This post is an excuse to show off a collection of awesome Batman art.

Some of it is fan art, some from the pros.

One of the things I love about Batman is that you can run him through a whole variety of filters.

You can make him an urban myth, a pulp vigilante, a bonafide Superhero, a modern day Knight, a Demonic Wraith or even a Vampire, and it works because there is something of each of those elements in the core version of Batman.

I’m thinking a good follow up to this post will be a gallery of Elseworlds Batmen, as I’ve been reading some classic 90’s DC Elseworlds stories lately.

So bring on the alternate worlds and wild flights of fanciful imagination.

Some of these demonic Batmen have appeared in actual stories, but most are just one off pin up art.

Batman with a flaming pitchfork, horns and and sitting on a pile of skulls. Sure, why not? VERY METAL! I really like this picture.

I really dig the Wraith like nature of Batman in this picture, he seems to be one with the shadows. I don’t know who the artist is, if you do please let me know.

Hot Toys make some of the best Batman collectibles on the planet. The memorable scene from Batman Begins where the Scarecrows fear toxin is released in Gotham City and we see a vision of a Demonic Batman is recreated in this amazing toy. There had been fan customs for years, but leave to it to Hot Toys to make the definitive Batman as a Demon toy.

This hulking behemoth with an axe has a barbarian / Conan sort of feel to it. Very cool picture. Look at those forearms man, I bet he’s on demon steroids.

Kelley Jones is a phenomenal horror artist. His work on the Batman Vampire Trilogy is unparalleled.

The three Elseworlds books where Batman becomes a vampire, kills Dracula (who was trying to take over Gotham), and eventually kills his rogues gallery is an awe-inspiring tale of the macabre.

Batman pleads for Gordon and Alfred to kill him, ending his blood drinking ways for good – and Batman is well pissed off when they fail, knowing that he can not stop himself from eventually feasting on innocent blood after he runs out of bad guys.

Two colours – red and black used to simple and dramatic effect here. Batman in silhouette always works great, I don’t know if he is a vampire here, but the claws on his hands, teeth, crosses in the cemetery and wing-like extended cape suggest so. This picture just screams “bad ass!”.

A ghoulish looking batman with some really nasty teeth, very scary.

I don’t know what the heck if going on in this picture, this ghoul is all kinds of wrong. That is one scary looking Bat-demon. Amazing piece of art. I love the texture and detail. I would love an action figure of this demonic Batman, it would be right at home with Clive Barker’s cenobites from the Hellraiser series by McFarlane Toys.

A very cool demonic / vampiric looking Batman by BastardPrince. I dig the glowing red eyes and the use of shadow and minimal colour.

Another vampire Batman, those Elseworlds books were really popular, you can even buy an action figure of Batman as a vampire that was also used in the DC MMORPG.

This Batman is super creepy and spectral, a real living shadow. I love it!

This Batman by Matt Kish is one of my favourites by far. A beautiful piece that speaks to the horror fan in me. I imagine this is how cowardly and superstitious criminals see Batman.

Another Elseworlds Batman here.

This one is “Nosferatu” Batman, the book is based on the classic Nosferatu film, and uses German Expressionism liberally, which is pretty cool seeing as how German Expressionism, Gothic Horror and Film Noir are part of Batman’s DNA.

I don’t really care for this one to be honest, Batman just looks too weak and spindly despite being strong. But the book is an interesting experiment, and part of a trilogy of stories. The other two stories are with Superman and Wonder Woman. Superman appears near the end of the Nosferatu book, and he and Batman fight, probably one of their strangest battles ever.

A prototype for an alternate skin/costume in the Batman Arkham: Origins video game. Cool design, but a bit impractical for the game.

This custom made toy is a real gem. Based on the version of Batman we see in Batman Begins, after Scarecrows fear toxin is unleashed on the good citizens of Gotham. Damn this toy is nasty! What a great sculpt. Well done!

Kelley Jones is a legendary Batman artist, and it seemed right to end with two of my favourite piece of his from the Batman Vampire Trilogy. If you have not read the books for some reason, you really need to, they are great fun.

All three Batman Vampire books are great, but the third book is where Jones really cuts loose as Batman goes all feral and ghoulish, and kills a lot of villains. The book sure gets bloody by the end.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this round up of Demonic Batmen as much as I did. It makes a nice break from my usual long 3000+ word essays that I typically fall asleep halfway through when I read them. So many words!