To be honest, I've never really agreed with the version seen in Batman Beyond. It was rather dumbed down and generic, though the concept of Terry was great.

I've imagined an older Batman to be like this:

I prefer not to think of Batman as old, as my vision of him is timeless and forever without needing to worry about aging. But if I have to pick, I would say that we haven't seen an "older" Batman that I like yet. TDKR was a bit too unhinged and gritty for my tastes. And Batman Beyond Bruce just didn't really feel right to me.

@supbatz: What about Kingdom Come?

Dead. Batman dies young imo.

Kingdom come and TDKR batman was the best BB bruce was lame

Have to go with Kingdom Come Bruce distories his body fighting for justice and unlike those losers in Rises and Beyond Bruce continues to fight even if it means having support his body in a suit for the rest of his life becuase Batman dosnt retire.

Actually, Batman Beyond Old Man Wayne is one of my favorite versions of an older Batman. I'm willing to accept his advisory role to a younger apprentice because he's physically incapable of doing the sort of things Batman needs to do, which creates an interesting psychology for him. There's a rage seething just below the surface with him. Batman is the consummate warrior but he's been denied his warrior's death. He would go out and fight until the very end but he's past the ability to do that. If he were to go out at his advanced age and condition, it would place the people he's trying to protect in harms way rather than delivering them from it. While he's glad there's a Batman out protecting Gotham and he plays an invaluable part in that, there's a piece of him that hates every moment of it because it's someone else fighting his war. His mind is as sharp as ever which is both a blessing and a curse. He can train and advise a new Batman and keep the mission alive. He's also acutely aware of how much has changed and how much has been lost. In his soul he's as much Batman as he ever was but he's trapped inside a withered form. After a thousand battles he was finally brought low by his own body turning traitor. That's how I think about it anyway.

@lordofthenorth: The Dark Knight Rises Bruce retired because he stopped crime.

@frozen: no he didnt he retired becuase his body was broken and he decided to give up or he wouldnt have faked his own death and given every thing over to blake plus the idea of stopping crime completely isnt realistic

@lordofthenorth: he retired because Gotham didn't need him anymore.

@jayc1324: again thats nonsense if that was the case he wouldnt have to faked his own death and he wouldnt have givin all his crap to Blake

@frozen: So ALL crime in Gotham ceased to exist?!?! Now THAT'S an accomplishment! Not to mention sarcasm.

@lordofthenorth: who knows what Blake did with that stuff? Bruce could've just wanted to give him more tech to be a cop with. Bruce retired before when the dent act got rid of crime. He retired this time because killing bane and Talia got rid of crime again. I wouldn't say his body was broken since he was able to beat bane and escape from a nuclear bomb in less than ten seconds

All crime in The Dark Knight Rises, yes. Gordon tells Blake or Foley that they do not have to go out anymore because of the lack of crime.

@jayc1324: he was broken they had a whole scene setting it up

And it took only minutes for him to recover. So he didn't retire because of the injury.

There was nothing the police couldn't handle, Gotham was rather peaceful as mentioned in the movie.

@rustyroy: by that logic that whole scene than becomes pointless

How so?

When TDKR referenced that police chase scene, I wanted to cheer.

@rustyroy: Becuase the Docter saying he completely distoried his body and than his body being fine out of no where makes the scen before hand meaningless becuase now it has no bearing on the plot

And when did that ever stop Batman? The comic book Batman's suffered more and is still good as new.

@rustyroy: Yes but this is a "realistic" movie so you cant shruge off that kind of damage one moment than decide in the end that the damage is why he had to retire

Fans created that term, Nolan's trilogy is grounded and relatable but not completely realistic.

Batman Beyond minus Terry and his relationship with Batgirl was perfect. It wasn't dumbed down and it made sense while keeping in true with the character. To be honest the Dark Knight returns IMO from what I saw was dumbed down in certain areas and wank fest in others.

Something like Kingdom Come would also be good.

@dernman: DKR is not dumbed down, if anything Beyond took the generic animated route.

We're going to have to agree to disagree on this one. We see it very differently.

This. Perfect ending. Then Robin takes over the role and the Batman becomes immortal through the generations. From apprentice to master and the cycle repeats.

If he have to be old, then Kingdom Come is what I would think it is more true to the character. TDKR Bats, was nuts and every decision he made was short-sighted.