One of the most famous pieces of Batman The belief that the Dark Knight does not kill. No matter what happens, no matter how many people the Joker kills, Batman refuses to go down and become a killer like his worst enemies. However, this no-kill rule isn't just a staple of Batman's mythos – is one of DC's first retcons.
Batman's no-kill rule has been around for decades, but it wasn't there in his early days. The first instance of Batman revealing that he and his friends are not killers is in the pages of Batman #4 by Bill Finger and Bob Kane. When Batman and Robin fight criminals with swords, Batman orders Robin to use the flat side of his blade, so he doesn't kill anyone.
Robin answers in the affirmative, as if this is the rule that has been going on for a long time – the very stuff of a good retcon. In fact, before Robin came on the scene, Batman was killing criminals left and right.
Batman Doesn't Kill…Right?
Batman's First Kill Has great symbolism for the Joker
Batman was first introduced in 1939 Detective Jokes #27 by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, as a dark response to the fascinating Superman of Action Comedy. Although today's Batman has changed in more ways than can be counted, the most prominent aspect of his character is that, despite his dark nature, he vowed never to kill. Unfortunately, this was not always the case.
In that first appearance, Batman faces his first villain again pushes him into a bottle of acid, noting that “a fitting end for his kind.” The Joker's bubble-top logo is all over his first issue. Batman continues in subsequent issues to trap the so-called Doctor Death in a burning building and, at one point, snap a man's neck. Batman has also been seen using guns on a regular basis. So what happened to this version of Vigilante Batman who had no qualms about taking the law into his own hands?
Why DC Again Skipped Batman's Brutal Justice
Batman Gets His Own Title and Sidekick to Boot
From a noir detective to a superhuman space hero beyond Gotham, Batman has gained a large following as an icon of justice that operates within the bounds of mercy. But the real backstory is that comic editors steered Bob Kane and Bill Finger away from a righteous version of Batman when Batman finally got his first title. Very quickly, Batman found his sidekick, Robin, and from there, he became a holy paragon for several decades – until the pendulum swung back, that is.
While Batman #4 provides the first example of Batman not killing, he does it in a classic retcon way, pretending this is the way it's always been for readers.. After 80 years of this, DC is absolutely right. But the history of killing Batman is there, and DC's reasons for changing this practice are the same reasons that Batman himself stopped killing: so that we can be a better example for the next generation. This is a very compelling take on the character, and DC would be foolish to let it pass with just another timeline change, the first of many, really.
Robin is the reason why Batman changed from an assassin to a hero
Batman Transformed From Vigilante To Role Model With Robin
Batman gave up his last form of revenge so he wouldn't drag Robin into the darkness that enveloped him.
Like his son, Damian Wayne, who has killed many times, Batman's history bears that out a hero who has killed before and vowed to be better and never kill again is a more compelling hero than one who has never crossed any kind of line. Batman's timeline shows that his killing spree is on the wane when Dick Grayson arrives on the scene. This is another important aspect of the mystery, as it shows that Batman gave up his last form of revenge in order not to drag Robin into the darkness that enveloped him.
Batman also just gave the smartest reason yet for his no-kill rule. It's not just about not wanting to cross the line; Batman knows he inspires others to follow in his footsteps – if he kills, then Batman encourages others to do the same. This can be seen from when he takes Robin as his sidekick. Bruce Wayne realized that he was training a boy to follow in his footsteps. He decided to train Dick Grayson in the path of light instead of the path of death in a major change, which is fundamental to his noir character, pulp action.
DC Should Keep The True History Of Batman's Kill Record
Batman's Killing Past Makes Him a More Compelling Character
Robin's place in this retcon is important, as it says Robin made Batman a hero. As stories continue to be created, such as Bat-Man: The First Knight by Dan Jurgens and Mike Perkins, depicting the inner life of Batman's early days, there is a great opportunity here for authentic storytelling that reveals the darkest parts of Batman's early days and how he pulled himself back from the brink of darkness. Nightwing's light-hearted nature is something every fan is familiar with – but just imagine what you see the first moment Bruce Wayne brings Dick Grayson home, and saves Batman from darkness instead.
Furthermore, if the Joker is a memory of Stryker (Batman's first villain who pushed him through a pillar of acid) that has haunted him mentally, then the history of Batman's murder could be very complicated – and dark. No wonder Batman will never kill the Joker, because the Joker is facing Batman's failure to kill already once before. Show fans the real Batman, and his entire backstory will make sense instead of being a jumble of many different Batmans.
Batman Doesn't Kill – Still
DC Should Let Batman Be The Paragon of Redemption
This is a story arc that is heavier and more contextual than any other white-out plot. DC should embrace the dark age of the Dark Knight, because it makes him so powerful. A lot of criticism directed at characters like Superman is that he has no depth to him. Batman has more depth than most characters, but if he, as a black guard, never kills, then he misses his big time of trouble. At a time when members of the Bat Family are breaking the no-kill rule, it's more important than ever that Bruce Wayne admits the truth and becomes the role model he was meant to be.
Batman's authenticity will make fans love him even more as a father who chose life over his murderous past.
The history is there, and it's more interesting than any retcon. As with any story, truth is more interesting than fiction, and DC should stick to the truth of Batman. It will make fans love him even more as a father who chose to live instead of his murderous past. Of course, everyone knows Batman it doesn't kill – at least now.