Which Version of Batman Is the Best? One of DC's Top Writers Knows the Answer

DC Comics’ Dark Knight Detective, Batman, has been portrayed in many different mediums over the years aside from his original stint in comics, with his presence in the live-action and animated spaces being just as iconic and well-regarded as his on-panel counterpart. But which version of Batman is truly the best? According to DC Comics scribe Scott Snyder, the iteration of Batman who's better than the rest is one that not many would immediately point to.

Getting his start with DC on 2011’s Detective Comics #871 with superstar artist Jock, Scott Snyder has been writing Batman in some form or another for close to 15 years, with Snyder currently working on the smash hit that is Absolute Batman alongside fellow creative talent Nick Dragotta who handles illustration duties.

"That's why I think, like the Lego Batman is, like, one of my favorite and truest versions of Batman is that he is awesome and feels awesome, and knows he's going to do it."

Mentioning in a recent Newsweek interview how Batman’s “default” position is “awesomeness” and “overconfidence,” Snyder eventually reveals that his “favorite and truest versions of Batman” is none other than Will Arnett’s animated Lego Batman, a light-hearted take on this dark and brooding hero that everyone can enjoy.

Out of All His Portrayals, Lego Batman Is the Best Version of the Dark Knight

According to DC Comics Writer Scott Snyder

Lego Batman uses his grapple gun in The Lego Movie

Talking about topics ranging from Snyder’s love for Batman to why Dick Grayson is so different from his mentor to why Bruce Wayne is the "winningest dude on the planet,” the conversation eventually turns to which version of Batman Snyder likes most. Praising the Will Arnett-voiced Batman from 2017’s The Lego Batman Movie because of Batman’s aforementioned “winningest” attitude, Snyder says, “That’s why I think, like the Lego Batman is, like, one of my favorite and truest versions of Batman is that he is awesome and feels awesome, and knows he's going to do it.” Everything is awesome, indeed!

Comic book art: Batman in front of Killer Croc, Mr Freeze, Poison Ivy, and Clayface.

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A unique amalgamation of what makes Batman so great in his various iterations, Will Arnett’s Lego-fied take on this staple DC character had the proper amount of menace, broodiness, and badassness about him while balancing these darker qualities with an oblivious egoism that was downright hilarious. Throw in some fun bat-gadgets, surprising character depth, and a need to connect to those around him despite him saying otherwise, and it’s easy to see why Lego Batman is Snyder’s favorite, especially considering Snyder has to similarly fine-tune his own balancing act as he shapes Batman in fresh and exciting ways in comics.

There’s a Version of Batman for Everyone To Enjoy Regardless of the Medium

Batman Is Voiced by Will Arnett in the Lego Batman Movie

Christian Bale's Batman in The Dark Knight and Batman in The Lego Batman Movie

Though Batman has made appearances in everything from video games to film to Saturday Morning Cartoons, the character will always adhere to who he is at his core, regardless of the tone of the project in question, proving Batman’s longevity and versatility as a hero and ensuring that it’s not just his comic book appearances that can leave a mark on people. Batman as a character will always be relaunched, reinvented, and reimagined for new audiences and creative mediums, with Scott Snyder having a favorite version of the Dark Knight being a fun fact for this staple DC Comics creator.

Source: Newsweek