Could Batman exist in today's world?

[Grummgug]

Yes Batman could exist.

In the movies and comic books, the police liaise with him. Batman is basically an extension of the police force. The cops even set up a Bat Signal on the rooftop. He is effectively a policeman. The cops just use plausible deniability to deny any direct link. I imagine the cops caught him several times, but always let him go (and probably even help him).

There would never be any serious manhunt for the guy. In fact, if Batman was ever killed in action, the cops would probably suit up "the next guy" and send him out there as Batman, and then deny he was ever caught and killed.

But what a lot of people are missing when they claim Batman couldn't exist is that Batman actually has the (secret) consent of the police.

What Batman actually is, is a secret police. He is the Gestapo or the SS. He does the really nasty stuff.

[YAT97]

Hell no. He would get sued till he filed for bankruptcy! That's if the police didn't shoot him.

[Grummgug]

This is Batman. The Secret Police:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_police

Secret police (sometimes called political police) are intelligence services or police and law enforcement agencies which operate in secrecy, alternative name for secret service and also quite often in totalitarian states beyond the law to protect the political power of an individual dictator and/or an authoritarian (autocracy) political regime.

There is nothing magical about the Batman universe at all. He is a guy that is secretly supported by the official law enforcement agencies and exists to go beyond what the "law" allows police to do. Batman is the secret police. He doesn't operate in a totalitarian regime but a free (and very corrupt) society. Otherwise, its spot on.

If he existed in Nazi Germany, you'd just replace the bat symbol with an SS uniform and it really wouldn't be much difference.

You could replace "I can do anything...because I'm BATMAN!" with "I can do anything....because I'm SS!" and it would fit pretty well.

[Deleted]

A pussy like batman? He'll get shot before his first arrest.
I would however like to see a team of ex special forces to go rogue and assassinate the truely evil and corrupt in this world. Take a seph blatter or Putin for example. Happens way too less vs the killing of innocents.

[Deleted]

Well the current DC characters are functioning in 2015; you've got Arrow and Flash and the shows are amazing. Don't see why wouldn't Gotham's Bruce Wayne grow up to be Batman in 2015 because obviously that show is taking place in the late 80s/early 90s.

[Deleted]

If he uses every day technology, he will be arrested for vigilantism or killed on the job.

If he uses everyday technology and the vigilantism is condoned, he will eventually become the leader or a private army of batmans. If he has morals to fight crime, its only logical that he recognises he cant be everywhere himself and needs to grow the business. Which sooner or later will lead to the governmetn no longer condoning it.

If he uses technology that is significantly advanced, he will be picked up by whatever government can kidnap him first and convince/force him to share the technology for their military needs.

[Tyrgannus]

If he uses every day technology, he will be arrested for vigilantism or killed on the job.

If he uses technology that is significantly advanced, he will be picked up by whatever government can kidnap him first and convince/force him to share the technology for their military needs.

Bruce Wayne is one of the most intelligent men on the planet, as well as skilled, trained, and armed. Part of being Batman is not getting caught because he is a master at anticipating all likely scenarios for all occasions.

One does not simply catch Batman

[Grummgug]

Interesting angle. Makes the whole "vigilante" angle of the comics clear. But people will just say "But..but..but...Batman knows he is good". Well..did the Stasi in the old GDR all go around thinking all day "God, what assholes we are" and cackle manically?

Both Batman and the SS probably used very similar justifications for their actions. Both felt extremism was required for great justice. Of course we would not view what the SS did in any way as justice...but to THEM...I'm sure they did.

[Deleted]

Why would Batman exist in today's world? We don't have any super villains, I can't say I've ever witnessed a crime that would require Batman.

[Deleted]

Why would Batman exist in today's world? We don't have any super villains, I can't say I've ever witnessed a crime that would require Batman.

[Tyrgannus]

...Paralympics requires Batman? Totes not following broseph

[Deleted]

Bruce Wayne is one of the most intelligent men on the planet, as well as skilled, trained, and armed. Part of being Batman is not getting caught because he is a master at anticipating all likely scenarios for all occasions.

One does not simply catch Batman

No one man or small team can stand a chance against the overwhelming resources a government and army can bring to bear. It's impossible to evade unless you can literally have a cloaking device, and even then i have my doubts. The only advantage batman would have is that the governments would want to capture him covertly, but if he evades covert methods long enough, the government that has juristiction in his work area will just use overt methods out of fear someone else will get to him first.

if the real world batman develops any technology that as effective as it is in the fiction, he will quickly find himself hunted by governments who have practically infinite resources and manpower available.

[Deleted]

...Paralympics requires Batman? Totes not following broseph

Oscar would be a great super villian. He loves shooting people and already has the nickname Bladerunner. GET HIM BATS!

[Tyrgannus]

No one man or small team can stand a chance against the overwhelming resources a government and army can bring to bear. It's impossible to evade unless you can literally have a cloaking device, and even then i have my doubts. The only advantage batman would have is that the governments would want to capture him covertly, but if he evades covert methods long enough, the government that has juristiction in his work area will just use overt methods out of fear someone else will get to him first.

That would probably happen in real life, sure, but real life doesn't deal with plant-human hybrid super villains and fear gas flooding our countries largest (and apparently shittiest) city.

In the comics, the government HAS gone after Bats a couple times, with little success. Look up Amanda Waller.

[Deleted]

That would probably happen in real life, sure, but real life doesn't deal with plant-human hybrid super villains and fear gas flooding our countries largest (and apparently shittiest) city.

In the comics, the government HAS gone after Bats a couple times, with little success. Look up Amanda Waller.

just because there are no super villains doesn't mean someone rich guy cant decide to go vigilantism on his city.

The TV series person of interest has a somewhat feasible take on how the real man batman could work, minus the AI stuff.

[Nadiru]

States tend to frown upon people who don't work for the state, using violence to solve problems. Even if those people are solely executing the law of the land.

[Heathy]

dunno, perhaps someone could do something useful playing as a hero but most of these heros are only as good as your suspense of disbelief.

along with clever cinematography, disappearing in one scene only to reappear in another location in another scene that sort of thing doesn't happen irl.

although if you had someone extremely fit, in a full body kevlar suit, nope i'm still thinking they'd get owned by a group of armed thugs.

[Powerogue]

I'm not sure how feasible an armored, nigh bulletproof suit that you can also nearly fly in is without ample amounts of unobtanium.

[TrumpIsPresident]

Batman would go out and save the entire city from certain destruction and some occutard would still demand he "pay his fair share".

[dixincide]

After reading all of the posts in the thread, and the very long one a few pages back (great read by the way) I honestly think he could exists contrary to a lot of the opinions here.

If Batman had access to all of the technology and was very fit and trained. I feel he would function a lot like a covert op more than a big fighter as he is in the comics. He'd likely stick to stealth take downs and abusing any form of radar/intel he could get from some database he'd be able to hack into.

I don't think he'd be able to strike often. Perhaps on the same schedule as Ultimate Fighters would have their fights. I'd imagine he would expend a lot of energy taking on a mission and it would take a lot of recovery time to get prepared for the next one. Over the course of that recovery time he could close up and relocate shop. It wouldn't be until a few of his endeavors took place (scattered over the space of a few months) that governments would start getting involved in the manhunt. A lot of weird stuff happens every day and then blows over in the news when the next big thing happens. So I feel (Local crazy guy in batsuit takes down drug ring. Vanishes) wouldn't stick to the news for longer than a few weeks. In that time he'd be resting up and living amongst us unnoticed.

I wouldn't expect him to fight 10 guys at the same time with only his fists verse bullets. But I don't think it's beyond the realm of reason for him to be able to take down those 10 guys 1 at a time through theatrics and stealth combined with all of the necessary intelligence needed for the 'job'

So I believe it could possibly work... Although he'd need ample prep time and rest between each 'job' it wouldn't be comic book Batman but I think it could get pretty close.


As for the lawsuit suggestions though. I don't think he'd show up for any of his court dates lol.