The DC Animated Universe is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2022 as it all started with the award-winning Batman: The Animated Series. In that 30 years-worth of shows and animated films, the late Kevin Conroy voiced Batman and Bruce Wayne from a young man to an elderly man.
Across the shows, the typically lonely Dark Knight ended up forming many friendships along the way, even if some of them were out of reluctance. From his fellow heroes to even a couple of his villains, Batman’s friendships and relationships always bring a smile to viewers.
10 Batman & Catwoman
On one hand, the DCAU still has a lot of the Batman and Catwoman traits that make for one of the most toxic relationships in the comics. On the other hand, however, the DCAU also has one of the better portrayals of that relationship because of how much they work well together.
They have genuine chemistry with each other and a large part of that comes from Adrienne Barbeau and Kevin Conroy’s performances. When the two are split apart because of their differences, it’s sadder than other portrayals because as seen in “Perchance To Dream,” the two are shown to be a great couple if they actually decided to settle down.
9 Batman & Harley Quinn
Though it didn’t happen often, Harley Quinn did join Batman occasionally, such as in one of the best Harley Quinn episodes: “Harlequinade.” It was a full-on partnership between the two with Harley providing plenty of laughs for the viewers as they worked together to stop the Joker.
Batman’s broody nature and over-seriousness contrasted with Harley’s jovial nature already make the friendship enjoyable. However, Batman’s experiences with trauma help Harley see the poisonous nature of a relationship with the Joker, showing that the two are more alike than they expect.
8 Batman & The Flash
This is not just for Batman but for all the Justice League; the Flash AKA Wally West is the heart and soul of the team. He may be a jokester who can get on everyone’s nerves but Wally West is also a genuine hero who always fights for what’s right. Wally brings out the good in his fellow heroes while providing humor.
An example of how much Flash means to everyone, including Batman is the glimpse into the alternate world where Lex Luthor killed Wally. It drove the Justice League down a dark path, turning them into ruthless dictators on planet Earth. By the end of Justice League Unlimited, The Flash was one of the most valuable members of the team, and it wasn’t because of the Speed Force.
7 Batman & Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is essentially Batman’s son, and he cares about him immensely, despite the rough patches they’ve had. In a way, that’s a realistic depiction of a parent and a child: they have their differences and nasty fight, but they always come back together, just as Dick returned to the Bat-Family as Nightwing.
In the Robin’s Reckoning two-part episode, not only do viewers see how that paternal relationship begins via flashbacks but also shows how much Bruce Wayne still sympathizes with Grayson. He’s obsessed with finding Tony Zucco, the Graysons’ murderer, and wants to put him away to prevent Dick from going down a dark path.
6 Batman & Jim Gordon
It’s never shown how long Jim Gordon has been working with Batman, but it is heavily suggested that this partnership has been a long one. Like in many portrayals, Gordon is essentially Gotham City’s White Knight who keeps the city and the police force as clean as possible.
This friendship definitely shows its age in the episode “Holiday Knights” wherein one of the best DCAU holiday special moments, Batman and Jim celebrate the New Year with a simple cup of coffee together in a diner. It’s obvious that these two are going to have each other’s backs for til the end.
5 Batman & Superman
In the direct opposite situation of Jim Gordon, viewers got to see when Batman and Superman first met in their crossover of both Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series. When they first met, the two superheroes did not like each other at all, especially Batman whose first interaction was throwing the Man Of Steel across a room.
However, as time went on, especially across Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, the two grew to respect and care for each other. Superman gives bear hugs to Batman after saving him from a paradox, Batman is willing to sacrifice himself for Clark, and Batman even mourned for Superman during the Death Of Superman story arc.
4 Bruce Wayne & Batman Beyond
It’s hard to blame Bruce Wayne for being bitter when fifty years into the future and nearly everybody he cared about has either left him or died. That’s where a young man named Terry McGinnis came in, his troubled past and dead father along with a strong determination led him to being recruited as the new Batman.
Across the Batman Beyond show as well as Batman Beyond: Return Of The Joker, both Bruce and Terry learn from each other. Terry goes from an unlikable street punk to being the Batman that the cyberpunk Gotham deserves and Terry slowly breaks through Bruce’s cold shell to turn him into a slightly less grumpy grandfather figure.
3 Batman & Alfred
It’s seemingly impossible to find a bad version of Alfred and the DCAU version is no exception. From Batman: The Animated Series to Justice League, Alfred is ever-present, always loyal, and ready to deal out a burn any chance he gets.
Alfred Pennyworth is arguably the most important Bat-Family member seeing how he practically raised Bruce as a surrogate father. He even helps Bruce raise multiple sons with both Dick and Tim, then Bruce took on Alfred’s tasks in the Batcave when Terry became Batman.
2 Batman & Zatanna
There is a hint of romance between these two, especially on the powerful magic user Zatanna’s side as shown when Bruce Wayne trained under her father. It leads to a charming relationship where they clearly care for each other but also respect each other’s choices.
Zatanna’s respect for Bruce as just a friend is even shown when Bruce asks her for help to save Wonder Woman, the woman he did end up falling for. It’s another pairing of total opposites with Zatanna being a bright, warm, and charismatic woman who does everything in the spotlight, which adds the comedy but also brings out the good in Batman whenever she can.
1 Batman & Wonder Woman
With all the Justice League, Wonder Woman is a strong and powerful hero who acts as a moral compass for the team. Over time though, it is clear that she and Bruce have an unspoken relationship that brews over the course of Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. It becomes less subtle as it goes on, and it led to a relationship that fans nickname Wonderbat.
Batman frantically tries to save Wonder Woman when he thinks she’s possibly dead, the two share a dance undercover, and Bruce goes through the magical underbelly of the world to save Diana from a curse. It’s clear the two end up loving each other, but sadly DC never explored their potential love life after the show ended.
