Batman is one of the most popular and well-known superheroes of all time. Even the people who don't read comic books are usually familiar with Batman's origin story: the tragic loss of his parents that made him into the Caped Crusader. It helps that Batman has appeared in live-action movies multiple times, and wore many faces.
All the live-action movies offered the traditional version of Batman. In the comics, though, there are some truly strange versions of Batman that will immediately hook the readers and leave them eager to learn more about these new and different incarnations.
6 The Superman Batman
Despite their occasional fights and disagreements, Batman and Superman are very close in the comics and work together side by side as members of the Justice League. However, the comic book Superman: Speeding Bullets takes their closeness even a step further and makes them into a single person. It shows what would happen if Kal-El landed in Gotham, not in Smallville, as a baby, and his new parents would be Martha and Thomas Wayne.
This version of Superman/Batman is much darker than Superman usually is and doesn't shy away from killing people, including the man who took the lives of his parents. However, he still has some of Superman's and Batman's morality, so he makes the right decision in the end (thanks to Lois Lane) and changes his ways. What makes this version of Batman especially compelling is how it cleverly uses aspects of the two heroes' personalities and mixes them into a whole.
5 The Soviet Batman
In one of the instances where Superman and Batman stood against each other, it didn't end so well for Batman. Superman: Red Son poses the question of what would happen if Superman didn't land in the USA as a baby but in the Soviet Union instead. Superman becomes an influential figure who goes after people he perceives as his enemies, and that includes Batman as well. Batman lost his parents as a child, so he's determined to get revenge and even though he causes a lot of trouble for Superman, he loses in the end.
But he didn't go down without a fight and decided to take his own life rather than let his enemies torture him. This story is the ultimate proof that the place where someone lives forms his personality as well as influences his destiny. Both Superman and Batman are colder, more radical in this story, but it's still possible to see where they're coming from, especially Batman. Superman: Red Son is another iconic comic book story that got an animated adaptation. The movie came out in 2020.
4 Vampire Batman
Batman has taken on many remarkable enemies but one of the most notable ones is the prince of vampires himself, Dracula! While Batman usually fights vampires, in the comic book story Red Rain, he became one of them. After his transformation, it soon became obvious that dealing with the bloodlust was too difficult even for someone as determined as Batman.
In the end, Batman didn't abstain from drinking the blood of others, including the Joker! Seeing Batman behaving so differently and spinning out of control when he's usually composed most of the time made for a fascinating story. If the audience wants to see Batman take on vampires (albeit with a happier result), they should also pay attention to the 2005 animated movie The Batman vs. Dracula.
3 The Batman Who Laughs
The Batman Who Laughs is one of the unique and disturbing alternate versions of Batman. This story shows what would happen if Batman was twisted with the Joker toxin, changed beyond repair, and became completely unhinged.
Considering how much damage Batman could do if he didn't obey his moral codex, the Batman Who Laughs is downright terrifying because he doesn't care who he hurts. So even though he isn't sympathetic like the traditional Batman, it's still intriguing to watch what he will do next and what joke he will come up with.
2 Dark Claw
While there have been Marvel/DC comic book crossovers before, such as when Spider-Man and Batman decided to team up, this version of Batman is a unique amalgamation of two iconic superheroes: Batman and Wolverine! Known as Logan Wayne, this superhero hasn't had an easy life as he lost both his parents and his uncle.
He later participated in the Weapon X program and discovered he had powers. After traveling the world and learning how to fight, Dark Claw set up a base in New Gotham City and started fighting crime. Those who know both Batman's and Wolverine's backstory, powers, and characters well will enjoy the story since it takes the best of both worlds and brings them together in a mix the likes of which hasn't been seen before.
1 The Bat Baby
Batman is feared among the criminals of Gotham. He's trained for years and tried hard to build his reputation. But if he was a baby, he'd have a much harder time fighting his enemies and convincing them to take him seriously. In one of the most bizarre comic book stories coming from the Silver Age of comics, Batman is shrunk down to a baby but retains his strength as well as his mind.
It wouldn't be Batman if he didn't manage to pull it off and continue in his crusade even as the Bat Baby. So when the time comes to take on the man responsible for his transformation, the Bat Baby shows up, beats them all, and once again wins. While the story works with an over-the-top concept, it's light-hearted and fun for all readers who want to see a completely different version of Batman.