Justice League

How to have a super relationship-2

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Continueing on from where I left off…

So, our two power couples are a lot alike and very different.

One couple is operating out of a place of mutual trust and admiration, the other out of a place of mutual attraction but no commitment.

I don’t think I really need to say which of these is more common to us.

Scott and Barda actually have the most functional relationship of any supers I know.

I’m going to highlight a few instances that show more differences between the two and also some examples we could do well to heed.

First of all, when Scott and Barda are reunited, Scott is right in the middle of a battle with this spirit-demon thing that causes panic and hallucinations in mortals. Scott is protected against falling for it, but the demon, Bedlam, is determined to have him killed through the panic. Scott ad to figure out how to escape without hurting the people who are only temporarily out of their minds.

Barda shows up prepared to kick the crud out of all and any who are threatening Scott, and Scott greets her only by warning her not to interfere because he promised to have no help in this.

Now, I know if I was received that way after crossing galaxies to fight some demon creature with a sick mind, I’d be kind of put out if that was my hello.

But Barda is totally calm. And later when Bedlam accuses Scott of using her help, she says outright “I would risk my life for Scott, but I would never make him go back on his word.”

If you can not see how romantic that is, you need help. If a man were to say that to me I would be like “Oh yeah, you are awesome!”

This is the first principle I want to bring up: In a healthy relationship, the other person will not only respect your values, but they will support them even when it hurts them to do so. They will stick up for you.

I’ll tell you guys right now, if I met a couple who believed entirely the opposite of me, I would still respect them more if they stood up for each other out of loyalty and honor then if they caved under pressure and agreed with me.

How do our other subjects handle this?

I think one of the most notable examples was in Maid of Honor. To Batman’s credit, he does not totally disregard Wonder Woman’s perspective.

Both of them have instincts about the villain and the political situation of the plot, and both of them end up being mostly right. But Diana nearly costs them the mission when she recklessly crashed Audrey’s wedding without waiting to hear Batman’s plan. batman doesn’t think the less of her, but it’s important to observe that they don’t solve anything till they start working together as a unit and not just as two concerned parties.

See, even if two people in a relationship are both right, it doesn’t do any good if they cant work together. That’s what makes the real bond between them. Diana makes a classic beginner’s mistake of thinking she can handle it on her own. But her passion clouds her judgement and almost gets her killed and loses her friendship with Audrey. Batman’s cooler headed approach works out better.

But in all fairness, he was wrong in suspecting Audrey and her father and Diana set him straight on that. SO when they come together at the end, you can see they’ve made progress and whenever the two team up after that there’s a certain understanding between them that doesn’t exist between the other members.

Onto another example: Disagreements.

I have yet to read any real disagreement between Scott and Barda, I’ve heard that they have one really bad fight during the course of the comics, and I’ll deal with that later. For now I’ll talk about how they resolve their different points of view.

there are multiple times when Scott prefers to settle things peaceable and through reason or through cunning, while Barda prefers to just crush the problem with her mega-rod.

I would say at least 50-60% of the time, Scott’s way is what prevails. After Barda arrives he establishes his role as the leader of the house by right of arriving first (which is fair, he knows more about Earth than her) and tells her that they will all act as friends. “The strong don’t rule here.” Barda may not see the sense of this, but she accepts it out of respect for him. She never actually tries to harm Oberon or any of Scott’s “Guests” again.

Barda could be the poster girl for feminism, a thing which if often joked about in the comics itself, but she chooses to let Scott lead most of the time because she trusts his judgment. (Remember, mutual trust is what their relationship is built on.)

But, sometimes it goes the other way.

When the people Granny Goodness sends after them start attacking more and more often, Barda does not hesitate to physically drive them off. When she and Scott return to Apokalips, Scott wants to do things his way, but Barda decides there’s been enough of that. Scott lets her have free reign when he sees she’s determined.

This is important, Scott is not looking to tame her.

There is a difference between tempering you’re love interest and taming them. We all need tempering, we all need more control over some areas and more sharpness in others. But true love will celebrate the strengths of the beloved, and when it is right, allow them to go full throttle with them.

Scott enjoys Barda’s toughness, and that it=s what makes it so darn irresistible to love these two. Even before they are romantic, they enjoy each other’s personalities and character’s and learn to respect them.

On the other hand, our other couple does things a bit different.

I would not dump on them just to prove a point. Wonder Womana nd BAtman both enjoy each other too. But that happens to them is that because of that trust thing, they hit a wall.

Batman and Wonder Woman often take two different approaches, and when they disagree they don’t spend time trying to understand the other. Nor do they submit to the other even when it would be wisest to just pick a way and stick to it.

When they do argue, which is only once in my memory, they both push for their own way. Batman does this by blocking out everything but his own reasoning and laying that down in a very insensitive manner. (Guys, you know you do this. It’s ok, girls do it too.) Wonder Woman does it by not really hearing what’s behind his words, or if so she does not speak to it, but just keeps pressing for her own way.

These two deeply care about each other but nether knows how to express it in the best way to the other. The real problem is that Batman at least is determined not to try. Again, Wonder Woman is less at fault for being willing to go there.

Okay, wow, that took a lot longer than I expected. I hope you’re still interested because there’s more to go into in part three.

–Natasha.

How to have a super relationship-1

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Today I’m going to do something fun.

After all my Justice League related posts I’ve been anxious to do more, I have fun pulling things out of those old memories.

So, just to be different, I want to talk about superhero relationships. (Yes, that was a joke.)

Still the reason superhero relations ships are so fun is because they take the same problems real relationships have and blow them up to a much bigger scale.

Actually, a good rule of thumb when you’re judging superhero films and comics is to ask if the supers are dealing with common problems but on a magnified scale, like Spiderman/Peter Parker always is. I find that to be the most believable, because it doesn’t matter how may powers you have, you’re still human.

That especially applies to relationships.

I have two couples in mind today. I’ll be referring to the JLU show again, and the Mr. Miracle comic, because the similarity between these two couples struck me almost as soon as I read the latter.

I present for you consideration the power couples Batman and Wonder Woman, and Scott and Barda.

You may not like the Batman–Wonder Woman dynamic, but it’s the best one to serve my purpose so bear with me.

Over the course of the first two JLU seasons the writers teased the viewers with hints that Wonder Woman and Batman had, in their words, “a quasi relationship.”

I think it started from the moment Batman saw her take out some alien freaks in the first episode, and gradually they built up a mutual respect and trust, Wonder Woman somewhere along the line earned both his and Superman’s secret identity and became one of the big three. She keeps a good balance between the two more sober men.

But Batman eventually began to feel like they were getting too close and started saying he had no time for a serious relationship. Wonder Woman thought this was crud, but she couldn’t really force the point.

Scott and Barda I’ve already covered, they met on the hellish world of Apokalips, she saved his life, then followed him to earth, he saved her life, she stuck with him and it was a match made in heaven.

But if we were to take a closer look at these couples we could compare a lot of their stories.

Batman and Scott both share a traumatic past, losing their parents, and having few friends. They also share a talent for escaping and a love of justice.

Barda and Wonder Woman both share a fierce loyalty and a quick temper when they feel they or their friends are disrespected or threatened. They both were raised to be tough warriors, the best of their kind, and they both left that life, though for different reasons. (Not so different if we went by the old Wonder Woman, but the JLU one is not the same.)

They even look a lot a like.

But when we put these two couples together, there’s a huge difference in how they interact.

Wonder Woman did almost all of the advancing in the relationship, and not in what I would consider a bad way. Batman thought none the worse of her for it, I think he liked it. That was actually the trouble. Batman would not be honest about how he felt. Though on several occasions he showed a preference for her that was almost foolish, (and very cute,) he would never admit to it afterwards. She spelled it out as far as a woman can with any self-respect.

Those of us who have studied Batman’s character know the reason he was so hesitant. He is scared to be close to anyone, most especially someone he could really love, and more than that, someone like Diana who he could not control or intimidate, and who is not a criminal. She was his equal and that’s what freaked him out, because he couldn’t use any of his typical excuses not to let people get to him. (Which is always they are either too young, they work for him, or they are evil.)

How many men, and women, see themselves in Batman? They may date people, but they date people who are no good for them, who they could never marry, or whom they feel distant from. If they ever meet a person who would really challenge them, they back off because they’ve been hurt too badly in the past.

I think with Batman, and most of us, it goes back to being left alone and helpless by his parents, with neither him nor them being able to do anything. He is always afraid of the same thing happening again. And he knows even Wonder Woman is not safe from all his enemies, though his fear that they could go through her to get to him seems a bit ludicrous. She faces enemies just as bad or worse than his on a regular basis and nothing he could do is going to change that. If they aren’t after him they’ll be after her.

Wonder Woman herself seems to realize this is stupid and even insulting, but we never hear a satisfactory end to that conversation.

This is known as a dysfunctional relationship. Notice that Wonder Woman is mostly the functional part of it, she had a secure bringing up, though she couldn’t’ begin to understand what men are really like, and Batman knows it; but she’s at least willing to go there. She has a lot less issues then him, but he doesn’t want to mess her up. The thing is, he probably wouldn’t. It’s just an excuse.

That’s where we get to Scott and Barda.

Scott takes a similar path to Batman, but he starts it when he’s a lot older, though young in doing the right thing. Scott also realizes that relationships should not be avoided, though he does not take them as seriously as some. He quickly makes friends with his assistant Oberon, and with other people he meets. He is similar to Bruce Wayne in that he has an older and (inferior in ability )servant/friend. And that eventually he has a young prodigy.

But Scott wants to involve Barda in his life and his work almost as soon as she shows up. When she first saves his life, his one regret is that she would not come with him. Perhaps from the beginning then Scott learned that you can never be quite satisfied when you leave people you care about behind.

The best men in real life, and women too, are the ones who bring their friends and family along for the ride. They are willing to show them what they do. But they aren’t pushy about making them join in. They invite and encourage but they don’t force people to be part of their lives.

I’ll close with Barda and then the rest will have to be in part two.

Barda is by nature a small circle person. Like Diana she often is the one to advance the relationship, not by trying to however, just by being herself and being honest. What you love about her is that Barda never wastes words. She says what she feels plain and simple.

She’d jump down a shark’s mouth for you and never expect you to thank her for it.

Barda, to put it succinctly, does not over complicate. She is not catty. She doesn’t nag or do things for selfish reasons. I’ll get more into this in part two.

Until next post–Natasha.

 

 

 

Justice League: The Martian

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Okay, first of all, if you were wondering I do know that he has a name.

The Martian Man-hunter’s name is J’onn J’onz, or something like that I don’t recall hearing his last name pronounced, but the first is just like John is said in French. Why a man from mars would have a name with a pronunciation like French, I don’t know.

Last but not least, as they like to say.

J’onn actually is the least relatable out of the seven, simply because he’s the only one who’s most definitively not human. He doesn’t even look human, unlike Superman, and partially Hawk Girl. He also doesn’t act human most of the time.

You’ve seen the character before, straight faced most of the time, really deep voice, rarely shows emotion. Spock-like.

But  not at the core.

J’onn was given some decent character development in the first season, and then pretty much reduced to the tech guy and overseer in the second (he also had to play bad cop to some of the junior members,) a decision the writers themselves seemed to regret, as one whole episode is devoted to the problem that became for him.

J’onn fulfills the family role of wise uncle or grandfather. He always seems older than the other members, even Batman. He usually provides the most cool headed and unbiased perspective.

The best example of this is in “The ties that bind.” In that episode, Flash and J’onn are the main League members. Flash is worried about being perceived as immature. We all know that J’onn is the most mature of anyone. What happens is that Mr. Miracle himself and Barda show up at the base to ask for some help in retrieving their friend Oberon from the clutches of Granny Goodness, the person responsible for brainwashing both of them in the past. They have to go rescue this guy named Kilberon. (By the way, he’s a modern invention, not from the original comic.)

J’onn refuses because Apokalips is a threat to Earth no matter who’s in charge of it (out of the choices) and he has no wish to make enemies with either side. Barda thinks this is a load of crud, probably because she’s made enemies with all of Apokalips, and Scott accepts it none too happily, they begin to storm off, when Flash intercepts them and volunteers to go just as an individual. Now they had wanted Superman, and J’onn was very much against that (Superman tends to be a loose cannon where anything Apokalips-related is concerned,) so they turn him down–until he shows how fast he is. Then they let him come.

Long story short, Flash helps them, they succeed, everyone gets home safety…and then J’onn calls Flash in to say something. Flash immediately launches into a speech about how he went behind J’onn’s back, but it turned out all right, and you know what? He’d do it again. How did J’onn like that?

J’onn takes a moment to sigh quietly, then he says “I was just going to ask you if you wanted to play–‘ (I forget the name of the game.) Flash just blinks and says “Oh, sure.”

That’s J’onn, super serious, but deep down he has a big heart. He probably felt Flash did the right thing after all–and maybe, just maybe, he wished he was not so practical and had been willing to recklessly do the same.

One thing the JLU got right that I think Marvel gets wrong a lot (sorry) is that the brainy part of the team should be led by the heart part. Whenever push came to shove on the show, you knew the characters thinking with their hearts and not just their heads were going to win.

When Batman and Superman debated crossing one of their lines to beat the Justice Lords, Superman opts for trusting one of his sworn enemies instead of being willing to kill.

When The League votes on whether Shirara can stay or not, it’s the people who are willing to give her a second chance who get the majority.

When Wonder Woman teams up with Hawk and Dove to defeat a magical war machine (I kid you not) it is Dove’s Peace–oriented perspective that saves the day, and Diana has to yield to it.

This list could go on, but I think that’s enough examples to make my point.

And perhaps the heart over head principle is most apparent in J’onn because he is the most in his head of all of them, but he’s also really devoted to the League because he sees it as his new family.

He only falters one time, in the horrible episode “Secret Society.” The one I really have a problem with finding believable. But even assuming the League really would act that way (out of the clear blue since none of those problems were there before,) J’onn’s part was both annoying and sad. he didn’t like them all tearing each other down, he’s actually the first to leave because it bothers him so much. It’s kind of out of character I think, but also understandable. He does end of being the one to save the day however, so I guess he redeems himself.

J’onn does make some tough calls over the course of the show. He’s also really sad quite a bit of the time, and loenly. His whole planet of people has been destroyed, though Mars is still orbiting the sun. Unlike Superman, J’onn actually watched it happen and was snatched from it seemingly by random chance.

Sometimes the strain of being the only mind reader is too much for him, when he pushes himself too far. But sometimes he can see things the rest of the League can’t because of hi understanding of thought. Like when they are fighting this thing called the Android (not the phone), who can copy all of their powers but is working for Lex Luthor. Wonder Woman tells J’onn to stay out of it because otherwise they’ll never beat him. But J’onn either through reading Luthor’s mind, or assessing the situation, realizes that the Android needs to be able to know what they want. So he allows him to copy his powers, telling him they are not his enemies. The Android then realizes Lex lied to him, and proceeds to defeat him and then leave.

Like I said, J’onn sees things differently.

And that wraps up this series. I hope you enjoyed, until next time–Natasha.

Justice League: The Flash.

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Oh yeah.

The Flash is one of my favorite superheroes, despite the many jokes about his name. (His alias is Wally West for those of you who don’t know.)

On the JLU, Flash could always be counted on to lighten the mood, and the mood often was pretty heavy.

On a show about alien invasions, bizarre mind control, diabolically clever bad guys, and unbelievably powerful supervillains, there really isn’t much to laugh about. The show was never corny enough for none of it to seem serious.

But Flash keeps everyone from taking themselves too seriously. Which is his obvious role: comic relief.

But what sets him apart is that he is not merely that. We all know the comic relief guy can be totally useless often enough, because, it’s funny. (Actually, I typically find that character annoying.  Ron Stoppable was the only one I laughed at, and that was after I got used to him.) But Flash isn’t, there are several episodes in which in the crunch, it all comes down to him.

And he’s arguably the least powerful. Since Batman’s gadgets probably out weigh Flash’s one superpower in terms of usefulness. But Flash is pretty resourceful when it comes to making the most of his speed.

He is after all, the fastest man alive.

And the only being faster than Superman that was ever officially shown. (Though that was on the Superman show. (Which is worth checking out, but avoid any episodes with magic in them because they were absolutely horrid.)

Here’s another interesting thing about him, he was also the only one of the team ever to overuse his power to the point where he actually burned himself out.

Unlike the other’s, Flash’s power is still tied to his normal human abilities. That is to say, he has to keep a lot of calories in his system because his metabolism burns them up so quickly when he runs. This means that, just like a normal human, he can expend his own strength. He does it one time on the show and it nearly kills him, but his friends save him. (By the way, that part of the episode never made sense to me.)

We never really find out whether or not Flash needs the League, in the same that Batman or Superman or Hawk Girl, or the Martian need it. He’s more like Diana and the Green Lantern in that he could probably be okay on his own, handling his own villains, and still have other friends and family. Flash is not dysfunctional.

In fact, he is also one of the only members who really has a life outside the League that isn’t just in his secret identity. As The Flash, he goes and visits kids in an orphanage, regularly. They love him. He’s not so infamous that his popularity ruins any personal good he can do as The Flash.

The funny thing is, we never see him as Wally West on the show, because we don’t need to see him that way to know he had a human life too, because Flash really never ceases to act like a normal person.

He’s not a genius, though I doubt he has only average intelligence. He’s not super skilled with weapons or gadgets; he doesn’t talk the talk; and he flirts with girls; Flash never acts like he’s someone special.

That’s why the rest of the League loves him, though they rarely admit it. In the Justice Lords episode, it’s even demonstrated that he’s the glue that holds them together. He’s also the one who busts them out when everyone else is unable to do anything because of their doubles. (The alternate Flash is dead, you see. It’s really sad.)

It’s interesting that the supposed death of Superman daunted the League, but the death of Flash twisted them. But not so surprising, since in Hereafter, it’s Flash who stops Diana from taking that road by reminding her it’s what Superman would have wanted.

It’s also Flash who is the first to completely forgive Hawk Girl after she betrays them, and the only one in my memory who never criticized her or even seemed angry.

One of my favorite Flash episodes was the Christmas one Comfort and Joy. In that one, Flash encounters the Humanite (a weird gorilla-shaped mutant with genius intelligence who talks with a deep silky voice.) Humanite is up to his usual no good stuff, when Flash makes an impromptu speech about Christmas, after his gift to the orphans got accidentally destroyed. Humanite is actually moved by this (though he still knocks Flash out for awhile just to get even) and repairs the toy and helps him deliver it to the kids. It’s really sweet, but better if you check it out for yourself.

Flash also shows compassion to another villain, who is really just a man who goes off his meds and does crazy things. Flash talks him into turning himself in with the promise that he’ll visit him. We don’t see him do it, but we know he’s going to.

Because as irresponsible and often immature as Flash seems. he is really neither. He cares about people.

Finally, there’s an episode I forget the name of, in which Batman and Orion follow Flash around for a day, and Orion just doesn’t get why Batman even puts up with Flash, and Batman just says sadly “No, you don’t.” Through the course of the day we see how Flash can be both annoying and really caring. And we wonder also why Batman actually seems to envy Flash in way.

Finally we get it. Batman may care about people, but it has never been his only reason for doing what he does. And he’s never been as able to open up to people as Flash is.

The truth is, what Batman acts like as Bruce Wayne, Flash actually is, effortlessly. Batman always feels that the Dark Knight part of him is there, preventing him from really being carefree and open; while Flash is always the same person, whatever mood he’s in and in whatever guise.

Batman may never go to Flash for life advice, or want to have him as a mission partner, but he still wishes he could be more like him. And I’m not sure we can say that of anyone else in the League, except possibly Superman.

Flash is humble too, and the least suspicious out of all of them. He’s also willing to go against them when he thinks it’s right, as in the episode featuring more of my favorite characters The Ties that Bind. In it Flash helps out Scott Free and Barda when they come to the League for help. (They’ve helped the League, so it was a fair trade.)

Actually, Flash is the only League member known to disagree with the Martian and get away with it in the end.

There’s only one bad Flash episode in the whole show, and he wasn’t the bad part of it. Actually, he was almost playing a Christian role. (I wonder if he is Christian. But even if not, it doesn’t take away anything from his character.)

So, that, in a nutshell, is The Flash. But check him out yourself for the full appreciation of how awesome he is.

Until Next time–Natasha.

Justice League: Batman, part two.

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Yes, I know. Part two.

Since I already got into the Batman/Superman dynamic on the show, which I like a lot better than in that awful Dawn of Justice flick, I’ll move on to his other relationships.

I know Batman and relationships sounds like an oxymoron, but again, that’s what made this show great. The superheroes were really each other’s friends and family.

I want to talk more about the Batman/ Wonder Woman thing.

According to the directors of the show, it was practically non-existent, even in their minds; but boy did it work.

Like I said, the first thing in her favor is that she recognized him, but in that episode they work exclusively together, and it rocks. Not just because I ship them, but because they’re characters play off each other so perfectly.

And not for a comedic effect, but for my money, it’s even better when you can have two characters working together and it’s just fun to watch even if they aren’t being funny.

The main thing about this episode is actually about Wonder Woman and respect. you’ll never hear it in the episode itself, but it’s the one that really establishes Diana as someone who should be listened to.

At first she and Bruce aren’t exactly working together. He’s in Paris to investigate some suspicious activity (and to do some Bruce Wayne stuff also,) she’s just there to have fun. (Cue the dumb song.) But after Diana saves Princess Audrey and kicks the crud out of the guys attacking her (all while Bruce just sits back and enjoys the show; another important thing to note,) she decides to party with her as her personal body guard. After they become new best friends, Batman decides to drop in on Wonder Woman in her apartment. After a line or two of banter, he tells her that Audrey’s father is suspected of being involved in some shady business. (I’m really sorry that I can’t remember, but it’s been four years since I’ve seen the show.) Wonder Woman sticks up for Audrey, but agrees to ask her about it. Which she does, and Audrey tells her there’s no possible way her dad is involved. Wonder Woman excepts this, but then gets the shock of her life when Audrey introduces her to her fiance, Vandal savage.  Actually, his grandson who looks just like him. (But it really is the original.) To Diana’s credit, she is not entirely convinced it really is his grandson, but she also behaves pretty ungraciously, to Audrey’s annoyance. Bu they patch thing up quickly and Diana talks to Savage alone, making it clear she suspects him. (And she overhears part of a phone conversation also.) After this, Wonder Woman gets on the phone with Batman, and while they’re talking they hear a news bite that Audrey’s father has just had a serious–and convenient–stroke. Wonder Woman leaves immediately to warn Audrey, while Batman says “Meet you there.”

To make  a long story short, Wonder Woman gets creamed by a freaky guy with a conic blaster embedded into his vocal cords. (Yes, it’s as weird as it sounds.) Batman finds her after she’s been knocked out and tells her Audrey is getting married. She recklessly decides to go crash the wedding, in the process breaking some law about intruding. Batman kind of smiles at her way of doing this, but then she gets herself captured, and gets Audrey really worked up by her accusations. Diana really starts to lose patience with her friend here, since Audrey refuses to listen to her, and thinks she’s a lunatic. Then acts like a spoiled brat.

Batman tries to call in help, but the only three members available have to go take down the space weapon Vandal Savage has set up that can destroy entire cities. (It’s not really that much like the Death Star.) So Batman decides he and Wonder Woman will have to fend for themselves. he proceeds to free her, she punches someone while he’s doing it. Then jumps in front of him to block bullets with her bracelets. The two of them proceed to storm the castle and ruin Savage’s plans. (I love the part where Batman runs up to him with a chair and says “You’re in my way” then pow!) They also free Audrey, who has since discovered the truth, not very cleverly I might add. (I like her and all, but she should have listened to Diana.)

The episode ends with Wonder Woman alluding to their dance, and Batman denying it because, secret identities; but she says “You’re still taking me dancing.”

And that’s the episode. There’s a lot more with them in it, and confession-ally, I watched all their episodes many, many times. (I was on the edge of 14 when I quit the show, okay.)

The reason these two work so well is because they are evenly matched. Diana keeps up with Bruce not by being as smart as him, analytically speaking, but by being intuitive. She’s not stupid either, but she definitely is more impulsive. But it generally works for her, and Bruce only seems to admire her for it. He once said that she was a remarkable woman, a devoted friend…and standing right behind him, wasn’t she?

To Diana, their relationship makes perfect sense, but Bruce would never commit to it.

He used the excuse that his enemies would get to him through her, and Diana pretty much just crushed some stone as if to say “Are you kidding me?”

he also thought he had too many issues.

Actually, it was kind of sweet in a way that he seemed to think she could do better, but she didn’t want to.

It’s funny, Batman seems pretty humble for a guy who has so many trust issues, and the truth is, he’s a mix of pride and humility.

He really doesn’t want to lose more people he care about, but he still allows himself to care, just not to show it. It’s like he’s really just afraid of them knowing he cares and thinking he’s vulnerable.

Diana understands this and defends him even when the others are kind of frustrated with his lack of communication. But we see that in his own way, Batman is trying to do his best by them. He just doesn’t like being on a team.

It grows on him though, first through working with Diana and coming to see her as an equal, then eventually with all the others too. That’s why I think he and Diana are so great together, because they make each other better.

I couldn’t say that for any of his other love interests (save in the new Lego Batman movie.)

I have got to end this now, but I’ll talk a little bit more about Bats when I get to Flash. Until next time–Natasha.

Justice League: Batman

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So, I’m finally getting to the big guy himself, aside from Superman. (But after Man of Steel, doesn’t Superman have a lot less fans anyway? Maybe I’m wrong.)

The JLU version of Batman is my favorite. Though I’ve watched the sixties Adam West show, and seen a few clips of the Dark Knight saga (ugh.)

But I think the show’s version of Batman was the best for a variety of reasons.

The first was that Batman had a more balanced personality, he was still too far on the dark side for my own taste, but he also had moments where he loosened up. The Bruce Wayne part of him was not totally absent from the Batman part.

And the brilliant reason behind this was that the other members of the League (the seven original ones I mean) knew who he was.  We see that Superman knew already, (which is explained in the show that was specifically about Superman from the same creators.) But what I loved was how the other characters found out.

We’re never told how Hawk Girl or Green Lantern knew, and the martian man-hunter either read his mind, or else just found out when Flash did. (In the middle of Starcrossed, it’s one of the funniest parts of that super serious episode.)

But we do see how Wonder Woman knew. It’s in that all time favorite episode Maid of Honor, early on. Diana and Bruce both happen to be in Paris, at the same party, which seems to be a complete coincidence. And Diana is getting harassed by a lot of fans…and the press it looks like (pause to acknowledge the sad fate of every superhero if they were real.) Then a handsome stranger steps in to ask her to dance and she jumps at the chance. What’s fun to watch is how through the ensuing conversation she’s slyly looking hard at his face and insinuating that they already know each other.And Bruce (of course it is him) isn’t really denying it. The golden part is that Diana actually doesn’t know his name, but you can tell she recognized the voice.

Can we all just applaud her for a moment? I can’t be the only one who gets annoyed when superheroes meet people they know and the person can’t even place their voice. I can recognize my family’s voices. (Though sometimes they sound so alike I get the wrong person, but I know it’s one of them.) And even if you allowed for the fact that some people just sound alike, the superheros are always dropping hints. Till you want to bang your head on a wall at the stupidity of the person they’re talking to.

Diana subverts that stupid cliche in one conversation! You can see why I like her now.

This is also one of the things that make me think she was the best match up to date for ol’ Batman. None of his other (and often evil) love interests have ever recognized him without his help.

There’s more heated debate about this than you would beleive, but I’m moving on.

So, why this whole secret identity thing is important is because it denotes some measure of trust. BAtman is always critisizd, even by the otehr characters, for one thing:Not trusting nayone.

Superman is actually pretty chill about it in the origin story episode, and explains to the martian, who says “A wise policy.” (I found that idiotic from a guy who could read minds and ought to know how important trust is to our psyche.) But Batman does trust the league, to an extent. I reviewed the JL movie Crisis on two earths several months ago (It’s in a series called “Earth crisis” if your’e interested) and at the end of that when Batman faces off with Owlman, Owlman ribs him for not trusting anyone else to do something, though, he confesses with a laugh, he feels the same way.

I disagree that Superman would have been the better choice in that situation, but the point remains that even if he were, Batman would probably not have trusted him.

And Batman says on the show to Diana “Next time I let Superman take charge, just hit me, real hard.” But that was an early episode.

I really have to appreciate how Batman interacts with Superman even so. He’s about the only one who will tell Superman to get over it, and stand up to him. Which amazes people since he’d arguably the least powerful and Superman could crush him. But Superman wouldn’t. Though he does shove him aside pretty hard in the same episode I just referenced, and Batman doesn’t even  hesitate after that.

It’s clear to see that despite how often Superman and Batman disagree, Superman deeply respects him. And Batman admires Superman more than he will ever show. They’re relationship was pretty much summed up by a brief exchange after Superman came back from the future.

Wonder Woman: Don’t let him fool you. He’s just as glad to see you as the rest of us. (I apologize if I remembered her line wrong.)

Batman: No, I just never believed you were actually dead.

Superman: (nonchalantly) I…guess that’s a compliment.

There you have it. They get each other. Actually, it’s partly because of their friendship that I think the League is so good for Batman. He actually gets to help people who are more his equals and who won’t listen to everything he says because they all are just as used to calling the shots as he is. (Versus his relationship with Robin and Alfred and the other kids.)

You think I just mean the idea of it, but there is seriously a difference with how he acts.

He’s actually so complex I’ll have to split this part into two. Sorry, it’s character discussion after all.

Hope to see you then–Natasha.