For all his gadgets and weaponry, the Great White Shark, but Gotham also has its fair share of superhuman behemoths with strength far, far beyond any normal human. From mutated humans to killer androids, Batman has faced off against some heavyweights that make even Superman look puny.
Here are the 12 strongest Batman villains. For this list, we're only counting villains Batman has fought repeatedly or whose entire mission in life centres on the Dark Knight. Yes, Bruce Wayne has tackled Darkseid, Mongul and Eclipso alongside the Justice League, but we're only looking at the villains who are officially part of the Batman franchise.
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12 Man-Bat, aka Kirk Langstrom
Debuted in Detective Comics #400's 'Challenge of the Man-Bat' by Frank Robbins and Neal Adams
Batman's monstrous opposite, scientist Dr. Kirk Langstrom created the Man-Bat serum while trying to invent a 'cure' for deafness. The serum transforms those who drink it into monstrous were-bats with incredible strength - enough to tear the human body to pieces with minimal effort. Man-Bat also has the power to control nearby bats and unleash a powerful sonic blast.
While Langstrom's formula was originally a single-use invention, it eventually transformed his biology, causing the monster to emerge in times of stress. Talia al Ghul have since acquired the serum, allowing her army of assassins to adopt the Man-Bat form and acquire its enhanced strength.
11 Orca, aka Grace Balin
First Seen in Batman #579, Created by Larry Hama and Scott McDaniel
A former marine biologist, Grace Balin used orca DNA to try and regenerate her spinal cord after a serious accident, ending up transformed into the "apex predator" Orca. Orca is incredibly strong, able to punch through concrete as if it wasn't there. However, unlike most Gotham villains, Orca isn't all bad. While Orca will kill and steal to get by, she also has a vigilante streak, targeting those who prey on the unfortunate or despoil nature. Able to swim at incredible speed underwater, Orca has surfaced several times since, marrying Killer Croc in the alternate universe of Injustice: Gods Among Us.
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10 Killer Croc, aka Waylon Jones
First Seen in Gerry Conway and Gene Colan's 'Inferno' from Detective Comics #523
Originally introduced as a terrifying new gang boss, Killer Croc has since been retconned as an unfortunate outsider forced to reside in Gotham's sewers. Killer Croc has shown a propensity to gather communities of fellow outcasts, keeping them safe from Gotham's other evil-doers - albeit while carrying out violent robberies to them. Killer Croc's immense strength, tough skin and sharp teeth come from a rare form of genetic atavism, causing crocodile-like traits to manifest in increasing severity since childhood.
9 Blockbuster, aka Mark Desmond
Debuted in Detective Comics #345's 'The Blockbuster Invasion of Gotham City!' by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino
Mark Desmond's Blockbuster is a former chemist humiliated by his gawky physique, devising a concoction that enhanced his body while dramatically supressing his intellect. In his new transformed state, Blockbuster became the enforcer for his criminal brother Roland, able to crash through brick walls as if they were made of cardboard. Despite this, Blockbuster had an affection for Bruce Wayne, making Batman one of the few people who could stop his rampages. Outside Roland's control, Blockbuster has generally shown himself to be a peaceful person capable of living without the violent rampages he unleashed on Gotham.
Following Mark's death, his brother Roland became the second Blockbuster, but used an improved serum to retain his criminal intellect. This version of Blockbuster has been a major villain for Batman's protégé Dick Grayson during his career as Nightwing, running crime in the city of Blüdhaven.
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8 Bane
First Appeared in Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1 by Chuck Dixon and Graham Nolan
Famous for breaking Batman's back in the iconic Batman #497 (from Doug Moench and Jim Aparo), Bane is among the Dark Knight's strongest and smartest returning enemies. Raised in the hellish Santa Prisca prison, Bane trained his entire life to reach physical perfection, then turned to the drug Venom to elevate himself to superhuman levels. Bane tested himself by attempting to wrest control of Gotham from Batman, succeeding for a short period before Batman ultimately reclaimed his city.
Without Venom, Bane is even stronger than the Dark Knight, but with it he's capable of superhuman feats such as bending steel with his bare hands. In Tom King and David Finch's Batman #19, Bane is frozen by Mister Freeze, with the villain stating that he is under 2737 cubic pounds of ice, only for Bane to instantly break free.
Most importantly, Bane possesses the raw will power to match Batman - it's important to note that Freeze asserted that a perfect human with the maximum dose of Venom couldn't break free from anything in excess of 1500 cubic pounds, showing that Bane doesn't just sur human limits with Venom - he sures what should be scientifically possible even with the superhuman drug.
While Bane did beat both Amygdala and Solomon Grundy solo in Batman #19, this was more about skill and tactics than raw strength - indeed, Batman recreated the feat a few issues later.
7 Amygdala, aka Aaron Helzinger
First Appeared in Shadow of the Bat #3 by Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle
After undergoing an experimental brain surgery, Aaron Helzinger lost the ability to regulate his emotions, becoming filled with an implacable rage. Amygdala was often tricked or coerced into acting as muscle for Gotham's crime bosses, including the Ventriloquist and Scarface, and flirted with redemption after being offered the chance to reform by Nightwing.
Amygdala originally had incredible human strength, but DC has since reinvented him as a superhuman powerhouse. Amygdala is considered the strongest enforcer available to Gotham's organized crime, as stated in Scott Snyder and John Romita Jr.'s All-Star Batman #2. Amygdala has even been paired with Solomon Grundy, suggesting his strength is comparable to the zombie villain (who appears on this list at a slightly higher ranking.)
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6 Clayface, aka Basil Karlo
First Appeared in Detective Comics #40's 'The Murders of Clayface' by Bill Finger and Bob Kane
A former actor, DC has given multiple origins to the accident that caused Basil Karlo to transform into a clay-like substance. A skilled shapeshifter, Clayface can mimic others as well as transforming his body into various shapes, including a range of weaponry. Clayface often commits crimes in the name of finding a cure for his condition, although it was later revealed that in his clay form, the part of his brain responsible for impulse control shrinks, increasing his propensity for violence.
While Clayface possesses superhuman strength in his default form, the reason he's so high on this list is because of his ability to grow to an immense size, as tall as Gotham's skyscrapers. At this size, Clayface is capable of smashing through buildings without any apparent exertion. DC hasn't fully explored the logistics of this ability, but Clayface is seemingly able to increase in size and strength in normal Gotham conditions.
5 Solomon Grundy, aka Cyrus Gold
First Seen in Alfred Bester and Paul Reinman's 'Fighters Never Quit' from All-American Comics #61
Originally a corrupt merchant in the 19th century, Cyrus Gold was murdered by rivals, with his body disposed of in the mystical Slaughter Swamp. Since then, Cyrus has returned to life repeatedly as the superstrong zombie Solomon Grundy. Originally an enemy of Alan Scott's Green Lantern, Grundy has since become a major part of Batman's rogues' gallery, and is one of the few Gotham villains even Superman struggles to beat.
Grundy's strength varies depending on his resurrection cycle, but at his strongest he's proved himself stronger than even Superman. Because of his mystic nature, he's also particularly dangerous to the Man of Steel, making him a Kryptonian-strength threat who Batman can't call on his godlike friend to deal with. Thankfully, while Grundy is dim-witted, he can be appeased if handled correctly. Otherwise, Batman has trained in combat moves that use Grundy's immense strength and size against him.
4 Failsafe/The Batman of Zur-En-Arrh
Failsafe Introduced in Batman Volume 3 #125 by Chip Zdarsky and Jorge Jiménez, Batman of Zur-En-Arrh Introduced in Batman Volume 1 #113's 'Batman - The Superman of Planet X' by Ed Herron and Dick Sprang
As part of his commitment to never take a life, Batman created the Failsafe robot - a powerful android that would be unleashed to execute him if he ever murdered one of his villains. When the Penguin faked his death at Batman's hands, Failsafe activated, taking down Superman and the Bat-Family when they came to Batman's aid. The Failsafe robot later merged with the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh - an alternate persona Batman had created to fight on his behalf if his 'main' consciousness came under psychological or psychic attack.
With Zur-En-Arrh at the wheel, Failsafe took the 'Batman' codename and attempted to wrest control of Gotham from the Bat-Family. Thankfully, faking Red Hood's death at this new Batman's hands caused the Failsafe AI to clash with Zur-En-Arrh, ending the threat. Failsafe is strong and durable enough to beat the combined Justice League and Bat-Family.
While incredibly strong, Failsafe is also equipped to stop anyone who would get in the way of its mission, even boasting Kryptonite knives that can fell Superman.
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3 The Devastator, aka Bruce Wayne
Debuted in Dark Days: The Casting #1, Created by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo
In a world where Superman turned evil, Bruce Wayne used a modified form of the Doomsday Virus to become a force capable of killing the Man of Steel. Sadly, while Bruce managed to kill Superman, his transformation into the Devastator also spread the Doomsday Virus across his reality, ending human civilization. The Devastator later ed up with the Batman Who Laughs in his Death Nights: Metal attack on DC's main reality.
The Devastator is equal - if not superior - to Superman and Lobo in of physical strength, while also boasting other powers including bone-claw projectiles and Kryptonite breath.
