Why does Batman leave his mouth exposed? - Page 3

Guy Gardener · February 2 2013, 02:52 PM

Zero-Hour took Joe Chill out of the Equation.

Joe was detoxing off heroin when he was supposed to be blowing away the Waynes.

Christopher · February 2 2013, 03:04 PM

In this day and age, I wonder if the whole idea of the Waynes going to a movie theater at all might be anachronistic. If they're so rich, wouldn't they have a fancy home-theater system in Wayne Manor? For that matter, why were they attending a theater in such a bad part of town in the first place, and why were they walking instead of being chauffeured?

Although I think the idea in the Bronze Age, when "Crime Alley" was introduced, was that Park Row was only starting to go into decline when the Waynes were murdered, that that was the harbinger of its deterioration into the cesspool it became.

Guy Gardener · February 2 2013, 03:27 PM

Which is why Leslie built a clinic exactly there?

JoeZhang · February 2 2013, 03:50 PM

Christopher wrote:

In this day and age, I wonder if the whole idea of the Waynes going to a movie theater at all might be anachronistic. If they're so rich, wouldn't they have a fancy home-theater system in Wayne Manor? For that matter, why were they attending a theater in such a bad part of town in the first place, and why were they walking instead of being chauffeured?

Although I think the idea in the Bronze Age, when "Crime Alley" was introduced, was that Park Row was only starting to go into decline when the Waynes were murdered, that that was the harbinger of its deterioration into the cesspool it became.

In the modern re-telling, they are murdered when they step outside to see if the broadband cable has come out and that is why Netflix's has stopped.

Mark Waid recently did an update of Captain America's origins where the first President he meets is Obama which is sorta nice and the Punisher is now a Gulf war veteran.

dru · February 2 2013, 04:08 PM

Guy Gardener wrote:

I mean what's worse?

"My Parents died taking me to see Finding Nemo."
or "My parents died taking me to see Zorro"

From an 8 year olds perspective that's a world of difference.

Doesn't matter. He doesn't live in our world so who knows when Batman's Hollywood has released yet another Zorro film. Even in our real world, Zorro has seen many releases on the big screen (there's even a reboot in the works) and thus, it was a timeless choice. "Finding Nemo?" That's a very specific film from a very specific studio with a very specific release strategy. Doesn't work.

At the time of Detective Comics #27's release, Zorro was about to have his fourth feature and third actor in the role in the US. But Zorro hasn't had just a US film history. There have been some Mexican and many European productions as well. Perhaps the Waynes went to a quaint theater that shows foreign films and it happened to be a Zorro picture?

Robert Maxwell · February 2 2013, 04:12 PM

Trekker4747 wrote:

Guy Gardener wrote:

Many years ago, my comic shop guy insisted that Batman had a Lazarus Pit.

But that was before Knightfall.

That would be silly and sort of ruin the "Everyman" appeal of Bruce Wayne, along the lines of how I feel about the Extremis with Tony Stark. It turned him from simply a brilliant "every man" to someone with a degree of "super"-human ability.

"Brilliant everyman" is kind of an oxymoron, don't you think?

JoeZhang · February 2 2013, 04:17 PM

Even before you get into the powers aspect - difficult to describe a capitalist weapons manufacturer who has benefited from significant inherited wealth and is part of the military–industrial complex as an 'everyman'.

Christopher · February 2 2013, 05:33 PM

dru wrote:

At the time of Detective Comics #27's release, Zorro was about to have his fourth feature and third actor in the role in the US. But Zorro hasn't had just a US film history. There have been some Mexican and many European productions as well. Perhaps the Waynes went to a quaint theater that shows foreign films and it happened to be a Zorro picture?

Again -- the movie wasn't identified as The Mark of Zorro until 1986, in The Dark Knight Returns. Before that it was just an unspecified movie. And Detective Comics #27 didn't say anything about Batman's origin -- the story wasn't told until #33 (and then reprinted in Batman #1):

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources...dcmoment42.jpg

Note that it says the Waynes were walking home from a movie some 15 years before, which would've been 1924. It wouldn't even have been a talkie.

Gaith · February 2 2013, 06:43 PM

Christopher wrote:

In this day and age, I wonder if the whole idea of the Waynes going to a movie theater at all might be anachronistic. If they're so rich, wouldn't they have a fancy home-theater system in Wayne Manor? For that matter, why were they attending a theater in such a bad part of town in the first place, and why were they walking instead of being chauffeured?

Yeah. As much as I love Zorro, and as little as I care for Batman Begins, I gotta say Nolan made the right call by sending 'em to an opera.

Christopher · February 2 2013, 06:47 PM

^Right, because opera's a much more modern art form than movies.

But seriously, yeah, it makes sense that it would be some kind of live performance they could only see in a theater. And BB's version, where Bruce is in the alley because he ran out of the performance, makes more sense than having this rich family just walking along the streets in a dangerous part of town.

A beaker full of death · February 2 2013, 08:48 PM

Gaith wrote:

As much as I love Zorro, and as little as I care for Batman Begins, I gotta say Nolan made the right call by sending 'em to an opera.

Didn't he send them to Fledermaus? Huge mistake. It's a light operetta, hardly something that would cause a bat to be seen as a frightening symbol of terror... or something.

Gaith · February 2 2013, 08:58 PM

^ No.

Trekker4747 · February 2 2013, 09:36 PM

Well in Nolan's Batman Begins the Waynes are killed leaving the Opera which makes a bit more sense for their lifestyle and such.

Even before you get into the powers aspect - difficult to describe a capitalist weapons manufacturer who has benefited from significant inherited wealth and is part of the military–industrial complex as an 'everyman'.

"Everyman" in the sense he has no superpowers, "the X-Gene" or any other super-human ability common in comic books. Tony Stark's only "powers" should be smarts and money.

FFunctionalData · February 2 2013, 09:51 PM

Sketcher wrote:

It seems like a pretty obvious tactical error. It'd be easy for a criminal to inflict serious damage on the area. He could get his jaw/teeth broken by a fist, baseball bat, crowbar, etc. Not to mention it gives clues to his identity - skin color, shape of mouth, dental records (if anyone can get that close to him).

really the reason is because he has always been drawn that way. If batman was real I am sure he would have a helmet of some kind.

Prince of Space · February 2 2013, 09:54 PM

Getting back to the original question, how many Golden Age heroes had full masks? The only ones I can think of (without research) is the Atom, Doctor Fate and Sandman, and the latter two also sported half-masks at various times. (Hawkman almost qualifies, but his chin wasn't covered.) Batman's mask is the rule rather than the exception.

February 2 2013, 02:52 PM	#31
Guy Gardener Admiral Location: In the lap of squalor I assure you.	Re: Why does Batman leave his mouth exposed? Zero-Hour took Joe Chill out of the Equation. Joe was detoxing off heroin when he was supposed to be blowing away the Waynes. __________________ "Glitter is the herpes of arts and craft." Troy Yingst. My Life as Liz

February 2 2013, 03:04 PM	#32
Christopher Writer	Re: Why does Batman leave his mouth exposed? In this day and age, I wonder if the whole idea of the Waynes going to a movie theater at all might be anachronistic. If they're so rich, wouldn't they have a fancy home-theater system in Wayne Manor? For that matter, why were they attending a theater in such a bad part of town in the first place, and why were they walking instead of being chauffeured? Although I think the idea in the Bronze Age, when "Crime Alley" was introduced, was that Park Row was only starting to go into decline when the Waynes were murdered, that that was the harbinger of its deterioration into the cesspool it became. __________________ Christopher L. Bennett Homepage -- Includes purchasing links for Only Superhuman, on sale now! Updated 12/30/12 with annotations for the novel. Written Worlds -- My blog

February 2 2013, 04:17 PM	#37
JoeZhang Rear Admiral	Re: Why does Batman leave his mouth exposed? Even before you get into the powers aspect - difficult to describe a capitalist weapons manufacturer who has benefited from significant inherited wealth and is part of the military–industrial complex as an 'everyman'.

February 2 2013, 06:47 PM	#40
Christopher Writer	Re: Why does Batman leave his mouth exposed? ^Right, because opera's a much more modern art form than movies. But seriously, yeah, it makes sense that it would be some kind of live performance they could only see in a theater. And BB's version, where Bruce is in the alley because he ran out of the performance, makes more sense than having this rich family just walking along the streets in a dangerous part of town. __________________ Christopher L. Bennett Homepage -- Includes purchasing links for Only Superhuman, on sale now! Updated 12/30/12 with annotations for the novel. Written Worlds -- My blog

February 2 2013, 08:58 PM	#42
Gaith Rear Admiral Location: Starfleet Command, The City that Knows How	Re: Why does Batman leave his mouth exposed? ^ No.

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February 2 2013, 03:27 PM	#33
Guy Gardener Admiral Location: In the lap of squalor I assure you.	Re: Why does Batman leave his mouth exposed? Which is why Leslie built a clinic exactly there? __________________ "Glitter is the herpes of arts and craft." Troy Yingst. My Life as Liz

February 2 2013, 09:54 PM	#45
Prince of Space Lieutenant Location: Orbiting	Re: Why does Batman leave his mouth exposed? Getting back to the original question, how many Golden Age heroes had full masks? The only ones I can think of (without research) is the Atom, Doctor Fate and Sandman, and the latter two also sported half-masks at various times. (Hawkman almost qualifies, but his chin wasn't covered.) Batman's mask is the rule rather than the exception.