Overexpose: Why The Batman Franchise Works

Overexpose: Why The Batman Franchise Works

Why this franchise is used so much.

Editorial Opinion
By unknownfacts - Apr 07, 2013 03:04 AM EST
Filed Under: Batman

A lot of people say Batman is overused or why doesn't DC use it's other main stay characters? I thought I could shed a little light on the subject. Now this isn't an attack on any characters, it's just why Batman works as a franchise.

Batman has been around since 1939 and been in a variety of mediums over the decades. Despite his long years in the media, the general audience doesn't seem like they're getting tired of the many rehashes of this character's stories. Surely there are characters much better and more powerful, but why is it that this one man a non power super hero stays in the light while others struggle to get off the ground?

Well it's simple really, as a writer you have to sell the story to the masses and with a guy like Batman, half the work is already done. What I mean by that is you never find yourself saying that shouldn't work on Batman. You are more likely to say he shouldn't have/how did he survive. Characters like the Flash or Superman their power sets make it harder (not impossible) for the writer to write how or why this character got knocked out,hit,or captured. People love a vulnerable hero.I am fully aware of the crazy prep time thing Bats is known for but to the general audience it's not shown as much or used as often.

Another aspect of the Batman franchise is Batman is a character of many faces. He is a ninja, race car driver, pilot, spy, detective, mix martial artist, rich guy, pretty much things that people love. I mean if you love cars, race car driving, or planes, he has batmobiles and batwings/jets. His alter ego is a rich man something almost everyone want to be. I know to some this makes him unrelatable, but in the end Bats was never really meant to be relatable he was meant to be Bob Kane's dream life sans dead parents.

Batman's supporting cast and villains are top notch. Every good hero has an excellent rogue gallery. As the old saying goes, a hero is judged by his villains. Batman has one of the greatest rouges gallery in comic books few other heroes have an interesting rogue gallery as Bats. Joker has some of the most memorable stories like Killing Joke and Death in the Family. Robins may come and go but the stable rock in his supporting cast are Jim Gordon and Alfred Pennyworth. People love it when he's talking to Jim and he turns his back still talking to Batman and when he finally turns around Batman is nowhere to be found. When Alfred makes witty retorts towards Batman about his life or the father son relationship those to have people tend to love that kind of stuff.

What all this ultimately means is that Batman is a commodity that the general audience crave for and to a business it simply comes down to supply and demanded.We like to think that these companies loves us the fans when in truth they already know they have our money.No matter what project these companies put out we're ready to buy it.In closing what I am getting at is so long as the masses love Batman and keep buying his products he's here to stay. Whether we like it or not he's here to stay. Supply and demanded got to love it.

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aresww3
aresww3 - 4/7/2013, 4:45 AM
"Batman supporting cast and villains are top notch. Every good hero has an excellent rogue gallery.As the old saying goes a hero is judged by his villains. Batman has one of the greatest rouges gallery in comic books few other heroes have an interesting rogue gallery as Bats. Joker has some of the most memorable stories like Killing Joke and Death in the Family. Robin's may come and go but the stable rock in his supporting cast are Jim Gordon and Alfred Pennyworth. People love it when he's talking to Jim and he turns his back still talking to Batman and when he finally turns around Batman is nowhere to be found. When Alfred makes witty retorts towards Batman about his life or the father son relationship those to have people tend to love that kind of stuff.
Read more at http://www.comicbookmovie.com/news/?"

Thia is just a circular argument. Villains within reason are as good as you write them. Personally I think Superman villains or Wonder Woman´s villains are as interesting or potentially interesting as Batmans. As soon as they are seen properly in film, I belive they will become just as revered if not more revered than The JOKER. Ares Wonder Woman, Black Adam Cap Marvel, Braniac Superman, are all just as fascinating as The Joker or RIDDLER. The truth is Batman is so big because he got the first films. He got those films cause his story does not require loads CGI and therefore could be done in the 90s in a way that shazaam or flash for instance couldn´t. Now because of that the Batman story has taken on this mystical quality, where suddenly he´s just the best, when really other superheroes stories are up there with his.

aresww3
aresww3 - 4/7/2013, 4:54 AM
MrCBM56
MrCBM56 - 4/7/2013, 6:53 AM
I'm probably one of Batman biggest fans, and even I say he needs a break from the media. He's just so over exposed to me it's ridiculous. Even in the comics, batman has like 15 titles out! But even though Batman is over exposed currently, I still need to see a modern live action adaption of, "Court of Owls".
PhantomPunch
PhantomPunch - 4/7/2013, 6:57 AM
Batman's supporting characters and stories are top notch only because the creative teams behind said stories and characters give that much love and care to anything and everything Batman. They made Batman into what he is and perfectly capable of doing the same to others if they weren't just looking for a buck.

I mean how many times can they really retell you his origin.It happens every year or other year. Its just just ridiculous. I'm a fan of the Bats, but they push him or something Batman related in 50% of DC stories with out any shame or batting an eyelash. His over exposure is in my opinion his biggest weakness.
QuestionDAnswer
QuestionDAnswer - 4/7/2013, 8:28 AM
TDK,ARKAHM SERIES, BATMAN THE ANIMATED SERIES, THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS GRAPHIC NOVEL, UNDER THE RED HOOD MASK OF THE PHANTASM THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS PART 1, AND 2 ANIMATED FILMS, SCOTT SNYDER'S BATMAN, AND FINALLY THE FIRST AND ONLY SUPERHERO TO MAKE 2 BILLION DOLLARS IN TWO SOLO FILMS. THE BEST SUPERHERO EVER BATMAN FTW.
GuardianDevil
GuardianDevil - 4/7/2013, 9:26 AM
Same thing has happened to Wolverine in the comics, and Iron Man in the MCU. They're overused because they're just popular.
tonytony
tonytony - 4/7/2013, 10:44 AM
i love batman and I am one of the guilty ones that buys every single title as well. He is a terrific character with some incredible stories that's just unlike anything else, anyone not reading at least one batman title now is missing out.
Having said that I think in other forms of media it wouldnt hurt to give some of the other DC characters more shine, Dr fate for example is a really underused character, so is the martian manhunter and i would love to see more of 'The question'.
Batman is an insanely popular character,a couple biillion dollar movies, best selling games, best selling comics, critically acclaimed animated series, in fact all of his things, films, games, comics, etc are critically acclaimed too, he is just something else.

All of DC best guys want to have a shot at him so consequently he gets the best of everything, which keeps him popular.
I expect Superman to follow suit and the great thing is that if man of steel movie is a success I fully expect the flash and wonder woman to follow.
unknownfacts
unknownfacts - 4/7/2013, 11:25 AM
@aresww3

What I meant by one of the greatest supporting cast and villains is just that it's one of the greatest,there are others(Spider-man,Superman,etc). I never said it's the end all be all cast. Are there others heroes with that yes. Are there stories just a good or even better definitely.
unknownfacts
unknownfacts - 4/7/2013, 11:35 AM
That being said I do wish that the general audience will take to other heroes like they do to Batman in the near future.
aresww3
aresww3 - 4/7/2013, 11:53 AM
@unknownfacts - They have, look at what marvel has done. Especially Iron Man. Flash and Wonder Woman, would make great films. I think alot of women and guys would love Wonder Woman as much as Batman if they gave her the chance. She´s pòwerful, hot tempered, has attitude and is gorgeous, that should get a good audience. shazaam would be great and big with kids. Martian Manhunter could be DC´s Blade if handled right.
unknownfacts
unknownfacts - 4/7/2013, 12:46 PM
@aresww3

That's what I'm talking about supply and demanded. While Ironman and the Avengers is a great success on Marvel's part the true question has yet to be answered is it just a fad or is this the new status quo. That can only be answered by time.

Some people believe that this new age of comic heroes in media will never end. Now a reasonable person know everything comes in waves. While it will never go away when the super hero hype is done and over with and the companies have to trim the fat off their media programs. What characters will survive the cut and in the long run did these movies and/or tv shows help the characters out. Once again only time will tell.
Tainted87
Tainted87 - 4/7/2013, 3:28 PM
^When I started up on Batman TAS, even as a little kid, I just loved the villains. Two-Face and Scarecrow were my favorite.

Batman has such an extensive list of memorable characters that have been pushed out to the mainstream audiences with cartoons, tv, video games, and of course, the movies. Batman himself is actually kind of a boring character - well, compared to his rogues.

Do his villains make him popular? Maybe, but maybe it's a generational thing. Catwoman, Riddler, Joker, and Penguin were on live-action tv in the 60s. You can't NOT know who these guys are, although their backgrounds are largely unknown to the general public.

I think the Adam West show is what REALLY started it.
SnapperCarr
SnapperCarr - 4/7/2013, 7:36 PM
@Batmaniac That should be good for WW, she literally has a villain named "Dr.Psycho"

@Tainted87 That is very true. The Adam West show really cemented a place in pop culture for Batman and his supporting cast/rogues.
Happy11
Happy11 - 4/8/2013, 4:13 AM
Great article. You hit the nail on every point. Who doesn't want to be Batman.
ArtisticErotic
ArtisticErotic - 4/8/2013, 1:44 PM
If DC put half the effort into their other characters like they do with Batman, then this would not be a problem. Whats the point of having all those characters and you're not going to properly utilize them?

unknownfacts
unknownfacts - 4/8/2013, 2:25 PM
@ArtisticErotic

I agree with you on that but the corporate view is simply this why lose money on a venture that may or may not succeed when we have one that's already guaranteed money maker. Sure they'll spend money to promote another character once in awhile,but if that venture fails or don't meet a certain profit level. They'll be afraid to use that character for awhile effectively putting the character in development hell.
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