Batman: The 10 Worst Things About The Character
Batman is one of the most popular fictional characters of all time. There’s no place in pop culture that Batman hasn’t been, and he was a trailblazer in so many ways. He was the first superhero to have a big movie in 1966, had one of Robin’s first and most popular sidekicks, and Return of the Dark Knight changed comics forever.
While the character is certainly beloved, that doesn’t mean there aren’t issues with him. Even though fans love Batman, there are a lot of things about him that fans don’t particularly like. Despite what Warner Brothers bean counters think, Batman isn’t perfect.
ten Batman’s Role In Maturing Comics Has Led To A Lot Of Bad Stories
The double of the writer and artist Frank Miller Return of the Dark Knight and batman: first year, the latter drawn by David Mazzucchelli, forever changed the comic book industry. With watchmen and Maus, these two Batman comics changed the way people looked at comics, bringing maturity to the industry and harsh noir qualities to Batman comics.
While a lot of great things came out of it, there are plenty of comics from creators who didn’t realize that being mature didn’t just mean super violent, edgy comics. Batman’s role in all of this cannot be underestimated, as he was the poster child for dark and gritty comics.
9 He is often not a pleasant character to read
Batman has gone through many changes over the years, going from the silliest versions of the Golden and Silver Ages to the tougher heroes of modern times. The modern-day Batman is not a charming character; it’s the hardest of the hard cases and isn’t usually very fun to read. Batman has become a walking cliché, and in recent years he’s usually been paired with other fun-to-read characters.
Batman sells a lot of books, but it’s honestly a bit mystifying; he’s such a dry character to read most of the time and his cliched attitude makes even team-up comics with him a chore to go through.
8 He’s almost always the center of attention in every book he’s in.
Batman is basically the Wolverine of the DC Universe in that he’s been on every major team and is usually in the spotlight. Too many writers get along Justice League and fall back on Batman to save the day. He’s the big character on DC’s team, but no matter who he teams up with, he’s usually the center of attention. Batman sucks oxygen out of every room he is in.
It’s definitely because of his popularity, but it also makes the character a bit boring. A fan who picks up a team book with Batman doesn’t want Batman to be the star. If so, they would just buy Batman. Crossovers with Batman quickly become the spectacle of Batman, which does the other character more harm than help.
seven His sidekicks are better characters than him
Batman is OG’s tortured superhero, a man out to avenge the death of his parents. He’s built a family, which is probably the best part of the character’s mythos. Unfortunately for him, this family is full of better characters. Dick Grayson started on a similar track to Batman but far surpassed him as a character and that’s just one example.
Whether it’s Tim Drake, Barbara Gordon, Cassandra Cain, Duke Thoman, or even Jason Todd, all of Batman’s sidekicks are better characters than him. It’s actually ironic that they’re considered sidekicks, as they’re easily better at reading than he is.
6 His successes in Gotham have been greatly exaggerated
Batman is one of DC’s most overrated heroes, and it’s not just for obvious reasons. As Gotham City’s protector, Batman has failed in so many fundamental ways that it’s not funny. While his promise not to kill was commendable, it also cost the lives of thousands. Batman knows someone like the Joker will escape and kill again; every time he does nothing, that blood is on his hands.
His mere presence in Gotham also attracts more villains and crime, as people come to the city with the express purpose of killing Batman. Any success he’s had in Gotham is greatly exaggerated, as he’s responsible for so much of the city’s ills.
5 His number one vigilante status takes away opportunities from other characters
The DC Universe is full of great vigilantes, but Batman’s status as the first vigilante puts a damper on many others. Unless someone is part of the Bat-Family, they won’t get any spotlight. Someone like the question, whether it’s the Vic Sage or Renee Montoya versions, isn’t related to Batman, so he or she is left out. Nor is it the only example.
There are so many great DC vigilantes who suffer because they aren’t Batman or part of the Bat-Family. It gets even weirder when people take into account someone like Black Lightning, who is very much related to Batman, but because it’s not obvious he doesn’t have the same kind of chances as a character more Closely linked.
4 DC Keeps Trying To Make ‘Evil Batmen’ To Build On Its Success
The Batman formula of an intelligent hero who defeats his enemies with his wits has been brought to the villains’ side many times with varying success. Many villains have been called “evil Batman”, but few have succeeded. Some like the Wraith and Prometheus had villainous versions of his origin and behaved similarly; others just use his MO.
Then there are villains like Batman Who Laughs, an evil version of the character from another universe. This trope is also quite common, as the literal evil multiversal Batmen have been in a number of stories. The whole thing is annoying and belittles an already overexposed character.
3 His grudges against certain villains mean they’re the only ones readers see
Batman has some of the best villains in comics, but half the time you wouldn’t know it. Batman’s grudge against villains like the Joker and Bane means so many of his other great villains don’t get the spotlight they deserve. For example, when was the last time there was a legitimately awesome two-faced story? What about Mister Freeze or Mad Hatter?
It makes sense that writers and artists want to use iconic villains and DC goes along with what sells, but Batman’s grudges with certain villains hurt his stories in general. They basically all become the same villains over and over again.
2 He’s in too many books
Looking at DC’s monthly solicitations, you see a lot of Batman books. In 2021 alone, Batman books hit double digits, with several miniseries from various creators. Batman sells, and putting the best talent on his books makes them sell better; DC fans may not want all of these Batman books, but they will pick them up to see how their favorite creators work with him.
Batman’s massive popularity has always meant he stars in plenty of books, but right now it’s at its most ridiculous point. DC would rather release a thousand sure-selling Batman books than take chances with other characters, which makes some fans hate Batman.
1 The prep time crowd has made his fandom one of the most boring
JLA: Tower of Babel, by writer Mark Waid and artist Howard Porter, introduced the world to Batman’s anti-Justice League plans. It was the equivalent of a nuclear missile when it came to fan talk and is the genesis of one of the most dreaded phrases in comic book fan talk: “prep time.” The belief that Batman can beat anyone at any time given enough prep time has become a battle cry for many.
It has also made Batman an object of derision for many fans, as his most ardent fans insist he should win every fight. It’s yet another way a great Batman story was taken by others with less talent and ruined.
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