8) The Punisher
Speaking of Batman’s tussles with violent vigilantes, how about the time he crossed paths with the Punisher? Frank Castle is all about killing his enemies before they can kill again, while Bruce Wayne is firmly on the no-murdering side. So, their team-up was not full of cuddles and high-fives, to say the least.
In Batman/Punisher: Deadly Knights, Castle travels to Gotham City when his nemesis Jigsaw allies himself with the Joker – which causes the Punisher to come up against the Bat. The two heroes’ differing ethics are interestingly portrayed here, as Batman is forced to actually protect Joker from Castle’s overzealous methods. Like Daredevil season 2, the story questions whether the Punisher is really in the right. After all, isn’t Batman an accessory to murder if he lets a serial killer escape with his life?
There’s also Batman/Punisher: Lake of Fire – however, that doesn’t feature Bruce’s Batman but rather Jean-Paul Valley’s version (who had taken over the Batman mantle at the time).
