Batman vs. Superman
There are super heroes and then there are super heroes. There are the bouncing rubber ball dudes who appear as a backup story on one issue of a throwaway book, and then there are the legends. All of the truly iconic characters in comic books represent some sort of ideal, much in the way the Karl Jung describes certain eternal characters in our lives (the hero, the sage, the damsel, etc.). It doesn't take much to see the ideal in a character like Captain America. Cap represents the best aspirations of Americans, and the 'American Dream' that they cling to (poor Cap must be having a hard time these days).
Two of the more interesting characters are DC Comics' Batman and Superman. Like Captain America, they've been around for over 60 years. Why? When the cartoon roadside is littered with the bodies of heroes who sold well in their day, had a some appeal, and even reappeared a few times in the modern era. Sure, these lesser characters might be fan-favorites of the Geek Nation, but they have zero mass-market appeal next to Batman and Supes (even Cap can't claim their mainstream cred).
Why?
Certainly both characters are iconic, but of what? An ideal of revenge or of purity or strength? Of fearlessness in the face of danger? Nope.
They're political. Batman represents the American conservative. He's a Republican super hero in every way. Superman is the American liberal. He's a Democrat. And it's the identification of the traits of these ideologies that has made these two real American icons. Whether or not you're cognizant of the parallels, you are responding to them in the part of your brain that recognizes stuff when you don't realize you're doing it.
Too scientific?
Batman is a do-it-yourself loner. Sure, he pals around with Robin a bit, but most of his adventures are solo. Even when Robin is there he's not much help (and in one case got himself killed). The lone vigilante is how Republicans see themselves and their place in the world. Nobody's going to help you when you walk those dark streets but yourself. Everyone needs to look out for number one.
Superman belongs to everybody - he's everybody's hero. There are no policemen after his hide. Nobody thinks he's a vigilante. He works with the JLA, the JSA, anybody who will have him. He has family and friends who he is close to. If he's alone it's by choice at his Fortress of Solitude. What makes him sad are the people who refuse to live up to his high standards of behavior.
Batman has no interest in such common pursuits. He's been part of there JLA, but makes it clear he doesn't like working with others and only does it to sell more JLA books. Batman has no family or friends - only an acerbic butler who he pays to serve his needs. The only relationship a conservative can trust is a paid relationship.
Batman never worked a day in his life. He's rich - which supports his unhealthy obsessiveness - from money that he inherited. Bruce Wayne never held a job. Like the wealthy Americans for whom the GOP can never seem to do enough, money earned as interest on capital is more valuable than money earned from work.
Superman has a job. As Clark Kent, he hauls his tired Super-ass out of bed each morning to earn his rent. He's part of the working world, while Bruce Wayne is not part of any world, even shunning the jet-setters in his income class.
And Batman takes no responsibility for the community; if you get mugged, that's your lookout. Everybody knows that Batman's not everywhere; he's only around when someone worthy of his attention catches his eye, or maybe he just happens to be around. Catch him on an off-day and you're cooked.
Super man doesn't get to have any off days. He's everywhere. He can hear who's in trouble, and get there super-fast to help. If someone falls out of a window in Metropolis, and Superman doesn't get there to save them before they hit the pavement, he's sure to get some ticked off glances and maybe a few "where the hell were you" mumbles.
Because, like liberals, Superman wants what's best for the community. He does his hero act because he wants to help people. Batman acts out of a personal sense of revenge. If Superman had his way there would be no hunger or want in the world. Batman could care less.
And Superman is mighty. He is the greatest power on the planet, representing its loftiest goals. Batman is the weakest hero in DC's pantheon. Sure, he's a tough guy, but he's just a guy. He has weapons and vehicles which he's paid to surround himself with.
But as a character, and an ideal, he's weak. His sort of paranoid self-reliance is a limiting psychosis; even his friends would admit that Batman has mental problems.
American conservatism is all about personal paranoia - get yours while you can and stick it to anyone who can't get theirs. The court system is there to avenge crime, not to rehabilitate criminals. Who cares if the streets are safe as long as I have an armored limo to drive in and as much personal protection as I can afford. Is it tough in murder alley? It's tough all over.
Conservatism is based on the same narrow concepts that the British believed 150 years ago when they watched a million Irish die in the potato famine. 'If we help them they will become weak and dependent.' Better to let a million starve to death for your ideology, right?
Liberals are willing to take on a whole community as their problem. If someone falls on hard times across town, it's the whole town's problem. Liberals want everyone to have food and shelter and health care and a job. Like Superman, they want thing for the community because it's what the community needs.
Batman and his conservative ilk are happy to let the streets go to hell as long as they're the tough guys on the block. Someone's hungry? Not their beat. Do you think Gotham's "Suicide Slum" would exist in Metropolis? Right.
Hey, I like the Dark Knight as much as the next guy. In Batman Begins, we see the young Batman fighting his intensely personal crusade to save the city be making it more self-reliant. His noble purpose is to show Gothamites that they can demand more from the city.
But he's not opening a chapter of Habitat for Humanity, is he?
While Superman is not a human creature with most human failings, he is an idealist. He fights for "truth, justice, and the American way."
That's three things conservatives - and Batman - have no time for.
Two of the more interesting characters are DC Comics' Batman and Superman. Like Captain America, they've been around for over 60 years. Why? When the cartoon roadside is littered with the bodies of heroes who sold well in their day, had a some appeal, and even reappeared a few times in the modern era. Sure, these lesser characters might be fan-favorites of the Geek Nation, but they have zero mass-market appeal next to Batman and Supes (even Cap can't claim their mainstream cred).
Why?
Certainly both characters are iconic, but of what? An ideal of revenge or of purity or strength? Of fearlessness in the face of danger? Nope.
They're political. Batman represents the American conservative. He's a Republican super hero in every way. Superman is the American liberal. He's a Democrat. And it's the identification of the traits of these ideologies that has made these two real American icons. Whether or not you're cognizant of the parallels, you are responding to them in the part of your brain that recognizes stuff when you don't realize you're doing it.
Too scientific?
Batman is a do-it-yourself loner. Sure, he pals around with Robin a bit, but most of his adventures are solo. Even when Robin is there he's not much help (and in one case got himself killed). The lone vigilante is how Republicans see themselves and their place in the world. Nobody's going to help you when you walk those dark streets but yourself. Everyone needs to look out for number one.
Superman belongs to everybody - he's everybody's hero. There are no policemen after his hide. Nobody thinks he's a vigilante. He works with the JLA, the JSA, anybody who will have him. He has family and friends who he is close to. If he's alone it's by choice at his Fortress of Solitude. What makes him sad are the people who refuse to live up to his high standards of behavior.
Batman has no interest in such common pursuits. He's been part of there JLA, but makes it clear he doesn't like working with others and only does it to sell more JLA books. Batman has no family or friends - only an acerbic butler who he pays to serve his needs. The only relationship a conservative can trust is a paid relationship.
Batman never worked a day in his life. He's rich - which supports his unhealthy obsessiveness - from money that he inherited. Bruce Wayne never held a job. Like the wealthy Americans for whom the GOP can never seem to do enough, money earned as interest on capital is more valuable than money earned from work.
Superman has a job. As Clark Kent, he hauls his tired Super-ass out of bed each morning to earn his rent. He's part of the working world, while Bruce Wayne is not part of any world, even shunning the jet-setters in his income class.
And Batman takes no responsibility for the community; if you get mugged, that's your lookout. Everybody knows that Batman's not everywhere; he's only around when someone worthy of his attention catches his eye, or maybe he just happens to be around. Catch him on an off-day and you're cooked.
Super man doesn't get to have any off days. He's everywhere. He can hear who's in trouble, and get there super-fast to help. If someone falls out of a window in Metropolis, and Superman doesn't get there to save them before they hit the pavement, he's sure to get some ticked off glances and maybe a few "where the hell were you" mumbles.
Because, like liberals, Superman wants what's best for the community. He does his hero act because he wants to help people. Batman acts out of a personal sense of revenge. If Superman had his way there would be no hunger or want in the world. Batman could care less.
And Superman is mighty. He is the greatest power on the planet, representing its loftiest goals. Batman is the weakest hero in DC's pantheon. Sure, he's a tough guy, but he's just a guy. He has weapons and vehicles which he's paid to surround himself with.
But as a character, and an ideal, he's weak. His sort of paranoid self-reliance is a limiting psychosis; even his friends would admit that Batman has mental problems.
American conservatism is all about personal paranoia - get yours while you can and stick it to anyone who can't get theirs. The court system is there to avenge crime, not to rehabilitate criminals. Who cares if the streets are safe as long as I have an armored limo to drive in and as much personal protection as I can afford. Is it tough in murder alley? It's tough all over.
Conservatism is based on the same narrow concepts that the British believed 150 years ago when they watched a million Irish die in the potato famine. 'If we help them they will become weak and dependent.' Better to let a million starve to death for your ideology, right?
Liberals are willing to take on a whole community as their problem. If someone falls on hard times across town, it's the whole town's problem. Liberals want everyone to have food and shelter and health care and a job. Like Superman, they want thing for the community because it's what the community needs.
Batman and his conservative ilk are happy to let the streets go to hell as long as they're the tough guys on the block. Someone's hungry? Not their beat. Do you think Gotham's "Suicide Slum" would exist in Metropolis? Right.
Hey, I like the Dark Knight as much as the next guy. In Batman Begins, we see the young Batman fighting his intensely personal crusade to save the city be making it more self-reliant. His noble purpose is to show Gothamites that they can demand more from the city.
But he's not opening a chapter of Habitat for Humanity, is he?
While Superman is not a human creature with most human failings, he is an idealist. He fights for "truth, justice, and the American way."
That's three things conservatives - and Batman - have no time for.
posted by fiduciary at 5:43 PM
2 Comments:
Here we go. I had to come out of retirement for this one.
Well written blog there Abesy. Can't agree with you though I'm afraid. In fact I'm feeling pretty much the opposite.
The articles smacks of the tendency (while it's correct a lot of the time - still the fallacy of all or nothing) to regard consertavism as bad and liberalism as good. While for the most part I agree, I think that's too simple for the characters.
I think both characters respresent, to some extent, aspects of each political views, but most often the best of those views.
I see Superman as the best of conservatives really. The world's oldest boyscout. A flag-waving immigrant who came moved to America in the 30's, grew up in the 50's and then stopped growing. His ideals are old-fashioned. The best of the old-fashioned certainly but still very conservative. He's the one that Green Arrow (the most left-wing of the heroes even counting the Soviet ones) always end up being at ends with (Dark Knight Returns, Kingdom Come etc.) politically.
On the negative side, he's removed from humanity in a way that most of the heroes aren't. He has our best interest at hearts (like a lot of conservatives believe it or not) but still thinks that it's his responsibility to tell us how to behave. He unintentially looks down on us as lesser beings. He has to though - he can fucking fly. He's the Kansas farm-boy, a little naive and wearing a fedora 50 years after they went out of style.
Batman is your liberal elite. Champaigne Socialist. Limosine Liberal. He's an intellectual, a brilliant secular scientist. He looks down on people too but he looks down on the ignorant - not the non-comformists like Superman would. He's street level. He's interested in stopping the crime in the neighbourhoods, one person at a time, not waging war in space, parallel dimensions or foreign countries.
Bruce Wayne is a philanthropist as well. His companies form the backbone of Gotham City's economy and employment situation and thousands earn their living because of him. The charitable foundations almost all bear his name.
He's often paranoid, and his methods towards punishment are often more extreme than his brighter coloured co-workers, true. It was him that recently drove forward the hero's opposition to the JLA's power and abuse of power though. The league's reprogramming of villain's mind was seen as a violation of their civil rights and Batman has become the watchdog - keeping his former friends in check. If you were to look at the league as a group of America's most powerful men, living beyond the law - dictating morality from their place above humanity (literally) than having someone like Batman around to keep them honest would be something that we'd want.
Plus when that bit came to a head it was Hawkman (the most right-wing character this side of the Red Skull) that Batman decked.
Just my two cents.
Buckets
Thanks for coming out of retirement, Buckets old man!
First off: conservative bad, liberal good. Always.
Second, Superman is a bit of a limo liberal himself. He preaches goodness when goodness comes so easily to him. Like liberals talking about racial equality - easy to do from the comfy chair in the country club.
Bruce Wayne represents Bush 41's "thousand points of light" view. Why do you need government to clean up Suicide Slum when guys like Bruce Wayne are hiring them to sweep his factories at minimum wage? Let the private sector sort things out.
If things go bad - as in the ID Crisis recently - you put in illegal surveillance and get violently stand-offish with them.
Liberal Superman is willing to impose himself on others to enforce justice - not a personal agenda. When Wonder Woman killed Max Lord, Superman was against her because he felt the killing was unjust.
Both characters are somewhat anachronistic, but they've endured because they strike a chord that's fundamental to our Western world-view. For Batman, that worldview it's 'get yours.' For Supermanm it's 'help build an ideal world.'
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