Batman Family

The **Batman Family** is an informal name given to Batman and his various allies. Former and current members include **Bruce Wayne**, **Dick Grayson, Barbara Gordon, Tim Drake**, **Jason Todd**, **Katherine Kane**, **Selina Kyle**, **Alfred Pennyworth**, **Titus the Dog**, **Julia Pennyworth**, **Damian Wayne**, **Harper Row**,and**David Zawimbe.**

## History

### Golden Age

As a young boy, Bruce Wayne watched his parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne be murdered by a mugger named Joe Chill. This act of violence motivated Bruce to pursue a career in crime fighting, which as an adult he decided the best way to go about this was to become a fearsome soldier of the knight known as Batman.

At first, Batman operated alone, until one evening where he watched history repeat when he saw Boss Zucco murder Dick Grayson's parents, John and Mary Grayson. He took in Dick and trained him to fight under the alias **Robin**. This could be considered as the birth of the Batman Family. For many years, Bruce and Dick operated as a team, while Bruce reformed one of his older foes, Selina Kyle (aka **Catwoman**). Bruce and Selina married and gave birth to Helena Wayne, who grew up to be the vigilante **Huntress**.

Bruce eventually decided to retire as Batman, however did continue to fight crime as the commissioner of Gotham City Police Department. However, Bruce put back on the mantle of Batman for one last mission which cost him his life-ultimately dissolving the Bat Family while other members moved along to new organizations.

### Silver Age

In a parallel dimension often referred to as Earth-One, Batman and Robin's lives were almost mirrored from their counterparts from Earth-2, or the Golden Age. After Batman and Robin fought crime for many years together, they began to notice their influence was greatly increasing, from a imp worshipper named **Bat-Mite**who constantly put the Dynamic Duo in danger for entertainment, to a proffessional athlete named Katherine Kane who took up the mantle of **Batwoman.**

Batwoman imitated the tradition and took up her niece, Betty Kane, as her sidekick, whom she named **Batgirl.**Batwoman and Batgirl sometimes teamed up with the Dynamic Duo, but Bruce and Robin preferred to work by themselves, believing it was more effective. However, Katherine and Bette ultimately retired and returned the Bat Family two a two-man duo, until the addition of **Ace the Bat-Hound**, who wore a mask to conceal a scar and saved the Dynamic Duo on multiple occasions.

### Bronze Age - Modern Age

The modern incarnations of the Bat Family resemble former versions with the exclusion of Bat-Mite, Bette, and Katherine.

Batman originally preferred to work alone, until recruiting the orphan Dick Grayson as Robin. In later years, it was proven to Batman that he needed more help from other vigilantes. Barbara Gordon, daughter of commissioner James Gordon, took up the mantle of Batgirl and fought crime, a choice that Batman disapproved of until Dick convinced him otherwise.

Dick and Barbara often took on their own cases together while Batman fought more serious adversaries, causing the two to garner emotional affection for each other. They never acted upon these emotions.

Batman decided having so many partners was a liability, which caused him to fire Robin, who then went on to focus on helping the **Teen Titans**. Batman and Batgirl fought together occasionally still, until Barbara retired to pursue a profession in crime fighting. Barbara occasionally came out of retirement, however her career as Batgirl was ended when **Joker**invaded the Gordon's home and shot a bullet through Barbara's spine, which ultimately caused the beginning of her career as the **Oracle**.

Before Barbara's retirement, Bruce trained Jason Todd as the new Robin after he found him stealing the tires of the Batmobile. However, the duo was quickly ended when Joker nearly beat Todd to death with a metal pipe and left him to die in an explosion. Bruce truly believed Jason was dead for years to come, leading to Bruce becoming shooken to the core and much more brash and violent.

Meanwhile, a young individual known as Tim Drake discovered Batman's real identity and the downhill road he was going. Tim attempted to convince Dick, who was now Nightwing, to return to Batman's side, but when Dick refused, Tim took it upon himself to aid Batman-a decision that led to him becoming the third Robin.

   A few years later, Batman's spine was broken by **Bane.**Bruce left Jean-Paul Valley as the new Batman while he healed. Jean-Paul was a much more harsh and violent Batman and didn't have the same moral code, and eventually let a serial killer die rather than saving his life. Batman. In following years, several more costumed vigilantes protected gotham, including the modern **Huntress (**Helena Bertinelli**), Spoiler**, a reformed **Catwoman**, and a new **Batgirl (**Cassandra Cain**).**

In coming years, **Darkseid**appeared to have killed Bruce, but really Bruce was just sent back to the beginning of time. Without the Dark Knight in Gotham, many wondered where he went as criminals took the advantadge of his absence. Jason Todd however showed up, proving not to be dead, wearing a twisted cowl. Todd decommisioned Damian, making Dick, Alfred, and Tim have a greater urge to send the Dark Knight back on the streets. However, Dick still refused, causing Tim to seek out Jason on the streets. Tim barely escaped with his life, leaving only Dick to take up the mantle of Batman. After a long and hard fight between Dick and Jason, Jason disappeared on a speeding train. This caused Dick to accept his new role as Batman, and Tim left and went far away from Gotham with the new identity **Red Robin**, believing Bruce still lived.

### DCnU

Some differences in the DCnU are that Batman has only been publicly active for five years prior to the creation of the **Justice League,**the GCPD are still hostile towards him, Dick returns to his role as **Nightwing,**Barbara recovers from her wheelchair and continues being Batgirl, Tim Drake as Red Robin is a founding member of the Teen Titans, and Jason Todd as **Red Hood**has his own team of mercenaries known as the **Outlaws.**

## Related Articles

* Batman Villains
* Superman Family