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Some fanart of the new Batgirl!

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Be Like Batman

Batman has a tough gig. He has to deal with mob bosses, intergalactic threats to the planet, and, of course, his never-ending, over-the-top rouges gallery of super-villains. But his most depressing problem might just be his having to deal with a corrupt legal system; one filled with crooked cops, paid-off judges and district attorneys gone bad. One of the most consistent aspects of the Caped Crusader’s history is his role as Gotham’s protector; like a watchful father figure, he is zealous for her safety. And thus, it must be heartbreaking to watch those who are supposed to keep his city safe betray her through their misuse of power. If it were different, if the system worked the way it should, perhaps Bruce Wayne would have chosen a more traditional way to fight crime, but despite all his heroics and all his sleuthing skills – as well as his association with all those ‘super friends’ of his – Mr. Wayne is nothing if not a realist, and he realized very early on that sometimes justice is only achieved by working outside the parameters of the law.

Unfortunately, the same can also be said about our world. And while your city’s problems probably don’t reach the exaggerated heights of Gotham’s, it’s difficult to keep up with the news and not see how, sometimes, the establishment works against the very people it’s supposed to benefit. We shouldn’t have to fear those who are supposed to ‘serve and protect’ us, yet, as we hear of story after story of police brutality, dishonest politicians, and unarmed teenagers lying dead in the streets, it appears that, for many, the fear is warranted. The structures of power have always been infected with corruption, and given that, it is inevitable that there will always be breaking points when those victimized by, and those who oppose the brokenness of the system, will fight back.

 WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO FEAR THOSE WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO 'SERVE AND PROTECT' US...

The problem with fighting back, however, is that it’s messy; there are no standard guidelines, and very rarely are issues completely black and white. Noble motives may fuel cries for protest and revolution, but things like mob mentality and overly simplified analyses of scenarios can lead to new forms of stereotyping and unjustifiable aggression. It’s right to speak out against law enforcement’s use of excessive force against unarmed civilians; it doesn’t help anything, and actually makes things worse, to then start saying that all cops are goons and thugs.  For all the racial profiling and itchy trigger-fingers out there we still have our share of Jim Gordons too – decent people trying their best in a hard line of work.

I’ll be honest; I'm not sure what I'm trying to get at with all this. It’s just that every time I’ve turned on the TV or checked the news lately I’ve become angry, depressed and frustrated by some new story of oppression, death, or mistreatment of helpless or innocent people at the hand of some government, or military, or police force. I guess my opinion is that when dealing with the kind of issues set forth here we’d all be better off if we were more like Batman (Yeah, I know. But really, what did you think I was gonna say?).

 IT'S HIS RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF JUSTICE WITHIN AN UNBENDING MORAL FRAMEWORK THAT SPEAKS SO LOUDLY...

Obviously, even as a non super-powered super hero, Batman is a hyper-exaggerated version of a “normal” person who can take down a parademon from the planet of Apokolips just as easy as he could take down a teenage car thief, so no, I don’t mean we should be like Batman in that sense. But even if none of us have the combination of brains, brawn, resources, and sheer determination that Mr. Wayne does, I believe it’s his relentless pursuit of justice within an unbending moral framework that speaks so loudly to so may of us. It’s from that well that I think we can draw the most inspiration from when the powers-that-be cross a line and ordinary people are forced to take the extraordinary measures of protest, revolt, or good old fashioned vigilantism to push back and re-draw that line. There’s two things I have in mind that I think anyone – whether facing down police in riot gear or speaking up at a city council meeting – can apply:

1) Think critically about a situation before responding

Bats may be a man at the peak of physical fitness, but he also has an intellect that’s as impressive as his physique. He is always informed, always prepared, and can usually outthink everyone else in the room. He always has his facts straight, which keeps him from jumping to the wrong conclusions, so when he does take action, he can do so with full resolve, knowing he is in the right.

2) Don’t be afraid to stand up for others and for what’s right even if it will cost you.

The most heroic thing about the Dark Knight is that he fights for the right things and he fights for others at great cost to himself. He fights for justice. He fights so that no one else will have to experience the pain and loss that he has. And in doing so, he sacrifices himself every day – he sacrifices his body, his public reputation, the chance to start a family, and any semblance of a normal life. He doesn’t do it for personal gain, he does it because people need him, he does it because it’s right, and he will never give up.

So I guess if I had to write a list of ways I think we could make the world a better place, the stuff right at the top would probably be things outside the scope of this article. But somewhere on that this, written in big, bold letters, it would read ��BE LIKE BATMAN”.

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Best pic I've seen of Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne on set. I buy it.

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This. Is. HUGE. Just yesterday Warner Bros. announced 9 official DC movie release dates to follow Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Well, today Batgeist's inside source gave us the biggest scoop of the year: DC's entire planned movie slate through 2020!!! Let the nerdgasms begin...

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Batman won't give up. Neither should you.

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Friend of a friend made this cool re-creation of the BvS teaser shown at San Diego Comic Con using action figures.

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Updated with gold armor, darker hair and blue eyes to try and match the look of the comics.

I really like the wonder woman look Zack Snyder has come up with, but with so many people commenting on the lack of color I thought I’d have a little fun with the image.

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I really like the wonder woman look Zack Snyder has come up with, but with so many people commenting on the lack of color I thought I'd have a little fun with the image.

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Zack Snyder revealed footage for BvS at Comic Con - An armored Batman with whited-out eyes on a Gotham rooftop being confronted by a none-to-happy Superman. Hope WB releases it to the rest of us soon.

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First image of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman from Batman v. Supeman: Dawn of Justice

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There's no arguing with that chin; this is the most formidable looking live action Batman we've ever had.