it's superman, not batman

[theIrkin]

so, i know it'll never happen, but it kind of bothers me that the uber-wizard is called the batman.

it's not batman, it's superman.

here's my case: batman is the normal man. he has, through physical training and much study, risen above the level of human while remaining human. the optimized, unfettered wizard is better described as superman (golden/silver age superman, when he just always had the superpower that solved a problem). superman is more than human (i.e. magic) and can do things no one else can. instead, batman is the warblade with exceptional intelligence, or the factotum, or the optimized super-rogue. he is genius, and a combat master, who knows his foe and how to defeat him.

or, we could just go way out into left field and call it like it really is. the super wizard is green lantern. he can do whatever he wants, as long as he knows he wants it and doesn't fall afoul of some half remembered limitation that is spottily implemented at the best of times.

just my two cents.

[Yuki Akuma]

It's called Batman because Batman wins anything with preparation, and so does a Wizard.

Wizards need to think ahead, just like Batman. Superman is more like a Psion or Sorcerer - he can just charge in and use his hand-picked amazing options to obliterate anything. Wizards/Batman need to be more canny.

[theIrkin]

but isn't that ignoring the primary conceit of batman: he is a normal man in a super-powered world?

[Eldan]

The Batman wizard was, in the beginning, a specific build, or a type of build. It was a wizard who focused on utillity and tricks. Batman's shtick, in some appearances, is that he always has the right tool in his belt. The wizard, similarly, has to bring the right tool, in the form of having the right spell prepared.

[Yuki Akuma]

but isn't that ignoring the primary conceit of batman: he is a normal man in a super-powered world?

Batman isn't anywhere close to being a normal man. He has amazing resources available to him, and he's a tactical and strategic genius.

Just like a Wizard!

[eggynack]

but isn't that ignoring the primary conceit of batman: he is a normal man in a super-powered world?
That doesn't really matter. The connection between batman and wizards has absolutely nothing to do with their powers. A wizard is batman because there are many parallels between their style. Just as batman always does better in a conflict when he's prepared, so too does the wizard. Whether you're using foresight (not the spell), or divinations, or are just preparing the best spells in the game, you're using your own intelligence in order to defeat encounters. Wizards, as batman, are versatile, with a massive number of tricks that range from generically useful, like punching some guy in the face, or solid fog, to incredibly situational, like bat shark-repellent, or knock. I generally prefer the idea of a God wizard: an omnipotent force that subtly maneuvers every situation to their advantage, while making it look like they contributed the least to the fight. However, batman is an apt comparison.