Why has Batman never gained superpowers?

[Vakanai]

He has the skills, money, resources and know-how. I know being human is a part of his character, but after getting his butt kicked a bit by any big meta like a possessed Superman or just Darkseid, wouldn't he just say, "aww screw it! Time for an upgrade," or something? Heck, many supers (least in the older comics) got that way through lab accidents, surely Waynetech could duplicate anything on that level. Why would Batman risk Gotham when he could go super and take out all his rogues at once, saving countless lives? Mind you, I prefer Bats to be normal, and it would change the character too much, but I was hoping for a personal choice or code that would best explain why he has never sought such powers.

[The Xenos]

I dunno. Aside from what fans want, I think Batman himself wants to prove what a mere human can do.

[Powerboy]

He doesn't have super powers? But but but but he dodges bullets. Heck, he even dodges shrapnel. In some respects, that's like saying Green Arrow doesn't have super speed but he can draw and notch an arrow, pull the bowstring back and fire before a guy with a gun already drawn can shoot him. I'm somewhat joking. Within the context of comics, people with extraordinary potential and intense training can do such things.

If you read the Bulleteer, it showed that there are people obsessed with getting super powers who end up killing or maiming themselves by trying life threatening stunts to get powers to activate. Plus, even if he intentionally tried to make powers activate, there's no guarantee what the powers would be.

I'd ask why he doesn't just develop a suit of powered armor similar to Iron-Man's but with an orientation to being stealthy? He could. But then that's just one of those things. I mean, if a guy has a gimmick that he has one piece of super technology he invented and never uses any gadgets but one type, why not? Take Captain Cold for instance (because he's the first one I thought of). Certainly, he must possess knowledge that would allow him to build other stuff outside the gimmick. Its just comic book logic. Batman doesn't upgrade because then he might not be Batman.

[OverMaster]

I think he has seen it as more problems than it's worth. Not only some was of getting superpowers could risk his secret identity, but he has seen his fair share of superpowers screwing the people who got them (Clayface, Poison Ivy, Jason Blood, Cyborg, Creeper, Mr. Freeze, Charaxes). He doesn't want to take such risks.

And besides, getting superpowers in the DCU doesn't seem to be as easy as it is in Marvel. Most superhumans in the JLA and such got theirs either by their own nature which can't be duplicated (Martian Manhunter, Superman, Wonder Woman, Zauriel, Power Girl, Aquaman, Starfire, Lobo) or by magical means (Captain Marvel, Dr. Fate, Zatanna, Dr. Occult, Spectre. And we know Bruce doesn't really trust magic, and never had time to learn it anyway).

[geordiesteve]

For every superpower, he can probably think of a way to beat it, or out think the person, so why would he want them?

With a lump of space rock he can put Superman on equal footing with him, and since Batman is trained in a gazillion martial arts, he would win any hand to hand fight.

Most powers are unreliable too, or there are gaping weaknesses (see above) so he relies on what he knows, his skills, brainpower, intellect and muscle.

[Karl O'Neill]

I suppose he would not be batman if he had superpowers, He would lose his identity.

having no powers keeps him well grounded, not until he starts building brother eyes and ears.

[MichaelMogg]

I think he has seen it as more problems than it's worth. Not only some was of getting superpowers could risk his secret identity, but he has seen his fair share of superpowers screwing the people who got them (Clayface, Poison Ivy, Jason Blood, Cyborg, Creeper, Mr. Freeze, Charaxes). He doesn't want to take such risks.

I agree with this viewpoint. Yeah, there are a lot of 'lab accidents' that turn into amazing abilities, but how many experiments just go plain wrong?

On the other hand -- just to be wishy-washy -- isn't his 'job' already full of chances and danger? What's a bit more. ;)

[Mexico]

HAHA if you give him powers you are runi him...always you are thinking of powers but it hink that he is better without them...you must be mature to understand this

[Mexico]

He can still catc you too...do think he can catch you more than COlumbo?

[elias_A]

That's a question of the "why are glasses enough to disguise Clark Kent"-type (like so many we discuss here, like why Batman doesn't kill the Joker.)

I know you realise that and just want an in-story argument to help the suspension of disbelieve (is there one for the problem of Clark's glasses, by the way?).

The point of Batman is of course to have the highest potential a "normal" human could achieve with talent, training, money and commitment. So that excludes superpowers as well as to obvious high-tech like Iron Man's armour. But that leads to another problem: That Batman is too perfect. It's not necessary to make him the world's best detective, in my opinion, just a good detective would be enough.
(I think those exaggerated skills originate more from his JLA membership, so that he doesn't appear so mundane there.)

So, some reason's I could imagine: Like the roman emperors who needed someone to whisper "you're only human", he wants to stay grounded and avoid megalomania. Also, he wants to stay connected to the world of Gotham's little crooks and criminals, how they think and live.
Maybe he just doesn't trust superpowers. He secretly wants to show everyone "look what I achieved only by myself, without powers!", maybe even enjoys a bit to feel like a disadvantaged "loser" in the lottery of superpowers.

[Eliseu Gouveia]

Batman already has superpowers.

[Powerboy]

That's a question of the "why are glasses enough to disguise Clark Kent"-type (like so many we discuss here, like why Batman doesn't kill the Joker.)

I know you realise that and just want an in-story argument to help the suspension of disbelieve (is there one for the problem of Clark's glasses, by the way?).



It's his subconscious world-spanning telepathy that is constantly broadcasting one message: you do not notice that I am the same person with the glasses on as without them. :)

But really, as we all know, none of this works in reality. For instance, how many times has Batman bled at the scene of a battle? DNA. Plus wearing a mask isn't going to stop people that know you in both identities from recognizing you.

About the only secret identity that could work is one where the person literally changes forms (and maybe possibly DNA as well) and even then he better be able to teleport so he is never seen leaving his apartment or arriving at it in his super identity. "Once again Superman leaves his apartment so fast that nobody can see him. The shock wave that shatters all the windows and the suction that pulls the building with him are to be ignored."

As someone said though, each of us has something that we want a semi-believable explanation for to help us suspend our disbelief.

[Choppa]

Because part of what makes him Batman is that he is human. He doesn't trust anyone with powers, so why would he want to get some himself?

Sure, practically speaking he could save more people like that, but that's where the suspension of disbelief comes in. If you really tried to apply logic to the comic then you're left with tons of questions.

[dreyga2000]

Maybe because Batman believes he can defeat any Super powerful being with prep time.... Well he does he severeal robtic suits he keeps in the batcave which for whatever reason he rarely uses.... Personally I always considered the Utilitly Belt to be just as useful as having Super Powers since he has gadjet for every conveicable situation if not he'll just build somehting

[Citizen V]

I think its because Batman is known for not having powers..and being able to hold his own in the DC Universe.

[Slortex]

He busted out a suit in that Scarebeast (retconned?) arc. I'm surprised nobody has mentioned DKR or Kingdom Come. He's certainly "super" in KC at least.

[Kid Kyoto]

Who needs powers when you have the editor and licenciing department looking out for you?

[Vakanai]

Thanks for all the posts!

[Kara Zor El]

Batman's super powers are his gadgets, vehicles and when he needs them his armored and specialist bat-suits. He's a one man army.

He does upgrade when necessary - The Cult, he has big bad ass Batmobile, sleeping gas, tranquilizer bullets, machine guns with same bullets.

when fighting the Predators he wore armor.

[Rupertmetal]

Batman hasn't gotten powers because he likes not having any. I think he wants to try to keep the ratio of super heroes with powers to super heroes without powers as balanced as possible. And if he got powers he would be tipping the scale in a major way. He is the best non-powers super hero in the DC Universe and he knows that.

Also, I think non-powered super heroes are better at dealing with non-powered villians, and powered super heroes are better at dealing with powered villians.

Batman couldn't take down Darkseid, just like Superman couldn't take down Joker.

[We R. Venom]

Who needs powers when you have the editor and licenciing department looking out for you?

You couldn't be more right!:D So true.

[The Batman]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the 'Venom' storyline from LotDK. Batman tried to up his strength using Venom and it ended really badly for him. In fact isn't that what usually happens in comics to anyone who actively tries to get super powers?

[dreyga2000]

We;; Batman does have his "Sci-fi" Closet and access to robot capaple of duplicating the Jla's powers that in itself should be dangrous enough

[Darth Joker]

Perhaps he doesn't want to risk killing anybody with his new super-powers.

He may be fearful that if his strength was elevated substantially, or if his speed was elevated substantially, or if he went around in an Iron Man-esque suit of armour, he may accidentally apply too much pressure during a fight with the Joker, the Riddler, Two-Face, Catwoman, etc... and end up killing someone (Joker in particular... Joker could concievably enrage Bats enough for Bats' to temporarily make a lapse in judgement and punch Joker with everything that he has... if he's powered, that leaves Joker dead).

Given that most of Batman's rogues gallery are humans with out super-powers themselves, he may see himself as better able to deal with them if he himself lacks powers.

[MythicBrawn]

It's not so bad that he doesn't have any super-powers but I would think that he would wear some type of exoskeleton that would boost his strength and durability. Kevlar only goes so far. With all the resources at Bruce's disposal, I would think he would be more Batman Beyond, than athletic dude with kevlar.

[Predator117]

He actually does have a metal-armored suit which he used in one recent graphic novel against this like super scarecrow who was really strong and beat him up normally.

[Predator117]

He actually does have a metal-armored suit which he used in one recent graphic novel against this like super scarecrow who was really strong and beat him up normally.

[BatKnight89]

His use of fear is his power, that's how I always saw it, that and the suit and gadgets.

[Kristofer]

I remember a few JLA episodes where Batman is clearly showing envy of not having powers like Flash, Superman, and Wonder Woman. But, I don't think he would even accept any because he has beaten so many people with "powers" even without the aide of the JLA. He worked way too hard throughout his life to just "cop-out" and give all that training up for superpowers. I'm sure he sees all of his JLA buddies get defeated due to their powers being used against them, i.e. Flash running so fast he doesn't see something trip him up.
Plus, it seems every power has a weakness...and, good grief, everyone in the universe knows the weakness...seriously, how many people don't know Superman can't be near Kryptonite ?

[lucifernomi]

1)Batman gets off on being able to out-hero almost everyone. If he had powers, it wouldn't be as impressive.

2) While Im sure Batman isn't too old to learn new tricks, adding powers or a full-time super suit would change the way he fights and strategizes completely. Kind of a pain to fix something that's already working.

3) I think batman harbors a slight resentment for metas and magic users.

[lonewolf23k]

There was a big JLA storyline back in the Morrisson League days that involved everyone in the League getting mindswitched with each other, and Batman ended up in, of all things, Superman's body.

How'd he react?

He was weary of using Superman's powers, saying he didn't want to forget his training and get sloppy.

[davids]

By a man who had been looking in on Batman with a super telescope [were a lot of those back then.] Inspired by him he became the batman of that world but needing help he trasported batman to that world were earth men have super powers do to the blue star. Batman did a lot of superman tricks he picked up from his buddy all those years in world finest!

[Sijo]

Batman will never have superpowers because his gimmick is precisely that he's DC's Major non-powered hero. They might give him powers for a particular storyline for the sake of variety (the way they turned Superman into an electric being for a while) but he'll always end just-shy-of-superhuman, like Captain America.

I don't mind him that way, though I wish they were a little more logical whenever he faces supervillains. Some of them are too powerful for him to defeat alone; there's a reason he joined the JLA, you know. Stories that have him beating megavillains on his own make me shake my head and go "Wolverine syndrome." Like the one where he and Nightwing took down Amazo. Riiiight. Must've been a defective copy. :rolleyes:

Btw, Batman HAS had superpowers on occasion, mainly in wacky Silver Age stories. I also recall he once drank Man-Bat's formula for one mission in a 70's story.

[zebop]

If you think having been beaten, shot, pummeled, kicked, blown up, paralyzed, bones broken, knocked unconscious, gassed, stabbed, cut, concussed, poisoned, electrocuted, fallen from great heights, drowned and stomped as many times as Batman has and not suffered any long-term, disabling, crippling physical damage, memory loss, passing blood, blackouts, trauma, night terrors, neurological impairment, amnesia or sudden loss of control of your bowels isn't a super power you don't know what a super power is.

:rolleyes:

[Captain Jim]

My memory may be faulty here, but didn't DC say--once upon a time--that people like Batman, Green Arrow, etc., actually do have the meta-gene, which is what gives them their remarkable abilities (or at least makes them possible)? Even if so, it may not be in continuity anymore; I dunno. Does anybody else remember anything about this?

[Sijo]

If you think having been beaten, shot, pummeled, kicked, blown up, paralyzed, bones broken, knocked unconscious, gassed, stabbed, cut, concussed, poisoned, electrocuted, fallen from great heights, drowned and stomped as many times as Batman has and not suffered any long-term, disabling, crippling physical damage, memory loss, passing blood, blackouts, trauma, night terrors, neurological impairment, amnesia or sudden loss of control of your bowels isn't a super power you don't know what a super power is.

:rolleyes:
Actually, I'd say YOU don't know what a super power is. Since anyone in the DC Universe is assumed to be able to do things like that with enough training, they cannot be considered "super" powers. That WE can't do it in the real world doesn't matter. :p

[Vakanai]

Batman will never have superpowers because his gimmick is precisely that he's DC's Major non-powered hero. They might give him powers for a particular storyline for the sake of variety (the way they turned Superman into an electric being for a while) but he'll always end just-shy-of-superhuman, like Captain America.

I know the comapany reason, I was just hoping for a continuity reason in the comics. I agree with some of the ideas presented so far though, about him not wanting to get sloppy and proving that regular humans don't need superpowered humans.