Weekly Standard Tackles the Great Debate of Our Time: Spider-Man vs. Batman

[Confuzzled Mutie]

Well, you have a good point there. But if so, then their methods differ considerably. Ra's wants to just hit the big reset button on Gotham, whereas Bruce wants to reform it a piece at a time. Citizens and families living in Gotham would likely prefer the Bruce way.

But yeah, he's a little self-righteous. But then so is Superman and so are most heroes. There are entire comic series about the self-righteousness of all this hero stuff.



Incidentally, I think it is no mistake that the citizens of Gotham are shown that way in the Nolan films. Gotham as a corrupt and unworthy place with very few bright spots. Ra's is right (in Batman Begins)! Gotham is essentially an unsavable city. Bruce doesn't care, he still wants to save it and everyone in it. Even Joker, as it turns out!

A common theme of both Batman and Spider-Man is that no one has to earn their protection.

True. But if you want to tell a really effective story, you need to make your audience care about the stakes involved. Ra's was wrong about Gotham being an unsavable city. That was the entire point of "Batman Begins", that Bruce was right in his belief that the good in the city far outweighed the bad, no matter how daunting the latter appeared to be. Where Nolan failed was to properly establish the fact that Bruce's philosophy far outweighed Ra's/Bane's. Mainly because the citizens were shown to be such helpless and hopeless @$$holes who couldn't evoke any emotion of sympathy, at least from me.

[Jim Thompson]

I think that's a common mistake in Spider-Man's ethos. Peter isn't motivated by Guilt. He's motivated by responsibility. He feels guilty that he failed to live up to his responsibilities and be a good man like Uncle Ben taught him and paid a terrible price for it. But it's more than just guilt. It's more than just a selfish compulsion. He's a hero, not all self-centered.

I disagree; guilt was his driving force for a long time, for much of the character's run.

[ShaggyB]

I disagree; guilt was his driving force for a long time, for much of the character's run.

agreed. many people want it to be responsibility because thats what peter tells himself, but his need to be responsible is born of guilt. That means guilt is the driving force.