Superheroes are ubiquitous in various forms of entertainment, such as movies, series, animation, video games, and theme parks. Fans often engage in heated debates over the question, "Who is the greatest superhero?" However, favoritism has become a major issue in these discussions. Today, we will attempt to put an end to the debate once and for all by proclaiming that the Bat Vigilante is, without a doubt, the greatest superhero of all time.
Let's review the aspects that substantiate this statement as a fact.
He is a Human
In the world of superheroes, where God-like characters exist, Batman is a human who uses his peak human condition, genius-level intellect, knowledge of martial arts, and high-tech equipment that he inherited from his money and years of training. He trains, struggles, fails, adapts, and overcomes. The audience feels more connected to him because of the realism and everyday human struggles he brings to the table.
Rogues Gallery
Many villains from Batman’s rogues gallery are considered some of the greatest supervillains ever. Bane challenges Batman’s strength, Riddler challenges his intelligence, Joker questions his morality, and many other villains challenge different parts of Batman that define who he is.
Batman: The Killing Joke (1988) | Graphic Novel
Considered by many critics across the globe as the best Batman stories ever published and one of the best comic books, Alan Moore’s The Killing Joke provides an origin story for the Joker.
Moore explores that psychologically, Batman and Joker are a reflection of each other. Critic Geoff Klock further explained that Batman and the Joker are creations of a random and tragic ‘one bad day’. Batman spends his life forging meaning from the random tragedy, whereas the Joker reflects the absurdity of life and all its random injustice.”
Batman: The Animated Series (1992–95)
It was considered by IGN.com as the best adaptation of Batman anywhere outside of comics, the best comic book television show of all time, and the second-best animated series of all time after The Simpsons. The series received universal praise for its thematic complexity, film noir aesthetics, darker tone, artistic presentation, and modernization of the protagonist’s crime-fighting origins that helped inspire many live-action and animated projects in the future.
The Dark Knight (2008) | Live-action Movie
Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy relies more upon realism and socio-political commentary than traditional superhero themes. The second entry in the masterpiece series, “The Dark Knight,” is considered by many to be the greatest superhero movie of all time and one of the greatest movies ever. Batman is forced to choose between vigilantism and heroism when Gotham faces a threat from the Joker, who wants to spread chaos.
The Dark Knight has revolutionized comic book movies with its gritty and dark tone, inspiring many future films. The movie has been used to comment on fighting terrorism and pushing civil rights boundaries. The movie is an enjoyable art for discussion, and this art reflects the society of the 2000s.
Batman: Arkham City (2011) | Video Game
In this third-perspective action-adventure game, the Caped Crusader is incarcerated in Arkham City, a super-prison enclosing the decaying urban slums of Gotham. The player assumes Batman, who must uncover the secret behind a sinister scheme orchestrated by the facility’s warden, Hugo Strange. Batman can freely move around the Arkham City prison, interact with characters, undertake missions, and unlock new areas by progressing through the main story or obtaining new equipment. The player can also complete side missions away from the main story to unlock additional content and collectible items.
It is considered one of the greatest video games because of its narrative, characters, world designs, soundtrack, and Batman’s combat and navigation abilities.
Joker (2019) | Live-action Movie
The first major solo Supervillain movie that became critically and commercially successful. Actor Joaquin Phoenix received universal praise for his Clown Prince of Crime performance, winning the Best Actor Award at the 92nd Academy Awards. This psychological thriller provides a possible origin story for the Joker. Set in 1981, it follows Arthur Fleck, a failed clown and stand-up comedian who descends into insanity and inspires a violent revolution.
The movie received a polarized reaction from the media for its dark tone, commentary on mental health, and gritty violence. However, it set a new standard for character study productions and using comic book materials for socio-political commentary.
Honorable Mentions:
- Batman: Mask of Phantasm is considered one the greatest animated movies of all time.
- Ben Affleck’s portrayal of an older and experienced Bruce Wayne/Batman in DCEU received critical acclaim. The warehouse fight sequence in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is considered one of the best fight sequences in live-action cinema.
Dishonorable Mentions
- Batman & Robin (1997) is considered one of the worst movies ever.
On the list of the greatest comic books of all time, animated movies of all time, animated series of all time, live-action films of all time, and video games of all time have one thing in common: Batman. No other superhero or pop culture character has as much accomplishment as The World’s Greatest Detective.
Batman movies have constantly received Oscar nominations and awards. A live-action film based on Batman’s archnemesis Joker has been extraordinarily successful and received Oscars. Even one of the worst movies has Batman in it too.
