Comics / Spotlight

In Defense Of The Batman Family

By Alexander Jones
October 4, 2012 - 15:36

The Batman mythos is one of the most fascinating in all of comic books. It is one of the few fictitious families that has lasted decades with new rich stories every month. The characters are simply fascinating from Robin to Nightwing or Huntress to Azreal. This character and his family are essential to the DC universe. Why then are we saying the Batman pillar of the DC universe is over saturated?

With such a rich history of characters, this corner of the DC universe is to be celebrated. Titles like Batwing and Batwoman showcase the diversity the industry needs. In the case of Batwing, who is one of the few black DC characters, the most interesting part of the title is arguably the fact that it takes place in Africa. The controversial new lesbian Batwoman is the only ex-military bat character, not to mention the character already is synonymous with fantastic artwork thanks to J.H. Williams III.

Bruce Wayne the billionaire playboy represents Gotham itself. The seedy underbelly of Gotham has villains a dime a dozen. So it's natural that Batman might need a little help every now and then. When involving more than the usual cast of bat characters a larger scope is introduced.

Batman himself is not the only member of the family with personal demons. Jason Todd, a former Robin, was seemingly murdered by the Joker. Barbara Gordon, the current Batgirl, was shot in the spine by none other than the Joker. Dick Grayson, the grown up Nightwing, shared personal demons similar to those of Bruce Wayne when his parents were gunned down.

New characters in the family are being introduced constantly. Within the past few years we have seen the introduction of Damien Wayne and Kate Kane, the new Robin and Batwoman. Few brand new characters can stick in comics, yet fans seem to embrace the Bat Family's new characters with open arms. Even those that are resented at first are excepted on the path to redemption. Damien Wayne was resented by most fans upon introduction as Robin. In his first few weeks in the Batcave he assaulted Tim Drake, mouthed off to every authority figure who would listen, and murdered evil doers. Something no member of the Bat Family does out of respect for Bruce himself. Yet Batman and Robin is one of the better selling DC comics. Even better fans have sympathized with the character. He was born and raised under the league of assassins by Batman's former mentor Ra's Al Guhl. He started learning the art of killing while in diapers. He has recently made the decision to accept Bruce as his father and break free of his mother Talia Al Ghul.

Many of the Bat Family's characters call the Batcave home, but Selina Kyle also known as Catwoman, is not among them. She serves as a rogue member of the family. She is also an old romantic flame of Bruce's. She provides a lofty amount of conflict and mixed emotions for the Caped Crusader. More importantly though, Catwoman serves to further flesh out the character of Bruce Wayne.

The Bat Family is nothing if not resilient. Batmen and Batwomen are here to stay, as are the multiple incarnations of the different Robins. It's never too late to embrace this incredibly diverse character and his wonderful cast of friends.

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12