The Batman

Over the years there have been many different portrayals of Batman. I'll grant that the Silver Age years got silly and over the top because that's what people wrote then. The Comic's Code Authority held power then and they used that power like a ten ton hammer to enforce what people could and couldn't write about. As time progressed we got more mature stories and then something interesting happened, Frank Miller wrote and drew Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. A whole generation of fans were influenced by Miller's work and it kind of shows in recent years; and that's a problem. I liked Dark Knight Returns as a story but it does have its flaws, and what I want to talk about today are the things I found interesting about Batman, and why the Millerization of Batman is a bad thing.

One thing that set Batman apart from other heroes is that he didn't have powers. He trained his mind and body from the time he was a child to do what he does. Criminology, chemistry, computer skills, forensics, several different hand-to-hand skills, and his observational skills. It took him years to master these techniques, and he knows that he's one of the best at what he does, but he's also not incapable of making mistakes, which I'll get into later.

Another point that made Batman an interesting character was his motivation for fighting crime. Superman became a superhero out of a desire to help people, because he was taught to use his powers to make the world a better place. Batman, on the other hand, saw his parents murdered and swore vengeance on all criminals. Even now he won't let that go, and I think he knows what it will do to him, but his oath is more important to him. I think the best portrayal of this was Batman Beyond where you see an older Bruce living in the mansion alone, until he starts training Terry. It is a sad way for Bruce to end up, but in many ways it's the only way he can end up if he continues on the path of vengeance.

 Now there is one thing I would like to talk about that is an area I don't think anyone has explored, and I think it could make for a really good story. Provided it was given to a quality writer. While Batman is a great detective he does have one ability that gets overlooked sometimes. It's not a super power, but it's not something everyone can do, and I'm not sure you could really be trained to do it either. He can understand how his enemies think. One of the Joker's key motivations is to break Batman, to get him to think like he does, and yet Batman already can. There are plenty of moments where I think Batman could have easily slipped to the other side but he's always chosen law and order over insanity. You have to wonder what goes through his head when he figures out what people are up to, and why it makes sense to them. Seeing what goes on in Batman's head would be could be a really good story, but I'm not sure I trust them to get a good writer right now to do it.

Now we get to my problem area, the Millerization of Batman. For those that don't know what I'm talking about I suggest going to thatguywiththeglasses.com and checking out Linkara's reviews of All Star Batman and Robin, a Frank Miller comic that is apparently in cannon with Dark Knight Returns. In a nutshell he portrays Batman as a brutal, kidnapping psychotic. The problem is this writing shows a complete lack of understanding of the character he claims to love. Batman has issues, yes, but he's not some raving lunatic just beating people up left and right. Look if you're a fan of Miller's current style then have at it, but I just don't think he gets it. He routinely objectifies women, and I'm sorry he just doesn't know Batman. Ugh.


Just for the record, for me, the best Batman will always be the Paul Dini, DC animated universe Batman. Especially in Batman: the Animated Series I thought they captured the character and what he was about the best. For anyone else your mileage may vary, post your thoughts in the comments below.