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Writer's pictureAaron Fonseca

10 Things The DCEU Changed About Batman

Batman is one of the most iconic comic characters ever. He's been in just about every form of media imaginable and is one of the more successful comic characters at the movies. That said, his portrayal in the DCEU wasn't as universally beloved as other versions of the Dark Knight. While star Ben Affleck did a great job with the material given, there were a lot of changes to the character that not every fan was crazy about.


10He Let The Justice League Use The Batcave As Their Base



One of the things that Batman held sacrosanct for years was the Batcave. Beyond members of the Bat-Family, most heroes never saw the inside of it, especially ones he just met. It took time and trust for him to bring people to the cave, which is one of the reasons it's so bizarre that he brought the League members to the Batcave.

One can argue that they had nowhere else to meet, but he and Wonder Woman did plan to bring them together, so it would have made more sense to find another base for them. As hardcore as a Batman the DCEU version was, him being so trusting was very out of character.

9He Revealed His Identity To Everyone Right Away


Another big thing in the early years of Batman was how reticent he was to reveal his identity to other heroes. Batman was basically like a wrestler who lived the gimmick for years, rarely breaking character as it were. It took years for him to reveal he was Bruce Wayne to the other heroes, and it was the sign of ultimate trust.

DCEU Batman just letting everyone know who he was almost right off the bat is very much against his comic character. Much like letting the League use the Batcave, it was strange that he'd just tell everyone who he was right from the moment he met them.

8He Was Unnecessarily Cruel


The DCEU Batman's use of violence was over the top in general, but his cruelty was surprising. The biggest example of this was his branding people with the bat symbol. While the act was barbaric enough, Batman knew that people branded by him were often killed in prison, and yet he did it anyway, showing a vicious streak that was missing from his comic counterpart.

While comic Batman could also be pretty violent, he wasn't the type of person to be needlessly cruel. He did what needed to be done, and that was all. DCEU Batman went above and beyond the call of duty on that note.

7His Kryptonite Weapons Were Surprisingly Ineffective


The crux of Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice was the battle between the two, and Batman came prepared. He got his hands on some green Kryptonite and created weapons from it, including a spear and several gas grenades. His use of the deadly mineral was pretty clever but using it the way he did was remarkably inefficient.

The gas grenades were an inspired idea, but he would have been better off just crafting a ring out of it, like he and Luthor both had in the comics at various times. Comic Batman was much more innovative about his use of Kryptonite and would have designed much better weapons from it.

6He's Easily Manipulated By Lex Luthor


Batman's portrayal in BvS is flawed in many ways, but one of the biggest is how easily Lex Luthor is able to play Batman. Luthor manipulates Batman easily throughout the movie, and this is made all the more egregious by the fact that Batman has been operating for over a decade. He has tons of experience and shouldn't be so easy to manipulate.

In the comics, Bruce Wayne knows exactly what kind of person Lex Luthor is and would never allow himself to be so easily used by the villain. This goes doubly so for an experienced Batman, someone who wouldn't trust anyone.

5He Helped Found The Justice League


In the DCEU, Batman decided to bring the Justice League together after fighting a Parademon. Using information stolen from Lex Luthor, he hunted down other heroes and created the team along with Wonder Woman. This is very different from the comics, as Batman wasn't usually huge into the idea of the Justice League at first.

Batman's early time with the League in the comics is usually portrayed in a very different light. He's openly antagonistic with many members of the team at first, and while he lightens up over time, he still makes sure to have plans to kill them all, just in case.

4He's A Loner


DCEU Batman is all by himself in his war on crime after the death of Dick Grayson. He fights his lonely battle in Gotham City, eventually targeting Superman before lightening up and joining the Justice League. This is very different than Batman in the comics, who had surrounded himself with vigilantes almost from the beginning.

The Bat-Family is an iconic group of skilled heroes, and Batman spent years cultivating their talent. He pretends to be a loner but isn't at all. While one can argue he stayed a loner in the DCEU because of Grayson's death, even comic Batman kept his Bat-Family around after Jason Todd's death.

3He Kills People


Batman in the comics does not kill. He believes that killing a killer keeps the number of killers in the world the same. It's difficult for him to keep this up, especially against foes like the Joker, but he's kept the faith, although alternate universe versions of him do kill. Not killing is one of Batman's main rules, no matter how drastic things get.

DCEU Batman kills a lot of people in BvS. One can argue that it's an unintentional consequence of his actions, but there's no way Batman doesn't know the stuff he did in the car chase or rescuing Martha Kent wouldn't result in people's deaths.

2His Relationship With Superman Starts Very Differently



In the comics, Batman and Superman are the World's Finest team. Their first meeting usually differs depending on DC's continuity reboots, but it's rarely as openly antagonistic as the one in the DCEU. At the worst, Batman tests Superman to make him prove he's actually a hero, and then they develop a friendship over time.

DCEU Batman hates Superman from the moment he learns of his existence. Superman, for his part, thinks Batman's a monster. While their relationship gets better after the whole Martha debacle and Superman's resurrection, things are very different from their comic relationship.


1Dick Grayson Is Killed, And That Changes Him Forever



In the comics, Dick Grayson is Batman's greatest accomplishment. As Robin, he brought laughter into Batman's life and was the Dark Knight's surrogate son. They worked together, and Batman watched Dick grow into a person he could be proud of, someone he trusted more than anyone else. Dick Grayson would become Nightwing and even take over for Batman, remaining a huge part of his life.

In the DCEU, Dick Grayson is killed by the Joker. This event changes Batman for years, making him a cold and brutal man. It's a massive difference between the two and robs the DCEU of one of DC's most beloved members.




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