I think I spend most of my time in Batman threads talking about how the media under discussion doesn't fit my ideal of Batman, so I thought it'd be fun to see what everyone's personal "perfect" Batman character and story would be. I joked with my boyfriend that I'm the only one who cares enough to answer all these questions but you can prove me wrong! Skip to the bottom for condensed questionnaire!
There are about 100 questions in total. There's also a tl;dr version with just eleven questions at the bottom of the post if you'd rather do that. To be more concise, you can just omit questions where your answer is no.
I'm focusing on Bruce Wayne for those of you who will answer Dick Grayson or Terry or whoever else. Those would require a different set of questions each! I know for myself that my personal canon for Batman takes on what I consider are the best elements of many different stories so I've incorporated stuff from a lot of sources that might not mix depending on how you answer.
There will obviously be spoilers for: mostly pre New-52 comics, Batman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, live-action movies, Arkham Asylum games, and the Telltale games.
I tried to make the questions reflect some sort of canon somewhere. I debated putting citations for each question but then I'd never get this shit done. Some of them are rather superfluous but look, if I can't ask these types of questions here, I can't ask them anywhere. Story arc questions are heavily geared towards the first few years for the sake of brevity and since most of the iterations never get past that part.
Appearance, Personality, etc.
The Batman Family
Choose up to ten story arcs or events that need to happen in Bruce's life and career as Batman.
Short Version
There are about 100 questions in total. There's also a tl;dr version with just eleven questions at the bottom of the post if you'd rather do that. To be more concise, you can just omit questions where your answer is no.
I'm focusing on Bruce Wayne for those of you who will answer Dick Grayson or Terry or whoever else. Those would require a different set of questions each! I know for myself that my personal canon for Batman takes on what I consider are the best elements of many different stories so I've incorporated stuff from a lot of sources that might not mix depending on how you answer.
There will obviously be spoilers for: mostly pre New-52 comics, Batman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, live-action movies, Arkham Asylum games, and the Telltale games.
I tried to make the questions reflect some sort of canon somewhere. I debated putting citations for each question but then I'd never get this shit done. Some of them are rather superfluous but look, if I can't ask these types of questions here, I can't ask them anywhere.
Story arc questions are heavily geared towards the first few years for the sake of brevity and since most of the iterations never get past that part. Appearance, Personality, etc.
- Describe what you think Bruce should look like. Or post a picture. Live action, favorite artist rendition, anything goes. (Doesn't have to be an actor that has already portrayed him.)
- What is his body type?
- What is the primary driving force for Bruce's crusade?
- What's Bruce's personality like in general?
- How clear is the division between Bruce Wayne and Batman in Bruce's psyche? (If you want to talk about who the real persona is, this is your chance.)
- How social or anti-social is Bruce?
- How talkative is he? What's his speech like?
- Does Bruce enjoy inflicting violence or does he see it as a necessary evil?
- What are Bruce's flaws re: personality? His strengths?
- Does Bruce suffer from any mental illnesses such as depression, PTSD, OCD, etc.?
- Is Bruce ever suicidal? When?
- What does Bruce enjoy? Can he actually enjoy anything?
- What does Bruce's character arc look like? Does he have one?
- Is Bruce a tragic figure? Can he have a happy ending?
- Is Bruce ultimately a hero or not?
- What are Bruce's skills and how proficient is he in each?
- What's Bruce's strongest skill?
- How smart is Bruce?
- Does he build his own technology?
- How does he rank against other superheroes in similar skills? (Fighting, intelligence, etc.)
- Should Bruce be able to pull off something like in Tower of Babel/Justice League Doom where he can take down super-powered individuals?
- What rules does Batman follow?
- How strict is Batman's no-kill rule? Does he have one?
- How does Batman feel about collateral damage?
- Does Batman use guns? If not in general, are there any exceptions?
- How far does Batman's violence go?
- Given that torture is ineffective, should Batman (or rather his writers) use torture? Or should Batman exist in an alternative universe where torture works for narrative purposes? Would Batman use torture even if it doesn't work?
- What type of crime does Batman deal with the most?
- What does Bruce do to fight crime outside of detective work and pursuing criminals?
- How involved is Bruce in his company?
- What does Bruce do outside of the Batman persona to help Gotham?
- What is the nature of his company?
- Are Batman's activities a net positive or negative for Gotham?
- Who are Bruce's top ten villains?
- Who are his most dangerous villains?
- How often is Bruce fighting a supervillain versus ordinary crime?
- Does Bruce believe in the rehabilitation of his rogues gallery? Regular criminals? Are there exceptions?
- Does Arkham have a revolving door?
- Do any villains "reform"? From Bruce's actions?
- Does the Joker ever die? How?
- What tone do you prefer?
- Does Batman exist in a universe with other superheroes (such as Superman) or is he the only one?
- If Batman exists within the DC universe, how detached is Gotham from it?
- Do you prefer Batman to be set in a particular time period?
- How supernatural is the setting? How technologically advanced?
- Is Gotham the universe's New York City? Where is it located?
- Does Bruce experience anything related to bats like in the Nolan films?
- How early does Alfred start working for the Waynes?
- What's Bruce's personality as a child like?
- Does Bruce meet or form relationships with any characters that will end up being important later in his life? (Ex: Tommy who becomes Hush, The Penguin in the Telltale games, etc.)
- Is Bruce already obsessed with heroes? (Zorro, The Gray Ghost, Green Lantern [Alan Scott]?)
- What's Bruce's relationship with his parents like? (Thomas, Martha, and Alfred?)
- What's Bruce's schooling like? Before the murders? After?
- Were Thomas and Martha involved in anything shady?
- Does Bruce have a relationship with his grandparents?
- What movie does the family watch before the murders?
- Are the murders just a random mugging? An assassination?
- Does Jim Gordon meet him that night? Does Leslie Thompkins?
- How early does Bruce decide he wants to be a superhero?
- What is his training regiment like before he leaves Gotham?
- How early does he tell Alfred?
- Does he go to college? If so, where and what does he study?
- At what age does he leave Gotham to go on his training world tour?
- What does he learn and who are his mentors?
- At what age does Bruce return to Gotham? Is there some sort of catalyst for his return?
- How does Bruce pick a bat to be his symbol?
- Does Bruce attempt superheroics before becoming Batman?
- Does Bruce meet Selina in these attempts?
- How long is Bruce in town before he becomes Batman?
- Does he meet Andrea Beaumont? Julie Madison? Vikki Vale?
- Who names Batman and his stuff? (Batcave, Batmobile, etc.) Are the later named in-universe?
- Which of Bruce's villains appear during the the first few years of his career?
- What mistakes does he make?
- What is his relationship with the GCPD?
- How does he meet other non-Gotham superheroes?
- Is Batman a founding member of the Justice League?
- What is the nature of the public's knowledge of Batman?
The Batman Family
- Does Batman ever get his Batfamily? How?
- Who is counted in the Batfamliy? In the Wayne family? (Who is legally adopted?)
- Does Dick become Robin? Nightwing? Red Robin? Batman?
At what ages?Some Frank Miller shit?
- What is the nature of Bruce's relationship with Dick?
- Does Barbara Gordon become Batgirl? Oracle? Is The Killing Joke canon? Ages for each?
- What is the nature of Bruce's relationship with Babs?
- Do Bruce and Dick still work together as adults?
- Does Jason become Robin? Red Hood? Red Robin? At what ages?
- What is the nature of Bruce's relationship with Dick?
- Is Jason ever redeemed, brought back into the family, and his relationship with Bruce mended?
- Does Tim become Robin? Red Robin? Batman?
Joker
- Does Cassandra Cain become Batgirl? Black Bat? Batwoman/Batman?
- Does Stephanie Brown become Spoiler? Batgirl? Robin? Nightwing?
- Does Helena Bertinelli become Huntress? Batwoman?
- Do Kathy Kane and Betty Kane become Batwoman and Batgirl?
- Is Damian born? Who raises him? Does he become Robin? Batman?
- Is Helena born? Who raises her? Does she become Robin? Huntress? Batwoman/Batman?
-
Is Bruce Jr. born?
- Does Carrie Kelly become Robin? Catgirl? :/
- I guess I should have a question about Roy Harper?
- Does the "We are Robin" stuff exist?
- Is Kate Kane Bruce's cousin? Does she become Batwoman?
- What's up with Terry?
- Do any of the above die? Do they come back?
- Is Selina part of the family or a rogue?
- Who does Bruce consider to be the heir to the Batman title? (Can be multiple.)
Shipping
- Who is (are) Bruce's romantic soulmate(s)? (Gotham is a valid answer, I guess.)
- Is Bruce only into women?
- Does Bruce actually sleep with the women he "wines and dines" for his playboy persona?
- Who has Bruce fallen in love with, if anyone? Does he pursue any sort of sexual and/or romantic relationship with them?
- Does Bruce want a permanent relationship? Is he capable of it? If yes, with whom?
- Does Bruce eventually marry or get into a permanent relationship? With whom?
- Who is Bruce's best friend?
- Who does Bruce consider his friends (as opposed to family)?
- Does Bruce ever die (comic book fashion) and come back or temporarily retire the Batman identity? How?
- How does Bruce permanently die and at what age?
- Does the Batfamily stick with him throughout his life?
- How does Bruce's story end?
- Who replaces him?
Choose up to ten story arcs or events that need to happen in Bruce's life and career as Batman.
Short Version
- What is the nature of the setting? (Universe with other superheroes, just Batman, realistic, campy, etc.)
- What are Bruce's skills, his proficiency in each, and their focus in the stories?
- How clear is the division between Bruce Wayne and Batman in Bruce's psyche?
- What rules does Batman follow in his crusade and what his emotional response to it?
- What is Bruce's relationship to his villains like?
- What is Bruce's relationship to other superheroes like?
- Is Bruce a father?
- Who is part of the Batfamily, if it exists?
- What is Bruce's character arc/development throughout the story?
- Does Bruce have a significant other?
- How does Bruce die? (Or how does the story end?)
- Is Batman ultimately a hero or positive figure? Does he generally succeed in his mission?
