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To most DC fans, Batman is one of the tougher superheroes and one who doesn't usually allow things to get to him. Just like with anybody who is still human (or even alien, like Superman) though, Batman still has feelings, no matter how hard he tries to hide them. In fact, Batman's life in the comic books is full of heartbreaking moments that make it easy to sympathize with him.
The caped crusader is a less optimistic hero than Green Arrow, for example, but, considering everything that happened to him in the past, this shouldn't really come as a surprise. Some of the most heartbreaking moments in Batman comics leave a lasting impression on readers, regardless of whether they like the characters involved.
5 Bruce Loses His Parents
This scene has appeared in both comic books and movies multiple times, with each version offering a slightly different portrayal. The basis remains the same though and so even those who don't read comic books usually know how young Bruce Wayne lost his parents. The familiarity of this storyline doesn't make it any less heartbreaking, however, especially when readers empathize with Bruce.
Going from a happy and carefree childhood, surrounded by parents who love him, to being an orphan in a big house with only Alfred for company is a challenge that many people would have a hard time dealing with even at an older age than Bruce. He certainly doesn't deal well with the loss, as he spends decades fighting crime and trying to erase it, which is a never-ending battle. The reason why the moment is so iconic is that it serves as a building block for everything that Batman is and the person Bruce Wayne became, but that doesn't make the death of a young boy's parents any less tragic.
4 Joker Hurts Barbara Gordon
Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore is considered one of the best Batman comics of all time. What makes it different is that it's even less merciful toward the characters than other Batman comics. As such, the Joker decides to prove that all it takes for a man to go mad is one terrible day. He kidnaps Commissioner Gordon, but he doesn't stop there.
Joker goes to Gordon's home and shoots Barbara Gordon, leaving her paralyzed. If that wasn't enough, he takes pictures of her while she's naked and bleeding, helpless to fight the Joker. It's a dark and depressing moment, and one which speaks volumes about the atrocities the Joker is really capable of. It's also enough to drive Batman to the brink, and the end of the story suggests that Batman might have done the unthinkable - took the Joker's life.
3 Jason Todd Dies
Unlike Dick Grayson, who went on to become the superhero Nightwing and lead his own superhero team, Jason Todd, another Robin, wasn't so lucky. The readers voted whether he should stay alive or not and decided to kill him. As a result, Jason met his rather brutal end in the comics at the hands of the Joker. The Clown Prince of Crime first tricked the young superhero and then beat him brutally to within an inch of his life.
Batman arrived too late and was unable to save his adoptive son which had a very deep impact on him. The scene in which Batman cradles Jason in his arms is still as impressive as it was when the comic book first came out. Of course, as all DC fans will know, Jason later came back as the antihero Red Hood. Still, he was officially dead in the comics for sixteen years, which is almost an eternity in the comic book world! All that time, Batman continued to blame himself for being unable to save Jason from his terrible fate.
2 Damian Wayne Dies
It almost seems that whenever Batman finds someone to love and care about, he loses that person in the end. Jason Todd might have been the first Robin who died... but he certainly wasn't the last. Damian Wayne, Bruce's son, wasn't always sympathetic as he could be rude and arrogant.
However, as time passed, he became kinder and he and Bruce built a strong bond. That's why it was even more devastating when the Heretic killed Damian. Losing a child is something no parent should be forced to go through, yet it's exactly what happens to Batman, adding another tragic loss of a loved one to his already sad life.
1 Batman Dies As Well
It might almost seem that every important character in the Batman comics dies. Technically, the saddest Batman's death happened in the team comic storyline DCeased, but it still deserves a mention. First, Batman is forced to fight his adoptive sons, Nightwing and Robin, who have been turned into zombie-like creatures. Because he's holding back, and they aren't, Batman loses and is infected. He and Alfred are then forced to kill Nightwing and Robin, which alone would be sad enough.
Things get even worse, however, as Batman realizes that it's only a matter of time before he changes into a mindless creature as well. He does his best to slow down the infection thanks to wearing Mr. Freeze's suit which gives him just enough time to warn the Justice League and his son Damian... and to say his goodbyes. However, even Batman can't escape the virus forever and, as he succumbs to it, Alfred, who has raised and cared for Bruce like he was his own son, is forced to shoot Bruce. That storyline is heartbreaking both for Alfred and for Damian, who loses his father.