Warning! Spoilers for Batman and Robin #17!There are a lot of popular theories aboutBatmanthat fans like to throw around. But the latest argument from Damian Wayne is so nonsensical that I can hardly believe that it actually came from Robin’s mouth. In a heated argument, Robin claims that Batman cannot heal Gotham and that he heals nothing at all, which is frankly ludicrous, and I can prove it.
InBatman and Robin#17 by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Javier Fernández, Damian Wayne struggles to find his place in the world. He’s spending more and more time at the local hospital as he helps take care of people less fortunate than him, showing how heroes can make a difference in different ways. But whenDamian turns his ire against Batman,he claims that Batman’s presence only makes Gotham City worse.
This argument is often parroted in the fan base: that there wouldn’t be any supervillains without Batman. It’s a tired argument, and I’m honestly surprised that Damian would bring it up, considering the sheer number of lives that Damian has helped Batman save. But don’t just take my word for it; I have examples to prove my point.
Robin’s Argument That Batman Causes His Own Villains Makes No Sense
Batman and Robin#17 by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Javier Fernández, Carmine Di Giandomenico, Marcelo Maiolo, and Steve Wands
In his argument, Damian calls out the creation of supervillains in Gotham. He lists characters like the Joker, Bane, and Scarecrow, claiming that they only exist because of Batman - which is true. There’s no denying thatthe Joker only exists because of Batman. Butthere are many villains that exist independently of Batman, including Two-Face, Killer Croc, the Penguin, Mr. Freeze, Man-Bat, the Riddler, and dozens more. Mr. Freeze wasn’t inspired to put on his suit and go on a rampage because of Batman. He was inspired to do that because his wife was sick. Batman didn’t make her sick.
We All Want to Be Batman, But the DC Hero’s Billionaire Status Works Against the Icon in a Big Way
A notable DC writer reflects on Batman’s immense wealth and how the world’s shifting attitudes toward the obscenely rich is working against the hero.
Damian goes on to say that Batman created the Bat-Family and, in response, that the Court of Owls appeared. Good? Damian seems to have forgotten that theCourt of Owls existed long before Batmandid. It’s literally impossible for the Court of Owls to be a response to Batman. If anything, the Court of Owls appearing because of Batman is a good thing. What would Damian prefer? That the secret society that has been controlling Gotham City for decades had remained in the shadows with no one knowing it existed? Becausethat’s what was happening before Batman showed up.
Most of Batman’s Villains Would Exist Even If the Dark Knight Never Appeared
These Villains Were Always Going to Be Evil
Oswald Cobblepot was always going to be a villain. If anything, in some interpretations, his fall into villainy is the fault of Bruce Wayne, not Batman. No matter what was going to happen, Oswald was a rotten person who would seek out power at any chance. Harvey Dent was a man of principle who went after the mob to try and stop their crimes. While it’s true that he teamed up with Batman to do it, he would have pursued those criminals without the Dark Knight, too.His transformation into Two-Face was always going to happen, regardless of his relationship with Batman.
Damian himself is living proof that Batman can heal people.
But even if we ignore the example of villains, I find it especially absurd for Damian of all people to bring up this argument. Even if I ignore the times that the Riddler, Clayface, and Two-Face were redeemed and became heroes who were temporarily allied with Batman, Damian Wayne himself is living proof that Batman can heal people. When Damian first showed up in the DC Universe, he wasa borderline serial killer with no regard for any life except his own. Yet, through his time with Batman and the Bat-Famuily, he became a legitimate hero who cares about others - and his family most of all.
Batman Has Been Reducing Gotham’s Murder Rate Year by Year
Damian Was Literally in The Room When This Was Brought Up
Damian argues that people are put in danger - and sometimes even get hurt - because of Batman. That’s true; sometimes there will be a supervillain attack to get Batman’s attention. It happens. But that truth doesn’t negate the fact thatthe murder rate in Gotham City has been continually dropping ever since Batman showed up, as stated inDetective Comics#999 by Peter Tomasi and Doug Mahnke. This simple fact proves thatBatman makes Gotham City safer, not more dangerous. Should Batman retire because a handful of people might get injured near him despite him saving hundreds per year?
Batman exists as a response to a crime rate that was out of control and to villains that continue to be more dangerous than the police can handle. Before Batman showed up, the GCPD was a horrifically corrupt organization that did everything it could to enable the mob. Even the wealthiest and most benevolent of Gotham City’s citizens could be gunned down in the street by a random criminal. While it’s true that some villains are a response to Batman, the vast majority are not, and it’s patently absurd that Damian would ever suggest otherwise.Batmanhas saved countless people over the decades, Damian included.
Batman and Robin#17is available now from DC Comics!
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.
