With over 80 years of publication history under the Dark Knight’s belt, Batman has benefited from some of the best artists in the comic book industry to lend talents and styles to the hero’s world. The art on display improved, especially when the late Dennis O’Neil and Neal Adams arrived in the ’70s to resurrect the superhero’s reputation in comics. They helped bring Batman back to his darker, gloomier beginnings.
Crisis on Infinite Earths served as DC Comics’ first brand-wide reboot, though, and with it came gradual evolutions of Batman’s depictions. David Mazzucchelli’s art set the tone for the exciting modern era, and he and Frank Miller presented unique takes on The Dark Knight that still resonate today. However, recent artists like Dan Mora also paint a bright present and future for Batman and his allies.
Related
Updated on November 8, 2024, by Christopher Raley: Batman’s look has changed considerably since the hero’s inception in 1939. He has looked dark and gloomy, ridiculous and goofy. In the modern age of Batman comics, many artists have brought their own vision of Batman to the pages, giving readers a variety of takes on The Dark Knight. Even more artists have been added, and the article has been updated to conform to CBR’s current publishing standards.
15 Lee Bermejo Brings A Tough Look To Batman
Bermejo’s Batman Stands In Bold Detail
Lee Bermejo is a recent artist who draws Batman in tough, bold detail. One wants to use the word sensual to describe Bermejo’s Batman, but not in the sexual sense. Instead, Bermejo’s work appeals to a variety of senses, causing the reader to hear the Batsuit’s creak, feel the cape’s weight, and smell the leather. Faintly reminiscent of Kelley Jones’ work, Batman’s physique sits just on the far side of the line between real and fantastic.
Bermejo has little formal training and is mostly self-taught. He began his career in 1997 as an intern for WildStorm. He and Brian Azarello collaborated on 2008’s Joker, and by the end of the 2010s, Bermejo had several Batman titles under his belt. He contributed art to Batman: Damned, Batman: Black and White, Batman: Dear Detective, and Batman: Noel, among others, which is why he starts off the list at number 15.
14 Brian Bolland’s Work On The Killing Joke Is Iconic
His Contributions To Batman Since Have Been Spartan
Born in Butterwick, Lincolnshire, England, Brian Bolland began his career in British comics in the early 1970s and soon became known for his work on Judge Dredd. In the early eighties he began to work for DC on a variety of project, one of which includes the one-off story with Alan Moore called, Batman Meets Judge Dredd. Then, in 1988, Bolland and Moore released The Killing Joke, one of the most iconic Batman titles ever.
The Killing Joke‘s dark take on Batman and The Joker’s relationship is not without controversy, and both Bolland and Moore seem dissatisfied with the end result. Nevertheless, Bolland’s artwork takes readers straight into the physical pain and psychological terror Joker’s victims go through. This no-holds-barred approach to both the story and its art is why the story’s effect has lingered for so many years and been so influential on the Batman comics that followed in its wake.
13 Frank Miller Is a Key Figure In Modern Batman
His Work Marks a Significant Change In Tone
When The Dark Knight Returns was released in 1986, it was tougher, darker, and meaner than any previous iteration of Batman, perhaps because The Dark Knight returns to crime fighting as a bitter old man with little to lose. Age is not kind to Bruce Wayne, and neither is Miller. Wayne’s embittered features show painful grit and angry disappointment and seem to bleed real blood.
This was not the end of Frank Miller’s take on Batman. He was just getting started. But The Dark Knight Returns proved the best of Miller’s artwork. The Caped Crusader is big and bulky, bringing mechanized tech into his Batsuit for his confrontation with Superman. For all that, he paradoxically seems fragile, ready to bust wide. Miller’s other takes on Batman in The Dark Knight Strikes Again were not as well received because they were overstylized.
12 Kelly Jones Gave Readers Batman the Vampire
He Also Worked On Knightfall
Speakinig of stylized, artist Kelley Jones’ work has given Batman an unforgettable look, particularly in the Knightfall comics and the Batman and Dracula trilogy. In these comics, Batman takes on a totally fantastic physique. One look at The Dark Knight in his vampire incarnation and readers know that they have tripped well beyond the edge of reality (in so far as realism applies to comics).
Related
10 Comics For Batman Fans Who Love City of Bane
City of Bane is one of the most monumental matchups between Batman and Bane, and fans of the storyline can check out a few of the best related comics.
However, even in his other contributions, Jones gives readers a Batman that tends more toward fantasy than anything else. In Knightfall, Bane has such grinding layers of muscles that he looks inhuman. By contrast, Batman’s bulging muscles make him look just fit. But Jones’ over-the-top portrayals of The Caped Crusader serve a purpose: to bring an element of the other-worldly to the superhero who is famously without superpowers.
11 Mike Parobeck Played An Overlooked Role In Batman
He Connected The Animated Series To the Comics
Owing in large part to Tim Burton’s Batman, the Caped Crusader experienced a renaissance in the popular imagination in 1989. Stemming from that was Batman: The Animated Series, a cartoon whose legacy has proved remarkably durable, setting the tone for several cartoons to follow. The Batman Adventures was DC‘s comic book tie-in to the show.
While the art was inspired by Bruce Timm’s work on the animated show, Mike Parobeck staked out his own territory in this comic book space. Parobeck took the vintage look of the animated series and used it as a platform to harken back to the older styles of Batman without regressing to silliness. Batman moved, talked, and fought like a badass, but, as with the TV show, Parobeck kept the comics appropriate for all ages. That’s no mean feat.
10 David Mazzucchelli Gave Year One Its Iconic Look
Batman Is Young, Raw, And Rugged
Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s Year One is one of the greatest Batman comics available and, arguably, the Caped Crusader’s definitive origin story. This revamped tale of Bruce Wayne’s beginnings as a vigilante came in the wake of Crisis on Infinite Earth and within the pages of Batman, providing an exhilarating new entry point in his comics. The gritty, street-wise story continues to push into darker territory than previous stories, marking a fundamental shift still with readers today.
Mazzucchelli’s art is particularly a treat for how spare it is. This is especially true of his work with Frank Miller, as seen on Daredevil: Born Again by the two collaboraters. It’s not the most detailed and defined in terms of the physique, but it perfectly sets the grimy, pulpy atmosphere of Year One‘s crime-noir theme. Jim Gordon is pitch-perfect as the beaten-down cop fighting corruption in Gotham Police, and Bruce Wayne captures the spirit of determination. This gives Mazzucchelli the number ten spot on the list.
9 Jim Aparo Bridged Pre And Post-Crisis Batman
His Work On A Death In The Family Hits Home
Jim Aparo illustrated Batman well before the modern post-Crisis era of DC Comics but continued well into that era. He’s perhaps one of the most influential Batman artists in the character’s history, creating a throughline between the two eras. Aparo was one of the most prolific pencilers of The Brave and the Bold.
Related
10 Best Batman Post-Crisis Comic Stories, Ranked
Batman entered a new era of celebrated storytelling after the Crisis on Infinite Earths maxi-series rewrote the entire history of the DC Universe.
While surely well-received in his time, Aparo’s art has also aged wonderfully in a nostalgic “classic” sense. His approach was similar to Neal Adams’ revolutionary sinewy build for the Dark Knight. He’s also penciled some of the best pages of Batman and Detective Comics, and his work on the iconic A Death in the Family alongside writer Jim Starlin is probably the biggest standout.
8 Tony S. Daniel Partnered With Grant Morrison
He Helped Bring Morrison’s Vision To Life
Grant Morrison’s Batman comics were a particular highlight of the ’00s, partly thanks to the writer’s long-running partnership with Tony S. Daniel. Daniel’s art was a major asset to Morrison’s storytelling, namely in the latter’s first act of a three-part odyssey. Batman and Son to Batman RIP is essential reading for the modern take on The Dark Knight.
Considering that Morrison likes to play with bizarre concepts in their storytelling, Daniel’s work beautifully captures the striking imagery necessary to depict the zaniness of the Batman of Zurr-En-Arrh or the Dark Knight rising from his grave like an ominous, otherworldly being. Daniel’s work in the R.I.P. story arc was the highlight of his time with the hero. But he’s not finished, and his recent work is also worth an honorable mention.
7 Norm Breyfogle Emphasized The Creature Of the Night
His Work Highlights Batman’s More Fearsome Aspects
The ’90s served the Caped Crusader well, with Batman, Detective Comics, and Legends of the Dark Knight going strong. Norm Breyfogle was a contributor to this artistic success. His take on Batman combines the muscular-lean approach with sharp, angular features, sometimes resembling the animal for which he’s named. This depiction shows the hero in a more fearsome light.
Breyfogle’s art depicts Batman as a “creature of the night” from the villains’ perspective. This take complements the general tonal shift to a darker, more grounded storytelling style. He and writer Alan Grant were a legendary creative duo, contributing to underrated Batman comic book arcs like The Last Arkham.
6 Tim Sale Worked On Legendary Batman Stories
His Art For The Long Halloween Is Iconic
Another one of the most celebrated modern artists, the late Tim Sale teamed up with writer Jeph Loeb for some revered Batman comics in the form of The Long Halloween and its direct sequel Dark Victory. These limited series are among the strongest cases for why the hero works best when emphasizing his World’s Greatest Detective moniker. They also use Batman’s classic rogues gallery to great effect.
Related
10 Comics For Batman Fans Who Love The Killing Joke
Batman’s The Killing Joke is an important chapter in The Joker’s mythos, and it has inspired several other storylines and comics over the years.
However, Sale’s art is half the work, as it’s both instantly recognizable and a masterclass in setting a tone. His depiction of Batman and Gotham City uses exaggerated features and makes both feel imposingly larger than life, with his works dripping with a neo-noir aesthetic. Sale’s art combines the best of the old and the new.
5 Jason Fabok Blends Comic Book Aesthetics With Realism
His Work Pairs Well With Geoff Johns’ Writing
His art is only seen sparingly in DC’s Batman titles, but Jason Fabok featuring as a regular artist still turns heads. His earlier years drawing the Dark Knight in Detective Comics were solid but a bit too similar to mentor David Finch’s style. Nevertheless, Fabok blossomed fully into his own come his tenure with Geoff Johns on Justice League.
Fabok does a terrific job of giving Batman and his supporting cast a battle-hardened look of maturity. His art is a perfect blend of gritty realism and recognizable comic book aesthetics, which works especially well in moody crime-noir Batman comics like Three Jokers. Fabok is also the perfect pairing with Johns’ writing, giving him the number five spot on the list.
4 Jorge Jiménez Gives Batman a Richly Detailed Portrayal
His Work On Batman Is Singular And Identifiable
Leading the art on Batman alongside Chip Zdarsky’s writing, Jorge Jiménez’s abilities represent an embarrassment of riches regarding DC’s talent pool for the character. Jiménez’s distinguishable approach marks him as another singular talent. He portrays Batman with a deep, lustrous feeling of neo-noir glamour.
On top of the impeccable style of his character designs, piercing facial features, and the immense level of detail on display, his pencils alone are masterworks in making characters and environments seem three-dimensional. That’s complemented even further when working with colorist Tomeu Morey to give Jiménez’s art a final polished shine. Jiménez has worked on Justice League comics as well as Batman and is credited with co-creating several characters.
3 Dan Mora Is A Rising Batman Artist
His Work Expresses Versatility With Batman And Superman
One of DC Comics’ rising-star artists, Dan Mora further shows how Batman is in terrific artistic hands. Detective Comics was his first major commitment to drawing the Caped Crusader, and he’s only flourished more since taking on both him and Superman in World’s Finest. He is able to make the Dark Knight feel both classic and new, human and superhuman.
Related
15 Batman Omnibus Collections Worth Reading
For fans interested in Batman’s greatest story arcs and comic events, DC omnibus collections like The Batman Adventures and Knightfall are must-reads.
Mora’s artwork effortlessly meshes with Mark Waid’s adventurous storytelling, balancing a clean and stylish modern approach with vintage comic book flair that embraces the superhero genre’s inherent sense of whimsy. His art is also perhaps one of the most versatile in the medium. Mora’s work is right at home with the vibrant colors and campy atmosphere of World’s Finest and within the street-level grit of Detective Comics.
2 Jim Lee Helped Define Batman’s Image In The ’00s
His Work On Hush Made a Huge Impact
Jim Lee is one of the most groundbreaking artists of Batman. He is also known for his work on X-Men for Marvel and co-founder of Image Comics. Lee’s art might not have been featured in many Batman interiors before becoming an executive, but it made a resounding impression, featuring the Caped Crusader as ominous and threatening.
Most prominently featured alongside Jeph Loeb’s Hush, the blockbuster arc showed off Lee’s clean, slick, stylish character designs and overall detailed art direction. Lee’s art was a superb visual portrayal of Batman in the early ’00s. His designs practically became synonymous with the hero’s image outside the medium.
1 Greg Capullo Made Batman a New 52 Highlight
He Worked On Several Projects Like Court of Owls
The New 52 reboot of the early ’10s might have been controversial overall, but Batman fired on all cylinders throughout the event, making it one of the highlights. The most significant high points were writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo’s tenure on Batman. They paved the way for the thrilling Court of Owls arc and some of the most compelling Joker stories in Batman comics.
Capullo’s art was distinctive, blending some Todd McFarlane-like ’90s edge with modern sensibilities. While his art could portray Bruce Wayne and the Bat-Family as unusually young at times, Capullo could just as well show an impressive level of detail, expressiveness, and kinetic action. Capullo’s work rose above the New 52 event to reveal a Batman that retained a degree of familiarity, so he takes the number one spot on this list.
Batman
Batman is one of the oldest comic superheroes, with nearly a century of comics, TV-shows, films, and video games. The mild-mannered Bruce Wayne becomes Gotham City’s caped crusader, protecting it from villains like The Joker, Killer Croc, The Penguin, and more. Batman is also one of DC comics’ “Big Three” alongside Superman and Wonder Woman, and together the three help keep the earth safe as founding members of the Justice League.
- Created by
- Bill Finger , Bob Kane
- First Film
- Batman: The Movie
- Upcoming Films
- The Batman – Part II
- First TV Show
- Batman
- First Episode Air Date
- January 12, 1966
- Cast
- Adam West , Kevin Conroy , Christian Bale , Robert Pattinson , Ben Affleck , Michael Keaton , Keanu Reeves , Josh Hutcherson , Will Friedle , Anson Mount , Will Arnett
link