Poll: Is batman a superhero?

Aurgelmir

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Nov 11, 2009
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Shanecooper said:
Aurgelmir said:
What do you put in the term; Anti-hero?

I mean I don't see Batman as an Anti-Hero, as he has some rules, like never use conventional weapons. (Although early batman apperently used a guns)

But thne again Batman isn't above breaking a few rules to get things done... but doesn't all superheroes really do that?
You know what, I've never even thought about that. I guess I've always seen him as an anti hero because he's a vigilanty and a wanted man.
Well Batman isn't always a wanted man either (at least from what I know), and he is a memeber of the Justice League and all that too.
 

Daffy F

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Apr 17, 2009
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Samwise137 said:
Super? no. Hero? Yes. He's a costumed hero much like the Watchmen. His only superpower is gobs and gobs of excess cash. Iron man is the same. In all honesty, I respect these two more than those with superpowers because they can't just develop a new power when the going gets tough. They have to think their way through things and outwit their enemies. They don't call Batman the world's greatest detective for nothing!
This is quite true. I hate it when people say 'They don't have super-powers, so they don't count' because come off it! Think about it - lets use Iron man as an example. He wasn't born with powers, or bitten by a radioactive spider, or some junk like that. He invented a device that could let him fly and fight crime. I mean come on!
 

Shanecooper

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Aug 12, 2009
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Aurgelmir said:
Well Batman isn't always a wanted man either (at least from what I know), and he is a memeber of the Justice League and all that too.
Sadly, I've never read the comics, so I'm really just basing my veiw of him off of the Micheal Keaton/Christian Bale versions. Which means there is a good chance that I've got the wrong idea of Batman.
 

Shadows Inc.

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Dec 6, 2010
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CaptainCrunch said:
Shadows Inc. said:
Valiance said:
What's that quote? Any sufficiently advanced technology can be perceived as magic? I'm paraphrasing here but Batman is a super-hero just by kicking ass physically and with his gadgets.

I'd say his bat-cave/car/equipment/money alone would make him a superhero.
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
-Arthur C. Clarke

"Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced."
-Barry Gehm

I'll always say however, "Any technology, no matter how primitive, is perceived as magic to those who don't understand it."

(I can't believe I remembered the quotes and names exactly)

By the way, my take on the matter is no, Batman, Ironman, Green Lanturn, The Beetle, Catwoman (debatable as a hero), Etc. are not superheros.
You may argue sufficiently to any effect that any of the 'non-superhero' characters on your list are 'super' or not.

For example: Green Lantern - Yes, the ring is technically a conduit for an energy source and is thus a form of technology. However, it is the will of the person wearing it that enables the ring to function. Thus, you could say that all of the Green Lanterns have 'super' willpower, because the rings choose them for their exceptional ('superhuman', in the case of human GLs) will.

Batman, Blue Beetle, Catwoman, and Iron Man are even hazier on their use of technology as a 'super' ability. One could argue, however, that their ability to use and develop these advanced technologies is itself a super power. Granted, it is kind of a weak argument to say that advanced technology is akin to magic, but it's a valid philosophy that many share.

Of the group mentioned, I believe that Batman still does have a superpower in spite of his use of advanced technology - his detective ability. His ability to know instinctually what criminals are up to, and what their next moves will be surpasses even super-powered heroes like Superman. You could chalk this up as a byproduct of the same intellect he uses to come up with gadgets, but it is worth noting that the amount of investigation Batman does is minimal when compared to his innate 'crime-sense'.

Investigation = the act of gathering evidence and deducing a sequence of events.
Super Detective Sense = knowing that the Joker is going to kidnap the mayor because you find a deck of cards minus a King and a Joker at the scene of a crime.
I was only giving my input. I have my own reasons for saying what I do and I'll just keep them to myself, because initiating an argument about "superheros" is just about as pointless as arguing about whether or not potato-salad should be a byproduct of Cold-Fusion.

Here's something though... The second "The Beetle" and Robin, both didn't develop either their weapons, gear, apparel, tools, or other gadgets, and they don't rely too heavily on "Figuring things out". Also, if you are taking into account "development" of gear as a superpower, then justifying Catwoman is an ill point to uphold. Catwoman's only "gear" (if any) is specialized sharpened claws for cutting glass. Other than that, she mainly uses standard burglary rope and gear. The only thing going for her is that she is an amazing acrobat, but that is "humanly" possible and a-dime-a-dozen. Also arguing that the "will" of the Green Lantern is superhuman, is comparable with saying that the "will" of my car makes it drive itself (I know that's how the superpower works, it's just weird). The fact is, his will was that of an ordinary man. Do you know why? Because he was an ordinary man. The first Green Lantern was a man named Alan Scott, and he was a normal everyday railroad worker. One day he stumbled onto the ring, magically figured out what it did, and used it for good in a ridiculous costume that looked like he just found some green sweatpants, a orange hoodie, slapped an insignia on his chest and put on a cape.
 

Aurgelmir

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Nov 11, 2009
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Shanecooper said:
Aurgelmir said:
Well Batman isn't always a wanted man either (at least from what I know), and he is a memeber of the Justice League and all that too.
Sadly, I've never read the comics, so I'm really just basing my veiw of him off of the Micheal Keaton/Christian Bale versions. Which means there is a good chance that I've got the wrong idea of Batman.
Hehe, yes I think yo might. Not that I know loads about batman either :p But I know a lot about Marvel, and well none of Marvels movies are 100% representations of the comics... hell X-men Movies =/= X-men comics :p
 

VanillaBean

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Feb 3, 2010
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Not really but considering everything he's done over the past couple of decades he might as well have the title.
 

WolfThomas

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Dec 21, 2007
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I've already entered this thread and told how I measure Super-heroes by their actions, not whether they are post/meta-humans.

But a very important note is that Batman has been shown to have Strength and Endurance equal or greater than some heroes/villains that have (albeit lesser/minor) super strength, simply due to his immense amount of training and willpower.
 

crudus

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Oct 20, 2008
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Yes. Random guy on a street who pulls a woman from a car wreck: hero. Firefighters: heroes. Random woman stopping a bank robbery: hero. Costumed guy doing any of the above: escaped mental patient or superhero.
 

joemegson94

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Aug 17, 2010
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Of course he is. He doesn't have super powers, but he beats the crap out of Superman. Plus, he's still popular even after Batman and Robin. That's probably a power.
 

Wes1180

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Jul 25, 2009
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I actually remember saying something similar to your friend a few times... but then I saw the most recent films and was like OMG how come I missed this? Anyway as a few peole have said he's a hero but not super
 

Devi Darkside

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Sep 3, 2009
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He may not have any powers, but he's insanely intelligent and resourceful. Also he's a lot like the street level heores from Marvel (Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Daredevil, Spider-Man, etc.) when it comes to his job and the sorts of villains he deals with, but unlike them he's also dealt with much greater threats against the world as a whole and is technically one of the few men who can kill Superman. For that, he's a superhero.
 

The Shade

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Mar 20, 2008
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Batman's superpower is having lots of money and cool gadgets that don't actually exist.

They said so in Kick-Ass.
 

GeorgW

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Aug 27, 2010
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No, and according to me he's not even a hero. He's a vigilante, and absolutely nothing else. He's awesome, has some transhuman abilities and doles out some sweet justice. But I wouldn't define that as a superhero.