What if batman was like spiderman

[Vinyadan]

By the way, there's also a superhero version of Fethry Duck, the Red Bat (Morcego Vermelho).

[Wintermoot]

Young Bruce Wayne, after his parents were killed in front of him, instead of being raised by an ex-RAF butler, is taken in and raised by his kindly aunt Harriet.

He grows into his teenage years as an awkward and nerdy young man due to his overprotective pampered upbringing.

Then, of course, he gets bitten by a radioactive bat?

[Vinyadan]

Young Bruce Wayne, after his parents were killed in front of him, instead of being raised by an ex-RAF butler, is taken in and raised by his kindly aunt Harriet.

He grows into his teenage years as an awkward and nerdy young man due to his overprotective pampered upbringing.

Then, of course, he gets bitten by a radioactive bat?

And builds a pair of guano-shooters.

[Anteros]

Barry: "What is your superpower again?"
Bruce: "I'm rich."

I imagine he would be the Phantom - if the Phantom was also the "World's Greatest Detective"; of course without the Bat-computer and Wayne's connections, would Batman still have that title?

Probably. Every other story these days forces him underground or makes him lose the Wayne money. I think Lucius Fox has the money in current canon and isn't funding Batman. Unless they retconned it again. They do so every few weeks after all.

[Dr.Samurai]

Probably.

Yeah it's not just the money. You have to know what to look for; what's relevant, what are the implications, how the pieces fit together, etc.

The tools are convenient, but they aren't the source of Batman's reputation as the world's greatest detective.

[Anonymouswizard]

Honestly, Batman's 'powers' are his ability to master hundreds of unarmed combat styles and be a better detective than professionals. He breaks realistic human abilities more than Captain America does.

Ignoring, of course, the immortality that allows Bruce Wayne to still hold the position.

But really others have kind of hit upon it, Batman is kind of a transitional hero, he's one part pulp detective one part superhero. It's not hard to find 'Batman without the money', because his distinctive trait was originally 'has a ton of wealth'. If you were to try to make such a character now I suspect you'd end up somewhere between Doc Savage, Man of Bronze and Buckaroo Banzai.

[Fyraltari]

Honestly, Batman's 'powers' are his ability to master hundreds of unarmed combat styles and be a better detective than professionals. He breaks realistic human abilities more than Captain America does.

Ignoring, of course, the immortality that allows Bruce Wayne to still hold the position.

But really others have kind of hit upon it, Batman is kind of a transitional hero, he's one part pulp detective one part superhero. It's not hard to find 'Batman without the money', because his distinctive trait was originally 'has a ton of wealth'. If you were to try to make such a character now I suspect you'd end up somewhere between Doc Savage, Man of Bronze and Buckaroo Banzai.

Pretty sure his distinctive trait was originally "dresses up like a bat".

[Anonymouswizard]

Pretty sure his distinctive trait was originally "dresses up like a bat".

Okay, his other distinctive trait was that he was significantly more rich than the average pulp hero. Who, IIRC, wasn't poor but wasn't as unbelievably rich as the Waynes.

Because yes, the bat thing is probably more important.

[Vinyadan]

I believed it was "leaves windows open late at night in his mansion, believes it takes a madman shooting people dressed like a bat to solve the burglary problem".

[LibraryOgre]

I think that The Question is a good answer, though you could also throw in Black Canary in a lot of incarnations... especially when they decide she's can't use her powers for some reason.

She's an accomplished martial artist (one of the best in the DCU), a reasonably good detective, with some disguise skill for undercover work.

Another option, and from the Bat Family, would be Stephanie Brown/Spoiler, before she became Robin or Batgirl. Largely self-taught, but she fought her father by ruining his clues and did the work.

[Lord Vukodlak]

Batman Beyond? He's a Batman who's like Spider-Man, high school drama and all.

Also quips with his enemies. Terri is very much if Batman was like Spider-Man. That’s actually what the Studio asked for.
A high school age Batman who’d be more like Spider-Man.l

[Anteros]

Also quips with his enemies. Terri is very much if Batman was like Spider-Man. That’s actually what the Studio asked for.
A high school age Batman who’d be more like Spider-Man.l

I'll never understand why so many people are obsessed with the idea that Spider-man is a high schooler when he hasn't been one since like his 10th issue.

I think that The Question is a good answer, though you could also throw in Black Canary in a lot of incarnations... especially when they decide she's can't use her powers for some reason.

She's an accomplished martial artist (one of the best in the DCU), a reasonably good detective, with some disguise skill for undercover work.

Another option, and from the Bat Family, would be Stephanie Brown/Spoiler, before she became Robin or Batgirl. Largely self-taught, but she fought her father by ruining his clues and did the work.

Well, any hero would qualify if you take away their powers.

[LibraryOgre]

Well, any hero would qualify if you take away their powers.

Not necessarily. Clark Kent, for example, wouldn't be Batman if you took away his powers... entirely different person, despite his career as a reporter making him a good investigator. He finds facts, not clues. He's not a brawler. He's brave, no doubt (even as Superman, he'll face things that can hurt him), but he's not Batman, any more than Lois Lane is.

Dinah trained to be a superhero. She's good at fighting because she's worked hard at it... she sought out tutors to make her better, including Wildcat and Lady Shiva.

[Mordar]

Yeah it's not just the money. You have to know what to look for; what's relevant, what are the implications, how the pieces fit together, etc.

The tools are convenient, but they aren't the source of Batman's reputation as the world's greatest detective.

Okay, his other distinctive trait was that he was significantly more rich than the average pulp hero. Who, IIRC, wasn't poor but wasn't as unbelievably rich as the Waynes.

Because yes, the bat thing is probably more important.

The money was set dressing for decades. It wasn't until well into the modern era that it became as significant as his dedication, training, intellect, willpower, experience, etc...somewhere along the line people fell into the gadget habit, and it grew past 11, and now the first task of the good (IMO) writers is to figure out how to take that away and return to what made Batman Batman.

The "What's your superpower" exchange is the worst Batman bit ever.

- M

[No brains]

If you were looking for stories that were printed, there once was a comic that posited 'Just Imagine Stan Lee Creating Batman'. It features a batman who starts as more of an everyman, but he does eventually become wealthy.

[Peelee]

If you were looking for stories that were printed, there once was a comic that posited 'Just Imagine Stan Lee Creating Batman'. It features a batman who starts as more of an everyman, but he does eventually become wealthy.

Didn't Stan Lee create Iron Man, a rich kid because he had rich parents who left him everything, who went around in a full suit costume doing things? Wouldn't a 'Just Imagine Stan Lee Creating Batman' comic just be normal Batman but like with a painkiller addiction or something?

[Anonymouswizard]

The money was set dressing for decades. It wasn't until well into the modern era that it became as significant as his dedication, training, intellect, willpower, experience, etc...somewhere along the line people fell into the gadget habit, and it grew past 11, and now the first task of the good (IMO) writers is to figure out how to take that away and return to what made Batman Batman.

The "What's your superpower" exchange is the worst Batman bit ever.

- M

Note that I called it a distinctive trait, it helped make him different from other pulp heroes with dedication, intellect, willpower, experience, and so on. It was set dressing, but it was set dressing others didn't have.

It's like the bat costume. You can replace it with a suit and mask, but Suitman is a bit close to other pulp heroes. Batman is easier to tell apart from similar characters.

[Lord Raziere]

Didn't Stan Lee create Iron Man, a rich kid because he had rich parents who left him everything, who went around in a full suit costume doing things? Wouldn't a 'Just Imagine Stan Lee Creating Batman' comic just be normal Batman but like with a painkiller addiction or something?

No, because Stan Lee himself disagreed

These are actual comics he made in collaboration with DC comics. We're not making this up.

[Peelee]

No, because Stan Lee himself disagreed

These are actual comics he made in collaboration with DC comics. We're not making this up.

I'm not saying you're making it up, or that Stan Lee didn't write such a comic. I'm saying that having him do a "what if I had made X character" in 2001 where he will obviously make differences to the existing character is markedly different from an actual theoretical "what if he had made X character" back in the 60's where there would not have been the existing character. The broad strokes between Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark are remarkably identical, and I very much doubt the published comic "What If Stan Lee Made Batman" is an accurate portrayal of what if Stan Lee had actually made Batman.

All of this, of course, is ignoring that "in a few short weeks [of wrestling], Batman has become a superstar in wrestling and has become extremely wealthy" is apparently a trait of an everyman?

[Rynjin]

I'm not saying you're making it up, or that Stan Lee didn't write such a comic. I'm saying that having him do a "what if I had made X character" in 2001 where he will obviously make differences to the existing character is markedly different from an actual theoretical "what if he had made X character" back in the 60's where there would not have been the existing character. The broad strokes between Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark are remarkably identical, and I very much doubt the published comic "What If Stan Lee Made Batman" is an accurate portrayal of what if Stan Lee had actually made Batman.

All of this, of course, is ignoring that "in a few short weeks [of wrestling], Batman has become a superstar in wrestling and has become extremely wealthy" is apparently a trait of an everyman?

Stan Lee didn't really create a lot of the superheroes he's credited with creating, so you can't really point to a one-off example like Iron Man, who was "co-created" by Stan Lee as being representative of the average character he'd make.

He's credited as creating or co-creating a lot of Marvel heroes because he did have creative input on them, and I'm sure he did a lot of workshopping/wall bouncing between himself, the artist (usually Jack Kirby), and whoever created the original idea, but it's a real stretch to say he would without a doubt create Batman exactly as he appears in DC comics if left entirely to his own devices.

[Peelee]

Stan Lee didn't really create a lot of the superheroes he's credited with creating, so you can't really point to a one-off example like Iron Man, who was "co-created" by Stan Lee as being representative of the average character he'd make.

He's credited as creating or co-creating a lot of Marvel heroes because he did have creative input on them, and I'm sure he did a lot of workshopping/wall bouncing between himself, the artist (usually Jack Kirby), and whoever created the original idea, but it's a real stretch to say he would without a doubt create Batman exactly as he appears in DC comics if left entirely to his own devices.

Then it's a good thing I didn't say "exactly as he appears in DC comics" and instead said the broad strokes would likely still be there.

Also, if it makes you feel better, "what if Stan Lee doing a lot of workshopping/wall bouncing between himself, the artist (usually Jack Kirby), and whoever created the original idea created Batman?"

[Rynjin]

Then it's a good thing I didn't say "exactly as he appears in DC comics" and instead said the broad strokes would likely still be there.

Also, if it makes you feel better, "what if Stan Lee doing a lot of workshopping/wall bouncing between himself, the artist (usually Jack Kirby), and whoever created the original idea created Batman?"

Then it would probably also come out pretty differently, because it's not like a lot of Marvel heroes started off as millionaires like that to begin with. I'm not sure why you would assume the creative process for Iron Man (who was conceived as a character with a robotic supersuit; something that would require a lot of money to fund) would be anywhere close to the same as the one for Batman (who is conceived as a street level detective who wears a funny costume to fight crime).

[Peelee]

Then it would probably also come out pretty differently, because it's not like a lot of Marvel heroes started off as millionaires like that to begin with. I'm not sure why you would assume the creative process for Iron Man (who was conceived as a character with a robotic supersuit; something that would require a lot of money to fund) would be anywhere close to the same as the one for Batman (who is conceived as a street level detective who wears a funny costume to fight crime).

Look, I'm not married to the idea or absolutely insistent that he would create it exactly as I have described. I'm just noting that "what if he did this" is an odd thought experiment when he did a very similar character (at least, in the broad strokes).

"he" meaning "in collaboration with others and various degrees of involvement" as you see fit.

[Lord Raziere]

I'm just noting that "what if he did this" is an odd thought experiment when he did a very similar character (at least, in the broad strokes).

Apparently DC thought otherwise, since otherwise it wouldn't have been made. though he was doing six original justice league members, so Batman was kind of a requirement.

also broad strokes similarities don't really count for anything in superhero comics. there is probably more superman clones than anyone can name or list, "flying brick" is an incredibly common set of superpowers. rich gadgeteer is probably on the same level of archetypical-ness where its so basic that you could argue Doctor Doom and Lex Luthor are the same level of broad strokes similarity as Batman.

[Peelee]

Apparently DC thought otherwise, since otherwise it wouldn't have been made. though he was doing six original justice league members, so Batman was kind of a requirement.

also broad strokes similarities don't really count for anything in superhero comics. there is probably more superman clones than anyone can name or list, "flying brick" is an incredibly common set of superpowers. rich gadgeteer is probably on the same level of archetypical-ness where its so basic that you could argue Doctor Doom and Lex Luthor are the same level of broad strokes similarity as Batman.

DC didn't do it as a thought experiment. DC did it as a marketing ploy. A rather good one, at that, but "what would modern day Stan Lee with all the knowledge of 60+ years of this character have done if he created this character 40 years ago from scratch" doesn't quite fit the bill of the thought experiment. Might as well ask what if Peelee had invented calculus instead of Liebniz and Newton, if we're going to go the route that DC did.

[Lord Raziere]

DC didn't do it as a thought experiment. DC did it as a marketing ploy. A rather good one, at that, but "what would modern day Stan Lee with all the knowledge of 60+ years of this character have done if he created this character 40 years ago from scratch" doesn't quite fit the bill of the thought experiment. Might as well ask what if Peelee had invented calculus instead of Liebniz and Newton, if we're going to go the route that DC did.

I mean they didn't actually specify a time when we're imagining Stan Lee making them. just IF he made them.

He made comics that were how he would do it, and thus they are accurate to how he done them. complaining that they aren't the dated bright and colorful 60's versions, that is all you.

[Peelee]

I mean they didn't actually specify a time when we're imagining Stan Lee making them. just IF he made them.

He made comics that were how he would do it, and thus they are accurate to how he done them. complaining that they aren't the dated bright and colorful 60's versions, that is all you.

Imean... that seems like a pointless thought experiment entirely, then.

Also, I never said anything about how they're not a dated, bright, colorful version. That, interestingly enough, is all you.

[Anteros]

Not necessarily. Clark Kent, for example, wouldn't be Batman if you took away his powers... entirely different person, despite his career as a reporter making him a good investigator. He finds facts, not clues. He's not a brawler. He's brave, no doubt (even as Superman, he'll face things that can hurt him), but he's not Batman, any more than Lois Lane is.

Dinah trained to be a superhero. She's good at fighting because she's worked hard at it... she sought out tutors to make her better, including Wildcat and Lady Shiva.

Well...there's more than one story where Supes loses his powers and trains to fight crime like Batman. It's a fairly common recurring story actually.

[Lord Raziere]

Imean... that seems like a pointless thought experiment entirely, then.

Well then we'll just have to differ. The different versions line up with marvel narrative convention and seem plausible enough for that to me.

[creepyeye]

I think it was either Robert Pattinson or an elseworld story I forgot. All I know is that it was a Batman. Who lived in moderation