#8: Bruce Wayne/Batman (Batman: The Telltale Series)
I was worried that this might be cheating, since Batman has already been established as a character in many different forms of media. However, as the Nostalgia Critic has mentioned before in his Greatest Joker Death video, there are often many interpretations of a character, and each can bring something new to the table. And personally, I believe that Telltale’s version of the Dark Night has managed to do just that.
We all know Bruce’s story: orphaned at a young age, he donned the mantle of Batman in order to ensure no one suffers the same fate his parents did. With the money and resources needed to embark on this crusade, the mantle of Batman was created, and a one-man army on crime was begun.
I believe that what makes this Batman more distinct from the other versions is how much they delve into the personality and mind of the Batman. We’ve always gotten glimpses of his inner trauma and how he views the world in shows such as the Animated Series and the Arkham universe, but I feel this is the first one that really allows us to see how Bruce Wayne perceives his world: he very rarely talks about himself as an established identity. Throughout both his seasons, we see him refer to his personas of Bruce and Batman as if they are masks. Separate identities for him to assume when it’s best. Plus, we see him use his wealth for more than just Batman: we get to see the more political side of the hero and how he has to manage being a well-known billionaire that the media is always itching to find out more about. And the final topping on the cake (major spoilers ahead): it’s revealed very early on that THIS version of Batman had parents as criminals. The very people who motivated him to stop crime were no different from the criminals he fights. This opens up a whole new can of worms to explore and develop, and for the most part, they did a great job doing so, especially in Season 1, where the main antagonists were people that had suffered at his parents’ hands. As a final note, Troy Baker may not be Kevin Conroy or Michael Keaton, but he still manages to deliver a solid performance and perfectly capture that Batman spirit.
Nice job, Bruce. The only reason you’re lower is, again, because I want the best to be original to Telltale. But just because someone thought of you beforehand doesn’t diminish what you brought to the table.