1) Batman
Who else could be at number one? He’s not called the World’s Greatest Detective for nothing, you know?
When Bob Kane and Bill Finger created Batman back in 1939, they mixed the essence of vigilante heroes like Zorro and the Shadow with the mental capacity of Sherlock Holmes. The result was a man who was an incredible physical specimen and a dab hand in a fight, but who also had one of the smartest brains on the planet on his shoulders.
Having trained himself to the peak of human physical and mental achievement, Bruce Wayne has proven adept at espionage, escapology, science, disguises and deductive reasoning – all incredibly helpful skills to have in the field of criminal investigation. There’s a reason the GCPD turn to the Dark Knight for help in their more challenging cases. Batman’s genius-level intellect and training allow him to see things and make connections that few others can.
Most of all, though, it’s Batman’s superhuman force of will that makes him such a great detective. He’ll never stop until the perpetrators have been dealt with, those at risk are safe and the case is closed.