I truly think that sometimes there’s a misunderstanding about whatBatmanis. He isn’t a version of Marvel’s Punisher, creeping around Gotham City to take vengeance on criminals just for the sake of it. I understand why this misconception started, as one of Batman’s most iconic lines has him describing how he is vengeance incarnate. Still, I don’t think this accurately portrays what Batman is at the heart of his character.
The perfect moment showcasing whoBatmantruly is comes fromPlanetary / Batman: Night on Earth#1 by Warren Ellis and the late John Cassaday.Planetaryisn’t exactly one of DC’s biggest franchises, so it makes sense why most fans haven’t read this one-shot. But thw crossover holds what I think isthe perfect demonstration of who Batman truly is and what he’s fighting for. He isn’t fighting just for the sake of vengeance; he’s trying to ensure no one suffers as he had.
This story follows Batman and Planetary both going after the criminal John Black, but when Batman realizes the full extent of John’s powers and how he got them,he realizes that John isn’t truly at fault here and that it’s not vengeance tha he needs, but compassion. This realization leads into my absolute favorite line from Batman as he addresses John Black.
Batman Was Never Truly About Vengeance, But He’s Always Been About Compassion
Planetary / Batman: Night on Earth#1 by Warren Ellis, John Cassaday, David Baron, and Wes Abbott
A lot of media has portrayedBatman as someone who seeks out vengeance. The iconic line spoken by Kevin Conroy inBatman: The Animated Seriesliterally claims “I am vengeance!” It’s hard to argue with that, but I think that’s a moment that Batman needs to move past. It’s fine if he starts out believing himself to be vengeance. The Matt Reeves movieThe Batmanplayed with this very idea by havingBatman claim to be vengeanceonly to realize that vengeance can’t save Gotham City, that it needs something more. It was a great evolution of Bruce’s character in the movie.
It’s hard to overstate just how much effectThe Dark Knight Returnshad on Batman’s legacy.
Another iconic example of Bruce’s darker motivations comes from Frank Miller’sThe Dark Knight Returns, where Bruce has another iconic line: “The only way the world makes sense is if you force it to.” But I don’t believe that, and I don’t think Bruce would either. Granted,Miller’s take is a much darker and grittier version of Batman, and it’s hard to overstate just how much effectThe Dark Knight Returnshad on Batman’s legacy, but I always thought the line made Batman seem far too violent and conflict-hungry - like he’s looking for fights so he can force people into his idea of how the world should be.
Batman Believes That Compassion Can Save the World
Vengeance Only Gets You So Far, Even for a Vigilante
ThroughoutPlanetary / Batman, both Batman and Planetary are chasing down John Black, a supposed criminal who has multiverse warping powers. The multiverse keeps warping around John Black, and it seems like he may be using that to try and escape. Initially, Batman tries to capture John Black to bring him to Arkham Asylum, but as the multiverse keeps shifting, Batman shifts with it, resulting inBatman shifting into his very first iteration:a version of Batman who has no issue with lethal force. But before he can kill John Black, he’s convinced that John isn’t the villain - he’s the victim.
How hasPlanetaryaffected more recent DC events? For an answer, check out the just-concludedOutsidersseries by Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, and Robert Carey, available now from DC Comics.
It turns out that John Black’s powers are the result of him and his family being put into a concentration camp that experimented on them. John’s parents didn’t survive, but he did, and he gained powers he couldn’t control. With these incredible abilities, John accidentally causes destruction across the multiverse, butBatman is able to soothe him and help him get a grasp on his powers. He doesn’t beat John senseless, and he doesn’t lock him up in Arkham. Instead, he does what I think everyperfect adaptation of Batman should do: he recognizes a victim and helps them.
As One of DC’s Key Characters, Batman Is All About Saving Anyone He Can
Batman Doesn’t Want Vengeance, He Wants Redemption
Batman leans down next to John Black and gives the following speech that I truly think isthe best representation of Batman’s ideals. He tells John:
Do you remember your parents? Do you remember their smiles? Do you remember times when they made you feel safe? That’s what you hold on to. That’s what you’re able to do for other people. That’s how you make the world make sense, and if you can do that–you can stop the world from making more people like us.
Batman’s Biggest Flaw Is Turned Against Him, As a Different Justice Leaguer Becomes DC’s #1 Schemer
Absolute Power concluded with one last major twist, revealing that Batman can longer take the title of the Justice League’s best schemer.
Batman isn’t out here trying to beat criminals just to beat criminals. He isn’t seeking vengeance on those he feels are evil. He will do that if necessary, but it’s not his priority. Batman isn’t an agent of vengeance; he’s an agent of hope and compassion, and he uses his abilities first and foremost for those in need. When Batman realizes that John Black is a victim, he immediately stops trying to capture him, instead comforting him and explaining how he can use his memories of his parents to do good in the world, to verify that no one suffers like he did ever again. I truly believe that’s whatBatmanis all about.
Planetary / Batman: Night on Earth#1is available now from DC Comics!
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
