Current Events > Is batman overrated? He's just a rich guy with cool gadgets. Please explain to

(+) Yeah! (+)

I grew up watching anime, so I was never exposed to the marvel/DC world until recently. I'm not getting why there's so much popularity surrounding a guy wearing a bat costume fighting villains? He's no superman with super human powers, he's just a regular joe with loads of money and cool crime fighting gadgets--makes him no better than a glorified SPEC OPS/CIA agent. The Japanese had Kamen Rider and Ultra Man, long long before the US ever started Marvel/DC, and the whole concept of a "masked" super hero seems now outdated. What's with the popularity surrounding the US markets?

He can bench press 1000 lbs and hes mastered every known martial art on the planet. Idk about super powers but hes certainly not normal.

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Expect some dumbest justification like the idea he's compelling, when he just kinda looks cool and has things people want
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He is technically superhuman by our standards. He can kick a motorcyle in half and smash people through concrete making a small crater.

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I've only experienced him through the games and films but I hear that he's interesting because of the pyschological nature of him and his villains.

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If actual billionaires were more like Batman, my opinion of them would vastly improve

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insomniacRA posted...

The Japanese had Kamen Rider and Ultra Man, long long before the US ever started Marvel/DC

No.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWHHsdE_oQg

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I'd imagine him not having powers is actually part of the appeal. It makes him stand out amongst other superheroes.

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i think it's more about the gothic world he lives in

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KeeperOfShadows posted...

I'd imagine him not having powers is actually part of the appeal. It makes him stand out amongst other superheroes.

This. Superman is boring af to me because he has so many ridiculous ass powers that make him God basically. Batman has to come up with interesting plans to win his battles, not just LASER EYES BURN BADDIES!!

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Ratchetrockon posted...

He is technically superhuman by our standards. He can kick a motorcyle in half and smash people through concrete making a small crater.

But wasn't he born human? Did batman go through some type of strength enhancing/body mutation experiment, like Wolverine?

insomniacRA posted...

But wasn't he born human? Did batman go through some type of strength enhancing/body mutation experiment, like Wolverine?

Yah his parents were killed in front of him

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insomniacRA posted...

But wasn't he born human? Did batman go through some type of strength enhancing/body mutation experiment, like Wolverine?

Dc comics humans can get a lot stronger than real life humans through intense physical training

-kicks motorcycle in half


- survives faceplant through concrete after pissing off wonder woman



- concrete breaking feat i mentioned earlier


If he were transported to our world he could prob one shot most humans with a punch lol

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The only reason to like a character is super powers?
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DC started in the 30s while Ultraman started in the 60s and Kamen Rider in the 70s.

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Tony Stark is just Bruce Wayne if he was smart enough to build a suit

insomniacRA posted...

The Japanese had Kamen Rider and Ultra Man, long long before the US ever started Marvel/DC

Bruh Batman first appeared in 1939, and "DC" existed back then as Detective Comics. Which is what the DC stands for.

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Gobstoppers12 posted...

Bruh Batman first appeared in 1939, and "DC" existed back then as Detective Comics. Which is what the DC stands for.

You are right. i was thinking that DC comics became the DC we know today around 1977. In my defense, ultraman and kamen rider were the first ones to globalize super hero fandom.

insomniacRA posted...

In my defense, ultraman and kamen rider were the first ones to globalize super hero fandom.

No.

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Ryangrad posted...

No.

My friends from India and Japan would highly disagree. Then again, I haven't seen much DC to make a fair comparison. All I know is, growing up (30 years ago), I had a lot of international students talking about Ultraman and Kamen Rider more than batman or other DC/Marvel heroes. Plus there were a shit ton of ultraman/kamen rider pop culture references in mainstream Japan.

That's all fine and well, but means nothing in the end. Superheros like Superman and Batman were known the world over before Ultraman a and Kamen Rider even existed.

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Iron Man is literally better in every way.

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I nevert cared for Batman hes just a guy with gadgets that make him look super human

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trillgully posted...

He can bench press 1000 lbs and hes mastered every known martial art on the planet. Idk about super powers but hes certainly not normal.

he only benches so much by using his gadgets

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Batman is a tortured soul, he is this close to snapping, and in a way, he has snapped already (a guy dressed like a bat spending his nights and fortune hunting for bad guys?), all because he saw his parents getting murdered in front of him.

yet he maintains an unshakable moral code (no killing, no guns, protect the innocent) and he can stare at the bottom of the pit and not lose it.

his villains are some of the most interesting bad guys in comic book history, and he is more about brains and gadgets than power, which is interesting.

even his gadgets are kind of weak, he basically has a lightly armored suit and a bunch of bat shaped boomerangs and firecrackers, he is no Ironman, he is all about strategy and planning.

if you think about it, Spider-Man and captain America are kind of weak compared to the likes of Thor, Ironman, hulk, Scarlett witch, dr strange and that one tumblr lady (whats her name again? Brie Larsons character) but theyre still very, very popular as well.

being weaker actually gives you space for nuance and an interesting plot in the comic book world

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LordMarshal posted...

Iron Man is literally better in every way.

Black > Red

So there....

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Ryangrad posted...

That's all fine and well, but means nothing in the end. Superheros like Superman and Batman were known the world over before Ultraman a and Kamen Rider even existed.

https://www.gamesradar.com/marvel-ultraman-tokusatsu/

We're talking about FANDOM, not recognition. I bet you 1 bitcoin or 10 ETH tokens that ultraman was more internationally known in 1970 than batman.

Literally the entire reason he's my favorite is because he doesnt have superpowers.

insomniacRA posted...

https://www.gamesradar.com/marvel-ultraman-tokusatsu/

We're talking about FANDOM, not recognition. I bet you 1 bitcoin or 10 ETH tokens that ultraman was more internationally known in 1970 than batman.

Probably not outside of Japan, Youre also forgetting the 60s Batman TV series.

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insomniacRA posted...

https://www.gamesradar.com/marvel-ultraman-tokusatsu/

We're talking about FANDOM, not recognition. I bet you 1 bitcoin or 10 ETH tokens that ultraman was more internationally known in 1970 than batman.

saying ultraman or kamen rider are a more popular burger because whatever happens in India and China is like saying that fried eel is more popular than the Big Mac because in China and India it sells more: its not a burger, and its relatively unknown in the west.

comic books and comic book heroes are a uniquely western thing. Youd not say sponge bob is a more popular anime than cowboy bebop right? Its not even anime nor is it Japanese

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master detective, super intellect, inventive, master tactician, trained in most of not all martial arts, peak of human physical condition, suits and gadgets that are cool, tragic/interesting backstory, some of the best villains, Gotham city itself and the GCPD, able to lead and beat, if needed, super powered individuals, the list keeps going. He also usually has the best comic book writers telling his stories, which helps.

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insomniacRA posted...

Ryangrad posted...

That's all fine and well, but means nothing in the end. Superheros like Superman and Batman were known the world over before Ultraman a and Kamen Rider even existed.

https://www.gamesradar.com/marvel-ultraman-tokusatsu/

We're talking about FANDOM, not recognition. I bet you 1 bitcoin or 10 ETH tokens that ultraman was more internationally known in 1970 than batman.

How high are you right now?
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DogOfPeace posted...

saying ultraman or kamen rider are a more popular burger because whatever happens in India and China is like saying that fried eel is more popular than the Big Mac because in China and India it sells more: its not a burger, and its relatively unknown in the west.

comic books and comic book heroes are a uniquely western thing. Youd not say sponge bob is a more popular anime than cowboy bebop right? Its not even anime nor is it Japanese

Not just India and China, but ultraman was internationally known. Just because DC/Marvel was popular in the US doesn't mean the WHOLE world knew about it. Japan at the time had a bigger market appeal than the US on the whole world. I'm willing to bet kids in Nigeria knew about Ultraman before Batman.

At the very least, hes overrated in that hes accomplished nothing.

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I mean Gatchaman was basically just five Batmans and Japan loved them

But in seriousness Batman was essentially a pulp detective with a superhero twist. While you can't have Batman without...Batman, his popularity is inextricably linked with the dark, bleak setting of Gotham and the bizarre villains that inhabit it. It has this really oppressive atmosphere that feels less like a man vs a criminal, and more like a man vs a city.

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he's not just rich, he's also batshit crazy. he's got enough money and tech to suit up like iron man, but instead he'd rather wear kevlar and spandex and punch the fuck out of people. only time he gets serious is after he's already had his ass beat. and he seems to take great pains to save the monsters that keep breaking out of prison and murdering the fuck out of people.

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Kim_Seong-a posted...

I mean Gatchaman was basically just five Batmans and Japan loved them

LOL

monkmith posted...

he's not just rich, he's also batshit crazy. he's got enough money and tech to suit up like iron man, but instead he'd rather wear kevlar and spandex and punch the fuck out of people. only time he gets serious is after he's already had his ass beat. and he seems to take great pains to save the monsters that keep breaking out of prison and murdering the fuck out of people.

i have always wondered if this is true.

maybe Ironman-like technology is considerably less feasible in the DC universe @monkmith ?

batman has really cool technology like the bat mobile, plane, the supercomputers in the bat cave, etc but his batsuit is very low tech for
the comic book universe... but very high tech while still feasible in the real world


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DogOfPeace posted...

i have always wondered if this is true.

maybe Ironman-like technology is considerably less feasible in the DC universe @monkmith ?

batman has really cool technology like the bat mobile, plane, the supercomputers in the bat cave, etc but his batsuit is very low tech for
the comic book universe... but very high tech while still feasible in the real world

its low tech because he gets off on beating up and getting beat up by his enemies. there's been multiple times he's pulled robotic suits out to fight bane or hell even superman in the comics, but when he's done he puts them away and goes back to punching people functionally bare handed...

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monkmith posted...

its low tech because he gets off on beating up and getting beat up by his enemies. there's been multiple times he's pulled robotic suits out to fight bane or hell even superman in the comics, but when he's done he puts them away and goes back to punching people functionally bare handed...

I think it is less about that and more that he wants near total assurance that he won't kill anyone. When the situation calls it for (like fighting Superman) he will definitely armor the fuck up.

Tony Stark doesn't seem to really care about making sure his opponents don't die?

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Jeff AKA Snoopy posted...

I think it is less about that and more that he wants near total assurance that he won't kill anyone. When the situation calls it for (like fighting Superman) he will definitely armor the fuck up.

Tony Stark doesn't seem to really care about making sure his opponents don't die?

how useful is the bat suit anyway, from a canon perspective? Is it bulletproof? Knife proof? Would someone break their hand trying to punch his face?


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DogOfPeace posted...

how useful is the bat suit anyway, from a canon perspective? Is it bulletproof? Knife proof? Would someone break their hand trying to punch his face?

It is whatever the writers want it to be quite frankly. It can be bulletproof, stab-proof, etc. Etc. It is often electrified to ensure if he is incapacitated it won't come off him.

He has built a mech suit before. Batman Beyond is basically that.

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Also, most interpretations of Bruce Wayne make him very anti-gun. This rules out most projectile based weaponry which is (mostly) what Tony Stark uses.

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Pretty easy formula. Batman has successive generations of fandom. The 1966 show was big and people still have an idea of what it is. You can't say the same for much of anything that was on TV back then. There was also the movie serial from the 40's which sometimes plays on TCM channel, but I have no idea what the legacy of that thing really is, so I can't speak for it.

A big thing in Batman's favour is that he's got the best movies in the superhero genre. Batman has a great trilogy (in the realm of blockbuster movies, absolutely) and the 2 Burton movies are beloved online. Hell I worship the heck out of the Tim Burton Batman.

The best superhero cartoon ever? Check!

Several iconic renditions of the biggest villain in comics? Nicholson, Romero, Ledger, Hamill animated, Joaquin? CHECK!

The Arkham games? Home run!

He's easily the #1 gun at DC Comics for the last 20 odd years.

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Jeff AKA Snoopy posted...

I think it is less about that and more that he wants near total assurance that he won't kill anyone. When the situation calls it for (like fighting Superman) he will definitely armor the fuck up.

Tony Stark doesn't seem to really care about making sure his opponents don't die?

he could kit himself out with a power suit that made him stronger and faster then all of his rogues and load it to the gills with non-lethal weapons like tasers and beanbag rounds, instead he sticks with beating random mook's faces in.

and the thing about punching someone unconcious like he prefers to do? well that's brain damage he's causing. and with the number of random mooks he's beat up over the years its impossible to believe he's not killed a bunch of them with a roundhouse kick to the head or a light amount of defenestration...

but no, he's got to chase the thrill. if he's not putting his life on the line then what's the point?

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That generally is the appeal of him, to those who are fans of him.

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I always find that Batman's mortality is overstated and completely ridiculous at this point. It works for the movies. Christian Bale's Batman is tragic and beautiful and fallible. But in the comics especially, he's got so much plot armour and inhuman pain tolerance that he may as well be a superhuman. Who the hell can survive an encounter with Reverse Flash by the skin of their teeth and then go on and tune the f*** out of Atlanteans in the very next issue? It gets farcical at times.

The long and short of it = Batman was many people's earliest superhero exposure. He is the coolest. He's got the coolest look and the coolest villains.

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