Nobody has a collection of vehicles and gadgets quite like Batman, but which of his iconic getaway rides are the best?
Batman has it all, he really does. If you want a villain tracked down, he has the means of doing that. If you need to crack an uncrackable case, his detective skills will help you do that. And if you need to restore yourself back into a 3D human being after being turned into cardboard, he can make that happen too (the ’60s TV show was a ride). But perhaps no collection of gadgetry is quite as impressive as his collection of vehicles.
“I gotta get me one of those,” Commissioner Gordon said in Batman Begins, and he’s not the first person to have a thought like they when The Dark Knight’s iconic Batmobile rolls up onto the screen. Fans have experienced a similar awe when seeing the legendary Batwing fly through the Gotham City skies, or the Batboat crash upon the waves of the ocean.
Yes, when it comes to comic books and superheroes, nobody can rival Batman’s endless supply of beautiful vehicles. He can chase villains on land, in the air, or on the water. He’s relentless, and he looks good when being so every darn time.
But which of those legendary vehicles is the best? Let’s find out, by ranking all of them from worst to best.
6. The Batcopter
An all-but-forgotten relic from the classic DC Comics storylines, the Batcopter is perhaps best remembered for being featured in 1966’s Batman: The Movie, which brought Adam West and Burt Ward’s Dynamic Duo from the small screen to the big one. It was one of the many new, fancier gadgets reserved for the bigger budget of the movie, and it looked great on-screen, with Batman and Robin using it to track down a stolen ship.
The good thing about its use in the film meant that the crew could film extra footage that would be used in subsequent episodes of the TV series, so even though the Batcopter didn’t appear regularly, the large helicopter with a giant Bat symbol painted onto it did make an appearance or two on television between 1966 and 1968.
The Batcopter has since been replaced by the fancier and more high-tech Batwings and Batplanes of the modern stories, but there’s a nostalgic element to this one that ensures it will always hold a special place in our hearts. It might not return to the comics in the near-future (or perhaps ever) but, for a product of its time, it was a pretty darn great one – and it looked amazing on-screen, too.
5. The Batboat
Perhaps the most obscure of The Dark Knight’s current line-up of vehicles, the Batboat isn’t lost to history like the Batcopter was, but it hasn’t remained as relevant as some of his more iconic rides either. Nevertheless, it’s an epic addition to his repertoire that proves you can’t even get away from Batman out on the water. If you’ve done wrong, he will find you.
Most variations of the Batboat feature some kind of tailfin (or “bat ears”) on the back end of it, and it tends to alternate between blue and black depending on adaptation. Irrespective of which of those legendary Batman colors it sports, the sight of the boat coming for you across the water, with that tailfin in the air, is sure to make any villain terrified.
Its most famous live-action appearance is undoubtedly in the 1966 movie adaptation (which allowed it to reappear in subsequent episodes of the series), but it has also surfaced in Batman: The Animated Series, and Batman Forever, as well as being spun off into the different Batskiboat in Batman Returns.
We’re ready for the world to embrace the Batboat more, because it’s an epic and underappreciated addition to the Caped Crusader’s arsenal.
4. The Batplane
We’ve already discussed how Batman and Robin can find you in the air via the Batcopter but in the more modern stories, the Bat-Family can track you down via the Batplane. The irony is that it was there all along, as the aircraft was first introduced to the comics back in 1939 – the same year that Batman himself debuted.
Back then, it was called the Batgyro and featured a huge propeller to go along with those huge Bat wings that helped it glide through the skies. Yes, it’s easy to see where the inspiration for the Batcopter came from, but it’s also understandable why the vehicle was refined and streamlined over the years to develop with the times.
These days, it is more of a traditional plane-shaped aircraft with some more subtle Bat-adjustments such as the pointed tailfin and sliding canopy. Other variations are rocket or missile-shaped, giving them a more futuristic look.
Like most of the vehicles on this list, it’s been popularized over time by its various appearances in Batman media. While many have opted for the much more famous Batwing (we’ll get to that, shortly), the Batplane can be seen in action in animated shows The New Batman Adventures, and Justice League, as well as DCEU movie Batman v Superman. A more unique iteration titled The Bat appears in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises.
3. The Batcycle
On the rare occasion that the Batmobile is damaged (or Batman would just rather a more compact way of travel), the Caped Crusader brings out the Batcycle (a.k.a. the Batbike) to traverse his way through the streets of Gotham. It’s normally a typical motorcycle with some Bat-like upgrades, with most designs usually featuring some kind of Bat-ears on their fronts.
That said, the most well-known incarnation in today’s day and age features none of that. The Batpod, introduced in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, is known for its unique design and look in that it’s essentially a stripped down motorcycle with two large wheels and two operating handles on the front. Its sleek look and the smooth way that it moved through the city endeared it to so many fans, and there was no better platform to showcase it in than the two most successful Batman movies of all time.
The Batcycle is not quite as well-known to mainstream audiences as the Batmobile but it has made a number of live-action and animated appearances over the past six decades in its more traditional incarnation to ensure we never forgot about it, including the 1966 Batman TV series, Batman: The Animated Series, Batwoman, The Batman, and most recently The Flash.
2. The Batwing
There is nothing quite like the sight of the Batwing soaring through the Gotham cityscape at night, knowing that The Dark Knight is out there and ready to stop anyone who threatens the safety of those within the city. It’s also pretty darn epic because of the stunning appearance of this awe-inspiring aircraft.
A modern spin on the Batplane which has taken on a life of its own thanks to its prominence in the Caped Crusader’s various live-action movies and animated TV shows, the Batwing is renowned for the fact that it’s actually shaped like a giant bat. Most of the time, it’s shaped like the actual emblem that the hero usually sports on his chest, which is largely due to the fact that this was how it appeared during its debut in 1989’s game-changing film from Tim Burton, but there have been variations of it over the years, with some adaptations opting for a Batwing/Batplane hybrid, while others have done their own thing with it.
A perfect example of how adaptations can change the source material for the better, we’re all better off for knowing the Batwing. It’s every bit as effective as the Batplane but looks even cooler, because there’s nothing quite like the sight of The Dark Knight’s own symbol flying through the air. And if you don’t believe us, watch Batman, Batman Forever, Batman: The Animated Series or The Flash and tell us otherwise!
1. The Batmobile
As great and extensive as Batman’s collection of vehicles is, it’s the Batmobile that gets the top spot. It was always going to be the Batmobile. Its reputation precedes it, and it hasn’t faltered over time; it is one of the greatest cars in comic book, television, and movie history, and that won’t be changing anytime soon.
What is it about the Batmobile that makes it so beloved across the world? Is it the cool design (or the endless supply of cool designs we’ve seen in the countless adaptations over the years)? The fact that it’s always there to support the Caped Crusader when it’s called upon? Or its epic turbo booster that makes it speed through the streets of Gotham City? Honestly, it’s all of that, and more.
The Batmobile is Batsy’s primary vehicle for a reason. It’s a message, a symbol to those out there that wish to do Gothamites harm, letting them know that he is on patrol and he will ride into battle like the demonic entity that he is in that monstrous car that will inevitably catch up with you. It’s also an efficient weapon that the Dark Knight has used on many occasions to take down – or take out – anything in his way.
The Batmobile has taken on as much of a life of its own as Batman himself over the years, and it deserves its placement at the top of anyone’s list of the best cars to ever grace the screen. And it certainly deserves its place atop this list.
Again, I gotta get me one of those.
Which of The Caped Crusader’s vehicles are your favorites? How did you celebrate Batman Day?