10 Greatest Batman Parodies In Movies & TV That Nailed The Dark Knight

Over the character’s long history in film and TV, there have been many great Batman parodies which have nailed the Dark Knight. Batman is undeniably one of the most well-known and celebrated superheroes of all time. Though he was introduced in the pages of DC Comics, the vigilante known as the Dark Knight has also been adapted to the screen many times, leading to multiple Batman movies and TV shows.

As the character’s relevance to wider pop culture increased, Batman became a prime target for parody. The wealth of stories and the firm establishment of specific tropes relating to the character across different Batman actors’ movie and TV portrayals of the hero lent itself to comedic scrutiny, in turn leading to spoofs intended to lampoon the Caped Crusader. Though not all Batman parodies have proved particularly memorable, the greatest have all been able to either nail the Dark Knight in a specific way or achieve prominence in their own right.

10 Mysterion Poked Fun At Batman’s Mannerisms

South Park (season 13, episode 2, “The Coon”)

South Park is a show known for poking fun at practically every conceivable aspect of pop culture, with its regular irreverent parodies earning particular attention. In season 13, South Park spoofed the superhero genre, with its characters adopting hero and villain personas. Many of these were based around South Park’s characteristic off-color humor, while others appeared to be more direct parodies of specific figures. The hero Mysterion is the only one to have any legitimate powers, as it’s revealed that he is Kenny, who is, in fact, immortal.

Mysterion’s character is written not only to explain how many times Kenny dies in South Park but also to poke fun at a number of Batman’s characteristics. Mysterion’s use of a gravelly voice and others’ fascination with uncovering his identity mirrors that of Batman, making light of recurring tropes in the Caped Crusader’s stories. South Park’s approach to the parody makes it seem less aimed at Batman specifically and more at the superhero genre, but the Dark Knight is certainly part of the joke.

9 Batmunk Captured The Silliness Of Family-Friendly Batman Stories

Alvin and the Chipmunks Go To The Movies: Batmunk

Although many Batman stories are aimed at a more mature audience due to the exploration of dark or violent themes, there have always been more family-friendly takes on the Dark Knight, too. These include the likes of Batman: The Animated Series and the Batman movie and TV show of the ‘60s. As Alvin and the Chipmunks shares a similar target audience, it’s perhaps unsurprising that the show also lampooned Batman in an episode simply titled “Batmunk”.

The story of Batmunk closely resembles that of Tim Burton’s 1989 movie Batman. It casts the show’s chipmunk characters in the roles of Batmunk, the Jokester, and Happy – parodies of Batman, the Joker, and Alfred, respectively. Though the parody itself is particularly gentle, it touches on the lighter side of Batman that’s often overlooked, with its jokes stemming from the parallels it draws between the iconic hero and its own chipmunk cast.

8 The Crimson Bolt Put A New Perspective On Batman’s Vigilante Antics

Super (2010)

Long before James Gunn was taking the reins of the DCU’s Batman: The Brave and the Bold, he was parodying the Dark Knight in a 2010 comedy. Super stars Rainn Wilson as a mild-mannered and ordinary man who adopts the mantle of the Crimson Bolt, a vigilante fuelled by his anger at his wife leaving him for a dangerous criminal. Elliot Page also stars as the Crimson Bolt’s sidekick, Libby, who enjoys the brutality of their vigilante antics far too much.

Super puts an interesting perspective on vigilantism, particularly where it pertains to motivation. Much like Batman, the Crimson Bolt was born out of a traumatic experience, but the ensuing violence is an entirely disproportionate reaction. Super examines the realistic cost of becoming a vigilante, as well as the inherent moral issues with many of the things Batman often does.

7 Darkwing Duck Spoofed Almost Every Aspect Of Batman

Darkwing Duck

As part of Disney’s animated pantheon, Darkwing Duck has earned himself a status as a superhero in his own right. Even so, the character and his eponymous animated series were written as a parody of the superhero genre, with references to both The Shadow and Batman proving most prevalent. Many aspects of Darkwing Duck’s character can be interpreted as direct spoofs of elements of Batman’s own stories, drawing distinct parallels between the heroes.

Across the entirety of his many appearances, Darkwing Duck has parodied almost every conceivable aspect of Batman. Perhaps the most significant is the character’s difficulty balancing his personal thoughts and desires against his heroic instincts, leading to a dual identity crisis that’s reminiscent of Batman’s own. His hometown of St. Canard also closely mirrors Gotham City, making Darkwing Duck one of the most independently successful Batman parodies of all time.

6 Black Noir Took Batman’s Mysteriousness To The Extreme

The Boys

Almost every superpowered character in The Boys is a parody of a popular superhero in one way or another, particularly those that make up the Seven, The Boys’ answer to the Justice League. There is more than one character that parodies aspects of Batman, but by far the show’s most prominent is Black Noir. The silent supe is always clad all in black, and his combat prowess is second to none.

The none-speaking supe takes being an enigma to the extreme, subtly parodying Batman’s own mysterious nature. What’s more, he’s the only member of the Seven without clearly defined abilities, drawing another parallel between Black Noir and Batman’s place in the wider DC Universe. Between Black Noir’s prominence in The Boys’ world and his place in the Seven, he stands out as one of the show’s most interesting parodies of Batman.

5 The Bartman Quickly Became Iconic In His Own Right

The Simpsons

In terms of depth, the Bartman is far from the most cerebral parody of Batman. However, his status in pop culture and the wider significance of the character have cemented him as one of the most memorable spoofs of the Dark Knight. An alter-ego of Bart Simpson of The Simpsons, Bartman is a relatively direct riff on common Batman tropes and characters.

What makes Bartman stand out is the world built around the hero. Many Simpsons characters have been drafted as supporting heroes and villains across many Bartman stories, furthering the scope of the parody significantly. What’s more, Bartman’s own success and relevance are directly connected to that of The Simpsons itself, making him an especially prominent figure. Having appeared in TV, comic books, and even earning his own hit song, Bartman is by far one of the most famous Batman parodies ever created.

4 Mermaid Man & Barnacle Boy Put A Brilliant Spin On Batman & Robin

SpongeBob SquarePants

Despite being largely aimed at a young audience, SpongeBob SquarePants is well-known for its ability to conceal double entendre and the surprising depth of its humor. At the cross-section of this mass appeal and cleverly-written comedy stand Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy, who serve as one of the most brilliant parodies of Batman and Robin ever created. Introduced as aging heroes who once starred in their own TV show, Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy appear throughout SpongeBob SquarePants as geriatric crime fighters.

Many of the jokes around Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy center on their advanced age and reduced capacity for heroism. Running with the show’s nautical theme, the Batman parody is concealed behind various creative uses of sea creatures. Having an entirely different theme allows the characters to better operate as a parody without seeming malicious, serving as a love letter to Batman and Robin while also poking fun at the iconic heroes.

3 Die Fledermaus Made Batman Look Like A Coward

The Tick (1994)

As far as Batman parodies go, Die Feldermaus is by far one of the most obvious. Appearing in the 1994 animated series The Tick, Die Fledermaus – literally “the bat” in German – is a character who dresses like a bat and acts as one of the City’s many heroes. As well as the obvious aesthetic similarities, Die Fledermaus is seemingly incredibly wealthy, much like the hero he’s a parody of.

One of the biggest running jokes about Die Fledermaus is that he’s something of a coward and avoids conflict wherever possible. This is a joke that doesn’t appear to be at Batman’s expense, adding an original element to the character that makes him all the more memorable. Die Feldermaus is an obvious Batman parody by sight and concept alone, but the more unique aspects of the character make him an organic part of The Tick’s world.

2 Catman Perfectly Parodied The Batman Of The ’60s

The Fairly OddParents

The Fairly OddParents’ Batman parody is often overlooked but stands out as perhaps the most dedicated spoof the Dark Knight has ever seen. The show features Adam West as a minor character, voiced by the actor himself, and has a running joke about his superhero alter-ego, Catman. Though Catman is an amalgamation of both Batman and Catman from DC Comics, the parody leans heavily into the former, particularly where the late Adam West was involved.

What makes the parody work so well is West’s own involvement. The actor’s willingness to poke fun at his iconic turn as Batman in the 1960s made Catman by far one of the most complete parodies of Batman out there, with many aspects of the hero being lampooned across the show’s run. West’s involvement also helped Catman to feel less malicious than it might otherwise have seemed, making Catman a brilliant and good natured spoof of the Dark Knight.

1 Big Daddy Examined The Stark Reality Of Batman’s Vigilantism

Kick-Ass (2010)

Despite being a superhero movie in its own right, Kick-Ass also subtly parodies many elements of the genre. As well as the titular hero, Kick-Ass features other vigilantes, the father-daughter duo Big Daddy and Hit-Girl, who in many ways parallel the characters of Batman and Robin. Big Daddy dresses almost exactly like Batman and is driven by a desire for revenge on New York’s criminals.

Nicolas Cage’s performance as Big Daddy makes him an incredibly accurate parody of Batman. The character’s righteousness and subsequent tragic and painful death puts a realistic spin on the true danger of vigilantism, executed perfectly by Cage. Between the character’s inflated ego and his misguided training of a minor to help him fight crime, Big Daddy is perhaps one of the most accurate parodies of Batman ever committed to the big screen.