Which Comics Reboot Batman And Batman As Rivals?

I still get a little giddy thinking about discovery runs through long comic runs — one of my favorite rabbit holes was tracing every big DC reset and those weird moments when you get two Batmen walking into the same story. If you want the big reboots that reshaped Batman’s continuity, start with 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' (1985) which rewired the DC Multiverse and set up modern takes like 'Batman: Year One'. Fast-forward and you hit 'Zero Hour' (1994) and then the huge modern shake-up: the 'Flashpoint' event (2011) that directly birthed 'The New 52' relaunch — both changed Batman’s status quo in notable ways. Later, 'DC Rebirth' (2016) is more of a restoration than a pure reboot, and then 'Dark Nights: Metal' + 'Death Metal' effectively remapped pieces of the Batman mythos again, feeding into 'Infinite Frontier'. Don’t forget standalone reimaginations like 'Batman: Earth One' which are great if you want a fresh, self-contained origin.

As for stories that actually put Batman against other Batmen — that’s where things get deliciously weird. 'Flashpoint' is obvious because you get Thomas Wayne as Batman while Bruce is the Joker, a literal Batman-vs.-Batman vibe in tie-ins like 'Flashpoint: Batman - Knight of Vengeance'. Morrison’s multiverse work in 'Multiversity' and the 'Dark Multiverse' arcs from 'Dark Nights: Metal' introduce a ton of alternate Batmen (notably 'The Batman Who Laughs') who are antagonists to our Bruce. 'Dark Nights: Death Metal' piles on even more variations and direct clashes. I also love the emotional rivalry you get post-'Batman R.I.P.'/'Final Crisis' when Dick Grayson wears the cowl in 'Batman Reborn' territory — it’s not a villainous rivalry, but it’s a compelling clash of philosophies.

If you want a reading path: try 'Batman: Year One' → 'The Dark Knight Returns' (for tone) → 'Flashpoint' and 'Flashpoint: Batman' tie-ins → Scott Snyder’s 'Court of Owls' in 'The New 52' → 'Dark Nights: Metal'/'Death Metal'. That way you see both reboots and the best Batman-vs-Batman confrontations unfold. Personally, I like reading these late at night with tea and a ridiculous stack of issues — the multiverse stuff always makes me grin.

I’ve spent more than a few subway commutes skimming through reboots and alternate-universe Batmen, so here’s a compact map from that perspective. The major continuity-level reboots that affected Batman most are 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' (which cleaned up the multiverse), 'Flashpoint' (which launched 'The New 52'), and the later shifts around 'Dark Nights: Metal' and 'Death Metal' that remixed the Multiverse again. 'DC Rebirth' tried to stitch things back together, and 'Infinite Frontier' consolidated stuff post-'Death Metal'. These events either changed Batman’s status quo directly or opened the door for new interpretations.

When it comes to Batman actually facing other Batmen, the best examples are the multiverse and Elseworlds-style stories. 'Flashpoint' gives us the most famous alternate Batman rivalry — Thomas Wayne’s brutal detective vs. the tragic Bruce-as-Joker — especially in 'Flashpoint: Batman - Knight of Vengeance'. Grant Morrison’s 'Multiversity' and the 'Dark Multiverse' tales bring entire armies of alternate Batmen, culminating in the nightmare figure 'The Batman Who Laughs' during 'Dark Nights: Metal' and its sequel. Other notable moments: post-'Final Crisis' stories where different men wear the cowl (Bruce vs. Dick) explore ideological rivalries, and Elseworlds like 'Kingdom Come' or 'The Dark Knight Returns' give you grizzled confrontations between versions of Batman.

If you want to explore both themes, reading a mix of core event books and the Morrison/Snyder-era Batman runs is the most fun route.

I’m a sucker for alternate Batmen showdowns, so I’ll give you the short tour: major reboots that reshaped Batman are 'Crisis on Infinite Earths', 'Flashpoint' (which led to 'The New 52'), and the later 'Dark Nights: Metal'/'Death Metal' runs (with 'DC Rebirth' and 'Infinite Frontier' acting as fixes/patches). Comics that literally put Batman against Batman tend to live in the multiverse and tie-in space — 'Flashpoint' (and 'Flashpoint: Batman - Knight of Vengeance') is the classic example with Thomas Wayne’s Batman vs. Bruce in a different role, while 'Multiversity' and the 'Dark Multiverse' stories from 'Dark Nights: Metal' introduce dozens of rival Batmen including 'The Batman Who Laughs'. Also check out the era where Dick Grayson becomes Batman after 'Final Crisis' — it’s a more emotional, philosophical rivalry than a fight to the death, but it’s brilliant. If you want a binge plan: read a bit of 'Year One', then 'Flashpoint' and the 'Dark Nights' saga to see reboots and rival Batmen collide — it’s a wild ride that always leaves me wanting another cup of coffee and one more issue.