Where most superheroes rely on a supernatural power or object of power, Batman relies on his intelligence and physical ability. Yes, he's got toys like the Batmobile and Batplane but these are man made creations. His skills as a detective are top notch and his fighting abilities would put him on top of the UFC.
The reading I've done has brought me from the simple beginnings of Bob Kane's art and Bill Finger's story telling to the brilliance of David Mazzucchelli's art and the darkness of Frank Miller's writing. Of all the stories I've read thus far Frank Miller's are my favorite. From "Year One" to "The Dark Knight Returns" to "All Star Batman & Robin: The Boy Wonder". Jeff Loeb comes in a close second with the Hush series. The only one that I've read that I didn't care for much was "Batman - Arkham Asylum (A Serious House on Serious Earth)". Not only was the story dull but the artwork was odd and not in a style I care for.
One thing that is interesting about Batman is that he doesn't apologize for who he is. As the Justice League is frustrated by him and his exploits that leave a black mark on the name Superhero, he continues on. His methods are born from Man's desire for punishment on those who do wrong and from his own desire to clean up the city that he loves. He is harsh, dark and unconventional and that is why he is intriguing. Each writer has their own take on these traits but each holds true to the fact that although Batman fights against the bad guys he is not neccessarily a "good" guy.
The more I read, the more I see the complexity of Batman. Superman has his strength and ability to fly, Green Lantern has his ring, the Hulk has his Hulkiness, and others have powers that have been given to them through accidents, aliens or whatever, but Batman has his anger, money, dual identity and drive. This keeps him going and makes him more interesting than the others.
3 comments:
It's a new day when you're blogging about comics. Welcome to a whole new world. And the fact that you're reading All-Star B&R pretty much makes you a regular comic reader.
You should check out The Killing Joke by Alan Moore, and the Long Halloween by Loeb and Sale.
Those are next on the list Matt.
Kewl, Batman. I used to be a huge fan. Now I'm just like everyone else... down-scaled to he's still my favorite super-hero... but not nearly fanatical or even above average interest. I guess I lost interest when I discovered everyone else likes Batman too! I like to be different :)
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