Best Bat-wife

[marhawkman]

Who do you guys think was/would be the best wife for Batman?

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Susan_Maguire_(DCAU) is one character who was interesting to see as Bruce Wayne's wife. Sadly her marriage to Bruce didn't last long and the character has never been used since.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsyEznrvuF8

[ngroove]

Selina Kyle, Pre-Crisis, 1978 - 1981 - Detective Comics #479 - 509, Batman #308 - #326.

I especially loved the Len Wein-era relationship that Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne genuinely strived to have, complete with dinners, walking, talking, dancing, kissing.

And, that despite a few creeping fears that it would be "a matter of time" before Catwoman would revert back to her thieving, criminal ways, was averted when, when next putted on costume, she would be working alongside Batman. And, for the remainder of the Pre-Crisis period, except for that time she attempted to murder Vicki Vale, in a fit of jealous rage, in Batman #355.

[TheBatman]

Silver Age Kathy Kane.

70's Talia Al Ghul.

[Gotham citizen]

I don't think Batman can have a wife: his crusade is a full time duty, but in a hypothetic future where Bruce decided to retire, giving the cowl to Tim to become the new Oracle (or to fill that role if you prefer), he should marry a retired Telltale Selina.

[Wrestler]

Would be the best wife for Batman, Post-Crisis Shondra (Sandra) Kinsolving, healing power and in love with Bruce (knew and respected his secret also), she was on his side when Bruce was in very bad shape on the Knightfall saga, before unfortunately losing her mind to the circumstances in one of the most emotional Batman stories I've ever seen.

[lilyrose]

Selina Kyle

[Fergus]

I don't think Batman can have a wife: his crusade is a full time duty, but in a hypothetic future where Bruce decided to retire, giving the cowl to Tim to become the new Oracle (or to fill that role if you prefer), he should marry a retired Telltale Selina.

Cowl goes to Damian

[Tzigone]

Selina Kyle, Pre-Crisis, 1978 - 1981 - Detective Comics #479 - 509, Batman #308 - #326.

I especially loved the Len Wein-era relationship that Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne genuinely strived to have, complete with dinners, walking, talking, dancing, kissing.

And, that despite a few creeping fears that it would be "a matter of time" before Catwoman would revert back to her thieving, criminal ways, was averted when, when next putted on costume, she would be working alongside Batman. And, for the remainder of the Pre-Crisis period, except for that time she attempted to murder Vicki Vale, in a fit of jealous rage, in Batman #355.

I'm pretty much in agreement with you. And #355 was such an odd issue anyway, since the writer didn't know Selina didn't know Bruce was Batman (so it was discarded from canon). I did have some issues, though. No matter how logical, I simply very much dislike the power imbalance of him knowing her identity and her not knowing his. It's fine for a new love interest with no secret identity, but I don't like the inequality of it, especially with their history of knowing each other. Hate him "inspiring" her in Year One for oddly similar reasons. I do recall him being a bit jerkish to her at some time during the latter bronze age, but can't recall exactly when. I just vaguely recall him with a "my way or highway" attitude on something and being annoyed when she (in tears?) chose his way. But I can't even remember context on that for sure.

Selina didn't matter for a decade (and probably wasn't that huge to start), but the campy 60s show (which had much more murderous than her early comic appearances) brought her back to attention. I've always preferred the version that didn't kill (or at least would only do so in defense of self or others). I like that the idea that she turns hero....and then stays hero. The back-and-forth on villain-hood is annoying and irritating in the sense that you feel like nothing she does in either role matters because it's just going to be swept under the rug later when she switches sides again. I also like a Batman who isn't compromising his own moral to be with a thief or killer. And prefer the non (or at least less) emotionally damaged Bruce of that era.

Frankly, I didn't like Talia in the '70s issues (I was already prepped to dislike her from other media, and she was fine with kidnapping Robin or forcing Batman to marry her without his consent), but I do think she was more important there. I don't think she mattered very much in the '80s. Certainly not in the latter part, anyway.

Silver seemed very important to Bruce at the time, but from a fan perspective, she wasn't there long enough to make much impression. At least her purpose wasn't to die...then. Julie, the fiancee, was just so very forgettable to Bruce in the Golden Age that I could never support that pairing.

[marhawkman]

Other than Susan Maguire, how many characters has Batman actually married?

[witchboy]

Other than Susan Maguire, how many characters has Batman actually married?

There's so many different continuities it's difficult to answer.
Earth 2 Batman married Selina Kyle.
Some versions of Batman were sort of married to Talia.
Then you have elseworlds where he marries Kathy Kane or Julie Madison.

[Tzigone]

Then you have elseworlds where he marries Kathy Kane or Julie Madison.

I feel a little sorry for Julie. She was his actual fiancee and so unimportant/forgotten for so long. And he seemingly never considered telling his fiancee he was Batman. I kinda figure he just took Dick home without talking to her first. I wonder how she reacted to finding out that she was going to be a "stepmom" in a few months.