Batman vs. Superman

My prior knowledge of Batman is derived from the various film adaptations based on the character created by Bob Kane. Various actors have portrayed this legendary superhero including Val Kilmer, George Clooney, and Christian Bale. Having seen both of Bale’s Batman film adaptations, Batman Begins and The Dark Knight numerous times, the image of Bale as Batman is the one with which I’m most familiar. Bale portrays Batman as a flawed character, alternately viewed as an honorable man and a menace to society. The films adopt a darker tone when the question of wrong versus right is taken into account in comparison with the dynamics of being a just hero or a hero that’s corrupt.

In Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Frank Miller contrasts the good and not-so-good qualities of the superhero known as Batman as well as his alter ego, Bruce Wayne. Using a bat as the inspiration for his costumed appearance, Batman establishes himself as a creature of the night. The associations with this establishment aren’t always positive – in the graphic novel, Batman often seems dangerous and menacing. While not all the authorities of Gotham City view these traits as helpful to their cause, Batman views them as necessary in the fight against the criminals overrunning his city. As Batman, Bruce Wayne has an outlet for expressing the darker side of his humanity while simultaneously doing his duty as protector of the people. At times, however, it seems as though Wayne has lost himself (and consequently his morals, to a certain extent) in his disguise. The one image that remained in my mind in which Batman is consumed in his role as vigilante is when he battles the mutant army at the garbage dump. In one full-page panel (pg 78), Batman is shown as a larger-than-life figure with bulging muscles, gearing up to inflict maximum damage on his enemies. His mouth is set in an eager smile, his eyes are blank slits of whiteness, and his fists are curled up in the stance of a well-seasoned boxer. When Batman starts fighting the mutant leader on the following page, it appears as if he enjoys his work defeating criminals.

To further solidify Batman’s status as a flawed superhero, Miller introduces Superman into the story. Coming from another planet (Krypton), Superman’s stance on humanity is more clinical and detached than the average individual. Even when he is presented as his alter ego, Clark Kent, he is the antithesis of Batman/Bruce Wayne: he’s practical, careful, keeps out of trouble, and works with authority rather than against them. When the two meet to talk on page 118, the differences in their appearance are noticeable – Wayne is white-haired and world-weary while Kent is young, strapping, and self-assured. On the next page, there’s a panel in which Kent warns Wayne, “Sooner or later, somebody’s going to order me to bring you in. Somebody with authority. When that happens…” Kent doesn’t complete this threat but he doesn’t have to – the image of a large hawk clutching a small mouse in its claws as it flies away says it all. This picture foreshadows that the two superheroes will meet in battle, although at this point in the story, it’s not yet determined which position they will assume, the hawk or the mouse.