View Poll Results: TBWL: Good Character or Lame Character

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  • He's a cool character

    3 5.56%
  • He's a lame character

    42 77.78%
  • Mouth of Sauron

    9 16.67%
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  1. #16
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    His idea is actually quite cool, but Snyder and DC used him too much, and he becomes ridiculous. I mean, it's not even brainer that the design of Batman Who Laugh really screams awesome (despite being inspired by Dark Judge of Dredd as obvious as the sunrise from the east) and the mix between Joker unfear-chaos tendency and Batman's brain seems a cool idea to sell to the casual readers. Now, the problem is how they (DC and Snyder) used him. He is really oversaturated, which is not even funny.

  2. #17
    Extraordinary Member CPSparkles's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gaius View Post
    Tied with Harley for "Scrappy of the DC Universe" at the moment.
    Harley is a much better character and most def not a scrappy.

    TBWL is one of those that was fun at first but then Snyder and DC didn't know when to stop.
    Now he's just lame. Some concepts don't have enough for prolonged continuous use

  3. #18
    Incredible Member Light of Justice's Avatar
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    Hate Batman's plot armor. Hate Joker's plot armor. Somehow he has both, so I double hate him.

  4. #19
    Moderator Frontier's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CPSparkles View Post
    Harley is a much better character and most def not a scrappy.

    TBWL is one of those that was fun at first but then Snyder and DC didn't know when to stop.
    Now he's just lame. Some concepts don't have enough for prolonged continuous use
    Well, depends which version of Harley we're talking about .

    But at least I can see more value in her than I do the BWL.

  5. #20
    Astonishing Member kurenai24's Avatar
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    Haven't read anything he's in ...well I have but I skimmed the book b/c I just wanted to read specific parts that was recommended but I have no positive or negative feelings, I just think he's overexposed.
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  6. #21
    Ultimate Member Gaius's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CPSparkles View Post
    Harley is a much better character and most def not a scrappy.

    TBWL is one of those that was fun at first but then Snyder and DC didn't know when to stop.
    Now he's just lame. Some concepts don't have enough for prolonged continuous use
    For Harley fans she isn’t a scrappy sure, but I’m not and when she shows up in a book I’m reading my interest sinks like a rock. Amount of stories involving her and BMWL I enjoy I could count on one hand and still have five fingers.
    Last edited by Gaius; 11-30-2020 at 01:35 PM.

  7. #22
    Astonishing Member Fergus's Avatar
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    I enjoyed him in Dark Knights Metal not so much now

  8. #23

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    Lame is too harsh, how do I put it... He's like a super edgy OC. I find how other characters react to him entertaining sometimes.
    december 21st has passed where are my superpowers?

  9. #24
    Ultimate Member Ascended's Avatar
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    I agree with Laufeyson, the Batman Who Laughs is a interesting character/concept but DC over-used him to the point where I don't really want to see the guy again for at least 5-10 years.

    But conceptually, this guy is the manifestation of the absolute worst elements of the Batgod concept taken to their furthest extreme. As meta-commentary TBWL is pretty legit and the embodiment of everything wrong with the Batgod approach to Bruce.

    As a character TBWL is pretty thin, he's got nothing to offer; he's just crazy/evil Batman but without any of the morality/ethical plays that makes Bruce compelling. But that's fine; I see TBWL not as a character, but as a plot device (much like Doomsday) and a sharp rebuke of DC's handling of Bruce since (roughly) Morrison's JLA. I don't know if Snyder intended any of this, but that's what I've taken away from the character; TBWL is every authentic complaint about the Batgod given form and let loose to destroy the DCU in a mirror reflection of how the Batgod has undermined all the other IP's at DC's disposal.
    "We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another, as if we were one single tribe."

    ~ Black Panther.

  10. #25
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    BWL is a garbage character.

  11. #26
    Astonishing Member Tzigone's Avatar
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    But conceptually, this guy is the manifestation of the absolute worst elements of the Batgod concept taken to their furthest extreme. As meta-commentary TBWL is pretty legit and the embodiment of everything wrong with the Batgod approach to Bruce.

    As a character TBWL is pretty thin, he's got nothing to offer; he's just crazy/evil Batman but without any of the morality/ethical plays that makes Bruce compelling. But that's fine; I see TBWL not as a character, but as a plot device (much like Doomsday) and a sharp rebuke of DC's handling of Bruce since (roughly) Morrison's JLA. I don't know if Snyder intended any of this, but that's what I've taken away from the character; TBWL is every authentic complaint about the Batgod given form and let loose to destroy the DCU in a mirror reflection of how the Batgod has undermined all the other IP's at DC's disposal.
    I guess we like different things. Firstly, I don't like deconstruction and don't want meta commentary on the problems of comics. Fix what you think the problems are (which I may or may not disagree with), insofar as editorial allows. Secondly, a plot device like Doomsday is really only good once. Thirdly, this "embodiment of everything wrong with the Batgod approach to Bruce" (I agree with the assessment), seems to be wildly popular as a character and likely to simply cause more of the same, not end the trend.

  12. #27
    Mighty Member Dr. Skeleton's Avatar
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    Hate him. Just because he's got an evil clown for a villain doesn't mean he should turn into one as well. What's with those big ugly teeth? My God! Did the Joker venom mutated him that much? And how come the other Jokerized heroes he's plucked out didn't get as mutated? I'd prefer Bat-Doomsday and Bat-Darkseid as I felt those were missed opportunities. This makes me see Bruce Wayne at a different light as I never would've dreamed they would do all that to him. Hope they kill the BMWL pretty soon, this is getting ridiculous.

  13. #28
    Ultimate Member Ascended's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tzigone View Post
    I guess we like different things. Firstly, I don't like deconstruction and don't want meta commentary on the problems of comics. Fix what you think the problems are (which I may or may not disagree with), insofar as editorial allows. Secondly, a plot device like Doomsday is really only good once. Thirdly, this "embodiment of everything wrong with the Batgod approach to Bruce" (I agree with the assessment), seems to be wildly popular as a character and likely to simply cause more of the same, not end the trend.
    Yeah our tastes seem pretty different. But that means you've had some insights I had never considered so I appreciate the fact you don't see things the same way I do.

    And TBWL being popular definitely means the Batgod problems won't go away but BWL's popularity was never going to move the needle anyway. As long as the Batgod rewards DC with profit they'll keep doing it. The only thing that'll save us from the Batgod is fans rejecting the idea and demanding a return of BatMAN. If anything, BWL's popularity just tells us that fans aren't close to being tired of the Batgod. BWL is just a measuring stick.

    But I do enjoy metacommentary in my comics (I have my limits and preferences on how it's applied, of course) and TBWL works well for that. I think you can work towards fixing the problems while also commenting about them. It's not mutually exclusive. You're not wrong that characters like him and Doomsday usually only work once, and I *did* say BWL is painfully overused and I don't want to see him again for several years, but that doesn't devalue the good story you can get out of them, it just means you should skip the sequels.
    "We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another, as if we were one single tribe."

    ~ Black Panther.

  14. #29
    Moderator Frontier's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ascended View Post
    I agree with Laufeyson, the Batman Who Laughs is a interesting character/concept but DC over-used him to the point where I don't really want to see the guy again for at least 5-10 years.

    But conceptually, this guy is the manifestation of the absolute worst elements of the Batgod concept taken to their furthest extreme. As meta-commentary TBWL is pretty legit and the embodiment of everything wrong with the Batgod approach to Bruce.

    As a character TBWL is pretty thin, he's got nothing to offer; he's just crazy/evil Batman but without any of the morality/ethical plays that makes Bruce compelling. But that's fine; I see TBWL not as a character, but as a plot device (much like Doomsday) and a sharp rebuke of DC's handling of Bruce since (roughly) Morrison's JLA. I don't know if Snyder intended any of this, but that's what I've taken away from the character; TBWL is every authentic complaint about the Batgod given form and let loose to destroy the DCU in a mirror reflection of how the Batgod has undermined all the other IP's at DC's disposal.
    For me I just wish a crazy/evil Batman didn't just feel like a trumped up version of Joker. I don't even get Batgod vibes from him because of how absurd Joker is written these days, so that Bat-trappings do nothing for me.

  15. #30
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    in terms of design, he is inspired by the Judge Death and it's not to displease me. The real concern is that he has been over-used in too little time. And most importantly, he is far too OP. He could have been an interesting villain if he had been used once every 5 years for example, but he lacks depth, and in the end he was not better than a fan-fiction character (hey ! what if Batman is... Joker !)
    I try to improve my english, feel free to correct me by DM if you see some mistakes !

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