# Wonderwoman & Batman, turn in your badges **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 9, 2001, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wonderwoman-batman-turn-in-your-badges/86430 "2001-10-09T22:47:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BuddhaDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@BuddhaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuddhaDog)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wonderwoman-batman-turn-in-your-badges/86430/1 "2001-10-09T22:47:49Z")
You are no longer welcome in The Halls of Justice. No debate. No complaints. Turn in your badges, keep you gadgets and go. **Wonderwoman** [list=a][li]Lasso of Truth [_]Invisible Plane [_]Bullet Deflecting Bracelets [/list=a][/li] About the only **Superpower** you possess is the quick and expediant way you _twirl_ out of you plain clothes and into you costume. Good bye. **Batman** [list=a][li]Way cool car (bonus points) [_]Utility belt (minus points)[_]Lots and lots of cash [/list=a][/li] No **Superpowers** at all, but you can kung-foo your way out of almost any situation. But still **no** Superpowers. That is a prerequisite to be a **Super** hero. Who let you in anyway? No your union dues are not refundable and you keep parking in the Handi-Cap space reserved for Professor X. Goodbye to you, too. And take Robin with you. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wonderwoman-batman-turn-in-your-badges/86430/2 "2001-10-10T00:09:49Z")
Actually, I think Wonderwoman now flies around like Superman, and has comparable strength. Much like a Superwoman, really. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wonderwoman-batman-turn-in-your-badges/86430/3 "2001-10-10T00:12:12Z")
Who the hell is Superwoman? I distinctly recall Super_girl_, but no Super_woman_. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wonderwoman-batman-turn-in-your-badges/86430/4 "2001-10-10T00:14:03Z")
If Aquaman gets to stay, Batman gets to stay. Not to mention wussisname, that American Indian guy. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wonderwoman-batman-turn-in-your-badges/86430/5 "2001-10-10T00:40:39Z")
I didn’t mean to imply there is a character called Superwoman; what I meant was that the Wonderwoman character now has powers that one would expect of a female Superman. ---
**Author:** ![vandal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/858c86/32.png) [@vandal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vandal)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wonderwoman-batman-turn-in-your-badges/86430/6 "2001-10-10T00:46:07Z")
So Bat Girl can stay, eh? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wonderwoman-batman-turn-in-your-badges/86430/7 "2001-10-10T01:33:09Z")
There was a Superwoman once – Lois Lane gained superpowers. ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wonderwoman-batman-turn-in-your-badges/86430/8 "2001-10-10T01:33:19Z")
You don’t read Batman, do you? I am vengeance! I am the night!! ``` I...Am...BATMAN!!! ``` ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wonderwoman-batman-turn-in-your-badges/86430/9 "2001-10-10T01:41:15Z")
…but **Batman** gets my vote to stay. And he is every bit the **Super** hero Superman is. He belongs in the Halls of Justice because he represents those of us who don’t fly and who must depend on our wits and God-given strength to fight and outsmart the bad guys. Besides, _Webster’s_ doesn’t indicate that the word **super** means being able to fly, just that a person has characteristics “exceeding the norm”. From a Golden Age comics fan, Batman gets me vote to stay. 😃 Quasi ---
**Author:** ![Yondan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/278dde/32.png) [@Yondan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yondan)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wonderwoman-batman-turn-in-your-badges/86430/10 "2001-10-10T02:53:43Z")
And, by the way, Professor X doesn’t belong to the Hall, either. Wrong comicverse. ---
**Author:** ![pezwookiee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@pezwookiee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezwookiee)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wonderwoman-batman-turn-in-your-badges/86430/11 "2001-10-10T03:00:35Z")
I vote to get rid of Wendy and Marvin as well as their dog and Gleep the blue monkey. Okay, and the Wonder Twins. ---
**Author:** ![BigGiantHead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b4bc9f/32.png) [@BigGiantHead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigGiantHead)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wonderwoman-batman-turn-in-your-badges/86430/12 "2001-10-10T03:34:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Smeghead \* > \*\*If Aquaman gets to stay, Batman gets to stay. Not to mention wussisname, that American Indian guy. \*\* Um, would that be [Apache Chief?](http://www.brunching.com/ratings/rate-moresuperfriends.html) And f\*\*k yeah, Batman gets to stay! What **Quasi** and all the rest of them said. That. Plus, need I remind that in the Dark Knight Returns he _kicked Superman’s ass_? As a sixty-year old retiree! And Supes knew it was coming, too. Not like the coming showdown wasn’t obvious. Plus, he had one of the coolest thought chains ever in one of those books: [sub]\[/sub] "From this position, there are seven working defenses. Three of them kill. Three of them disarm with minimal contact. One of them … " [sub]\[/sub] “…\* hurts.”\* Heh heh. Classic anti-hero stuff. - Dave ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wonderwoman-batman-turn-in-your-badges/86430/13 "2001-10-10T12:16:21Z")
Um, Aquaman’s kinda dead. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wonderwoman-batman-turn-in-your-badges/86430/14 "2001-10-10T12:24:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by vandal \* > \*\*So Bat Girl can stay, eh? \*\* Umm, nope, sorry, she got shot in the back whilst a captive of The Joker; she’s confined to a wheelchair last I checked and was an ultra-hacker-geek with a bunch of computers in a Matrix-style semicircle, and she’s going by the name of Oracle. She was working with Black Canary as her behind-the-scenes tech support gal. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wonderwoman-batman-turn-in-your-badges/86430/15 "2001-10-10T12:37:14Z")
Okay, first of all her name is Wonder Woman. Two words, both capitalized. Secondly, Wonder Woman has super strength, can fly, and is extremely fast: fast enough to deflect bullets with her wrists. These aren’t powers that she “now” has, as if **Revtim** is implying that these were added in a retcon. She has always had these powers. And the twirling-around-thing to change clothes was just in the TV show, not real life-er, in the comics. Or even on the _Super Friends_ show, for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wonderwoman-batman-turn-in-your-badges/86430/16 "2001-10-10T12:55:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RealityChuck \* > \*\*There was a Superwoman once – Lois Lane gained superpowers. \*\* But the “real” Superwoman was Kristen Wells, a time traveller from a bunch of Elliot S! Maggin Superman stories and one (excellent) novel. She had a dozen or so appearances, but the only time anyone noticed her is to ask “Who th’ heck is _that_?” when she appeared briefly in Alan Moore’s “What Ever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow” And, **Fiver** , great post, with one nit-pick. Wonder Woman (traditionally) can’t fly, she “glides on air currents”. How this differs from flying, I dunno, but that’s what they always said, IIRC. [sub]Like I’ve always said: \*Chicks dig guys who know their comic book trivia![/sub] 😃 Fenris ---
**Author:** ![BuddhaDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@BuddhaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuddhaDog)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wonderwoman-batman-turn-in-your-badges/86430/17 "2001-10-10T13:20:28Z")
Well, if Wonder Woman can fly (Or whatever **Fenris** said why the hell does she need to have the invisible airplane? [old joke begging to be told] "How does she find her airplane, anyway? [/ojbtbt] ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wonderwoman-batman-turn-in-your-badges/86430/18 "2001-10-10T13:57:51Z")
I suspect because she appeared during WWII and planes were Kewl. In story context, I suspect it’s because there weren’t always friendly air-currents to glide on. And it would be tireing, gliding across the Atlantic. Fenris ---
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wonderwoman-batman-turn-in-your-badges/86430/19 "2001-10-10T14:12:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ethilrist \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by vandal \* > > \*\*So Bat Girl can stay, eh? \*\* > > Umm, nope, sorry, she got shot in the back whilst a captive of The Joker; she’s confined to a wheelchair last I checked and was an ultra-hacker-geek with a bunch of computers in a Matrix-style semicircle, and she’s going by the name of Oracle. She was working with Black Canary as her behind-the-scenes tech support gal. \*\* But isn’t there a _new_ Batgirl? A mute, super-ninja-y one? ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wonderwoman-batman-turn-in-your-badges/86430/20 "2001-10-10T14:17:41Z")
**Fenris** : > [@](#): > > And, **Fiver** , great post, with one nit-pick. Wonder Woman (traditionally) can’t fly, she “glides on air currents”. How this differs from flying, I dunno, but that’s what they always said, IIRC. Oh, **Fenris**. I knew that. You knew I knew that. But is it really an important distinction in this thread, where the OP didn’t even spell her name correctly? Think of me as a lay interpreter. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wonderwoman-batman-turn-in-your-badges/86430.md?page=2)