Summary
The cool and collected Dark Knight is no more, asBatmanbegsGreen LanternGuy Gardner to help save him from an overwhelming alien attack. No, this isn’t clickbait or a twisted interpretation of a scene—Batman LITERALLY begs Gardner to save him when he gets in over his head. Now, it’s up to fans to decide if this is a gross mischaracterization of Batman or a much-needed display of character vulnerability.
Batman should be well-versed in remaining calm during such situations and, at the very least, able to refrain from punching himself in the head.
Joshua Hale Fialkov, Lisandro Estherren, and Patricio Delpeche’sBatman and Green Lantern-centric narrativecontinues inThe Invader, Part 2, one of five stories featured inBatman: The Brave and the Bold#14. This installment seesBatman and Green Lantern investigating a mysterious UFO crash landing as they search for the spacecraft’s missing occupant, who poses an extreme risk to the human population due to being radioactive.
Bruce and Guy end up separating, with Batman continuing the hunt for the space creature while Green Lantern helps an injured civilian. Despite Batman’s belief that he is better off working alone, he soon realizes he is in over his head.
Batman BEGS Green Lantern Guy Gardner to Save Him From an Alien Psychic Attack (& It Makes Zero Sense)
InThe Invader, Part 1, fans saw Batman endure a psychic assault from an alien, which dredged up his most haunting memories. In Part 2, the Dark Knight suffers another psychic attack when he tracks the alien down again. This time, the alien forces him to see himself surrounded by his Rogues Gallery, who taunt him about his parents' death.This causes Bruce to panic and start punchinghis protective hazmat helmetwhile crying out, “Guy! Please! I need backup! Guy! … Please… Help…“This reaction is a far cry from the usually cool and collected Dark Knight.
Bruce’s reaction is shocking, as he has faced numerous high-stress situations without panicking to such a degree. This behavior seems out of character for the Dark Knight, who has experienced various attacks on his mind, most notably Scarecrow’s Fear Toxin. Like the alien’s psychic attack, Crane’s fear toxin induces nightmarish hallucinations. Granted, a psychic attack and Fear Toxin are two different things. However, they both have a similar effect on the mind, meaningBruce should be well-versed in remaining calm during such situations and, at the very least, able to refrain from punching himself in the head.
If DC Was Going to Show a Vulnerable Side to The Dark Knight, They Should Have Chosen ANY Hero But Guy Gardner
Another potentially controversial aspect of this scene is Batman begging for help from Guy Gardner of all people. Narratively, it makes sense since the two are working together, making Guy the closest hero and already linked up on comms with Batman. However, if Bruce was going to be put in a position to beg for help, it would have been more believable and emotionally impactful to see him call out to a hero he has a closer bond with. So, what do you think? WasBatmanbeggingGreen Lanterna creatively daring narrative move or just plain out of character?
Batman: The Brave and the Bold #14is available now from DC Comics.
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
Green Lantern
Green Lantern is the name given to multiple enforcers of intergalactic justice in the DC Universe. Green Lanterns can harness the cosmic energy of willpower, and create unique spectral objects to face off against their enemies. Though some Green Lanterns have assisted with the Justice League, they primarily belong to the Green Lantern Corps.
