Would you like modern Batman to be more like Adam West Batman, or dark and grim?

[gregpersons]

Agreed. Though I don't think this 'back and forth' happens all the time though. Rather, its a more gradual, cyclical process.

Even Frank Miller envisioned his Batman as being the guy from the 60's TV show who, 20-odd years later, was older and wearier and a bit psychologically damaged from the long years of the crusade.

Grant Morrison took a similar view of Batman's history. He starts out as fairly well-balanced, despite the persona of the grim ruthless vigilante he adopts to terrorize criminals. When Robin joins him, he actually finds his work fun and revels in all the superhero craziness. But after Dick leaves, his world steadily starts to become darker, culminating in a series of tragedies that almost break him emotionally - Jason Todd's death, Barbara's crippling, and later, Knightfall and No Man's Land. But eventually, he picks himself up again and regains the optimism of his early years.

Interestingly, this is the same arc as the Batman of the Nolan-verse.

He begins fairly well-adjusted. He's using an eccentric and unorthodox method, but he's sane and in control of his actions.
After successfully becoming a symbol of hope and a deterrent against crime, he finds hope in his work through his friendship with Rachel Dawes and his belief in Harvey Dent.
After he loses his closest friend, and Dent is corrupted, his world becomes darker and he turns his own symbol into a lie, and he breaks emotionally.
Eventually, after Bane's Knightfall/NML, he picks himself up again and regains the optimism of his early years and finds a new lease on life.

[bat39]

Interestingly, this is the same arc as the Batman of the Nolan-verse.

He begins fairly well-adjusted. He's using an eccentric and unorthodox method, but he's sane and in control of his actions.
After successfully becoming a symbol of hope and a deterrent against crime, he finds hope in his work through his friendship with Rachel Dawes and his belief in Harvey Dent.
After he loses his closest friend, and Dent is corrupted, his world becomes darker and he turns his own symbol into a lie, and he breaks emotionally.
Eventually, after Bane's Knightfall/NML, he picks himself up again and regains the optimism of his early years and finds a new lease on life.

True.

Of course the difference is that Nolanverse Bruce's story was able to end, while in the comics, Batman will continue to flip between lightness and darkness, depending on the prevailing trends and creator and audience tastes.

[Hypestyle]

Someone that can be serious, but isn't a total jerk, emotionally constipated, and can smile (genuinely) on regular occasions?

And, yes, the recent Titans episode may have slightly influenced this, but my point stands.

No, I'm not talking about stuffing Luke Fox into the suit for this kind of thing, I'm talking about Bruce Wayne.



I ask because as time goes on with his current direction, I find it harder and harder to justify why he has kids, why he has friends, and why he isn't locked up in Blackgate with the other psychos.

Copper-age pre-Frank Miller works for me.

[Starrius]

I prefer Batman to be dark,serious and grim with signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from seeing his parents shot to death when he was a child.