Batman may be one of the most goddamn badass characters ever created, but sometimes he's not immune to being a little dramatic.
Being one of the longest-running and most popular superheroes of all time, it should come as no surprise that the goddamned Batman has led to his fair share of bat memes over the years.
Please add entries in the following format:
- The meme.ExplanationThe explanation behind the meme.
- Further mutations and successor memes, if any.
Works with their own meme pages.
The Comics- Amazons Attack! (2007): "Bees. My god."ExplanationBatman utters the latter in response to discovering that the Amazons plan to attack with a deadly bee weapon. The line is memorable on its face, but the narm of the situation makes it that much moreso.
- "I'm the goddamn Batman." - courtesy of Frank Miller's take: All-Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder.
- Dick Grayson, age 12.ExplanationDick Grayson is always referred to this way.
- Crazy Steve, Linkara's nickname for Miller's In Name Only Batman.
- "That is totally queer." "Shut up. >:("
- Ain't nothin' queer about it, love chunks.
- Atop the Fourth Wall and its ASBAR review also gives us this gem: Bruce Wayne, agent of NAMBLA. ExplanationFrom Batman in-name-only looking forward to what he’s going to put Dick Grayson Age 12 through, and having had an eye on him long before the death of the Flying Graysons. So phrased due to an Amalgam Universe title called Bruce Wayne, Agent of SHIELD.
- He's Batman, and he can breathe in space.
- Batman slapping Robin
◊ExplanationFor the record: This is an actual image from an actual Batman What If? story, though edited; the original context is completely different. It was flipped and the text was edited. The original panel came from the comic World's Finest (1941) #153. This panel itself has been subjected to many, many variations, with Batman and Robin's words constantly being swapped out. - "No, no, stay with me! Don't leave me!"ExplanationIn Superman/Batman #56 Batman gains Superman's powers and is driven insane, forcing Zatanna to lure him back to Crime Alley with an illusion of his parents to stop him. As the illusions fade away in his arms, he yells out the above line in despair. This meme is often used online to represent having lose something beloved.
- Sexy Bat-hat is sexy, you must touch it.ExplanationRed Son!Batman's costume comes with a ushanka hat atop the cowl, which drew the attention of many fans.
- Chortle at the Joker's boner, will you?!◊ExplanationFrom the Batman #66 story "The Joker's Comedy of Errors!". For those wondering how the hell something like that ever appeared in a comic book back then, keep in mind that terminology can undergo changes (i.e., "gay" going from "happy" to "homosexual"). In this case, "boner" went from a gaffe to... well, you know. To clarify, this wasn't just one panel — the entire story revolved around the Joker's boners or Batman and Robin's boners. There are nearly forty uses of the word and the story is less than ten pages long.
- The classic Batman origin story has three: the bat flying through the window, "Criminals are a superstitious, cowardly lot" and "I shall become a bat!"
- Taking Batman panels out of context and adding the caption "Batman Hates X". One example being Batman kicking a guy for eating ice cream. "Batman Hates Ice Cream."◊ExplanationThe guy in question is Two-Face, who'd just poisoned a big batch of ice cream with a serum that turns people into homicidal cannibals.
- The sentence "Batman would win if he was given a week in advance to prepare" or something similar to it is bound to pop up in almost any "Who would win, Batman or X?" conversation.
- "Prep Time"ExplanationA common shorthand for the above, often offered with little to no justification.
- Batgod ExplanationA shorthand for the Character Shilling that Batman has often received in recent years, such as the idea that he could take down the rest of the Justice League in a fight.
- Batgos ExplanationA corruption of the above, often used as a joke.
- Stephanie Brown's costume isn't purple, it's eggplant!
- Jason Todd loves bread.ExplanationInspired by an out-of-context scene from Jason's resurrection where the soon-to-be Red Hood breaks into a bakery for food.
- Dick Grayson's ass. Artists have an infamous tendency to draw Dick Grayson with a really noticeable ass, made even more obvious by his skintight Nightwing costume. This has gotten to the point that characters acknowledge it in-universe.
- "Kite Man. Hell yeah.''ExplanationTom King's run changed Kite Man, a goofy and long-forgotten Silver Age villain, into a ridiculous and lovable Boisterous Bruiser who takes himself way too seriously with this as his catchphrase. It’s turned him into a bit of a Memetic Badass among the fandom, and it even became the title of his own show.
- Batman: Damned #1 will now and forever be known as the comic that showed us what Bruce Wayne’s penis looks like.
- Barbara is Futaba Sakura.ExplanationBarbara has a lot of similarities to Futaba Sakura from Persona 5. Both of them are redhead hacker vigilantes who have dead moms, who share the codename “Oracle” and (if the Persona 5 player chooses to have the protagonist get in a romantic relationship with Futaba) who have a black-haired love interest who also happens to be a Chick Magnet, so it’s pretty common for Persona 5 fans to joke about Barbara being Futaba. Heck, some people have even made fanart of Futaba dressing up as Batgirl. And some Joker/Futaba shippers take it a step even further by making Futaba dress up as Batgirl and by having Joker dress up like Nightwing, which is even more hilarious when you consider that as stated above, Joker and Nightwing both share a status as Chick Magnets. Also, some of these people have a really dark sense of humour and think that comparing Futaba to Batgirl and then shipping her with someone named Joker is downright morbidly hilarious when you consider what the OTHER Joker did to Barbara many years ago.
- Amy Rose can beat Batman.ExplanationOn September 27, 2022, DC Comics' Twitter account posted a tweet asking fans about their favorite moment Batman was soundly defeated while using the cover to Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia, which has the iconic cover of Batman's head being pinned to the ground by Wonder Woman's boot. Because Wondy's classic boot design matches the design used by Amy Rose's "Modern" take, many Sonic fans joked that Amy had defeated Batman. Naturally, this has resulted in fan art depicting Batman under Amy's heel or groveling in fear of her. Ironically, in 2024, DC announced a full Intercontinuity Crossover with Sonic, and Amy was indeed dressed up as Wonder Woman.
- "Batman, there's no laws against the Pokémon, Batman!"Explanation (NSFW)An audio clip where Joker reveals he caught a Lopunny and plans to have sex with it. Batman is appropriately horrified, shouting, "It's an animal, Joker, you can't!" Joker then states that since there are no laws against having sex with Pokémon, he can do it, and there's nothing Batman can do to stop him.
- "Perhaps you relied on my master's vow against using lethal force. Let me assure you I subscribe to no such niceties." Explanation In juxtaposition to the entire rest of the Bat Family's vows against killing and using guns, Alfred is more than willing to defend Wayne Manor by brandishing a shotgun and shooting intruders dead. In one comic, Bruce found out that Alfred had hidden guns all around Wayne Manor, and Alfred just told him not to bother looking for them, because even Batman would never be able to find all of them. The above quote is often brought up in discussions about these contrasting values Alfred has with the rest of the Bat Family.
- POV: you X in Gotham Explanation A series of TikTok videos depicting Batman as an overzealous Memetic Psychopath who all too eagerly beats the everloving crap out of someone for committing a Felony Misdemeanor.
- "Red Hood fans hate good writing."ExplanationWhile Chip Zdarsky's Batman Urban Legends arc for DC Infinite Frontier is widely praised, especially in comparison to Scott Lobdell's mostly derided tenure on Red Hood and the Outlaws, some Lobdell loyalists have vocally disparaged Zdarsky on Twitter, Comic Book Roundup, and Comic Book Resources forums for writing Jason as flawed and allegedly less capable in combat. This led to other DC fans mocking◊ them and making◊ memes◊ about them hating otherwise acclaimed works.
- Fans from Reddit have started to describe Jason as the family jobber, on account of how Jason's skills have been severely diminished since The New 52.
- "This is the weapon of the enemy. We do not need it. We will not use it."ExplanationA panel from Batman: The Dark Knight Returns of Batman breaking a shotgun in half and saying this. It is used as an exploitable to show disdain for people on one's side picking up undesireable behaviour from those against them (e.g. Someone who wants a particular thing to happen exclusively because it will make the other side upset, regardless of whatever else may happen because of it, or people using Wojaks to insult an arguer's perceived appearance rather than their point)
- "Did Batman really think a gamer could stop me?◊"ExplanationA panel from Batman Meets the Faze Clan promo comic, where a digital version of Mr. Freeze proclaims this exact quote as a Badass Boast. Out of context, this comes off as incredibly unexpected and unintentionally funny, given the visual of Mr. Freeze, a Tragic Villain who isn't known for smiling that often, saying this so boastfully, leading to a whole bunch of Narm.
- Tibetan monksExplanationBatman in the comics possesses several varieties of Charles Atlas Superpower from his extensive training, including some rather esoteric abilities learned from eastern mystics. "Tibetan monks" is often used by fans as a joking explanation for any strange ability Batman displays, canon or otherwise.
- Bahala na si BatmanExplanationTagalog word meaning "Leave it to Batman", it is a mutation of a Filipino phrase "Bahala na" meaning "Leave it" (to fate), and one variant, "Bahala na ang Diyos" meaning "Leave it to God", had become bowlderized into Batman. Memes and jokes featuring people uttering this phrase and Batman showing up later to solve the person's problems have been prevalent even before the Internet in the Philippines.
- Cyclops (mentor)ExplanationA TikTok slideshow which featured the bizarre claim that Cyclops from the X-Men was Batman's former mentor. Fans of both decided to run with it, pretending that this was completely canon and reminiscing on the many totally-real adventures the two had together.
The Movies
- Batman: The Movie
- Batman (1989)
- "I'm not going to kill you, but I want you to do me a favor. I want you to tell all your friends about me."
- "Never rub another man's rhubarb!"
- "Have you ever danced with the devil by the pale moonlight?"
- "Well...Wait till they get a load of me."
- "This town needs an enema!"
- "Where does he get all those wonderful memes?"
- YOU WANNA GET NUTS? C'MON, LET'S GET NUTS!
- Think about the future!
- Mirror... MIRROR!
- You... are my number-one... g-guy!
- Love that Joker!
- He don't look happy. He's been using Brand Eckssssss!
- Batman Returns
- "Elections are normally in early November; is this not late December?" "Don't worry about it."
- Corn dog!
- Tragic irony or poetic justice? You tell me.
- HELL HERE.
- It could be worse. My nose could be gushing blood....
- I believe the word you're looking for is AAAAAAHHH!!!
- A little tape and a lot of patience makes all the difference!
- I'm an animal! Cold blooded! Crank the AC!
- Which is, in of itself, a meme, referring to David Lynch's The Elephant Man.
- Things change.
- Meow.
- Mistletoe can be deadly if you eat it....
- But a kiss can be even deadlier... if you mean it.
- Hey, just relax. I'll take care of the squealing, wretched, pinheaded puppets of Gotham!
- Peace on earth, good will toward men... and women.
- Bruce, shame on you.
- Yawn.
- Batman Forever
- Batman & Robin (1997)
- Bat Credit Card
- Basically, everything Mr. Freeze says, thanks to his actor being a Large Ham spouting a hurricane of bad ice-related puns:
- What killed the dinosaurs? DA ICE AGE!
- Cool party!
- Revenge is a dish best served cold
- Stay cool, Bird Boy.
- All right, everyone, chill!
- Allow me to break the ice.
- Freeze well!
- You're not sending me to DA COOLAH!
- Let's kick some ice!
- Tonight's forecast: a freeze is coming!
- YOU LIE!!
- This is why Superman works alone.
- Rubber lips are immune to your charms.
- The Dark Knight Trilogy has its own page.
- Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (see also Memes.DC Extended Universe)
- Sad Batman.
- "Tell me, do you bleed? YOU WILL!"
- X is Jason Todd. note Due to a wild fan theory that this version of the Joker is a corrupted Jason Todd.
- "Martha..." "WHY DID YOU SAY THAT NAME?!" note Batman pauses his attack on Superman when he hears him mention a Martha, since that was his mother's name. It gives Lois enough time to run in and explain that Superman is referring to his own mother, Martha Kent, who was kidnapped by Luthor. This revelation makes Batman realize who the real enemy is; however, the delivery of the scene is so over-the-top it gets abridged to "Batman and Superman become friends when they realize their moms have the same name".
- Man note An image of Batman from The Flash (2023) with the iconic bat ears removed. Subsequent edits of other images followed suit, eventually forming a Play-Along Meme about a Man franchise.
- The Batman (2022) has its own page.
The TV Show And Cartoons
- Holy flexible catchphrases, Batman!
- QUICK! TO THE TROPE-MOBILE!
- *bat-logo in a swirly background*
- Riddle me this! Riddle me that!
- BAM!! POW!!
- NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NANA — BATMAAAAAAAN!!! ExplanationThe 1966 show's theme song.
- "Tune in tomorrow, same bat-time, same bat-channel!" ExplanationThe 1966 show's Signing-Off Catchphrase.
- Quite an index, eh, old chum?
- Ualuealuealeuale!!! ExplanationBatman bobbing his head up and down is set to the incomprehensible hook of the El Chombo single "Chacarron Macarron."
- "Oh, you say that over the phone, Batman, but if I had you here I'd pound you to a pulp!" "Start pounding, Joker."ExplanationAn exchange from the show that went viral from The New '10s onwards due to a) the Accidental Innuendo of Batman's response, b) the deliveries of both lines, and c) Joker's scream of terror in response (which is usually cut off for maximum humor).
- Thanks to the 1966 show, Bruce Wayne's home is frequently described as "Stately Wayne Manor" in other media.
- I am going to drink ocean waternote A picture of the Joker with a surfboard saying this has popped up in several places.
- It's become a meme to take .gif files and have Mad Stan from Batman Beyond pop his head out somewhere, followed by everything exploding.
- OUTRAGEOUS! note Aquaman in this show has been reimagined as an over-the-top Boisterous Bruiser, with this as his catchphrase. Fans loved it.
- Truly, truly Outrageous!
- THE MUSIC MEEEEEIIIIISSSSTTTTERR!!!! note A villain voiced by Neil Patrick Harris whose power was to make everyone around him sing and dance uncontrollably like they were in a Broadway musical. Naturally, it was a Musical Episode.
- "It's a good thing we've got Arkham, 'cause he really DRIVES US BATS!" note Part of the villain's group song about Batman.
- As we travel through the villi, the CP4 barium soundwave will indicate any monoclinic phylosilicates in our vicinity.
- "They're replicating!" "Yeah, and it's making more of itself too!"
- "I'll name him Platelet!" "Except that's a lymphocyte." "Platelet it is!"
- Are you seeing what I'm seeing? Because I'm seeing gorillas riding pterodactyls with harpoon guns stealing a boat.
- Batman's rich history allows him to be interpreted in a multitude of ways. To be sure, this is a lighter incarnation, but it's certainly no less valid and true to the character's roots as the tortured avenger crying out for Mommy and Daddy. And besides, those Easter Bunnies looked really scary, right?!
- You're flirting, aren't you? You are flirting! FLIRTERERS! note Green Arrow gets fed up with Batman and Catwoman's antics; while he and Batman are caught in one of the villain's dastardly traps, the Dark Knight seems more interested in trading suggestive quips with the lovely lady than helping his comrade find a way to escape.
- Whoa, I just saved Batman. I JUST SAVED BATMAN!!
- Tear duct? But... surely Batman never cries...
- "Imposing, but too Dracula." "Too dashing." "Too campy..." "Too icky..." "Too confusing!" "Too psycho..." Observe
- BATMAN DOES NOT EAT NACHOS! note Batman has a Literal Split Personality problem, and they have some...disagreements on how the Caped Crusader should behave.
- ... *munch*
- *snarls*
- Batman does naughty nutshows!
- "I'm as patriotic as Benedict Arnold!"
- Darling, I don't have to answer to you - I'm Batman! note Katrina Moldoff subjects Batman to a Grand Theft Me while still retaining her mannerisms, causing him to come off as a bit...odd.
- Did he just call you darling?
- The hammer of justice is unisex.
- Technique from TibetExplanationIn this series, Batman has resisted mind control, resisted mind reading, and astral-projected himself, all while attributing these totally-not-super powers as techniques he learned in Tibet. When clips showing them became popular in 2024 and 2025, and helped by the fact that Batman often goes up against beings or performs feats above his supposed "normal human" weight class in many media, fans start depicting Batman as Memetic Badass who can do or counter anything using something he learned in Tibet, as an alternative or complement to the already existing "Batman with Prep Time vs. Anyone" meme.
- "I am vengeance. I am the night! I! Am! BATMAN!" Cartoon Network helped by turning it into an Ad of Win.
- YOU KILLED CAPTAIN CLOWN! note The Joker took the loss of his robotic friend rather seriously.
- That episode will likely also give you a craving for a GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH!
- Killer Croc and his obsession with rocks.
- BAT-GLARE.
- Harley makes Batman laugh.
- "Come on, puddin'! Don'tcha wanna rev up your Harley? Vroom, vroom!"ExplanationOne of Harley Quinn's better-known innuendos, which probably went some way towards making her the Ensemble Dark Horse she is today.
- "I'm crazy enough to take on Batman, but the IRS? ''No-o-o, thank you!"ExplanationIn the episode Joker's Millions, the Joker receives a massive inheritence from a rival gangster (which turned out to be mostly fake), which he's promptly taxed for.
- Joker: "Hello, [business name]? I'd like to buy [the "opposite" of a product], please." ExplanationIn mid-2021, a shot from Mask of the Phantasm where the Joker mockingly calls Batman on the phone started gaining attention, with the crux being that the Joker asks a certain business for a "generic" or "opposite" version of one of their products, such as ordering "Normal Breadsticks" from Little Ceasars or commissioning a "fat fetish artist" to draw a "weight loss comic".
- Justice League Unlimited
- The Batman (2004)
- Harley Quinn (2019):
- "Heroes don't do that."ExplanationExecutive Meddling by DC vetoed a scene in Season 3 where Batman goes down on Catwoman, using this very line. Naturally, the fandom mocked it due to it making Bruce look like a selfish or at least unsatisfying lover, cracks about what other superheroes are similarly selfish and lacking, and comparisons to DJ Khaled (who said similar things). It got to the point Val Kilmer and Zack Snyder weighed in, the latter going as far to said that, yes, the DC Extended Universe version of Bruce would go down on Selina, gaining brownie points with even his detractors.
Fan Works
- Batman Eats a Hotdog.
- #Only in Gotham ExplanationAn imaginary hashtag fans say Gotham citizens would use on social media to joke about and lampshade all the chaos the Batfamily and their Rogues Gallery cause in their day to day life. Often set in a much Lighter and Softer Gotham filled with instances of Villains Out Shopping and Friendly Enemy.
- Gamers Rise Up ExplanationA meme format in which pictures of the Joker would be captioned with incel gamer-like quotes, usually ending with the phrase "GAMERS RISE UP". This is often used to mock gamers who fail to get a girlfriend and blame it on women and chads. Often overlaps with the "WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY" meme.
- I forced a bot to watch 1,000 hours of Batman movies and then asked it to write a Batman movie of its own.ExplanationKeaton Patti tweeted this message along with a script written by an AI for a surreal Batman adventure that involved such absurdities as Two-Face deciding to leave the fight after flipping Alfred like a coin and Batman ordering Alfred to give birth to Robin. The bizarre and ludicrous nature of the script led to various comics and animations based on the script being distributed across the Internet. Now has its own page.
- The Butts MatchExplanationAn In-Universe meme promoted by Batman himself to discredit anyone who actually figures out his secret identity as a crazy Conspiracy Theorist.
- "nahhh wait you look tuff im taking a photo"ExplanationA webcomic posted on Twitter / X, with Batman breaking character to take a photo of Commissioner Gordon smoking a cigar, which became a popular target for redraws with characters from other media.
