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How to become Batman

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Re: How to become Batman

#31

Post by Qz »

l0nwlf wrote: post #28
ErrantX wrote: post #9

Pfft, no vision! However, this thesis seems mostly sensible. I think the crucial answer is that the "Skillz" of Batman are attainable, and there is a reasonable proportion of people in the world with potential to attain them, BUT the problem of being Batman is not in the technology. The problem, as highlighted, is that there is no role for Batman in our current society. Vigilantism is frowned on, and, practically spe…

> But the real problem is that Batman exists to solve a problem; Gotham has a massive crime problem, way beyond what we see in any major city in the world. And it is a city where number of crime bosses, criminal geniuses and psychopaths exist, and where they can act fairly freely. Gotham was created for batman IMHO and not vice-versa. If someday batman dies, spiderman won't come from New York for load balancing. Why…

Gotham is New York.

Re: How to become Batman

#32

Post by Qz »

mtw wrote: post #24
ErrantX wrote: post #9

Pfft, no vision! However, this thesis seems mostly sensible. I think the crucial answer is that the "Skillz" of Batman are attainable, and there is a reasonable proportion of people in the world with potential to attain them, BUT the problem of being Batman is not in the technology. The problem, as highlighted, is that there is no role for Batman in our current society. Vigilantism is frowned on, and, practically spe…

The idea of Batman could work in somaliland (no government, lots of corruption, rampant crime). Mexico (drug war) would also work, or any other country with corrupt or non-existing police forces

If you actually read up on Somalia you'll find that in many places they're actually doing just fine with no government. The places with problems are 1) the places controlled by the pretend government, and 2) the places where UN&co try to hand out aid.

Re: How to become Batman

#33

Post by stonemetal »

stcredzero wrote: post #20
michael_dorfman wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have to say, my first reaction on reading this was "Quora? You see that thing you're jumping over? I hate to break it to you, but that's the shark."

When did HN jump the shark?

Well, they let me sign up so it must have happened already.

Re: How to become Batman

#34

Post by ryoshu »

ErrantX wrote: post #25
mtw wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The idea of Batman could work in somaliland (no government, lots of corruption, rampant crime). Mexico (drug war) would also work, or any other country with corrupt or non-existing police forces

I suspect you'd end up with the opposite problems in such places; i.e. too much lawlessness :) Kinda hard to be non-lethal when your target is surrounded by men with automatic rifles and little compunction about killing you (they are, after all, at "war"). I suppose it could work if you switched into more of a commando style hero; taking out the head bad guys of your own volition.

Punisher instead of Batman.

Re: How to become Batman

#35

Post by anujkk »

l0nwlf wrote: post #28
ErrantX wrote: post #9

Pfft, no vision! However, this thesis seems mostly sensible. I think the crucial answer is that the "Skillz" of Batman are attainable, and there is a reasonable proportion of people in the world with potential to attain them, BUT the problem of being Batman is not in the technology. The problem, as highlighted, is that there is no role for Batman in our current society. Vigilantism is frowned on, and, practically spe…

> But the real problem is that Batman exists to solve a problem; Gotham has a massive crime problem, way beyond what we see in any major city in the world. And it is a city where number of crime bosses, criminal geniuses and psychopaths exist, and where they can act fairly freely. Gotham was created for batman IMHO and not vice-versa. If someday batman dies, spiderman won't come from New York for load balancing. Why…

Wow. Someone talked about Nagraj. Super Comando Dhruva is my fav and I think his villains are quite diverse in terms of powers.

Re: How to become Batman

#36

Post by defen »

l0nwlf wrote: post #28
ErrantX wrote: post #9

Pfft, no vision! However, this thesis seems mostly sensible. I think the crucial answer is that the "Skillz" of Batman are attainable, and there is a reasonable proportion of people in the world with potential to attain them, BUT the problem of being Batman is not in the technology. The problem, as highlighted, is that there is no role for Batman in our current society. Vigilantism is frowned on, and, practically spe…

> But the real problem is that Batman exists to solve a problem; Gotham has a massive crime problem, way beyond what we see in any major city in the world. And it is a city where number of crime bosses, criminal geniuses and psychopaths exist, and where they can act fairly freely. Gotham was created for batman IMHO and not vice-versa. If someday batman dies, spiderman won't come from New York for load balancing. Why…

> If someday batman dies, spiderman won't come from New York for load balancing

Dude, you can't cross the streams! (Marvel & DC)

Re: How to become Batman

#37

Post by sb »

Damn it, if I had known when I was 18!

OTOH, I guess since the common opinion is that most bad guys are boring drug dealers, it's fair to say that if there are people inquiring about how to be Batman, there probably are ones interested in becoming one of his arch-enemies (which is probably less difficult, too :)

Re: How to become Batman

#38

Post by JanezStupar »

Umm there is something else - most of the crooks in Batman seem to be burning some midnight oil studying and practicing - right down to the ordinary mobster level.

So a real Batman in real world, where criminals are not all competent in many fields (except crime OFC - at least when Batman is around) could get by with lots lower skills.

Also a lot of skills overlap... Take this guy for instance (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnClWxkcS4g) I guess that he has quite some of necessary skills to be a batman. Come to think of it - MOSSAD operatives probably are quite a representation of actual "batmen" - with tech and all :).

Re: How to become Batman

#39

Post by jokermatt999 »

mkr-hn wrote: post #27
stcredzero wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps many individuals all posing as a single individual, with the majority involved acting in support roles. It's starting to sound eerily like Anonymous, actually.

This came up in Batman Beyond a lot. "Is he the original Batman?" "No way, he'd be a hundred years old!" "Maybe he's immortal..."

It seems like a number of superhero comics (which I am lacking in citations for) have focused on the idea of the superhero as more a symbol rather than a person. Any worthy successor can pick up the mask/costume/cape and continue fighting crime in the name of Fooman, and thus Fooman becomes a legend rather than a single person. In the words of The Sandlot, "Heroes get remembered, but legends never die."

The Dark Knight had an interesting take on this with the impostor Batmen in the beginning using guns, and the real Batman showing up to stop them. (There's something to be said about culture and intellectual property in there too, but that's for another day). I'm sure there are plenty of other good examples as well, but my knowledge of superheros is rather sparse as I was unfortunately never that big into comics.

Re: How to become Batman

#40

Post by [deleted] »

cturner wrote: post #19

My biggest niggle about Batman is how he'd get to and from the scene, particularly roads near his house. Locals would see the batmobile on the same road repeatedly. Lovers in the bushes would see/be squashed by the car pulling into the tunnel. Word would soon get around.

[deleted]
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