Batman... IN SPACE. Or not.

[Sn4tcH]

I was in my thinking room today, and it came about that I really don't like Batman being involved in cosmic problems. Something like Final Crisis or Blackest Night is fine because that's bringing the fight TO Earth.

But many of the stories in Justice League and the like just seem too far out to believe. I wish the Bat-Family was relegated to a corner of the DC Universe, not to far from how Marvel treats the X-men. Where as the Marvel Universe seems very connected, but the X-men characters don't usually get involved unless it's some global crisis.

It's hard for me to grasp why when you have heroes like Superman, Martian Manhunter, and the Green Lanterns, that you really need Batman to come help fight a war for the alien nations of Xthanthar VII. If Batman wanted to be some sort of financial backer, and allow the Justice League access to his cool gadgets, that's fine. In fact, I think he works best as a character that helps the way a Detective helps a police investigation... but overall, Batman needs to keep his cape in Gotham.

[Mulbard]

Which is why people say Batman needs to be outside DC Universe and X-Men out of the Marvel Universe. As they have been established for 70 and 40 year respectively, this likely won't happen. There could be some sort of new Batman/X-Men comic similar to Marvel's Ultimate universe where they reboot things and dtuff. It'd be easier to get into for fans of the movies. Even if they do this I'll still buy mainstream DC Batman/616 X-Men as long as they're still good.

[DarienA]

I was in my thinking room today, and it came about that I really don't like Batman being involved in cosmic problems. Something like Final Crisis or Blackest Night is fine because that's bringing the fight TO Earth.

But many of the stories in Justice League and the like just seem too far out to believe. I wish the Bat-Family was relegated to a corner of the DC Universe, not to far from how Marvel treats the X-men. Where as the Marvel Universe seems very connected, but the X-men characters don't usually get involved unless it's some global crisis.

It's hard for me to grasp why when you have heroes like Superman, Martian Manhunter, and the Green Lanterns, that you really need Batman to come help fight a war for the alien nations of Xthanthar VII. If Batman wanted to be some sort of financial backer, and allow the Justice League access to his cool gadgets, that's fine. In fact, I think he works best as a character that helps the way a Detective helps a police investigation... but overall, Batman needs to keep his cape in Gotham.

Bruce is often their strategy person in the cosmic adventures, but yeah I agree.

[Karl O'Neill]

I believe BATMAN works in space quite well actually. With the JLA or even on monitor duty.

I mean, Hal Jordan has a power ring and this little thing alone qualify's him to do space adventures physically.

But character wise,I don't see any reason why batman/Bruce Wayne cannot adapt to space adventures or going to the future like the Flash or any other member of the JLA.

I respect that some people prefer the more war games and no man's land batman who fights thugs and freaks and drives a car and a plane now and then.

Think of this. If buck Rogers can do space, so can Batman.

[Maestro]

There is nothing Batman cannot do

[Vakanai]

There is nothing Batman cannot do

Except kill the Joker.
He can kill a god, but not the Joker.

And now I want to see the Joker inherit the place of Darkseid.

[Karl O'Neill]

There is nothing Batman cannot do

Well, He can't breath fire now! can he?:biggrin:

[DarkKnghtJared]

I totally think he can work in cosmic adventures--his battle strategy just changes to fit with the problem.

[AJM]

I'm not too keen on Batman being in space with the JLA and all that stuff either, i much prefer stories that are grounded in Batman's own world, i'm a pretty Gotham-only type of reader. Although i really liked his rocket-ship in Batman & Son, i thought that was pretty cool - does that count?

[nepenthes]

I like Batman in space. and I don't see why one type of story has to interfere with another.

It's not like you ever see aliens interrupting his stalking of muggers and mobsters in back alleys (oops, Batman Predator)

Bruce Wayne is one of the smartest, resourceful and driven human beings on the planet - it makes sense he should be up there with earths most luminary and daring individuals. He is literally the man who walks amongst gods and that's a great aspect to him imo

But I think there's one member of the Bat family that's better suited to space adventures than Bruce Wayne.....and that's Damian. After Morrison leaves he should become Bat Rogers crossed with Lobo in space.


I was in my thinking room today

tell me do you have a fireplace and smoking pipe in this room?

[matthewaos]

I think I would really love a Batman story in space, if it was good. Maybe by someone like Morisson or Ellis. But on general I dislike it.

[T Hedge Coke]

If Armstrong, Ashby, and Atkov can all get into space and do their thing, why can't Wayne?

He's the goddammed Batman.

[dreyga2000]

Man, I get a geekasm everytime I see Batman doing stuff outside of his element...

I'm all for stories that take Batman to strange places, worlds, against bizzare enemies, and monsters.... As long as they are somewhat grounded in Batlore and are well written...


Probably one of the reasons I love Superman/Batman so much...

P.S. Since I mentioned it, everyone should pick-up Superman/Batman Annual # 2...Awsome Story...

[matthewaos]

I was in my thinking room today, and it came about that I really don't like Batman being involved in cosmic problems. Something like Final Crisis or Blackest Night is fine because that's bringing the fight TO Earth.

But many of the stories in Justice League and the like just seem too far out to believe. I wish the Bat-Family was relegated to a corner of the DC Universe, not to far from how Marvel treats the X-men. Where as the Marvel Universe seems very connected, but the X-men characters don't usually get involved unless it's some global crisis.

It's hard for me to grasp why when you have heroes like Superman, Martian Manhunter, and the Green Lanterns, that you really need Batman to come help fight a war for the alien nations of Xthanthar VII. If Batman wanted to be some sort of financial backer, and allow the Justice League access to his cool gadgets, that's fine. In fact, I think he works best as a character that helps the way a Detective helps a police investigation... but overall, Batman needs to keep his cape in Gotham.

Something else... You have a thinking room?

[jtd]

It'd take a good writer..but I'd LOVE to see a good Batman cosmic detective story. A "Cosmic Nior" story. Keep the the basics of the character, but change his surroundings.

Would be awesome.

[Munkiman]

How else will he demonstrate his ability to breathe in space?

[Captain Jim]

I know that many people disagree with me, but I think Batman should be more firmly grounded in reality and not interact on a regular basis with the more sci-fi or supernaturally based characters. Hence, he doesn't belong in the JLA, he shouldn't be in space and he shouldn't (ahem) be interacting with the devil.

[DonC]

As a general rule, I seperate the DCU Batman from the Bat-titles Batman. Yeah, they may have the same name and all of that, but I think of them as slightly different people. As long as they keep the science fiction and supernatural stuff outside of the core Batman titles, I don't mind him teaming with the likes of Adam Strange or the Phantom Stranger.

[Sn4tcH]

I don't mind Batman fighting the supernatural, and I don't even mind him fighting aliens. It's just I think the idea of Batman hopping in a rocket with Kal-El is kind of out of character for him.

[carabas]

Which is why people say Batman needs to be outside DC Universe and X-Men out of the Marvel Universe.This line of reasoning doesn't work for the X-Men though. Their stories in the seventies and later weren't based on whatwas going on in the bigger Marvel universe but on what movies Chris Claremont had been watching lately.
The whole Shi'ar empire's first appearance was in Uncanny, created for the X-Men to play with. Same for the Brood.

[The Xenos]

If anything more than the crime and detective genre, I like more horror and supernatural elements in Batman. In particular if there's some Lovecraftian overtones. The asylum is named Arkham after all. Plus crossovers with DC characters like The Demon or Ragman seem quite fitting. Globe trotting mystic stuff like with Ras works too.

Meanwhile, I can take the cosmic stuff, but only in something like JLA or if he shows up in a Superman book. Maybe if it's more pulpy sci fi like an old 90s ish of 'Tec when Martian Manhunter stopped to help him stop a time traveler thief who was moving backwards in time. Plus Morrison's JLA worked wonders putting Batman on a global and cosmic scale.

[nicolereis]

I think Batman mainly should stay grounded in Gotham and other cities. It's fine for him to travel the world too. But I agree that, generally, he works best on more of a street level. I get a little bit bored reading about his adventures in space with cataclismic consequences and explosions, etc... Supernatural I don't have as much of a problem with, because you can bring some really heavy, dark undertones to stuff like that, and make it psychologically compelling, whereas sci-fi just has a sort of gimmicky, action-oriented feel to it.

[Shush]

Infinite crisis did an excellent job of making Batman a central character in the space related section without making it seem forced.

[matthewaos]

Infinite crisis did an excellent job of making Batman a central character in the space related section without making it seem forced.

Yeah, I think I liked IC, now that you reminded me that. Though the overal story confused me.

[Retro315]

For the most part ... he actually DOES stay in his own little corner.

I've recently read a LOT of JLA backstories, and for long periods of time, you will see Batman too busy with Gotham, acting like an outsider (heh, Outsider) ... but still taking time to act as a "major consultant" to the League. This became pretty normal following the end of the Silver Age (Obviously in the Silver Age, Batman was as at home in space adventures as the rest).

Anyway, JLA, for instance, even using him as this "never underestimate him because he's always one step ahead of you" super-genius like Morrison tended to, there were chunks of time where he'd sit out big battles, but WOULD cameo as using his Bat-Cave lab equipment to help them study some McGuffin, or loaning them a valuable device to help.

Depends on the situation - I don't mind seeing Batman in space, but the writer ought to REALLY want him as part of it, and REALLY have a good reason for his involvement.

That was one of the reasons I didn't like the JLA Moon or Satellite Headquarters as much as I like the Hall of Justice. Guys like Batman, and Aquaman, seem out of place off Earth. (Sometimes it works in "fish out of water" stories, most times pick a better cast of specialists)