In the early days of his comics, Batman killed. We all know that. Even a few times recently. We also know he’s killed, causing the deaths of, or just flat out refused to save someone in just about all of his life action movies. So why is there this idea that Batman doesn’t kill? Animated Batman!
Whether you watch his animated movies, the animated series, or ANY of the Justice League animated films or TV shows, animated Batman has never killed any living person indirectly or otherwise. Now sure, in the animated series not even The Joker was allowed to kill anyone, but it is still highly praised as one of, if not, the best animated comic book series adaptation ever made.
For comparison let’s look at one scene that now has been portrayed in all three categories; comic book, animation, & live action.
In this scene, which first appeared in the pages of Frank Miller’s graphic novel, The Dark Knight Returns, some bad guys have taken a hostage when Batman comes crashing through a wall, taking out one of the bad guys and grabbing his rifle which he points at bad guy #2 who is directly threatening to kill the hostage.
Spoilers for The Dark knight Returns and Batman V. Superman follow:
This scene ends with Batman shooting bad guy #2, right in the head to save the hostage. Flat out murder.
Now fast forward to this year, and we get Zack Snyder’s live action interpretation of that scene. While it starts the same, Zack Snyder’s Batman instead shoots a gas tank which caused an explosion that kills everyone in the room except for Batman and the hostage whom he shields from the explosion. Not as direct a kill, but could it have gone a different way? Yes, and it has.
Before BvS, and after the graphic novel there was an animated movie, The Dark Knight Returns Part 1 which again features the same scene with another different ending. Batman, this time shoots bad guy #2 in the hand so he can’t fire his gun, then follows up with a swift gun butt to the face. Everyone wins, everyone lives.
So what am I saying?
With a three year gap between movies, they had plenty of time to figure out how Batman could get things done without “causing the death” of anyone in any way, using his intelligence and strategic mind. I liked BVS, and even though I didn’t get the Batman I had hoped for, this new Batman is, in my opinion, the best live action version we’ve had so far. But it gives me worries like; how can they do the Red Hood story line if Batman’s already killing as well? Among other worries.
Basically I’m saying nothing of importance. I just needed to get that out. So… I’m just going to go back to watching Sherlock some more again. Be good my fellow comic book movie lovers!