Top 10 Batman Problems Fans Won't Admit
He might be among the world's most popular superheroes, but he's not without his problems. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we'll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Batman Problems Fans Won't Admit.
For this list, we'll be looking at some of the things just don't make sense about Batman, but which we all generally tend to overlook because we love the character. Usually, we suspend our disbelief, but today, we're giving the Dark Knight a reality check.
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#10: The Batmobile’s Apparent Immunity to Traffic
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Our beloved Caped Crusader has got a lot of gadgets in that utility belt and has similarly tricked out each incarnation of his beloved Batmobile. But unless that includes a tool that vaporizes all other cars on the road or renders the Batmobile temporarily immaterial with the push of a button, we’re calling shenanigans on his vehicle of choice. With his penchant for working at night, he’s unlikely to hit rush hour, but even at night, traffic backs up from time to time. There’s not always a shoulder, alleyway or sidewalk to rely on. Realistically, he’d get stuck behind a line of cars at a red light every now and then. Flying, on the other hand, THAT works just fine.
#9: All the Gadgets
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The technology used by Batman is unrealistic, but also par for the course in comic books. What we can’t overlook though… is the ridiculous specificity of some of his gadgets, as well as the fact that he somehow always seems to have just the right tool for the job. There’s only so much equipment one man can fit into a belt and/or pouches when wearing such a form-fitting suit. We get it, the Dark Knight wouldn’t look very cool in cargo pants and a photographer’s vest, but seriously. Though the gadgets were particularly silly back in the day, they remain unbelievably specific in modern comics. Whatever happened to good old-fashioned detective work?
#8: The Psychology of Bruce Wayne
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We started off light-hearted, but unfortunately, Batman has got a lot of serious issues too. Despite being a fictional character, Bruce Wayne’s popularity has prompted many a psychologist to evaluate him, and they generally tend to come to the same conclusion. Seeing his parents get murdered seriously derailed Wayne’s psychological development - from that point on, his personal growth was “post-traumatic” in nature. As others have pointed out, the real Bruce Wayne died in Crime Alley. As an adult, both Bruce Wayne and Batman are simply roles that he plays. This doesn’t diminish his hero status, but it does force you to consider the real cost of his superheroics - he’s never allowed himself to heal.
#7: He Arguably Gave Birth to Many of His Own Villains
If Batman has dedicated his life to fighting supervillains, what is he without them? Without them, where would he channel his pain? Whether directly, indirectly, or simply as a source of inspiration, Batman has arguably played a crucial role in creating that seemingly endless supply or foes. Hush was once his childhood friend, Thomas Elliot, driven to villainy by his irrational jealousy of Bruce. Though the Joker’s origin story is notoriously elusive, the most popular one is that he was a simple crook named the Red Hood, who was exposed to acid while fleeing… you guessed it, Batman. But perhaps most damning is the argument that Batman’s very existence inspires new supervillains to keep him busy.
#6: The Bat-Family is Simply Too Big
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Many fans, especially those committed to the dark, grim and gritty version of Batman, take issue with his extended family of crime fighters on the grounds that the Caped Crusader is at his best when he’s operating solo. It’s a fair point, but there are also readers out there who like the dynamic duo. Unfortunately, there’s no denying the fact that every attachment is a potential weakness for supervillains to target, and as Batman’s family has grown to become a small army, it puts the very manner in which Batman operates at risk. One need look no further than the “Death of the Family” storyline to realize the sort of emotional peril he’s exposing himself to.
#5: The Operating Cost is Astronomical
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We get it, Batman’s playboy civilian self-owns Wayne Enterprises, which is clearly a massive, and wildly successful business conglomerate in the world of DC comics. In terms of Bruce Wayne’s personal finances, his worth has been estimated at anywhere between $6.9 and $11.6 billion dollars. That’s a lot of money. But Bruce Wayne builds tech and spends money like he’s got bottomless funds. His efforts as Batman doesn’t result in income, meaning he’s spending a staggering amount of money (hundreds of millions or billions by most estimates) with no return on investment. Whether it’s personal or company money, such transactions are bound to raise questions.
#4: The Wards Are Weird
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We get that Bruce Wayne identifies with the young men he takes in, but these relationships aren’t exactly healthy for either party. Wayne’s tendency towards young male wards has made the character the unfair target of a lot of homophobic jokes, which is NOT what we’re interested in. Yes, there’s a homoerotic undertone to the outfits, but that applies to pretty much every male superhero. The weirdness that needs addressing is the fact that he “rescues” these orphans or damaged young men only to enlist them in a psychologically, emotionally and physically damaging vigilante crusade against crime. He’s not exactly an overly loving father-figure either - almost every ward winds up chasing approval.
#3: His Relationship with Catwoman
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Catwoman has arguably evolved over the years, going from cat burglar villain to more of an anti-hero/vigilante. But let’s be honest, it’s not like Selina Kyle ever really fully turned over a new leaf. Across decades worth of comics in which the two characters have shared the page, Batman has regularly pursued Catwoman, frequently forced her to forfeit her stolen goods, but rarely actually done much more to stop her cat burglar-ing ways. During this time, the pair have teamed up and hooked up more too many times to count. And yet Batman has gotten countless other crooks locked up. There’s a pretty glaring double-standard here... and it’s clearly romantically based.
#2: The Secret Identity
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In Batman’s defense, he’s doing a better job of concealing his identity than his buddy Superman, but it certainly shouldn’t take the world’s greatest to connect the dots and realize that Batman and Bruce Wayne are one and the same. The aforementioned Boy Wonders should be a dead giveaway. Yes, Bruce generally only takes on boys with similar features, but the changeover is surely noticeable, as is the way in which the Robin mantle coincides with Bruce taking on new wards. In our modern technological age, a secret underground cave also seems pretty hard to hide. Honestly, a bit of facial recognition software, paired with a list of “wealthy Gothamites” should suffice to unmask the Bat.
#1: The “No Killing” Rule
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We understand the moral line that Batman has drawn in the sand - no one should take it upon themselves to play judge, jury, and executioner. But for every rule, there is an exception, and in Batman’s case, that exception should be the Joker. Yes, perhaps taking the Joker’s life would finally unhinge Batman, turning him from vigilante into villain, but given the incalculable loss of life at the hands of the Joker, and the fact that institutions seemingly can’t hold him - what other choice is there? It’s an infuriating oversight that always leads back to the same harrowing thought: maybe Batman needs the Joker just as much as the Clown Prince of Crime needs the Dark Knight.
