# Silly but logical questions about comic characters **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 12, 2009, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256 "2009-11-12T01:46:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/61 "2009-11-12T23:40:27Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > No more so than Sue Dibney. It strikes me that Ralph is far more imaginative in using his power than Reed is. Actually, according to David Giffen, he doesn’t. Never even thought of using his powers that way, apparently. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/62 "2009-11-12T23:42:01Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > I specifically said he wouldn’t kill them. Beating them into a vegetative coma, or leaving them as blind quadriplegics, or doing an old fashioned icepick lobotomy are all things within Batboy’s capabilities. Any of those would eliminate said villains as threats without violating Brucey’s fetish about not killing. True, but they’ve done all that to Grodd several times now. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/63 "2009-11-13T00:22:37Z")
> [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > Because superhero costumes of the late 1930s (from whence Superman originated) were largely based off of [circus](http://23.media.tumblr.com/jH8nCgt1Jq9h4wdqVbqJCNiXo1_500.jpg) [performer](http://wvls.lib.wi.us/ClarkCounty/images/b_pix/skerbeckcircusfamily.jpg) [outfits](http://providencedailydose.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/4a16682u1_2.jpg), who tended to wear bold & outlandish things such as tights with outer-panties and capes, etc. Here’s a more recent example of [that style of clothing](http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/PHO/AAGO067~Jerry-Lawler-203-Posters.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/64 "2009-11-13T00:29:13Z")
As a high school wrestler in the late 1970’s I wore a trunks-over-tights uniform. It was only a little old fashioned at the time, as the skimpier singlet uniforms were still being phased in by lots of schools. If you’d added masks and capes, lots of wrestling teams at the time would have looked like teams of goofy teenage superheroes. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/65 "2009-11-13T18:37:27Z")
> [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > Why does **Dr.** Reed Richards use **Mr.** Fantastic as a code name? Modesty. “_Doctor_ Fantastic” would have sounded pretentious. . ---
**Author:** ![My\_Darn\_Snake\_Legs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@My\_Darn\_Snake\_Legs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/My_Darn_Snake_Legs)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/66 "2009-11-13T18:44:30Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Modesty. “_Doctor_ Fantastic” would have sounded pretentious. Fantastically pretentious. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/67 "2009-11-13T18:45:06Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I always wondered if Supes ever did real super work to help someone. Like digging out a septic tank in 10 seconds and flying it out into the ocean. Moving a house to a new location etc. Look! Up on the roof! It’s a bird! With a _plane_? It’s Superhandyman! . ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/68 "2009-11-16T01:01:42Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > He would, but he does not allow himself to. He recognizes how close to the line he already works, and if he allowed himself to give in to his impulses he knows he would be as evil as those he is protecting Gotham from. To say that more succinctly: If he kills one person, he won’t be able to stop. And to the more general question: If he maims someone, he won’t be able to stop himself from killing them. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/69 "2009-11-16T01:27:28Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > To say that more succinctly: If he kills one person, he won’t be able to stop. > > And to the more general question: If he maims someone, he won’t be able to stop himself from killing them. Huh. Funny—y’know, I think even some of his rogues desist from killing and maiming when it suits their purposes at the moment. I mean, even the _Joker_ has to, if he wants to be able to hire and use any henchmen at all, rather than gassing them all on sight. I guess Bruce couldn’t even hold himself to a stylistic _theme_ of hurting/killing, that’d at least keep it semicontrolled, rather than simply an expression of raw violence. I suppose that means there’s some value to having a crazed, sadistic sense of humor, after all. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/70 "2009-11-16T13:27:41Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > To say that more succinctly: If he kills one person, he won’t be able to stop. > > And to the more general question: If he maims someone, he won’t be able to stop himself from killing them. Exactly. If he can justify to himself that killing or permantly maiming the Joker is in the best interest of humanity at large, he fears that that would be the crack in the dam. If he allows himself to kill one criminal, then he sees himself on the slippery slope that will lead to the deaths of jaywalkers and tax evaders in the name of Justice… ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/71 "2009-11-16T13:45:53Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Exactly. If he can justify to himself that killing or permantly maiming the Joker is in the best interest of humanity at large, he fears that that would be the crack in the dam. If he allows himself to kill one criminal, then he sees himself on the slippery slope that will lead to the deaths of jaywalkers and tax evaders in the name of Justice… I’m not buying this at all. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/72 "2009-11-16T13:52:59Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Exactly. If he can justify to himself that killing or permantly maiming the Joker is in the best interest of humanity at large, he fears that that would be the crack in the dam. If he allows himself to kill one criminal, then he sees himself on the slippery slope that will lead to the deaths of jaywalkers and tax evaders in the name of Justice… I don’t know why he’s so afraid of that slippy slope—he should get plenty of traction from all those nameless civilian casualties he walks on the backs of. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/73 "2009-11-16T14:03:12Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Exactly. If he can justify to himself that killing or permantly maiming the Joker is in the best interest of humanity at large, he fears that that would be the crack in the dam. If he allows himself to kill one criminal, then he sees himself on the slippery slope that will lead to the deaths of jaywalkers and tax evaders in the name of Justice… The answer is simple - he has faith in the system. He’s not given himself the title of judge, jury, and execu…er…maimer. He just catches them and lets society deal with them. A Batman who goes around maiming people is no better than The Punisher - and we all saw how well they got along in the most recent DC v. Marvel crossover (Batman was horrified, and beat the ever-living tar out of him). ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/74 "2009-11-16T14:43:47Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > The answer is simple - he has faith in the system. He’s not given himself the title of judge, jury, and execu…er…maimer. He just catches them and lets society deal with them. A Batman who goes around maiming people is no better than The Punisher - and we all saw how well they got along in the most recent DC v. Marvel crossover (Batman was horrified, and beat the ever-living tar out of him). I deny that ever happened, the Punisher would outright destroy the flying rodent man if it ever came to it. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/75 "2009-11-16T14:52:22Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > I’m not buying this at all. The Batman has deep psychological problems, and his inability to maim and/or kill is something he has no control over. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/76 "2009-11-16T14:56:33Z")
Plus, if he ever started doing that, Superman would smack him down for it. Definitely not “the American way”. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/77 "2009-11-16T17:29:53Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Plus, if he ever started doing that, Superman would smack him down for it. Definitely not “the American way”. Unless Bats was prepared. \* - There seem to be certain things that WILL be said, and sometimes it is just better to say them, and get them done and over with. This is one of those things: Any discussion of Batman and Superman fighting must have the caveat that if Batman has preparation time, he will win. I don’t know why this inexorable law exists, yet it seems to pervade our segment of society, so, in the interest of moving on with the thread, I have said it, and now we can just keep going until Mr. Schicklgruber is invoked. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/78 "2009-11-16T17:32:20Z")
If Adolf Hitler had become Batman, instead of Bruce Wayne, the maiming opponents would clearly not present a problem; but would Batfuhrer still have the preparedness mojo? ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/79 "2009-11-16T17:44:01Z")
Reed Richards. The dude regularly invents high tech gizmos that can do any and everything. Mind the size of a planet, but does he solve the energy crisis ? Not as such, no. Solve world hunger ? He’ll… get back to you on that. Cure cancer ? Weeeell… He could, of course - what’s to stop him ? He invented a suit for Human Torch that withstands the insane temperatures his body reaches when he flames up. Firefighters would kill for that stuff, but does he give them the tech ? Bollocks he does. Reed Richards is a colossal jerk, and that’s that. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/80 "2009-11-16T18:03:04Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > The answer is simple - he has faith in the system. Or as an alternative, since the system fails in Gotham _every single time_, he has that little confidence in his ability to restrain himself once he kills for the first time. Of course given the restraint he’s already showed in not killing anyone ever, I don’t think it’s true, but maybe I can buy that he believes it about himself. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256.md?page=5)