Is Batman a little TOO dark

[LeotheLateBloomer]

http://www.tv3.ie/xpose/article/ente...ader-Adam-West

I know Adam West played a portrayal based on the Silver Age but I can sort of see where he's coming from. There was a certain point where Batman did have a bit of balance.

I refer back to thr 1989 film and TAS. Batman was dark but he knew when to have a sense of humor at times. He smiled while acting cool in the 89 film. In a few episodes of TAS, he traded a few jokes with Alfred (like Alfred compared him to Man-Bat), laughed at a joke some guy played on Joker, smiled while deciding to save Joker from falling, and amused when Alfred was having trouble with a kid.

I know he is dark at his core but I sort of miss those times where he had those moments. He had balance to me. He was cool and calm but knew when to be serious. Now it feels like he needs to be very dark and angry for the sake of people seeing him as the cool superhero.

He is a dark figure but I feel he lost a bit of balance.

What do you guys think?

[CyberCubed]

For the movies the tone is exactly right, Batman doesn't need to crack jokes.

But for the cartoons, that's why B:TAS Batman is my favorite:

[Splinter the boss]

No I find him just fine. I like his dark attitude, that's what makes him the bat. He is his best in darkness.

[turtlefanforever]

[plastroncafe]

I don't think it's the darkness that makes a bad Batman story, but whether or not he's a character or a caricature. There are writers that confuse edgy for character, and that's just not the case.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by plastroncafe

I don't think it's the darkness that makes a bad Batman story, but whether or not he's a character or a caricature. There are writers that confuse edgy for character, and that's just not the case.

This.

Also, I find the campy Batman a much greater crime than dark Batman.

[plastroncafe]

Originally Posted by CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy

This.

Also, I find the campy Batman a much greater crime than dark Batman.

I would totally agree with this, but I'm kind of in love with Brave and the Bold.
Also his portrayal on Teen Titans GO!

[LeotheLateBloomer]

Originally Posted by plastroncafe

I don't think it's the darkness that makes a bad Batman story, but whether or not he's a character or a caricature. There are writers that confuse edgy for character, and that's just not the case.

You've summed it up pretty well.

[THGhost]

I'm with Cubed, the tone fits fine for the movies.

[Wesley]

I agree. I didn't like The Dark Knight film (the only film that I've watched from Nolan's trilogy), as I thought it was too realistic and didn't care much for the acting. I preferred Batman 1989, as I felt it struck the right balance between being lighthearted and serious.

[plastroncafe]

If anyone is "too dark" in this newest incarnation of the DC universe, it's Superman.

Though, bias upfront: I've only seen Man of Steel, and so can't speak to Affleck's portrayal of Batman.

[myconius]

Originally Posted by plastroncafe

I don't think it's the darkness that makes a bad Batman story, but whether or not he's a character or a caricature. There are writers that confuse edgy for character, and that's just not the case.

^ this man speaks the truth!!!

[Leofan26]

Maybe I'm one of the Batman fans that was in the era where Batman's always been dark, it seems right to me.

I loved that those films the best personally.

[myconius]

i've never minded a dark themed Batman comic or movie, but only if it's genuine.
when it feels forced, or like it's trying TOO hard cuz they think it'll be "Cool" or "Edgy", then it just becomes laughable to me.

[ProactiveMan]

I don’t know if Batman is too dark, but he’s too sad. I like it when he is a little more sure of himself, and not completely emotionally wrecked. I thought Beware the Batman had an interesting interpretation – that Batman is likable, but he’s kind of a swaggering d!ckhead too. Ben Affleck plays it along those lines, although he becomes a rage monster at times, which is a little off-putting. That rings truer to me than the emotional train wreck portrayed in the Dark Knight series.

As for Adam West – there is a huge distance between ‘too dark’ and whatever it was he was up to in the 60s. I’d say the happy medium is nowhere near half-way between those.

[myconius]

one of my favorite versions of Batman in comics was hat Grant Morrison did with Batman in JLA.

and not the Mark Waid story that everyone confuses with Grant.
Morrison had already left the JLA series before Tower of Bable came out.

[MontanaMax1982]

What do you think of Frank Miller's Batman?

[plastroncafe]

Prior to him drinking his own kool-aid, his Bat stories were awesome.
Post....not so much.

[MontanaMax1982]

Originally Posted by plastroncafe

Prior to him drinking his own kool-aid, his Bat stories were awesome.
Post....not so much.

And do you think some people took the wrong lessons from The Dark Knight Returns and Year One even Alan Moore's Killing Joke without understanding what made those stories stand out?

[myconius]

Originally Posted by MontanaMax1982

And do you think some people took the wrong lessons from The Dark Knight Returns and Year One even Alan Moore's Killing Joke without understanding what made those stories stand out?

Scott Snyder definitely did!

the Joker has his own face cut-off and wears it like a mask just BECAUSE!


(ooooooOOH! so edgy!)