Is Batman a Superhero?
Rogue vigilante. Granted he's usually doing the right things, but he's not a super hero. No accident gave him his powers, just strong will and dedication, all fueled by rage. Right outcome, wrong motivations.
khaos288
Member
So his league of shadows training doesn't count as super human abilities? If the regular amazing athlete trained at martial arts for years, they still wouldn't be Batmans level of skills because of the hallucinogenic flower used to tap into the potential of the users psyche that otherwise goes unused. That level of ability is SUPER human to me. If it's the lamest super power ever, that's another debate, but Batman couples it with gear, drive, morality, and will to fight crime.
That makes him a super hero.
I totally consider him a super hero, his intelligence, drive and athletic ability put him in the top 1% of all of those categories which would make him the peak of humanity. The training is just that training, there are many others that received the league of shadows training, so are they superhuman as well?
It's irrelevant if Batman is a superhero. Here is my nerd explosion:
Batman fights crime out of love of the people of Gotham. He's a billionaire who could not give a rip and go anywhere he wanted. A safer, cleaner city, one with it's own protector so he didn't have to fight and be broken. Bruce Wayne never had to put on the cowl and fight crime. He chose to because he had the means and ability. Not because of some other obligation or sympathy for Gotham. He has literally been broken because he believes the people of Gotham are good and the city deserves saving.
Superman on the other hand, is a biitch. He isn't saving people for any other reason than he knows he's all powerful and the people of Metropolis/Earth are not as powerful as him. He is a boy scout who helps people because they can't help themselves. He feels obligated to do it.
Batman is more important a character than Superman. He is a better character than Superman. Batman isn't a mercenary, he's a vigilantly.
Batman fights crime out of love of the people of Gotham. He's a billionaire who could not give a rip and go anywhere he wanted. A safer, cleaner city, one with it's own protector so he didn't have to fight and be broken. Bruce Wayne never had to put on the cowl and fight crime. He chose to because he had the means and ability. Not because of some other obligation or sympathy for Gotham. He has literally been broken because he believes the people of Gotham are good and the city deserves saving.
Superman on the other hand, is a biitch. He isn't saving people for any other reason than he knows he's all powerful and the people of Metropolis/Earth are not as powerful as him. He is a boy scout who helps people because they can't help themselves. He feels obligated to do it.
Batman is more important a character than Superman. He is a better character than Superman. Batman isn't a mercenary, he's a vigilantly.
Batman's motivation to punch bad guys isn't because his parent's got murdered. His motivation is his belief that Gotham City is worth saving. A constant theme is Batman's internal monologue, "I believe in Gotham."
khaos288
Member
The league of shadows warriors that are renowned for taking down societies as they grow too large with their assassin abilities? That would be what we call super villians :angel:
deuce
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Batman is one of the greatest tacticians in the world. His planning (granted, it was stolen) was able to incapacitate the entire Justice League (Tower of Babel series), and he's defeated Superman several times, in part because he's manipulated Superman into compromising positions. His fighting skills are second to probably only Wonder Woman, and his intelligence is off the charts as he's probably the most skilled inventor on the planet. Put it all together, and you have a guy who stands toe to toe with everyone else in the DC universe. Superhero.
I think we are veering off topic, but you consider the very basic league of shadow members super villians? The foot soldiers so to speak?
The guys that Batman beats the piss out of in a few seconds each before moving on? Ra's Al Ghul I would consider a super villain.... but Steve, the guy who flunked out of JC and got rejected from the LAPD for "personality" issues and isn't all that committed but feels like he is making a difference by joining the league of shadows but is conflicted about fighting Batman....
That guy is a Super villain? I mean he has also gone through the training right?
khaos288
Member
No, foot soldiers are not on the tier of batman. They are classified as elite thugs. They prove the point about batman though. He can destroy the most trained average human fighters in seconds. The only two LoS I would consider super villians are Ra's Al Ghul and Bane.
Batman has the best training in the world, as do these guys, yet he somehow destroys them? He is super human, and a hero. He is a super hero.
Wake
Active member
It's times like this that it's hard to like you.
I swear if you didn't have such good tastes in beer I would swear you are always wrong!
Wait, are we combining the Dark Knight Trilogy with comic book canon?
khaos288
Member
Yeah, sorry, I don't have great comic book knowledge.
Just making sure. In the comics, Bane is raised in a prison but is not a member of the LoS. I just wanted to make sure I was following along correctly.
is being the best in the world at something and being a sacrificial nice person enough to qualify you as a super hero? wouldn't that mean we have super heroes walking among us in the real world, not just the comic book world?
i'll ask again is tony stark (iron man) a super hero? is clint barton (hawkeye) a super hero? what is it that takes someone from being a hero, to being a super hero? to me that's always been a special mutant power of some kind. or a power not possessed by "normal" humans.
i'll ask again is tony stark (iron man) a super hero? is clint barton (hawkeye) a super hero? what is it that takes someone from being a hero, to being a super hero? to me that's always been a special mutant power of some kind. or a power not possessed by "normal" humans.
deuce
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Well, if you take the movies as canon, he probably is. He played golf and shot an 18. That combination of accuracy, strength, and agility is nothing you'll find in the human populace.
And yes, Tony Stark is also a superhero. He's essentially the Marvel version of Batman, just not as cool IMO and a bit lazier (relies on tech more heavily than physical skill), though he has that super-intelligence and is clearly the worlds greatest inventor.
He survived being portrayed by Ben Affleck, Val Kilmer and Michael Keaton. If that doesn't make you a superhero I don't know what does
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Wake
Active member
I definitely think he is a superhero. I base my opinion on results not on any kind of powers.
Teddy
New member
Not a superhero. Strip each individual of any man made gadget and then have them perform.....Batman would get destroyed.
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I would contend that the Iron Man suit makes Tony Stark a superhero. By that premise I would argue that Batman's suit also makes him a superhero. Both out of the suit are men, both in the suit become superhero's.
deuce
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That's like saying "Take the ring away from Green Lantern and have him perform." and then saying "See? Not a superhero."
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QFT...