Some thoughts on BvS (again)

So…. I’m watching “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”. Again. (I’ve lost count). I’m cleaning my sister and I’s room and I wanted to watch something relaxing. (I know, right?)

And I just wanted to express how much I appreciate the sequence of scenes depicting Superman’s introduction into Metropolis (yup, the one where Superman and General Zod tear into the city). I love it because, beyond Bruce’s origin story (for which are were gifted a beautiful opening sequence), we are given a glimpse into Bruce Wayne as a boss. In canon, he has a well-known “playboy billionaire” persona – women in fancy clothes (or lack thereof) draped over him, galas, skiing trips, etc. – which is as much a disguise to him as his Batsuit.

However, I rarely see any discussion about him as a businessman, or more interestingly, the boss of Wayne Enterprises. I mean, what’s he like in the board room, right? We see bits and pieces in comics, TV series, and movies, sure, but… not often like this.

In the film, we’re shown a boss whose first instinct when the catastrophe hit was to rush into a Wayne Enterprises building intent on saving as many lives in it as he can. It wasn’t to fetch his Batsuit or send in a battalion of rescue choppers on the company’s dime, but to literally run into the wreckage in a desperate attempt to save people who worked for/with him.

Clearly, this sequence was included as a catalyst, a motive for Batman to ruminate on as he readied himself for a showdown against this Superman. And, to make it extra personal, the victims/casualties were people Bruce personally knew – as Bruce Wayne, not Batman.

And the thing is, this is so believable to me because I remember a set of panels that shows what kind of boss Bruce really is. One he doesn’t claim to be, but just is (and behind the scenes, too).

** Though, I have yet to remember exactly where they were from… but, I vaguely remember Alex Ross’ illustrations? Or not. Maybe not. Hmmm. I’ll post it should I find it again. **

Anyway. I remember that someone (maybe a member of the board) was telling Bruce that Wayne Enterprises had to lay some of its employees off because the company was losing money, and Bruce flat out refused, explaining that they had to think about the families that would be affected.

I mean… right? For all we know, that was even a branch funding his underground family/vigilante operation.

In the real-world corporate setting, Bruce’s decision may be considered absurd. Lay offs are a practical but painful reality. And since Bruce is a fictional character, I guess he could afford to say no.

But, regardless, I think the writers meant to showcase the side of Bruce Wayne that makes him a legitimate superhero (as if being Batman weren’t enough).

I’ve said it before – as have Bruce’s colleagues in the DC universe – that all those walls he built around himself are a defense mechanism because, well… Bruce just cares too darn much.

In conclusion, whenever Keefe says, “You’re the boss, Boss” after Bruce frees him from the rubble, I want to shout “Darn straight!” every time.

Some thoughts on the BvS anniversary

Watching “BvS” for the nth time a year after it premiered. And it still makes me tear up, just like it did during the opening sequence the first time I ever saw it. And that usually happens to me whenever I get the sense that a piece of art is going to do justice to another piece of art.

The perfection in casting (including a re-imagined Lex Luthor), the depth of dialogue, the ability of the music to engage, the visual tone that lets you know whether you’re in Gotham or Metropolis… just the attention to detail. Plus, I’ve got my suspicions as to which story arcs from the comics (canon) the DCEU has been taking elements from, so I’m sooo excited to see how it all plays out.

There were moments of levity, but not once do I remember thinking, “I wish there were more!”. And even those were a bit grim. Well, then. Welcome to the DC Universe, specifically the Batman Universe! So, yeah, there’s some context for everyone.

I’m sure we’ll be given more comedic moments when the Justice League unite and other personalities come into play. I mean, their banter in the comics? Gold. I don’t expect any slapstick humor, but I’d be okay without it, too, to be honest.

It wasn’t too much or too convoluted, in my opinion. No uneccessary fight scenes just to pander to audiences. It was as much “Bruce v Clark” as it was “Batman v Superman”. And I think it’s important to showcase the human side of theirs before we dive head on into superhero mode in the next films.

I’ve previously posted about my “thoughts on Martha” and reblogged other posts defending that scene, and I stand by it.

Keep in mind that this Bruce Wayne is a more jaded one (Zack Snyder said so himself; a little more Dark-Knight-Returns), one who is no longer beyond breaking his own “moral code”.

He was about to kill (KILL, people!) Superman. Something he refused to even do to the Joker for killing Jason, his adopted son. Even Damian, his biological son, asked him about this once: what if it were to happen to him? And, Bruce told him that they had to be better than their basal instincts (so, yes, not even for him).

Bruce was “out of character” on purpose – killing thugs, branding criminals, etc. It highlighted his change in demeanor in that “Martha” moment. The name snapped him out of this monster he was turning into, reminded him that what he was about to do was against everything that he stood for.

Dark, is it? Darn straight. You know why? This film tackles the pitfalls of unbridled power and trial by social media. These aren’t exactly… funny.

The film makes you ask questions that are as relevant now than they have ever been. That’s what comics in general have been doing for years. Entertainment is the big, beautiful bonus.

It’s such a work of art! It’s more invested in brains, than brawn. It’s somewhat “intellectual”, and appropriately so. (Very Bruce, if you ask me.)

As unfair (or ignorant) as I think some of the critique for the film is, the silver lining is that it all underscores how legendary Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the rest of the characters are. Our standards for them are so high that we find ourselves nitpicking any piece of work that tries to recreate them. We simply want creative justice. This is true for any fandom.

Anyway, just had to “vent”.

It’s a little late, but Happy Anniversary, BvS!

Some thoughts on “Martha”

For those unfamiliar with the Batman mythos outside of the films (with or without bias in favor of a competing comic universe), or even some intimately acquainted with it, Bruce’s 360-degree change in attitude towards Clark during the culmination of their one-on-one in “Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice” at the mention of “Martha” (both their mothers’ name) may seem ludicrous – that a mere mention of a name could end the most anticipated battle between two of the most iconic superheroes of all time on the big screen. Disappointing, right?

But to lambaste Zack Snyder and the rest of the cast and crew for letting that happen is to ignore 75 years worth of reasons that make Bruce and Clark iconic, at the forefront of which is their love for their respective families juxtaposed with their orphaning.

I’ve only recently immersed myself in comic books, specifically in the DC Universe, particularly on the Justice League and the so-called Bat Family and their related titles. At the moment, I can hardly focus on any other family than Batman’s. I… I love them, especially Bruce, Dick, Jason, Tim, Damian, and Alfred. They feel like a home away from home sometimes. Like they could be living under your roof. (Anyways. I digress.)

And while almost 100% of what I’m reading from cover-to-cover are from the Modern Age, I’ve done a bit of research on the Golden, Silver, and Bronze ages, including alternate universes and timelines.

If one thing is consistent, it’s that Thomas and Martha Wayne’s death in Crime Alley basically created Batman. Apart from the Flashpoint Paradox where roles are reversed (Thomas becomes Batman in response to his son’s death), this seems to be a DC universal constant. How many writers have taken over the mantle of recreating Bruce Wayne since Bill Finger and Bob Kane introduced him? Bruce has come to have multiple titles (Detective Comics, Batman, etc.) since then, but he remains driven to be Gotham’s protector by that night, albeit an altered detail here and there.

The writers basically rub it in our faces time and time again: if Thomas and Martha Wayne lived, perhaps there would be no Batman, no Dynamic duo, no international crime-fighting enterprise known as Batman, Inc. The trauma of seeing those precious pearls drop to the ground on that fateful night turned a child into a legend of the night.

Clearly not everybody copes the way Bruce does. His “children” were orphans, too. They each dealt with the darkness their own way, yet none of them matched Bruce’s obsessive nature, his channeling of practically his entire being and all of his resources towards an endless pursuit of justice.

So, yeah. Bruce Wayne coped differently, end of story. As a fictional character, he can afford that much exaggeration and extravagance.

The version of Bruce Wayne that we meet in the film is reminiscent of Frank Miller’s version of the Dark Knight – older, more jaded, still wary of anyone who poses a threat to Gotham. He’s definitely been through too much to be surprised by much anymore. Yet the one thing that can throw him off is his one vulnerability: his parents.

When Clark choked out “Martha” in that scene, he and Bruce weren’t yet the best friends – BEST FRIENDS – they are in comic book canon. They were strangers, and in Bruce’s mind, enemies: Clark was an overpowered alien, a threat to the planet that had to be stopped. They hadn’t yet discussed personal histories or shared tragedies.

Given this context, imagine the wheels in Bruce’s mind stopped dead in their tracks when this ALIEN, this THREAT, utters that name. (Imagine you were Batman and you overhear a stranger mention your ex’s name, which happens to be “Martha”. You had a bad break-up, so this at least makes you cringe, right?)

Bruce is a man who isn’t fazed by his mortality, with a reputation among the JLA and his own family for rarely showing emotion. A man without superpowers, yet near-invincible due to his brilliance and sheer willpower.

Kryptonite is to Clark, as a death of a loved one is to Bruce. They each have one major weakness, it seems.

So, maybe “Martha” wasn’t so far-fetched, after all? Maybe a three-hour movie simply couldn’t just convey the depth of “Martha” to everyone’s liking?

I loved the film so much that I watched it twice – once alone – during its opening week. I felt that almost every aspect was on point, with some acceptable re-imaginings for the sake of telling a story on the big screen. Most of all, it felt very… DC. Very Bruce. Very Clark. In the Modern Age, at least. It wasn’t pretending to be anything else.

I made this post because I was thinking about that whole “Why did you say that name???” spiel, when I vaguely recalled reading “Bruce was traumatized as a chlid” or something to that effect. So, yeah.