Warning: Contains Spoilers for Batman #150!
Summary
As Bruce Wayne gets back into the philanthropy spotlight in a huge lore change, excitement is coming to theBatmanuniverse regarding Bruce Wayne’s character. After years of Internet memes and half-baked takes about how"Batman only beats up the poor and mentally ill,“DC is assassinating that misconception by showing how Batman has always been: hopeful while still acknowledging the issues the citizens of Gotham face — even the “bad guys.”
In that vein,Batman#150 by Chip Zdarsky, Denys Cowan, and Jorge Jiménezis a tear-jerker tale about a father who thinks he’s doing what’s bestbut is ultimately selfish in his execution. Yet Bruce Wayne is still willing to help both him and his son lead better lives.
Batman has been spread acrosssome interesting storylines in the last few months. From theOrgham familytoFailsafe, Bruce Wayne has had a lot on his plate. But it’s good to know that the Caped Crusader is returning to his roots: caring about those struggling in Gotham City.
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Batman Is Best When He Cares About Gotham’s Citizens
Bruce Wayne’s Philanthropy Is at the Core of His Character
Bruce Wayne uses his generational wealth to aid that mission, whether through crime-fighting gadgets or charity.
Bruce Wayne’s quest for vengeance is often muddied. As the underbelly of Gotham escalates in intensity, it’s easy to forget that Batman began as a costumed detective bent on honoring the death of his parents by doing good for the city he loves. Batman, like Superman, is a symbol of hope.Batman is a terrifying, law-breaking, night-faring vigilante, but he is a reminder that all it takes is a mission and a passion for the things you love to do good in the world.Batman#150is a wholesome exploration ofone of Bruce Wayne’s most historically important characterizations.
Bruce Wayne uses his generational wealth to aid that mission, whether through crime-fighting gadgets or charity.Batman#150centers on a man named Teddy as he seeks to sell Batman’s secret identity to various Gotham villains. In the process, Teddy learns that the man he is selling out has helped his son where he couldn’t — giving him a future. Bruce Wayne took the time (and wealth)to send a no-name criminal’s son to Gotham University.It’s this little dab of world-building that reminds readers thatBatman is focusing on not only reconcilingwith his family but also Gotham’s crime bubble.
Batman#150Solidifies Batman’s Care for Gotham’s People
This IssueSets the Tone for Bruce Wayne Going Forward
After Batman intercepts Teddy and a group of villains he’s running with from robbing a bank, Bruce drops him off in his estranged son’s dorm room. What proceeds is a heartbreaking exchange between a father and son that puts into perspectivewhat it means to do what is best instead of what’s selfish.Yuto isn’t happy to see his father, Teddy. After years of looking up to a deadbeat dad, Yuto is excited to move on thanks to Bruce Wayne’s help.
The scene in Yuto’s dorm room is tense. Teddy claims that everything he has done is for Yuto and his mother, but Yuto paints a different story of criminal emulation. He rightly calls out Teddy for being selfish and scared of"actual responsibilities.“He accuses Teddy of doing crime because he wanted to, not because it was needed. The debate between father and son is contrasted against the reality of Bruce stepping in and helping Yuto escape from becoming yet another member of Gotham’s underworld. This isa classic characterization of Batman that must stick around.
Batman Has to Care About His Villains
Some of Batman’s Best Stories Involve Him Caring For His Rogues
Batman has shown care and concern for his villains on numerous occasions, to the point where it is a core function of his character that is often forgotten.Batman doesn’t kill his villainsbecause he genuinely wants to see them become proper members of society. This has been a throughline of the franchise going back to the 1940swhen he firstdeclared his “No-Kill” rule.There’s a reason Batman’s more costume-oriented villains historically went to Arkham Asylum before its destruction. The no-kill rule has historically existed becauseBruce believes his villains deserve treatment and redemption.
Batman established his rule against murder in 1941’sBatman#4 by Bill Finger and Bob Kane.
Bruce Wayne’s relationship with Harvey Dent is a prime example of Batman’s care. The comics where Batman recognizes the tragedy of Dent’s struggle with Dissociative Identity Disorder pull the heartstrings. That sentiment extends to even the grunt forces of Batman’s rogues. Teddy is just a henchman (and not a very good one). He struggles with his family and is estranged from his son.The way to stop crime is to establish a support networkfor those who need it, and Bruce knows this. Instead of brutalizing Yuto for working with Scarecrow, Bruce calms him down and goes on to fund his college career.
Gotham’s “Disease” Is Complicated
From History to Socioeconomics
It’s easy to write off theland on which Gotham is built as cursed. From costumed criminals to demons, Gotham City has faced it all. But it’s the real-world implications of a large city such as Gotham that rings as relevant and understandable.Gotham is a place of socioeconomic inequality,as many metropolitan cities in the United States are. Debates aside about the ethics of being a billionaire, Bruce Wayne is a supportive figure for the city beyond just being Batman. Bruce Wayne cares for Gotham and its citizens, average and criminal alike.
Bruce Wayne has a heart and a purpose beyond “beating up the mentally ill.”
Bruce Wayne temporarily losing his wealthat the hands of the Jokerhas shown that Gotham’s wickedness does not slow in the absence of its resident billionaire. While Gotham has flourished without Batman in the past, it doesn’t discountthe good that Bruce himself has done directly for the city and its people. Batman stood against gentrification in 1992’sRun, Riddler, Runby Gerard Jones and Mark Badger. His involvement in making Gotham a better place and in advocating for his villains is important enough that it made it intoBatman: The Animated Series.
The notion that Batman is only a force of vengeance and brutality against those struggling is once again proven false, and it is nailed in at the end of the comic when Bruce sets Teddy up with a job outside of Gotham to not only keep him safe but to help him succeed in life. Bruce Wayne has a heart and a purpose beyond “beating up the mentally ill.” When explored,Batman’spassion for Gotham’s citizens is the most humanizing, honorable aspect of his character — and it’s great to have it back.
BATMAN #150 (2024)
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
