So I just finished re-reading Batman: War on Crime - It's one of the best Batman comics I've read, by the way. If you haven't read it I highly recommend you do, even if you're not a Batman fan. You can read find it and other great stories by Paul Dini and Alex Ross in The World's Greatest Super-Heroes.

Anyway, like I said, it's one of the best Batman stories out there. It had a pretty simple premise, but it made a clear distinction between the persona of Bruce Wayne and Batman, and made his humanity the driving force behind the story.

Now, that's not to say that more recent Batman comics haven't show-cased his humanity, but I feel like writers recently seem to be focusing a little too much on him just running from rooftop to rooftop, being stoic, badass Batman, laying the smack-down on the criminal underworld.

But he understands that crime does to people, and that many of the villains in his rogues gallery - even though they've done horrible, inexcusable things - are really decent people who are legitimately insane and aren't fully responsible for their actions. And as much I do love seeing Bats kick butt and take names, his humanity should constantly be front and center, reminding us exactly why he's chosen to do what he does, and I just wish that where a bigger focus.

True

TRUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEe

Now I gotta read this

Scott SNyder's Batman is overrated

~MiB

Sadly many people dont like that or believe that isnt what Batman should be doing, since he its a fantasy character and "escapism".

@deathpoolthet1000: I have no problem with comics being a mode of escapism, but that doesn't mean they can't be great, character driven stories at the same time. Sadly, I think this is also the main reason people get the misconception that Batman is a one-dimensional character. When, in fact, he's been shown to be one of the most complex heroes in DC.

Yeah, even though Snyder's Batman run is one of my favorites I do think it does get overrated from time to time.

And yes, you've gotta! The World's Greatest Super-Heroes hardcover is a must-read for any DC fan, IMO. Paul Dini has a clear understanding of each of the characters and sums them up perfectly. And Alex Ross' art is nothing short of beautiful.

I will be picking that up for just because of Alex ROss's art alone.

DOes this include Batman War on Crime?

~MiB

Love the art style.

I enjoy both sides of batman though. The one where he's like a machine and the more human one. I do like that writers tend to focus on the more badass crime fighting machine side of him more though. Batman is a creature of fear and power. It is cool to see his more humane side from time to time though. We have seen some of that in new 52 actually, in the new detective comics run and more recently with Snyder's series. There have been some crappy batman writers, we are lucky to have Scott Snyder writing our batman stories by the way.

This. This is what I see as Batman. And other moments where he shows his humanity is how I always picture him. Not the emotionless character that seems so inhuman. Which is why I always think the real person is Bruce and he puts on two mask- Batman (the vigilante and superhero) and Bruce Wayne (playboy billionaire).

@battle_forum_junkie: Thats what it means to them, they like one dimensional characters.

Very nicely written blog, keep up the good work ^_^

I do like it when Batman is like this and I love Paul Dini's work. Batman TAS and Heart Of Hush are great. Will check this out one day.

I have already read this before and I have to agree with you, it was awesome.

Agreed. Batman is a man, not an inhuman crime fighting machine. He uses fear against criminals only so that innocent people don't have to be fearful, and he believes in second chances.

@jayc1324: Gotham is full of creatures of fear and power. They're called villains. Without his compassion, Batman is simply an opposing force, the heroic version of the asteroid that Superman punches into a million pieces. Escapism has everything to do with what he does, but not why he does it.

I'm definitely going to read this now.

*Scurries off to Comixology*

@darthmummy: Compassion doesn't help you beat Riddler like he did in zero year, or beat joker. Sometimes he needs to be a machine, that creature of fear. Some guys don't deserve compassion. But when they do, batman occasionally gives it, which I like. I just prefer the more monstrous side of batman. Anyone can show compassion, but they can't do what batman does. That's why he uses fear.

@jayc1324: Sure, from a purely practical perspective, Batman uses fear because he has to. But it's just another tool, a resource in his war on crime. It's not at the heart of what he does. If fear was more important to him then helping people, he'd be interchangeable with Scarecrow.

At the heart of what Batman does is a desire to set people free from fear. Not just the fear he felt orphaned and alone in crime alley, but also the fear used by extortionists, the fear of commuting home at night at the risk of being held up, the fear of a clean, well-meaning cop in a filthy department, and countless others. While this fear paralyzed others, Bruce was able to rise up and use his resources to help other people, to rescue his family's legacy.

Fear is the what. Compassion is the why.

I'd say Joker deserves compassion more than most of Bats' villains. There was this comic where Batman was forced to revive Joker with the Lazarus pits and it healed his body as well as his mind. But the knowledge of all the pain and horror he caused was too much for his mind to handle and he ultimately snapped back. Batman has seen fist hand the person Joker used to be, and I believe that's one of the main reasons he not only hasn't killed him, but has also saved him an several occasions. He still has hope that he can be cured. That being said, I think the Batman persona is what should be featured most - the title of the comic is "Batman", after all - but I think there should be more of an emphasis on the real Bruce Wayne and what drives him to do what he does, instead of just "Batman fights crime because he's Batman".

I'm also glad to see that Snyder has been bringing more of that into the series recently, and I'm quite eager to check out Detective Comics once the new arc starts.

Then you won't be disappointed. My only complaint is that the panels aren't as large as they where originally.

And yes, it a collected re-print several stories by Dini and Ross, including Superman: Peace on Earth, Wonder Woman: Spirit of Truth, Shazam: Power of Hope, JLA: Origins and JLA: Liberty and Justice.

@battle_forum_junkie: Will check this out. Thanks for showing me this.

@darthmummy: True but sometimes he just has to be a monster, and I like that.

@battle_forum_junkie: In Death of the Family batman pretty clearly expressed his hatred of joker. I don't think he deserves compassion. There's nothing that can cure him, because he is not really crazy, he's just evil. Batman was going to kill him in the Hush story.

Batman shows compassion with other villains quite often though. Always trying to appeal to the good side of them, especially with guys like Mr. freeze who aren't really evil.

@jayc1324: Yeah, it's pretty cool. He confronts his adversaries on a physical and psychological level. He's made himself the centre of some sort of collective phobia among criminals.

If Batman doesnt have emotions, if he isnt remotly human, he isnt better that the monster he face, he its just delusional, not a hero.

@jayc1324: I guess it's just a matter of perspective. It was a pre-flashpoint story but Joker was cured of his insanity, just not permanently. He obviously hates the Joker, but just like Batman is not really who Bruce is, he believes that - weather there actually is not - there's still hope for the person Joker used to be.

As far as Batman: Hush goes, he let himself be blinded by both his anger at what he thought had just happened to Tommy and his hatred for Joker. It was very much a heat of the moment situation.

No problem, glad to hear it.

the drawing is awful.

It's actually oil paints. Out of curiosity, though, what do you dislike about it?

Exactly. The real Bruce Wayne is nothing like the Batman or the billionaire playboy or even Matches Malone. They are merely acts he puts on so that he can better carry out his mission. He's really only a man that wants to stop injustice, so that what happened to him never has to happen to anyone else.

That video also reminds of this scene from Justice League Unlimited. It's one of my favorite Batman moments from that show.

So much yes!!!!!!

It just doesn't appeal to me

Other than that I do agree with OP

There was an amazing story in Legends of the Dark Knight vol 1 where Batman and Robin caught a guy just as he was about to commit a crime and told him every single scenario that would play out if he went through with it. They then released him unharmed. The op kinda reminded me of that story.

I keep having flashbacks to this weird story where a criminal in jail writes a letter to Batman, saying he regrets everything he'd ever done, but that his life is probably screwed forever now, and after he gets out, Bruce helps him find a job and become a productive member of society.

I can't remember for the life of me what it was, though. Anyone got a clue?

@orangebat: Its an episode from BTAS. I forgot the name but it had Nightwing talking to Robin about his and Batman's fallout.

Bump

he recently had a moment somewhat like this

He's had a couple moments like that in the N52. During endgame with that boy who saw his parents get turned and another with Jessica Cruz when she was being overtaken by the Power Ring.

It's from BTAS, it's called Old Wounds. This man was forced into working for the Joker, so naturally Batman and Robin barged into his house to interrogate him. However, Batman goes a little too far and starts to rough up the guy in front of his family (including his young boy), much to Robin (Dick)'s disgust. After the man has served his sentence, Bruce Wayne offered him a job as a security guard and has turned his life around. He is visited often by Nightwing, whom he respects, but he still doesn't like Batman for what he did, yet also is grateful for Bruce Wayne giving him an opportunity.