The 20 most overdone ideas, clichés and tropes in Batman-comics

[Vil_Dee]

No I think they're pretty mutually exclusive, when we look at how impenetrable superhero comics have become in the last thee decades, catering to 40+ year old fans instead of the kids they were meant for.

What kind of nonsensery trippingness is this? Kids aren't reading comic books because of reoccuring villains?! Going back to my cartoon watching days, I'm pretty sure that He-man fought Skeletor in every flippin episode, that Optimus Prime fought Megatron in every flippin episode, that the Thundercats fought Mumm ra in every flippin episode, that the TMNTs fought Shredder in every flippin episode, that the Smurfs fought Gargamel in every flippin episode, that Inspector Gadget fought Dr. Claw in every flippin episode, that the Gummy Bears fought Duke Igthorn in every flippin episode, are you seeing where I'm going with this? Kids like watching the same crap over and over and over again.

Wouldn't you think the more obvious reason that less people are reading superhero comics now than they were before is because there are way more entertainment options (that won't get you branded as a raging nerd to boot) available? No, that would make too much sense. Nope, it must be because people won't read a superhero comic unless they know that every villain will only appear in one story and then NEVER AGAIN!

Oh Batman is so stale now for having the same villains appearing, because we all know in the beginning of Batman comics, the Joker only appeared in like. . .almost every flippin issue! I guess that's why DC went belly up so long ago and no one has ever heard of this Batman guy.

[Auguste Dupin]

What kind of nonsensery trippingness is this? Kids aren't reading comic books because of reoccuring villains?! Going back to my cartoon watching days, I'm pretty sure that He-man fought Skeletor in every flippin episode, that Optimus Prime fought Megatron in every flippin episode, that the Thundercats fought Mumm ra in every flippin episode, that the TMNTs fought Shredder in every flippin episode, that the Smurfs fought Gargamel in every flippin episode, that Inspector Gadget fought Dr. Claw in every flippin episode, that the Gummy Bears fought Duke Igthorn in every flippin episode, are you seeing where I'm going with this? Kids like watching the same crap over and over and over again.

Wouldn't you think the more obvious reason that less people are reading superhero comics now than they were before is because there are way more entertainment options (that won't get you branded as a raging nerd to boot) available? No, that would make too much sense. Nope, it must be because people won't read a superhero comic unless they know that every villain will only appear in one story and then NEVER AGAIN!

Oh Batman is so stale now for having the same villains appearing, because we all know in the beginning of Batman comics, the Joker only appeared in like. . .almost every flippin issue! I guess that's why DC went belly up so long ago and no one has ever heard of this Batman guy.

Kids not reading comics because of the Internet or video games is a phallacy. Japanese kids have Internet and video games too (and play even more video games), and yet, their comic books sell numbers that would make DC executive cry of exctasy if they ever happen to be even close. Of course, they're cheap and you don't have to go into some weird comic shop where you're going to be despised by the owner for not knowing that "Batman", and "Batman The Dark Knight" are two different books. And they happen to be relatively light on reoccuring villains (one can last long until defeated, but once he's beaten, most of the time it's over), although wether or not it has an impact on it is anyone's guess.

[philioteria21]

Kids not reading comics because of the Internet or video games is a phallacy. Japanese kids have Internet and video games too (and play even more video games), and yet, their comic books sell numbers that would make DC executive cry of exctasy if they ever happen to be even close. Of course, they're cheap and you don't have to go into some weird comic shop where you're going to be despised by the owner for not knowing that "Batman", and "Batman The Dark Knight" are two different books. And they happen to be relatively light on reoccuring villains (one can last long until defeated, but once he's beaten, most of the time it's over), although wether or not it has an impact on it is anyone's guess.

It isn't a fallacy. American and Japanese children are vastly different culturally. Americans desire instant gratification much more than any other culture; comics do not provide that. The literacy rate in the country, and interest in reading in general, is abysmal when compared with other nations. Kids do not read as much today as they did even twenty years ago, period. Offer a kid a stack of comics or a video game and, nine times out of ten, I'd bet he takes the video game. Comics just don't appeal to kids the way they used to. It has nothing to do with recurring villains.

Not to mention that, when I was a kid, I was much more inclined to buy an issue featuring the Joker, Scarecrow, Riddler or Two-Face than one that didn't.

[DochaDocha]

The Joker hijacking TV airwaves.

The fact that Batman can obsessively hone his fighting skills throughout the years, but still take big hits in fist fights against people like Harley or Catwoman.

[Jorriss]

The fact that Batman can obsessively hone his fighting skills throughout the years, but still take big hits in fist fights against people like Harley or Catwoman.

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by this?

[DochaDocha]

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by this?

In the cartoons, Harley wasn't a well-trained fighter, or at least not early on, and there would be a handful of times when she'd just walk up to Batman and slug him.

Just in general, there's a ton of emphasis made on how much Batman trained as a fighter, so I'd tend to think if he got in a fist fight with someone else, Batman should severely outclass his opponent if said opponent wasn't either powered-up, or had similar training.

[Haytil]

The Joker hijacking TV airwaves.

Is this really done that often? He does it in one of the movies (Batman 1989), one of the "TAS" episodes ("Christmas with the Joker"), and once in the comics that I remember ("The Man Who Laughs"), though I think that last one was just when he killed a news anchor who was reporting live on scene and just kept talking through the live feed, right?

[DochaDocha]

Is this really done that often? He does it in one of the movies (Batman 1989), one of the "TAS" episodes ("Christmas with the Joker"), and once in the comics that I remember ("The Man Who Laughs"), though I think that last one was just when he killed a news anchor who was reporting live on scene and just kept talking through the live feed, right?

It happens a lot in the cartoons. I wish I remembered all the instances, but just off the top of my head, there was the Joker Fish episode, the Christmas one as you said, the episode "Almost Got Him," and the Justice League episode "Wild Cards."

[Jorriss]

In the cartoons, Harley wasn't a well-trained fighter, or at least not early on, and there would be a handful of times when she'd just walk up to Batman and slug him.

Just in general, there's a ton of emphasis made on how much Batman trained as a fighter, so I'd tend to think if he got in a fist fight with someone else, Batman should severely outclass his opponent if said opponent wasn't either powered-up, or had similar training.

Oh, gotcha. Yeah, I agree with that.

[bilwit]

Most overdone/cliche thing in Batbooks? Villian falls off a cliff at the end.

[BlueStarr86]

I think his primary villains have been around long enough to become cliches in their own right and they are certainly overdone. I would like some more new villains, preferably ones that aren't basically (insert previously existing type of bad guy here) only different because they wear slightly different gimp suits, but still only appear for at most a single arch.

I'd also like him to partake in his more exotic adventures. Finally DC should either stop claiming he's a detective or actually make him do real detective work.