Batman is without a doubt my favorite superhero.
Long-time Batman fans would know the point of Batman isn't someone who's a 'hero' in the sense of being a glorified problem solver. Batman, by the direct consequences of his actions, can only do so much. Across virtually all (serious) media appearances, the main point of Batman is symbolic. He represents something that others can learn from and progress. Thought this way, Batman is something of a saintly figure. Saints or revolutionaries by their direct actions can do very little. The reason they're remembered, revered, and emulated is because their lives serve a symbolic, pedagogical role.
The analogy goes deeper in the case of Batman because of what he represents. As something of a long-time fan myself, the overall impression I get from his movies (both live-action and animated), cartoons, and a number of comics is that Batman is supposed to represent an ethical standard that humanity can only strive towards, but never attain. The theme of Batman being something of a 'superhuman', having a level of tolerance, willpower, and responsibility that is clearly beyond the pale of human capacities is explicitly fleshed out in many of his famous stories. This was a recurring theme in the Justice League cartoons (both original and Unlimited). In many of his comics we see him pull off stunts that the story itself states is humanly impossible (the most recent example being Bruce Wayen's return in Batman: Superheavy, see Comicstorian's breakdown here and here). This point is often made in the context of a climactic conflict between Batman and a villain, where the villain, seeing their master plan to stop Batman coming to naught, incredulously asks- What are you? To which the Batman replies- I'm Batman. While this remark has been the fodder for much comic exaggeration and hyperbole, it neatly encapsulates the point I'm making- Batman is in a genus of his own, and that genus is different from all other humans.
Note carefully that the standard Batman is supposed to set is an ethical one. Batman is unique not because he has a unique physiology which allows for higher pain tolerance or something, but because of the strength of his resolve and unswerving commitment to justice- which are ethical qualities, not physical ones. Again, all that Batman can do that no one else can is due to the simple fact that he's a better person than the rest of us. And it's this ethical standard he has adopted that no one else can ever achieve. It's the ethics of Batman, it's the extent to which he's a good person, that puts him in a league of his own. All of the stunts he can pull and the enormous willpower and tolerance he exhibits is only possible because of the aforementioned ethical qualities. That's where all of it springs from.
Given this interpretation of Batman, imagine how bothered I feel when I see a gaping hole in Batman's moral fabric. And it's not that hard to notice either- you don't have to read some long-forgotten obscure comic issue to come to know of it. It's right there in his "one rule".
I think Batman's one major moral flaw is his refusal to kill the Joker.
I know that's super counterintuitive, since Batman's not violating his precious rule is widely seen as contributing to the ethical standard I've been talking about. But after reading popular justifications (both canon and non-canon) and thinking about it, I don't see how any of these justifications are adequate. We're basically left with a fundamental incoherence in the idea of Batman- the idea of him being the superhuman ethical standard.
I'll break down my rationale in the coming post (part 2 of this tiny series), but for now I leave you guys with three of my favorite "I'm Batman" jokes the internet has to offer.
#3 (This is probably in bad taste)
#2
#1
There's just no topping that last one.
Long-time Batman fans would know the point of Batman isn't someone who's a 'hero' in the sense of being a glorified problem solver. Batman, by the direct consequences of his actions, can only do so much. Across virtually all (serious) media appearances, the main point of Batman is symbolic. He represents something that others can learn from and progress. Thought this way, Batman is something of a saintly figure. Saints or revolutionaries by their direct actions can do very little. The reason they're remembered, revered, and emulated is because their lives serve a symbolic, pedagogical role.
The analogy goes deeper in the case of Batman because of what he represents. As something of a long-time fan myself, the overall impression I get from his movies (both live-action and animated), cartoons, and a number of comics is that Batman is supposed to represent an ethical standard that humanity can only strive towards, but never attain. The theme of Batman being something of a 'superhuman', having a level of tolerance, willpower, and responsibility that is clearly beyond the pale of human capacities is explicitly fleshed out in many of his famous stories. This was a recurring theme in the Justice League cartoons (both original and Unlimited). In many of his comics we see him pull off stunts that the story itself states is humanly impossible (the most recent example being Bruce Wayen's return in Batman: Superheavy, see Comicstorian's breakdown here and here). This point is often made in the context of a climactic conflict between Batman and a villain, where the villain, seeing their master plan to stop Batman coming to naught, incredulously asks- What are you? To which the Batman replies- I'm Batman. While this remark has been the fodder for much comic exaggeration and hyperbole, it neatly encapsulates the point I'm making- Batman is in a genus of his own, and that genus is different from all other humans.
Note carefully that the standard Batman is supposed to set is an ethical one. Batman is unique not because he has a unique physiology which allows for higher pain tolerance or something, but because of the strength of his resolve and unswerving commitment to justice- which are ethical qualities, not physical ones. Again, all that Batman can do that no one else can is due to the simple fact that he's a better person than the rest of us. And it's this ethical standard he has adopted that no one else can ever achieve. It's the ethics of Batman, it's the extent to which he's a good person, that puts him in a league of his own. All of the stunts he can pull and the enormous willpower and tolerance he exhibits is only possible because of the aforementioned ethical qualities. That's where all of it springs from.
Given this interpretation of Batman, imagine how bothered I feel when I see a gaping hole in Batman's moral fabric. And it's not that hard to notice either- you don't have to read some long-forgotten obscure comic issue to come to know of it. It's right there in his "one rule".
I think Batman's one major moral flaw is his refusal to kill the Joker.
I know that's super counterintuitive, since Batman's not violating his precious rule is widely seen as contributing to the ethical standard I've been talking about. But after reading popular justifications (both canon and non-canon) and thinking about it, I don't see how any of these justifications are adequate. We're basically left with a fundamental incoherence in the idea of Batman- the idea of him being the superhuman ethical standard.
I'll break down my rationale in the coming post (part 2 of this tiny series), but for now I leave you guys with three of my favorite "I'm Batman" jokes the internet has to offer.
#3 (This is probably in bad taste)
#2
#1
There's just no topping that last one.