Yeah they were massive, but my main problem was Bane, not only was he too big, but he seemed to be too much like the version from Batman & Robin, a short skinny guy who used venom to become a hulk like brute, Bane never used to be a small guy, but he also never got THAT big, except seemingly in the new 52...

And don't get me started on that huge thing on his back, either! Hahahahahahahaha...

Nice list.  Personally, I would have liked to see Year One on here, too, just because it really brought an "everyman"-type quality to Bruce Wayne I felt by showing his not-so-successful first attempts at crimefighting (not to mention the clear influence on Nolan's movies).  A second choice would have been the introduction of Robin since he did kind of open the gateway for a larger "Batman Family."  Plus, we wouldn't have had as good a comic series like Wolfman & Perez's Teen Titans if Dick Grayson had never been created...;)

The blue and grey costume will always be the best.  Hate the whole black style costume . Bats wore more of the grey and blue style more often.

 Well, if memory serves, I don't think that the uniform was supposed to be blue and grey. I think its supposed to be black and grey. I think the artist used blue so that it would contrast with the dark areas around him. 

WHAT ... no Brave and the Bold??? :)

Agree, great list and retrospective.

I remember reading how producer Michael Uslan, who first bought the film rights for Bats, had nearly a decades long slog through studios to finally get the first Batman movie made. They said "Superman movies had petered out. Why would anybody pay to see another superhero on the big screen?"

But Batman has become one of those enduring characters in pop culture. The idea of a guy with no superhuman abilities, the money to devote to his cause, and the undeniable force of his will projected making a major impact on his world kind of speaks to all of us. It say if any of us could/would harness that type of will we could all be a Batman in our own way.

Agree with Hanso, the Arkham games should be on here.

And possbly Knightsend, since it showed even Batman can be beaten (and the influence for TDKR)

What about Batman's role in "Kingdom Come"

"The only thing I'm worried about your Totalitarian solutions, is if I'd be the 1st one to be reformed."

Boy, that sounds familiar, hmmmmmmmm......

For me, Kevin Conroy is and will always be Batman AND Bruce Wayne.  And I still think that Mark Hamill's take on the Joker gives Ledger a run for his money.  No disrespect to the deceased, but Mark Hamill does just with his voice almost as much as Ledger did with live action for 2 hours.  I sincerely believe that, had Hamill been given 2 hours straight and the extended boundaries of a PG-13 rating, he would've set even higher standards for the Clown Prince of Crime.

Great article, Mr. Vaux!

 I thought long and hard about Year One, but eventually decided that The Dark Knigth Returns more or less covered it. The Arkham video games were a tough, tough cut.