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Here's a Tumblr post about how different versions of Bruce Wayne (comic books, animated series, etc.) have donated huge sums of money to charities and other improvements to Gotham City.
I like how every response to this is complaining about how he, a fictional billionaire that can't actually change the status quo due to how superhero comics work and their inherent nature as propaganda, isn't doing enough. He runs a rehabilitation program for members of gangs like the Penguin's that are often working for these supervillains out of desperation and then hires them at his companies after, hiring convicts at twice the rate of other companies? Well, he should be paying them more than [undefined number]! Clearly, he's only doing this because it makes him richer than his infinite money already does! AND he hasn't even overthrown the corrupt government and installed his own socialist paradise. Clearly, everything that happens in the comics is all his fault, and he only acts when he deigns to trickle down some money to the poor and huddled masses that he sneers at from his golden throne.
It's like complaining that Superman doesn't just lobotomize Lex Luthor and be done with it since he's just going to keep doing evil things and hurting people. Not only did he do that in that alternate timeline where he became dictator of the world "to permanently stop crime," but they also wouldn't have a story anymore if they just did the Marvel movie thing of killing off the villain at the end of every movie.
It’s like complaining that Superman doesn’t just lobotomize Lex Luthor and be done with it since he’s just going to keep doing evil things and hurting people. Not only did he do that in that alternate timeline where he became dictator of the world “to permanently stop crime,” but they also wouldn’t have a story anymore if they just did the Marvel movie thing of killing off the villain at the end of every movie.
I was with you until this paragraph. I don't know how many people someone needs to be directly responsible for the death of before punching their heart out becomes justified, but I do contend that if instead of condemnation Batman had hugged Superman and apologized for not doing it himself Superman wouldn't have spiraled into conquering the world...
I don't disagree, "Deny, Defend, Depose" and all that, but if the villains actually got stopped once and for all, the comic book companies wouldn't be able to keep the storylines going. They'd have to come up with new material, and Gods know that that's the kind of thinking that causes executives to wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat.
Although, a storyline where they force the Joker to go to therapy and work out his problems might make for an interesting series...
Although, a storyline where they force the Joker to go to therapy and work out his problems might make for an interesting series…
that's the Harley Quinn origin story...
Yeah, but I mean the Joker actually getting better, not making someone else worse.
The Joker gets an office job, finds a small business café nearby where he likes to read historical fiction, adopts a cat from a shelter, has a psychotic break and believes he's trapped in a simulation created by robots to use the electrical energy produced by his body to sustain their own existence. You know, a normal life.
You should really watch Harley Quinn the HBO show, it's not quite that but Joker has a recovery arc and it's pretty good.
You're thinking about it in-universe. But Batman wasn't revealed to the world through an act of God. His nature, his limitations, his friends and enemies, his entire city were all constructed to enable the fundamental narrative of a billionaire in a suit indulging in violent vigilante power fantasies.
Of course you're right that within that particular framework "giving away all his money" doesn't make narrative sense. That's the frustrating part; not that a character is arguably acting "irrationally" (that happens all the time), but that the stated reasons for their irrationality are convoluted and clearly backtracked from "well without it the story doesn't work".
The end result is that Batman is basically John Wick but depicted as a hero which I've always personally found very gross. This criticism is applicable to most superheroes but the dissonance is especially strong with Batman.
I completely agree. Like I said, it's the inherent narrative issue and propaganda aspect of superhero comics that they support the status quo at all times.
My comment was specifically about people treating Batman like a real person in the comments here, because he only exists within that narrative framework, and to act like he's an actual billionaire is silly. It's inherently capitalist pro-billionaire philanthropy and status quo propaganda, but that's not what people are complaining about. They're upset that the fake billionaire (really an infinite-aire) is paying his workers who don't exist poorly or whatever.
I've always said that Batman's superpower is money. He's basically the most capitalist superhero that you can think of. Just buying his way out of problems with Bat Anti-Shark Repellant. But criticizing the environmental damage of all that Bat Anti-Shark Repellant rather than the status quo behind the comic reinforcing the idea that money solves all problems is just funny.
Edit: Basically, I imagined some 25 year old angrily ranting the comments here to a couple of kids in a comic book store and had a good laugh about it.
Meh. Only suckers give a shit about the “generosity” of billionaires. Tax them. Tax them down to millionaire status. Why should they dictate what programs get funded? It’s never worked before.. it’s not suddenly going to start now.
I mean, your own tumblr link is proof of that. After all, Gotham’s still a crime ridden shithole, isn’t it? Clearly Bruce Wayne doesn’t know what Gotham actually needs.
Gotham’s still a crime ridden shithole
In most continuities, Gotham is literally supernaturally cursed, often in multiple different ways
I am convinced that someone at some point in the DC universe timeline decided to make a shithole sink just to see what happens, Gotham was the end result. Shame it somehow became multi dimensional.
So you think removing the main plot device is the way to go for Batman stories?
Not necessarily disagreeing with you in the real world. But what do you expect from fiction?
At the end of the day it's all propaganda. Yes, I think the best version of propaganda about how to deal with the wealthy would do this, and show how it's more effective. I don't think creating media about how we should rely on billionaires to solve our problems out of their own good will is a good idea.
It's funny that in Judge Dredd the city changes as the story goes on, with political change, without waiting for Dredd to change things.
Fuck me. Do you think making a comic about helping the poor and saving others in the 30's was propaganda? Think about it.
Do you think Captain America wasn't? All media is to some extent.
Points for talking about real issues but also this is a pretend fantasy billionaire we're talking about
better yet, fundamentally remove their power to rise again and build a system where money is not equal to power.
He should pay his employees more. I don't care if he pays them twice the average for their positions, he is clearly wealthy enough that his businesses can afford it.
The system we live under explicitly would label that guy an idiot.
Why pay a pleb anything beyond what is necessary when you can keep it for yourself
yeah, but that's the societal trap. who cares what other people think if you know you're doing the right thing by taking care of people who take care of you?
Well that's the thing apparently rich people care very much what other rich people think about that. It is pathological mental illness.
and they own all the media to ensure that bootlickers think what they want.
Something about camel passing through the loop of a needle.
And there is a reason why Jesus didn't negotiate with the money changers polluting the temple.
I agree with everything you're saying. Maybe since its so in-our-faces now, things will maybe change? time will tell.
In principle, you're correct.
In practice, the social pressure from rich peers will generally win out.
In that post he bankrolls many things that should already be subsidized by the state.
Also it's not systematic, it's just within his sphere of interest. If he physically sees you suffering he will make a grand public gesture to end it and buy himself some PR at the same time. This is the conservative mindset. Live two cities over? Tough luck. Anonymous donation? No of course not, Wayne Enterprises needs all the publicity it can get.
He picks and chooses his favorites, like every billionaire out there.
You only see the things in his immediate vicinity because it's a story not a financial report. If he's vaccinating kids on the other side of the planet, we aren't going to hear about it unless it's relevant to the story.
IIRC there are vigilante groups in Europe and Africa financed by Batman.
Anonymous donation? No of course not, Wayne Enterprises needs all the publicity it can get
Except lobbying "donations" that's free speech and must done in private away from pedons eyes
I was about to say, I reject OP's argument on it's merits