For my lack of posting last night.... I offer an apology and a double dose of The Sagebrush Rebel. I hope that will make it all better.
Last night I was caught up in my love for non-super superheroes. I have this.... uh... "thing" for Batman. He is probably my favorite *cough* literary character of all time. That love transferred itself to a now-defunct show called The Cape that aired on NBC last year about a man that takes on the mantle of a fictional superhero to battle evil and corruption in his city, clear his name (he's believed to be an evil serial killer), and return to his family.
Lots of people find Batman exciting, but I have the belief that he's one of the most important characters ever created. Let me explain why.
When one turns on the television and watches a fictional show, most often they're some sort of crime/mystery show. Every network has several. CSI, CSI:NY, CSI: Miami, Cold Case, Law and Order, Law and Order: CI, Law and Order: SVU, etc. Why are these one of the most prevalent forms of entertainment on TV? Humans, and especially Americans, have a fascination with Justice--all kinds. Children grow up believing that good guys always win and the bad guys always lose, but as life becomes more complicated, they are jaded and start to doubt this teaching. Watching crime shows, where the good guys do find the killer in the end is helpful in giving hope to people, a hope that justice does come to those who need it.
However, after the show is over, we once again realize that sometimes the bad guy doesn't end up in jail and we fear. We become sad and discouraged. Batman is born out of this place. He fills the void created by the imperfection of any justice system and the faults of men. The need to see justice come to even those that are above the law consumes, at times, the human psyche.
That's why superheroes were created. It took people with extraordinary powers to bring those above justice to justice and make them pay for their crimes. But even that wasn't enough. Eventually we found Batman, as imperfect a man as ever lived, who somehow transcended the limits or restraints of social norms and humanity. Over the course of the comic books, Batman defeats all his enemies, and even at times, beats super-humans. He brings men to justice. Many of his stories revolve around crime syndicates that because of money, fear, and power are never punished for their crimes, but he, The Batman, can make them pay. He fills a need in society, even if he is only fictional. He embodies the hopes of average people, and makes everyone who pays attention to him to think.
There is a certain moral dilemma surrounding Batman. Everyone who reads of him, or watches the TV shows or movies must take a stance on the issue. Is what Batman does okay? Is it righteous or evil? Is it right or wrong? Its a dilemma that everyone must face everyday. Every important choice a person can make begins and ends with that problem. Is it right or wrong? Because of the awareness that Batman, and characters like him has brought to society, mankind will look at our actions a little differently. Whether people accept it or not, whether they believe he is right or wrong, or even if they deny the implications of his story, the effects of The Batman ripple across society even now.
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