How many villains know Batman's secret ID?

[Noman]

But for some reason they keep it to themselves.

I can name Ras Al Ghul, Talia, Batman's son Damien I think it was, (sorry poor memory) Jason Todd, Hush, Deathstroke. That's all that come to mind.

All of the ones named are his deadliest enemies as well. Yet none of them seem interested in blowing his cover. Why?

Seems like his secret ID is becoming the worst kept secret in Gotham.

I can't even begin to name all of the heroes who know it as well.

Knowing Batman no doubt he already has multiple ID's waiting in the wings should he have to "kill off" Bruce Wayne. But what then about Nightwing and Robin. If the people learn he is Bruce Wayne it wouldn't take a genius to figure out who his sidekicks are?

Ok can you name any others I may have forgotten and why do you think none of his deadliest foes have yet blow the whistle on him?

Just my two cents
NoMan

[Nintendite]

Riddler used to know but that was retconned. Joker may know because he once had God-like powers (I just read Emperor Joker), although since Joker so lives for the thrill of fighting Batman, I doubt he would act on the knowledge.

[elias_A]

There are also Bane and Shiva, which have some sort of respect for Batman, and sometimes are more allies than villains.

Batgirl's father David Cain knows, but doesn't tell for family reasons.

Hugo Strange knows, but is crazy.

There are many others. I think on comicbloc someone made a really long extensive list.

[Kid Quick Foots]

But for some reason they keep it to themselves.

I can name Ras Al Ghul, Talia, Batman's son Damien I think it was, (sorry poor memory) Jason Todd, Hush, Deathstroke. That's all that come to mind.

All of the ones named are his deadliest enemies as well. Yet none of them seem interested in blowing his cover. Why?

Seems like his secret ID is becoming the worst kept secret in Gotham.

I can't even begin to name all of the heroes who know it as well.

Knowing Batman no doubt he already has multiple ID's waiting in the wings should he have to "kill off" Bruce Wayne. But what then about Nightwing and Robin. If the people learn he is Bruce Wayne it wouldn't take a genius to figure out who his sidekicks are?

Ok can you name any others I may have forgotten and why do you think none of his deadliest foes have yet blow the whistle on him?

Just my two cents
NoMan

tell me about it. i long for the good old days when just Alfred, Robin, and Superman knew his I.D. and that was it. not even the rest of the JLA knew. I loved it, superman bringing this known vigilante up to the tower and no one knowing why or who the heck he was:)

[Xanrn]

Joker knows and Joker doesn't care.

[dupersuper]

I was unaware Deathstroke and Shiva knew.

[Denny Colt]

In the old '70's Englehart and Rogers 'Tec run, Professor Hugo Strange learned Batman's secret ID and then tried to auction it off to the highest bidder (Joker, Penguin & Boss Thorne). He then renegged because he felt that he and Bats were intellectual equals and that the others were unworthy to know the secret. Then Boss Thorne killed him (but was later haunted by his ghost). A great run, although I have no idea if it's still part of continuity.

[wes_rk]

All of the ones named are his deadliest enemies as well. Yet none of them seem interested in blowing his cover. Why?


NoMan



That is the question.

[SpaceBooger]

I know his secret identity, and that is all that matters!



...um ok...

[dancj]

Joker knows and Joker doesn't care.
Are you sure? I know he doesn't care, but I thought he's always made a point of not looking when he had a chance to peek under the mask

[Noman]

That is the question.

Come to think of it, I may have answered my own question. If any of the above villians, say Deathstroke for example, decides to reveal to the public Batman's ID, the Batman would of course "kill off" Bruce Wayne and create a new secret ID and if so the villians will no longer know who he is once again or where his headquarters are. So it really is to the advantage of Talia or Bane or Lady Shiva to keep it to themselves. So they can keep better tabs on him.

What do you think?
from NoMan

[elias_A]

Come to think of it, I may have answered my own question. If any of the above villians, say Deathstroke for example, decides to reveal to the public Batman's ID, the Batman would of course "kill off" Bruce Wayne and create a new secret ID and if so the villians will no longer know who he is once again or where his headquarters are. So it really is to the advantage of Talia or Bane or Lady Shiva to keep it to themselves. So they can keep better tabs on him.

What do you think?
from NoMan

Hm, maybe.
But those three don't want to actually destroy or murder him, so it's more that they don't care, I would say.

It would be more of a problem for villains who really want revenge.

[Kristofer]

I think Talia won't say anything because she may lose her "beloved."
I'm sure Bane doesn't care because he broke Bruce, I think he would be more along the lines of blowing Jean-Paul's cover...
Joker finds it to be too much fun battling Batman to even dream of him being someone else.

[Lorendiac]

There are many others. I think on comicbloc someone made a really long extensive list.

That "someone" you're thinking of was probably me! :D

I posted a copy there, and another right here, and other copies in several other places where Batman fans congregate, so that I could get as much feedback as possible. After a day or two, I upgraded my first "rough draft" and posted an expanded version of the list.

I just searched for it, and found the copy I posted right here on CBR a few months ago is still available at
Who Knows Batman is Bruce? (Very rough draft of a master list) (http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=152362)

The thread starts with the "very rough draft" mentioned in the title. However! If you scroll down to Post #37 in the same thread, you'll find the bigger and better "Second Draft" that included more names (suggested by other fans, for instance), along with extra information in each listing. Whenever possible, I tried to explain just when a certain character had first learned, and whether or not that character "still remembers" the secret in modern continuity as far as we know, or did he get mindwiped, or is he currently supposed to be dead?

I didn't try to sort out the "villains" who know from all the others (such as fellow superheroes or peaceful civilians) who know. If you want to compile a list of villains in the know, you'll have to go through the full list and make notes -- I just lumped them all together in strict alphabetical order to keep it as simple as possible! :)

(And yes, as other people have mentioned in this thread, the full list of those who know Bruce's secret is ridiculously long! Dozens and dozens of names!)

[Chad]

Kirk Langstrom knew his identity as established during Scott Beatty's run on Gotham Knights, but didn't seem to know in Batman and Son.

I don't like the fact that Batman's identity is known to so many people, but Langstrom is an exception. Considering their relationship, it makes sense for Batman to have told him. For Batman and Bruce Wayne to have asked Langstrom to trust him with his life, it's completely immoral for Wayne to play the old "Your husband's changed into Man-Bat and is about to kill your son, Francine? Uh, hang on while I try to see if I can contact Batman" game. I thought it was a nice evolution of the character and one of the few times it made sense for an "enemy" to know Batman's true identity.

[Noman]

That "someone" you're thinking of was probably me! :D

I posted a copy there, and another right here, and other copies in several other places where Batman fans congregate, so that I could get as much feedback as possible. After a day or two, I upgraded my first "rough draft" and posted an expanded version of the list.

I just searched for it, and found the copy I posted right here on CBR a few months ago is still available at
Who Knows Batman is Bruce? (Very rough draft of a master list) (http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=152362)

The thread starts with the "very rough draft" mentioned in the title. However! If you scroll down to Post #37 in the same thread, you'll find the bigger and better "Second Draft" that included more names (suggested by other fans, for instance), along with extra information in each listing. Whenever possible, I tried to explain just when a certain character had first learned, and whether or not that character "still remembers" the secret in modern continuity as far as we know, or did he get mindwiped, or is he currently supposed to be dead?

I didn't try to sort out the "villains" who know from all the others (such as fellow superheroes or peaceful civilians) who know. If you want to compile a list of villains in the know, you'll have to go through the full list and make notes -- I just lumped them all together in strict alphabetical order to keep it as simple as possible! :)

(And yes, as other people have mentioned in this thread, the full list of those who know Bruce's secret is ridiculously long! Dozens and dozens of names!)

Wow!!!!!!!! That is a lot longer than I realized. I started to extract all the villians and list them here but frankly it's just too much work. Thanks for posting this. You know Bruce needs to rethink his position about Zantana mind wiping the villians everytime they learned his secret ID or just go public ala Spider-man and get it over with.

Thanks for the post from NoMan