Obscene Batman moment in Detective Comics #570

[The Laughing Fish]

A few years ago, I read this back issue of Detective Comics titled The Last Laugh, written by Mike W. Barr. It begins with Batman and Robin entering an underground nightclub to interrogate the shady owner called Profile, who knew about a robbery committed by the Joker. What made me start this thread was this rather surprising moment; when Profile refused to co-operate, Batman not only threatened to frame the guy by planting his fingerprints at another future crime scene, he went so far as to scare the guy with the danger of prison rape.



When Profile gave up the Joker's hideout, Batman destroyed the glass containing his fingerprints and looked at Profile with a sinister smile, saying "I like you, Profile. You got good sense".

Looking at how this issue was released in January 1987, this would've been post-Dark Knight Returns, so that would explain Batman's questionable tactics taking another turn. I've noticed a lot of comics during that era got progressively darker with imagery and subtext that would've been prohibited years earlier, but I got to say, I was rather surprised to see the DC editorial team - led by Denny O'Neil at the time - didn't take much issue with the idea of Batman intimidating criminals and suspects with frame-ups and prison rape. Even going so far as to have Batman take some glee in doing so.

Although I do think Batman could resort to such dirty tactics to interrogate criminals, I'm still surprised that O'Neil and co would allow this to get published. On the other hand, Batman is a violent vigilante who has caused serious bodily harm if you stop and think about it, so is making such threats really beneath him? I guess it is unsettling if you look at the character from a simple black-and-white perspective.

Furthermore, this moment goes to show the Comics Code logo printed on the front cover of this issue was rendered useless.

[thecolorsblend]

That was a weird time for Batman overall. At one time, you'd get the rebooted Jason Todd origin, which comes off like an episode of the West TV show. But then you'd also get Batman walling off KGBeast and leaving him for dead another time.

My critique of late Eighties Batman is the lack of consistency. Everyone seemed to have different ideas of who Batman is and there didn't seem to be much of an effort made to keep the character's tone the same from one book to another.

But the prison rape thing is pretty balls out.

[The Laughing Fish]

I neglected to mention how effeminate the character Profile looks, particularly with the earring on the right side, the nail polish, and the noticeable eyelashes. I guess O'Neil and company okayed this scene because they thought comic book readers were too young to get the message at the time. But if this panel got published today - in this dreadful age of social media hysteria - I can only imagine the controversy surrounding it. "Batman threatens to get a (possible) gay man raped in jail".

Right or wrong, the backlash would've been enormous.

[Slash Man]

I just read that comic not too long ago, I guess it didn't strike me as much. Would it have been too much for Batman to act on any of these threats? Absolutely. But they're just that - threats. It's not out of the ordinary for Batman to threaten awful things, mostly inflicting pain on a cornered victim for information. But it's only when something's seriously wrong that he actually follows through, the story does not frame this as virtuous.

This is definitely an example of edgy, 80s action hero Batman though.

[The Dark Knight]

I just read that comic not too long ago, I guess it didn't strike me as much. Would it have been too much for Batman to act on any of these threats? Absolutely. But they're just that - threats. It's not out of the ordinary for Batman to threaten awful things, mostly inflicting pain on a cornered victim for information. But it's only when something's seriously wrong that he actually follows through, the story does not frame this as virtuous.

Most incarnations of Batman have boundaries, and after a while operating on the streets people begin to know it. Maroni says as much when he compares him to the Joker in TDK. There has to be an element of doubt present in the criminal's mind for them to second guess themselves. Maybe Batman will kill me? Maybe Batman will go that far this time? Batman talking like this helps keep people on edge. That's an important component of being a human crimefighter. At the end of the day, the decision is in the suspect's court. If they don't want to cooperate they've been told what will happen. Batman isn't threatening someone he knows to be innocent.