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How to become Batman

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21–30 of 83 posts

Re: How to become Batman

#21
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's most unrealistic to me is that Batman doesn't use lethal weapons. Good luck fighting armed criminals unless you have a kick ass body armor.

I'm not sure that's so unrealistic. Batman utilises "shock" tactics (i.e. appearing in the middle of a group before they can react). He also promotes a fear factor; where he is viewed as being generally invulnerable - which means criminals psychophysically expect him to be able to avoid/take/survive gunfire. Then on the practical aspect he works at night or in the dark and has technological advantages (as well as ran…

A single individual accomplishing these things and utilizing these tools and tactics is not realistic. A movement of many individuals all using the same "brand" could work.

Re: How to become Batman

#22
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure that's so unrealistic. Batman utilises "shock" tactics (i.e. appearing in the middle of a group before they can react). He also promotes a fear factor; where he is viewed as being generally invulnerable - which means criminals psychophysically expect him to be able to avoid/take/survive gunfire. Then on the practical aspect he works at night or in the dark and has technological advantages (as well as ran…

A single individual accomplishing these things and utilizing these tools and tactics is not realistic. A movement of many individuals all using the same "brand" could work.

"The Battalion" would be the only appropriate name.

Re: How to become Batman

#23
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.

maybe there's a road network after the tunnel. That network is still on his land and lead to multiple exits, villages, highways. Another idea is to have surveillance sensors around the exit (IR, microphones, proximity sensors ) so that he'd know there's someone

But I think the biggest problem is when he's on the road. The batmobile gets noticed and it's easy to get blocked in traffic, or have a crowd around the batmobile when he finds a parking spot.

The green hornet solution is a much more practical. Get a vanilla-looking car, then add high-tech sensors, weapons, and defensive solutions in the car.

Re: How to become Batman

#24
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

Re: How to become Batman

#25
post #24
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

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.

Re: How to become Batman

#26
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A single individual accomplishing these things and utilizing these tools and tactics is not realistic. A movement of many individuals all using the same "brand" could work.

"The Battalion" would be the only appropriate name.

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.

Re: How to become Batman

#27
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"The Battalion" would be the only appropriate name.

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..."

Re: How to become Batman

#28
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 is that almost all the super-heroes have their arch-enemy in their nearby locality. They also share the same trait. For example spiderman villains are mostly mutants and nagraj villains are mostly snake which takes humanoid form.

Re: How to become Batman

#29
I wonder if the money that Batman spends to fight crime could be used more effectively in other ways. Batman is essentially a guy who uses his millions of dollars to fund his private war against criminals of Gotham city. If he used the same money and time to educate kids, invest in rehab programs or create community programs he might be able to get more done than what one man can do in the night. But it probably doesn't have the same kick you get out of beating up criminals.
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