Batman and Killing

[Mightybec]

I just saw an eposide of the latest Batman animated series on Cartoon Network. The plot involved the scarecrow using a gas that made people immune to any kind of fear, and used it on Batman. Once he was gassed, he no longer had the fear of the conciquences of killing badguys. This just didn't seem right to me. The only reason he didn't off a few badguys is because Robin steped in to stop him. Was this just a crazy animated script, or is this mentality also shown in some Batman issues that I haven't read?

Mightybec

[Trebuchet]

Originally posted by Mightybec
I just saw an eposide of the latest Batman animated series on Cartoon Network. The plot involved the scarecrow using a gas that made people immune to any kind of fear, and used it on Batman. Once he was gassed, he no longer had the fear of the conciquences of killing badguys. This just didn't seem right to me. The only reason he didn't off a few badguys is because Robin steped in to stop him. Was this just a crazy animated script, or is this mentality also shown in some Batman issues that I haven't read?

I've always felt that Batman's greatest fear is that he might become as bad as the villains he battles. So his Code vs Killing (in Champspeak) is the line he draws for himself so he won't cross over to the dark side.

Given that rationale, I think the animated Batman you saw makes sense.

BTW, nice Glock avatar.

["V"]

I just posted a scathing criticism of the writer of that episode and then found that Trebuchet had posted a much more reasoned explanation of why it could make sense...

Darn.

Bats' fear of becoming as bad as the bad guys is a legit thing to remove. If the writer just meant that he was scared of the retribution that would have been very poor indeed.

Thank goodness we can edit posts...we don't all have invisible tiger buddies to advise us.

[keithcurtis]

Not to make an incredibly abrupt change of subject, but "V", where did you get your avatar?

Keith "Alan Moore Fan" Curtis

["V"]

Ah, well, you see... I pinched it.

A Swedish art group called Blodbad did a live multimedia, theatrical, performance art kind of version of V for Vendetta a little while ago.

Their site is entirely in Swedish, but some kind person made an English translation of it which, since my Swedish is, to say the least, rusty was invaluable.

There are some photographs from the performance, and I... nicked one. Trimmed it down to the appropriate size and used it.

"Mea culpa" (Lilliman).

Here's another lovely pic from the site http://web.ukonline.co.uk/mathias.li...ranslated.html

[zornwil]

Originally posted by Trebuchet
I've always felt that Batman's greatest fear is that he might become as bad as the villains he battles. So his Code vs Killing (in Champspeak) is the line he draws for himself so he won't cross over to the dark side.

Given that rationale, I think the animated Batman you saw makes sense.

BTW, nice Glock avatar.

Hey, Trebuchet, EXCELLENT avatar, nice choice, wish I'd thought of it.

[Trebuchet]

Originally posted by zornwil
Hey, Trebuchet, EXCELLENT avatar, nice choice, wish I'd thought of it.

Thanks. I couldn't find any Spaceman Spiff avatars, so I had to cut down images I found on the web. (Remember: Google is your friend.)

I've got a couple of others so I'll probably rotate them periodically. I just wish these boards allowed larger avatars like 75 X 75 or 100 X 100. But 50 seems to be about the norm.

[J4y]

Batman being driven by fear? I just can't see that being a major element in his personality.

[Insaniac99]

Originally posted by J4y
Batman being driven by fear? I just can't see that being a major element in his personality.

He isn't DRIVEN by fear, he is driven by the need to avenge his parents, his fear is that he would become that which he hates most, which means he fears becoming a killer, so eliminate that fear and you get the guy out for revenge who doesn't care if he kills as long as he gets his revenge.