Order has been restored to Gotham.

Cops say arrests of costumed characters in Times Square have plunged 82 percent since the city penned in Batman, Spider-Man, the Hulk and other masked crusaders in “activity zones.”

Since the crackdown began June 21, the NYPD has had to collar only six characters through May 9, compared to 33 over the same period the previous year.

Police said the eight activity zones, plus assigning a regular NYPD unit to the pedestrian plaza, proved to be the pesky panhandlers’ kryptonite.

“Now, everyone knows where you can go and can’t go. There’s a regular presence with officers who are familiar with the area, the rules and the folks there,” NYPD spokeswoman Sgt. Jessica McRory told The Post.

The six arrests were for grand larceny, aggressive solicitation, unlawful imprisonment, petty larceny and resisting arrest, McRory said.

The larceny case involved a Mickey Mouse who allegedly swiped cash from an unsuspecting Tennessee tourist Feb. 13, cops said.

Police issued 80 summonses for violating the rules of the activity zones.

“Times Square should be quirky — not creepy. With no regulations people were put in uncomfortable positions far too often,” a Times Square Alliance spokesman said.

In a survey taken before the new rules, 45 percent of New Yorkers said they had “an unpleasant interaction” with the characters, the spokesman said.

Prior to the new rules, tourists had no way of avoiding the in-your-face hustlers.

“The situation was disturbing, especially on warm days when Times Square was crowded with people. Pedestrians were not given the opportunity to make the decision to interact with a character. They would be approached and often touched without their consent. If a photo was to be taken they would be surrounded by many characters who then all would demand a tip,” the Alliance said.

A walk through the Crossroads of the World last week found that most of the Times Square performers are begrudgingly playing by the new rules.

“I don’t like them! No money!” said a Minnie Mouse masquerader rubbing her fingers together.

The Naked Cowboy disagreed. “I think it’s awesome. Before, it was like a big madhouse,” he said.