Becoming Batman

by E. Paul Zehr

  Can You Kayo without Killing?

  We will finish this chapter by discussing the possibility of defeating as many enemies as does Batman without mortally injuring any of them. Batman is opposed to dealing out lethal force. This was recently illustrated in the film Batman Begins by a conversation between Bruce Wayne and Ducard, who tells Bruce that he has to demonstrate a commitment to justice and so Ducard brings in a prisoner to be executed by Bruce as part of his training. Bruce says “I’m no executioner.” This statement is questioned by Ducard: “Your compassion is a weakness your enemies will not share.” (You can see that this is a different version of Ducard from the one in Blind Justice above!) Bruce responds that this is “why it’s so important. It separates us from them.” Also, in the No Man’s Land (1999) story arc, Batman states that “knowing how to kill doesn’t mean you must kill.”

  This concept of not killing even in defense is preserved in a saying that sounds like it ought to be a legitimate martial arts saying directly from the Shaolin Temple. But it isn’t. “Learn the ways to preserve rather than destroy; avoid rather than check; check rather than hurt; hurt rather than maim, maim rather than kill; for all life is precious, nor can any be replaced.” This saying has been often used in martial arts stories and has been ascribed to Shaolin monks, but I have not been able to track down a reliable source. This phrase can be found on many Web sites and in many documents as either a Shaolin precept or creed. However, it seems to have no real historical roots in true Chinese Shaolin martial arts. Instead, this phrase can certainly be traced to the Kung Fu television series of the 1970s starring David Carradine. This phrase was spoken by Master Kan to a young Kwai Chang Caine in an episode from 1972. It was also later (or earlier depending upon how you reason the Star Wars timelines!) used by Yoda in the movie Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. There is no verifiable evidence that it was ever written by anyone in or related to the Shaolin Temple near Dengfeng in Henan Province, People’s Republic of China. The quote does capture the essence of using nonlethal force that Batman adheres to and that many adherents of martial arts would identify with.

  Despite the violence of his means, Batman deeply believes that life is precious. In “One Bullet Too Many” (Batman #217, 1969), Bruce Wayne, with Batman’s masked countenance in the background, says that “All humanity is important to Batman—any life, no matter how insignificant in the public eye!” Clearly this concept forms the main philosophy guiding Batman’s actions.

  That is really an admirable approach. But here we are exploring if it is really possible to engage in nonlethal combat on a routine basis and emerge either with very little injury or without actually killing your opponent. Batman has a long history of nonlethal combat in which he incapacitates the bad guys without killing them.

  In fact, Batman’s use of lethal force was extremely rare. In his first appearance in “The Case of the Chemical Syndicate” (Detective Comics #27, 1939), Batman (actually then still “The Bat-Man”) fights several criminals while on a rooftop. At one point he “grabs his second adversary in a deadly headlock . . . and with a might heave . . . sends the burly criminal flying through space.” Although it is never definitively stated, we do see the burly criminal lying crumpled on a sidewalk, and it seems very clear that “The Bat-Man” has hurled him to his doom.

  Despite this one exception, it is notable that Batman not only eschews deadly force but also weapons that carry with them almost certain lethal force—guns. Early on in the Batman history he occasionally used a gun. However, this was so rare as to easily stand out. In “Professor Hugo Strange and the Monsters” (Batman #1, 1940), Batman has another rare example of lethal force when shooting at a fleeing van, while he soars above it in an early version of the Batplane. Batman does say, while taking aim with the machine gun in the cockpit, “Much as I hate to take human life, I’m afraid this time it’s necessary.” His shots appear to indeed kill the van driver, causing the vechicle to crash into a tree, and thus freeing one of the monsters in the story’s title.

  He seems to have taken his current ethical stand soon after this. In “Victory for the Dynamic Duo” (Batman #4, 1941), Batman takes up a handgun that has been “dropped by a thug, takes careful aim—and fires.” He says “Just want to wing him” and he does, simply shooting the culprit’s hand. At this point in the story it is clear the editorial team wants to make a firm note of the Batman position on gunplay. At the bottom of one panel is written “Editor’s note: The Batman never carries or kills with a gun!” As far as I have been able to find out, he did not use a gun again and only picked one up during the initial story of the Batman Beyond animated series (see Chapter 15), an event so traumatic that Batman chose to retire (temporarily!) after it. In fact it is clear in all subsequent Batman stories that he holds the firearm in the lowest regard. He often spouts lines such as this one from “The Cat” (Batman #1, 1940): “Crooks are yellow without their guns.”

  Batman’s abhorrence of lethal force with empty hand fighting also is nicely captured in “Spirit of the Bat” (Batman #509, 1994). This was part of the “Batman Knightfall” story arc that I refer to extensively throughout this book. In “Spirit of the Bat” Bruce attempts to regain his edge after his defeat at the hands of Bane. He goes in search of Lady Shiva, his most respected martial arts opponent from over the years. Shiva is a formidable opponent, and Batman realizes she can help him regain his former capacity. However, her help comes at a price, which includes trying to set Batman up so that he must kill (he doesn’t). As part of this training Shiva shows a special technique called the “leopard blow.” She says, “Its mastery causes death with a single strike.” Batman’s response is “Then it is a lesson, Lady Shiva . . . which is best not taught.”

  I bring all this up to provide a context for how Batman operates. Also, though, it highlights a main element of the Batman ethos: nothing about training to become or being Batman is easy. The easy way to dispatch thugs, criminals, and pathological supervillains would be to use firearms or at least some form of bladed projectile weapon. However, with the rare exception—the batarang being the most obvious and frequently used—Batman engages in close-quarter unarmed combat with most of his foes. It is also relevant that despite Batman’s considerable experience and skill with all manner of martial arts weaponry, he has only infrequently used a bladed weapon.

  Figure 9.3. Advancing skill and ethics in martial arts. The way the good guy, dressed totally in white, deals with the threat and attack of the bad guy, wearing some black, shows how ethics in combat change with skill. At the lowest skill level, the easiest response is of the novice is to deal lethal force in response to lethal force. With intermediate skills, the good guy has a weapon but defeats the attacker by disarming him without injuring him. At the culmination of training as an expert, the good guy defeats and then disarms the bad guy without using any weapons at all. Courtesy Westbrook and Ratti.

  This is in keeping with his overall objective of nonlethal combat and can be seen in an extreme degree in the philosophy of the martial art of aikido. An example of this is shown graphically in Figure 9.3. To make it easy, this figure is put together just like a Western movie. The good guy is dressed totally in white, whereas the bad guy is wearing black (either a shirt or pants). The way the good guy deals with the threat and attack of the bad guy shows how ethics in combat change with skill. At the lowest skill level, the easiest response is to deal lethal force in response to lethal force. In the intermediate phase, the good guy has a weapon and defeats the attacker and disarms him but without actually injuring him. By the culmination of training, the good guy now defeats and then is able to also disarm the bad guy all without using any weapons at all. The message is meant to be that the ultimate objective of training should be to defeat an attacker or aggressor without causing him harm. This is a pretty tall order, though, in real life-and-death interactions with attackers bent on killing you.

  Is it feasible to fight as often as Batman fights and emerge most of the
time as the victor without using lethal force? It probably goes without saying that the level of skill needed to do this is extremely high. Many martial traditions may at least have this as an objective of training, however difficult it is to achieve. Batman’s approach to criminals also reflects what is known as a “use of force hierarchy” or “use of force options” in modern police services. These terms describe the idea that a police officer ratchets up the use of force depending upon the scenario.

  While the details differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and country to country, a general hierarchy is like that shown for Batman’s use-of-force options in Figure 9.4. This figure is to be read from bottom to top, with the lowest step being Batman’s mere physical presence frightening away the criminal and the topmost step, shown with a big X, representing lethal force. We now know that Batman will never get there. The point is that if step 1 works, if just “showing his face” (or really his mask) is all Batman needs to do, then great. There is no need to go farther. This often does the trick for Batman, actually.

  A fantastic example of this is found in the Batman “Tears of Blood” (Batman #529, 1996). In this story, Nightwing, Robin, Huntress, and others have been caught and penned in by an out-of-control mob. They are barely holding their own until Batman arrives. As soon as the mob recognizes his silhouette, the crowd begins to thin out and move on. Then all Batman says is “Disperse—now” and that is that. As written at the bottom left of the panel “Major intimidation and not a knuckle dusted.”

  However, if needed, Batman will take the next step by trying to reason with criminals and then will engage them in hand-to-hand fighting, use knockout gas, or use weapons if they will not yield.

  Part and parcel with being able to make a use-of-force continuum work is that there must be extreme motivation for the criminals to give in. What else can Batman do to help give himself the best advantage when he does fight his enemies? Clearly, he isn’t going to grab a gun to help even the odds. What else can he do? First of all Batman ensures that his foes are nowhere near their best on those performance-arousal curves we discussed earlier.

  Figure 9.4. Batman’s use-of-force hierarchy, reading from bottom to top, indicates escalating force. At the pinnacle of the pyramid is a big X, which represents lethal force.

  Now, what I am about to say next may seem simplistic, but it is an essential point. A really good way to ensure that the criminals Batman must fight are in no shape to fight is to scare them silly! This is actually the major reason for the coloration and look of the batsuit. Bruce Wayne has reflected numerous times that “criminals are a superstitious and cowardly lot,” and he designed the batsuit to scare them. Thinking back to the “fight or flight” stress response we discussed in Chapter 3, Batman wants the “flight” response in his enemies. As shown in many of the reworkings of Batman’s origin story, a bat was chosen because so many people are afraid of bats. In “Broken City” (Batman #620–625, 2003–2004), Batman says “I wear a mask. And that mask, it’s not to hide who I am, but to create what I am.”

  Batman rarely skips levels on the use-of-force hierarchy and only uses the force needed to subdue the opponent. However, despite his best intentions this is a very dangerous approach to take. Any small error means that Batman could be killed or injured. In theory the use of incapacitating nerve strikes, chokes, locks, and other blunt impact techniques should subdue most assailants. However, when opponents are in extreme rages or have taken psychotropic drugs, many of the more subtle techniques will be ineffective, leading rapidly up the use-of-force hierarchy. Similarly, real police officers are at risk when they attempt to take down a suspect. They must make a quick judgment of danger and use appropriate force. For example, on this hierarchy the use of tear gas, while uncomfortable, is nonlethal and is a preferred increment before the use of weapons that carry with them the increased possibility of serious injury or death. The bottom line is that it is not very simple to be an effective crimefighter while simultaneously trying to keep the well-being of your attacker at the front of your mind. Batman in the comic books and movies does an admirable job. But the reality is that this would be next to impossible to implement in real combat situations engaged in every day.

  In the Batman stories, though, we must recall that Batman is the ultimate martial artist. He has the highest training and is a natural and gifted fighter. He also has the mental fortitude and the psychological capacity to take on all comers and present himself in the best and most formidable light. A byproduct of all this training is Batman’s inherent self-confidence and well-founded faith in his abilities.

  In closing this chapter I want to leave you with a quote from “Public Enemies” (Superman/Batman #1–6, 2003–2004). In this panel Superman and Batman are fighting against a huge gang of President Lex Luthor’s henchmen. In my view this panel is the best illustration of the warrior attitude that Batman brings with him—and still manages to balance with the ethics of combat we just discussed. He and Superman are surrounded and outnumbered. Just before they leap into action, Superman comments that Batman “always thinks we can take them.” To which Batman says “Yes, I do.” And into battle they go and on to a safe victory.

  Now we know that Batman does all he can to keep from injuring others. Let’s look at what happens when—and you know it has to happen sometime!—Batman gets injured himself.

  PART IV

  BATMAN IN ACTION

  Knight moves with Batman when

  he acts as the Caped Crusader

  CHAPTER 10

  Batman Bashes and Is Bashed by Bad Boys (and Girls)

  WHAT CAN HE BREAK WITHOUT GETTING BROKEN?

  Batman was not a super-hero, nor, of course, am I. He wasn’t bitten by a radioactive spider. He had no superpowers . . . He earned every bit of what he had, fired by an iron resolve.

  —Batman Illustrated by Neal Adams

  Batman is capable of some pretty cool stuff. He can punch, kick, and throw with wild abandon and just generally sport around like nobody’s business. There are, of course, limits to what we human beings can actually do. These limits have to do with how our bodies work when we try to produce movement. Batman clearly pushes all these limits and is a really powerful fighter. In “Death Flies the Haunted Sky!” (Detective Comics #442, 1974), a panel shows that the villain Batman is fighting is practically incapacitated from what Batman describes as “just a tap.” In the panel he says that “a real hit would have hurt,” and in so doing echoes his fighting code of ethics we discussed in the last chapter.

  But how hard could Batman punch and kick, anyway? How many bad guys could he hit in one second? How is it possible for a person to break concrete blocks with his bare hands? In this chapter we look at how much Batman would be able to do as a mere mortal and also at whether all the fighting he undergoes would have an impact on his mortality (or on his health and well-being, at least!).

  To consider these questions we are going to do a sort of superficial biomechanical analysis of kicking, striking, throwing, and joint locking. As we discussed in Chapter 8, most martial arts systems have differing proportions of these components. In our examples here we are going to use karate, wing chun, and boxing to stand in for kicking and striking; judo for throwing; and aikido for those most related to joint locking.

  Do you remember muscle forces from Chapter 4? To bring you back up to speed, (1) a message from the brain (2) causes contractile proteins in our muscles to produce force that then (3) acts on the bones of our skeletons and (4) produces movement. This series of actions is a form of Sir Isaac Newton’s first law of motion: “An object at rest will remain at rest unless acted upon by an external and unbalanced force. An object in motion will remain in motion unless acted upon by an external and unbalanced force.” Now we are going to put these forces to use in combat.

  Going with the Flow . . . of Energy

  Let’s begin with concepts related to kicking and punching, as these actions would be done in a martial art such as karate. First let’s l
ook at how explosive power can be generated by people of relatively small stature. Think about Bruce Lee and the powerful punches and kicks he could produce. Movements like punches and kicks are considered ballistic actions. By ballistic here I don’t mean going crazy but rather something that goes in a trajectory—something that once in motion remains in motion in a given direction (just like in Newton’s law above).

  Any time movements that are essentially ballistic are performed, the concept of summation (or adding) of forces comes into play. This concept applies equally well to the punch of Bruce Lee or Batman as it does to the fastball of your favorite pitcher. Think of the body as a set of linked parts or segments. We could start just with the arm and think of the upper arm (the part from shoulder to elbow), the forearm (from elbow to wrist), and the hand (from wrist to knuckles or fingers) as each being separate segments. Of course, we really do need to consider more than this, but I will get to that in a moment. We have muscles acting on or across each segment to bring the upper arm forward, extend the forearm, and turn the wrist. Summation of forces refers to the adding each of the forces produced by muscles for each segment. Typically the timing of muscle activity is in what is called a proximal (closer) to distal (farther away) pattern. In this case, that would be from shoulder to hand. This usually means that the strongest muscle groups—typically those closest to the body core—contract first followed by the weaker, distal muscles. Soon we look at some numbers to give a better idea of how forces are added. I know you can’t wait for a little (and I promise a little!) math.