Some people may claim that Superman is the crown jewel of DC Comics. However, sane and correct people will tell you that "The Freaking" Batman is the franchise player over at DC. He gets all the fanfare, all the adulation, all the fanboys. So, what if I were to tell you he is overrated as all hell? Now, before some dude in his Dark Knight tighty-whities comments and says I am an attention-seeking virgin who hates everything good in the world, keep in mind that overrated does not mean bad. It just means he his been blown up past his actual value by society.
Holy No Personality, Batman!
How is Batman overrated? That's the million dollar question that got you to click on this here article. The answer is simple: Batman just isn't all that interesting when you break him down. Now, any man willing to dress up as a bat and punch a clown in the face has to be somewhat interesting. However, if you really look at his personality, he is dull. Can you imagine having a conversation with that man? Once you get past his exciting work stories you'd get a lot of "My parents are dead" and "I have a butler and I adopt orphans and make them fight crime with me." He is just a blank slate with little-to-no substance.
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Sure, Batman is a badass. He has cool tech, a martial arts background, and is richer than Donald Trump (also better looking). However, it all seems so shallow. If Bruce Wayne acting like a playboy wasn't just a facade, he would be infinitely more interesting. If you juxtapose him and his Marvel counterpart, Tony Stark, you'll see the big issue with Batman. Tony Stark isn't just a front. He is a rich playboy and he lives it up. Stark is all about proving that he is the greatest man who ever lived, which leads to some great character drama... like his alcoholism. Stark is way more interesting and entertaining than Bruce Wayne. Loaded with personality and character, I feel as if Tony Stark could actually exist in some form of reality. You can't say the same for Bruce Wayne.
Villains rule the Knight.
There is also a giant misconception that Batman is the sole reason his books sell. You could even look at the movies based around him. How many Batman films actually focus on... Batman? Batman Begins is the only one I could give you. The rest of them are focused on Joker, Penguin, Catwoman, Riddler, Two-Face, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, Bane and whatever the hell Batman V. Superman was about. Even Batman's villains are infinitely more interesting than he is. I can not deny his villains are awesome. I truly believe that without those great baddies, he would not get propped up as the greatest superhero. Just look at what is widely considered the best Batman movie: The Dark Knight. That is a Joker and Harvey Dent movie with Batman in the background. It's all about Joker's chaos and the rise and fall of Harvey Dent. He is literally the only superhero who has this issue.
Bottom Line, Bat Brain.
Batman is a fine character and serviceable folly for his foils. I don't understand why people would prop him up over other superheroes. Almost any other super has a gripping personality of some sort. Superman is a boy scout. Green Lantern is a space guardian, Wonder Woman is awesome, and Aquaman is useless. Batman is just kind of a wooden plank who broods. It's impossible to connect with him on any level. Hell, someone could connect to the alien Superman before they could begin to understand the human Batman. I get brooding is super hot for the "Hot Topic" crowd, but add a little substance and maybe I'll care if there is a bat signal in the sky.
Also, he gave the world Robin. That alone disqualifies him from any greatest-of-all-time talk.
