Controversial Batfamily Opinions

[SiegePerilous02]

Why? I don’t feel the Al Ghul is inherently problematic. Which I feel is what your implying.

The Middle Eastern terrorist angle that they run on is pretty played out.

Plus they are so far removed from the regular stomping grounds of Batman and his other foes that I don't think losing them would negatively impact much.

[Gaius]

Somewhat along similar lines, I think everything related to the Al Ghul portion of the mythos should be retired.

Yeah, I can see that given how they rely on Beware the Orient and Dragon Lady cliches.

Plus I'd be rather hard pressed to name a Ra's story I've liked made in the last few...decades by this point.

I think Blackgate is for normal criminals and Arkham is for super powered criminals and irrational dangerous people who are up for life in prison since I think Death Penalty is illegal in Gotham. I actually love the theme of mental illness/complexes in Batman's Rogues since its one of the reasons his' are so unique.

In a vacuum there can be interesting stories done with it, yes, but I think in general it's just used to make some of his villains seem deeper than they really are by relying on "the mentally ill are menace to us" stereotypes. Especially since also Arkham is pretty much a shorthand for supervillain prison these days rather than a psychiatry ward.

And I'm pretty sure by this point that most of Bats' villains have probably committed crimes that cross state lines so even the argument "Gotham, or the state Gotham's in, doesn't have the death penalty" probably doesn't even hold up.

[Alan2099]

they don't have fictional American countries where people are fat and eat burgers all day.

Big Belly Burger is the number 1 fastfood chain in DC's America. Does that count for anything?

[Restingvoice]

Big Belly Burger is the number 1 fastfood chain in DC's America. Does that count for anything?

No coz the DC America is not defined by it. I haven't even heard of Big Belly Burger until someone mentions it in the DC characters food thread

[Aahz]

and Damian who they most often portray as mini-Bruce than anything representing Arabic culture...

The Al Ghuls don't have much to do with Arabic culture...

[Restingvoice]

The Al Ghuls don't have much to do with Arabic culture...

True, it will be worse if they do, but Damian's a high profile hero, so they can use him

[Aahz]

But with Damians Family background it would probaly not such a good idea to play the diversity angle up to much.

And like I said it would also really be in line with how Ras and the LoA were portrait in the past, and how and where Damian was raised.

Btw. I find it wired that for some reason people seem to always forget that both Damian and Cass are actually half Caucasian, and don't really have and arabic/asian cultural background, which makes them both not exactly the best options for representation.

[John Venus]

The Middle Eastern terrorist angle that they run on is pretty played out.

Plus they are so far removed from the regular stomping grounds of Batman and his other foes that I don't think losing them would negatively impact much.

On the contrary, I think the Al Ghul's are a perfect example of how you can do POC villains.

Ras is not rooted in any specific Asian or Middle Eastern culture nor is he a representative of one. He is often cast as sympathetic because his ultimate goal is to save the world from us but he goes about it in the worst way possible. His motives are goals are his own.

[The tall man]

I think Bruce should be the arbiter for who gets to wear the bat symbol. Now I'm not saying that he should get to decide who becomes a crime fighting vigilantly, he has no say in that. But he most definitely should have a say in who slaps a bat symbol on their chest and claim to represent it. Also did the mantle of Batman needs to end with Bruce, Batman should just be a "thing" that had a finite span, no need for it to continue on after him. The mantle of Batman should not be something that anyone can just claim, it cheapens and devalues it.

[Tzigone]

I think Bruce should be the arbiter for who gets to wear the bat symbol. Now I'm not saying that he should get to decide who becomes a crime fighting vigilantly, he has no say in that. But he most definitely should have a say in who slaps a bat symbol on their chest and claim to represent it. Also did the mantle of Batman needs to end with Bruce, Batman should just be a "thing" that had a finite span, no need for it to continue on after him. The mantle of Batman should not be something that anyone can just claim, it cheapens and devalues it.

I can agree with that. He owns the Batsymbol, but he doesn't own Gotham. I also am in very much in agreement with not passing the mantle. Indeed, it's a person, not a title to me (same for most heroes - not a fan of legacies). And, in-universe, it's insulting to other heroes the greatest thing they can ever do is step into a senior heroes boots. That they could never make their names as great or respected or valued. That their greatest worth comes from being heir to that other person's title instead of all the other actions they achieved under their own.

[prepmaster]

Those that truly understand what Batman is would not want to be Batman. Dick Grayson is one of the few persons to understand it. And its the reason why Bruce would trust Dick the most to be a good Batman.

[Tzigone]

Those that truly understand what Batman is would not want to be Batman. Dick Grayson is one of the few persons to understand it. And its the reason why Bruce would trust Dick the most to be a good Batman.

Well, if anyone else became Batman, they could easily change "what Batman is" and be more like the old Batman or other heroes, who manage the hero business quite well and can have it be a positive impact on their lives.

[prepmaster]

Well, if anyone else became Batman, they could easily change "what Batman is" and be more like the old Batman or other heroes, who manage the hero business quite well and can have it be a positive impact on their lives.

Being Batman does not correlate much with pursuing personal goals. The secret identity combined with a growing number of enemies alone are a problem, not mentioning other sacrifice one has to be willing to make as Batman. Batman is the most feared figure to criminals in Gotham.

[Tzigone]

Being Batman does not correlate much with pursuing personal goals. The secret identity combined with a growing number of enemies alone are a problem, not mentioning other sacrifice one has to be willing to make as Batman. Batman is the most feared figure to criminals in Gotham.

That doesn't make him any different than any other hero (with a secret identity), IMO. I also strongly disagree that heroes shouldn't be able to pursue personal goals. I'm getting kind of tired of "being a hero is a soul-sucking calling that destroys your life" and would much prefer the older idea that, while not without its sacrifices, being a hero is a net positive in the lives of most of them. That's its something fulfilling instead of destructive for the majority who engage in it (and all who do so long-term, because I need to want the hero to be hero in order to enjoy reading, and I can't when it's nothing but a long, slow drive inevitably ending in misery and destroying the life of the hero).

[prepmaster]

That doesn't make him any different than any other hero (with a secret identity), IMO. I also strongly disagree that heroes shouldn't be able to pursue personal goals. I'm getting kind of tired of "being a hero is a soul-sucking calling that destroys your life" and would much prefer the older idea that, while not without its sacrifices, being a hero is a net positive in the lives of most of them. That's its something fulfilling instead of destructive for the majority who engage in it (and all who do so long-term, because I need to want the hero to be hero in order to enjoy reading, and I can't when it's nothing but a long, slow drive inevitably ending in misery and destroying the life of the hero).

Batman is a different kind of hero. He is not an ordinary hero that saves lives. He is the kind of hero that instills fear onto criminals.

A soldier does not go to the frontline and brings his family with him.

Batman understands the pain of losing loved ones and does not want others become close to him and suffer from the same pain of seeing him go down.

This is why Batman struggles between his love life and crime fighting career. He just cant allow others to suffer from the same trauma he is suffering from.