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Part of being a geek is sometimes taking stands on things that don't really need to be argued. Today, that stand is:
Batman people, why are you always hating on Superman?
Don't get me wrong - I like The Batman. Actually, that's wrong. I hate Batman, unless he's played by Adam West. Batman is a dick. But I like the Batman universe, and the exploits of Batman. I like the Batman villains. I like the Batman storylines. I like the directions one can take the art style. There's a lot to love about Batman. Hooray Batman!
But it seems like I can't walk in to a discussion about Batman without the conversation turning, within two sentences, away from Batman to how lame Superman is. This is pathetic, Batman guys. Superman is not lame. Superman is definitively not lame. Superman is super. When you go on about how Batman doesn't need to fly, have x-ray vision, leap tall buildings, run faster than trains, make diamonds by crushing them in his fist, and so forth, you only draw attention to the fact that these powers are awesome and I would like to have them.
I love Superman. You can bluster on about Superman being moralizing and pompous, but it's not true; most of the time he just helps people, gives a salute, and flies off. He's got stuff to do. Is that boring? I don't think so. I think Superman's dilemma is the most interesting in comics, because it is the least personal. It is the question of what to do with infinite power but finite location. It is an exploration of the ethical choices that would have to be made by a benevolent god who believes in free will. How do you do the most good without trying to govern other people? Do you save every kid you can hear from 100 miles away, or do you let the local police handle it? Isn't it tempting to steal all the nuclear warheads and throw them in to the sun instead of waiting for politicians to agree on it?
The best thing about Superman is the decisions he makes about Clark Kent. He could be Superman all the time, and given the value of that time, it seems perverse that he isn't. But Superman, being super, knows that isn't enough. To stay ethical, he needs to connect with people personally and not just in the abstract. He needs to be reminded every day that people make complicated choices, and that those choices have value - to learn again and again that pain which makes one person cruel makes another compassionate.
Which alter ego does he choose? He chooses an investigative reporter. He chooses a profession which will force him to talk to the city fathers and the bums on the street. And he doesn't just use it as a cover to find crimes he'll clean up himself; he actually writes articles. He spends his days finding the truth and telling it to people. That's not the action of a moralizer; that's the act of someone who believes in us.
Incidentally, his girl Lois rules. Stop hating on her also.
Batman people, you have to come to terms with this. It is not a question of Mods vs. Rockers or Guelphs vs. Ghibellines. (Stones vs. Beatles never made sense to me; they liked each other. And I hit people who try to pull Trek vs. Star Wars.) You are working with a dichotomy that doesn't exist. Green Lantern fans can talk about Green Lantern without dissing The Punisher. X-Men aficionados rarely mention the Wonder Twins. I have had whole conversations about Superman without Batman being referenced once. It's okay that you like Batman. Really. It's okay. Instead of getting defensive with all these Superman protestations, why not talk about the red phone to the commissioner's office? It's pretty cool.
And that utility belt sure is neat. It's got all kinds of hooks and stuff. And Batman would never in a million years beat Superman in a fight. Comic books say otherwise because they're wish fulfillment for you guys. The real story, the one where Superman wins instantly, isn't that interesting to us Superman fans. We don't need to see it. We know.
Batman people, why are you always hating on Superman?
Don't get me wrong - I like The Batman. Actually, that's wrong. I hate Batman, unless he's played by Adam West. Batman is a dick. But I like the Batman universe, and the exploits of Batman. I like the Batman villains. I like the Batman storylines. I like the directions one can take the art style. There's a lot to love about Batman. Hooray Batman!
But it seems like I can't walk in to a discussion about Batman without the conversation turning, within two sentences, away from Batman to how lame Superman is. This is pathetic, Batman guys. Superman is not lame. Superman is definitively not lame. Superman is super. When you go on about how Batman doesn't need to fly, have x-ray vision, leap tall buildings, run faster than trains, make diamonds by crushing them in his fist, and so forth, you only draw attention to the fact that these powers are awesome and I would like to have them.
I love Superman. You can bluster on about Superman being moralizing and pompous, but it's not true; most of the time he just helps people, gives a salute, and flies off. He's got stuff to do. Is that boring? I don't think so. I think Superman's dilemma is the most interesting in comics, because it is the least personal. It is the question of what to do with infinite power but finite location. It is an exploration of the ethical choices that would have to be made by a benevolent god who believes in free will. How do you do the most good without trying to govern other people? Do you save every kid you can hear from 100 miles away, or do you let the local police handle it? Isn't it tempting to steal all the nuclear warheads and throw them in to the sun instead of waiting for politicians to agree on it?
The best thing about Superman is the decisions he makes about Clark Kent. He could be Superman all the time, and given the value of that time, it seems perverse that he isn't. But Superman, being super, knows that isn't enough. To stay ethical, he needs to connect with people personally and not just in the abstract. He needs to be reminded every day that people make complicated choices, and that those choices have value - to learn again and again that pain which makes one person cruel makes another compassionate.
Which alter ego does he choose? He chooses an investigative reporter. He chooses a profession which will force him to talk to the city fathers and the bums on the street. And he doesn't just use it as a cover to find crimes he'll clean up himself; he actually writes articles. He spends his days finding the truth and telling it to people. That's not the action of a moralizer; that's the act of someone who believes in us.
Incidentally, his girl Lois rules. Stop hating on her also.
Batman people, you have to come to terms with this. It is not a question of Mods vs. Rockers or Guelphs vs. Ghibellines. (Stones vs. Beatles never made sense to me; they liked each other. And I hit people who try to pull Trek vs. Star Wars.) You are working with a dichotomy that doesn't exist. Green Lantern fans can talk about Green Lantern without dissing The Punisher. X-Men aficionados rarely mention the Wonder Twins. I have had whole conversations about Superman without Batman being referenced once. It's okay that you like Batman. Really. It's okay. Instead of getting defensive with all these Superman protestations, why not talk about the red phone to the commissioner's office? It's pretty cool.
And that utility belt sure is neat. It's got all kinds of hooks and stuff. And Batman would never in a million years beat Superman in a fight. Comic books say otherwise because they're wish fulfillment for you guys. The real story, the one where Superman wins instantly, isn't that interesting to us Superman fans. We don't need to see it. We know.
