Videos by ComicBook.com
Over the years, we’ve gotten so many members of the Bat-Family it isn’t funny. Some of them have disappeared, but many of them have become icons. Here are the best members of the Batman family, heroes who helped change the way fans look at superhero families.
10) Stephanie Brown
Stephanie Brown was introduced as Spoiler, the daughter of Cluemaster. She became a partner and girlfriend to Tim Drake, eventually becoming Robin herself for a short period before being killed off. She returned as Batgirl right before the New 52 started, and would disappear for years until fan outrage brought her back. Stephanie has a vocal contingent of fans, and they’ve been keeping her afloat for decades. She’s easily one of the most beloved members of the Bat-Family, having been wronged by the DC brass numerous times. However, she’s always come back, and every time more fans fall in love with her.
9) Cassandra Cain
Batgirl is one of the most important mantles in the Bat-Family, but it went fallow for years after Barbara Gordon was paralyzed. That would change in the classic “No Man’s Land”, when the Huntress would take up the mantle. However, she would quit and was replaced by Cassandra Cain. The daughter of Lady Shiva and assassin David Cain, she was raised to be a killing machine. However, joining the Bat-Family allowed her to become an actual human being, and she’s become one of the most beloved characters in Bat-history. Her growth over the decades has been awesome to see, and while DC has often tried to overshadow her with other characters, her fans have kept her a vital part of the Bat-Family.
8) Jason Todd
Jason Todd is the second Robin, and he’s had quite a history. First created as a copy of Dick Grayson, down to a similar origin, he eventually became the mouthy, angry Robin, and was killed off in the mid ’80s. However, his return as the villainous Red Hood in the ’00s put him on the road to actually being loved by fans. Jason is the black sheep of the Bat-Family, its most formidable fighter, having to deal with the fact that he is the least loved Robin, and the trauma of his death. The character has had his ups and downs, but he’s finally become someone that fans want to read about and it’s only a matter of time before DC gives him a solo series again.
7) Tim Drake
Tim Drake made Robin cool again. The young Batman fan was able to convince the Caped Crusader to bring back the Boy Wonder, and has since become the most successful Robin since Dick. Tim helmed his own solo series for well over a decade, helped found Young Justice, and was part of the re-invigoration of the Teen Titans in the ’00s. The introduction of Damian Wayne saw the beginning of his marginalization, ending an era of Batman comics. Drake was further victimized by the New 52, like the rest of his generation of heroes, and has spent a while getting back to where he was. He’s the Robin of several generations of DC readers, and is something of an icon in his own right.
6) Batwoman
Once upon a time, Batwoman was created to be the girlfriend of Batman (seemingly to stop the accusations of homosexuality brought up by Seduction of the Innocent). Kathy Kane was a Silver Age cliche, and disappeared as the years went by. However, 2006’s 52 would bring us a new version of the character, a lesbian former soldier and scion of wealth, allowing her to become an integral part of the Batman family. She’s as tough as nails and one of the most interesting characters in the DC Multiverse. While the publisher hasn’t always treated her right, she’s still a top Bat-character. Much like Steph and Cass, her fans have never let DC keep her down.
