Although their crime-fighting alter egos are a bit complicated, at its core, the Batfamily has a family dynamic. They celebrate holidays, go on trips, and even have pets! Many members of the Batfamily have pets that may-or-may-not share their owner’s passion for justice. The Batman pets are not talked about much or show enough love.
Pets are a great way to show a character’s soft side and add an element of fun to any storyline. When it comes to the Batman universe’s dark and grisly atmosphere, they can use all the help they can get. It is no surprise to learn that the Batfamily has a long-running cast of animal friends.
Whether they are crime fighters or just fuzzy, four-legged friends, Gotham brings us some adorable critters that keep our favorite heroes grounded. How many of these pets do you recognize from the media?
1. Ace – The Most Know of Batman Pets
Everyone loves dogs, even Bruce Wayne himself. Ace, a.k.a. Bathound, is the most recognizable animal of Wayne Manor. Ace had several appearances throughout the animated and comic universe. Ace has been around since Dick Grayson was still Robin back in the 1950s!
He is mainly portrayed as a German Shephard, such as in his debut in Batman #92, but is sometimes written in Great Dane, like in the Batman Beyond series. Many long-time fans may even recognize the character from his regular role on the animated kids show Krypto the Superdog.
Depending on the iteration, Ace was everything from a masked crimefighter to a tortured dog Joker left to Gotham pound’s mercy. The latter version is currently cannon and involves Alfred taking in the dog and painstakingly training it as a gift for Bruce on Christmas. He’s a loyal dog that is portrayed as obedient, playful, and best friends with Titus.
2. Titus – The Relationship Batman Pet
Also existing in current continuity, Titus is a large Great Dane that resides in Wayne Manor. Much like the current iteration of Ace, Titus was also a gift. When Bruce first took in his son, Damian Wayne, he struggled with dealing with his serious, murderous behavior resulting from his mother’s upbringing. In an attempt to get close with his son in the New 52 run, Bruce Wayne picks up a black Great Dane from a kennel.
After Bruce insisted that Damian name the animal himself, many readers speculated this would be another iteration of Ace. Ultimately, the dog was given the dramatic name Titus. While Damian wasn’t keen on accepting Titus at first, they became very close, and Titus even accompanied the team that traveled to Apokolips to save Damian.
Titus even exists in the movie universe, although, in these iterations, Raven gifted the dog to Damian.
3. Goliath
Titus was not Damian’s first pet, though. Goliath, the dragon bat, is Damian’s paranormal pet whose origins were explored in the underrated comic run of Robin: Son of Batman. After Bruce loses memories involving being Batman, Damian is left in a pretty depressing situation where he is no longer his father’s partner but wants to help do good. He struggles with his past transgressions.
In a disturbing twist of events, despite telling everyone that upon death, he saw nothing, Damian reveals to readers that he ended up in hell. He sets off to correct all the damage he did in the “Year of the Blood” after Goliath brings him “home.”
The goofy beast has an aggressive appearance but is an absolute softie that is easily scared. He does have moments where his size and loyalty to Damian make him formidable. How exactly did the pair meet?
During the “Year of the Blood,” a young Damian needed to accomplish countless death-defying feats. Many of these trials involved retrieving special artifacts. Goliath was one of the many dragon bats that defended the scepter of the kings.
In order to retrieve the artifact, Damian massacred the entire family of dragon bats guarding the relic. When it came to the final beast, a mere baby that stumbled up and licked the young assassin, Damian cried and spared it. He told his mother that the beast helped guide him in the darkness – which works both figuratively and literally. He named it Goliath and made the bat dragon a reoccurring character that appeared with him in several different battles.
4. Jerry – The Turkey
Another animal spared thanks to Damian is a little turkey named Jerry that nearly became Thanksgiving dinner. Although not canon, L’il Gotham is a fun and enjoyable read for any age. The beautiful comic is illustrated with watercolors and shared a child-friendly version of the Gotham adventures.
It follows the different inhabitants of Gotham as they navigate the world of holidays. Enjoy the unconventionally cheerful versions of Batman, Harley Quinn, Catwoman, and the other prominent members of the Batfamily. While Jerry never made it into the main storylines, he has a place in our hearts.
5. Alfred Pennyworth – Craziest Name of The Batman Pets
You didn’t read this wrong at all – Alfred Pennyworth is a valued pet in the Wayne family. Before Damian’s death in Batman Inc., Alfred introduces the young Robin to a difficult kitten he picks up from the pound. Explaining to Damian that the cat was deemed an aggressive lost cause, Damian took it upon himself to “tame” the animal.
After bonding with the kitten and subsequentially deciding it was the newest member of the Batfamily, Damian names Alfred Pennyworth’s kitten. A non-canon storyline shows a future Gotham where Damian takes on Batman’s mantle and has a little Pennyworth cat by his side. He’s a cute little side character with several appearances lounging around the manor and served as a bonding moment between Damian and Selina Kyle right before the planned wedding.
6. Bat-Cow – The Batman Pet and Farm Animal
If you thought Jerry Turkey was strange, get ready for Bat-Cow. Another family member added during Batman Inc., Bat-Cow is a cow Batman and Robin (Damian Wayne) saved from a slaughterhouse. Although they initially wanted to keep her because they needed to test her for diseases due to criminal experimentation, they decided to keep her.
This was just another way writers incorporated animal-loving into Damian Wayne, adding depth to his character. In fact, it was due to Bat-Cow’s appearance that Damian became vegetarian.
7. Nightwing’s Puppy (TBA)
The final, most exciting pet doesn’t even have a name yet. Nightwing fans are all aware that a new writer in town aims to bring Dick Grayson justice. After a controversial iteration of the first Robin, many fans were left disappointed by the Rebirth character assassination. Luckily for us, Nightwing is getting a makeover in the newest era of 2021 comics.
Along with a closer partnership with Barbara Gordon, a.k.a. Batgirl/ The Oracle, he will adopt a three-legged dog. We’ve only caught glimpses of the rowdy pup in previews, but everyone is already in love with the little dog. While any idea of possible crime-fighting is just a tease at this point, all fans are looking forward to a better and brighter era for Nightwing.
As the Batman storyline continues, we can hope that even more animal friends will be added. In the gloomy city of Gotham, a few special moments with furry friends is a welcome event. Adding Batman pets to the story is a great wait to bring out character traits and diversify the story.
