SEEKERS OF THE BAT

via shortpacked

With space faring Justice League teammates, it only makes sense that Batman ends up fighting in outer space once in a while. Unfortunately, the honest truth is that without powers, he is probably even less useful in space than Aquaman is on land.

However, his popularity lends to some hefty suspension of disbelief,  and/or poor fact checking.  Thus we get toys with Space Batman without a fully functioning space helmet leading to the highly influential web comic above. It led to an eponymous tv trope and came full circle in the pages of Superman/Batman when Batman gained the powers of Superman and this writer tipped their hat with this panel.

ps. Batman has been shown training himself how to best survive deep space for a few moments. Of course he has.

In one corner, we have Superman, the world’s most physically powerful being, able to lift mountains and move at super speed.  In the other, we have Batman, the most paranoid and obsessive planner on the planet, with contingency plans for every situation. If they every had to battle, who would come out victorious? It really depends on who you ask.

Superman fans simply say, Batman doesn’t have powers, Superman could just punch him and that’s that. However Batman fans know that Batman would never let it get down to a physical slugfest.  Or would he?

This scene from Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns show exactly that. A street brawl between these two titans, albeit with Batman in a kryptonite powered exo skeleton AND directly after dropping a nuclear bomb on Superman.

And so the debate between fanboys will rage on. But the truth is that the only reason either can really hurt the other is that they have a grudging respect for one another and allow it. Perhaps it’s best seen in this famous scene where Superman gifts Batman with his infamous kryptonite ring and the prerogative to bring him down if need be.

Bat In The Sun productions gives us another excellent addition to its Batman fan film portfolio with Batman Legends, a compilation of clips featuring faithful renditions of several scenes including the creation of the Joker, the death of Jason Todd, and Bane’s breaking of the Batman. Also notable was a shot of the original Bob Kane Batman with the wide ears :)

This wonderful fan trailer depicts an alternate future where Dick Grayson, the original Robin, has to come out of retirement to avenge the death of the Batman.  They appear to ignore Dick’s time as Nightwing, as well as [his wife!] Barbara’s crippling at the hands of the Joker (although one shot alludes to it). Superman appears to play a minor role as a boy scout blindly following orders, as well as several great appearances by Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Aquaman?, Batgirl, Catwoman, the Riddler, Penguin and of course the Joker. If there was one fan trailer I’d want to see made into a full film, this would definitely be it.

via Untamed Cinema

Poor Batman. He’s great and all, but he’s still only human.

Sean Galloway gives us a great character sheet lineup of Nightwing, Batman and Mr. Freeze, adding Superman and Darkseid for good measure.

via http://gotcheeks.blogspot.com/

An honest and humorous look at Batman’s inherent weaknesses and epic sense of failure. The chinup scene really shows the depths of neurosis and abuse to which Batman can sink. Still, at least he’s not Aquaman :)