In the current DC Comics series Batman, Detective, Justice League, in fact almost all DC titles it seems that if Batman is anywhere around, he is being assaulted mentally, physically ,or spiritually. All of the time, hasn’t the Bat had enough?
Anyone who knows of Batman’s origins know that he started from tragedy, his parents were killed in front of him, he trains, studies, scared by a winged rat,and becomes an avenger of the night. However, it seems that the only way we are allowed to see Batman is if he is on the verge of being destroyed. But, this was not always the case.
rom the late 70’s to the mid 80’s Batman/Bruce Wayne was written very uniquely. Spearheaded in the late ’60s by writer Dennis O’Neil, the character had a sometimes difficult but stable personal life, and as Gotham Guardian, had a somewhat balanced professional life. If you were a bad guy, expect pain, suffering, imprisonment, and having an unswell day.
Allies were trusted and worked with on a regular basis. Batman held a certain level of professionalism, but, he wasn’t quite the jerk towards his fellow adventurers as he is depicted now. However, with the advent of the 1989 Batman movie and the powers that be wanting a more serious take on the Caped Crusader, he had to change. Enter The Dark Kngfht Returns and Mr. Frank MIller.
From the release of the Dark Knight limited series , in which a middle aged Bruce Waynes returns from crime fighting retirement, and the monthly titles that followed, Batman went from driven, yet, heroic avenger to darkest dark knight dark with a side of blackness. IN the next few years a Robin was killed off, The Joker assaulted and paralyzed Batgirl (she got better), plans were set up for Batman to take out his allies, and his back was broken by an out of leftfield bad guy, Bane.
However, in the early 2000’s a series called Gotham Knights was released and the principal writer, Devin Grayson, brought in changes for Batman and his team, tham brought a more balanced version of the “Bat-Force” to DC Comics.
But, that idea was lost over time and now we are back to Bane breaking the bat (again), runs of issues where Bruce Wayne is tortured, maimed, and beat down, and may or may not have a way figured out to stop the bad guys. And in TV and movies, he has become a cynical, angry killer, rather than a protector. Isn’t enough, enough?
