Is Batman realistic? Or just a comic book character?

[burtongenius]

In response to ral.

By fun, I meant the supernatural super powers of superman and spiderman.  You're right, the human condition, the personality strugges are the same, but the powers are unrealistic.  Thats why batman is different.  He is realistic.  He's just a regular guy (well, not average but you know what I mean).  Thats why batman is so different and appreciated from other heroes (though their is nothing "out there" about an Iron Man existing but....)

I don't think burton should've done batman (please don't stone me).  Burton is not a very realistic director (not that directors have to be- its just that batman is a realistic character and therefore deserves a director that will carry out the realism).

I can see the villains in batman being a fantasy but I dont see any fantasy about a city with criminals.  The writers just got carried away with some of the villains (again, I still think the Penguin is realistic- not the devito version- more like the animated series version- one without webbed hands).

The reason people watch batman is because he is the guy that stops crime because he just wants to (and he's rich but....).  Thats it.  And thats why people like him so much.

[Gotham Knight]

In response to ral.

By fun, I meant the supernatural super powers of superman and spiderman.  You're right, the human condition, the personality strugges are the same, but the powers are unrealistic.  Thats why batman is different.  He is realistic.  He's just a regular guy (well, not average but you know what I mean).

My point was, to put in simple terms, that they are all 'real guys,' no matter what powers they have hence their success and our fascination with them.

[burtongenius]

What real guys do you know that can shoot web from their arms or can burn people with their eyes?  Like I said, the personal struggles are there, but the character as a whole is unrealistic- the power side not the personal side.

So the question isn't whether they are real guys, it is whether they are real heroes.  Superman and Spiderman aren't.  Batman is.

[Gotham Knight]

The personal struggles are what makes them real in the first place...

[The Dark Knight]

People do appreciate Batman because he wills himself to fight crime without the aid of super-powers, that is correct. But the lack of super-powers does not instantly make him realistic. Your view is a very simplistic one.

You are so fixated on this realism nonsense that you no longer value Burton?s Batman? You don?t think Burton should have directed the Batman films?

That was a massive turnaround. Praising Burton to the skies and then dropping him in a flash. Sounds to me your username should read ?nolangenius? as you seem to value a director that ?will carry out the realism?.

I am absolutely sick of people being so concerned with realism in this day and age. What happened to simply sitting back, enjoying a film and being absorbed by it?

Am I correct in saying that if a future Batman film was declared the best ever, yet was tinged in fantasy, you would despise it because it?s not realistic?

The writers did not get carried away with any of the villains. This is a comic book environment. Burton presented that world to us perfectly. These characters are not going to be seen down the street any time soon, or ever. The fact that Batman is a regular human taking these guys on merely makes us connect to his struggle further.

I am certain people watch Batman for a lot more reasons other than he?s a guy stopping crime. Dressed as a bat, mind you. Speak for yourself. I know for one, I watch Batman for the whole extravaganza of villains, environments, intricate plots, the vehicles ? so on. And mostly, for the whole point that it?s not real, and I let my imagination run wild for a few hours.

Superman and Spider-Man are real heroes. Batman is a self made hero ? but as we know, he?s not exactly a hero. They got there in different ways, but the end result of what they are and what they do is by and large exactly the same.

[thecolorsblend]

By fun, I meant the supernatural super powers of superman and spiderman.

Neither of them have supernatural powers.  Superman's powers are superhuman.  Spider-Man's are, I guess, mutagenic (ie, the spider caused a mutation).

I don't think burton should've done batman (please don't stone me).  Burton is not a very realistic director (not that directors have to be- its just that batman is a realistic character and therefore deserves a director that will carry out the realism).

You've been one of Burton's strongest advocates since you joined up here (which puts you in good company with many of us, don't get me wrong).  And now you're saying he shouldn't have directed the movies because he doesn't have a realistic style?!

That's... crazy.

[THE BAT-MAN]

Realism always depends upon one's perspective.   

[burtongenius]

No mutation (except in fantasy) can cause web spinning from a persons arm.  Like gamma rays can't cause a person to turn into the hulk.  Like if there was alien life, it wouldn't look exactly like a human.  They put realistic things in unrealistic perspectives.  Thats what makes them super natural.  Once a person "gets" powers, they aren't really human at all.  Because people can't get powers.  It just exists in comic books.  Except for batman.

I understand confusion on bailing burton.  I still think that burton made the most realistic batman out of everything.  But for arguments sake I rallied for nolan since most people think burtons movies are weird and nolans are realistic.  I still think burton should stick to imaginative stuff.  But I also think he did a real good job on batman.  But for arguments sake, whatever movie is realistic, all the other unrealistic ones should be tossed out.  Because people watch batman because they want a hero to stop bad guys.  And they want to watch this particular hero because he dresses up like a bat and is a regular, possible realistic hero.  All other comic book heroes have no possibility whatsoever of being real.  All comic book heroes struggles and personality flaws are realistic, but as I said before, the character hero as a whole is unrealistic.  By that I mean, clark kent is realistic.  Superman isn't.  Peter Parker is realistic.  Spiderman isn't.

[johnnygobbs]

Burtongenius, your posts just confuse me.  Sorry.  One moment Burton made the best Batman films and you're slagging off Nolan, the next you're singing Nolan's praises and suggesting that Burton should never have made his Batman films.   

[The Dark Knight]

I understand confusion on bailing burton.  I still think that burton made the most realistic batman out of everything.

Then in that case, if realism means everything to you, why don?t you side with Burton?!

But for arguments sake I rallied for nolan since most people think burtons movies are weird and nolans are realistic.

Ah, that?s why you don?t side with Burton. Let?s all side with the apparent popular majority. What an absolutely stupid reason for siding with another set of films. Make up your own damn mind. Don?t be a sheep. You either like something over the other, or you don?t.

But for arguments sake, whatever movie is realistic, all the other unrealistic ones should be tossed out.

Excuse me?! What are you smoking?! Is this a joke account?

In any case, keep talking. You're just digging a deeper grave and causing yourself further embarrassment.