Justice League #9 Preview and Discussion

[TZDEKA]

By itself, perhaps, but my point is that there's a pattern of this "Batman is useless" talk, and he doesn't really do much to back up why he's there, either. Which to me indicates that it's intentionally being emphasized by Johns.

[Dr. Hurt]

Remember how batman's cowl lenses have head up display with all kinds of info? Or how in Young Justice Robin's gauntlet would project a holographic screen with whatever info he needed?



Why didnt Batman use any of that? Oh yeah, Cyborg... We have to make him usefull somehow.
Didio said they didnt like how Oracle had become a deus ex machina, particularly how she did Batman's work for him, but with Cyborg it's ok huh?

[JaggedFel]

Its the JL Book, He is not doing Batman's work in the Bat Books. So IMO not the same at all.

[ArnoldoAAD]

I really liked this issue, definitely the best chp so far and the Shazam story looks really good too

[TZDEKA]

Its the JL Book, He is not doing Batman's work in the Bat Books. So IMO not the same at all.

I don't know if that was at me, but if so I don't see how that's really a defense. He's still showing the rest of the heroes being useful even though everyone but Cyborg has a solo book. If Batman's gonna be on the team, it should be because he's a useful addition, not simply as the butt of jokes that he has no powers so he's useless. Way better iterations of the Justice League than Johns' version have succeeded at making all the big seven seem like indispensable members of the team, as they should be, so it doesn't really matter if Batman has a solo book.

[Mr. Holmes]

I think they should do it like Stormwatch and make Cyborg the "Weatherman" of the team. I do think Justice League Doom did it right.

[NinjaMic]

Looks like I'm gonna have to be "that guy".


I didnt think it was all that special and I think I'm done with the book.

[Sacred Knight]

Really don't get the sensitivity of some Batman fans. Why does he have to be near omnipotent or else he's being disrespected? Where's the conflict if he does everything right and no one questions him? That's not John's disliking him, that's having the decent sense to give the man some conflict as a character.

In any case, easily the best issue of the series thus far, and did its job in getting me interested in this arc, and interested in its main antagonist. And good, solid characterization that didn't come off as an exaggeration of itself.

[TZDEKA]

Really don't get the sensitivity of some Batman fans. Why does he have to be neigh-omnipotent or else he's being disrespected? Where's the conflict if he does everything right and no one questions him? That's not John's disliking him, that's having the decent sense to give the man some conflict as a character.

People complain about alleged "BatGods", but in Morrison's run, Waid's run, Kelly's run, and the DCAU Justice League stories Batman was portrayed as extremely competent and a valued member of the team but typically didn't overshadow the rest of the League at all. All of which are widely agreed as being way, way better than Johns' run has been. Who's more sensitive, the person who thinks that everyone in the Justice League(or at least the big seven) should be treated as invaluable members who all get to do cool things, or the person who singles out one character and complains when they're portrayed as actually being really useful to the team? If anything, the "BatGod" complainers are the overly sensitive ones.

[ArnoldoAAD]

Looks like I'm gonna have to be "that guy".


I didnt think it was all that special and I think I'm done with the book.

you are THAT GUY now

[Sacred Knight]

How is it not overly sensitive to get mad because a media broadcast is criticizing Batman? How does that equate to writing a character who is not competent, and not a valued member of the team?

[TZDEKA]

How is it not overly sensitive to get mad because a media broadcast is criticizing Batman? How does that equate to writing a character who is not competent, and not a valued member of the team?

I've explained, it's not just about this issue. It's the fact that it's been the general tone of Batman's role thus far. He generally hasn't done anything and we're constantly reminded of how useless he is one way or another. It's the same as if Aquaman did nothing and constantly got jokes about how he can only talk to fish or if Green Lantern never did anything and people made fun of him for relying on a ring.

[Sacred Knight]

And I would consider that to be a massive exaggeration on your part. He's never been portrayed as useless. And he's not the only character Hal has made a joke about.

[TZDEKA]

What about it is a massive exaggeration? The Hal example isn't the only one, and he really hasn't done much to disprove the pot shots so far.

[Sacred Knight]

You say Batman has been portrayed as useless; that's the exaggeration. Because he hasn't. Not even a little bit.