Which writers have been most adept at writing a lighter Batman?

[Buried Alien]

Many writers over the years have proven that they can write Batman at his darkest (angry, violent, and consumed by angst), but over the years, which writers have proven most adept at consistently writing a lighter Batman (humorous, sociable, and even whimsical at times)?

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[MajorHoy]

Sholly Fisch.

[T Hedge Coke]

Bob Haney! A thousand times Bob Haney.

Miller's Batman is violent, certainly, but he's not particularly consumed by angst or angry. Most of the time, throughout DKR, or in much of All-Star, he's trying hard not to have a giggling fit and smile bigger than he is. He's amused to be a superhero.

One of the things I love about O'Neill's Helltown novel was Batman/Bruce in there being this rounded, relaxed guy who can tell jokes and spar for fun, and when he's playing a public Bruce Wayne he plays that role, when he's Batman, he plays that role, but he's still this centered, positive, nice guy at the heart of it all.

I think Morrison does a better happy, bemused Batman than he does a grim, angry, uptight one.

Ty Templeton strikes a good balance, but errs wisely on the healthy and happy side.

[booyah]

Dini and the whole TAS gang. But they did the Arkham games (mostly) and can go dark, too.

[JasonTodd428]

Sholly Fisch.

I have to agree with that. I really enjoyed the Brave and the Bold comic and show myself precisely because it was lighthearted camp rather than being serious and grim.

@Buried Alien- For myself I like it better when writers are able to balance the two without going to one extreme or the other.

[stk]

Many writers over the years have proven that they can write Batman at his darkest (angry, violent, and consumed by angst), but over the years, which writers have proven most adept at consistently writing a lighter Batman (humorous, sociable, and even whimsical at times)?

You make it sound like our only two choices are angsty, no friends a-hole Batman, or humorous camp Batman.

The Bronze Age Batman, while allowing himself friends and relationships, wasn't exactly "light". He just wasn't cartoonishly, ridiculously-exaggeratedly, self-parodyingly dark.

So Conway, Barr, Moench, O'Neil, all those people. Basically anyone before Miller came along.

[Buried Alien]

You make it sound like our only two choices are angsty, no friends a-hole Batman, or humorous camp Batman.

Not necessarily, but "Who writes the most tepid, middle-of-the-road Batman" is hardly a compelling thread topic.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[booyah]

Not necessarily, but "Who writes the most tepid, middle-of-the-road Batman" is hardly a compelling thread topic.

Hahhaha indeed. I think that middle ground could be done in a less than tepid way though.

[Mr. Holmes]

I've been reading Swamp Thing, so I'll add Alan Moore, which is really ironic.

[David Walton]

Steve Englehart's name hasn't come up yet?

[stk]

Not necessarily, but "Who writes the most tepid, middle-of-the-road Batman" is hardly a compelling thread topic.

True enough, but "balanced, human, and compelling" would be a more accurate description.

[LEADER DESSLOK]

I'm not interested in either "super-hero" Batman or "angry A-hole" Batman--my favorite is "Acro-BAT-ic Detective" Batman who only scares criminals:

PAST:

1. FRANK ROBBINS
2. BILL FINGER
3. DAVID VERN REED
4. DON CAMERON (I gained a new appreciation and respect for him via BATMAN CHRONICLES)
5. ALVIN SCHWARTZ

CONTEMPORARY\MODERN:

1. PAUL DINI
2. SCOTT SNYDER
3. MIKE W. BARR
4. DOUG MOENCH
5. JIM STARLIN

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

STANLEY RALPH ROSS (from BATMAN T.V. show--I'm gaining a new appreciation for him; he wrote for a lot of T.V. shows and I've yet to see a script that I didn't like)
MARV WOLFMAN
DENNY O'NEIL

[dupersuper]

Who ever wrote this:

[Captain Rabbit]

Alan Grant was one. And although it may be too early to tell, John Layman's Bruce is pretty light, at least compared to many other writers.

[jgiannantoni05]

Firstly, like all the 70s writers (and prior) wrote a comparatively light Batman. In fact, could say all the writers before DKR wrote a comparatively light Batman.

which writers have proven most adept at consistently writing a lighter Batman (humorous, sociable, and even whimsical at times)

The modern writers that leap to mind: Matt Wagner, Morrison, Mike Barr, Alan Grant, O'Neil, Moench, Conway, Englehart