I'm going to start this post by saying that it makes perfect sense for Batman to NOT have street level powers, and instead be in pair with the likes of Wonder Woman and Superman. In fact, it makes NO SENSE why he is surronded by people who are "just humans" like him but have weapons that rivals those superpowerful beings, and yet he refuses to upgrade his armor and arsenal:
The feeling many Batman fans have from this could be "I like Batman because he is just human, that would ruin the character." No, this makes the character better and rely on real, stablished armor, instead of plot armor. Let me explain.
There are basically two options when it comes to integrating Batman with the Justice League universe:
Just to end with the "he is just human" argument once'em for all, saying that Batman does what he does without a suit that enhahnces his strength, agility and durability is the same as saying he is super human. He can lift 500 lbs, dodge bullets and survives when hit by superpoweful beings.
Giving him an armor that suits the logics of his universe and gives him enhanced athleticism does not only makes sense, but also creates opportunity for him to actually be "just human"; and situations where he cannot rely on the suit and has to do the job with actual human level powers, so the story can show that the man makes Batman, not the weapons or plot armor. In my view, much more interesting.
I would also quickly mention what can be called "the tragdity of the realistic character". Basically, because it is stated that Steel is able to make fictional armor and Batman is "realistic" from the start, the general publics thinks it is perfectly resonable for Steel to have his fictional armor while Batman is "realistic", even though Batman is smarter, richer and with more resources than Steel. The same thing happens in other fictional universes, such as with DnD martials, but this is a content for another post.
What I am trying to say is that stories where Batman made a resonable Batsuit are usually deemed as "ilogical" while other characters such as Steel and Luthor do exactly the same thing and it is fine, because of "the tragdity of the realistic character".
It is way better to Batman as a character and to the universe for him to have a Batsuit that enhances his physicallity, specially when he is in the Justice League where unenhanced humans cannot survive without plot armor.
Therefore, I think it is better to the DC universe to oficcially recognize that Batman does have a Batsuit that enhances him, or just remove his participation in the Justice League.
Thank you very much for reading until the end.
- Lex Luthor is able to create an arsenal of weapons, mechs and suits that rival Superman. Batman not having them is a plot hole. Why can't he make them himself or just learn how to do them by spying Lexcorp (which is completly plausable due to his stealth skills). Steel is his co-worker, which Batman sees pretty much every day, and he never wonders how the hell he can make armor and suits that are that strong? It just does not make much sense...
- There are tons and tons of fictional metals in the DC Universe such as metallo that have a durabilty equivalent to the likes of Superman. Superman even has a villain that was literally a normal dude until he was transported to a metallo body, and then became super powerful. Batman could literally just make his Batsuit and weapons out of metallo and then boom, he can literally be Batman but now with superpowerful beings. If he is that smart, why wouldn't he do that? I don't know...
- They defeated Aliens, creatures from other dimensions, magical entities so many times, so you can't say he has no technology to build some sort of Batsuit that could enhance his strength and durability. Also, he has money to build an entire space base in orbit, BUT HE HAS NOT MONEY TO UPGRADE HIS OWN FREAKING STUFF??? Like in some comics this man does not event wear a bullet proof vest and other gadgets that exist IN REAL LIFE, and instead drips with a cottom shirt that is vulnerable to stabs and gun shots as he just came straight from 1939.
The feeling many Batman fans have from this could be "I like Batman because he is just human, that would ruin the character." No, this makes the character better and rely on real, stablished armor, instead of plot armor. Let me explain.
There are basically two options when it comes to integrating Batman with the Justice League universe:
- Give him an upgraded Batsuit or exoeskelleton that gives him enhanced strength and duability. This causes no further complication, is more plausible and you can just adjust the enhancements to a reasonable level.
- Divide the tasks in the Justice League, assigning combat to other members and letting Batman be more like a strategist, detective and "brains" of the team. During combats, writters will have to constantly walk on eggs with Batman, leaving him out of them or always assigning him an opponent of his level; until they cannot, so they just save him with plot armor. It eventually WILL happen, and every DC fan knows that.
Just to end with the "he is just human" argument once'em for all, saying that Batman does what he does without a suit that enhahnces his strength, agility and durability is the same as saying he is super human. He can lift 500 lbs, dodge bullets and survives when hit by superpoweful beings.
Giving him an armor that suits the logics of his universe and gives him enhanced athleticism does not only makes sense, but also creates opportunity for him to actually be "just human"; and situations where he cannot rely on the suit and has to do the job with actual human level powers, so the story can show that the man makes Batman, not the weapons or plot armor. In my view, much more interesting.
I would also quickly mention what can be called "the tragdity of the realistic character". Basically, because it is stated that Steel is able to make fictional armor and Batman is "realistic" from the start, the general publics thinks it is perfectly resonable for Steel to have his fictional armor while Batman is "realistic", even though Batman is smarter, richer and with more resources than Steel. The same thing happens in other fictional universes, such as with DnD martials, but this is a content for another post.
What I am trying to say is that stories where Batman made a resonable Batsuit are usually deemed as "ilogical" while other characters such as Steel and Luthor do exactly the same thing and it is fine, because of "the tragdity of the realistic character".
It is way better to Batman as a character and to the universe for him to have a Batsuit that enhances his physicallity, specially when he is in the Justice League where unenhanced humans cannot survive without plot armor.
Therefore, I think it is better to the DC universe to oficcially recognize that Batman does have a Batsuit that enhances him, or just remove his participation in the Justice League.
Thank you very much for reading until the end.
