2023 was a great year for artwork featuring Batman not just in an official capacity, thanks to the consistent drip of visually stunning bat-books hitting shelves each week, but also for fanart depicting The Dark Knight in unique ways never seen before. A collective effort put forth by a community that holds the character in the highest regard, 2023’s Batman fanart showed that DC needs to get more creative with their most popular hero or be outshined by the fans who love him most.
A year that saw Batman’s corner of the DC Universe given more than a few fan-made makeovers, some of the best images came from artists like Tom Hoskisson (@THoskisson), who gave The Caped Crusader new costumed looks inspired by the iconic 90s Superman storyline “Reign of the Supermen,” as well as designs that combined the designs of Batman’s rogues gallery with his signature bat-themed clothing.
Also given an alternate universe redesign by Mike Becker (@mikejbecker), it’s here where Batman fanart is proven to match DC’s own output of multiversal versions of the character, with each of these pieces giving the company more than a few inspirations when designing Batmen hailing from different worlds.
Batman Fan Art Confirms He’d Suck Without His Disrespected Co-Creator
In an illustration by artist Ty Templeton, he pitches the alternate history of Batman if co-creator Bob Kane didn’t have Bill Finger at his side.
Batman’s 2023 Fanart Output Is Something DC Comics Needs To Learn From
Not to be outdone by Batman’s present-day escapades, Batman Beyond’s future universe was given more than a few professional-looking pieces this year, with Jaxson Derr (@jaxsonderr) concocting multiple character posters of Terry McGinnis’ worst enemies like Spellbinder and Blight. Meanwhile, Kode Abdo (@bosslogic) gave Terry a live-action fanart upgrade, drenching his Batman in crimson and shadow and showing that DC needs far more Batman Beyond books than what it’s currently putting out. Mashing together Batman and the movie The VVitch in a fan-comic parody made by Dan Schkade (@DanSchkade), Batman and Bat-Family-adjacent characters were also given a Sailor Moon makeover by Francine Delgado (@francinedelgadoart), giving DC even more crossovers ripe for the writing.
Turning the clock back next, Batman received more than a few redesigns and mash-ups featuring Adam West’s version of the character, ones that showed DC how to handle this beloved iteration in a fresh new way. From Butcher Billy (@thebutcherbilly) flawlessly bringing The Batman Who Laughs into the ’66 universe to Adam Murphy (@adammurphyart) giving Adam West’s Batman an inspired “Rockabilly” look to @thechrishaley turning Hank and Billy from King of the Hill fame into the Dynamic Duo ripped right from the show, these creators helped to end this stellar year for Batman fanart in the best way possible.
This Year’s Batman Fanart Rivals DC Comics’ Official Art
Taking into account the art seen here and even the countless other designs that have yet to be recognized for their unique takes on the comic industry’s most popular superhero, it’s clear that Batman is just as versatile in the fanart community as he is when fighting the good fight in an official capacity, at least visually-speaking. With 2023 finally over, it’s clear that DC has some competition when it comes to portraying Batman on the page, so here’s to another fantastic year for fanart and the creatives that produce it!
Sources: @THoskisson, @mikejbecker, @jaxsonderr, @bosslogic, @DanSchkade, @francinedelgadoart, @thebutcherbilly, @adammurphyart, @thechrishaley
