"Why doesn't Batman just use his money to fix gotham?"

[Crossfist]

What do you say to or think about this particular criticism of Batman? I think "Batman" as a story does its job of justifying the need for Batman as a character. Yeah he's rich, but Gotham City (and the larger DC universe) have problems that necessarily be solved with money. And he regularly deals with people who have enough resources to bankroll armies of goons, doomsday plots, weapons, etc.

Still, all that doesn't stop someone from seeing Batman as an elite who just wants to punch down. What do you think?

[Superfly Frankenstein]

He kinda sorta is in the current Batman title.

[Rac7d*]

He kinda sorta is in the current Batman title.

It’s like real life people will but
The same people will come and tear it down again

[jetengine]

What do you say to or think about this particular criticism of Batman? I think "Batman" as a story does its job of justifying the need for Batman as a character. Yeah he's rich, but Gotham City (and the larger DC universe) have problems that necessarily be solved with money. And he regularly deals with people who have enough resources to bankroll armies of goons, doomsday plots, weapons, etc.

Still, all that doesn't stop someone from seeing Batman as an elite who just wants to punch down. What do you think?

In the old days it wasnt too feasible an issue. Bruce was rich but not insanely so. Now he's funding moon lasers out his paranoia and buying the JLAs satellite. Its the same problem.Batman always has. To make him relevant to the rest of the DCU they harm his character.

[jb681131]

What do you say to or think about this particular criticism of Batman? I think "Batman" as a story does its job of justifying the need for Batman as a character. Yeah he's rich, but Gotham City (and the larger DC universe) have problems that necessarily be solved with money. And he regularly deals with people who have enough resources to bankroll armies of goons, doomsday plots, weapons, etc.

Still, all that doesn't stop someone from seeing Batman as an elite who just wants to punch down. What do you think?

It's not a critisism at all. Bruce Wayne has always helped Gotham with his money since the begining !
And none of the problems that Batman or the other super-heroes try to fixe can be fixed with money ! I don't know where you get that idea from.

[Vakanai]

Bruce Wayne does use his money to try and fix Gotham - it just hasn't worked. Not in continuity but in Harleen Bruce funded Dr. Quinzel's research hoping it might eventually lead to the rehabilitation of some Arkham inmates - of course it instead lead to a super villain. Bruce has used his money to give scholarships, help out the GCPD, Arkham Asylum, and more, but Joker still runs around causing mass murder.

[SiegePerilous02]

Because status quo is God and status quo requires Gotham to be a shithole.

The out of universe needs (stories need to be written in crapsack Gotham with all its creepy villains to sell comics) unfortunately dictate that things can't progress too far to the positive for Batman no matter how much he and his allies and the non-corrupt cops of the GCPD try. People have a kneejerk reaction to nothing visibly changing, so it's assumed Batman only makes things worse and that he doesn't fight crime on multiple fronts (despite stories and media where he does this very thing). It doesn't matter how much compassion or wealth he throws around to benefit society in-stories, because the next writer will undo it. He is perceives as just punching down at the poor or mentally ill.

Despite the fact that for most of his history he fights very well dressed and well off gangsters, aliens, monsters, ghosts, inter-dimensional fiends, and fantastical supervillains whose classification of being mentally ill is fairly dubious (the Joker being the big example). even if they are legit insane, most of them are also violent serial killers and terrorists. He's not beating up the average citizen with benign mental illnesses and would actually defend them when they are more likely to be the victims. At least when he's written correctly.

[Crossfist]

In the old days it wasnt too feasible an issue. Bruce was rich but not insanely so. Now he's funding moon lasers out his paranoia and buying the JLAs satellite. Its the same problem.Batman always has. To make him relevant to the rest of the DCU they harm his character.

Fair. What are some other ways you think his character has been harmed?

Because status quo is God and status quo requires Gotham to be a shithole.

The out of universe needs (stories need to be written in crapsack Gotham with all its creepy villains to sell comics) unfortunately dictate that things can't progress too far to the positive for Batman no matter how much he and his allies and the non-corrupt cops of the GCPD try. People have a kneejerk reaction to nothing visibly changing, so it's assumed Batman only makes things worse and that he doesn't fight crime on multiple fronts (despite stories and media where he does this very thing). It doesn't matter how much compassion or wealth he throws around to benefit society in-stories, because the next writer will undo it. He is perceives as just punching down at the poor or mentally ill.

Despite the fact that for most of his history he fights very well dressed and well off gangsters, aliens, monsters, ghosts, inter-dimensional fiends, and fantastical supervillains whose classification of being mentally ill is fairly dubious (the Joker being the big example). even if they are legit insane, most of them are also violent serial killers and terrorists. He's not beating up the average citizen with benign mental illnesses and would actually defend them when they are more likely to be the victims. At least when he's written correctly.

I agree with everything you said. The problem that some people might have isn't really with the character, but with the way big two comics work.

[lilyrose]

Batman has to be focused on violent street criminals and psychos to work as a character.

BUT, he could definitely do a lot more in his powerful, privileged position as Bruce Wayne than he ever thinks to do. The real evil in society comes from the callous, uncaring rich who do everything they can to screw over the working class and impoverished people and thereby create the kinds of conditions that spawn villains and crime in the first place. The rich who own corrupt politicians and pay them to screw over the poor and working class and horde everything for themselves.

Bruce is ONE of that class. He could do so much to change that if he wanted to. But you know...Batman needs to be out on the street beating up thugs for the comic book to work.

[SiegePerilous02]

Batman has to be focused on violent street criminals and psychos to work as a character.

BUT, he could definitely do a lot more in his powerful, privileged position as Bruce Wayne than he ever thinks to do. The real evil in society comes from the callous, uncaring rich who do everything they can to screw over the working class and impoverished people and thereby create the kinds of conditions that spawn villains and crime in the first place. The rich who own corrupt politicians and pay them to screw over the poor and working class and horde everything for themselves.

Bruce is ONE of that class. He could do so much to change that if he wanted to. But you know...Batman needs to be out on the street beating up thugs for the comic book to work.

He actually does want to do that and thinks to do it under the pens of certain authors. That's why we get instances of him giving reformed criminals jobs to help them so they won't need to turn to crime to support themselves, donate money to various social reform causes, and go after the corrupt rich criminals and politicians. Bruce isn't stupid and is very compassionate, he should know how this works.

It's just that this is a story designed to go on indefinitely and there is a seemingly endless supply of corrupt city officials in Gotham, so if he works to get rid of one they will be replaced by two more because the story requires it. Gotham can't be turned around too much because then the story ends, unfortunately. Also, too many comics about the social issues can be seen as too preachy when the audience mainly wants fun adventure stories about a crime fighting Dracula thwarting the schemes of unrealistic, garish supervillains.

[Toreador]

Bruce and his Wayne Foundation has always tried to use his money to to help Gotham by building schools, hospitals, clinics, housing projects and opening businesses to provide jobs but people are people and there will always be some people motivated by greed and power and want as much as they can get. And these people will do anything to get it, even illegally.

[Gotham citizen]

Because status quo is God and status quo requires Gotham to be a shithole.
[…]

This is the best possible answer to the question: Gotham is a city created around Batman, with the only purpose to be the scenario of his adventures and these adventures require this kind of Gotham. At least this is the only right answer from an "editorial point of view", but if we want an answer from a "realistic point of view" I think we should consider that the money isn't the magic wand able to fix every issue, because if the issues of a city are caused its citizens behavior (like it happens in Gotham), only changing that behavior you can solve the issues and if the citizens don't want change…
At least this is my opinion.

EDIT: anyway Bruce Wayne often used and uses his money to help Gotham, for example he was one of the greatest financier of the Gotham reconstruction after No Man's Land; if I'm not wrong.

[charliehustle415]

If I remember correctly didn't Bruce give jobs to at-risk youths in Gotham?

In Morrison's Batman there was this girl who was a sex worker that ended up working at WayneTech.

I think Bruce used his companies to fund shelters and giving jobs; I remember in Brubaker's Batman he would give former henchmen jobs at WayneTech to turn their lives around

[Restingvoice]

What do you say to or think about this particular criticism of Batman? I think "Batman" as a story does its job of justifying the need for Batman as a character. Yeah he's rich, but Gotham City (and the larger DC universe) have problems that necessarily be solved with money. And he regularly deals with people who have enough resources to bankroll armies of goons, doomsday plots, weapons, etc.

Still, all that doesn't stop someone from seeing Batman as an elite who just wants to punch down. What do you think?

Boring entertainment and ignores that a lot of his enemies aren't doing it for the money

[skyvolt2000]

What do you say to or think about this particular criticism of Batman? I think "Batman" as a story does its job of justifying the need for Batman as a character. Yeah he's rich, but Gotham City (and the larger DC universe) have problems that necessarily be solved with money. And he regularly deals with people who have enough resources to bankroll armies of goons, doomsday plots, weapons, etc.

Still, all that doesn't stop someone from seeing Batman as an elite who just wants to punch down. What do you think?

Money can not solve all issues.

Bruce can take the worst school in Gotham and MONEY WHIP it to death or even start his own charter school like Brooke Shields and others have done.

You have a nice pretty school with state of tech and high caliber teachers. School opens and at the end of the year it is STILL one of the worst ranked schools in the nation.

WHY? Because you put lipstick on the pig but didn't solve the reason why she need the lipstick. You are still dealing with the same kids from messed up homes and communities.

While you might reach 1-2, there are others you won't reach. Not because you didn't try. Because unlike Dick, Jason, Tim, Damian and for a time Duke-they did not go home to a mansion with a butler.

Or Bruce opens up Gotham version of Wal-mart and other stores in the black part of Gotham. Same issue-you fixed the environment but not the people.

To fix Gotham you have to clean out certain folks. Even Bruce does not have that much money.