If there’s one thing Batman is famous for (or infamous for, if you’re Jason Todd), it’s his No-Kill rule. However, the no-kill narrative DC has pushed for 86 years is a bald-faced lie, as the Dark Knight’s earliest stories were soaked in bloodshed, beginning with his very first appearance.
Two images of Batman laughing with Hahahahaha written between them.Custom image created by Robert Wood
The Dark Truth Behind Batman’s No-Kill Rule: He Actually Started Out as a Killer
The OG Batman Didn’t Hesitate to Kill Criminals
Batman #63 Bruce is curb stomping Killer Croc
Batman’s no-kill rule has become a defining trait of his character, with some of his most iconic storylines revolving around his refusal to kill (see: Jason Todd begging Bruce to kill the Joker in Judd Winick’s Batman: Under the Red Hood). Yet this trademark is only true thanks to later retcons, as Bruce originally started out as a killer.
Batman’s early days as the Caped Crusader in the 20th century show him killing criminals from the very beginning. In Detective Comics #27 (1939), the character’s first appearance, Bruce intentionally knocks a crook into a vat of acid before boasting, “A fitting end for his kind,” marking his first documented kill and establishing a far darker, more lethal version of the Dark Knight.
Further examples of Bruce’s brutality appear in Detective Comics #28, where he dispatches a jewel-thief gangster, and in Detective Comics #30 (1939), where he drop-kicks a villain in the neck so forcefully that it breaks. Clearly, the first incarnation of Batman was no stranger to lethal methods, painting a starkly different picture than the morally restrained hero fans recognize today.
From Gun-Toting Killer to Hero: How DC Rewrote Batman’s Deadly Past
Why DC Rewrote the Dark Knight’s Violent Early Days Into the No-Kill Hero Fans Know
Batman Hush cover art catwoman poison icy robn
It’s wild to think that a hero celebrated for his no-kill rule actually began with an origin steeped in murder. Of course, these early killings were later retconned, allowing Batman to maintain his squeaky-clean record. Still, DC effectively gaslighted fans for 86 years, pushing the narrative that Batman never kills, even as the original stories proved otherwise.
These early appearances also depict Batman using guns, which makes his modern no-gun rule another narrative retcon DC has enforced over the decades. Why the sudden 180? The reasoning was simple: to make the Dark Knight more appropriate for children. By removing lethal force and firearms from his stories, DC reshaped Batman into a more palatable hero for younger readers.
The move away from killing and guns was driven by DC’s desire to make comics kid-friendly, giving rise to the iconic no-kill and no-gun era. Yet these changes ultimately added depth and complexity to Batman, making him a more compelling hero to adults, too. The original violent take may have been bold, but the retconned, morally conscious Batman proved to be a stronger, enduring character.