The Bell Jar written by Sylvia Plath
Storm: Make It Rain written by Greg Pak; Art by Victor Ibañez +
Naruto (Vol. 1 & 2) written by Masashi Kishimoto
Batman: Under The Red Hood written by Judd Winick; Art by Doug Mahnke +
Deadpool: Dead Presidents written by Brian Posehn & Gerry Duggan; Art by Tony Moore
Harley Quinn: Vengeance Unlimited written by A.J. Lieberman; Art by Mike Huddleston
The Joker: Death of the Family written by Scott Snyder; Art by Greg Capullo
Batman: Knightfall (Vol. 1) written by Doug Moench, Chuck Dixon, & Alan Grant; Art by Scott Hanna +
Batman: The Court of Owls (Vol. 1) written by Scott Snyder; Art by Greg Capullo +
Batman: The City of Owls written by Scott Snyder; Art by Greg Capullo +
That’s a list of all of the books I have read so far this year. lotta Batman. He’s my favorite superhero.
yes. Superhero.
but his only “super power” is money – and white privilege. he doesn’t even have any super powers.
… go away.
I’m not a Batman stan in the sense that I’m going to go to bat (heh) for this fictional character. I’ve also heard all the snide, and sometimes fair, reasons for discrediting Batman as a hero, let alone a super one.
but let’s be clear: I hold Batman close to my heart. I don’t want to fight about it, because I don’t need to justify my love for anything or anyone to anybody. Furthermore, most people that I’ve encountered that discredit Bruce Wayne/Batman saw Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight franchise and decided [Heath Ledger’s] Joker was lit and Kanye shrugged the rest. and that’s their right, but I find most of these folks’ reasoning to be reductive, and what’s there to discuss (besides the stand-alone franchise) if you haven’t read any of the literature? that’s where the meat is.
Batman gets a lot of flack for being rich White man in a flying rodent costume. welp. That’s not untrue. It is, however, superficial.
Batman is a symbol, more than anything, both within the context of the comics and to me, the reader. He’s a symbol of fear to villains and symbol of justice to the citizens of Gotham. [As Bruce Wayne] he’s a billionaire “playboy” with no scruples who sometimes throw his money at some reputable causes. (He also funds a lot of prisons which I don’t overlook, but I won’t get into that here). Interchangeable as both Batman and Bruce Wayne, he’s a symbol of hurt transmuted to purpose.
essentially, he’s a human being, which doesn’t make him any less super or a hero. Batman has many powers I’d like to possess, specifically transmuting hurt and pain and tragedy into purpose – a purpose for my, and those around me’s, greatest good.
I look to Batman as hero, not necessarily because he’s whoopin’ ass and taking names, but because he’s an embodiment of a slew of characteristics I aspire to have. I strive to be disciplined and assured in my principals and able to kick any naysayer’s ass and intelligent and able to conquer my fears and anxieties. without a mask.
You can’t buy Batman’s resolve or will or knowledge with money. That’s what I’m saying. You have to have it within you, and that’s power.
E.M.M.E. 