Warning: Spoilers for Batman and Robin #17!There's a acquainted debate between Batman followers about whether or not the Darkish Knight and Robin's efforts to wash up Gotham make town a greater place, or whether or not the Dynamic Duo's presence forces probably the most horrific criminals to rise to their degree. As tensions rise between the 2, Damian Wayne calls Batman's efforts basically flawed, questioning why Batman can by no means treatment Gotham of its illness.
Batman and Robin #17 by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Javier Fernández finds Robin nonetheless haunted by the accidents inflicted on civilians throughout the Memento assault, primarily as a result of he behaved coldly in direction of one of many victims moments earlier than the assault occurred. Impressed by the writings of Dr. Thomas Wayne, Robin assaults Batman in frustration.
"You win. That's your superpower. You dominate", Robin accuses. "However we are able to't... treatment something.“It's a damning indictment of how Batman's want for management doesn't essentially remedy the issues in Gotham.
Batman's want for management is destroying Gotham
Batman and Robin #17 by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Carmine Di Giandomenico, Javier Fernández, Marcelo Maiolo and Steve Wands
Sooner or later in Batman's historical past, the character's tendency to have a particular problem-solving machine available or to miraculously deduce the reply to a thorny scenario has turn into the hallmark of absolute management of up to date Batmanas demonstrated by your contingency plans after contingency. When left unchecked, this want for management turns right into a catastrophe.
A brief checklist of notable incidents contains Batman's Brother Eye spy satellite tv for pc, his murderous synthetic backup persona "Zur-En-Arrh", and the strolling nightmare that's the Anti-Batman robotic Failsafe. By now, Batman's want for management it arguably overshadowed each different facet of the character.
Robin argues that Gotham by no means improves as a result of Batman's roots are flawed.
However as Robin factors out in Batman and Robin #17, having management will not be the identical factor as being cured. Batman has confirmed himself adept at controlling Gotham on nearly each degree, funding numerous causes and initiatives as Bruce Wayne and policing the violence-prone streets as his vigilante alter ego. Robin argues that Gotham by no means improves as a result of Batman's roots are flawed: that all Bruce is aware of tips on how to do is dominate and managementnot treatment. Robin adopts Thomas Wayne's perspective as a health care provider, citing that Bruce's struggle on crime is a technique of controlling, not curing, Gotham's illness.
Batman needs to vary – however can he?
Batman and Robin #17 Foremost Cowl by Javier Fernández and Dave McCaig
As said beforehand, this argument will not be new. Batman seems to have discovered his lesson from Failsafe and is admittedly extra conscious of his tendencies: his new base at Pennyworth Manor embodies his try to maneuver from seeing Gotham as a battlefield to be received to seeing town as a household to help. The query at hand is whether or not Batman will have the ability to overcome his “superpower” of with the ability to dominate any scenariogiving up sufficient management over Gotham to keep away from suffocating town in his makes an attempt to put it aside.
Gotham Metropolis is one in every of DC's most tough areas to research, not to mention defend, with quite a few arguments over whether or not Batman's presence is Gotham's salvation or doom. What's honest to say is that Batman's need for management has traditionally led to extra hurt than good, with Gotham usually bearing the brunt of his domineering tendencies. Batman is undeniably a drive for good, however robin makes some extent of claiming that Gotham may gain advantage extra from a healer's contact.
Batman and Robin #17 is now obtainable from DC Comics.