The newly announced Batman: Caped Crusader animated series from Bruce Timm and Matt Reeves, director of The Batman, has fans excited. While Batman may be overused by DC, it has been a good while since his last animated show. With HBO Max, Timm and Reeves will be able to portray Batman how they want without interference from the likes of Cartoon Network.
Of course, everyone is wondering which Batman villains will be used. While fans will enjoy seeing Batman's adventures on his own, many will also want to see him meet and/or team up with heroes from the DC universe.
Huntress
With Caped Crusader embracing a more crime thriller angle, it would make sense for him to run into Huntress A.K.A. Helena Bertinelli. A woman whose life was destroyed by the mafias of Gotham City so she becomes a crossbow-wielding vigilante.
Helena would not only make for a fierce partner temporarily but also a potential antagonist. In most versions, her tendency to kill those she hunts ends up putting her at ends with the Bat-Family. So while Batman could work with her, the ending of the episode could feature them battling.
Batwing
Perhaps not in the first season but down the line, Batman becomes a symbol of justice for Gotham. As a result, many try to copycat his style and fight crime. One could easily see Lucius Fox being wounded by a crimelord's gang which sets off his son Luke to become an avenging hero.
Batwing is an already underrated member of the Bat-Family. His only chance to shine was very briefly in the movie Batman: Bad Blood. With Batman: Caped Crusader, DC has the chance to bring Batwing back into the spotlight in later seasons.
Zatanna
Batman is willing to take on any challenge but even he can find himself out of his league. Magic-based enemies are usually a problem for Batman, especially if this is taking on a more detective-based angle. So if a villain like Felix Faust or Gentleman Ghost comes around, he's going to need help.
This is where Zatanna would fit right in. Zatanna Zatara is one of the go-to magical heroes that even the Justice League relies on when mystic villains arise. Zatanna could also fit into the noir-thriller tone by having both her and Batman investigating the supernatural origins of whatever threat they are facing.
The Flash
A threat with a connection to Central City comes to Gotham City. Who else would arrive but the Flash? But which one: Barry Allen? Jay Garrick? Wally West? Any of the many Scarlet Speedsters will do. Jay Garrick would fit with the Golden Age style that Caped Crusader is seemingly embracing.
However, Barry Allen is the beloved modern Flash everyone will want to see with Batman. Add a villain like Mirror Master or Captain Boomerang, an episode featuring the Flash would end up becoming a fan favorite.
Onyx
Onyx is an often forgotten character who was trained by Ra's Al Ghul and the League of Assassins. Early on though, she abandoned that life and changed to a crime fighter. Onyx has joined the Birds Of Prey, Green Arrow, and even Batman on several occasions in the comics.
Whether they translate the Batman: War Games story arc or go in a new direction, it would be refreshing to see a lesser-known hero get a chance to shine. An appearance on Caped Crusader could transform her from obscure to iconic with just one episode, similar to Mr. Freeze in Batman: The Animated Series.
Azrael
There are a couple of versions of Azrael whom DC could use such as Jean-Paul Valley or Michael Lane. Valley was the Azrael made famous in the Knightfall storyline while Michael Lane was introduced in 2009 with the Battle For The Cowl storyline. Lane also garnered more attention when introduced in the Arkhamverse.
Both provide characters that could be interesting to watch in Caped Crusader. The ex-cop, Michael Lane, turned weapon of the Order Of St. Dumas would likely fit better since Batman will likely be dealing with a lot of corruption in Batman: Caped Crusader.
Green Lantern
Who better to team up with the Dark Knight Detective than an intergalactic detective; it's an easy character to set up, too. An extraterrestrial comes to Earth and starts creating havoc thus causing the Green Lantern of Sector 2814 to come to deal with the issue.
Batman and one of many Green Lanterns could have fun banter, especially with Batman constantly overcoming the situation, despite having no powers. In the end, though, it would just be a fun alliance that could lead to some dynamic action scenes. Plus it seems like a wise choice since Green Lantern Corps is coming to HBO Max.
The Question
If anybody fits within the detective thriller world of Batman, it is the Question. Whether it's Renee Montoya or the original Vic Sage, one could easily see him/her working with Batman to solve a case. The Question is all about conspiracies and uncovering hidden crimes.
Batman and Question could uncover a corporation on Gotham performing illegal actions. Or the Question could help Batman discover the Court Of Owls having been running Gotham for centuries. The Question could even be a perfect recurring character for the series.
Black Canary
Another Bird Of Prey alum, Black Canary is a Gothamite first and foremost. In many comics, she works with the Birds Of Prey in Gotham or with Batman on several occasions. Black Canary is one of the few fighters that Batman truly respects.
Introducing Black Canary into Batman: Caped Crusader would make for a more grounded metahuman. In the end, she's still a master martial artist who takes on criminals and looking good doing it. As a bonus, it would show off the often forgotten friendship between her and Batman. It would also set up the introduction of another famous hero.
Green Arrow
Oliver Queen is the Emerald Archer from Star City. It would be very easy to establish Oliver Queen as Bruce Wayne's good friend since they grew up in similar circles. Little do they know that both of them are the vigilantes of each other's cities.
Green Arrow would be the best choice since he is another DC hero who has no powers; he's a vigilante, much like Batman. Of course, the romance between Green Arrow and Black Canary is legendary at this point. However, Batman and Green Arrow have quite a friendship that could make for some fun episodes.