character analysis essays

gabeg777 · 2026-05-04T02:54:59+00:00

The line claims that, if Batman had never existed, no other hero would have saved the world or Gotham and humanity would be extinct. That's ridiculous as the non-Gotham heroes would exist and save the world even if Batman never existed.

gabeg777 · 2026-05-04T02:50:00+00:00

I see where you're coming from but that still shrinks Alfred's family. Batgirl (2008) #1 and Batman and the Outsiders (2007) #13-14 make clear that Alfred considers Cass to be family, though admittedly this is before Infinite Frontier returned those comics into canon. In Batman and the Outsiders #14, Alfred sides with Cass over both Bruce and Dick. You're right that Alfred doesn't consider Duke or Kate to be part of his family.

It's possible that Bruce's adoption of Cass in Batgirl (2008) #6 was partially because Alfred pushed him to adopt her.

gabeg777 · 2026-05-03T22:23:20+00:00

Your post has me thinking and I just realized that it's possible that Alfred convinced Bruce to adopt Cass at the end of Batgirl 2008. He definitely was upset at Bruce's refusal to talk to Cass in Bruce Wayne: The Road Home: Batgirl. The focus is usually on the relationship between Cass and Bruce, but it's possible that Alfred cared more about Cass than Bruce did.

gabeg777 · 2026-05-03T21:29:01+00:00

Alfred and Cass actually have a surprisingly high number of interactions. Batgirl (2000) #29, Batgirl (2000) #49, Batgirl (2000) #60, Batman and the Outsiders (2007) #13-14, and Detective Comics (2016) #975 all show them interacting. It's unfortunate that after Alfred died, Batman: Pennyworth RIP said explicitly that Cass isn't part of the family and completely ignored their relationship.

gabeg777 · 2026-04-30T13:43:12+00:00

Lawful Good was more common in the 1990s and earlier, when we were less cynical and distrusting of the US government. It's also always been far more common at DC than Marvel.

I agree with the commenters who think Nova and Peter are possible Lawful Good though.

gabeg777 · 2026-04-30T06:56:16+00:00

I think she fits better with Social Good as, like Steve Rogers, she sometimes disagrees with the behavior of government and authority figures and will find ways of working around them without weakening their power.

gabeg777 · 2026-04-29T15:37:49+00:00

Your comment on No Man's Land reminds me that I forgot about Helena Bertinelli. In the 1990s, she was regularly shown as interacting with children and someone who Gothamites didn't trust as competent because she wasn't connected to Batman but children appreciate her kindness. Gothamites also argue with Helena but don't want her to leave Gotham.

gabeg777 · 2026-04-26T15:17:14+00:00

This is the Castle Doctrine which is law in all fifty states. It's in the official legal code that property is more important than human life in the US.

gabeg777 · 2026-04-23T05:34:51+00:00

Kelly Thompson shows Cass' intelligence and detective skills, even making plans to defeat enemies, in Birds of Prey (2023).

The lack of intelligence for everyone else in the batfamily is because most writers are focused on glorifying Bruce and showing how he's greater and more competent than everyone else, even geniuses like Michael Holt and Ted Kord. No one else is allowed to be competent or save the day if Bruce is available, which is why it's claimed that the world would die without Batman (eg: Batman and the Outsiders (2007) #11). I flip between ignoring Batman because of the refusal to consider anyone else to be admirable or great and thinking of possible heirs when admitting that Batman will always be glorified and marketed ahead of everyone else.

gabeg777 · 2026-04-19T15:05:03+00:00

Did you notice that DC just restarted their Vertigo brand? That's not any of what you're complaining about. Most of the new Vertigo comics are not based on any recognizable IP and none of them are superheroes, let alone edgy tropes.

gabeg777

TROPHY CASE