.
This came out in 2001 so there’s no excuse Wayne Williams is the name of the atlanta
child murderer.
He was arrested in 1981 just why no it’s so uncomfortable I feel like I’m on a watch
list for saying the name so many times.
Who else has your name have you ever looked it up, if it’s a murderer you’re google
proof.
Number 4 - Telltale Batman – these games quality content.
The fun thing about them is that you spend so much time as bruce wayne as well as being
batman.
And bruce wayne’s life is stressful you can actually just deal with problems as bruce
wayne so in a way I guess this number should be re titled you, you’re a cool alternate
batman.
Seriously though playing as batman is great fun be it telltale or arkham and everybody
does it a little differently.
Everyone’s batman is a little bit different.
With telltale you could crowd play which other people getting to watch and decide with you.
Big fan super fun playing with friends or future friends.
I’m so peppy today what’s wrong with me bring back bitter betty.
Number 3 - Batman Gotham By Gaslight this is the official first elseworlds story even
though it wouldn’t be labelled that way until later.
Also it has a sequel everyone forgets about batman master of the future which is a great
title cause it could mean whatever you want it to.
1889 batman go so bruce is studying under freud cause and he tells him about this reccuring
dream he’s having about doing his taxes just kidding it’s about the night his parents
were killed.
So he decides to go back to Gotham and once there he finds a city overrun with gangs and
grisly murders.
Upon being shown a very joker style crime bruce is inspired to become batman and he
takes on a series of crimes that look an awful lot like the ripper murders.
So of course it’s up to batman to solve it and get falsely accused of it Bruce is
getting falsely accused left right and centre he just not do anything ever, but even then
he’s probably get accused of something.
Also this comic has a movie adaptation that changes the ending a la hush cause that’s
a thing dc is doing now why I have no idea.
Like when movie watchmen changed the monster from the comics I got it and actually unpopular
opinion thought it really worked but this well now you have to read and watch to know
what I’m talking about.
Number 2 - Vampire Batman Of course we have to talk about everybody’s favourite vampire
trilogy series.
Red Rain, Bloodstorm, Crimson Mist.
All centred around batman’s descent further and further into vampirism.
This series is dark and gothic the art is haunting and vampire batman is tragic up his
guilt to 100% now he also is trying not to feed as he becomes a monster to defeat monsters.
There’s just a lot of paranormal happenings in this werecat Selena.
And batman hunting vampires my favourite is probably bloodstorm but the art of batman
in crimson mist is terrifying they actually revisited it recently at the time of this
recording.
With secrets of sinister house which has a really heartbreaking vampire batman story
in it.
I won’t spoil but he’s trying so hard to not be scary and failing just as hard.
It gave me all the feels.
Number 1 - Kirk Langstrom from justice league gods and monsters this was a direct dc animated
movie release that actually created a whole alternate earth and world just cause and it’s
really neat.
So in this world kirk langstrom who is manbat in main continuity becomes batman after he
accidentally turns himself into a vampire while trying to find a cure for lymphoma and
he involved the saliva of vampire bats.
Cursed to be a creature of the night he would spiral out of control until he met Superman
and the two would become friends and form the base of the justice league along with
Bekka of new genesis filling the role of wonder woman.
This one is just a solid story cause it goes for it and is like where are bruce clark and
diana don’t know don’t care and neither should you and you know what you really don’t.
Well I didn’t anyway you do you.
So those were ten alternate versions of Batman which of these was your favourite did I miss
any who you feel should have been here or is there only one true blue bat for you.
Share all your thoughts and feelings down below.