Batman Is A Jerk: A Look At His Crusade For Justice

[Chancey289]

So, we all know Batman and what made him who he is today. He lost his parents, and since he's usually never able to find the exact person who did it, he decides to put aside his personal quest for vengeance and become a vigilante who aims to battle Gotham's criminal underworld so no one else will suffer a similar fate. A personal crusade for justice.

.....But Batman doesn't really care about that anymore, does he?

Allow me to explain.

You see, when Batman's world started to grow, and the adventures he went on took on an evolution (joining the Justice League and going on world saving ventures) why hasn't his mission undergo the same evolution?

Currently in comics, Batman is not only rich, but SUPER rich. It's pretty much his only super power. He's able to equip the Justice League with all sorts of high tech gadgets, and even build massive bases for them. Which he all funds. So, why does he always just resort to dressing up as a Bat and punch people in the streets?

You see, at this point, if Batman REALLY gave a crap about his crusade for justice, he'd spend more time using his immense wealth for the betterment of Gotham. Creating jobs, helping the economy, buying out politicians even, but he doesn't. He has all these resources and opportunities to do more for Gotham as Bruce Wayne than he can ever do for Batman, but he just rather punch other crazies. Hell, he could actually also strive to build better facilities to help those big crazy people he fights. A place where Arkham could truly rehabilitate, or even help Freeze find the cure for his wife's illness by funding research.

I know some comics, and the animated series touched up on things like this, but not enough. Writers are afraid to break the status quo of a character because he just has to stay the same.

And you know what, that could be also an interesting angle to explore with the character. Focusing on how he really is just a nut job who likes beating people up, but writers hardly wanna focus on Batman's vulnerabilities either. They're more concerned with making him an absolutely BORING character who is just an ultimate badass. Basically, how he's able to go toe to toe with someone like Darkseid and Superman for example.

So yea, Batman overall comes off as a douchebag, and it's about time for him to evolve. He's basically the headline for the DC universe, yet is one of the most uninteresting characters a part of it.

Here's Batman eating a hot dog.

 

[Demi-fiend]

 

[WolfOD64]

I'm no hardcore Batman enthusiast here, but it honestly depends on who's writing the character. Most of the time, he's exactly like you've described, where his authority is the only one he respects, and his personality plunges into more of an uptight douche (one of the reasons I absolutely abhor The Dark Knight Returns), or, they write him that way and have other characters be 100% aware of it, like in the Animated Series, and its follow-up Batman Beyond. The relationship between Bruce and Terry alone is blatant proof of how little patience people can have for the way he acts and functions as a person.

My favorite version of Batman is the one that appears in these more recent DC Animated movies like Justice League War. He's a nice balance between dry humor and callous heroism, without ever being insufferable.

He even smiles.

But overall, when it comes to Batman characters, I prefer Batman Beyond or Nightwing, the latter of which had an amazing comic run back in the day.

 

[Chancey289]

I'm no hardcore Batman enthusiast here, but it honestly depends on who's writing the character. Most of the time, he's exactly like you've described, where his authority is the only one he respects, and his personality plunges into more of an uptight douche (one of the reasons I absolutely abhor The Dark Knight Returns), or, they write him that way and have other characters be 100% aware of it, like in the Animated Series, and its follow-up Batman Beyond. The relationship between Bruce and Terry alone is blatant proof of how little patience people can have for the way he acts and functions as a person.

My favorite version of Batman is the one that appears in these more recent DC Animated movies like Justice League War. He's a nice balance between dry humor and callous heroism, without ever being insufferable.

He even smiles.

But overall, when it comes to Batman characters, I prefer Batman Beyond or Nightwing, the latter of which had an amazing comic run back in the day.

I also prefer Batman Beyond, Nightwing, and the Robins when it comes to the Bat-family. Because Bruce himself has just become so uninteresting. Don't take this the wrong way, I don't hate Batman, I do like the character. I just wish they'd actually make him more of a character.

And yea, when you get right down to it, Batman is a pretty crappy friend and needs to take a lesson in human decency.

Also, speaking of Justice League War, I have to post the best scene in that movie.

It's a perfect representation of me vs. life.

 

[WolfOD64]

Because Bruce himself has just become so uninteresting. Don't take this the wrong way, I don't hate Batman, I do like the character. I just wish they'd actually make him more of a character.

It's become a sad symptom of the character in recent years that is literally only avoided when a creative writer is given reign over him. It's one of the reasons I've drifted away from the character over time.

Also, speaking of Justice League War, I have to post the best scene in that movie.

It's a perfect representation of me vs. life.

We in the Nintendo community like to refer to this carnal display of devastation as the "Wombo Combo."

 

[Jak]

um...no. look, i don't wanna say that anyone's view of a character is wrong, but your description of batman is like saying spider-man is a bad hero because he's always quitting being spider-man. it's a very surface level judgement.

does bruce spend a lot of money on the JL as well as his vigilantism? yes. but he ALSO pumps tons of money into gotham city. he works relocation projects, and building quality affordable housing. he creates jobs for people so they don't have to be criminals anymore etc. bruce has done A LOT for the city of gotham. so saying that he hasn't is kinda...untrue. also, bruce has TRIED to quit batman. but he can't. batman is his addiction. batman was a part of the grieving process for bruce. and now, after doing it for YEARS he can't stop himself. he's become dependent on vigilantism. and it IS an unhealthy obsession that he has. and that's what makes the character interesting (as well as other heroes like captain america, and superman. two other character's who have tried to quit, but couldn't resist doing what they do for their own respective reasons).

also, while bruce is a ****ty person, his friends put up with it. because that's what friends do. they put up with their other friend's ****. the fantastic four put up with spider-man, the x-men put up with deadpool, the teen titans put up with superboy, and the avengers put up with iron man. and batman is no different when it comes to the justice league.

again, i respect the fact that you find bruce uninteresting, and that you haven't found the comics in recent years to be good enough to keep up with. but, your description of batman is untrue.