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Lots of people read DARK KNIGHT and enjoyed cranky, brutal, frustrated old Batman so much that we got cranky, brutal, frustrated young Batman very often as a result.
That’s not Miller’s fault. He wrote (and drew) a really good book.
That’s not Miller’s fault. He wrote (and drew) a really good book.
But the takeaway from it, as is often the case, was the shallowest, least nuanced takeaway available. Much like when one of the takeaways from MARVELS was “let’s do more plastic covers."
Cranky old Batman’s internal narrative became cranky young Batman’s dialogue patter, rather than, say, his cleverness and humor.
The idea that it took years of enforced retirement to create that frustration was ignored.
Batman got simpler.
The idea that it took years of enforced retirement to create that frustration was ignored.
Batman got simpler.
Cranky young Batman was pretty popular, though, so we’ve gotten a lot of it over the years.
I just don’t think that was the goal.
And for my part, at least, I’d rather have a more nuanced, complex Batman.
I just don’t think that was the goal.
And for my part, at least, I’d rather have a more nuanced, complex Batman.
That’s not to say we never see that any more. But whenever we see a Batman who’s such a crank that he keeps alienating his closest friends and family, I wonder what happened to Bruce Wayne, the charming, affable face that Batman can adopt AT WILL.
Even if Batman is being extra-biorhythmically cranky that day, why doesn’t he just use his Bruce skills to not alienate his friends? Bruce is charming, smart, convincing and capable of guiding others to see the conclusions Bruce wants them to see.
Those are useful skills...
Those are useful skills...
…and when Batman gets presented as angry Batman who can’t interact well even with people he knows well, to the point that it’s counterproductive, I don’t think it makes him look boss, I think it makes him look stupid.
He has tools at his disposal to avoid being so...
He has tools at his disposal to avoid being so...
…ineffective at social dynamics. You’d think he’d use them to get to the goals he knows he wants to get to.
But instead, we often get a Batman modeled after a lonely, bitter old guy who has lost much of his social skill, or after Rohrschach, who is socially inept.
But instead, we often get a Batman modeled after a lonely, bitter old guy who has lost much of his social skill, or after Rohrschach, who is socially inept.
I’d like to see Batman be a guy who can defuse a social minefield with words AND take down criminals with his (gloved) hands, because he’s just that good.
Surly Batman has an excuse in DARK KNIGHT RETURNS. I don’t get what the excuse is for Young Capable Batman.
Surly Batman has an excuse in DARK KNIGHT RETURNS. I don’t get what the excuse is for Young Capable Batman.
