When it comes to protecting Gotham City, which DC Comics character has it right, Batman or Catwoman?
Batman has been defending Gotham City against some of the worst criminals in the world for decades. Unfortunately, they never stop coming after him or attacking Gotham City. After the Dark Knight or a Bat Family member defeats one of them, another villain steps up. Sometimes they team up and make things worse.
After the DC Comics event Knight Terrors: Night’s End, Bruce Wayne drops into a coma for eight weeks. At the beginning of Batman/Catwoman: Gotham War, Bruce Wayne wakes up to something unthinkable. Violent crime in Gotham City is down 75% and it’s all thanks to Catwoman.
Selina Kyle started by taking the henchmen away from villains like Two-Face and Joker. She persuaded them by treating them humanely (something the other villains never did). Selina Kyle also started teaching them to be cat burglars with rules. Only rob the wealthy and take their jewelry, donate 15% of your earnings to charity, and no violence. While it worked, Batman disagreed with Catwoman’s methods. To him, it’s all still a crime. This may leave readers to wonder, who’s right in this scenario?
Batman’s way
"“I’ll fight you all if I have to. The mission has been tainted: We stop crime.”-Batman"
DC Comics fans have seen Batman’s methods for decades. As time has gone on, people have noticed a couple of things. First, Penguins, Banes, and Riddlers of the world aren’t scared of Batman. They know he’s dangerous but believe they can beat him. At the very least, they know he won’t kill them.
They don’t have a reason to stop coming after him. This leaves innocent people in Gotham City vulnerable. Fear State, Joker War, and City of Bane are three recent examples. Hundreds of people have died in each of those events and even more were hurt. At some point, the Dark Knight has to try something new.
The second is Batman can be overly violent. Bruce may not have killed anyone, but he’s sent thousands of them to hospital. Some of their injuries probably never healed. Is this the right thing to do? That’s up to the reader to decide. However, as people may have noticed, not all henchmen are violent. A lot of them don’t see any other options.
Catwoman’s way
"“Gotham doesn’t need Batman, Bruce. It needs me.”-Catwoman"
You can’t deny the numbers. Catwoman has dropped violent crime down to an unfathomable number. She’s also rehabilitating people. There are people under her care who would be worse without her. Now they’re no longer hurting people. They’re also not going home to their loved ones with broken collarbones because of a guy dressed like a bat.
One negative thing is the line. No matter what Catwoman is doing, she’s still committing a crime and that’s wrong. Plus, if the people Catwoman is training decide they no longer want to follow her, she’s created more capable, skilled, and confident criminals. Or worse, henchmen with more skills aiding Joker or Penguin.
Another thing to consider is the supervillains who left. They’ll return to Gotham and be more motivated than ever. Gotham isn’t the only place with willing or terrified people to do villains’ bidding. Gotham City will always be a breeding ground for the worst people. Catwoman may have delayed the inevitable.
They’re both right
The sad part about this both Bat and Cat are too stubborn to realize they need to combine their ideas. Selina Kyle is 100% right in what she’s doing. She’s teaching people they can be more than someone’s lackey. Her idea of robbing people may be wrong, but rehabilitation is always a good idea. She’s also given people confidence who may not have had it before. Maybe Batman should have tried to listen and negotiate instead of storming out of the meeting.
Batman’s way of doing things might be outdated. Gotham hasn’t gotten better. In fact, a debate can be made that it’s worse. Without Alfred, Bruce has taken on too much. He’s also started doing things that are out of character. On top of that, Bruce’s body is wearing down and he’s more secluded than ever. He needs someone like Selina who doesn’t think like him or isn’t directly one of his family members.
Too bad this isn’t going to end well for either of them. And, while they’re fighting, Gotham City will suffer. Stay tuned to Bam Smack Pow for more on DC Comics: Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War as the comic books are released.
What do you think? Who’s method is the right way? Let us know in the comments below.