Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s...DC Comics!
The world of DC Comics is vast, to say the least. While most casual fans know the story of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, the DC universe is filled with some of the comic book industry’s greatest characters and storylines. From characters like The Flash, Constantine, and Black Canary, to the epic storylines like Forever Evil or Crisis on Infinite Earths, the incredible world built by the artists and writers of DC have created a truly one of a kind franchise like no other. However, despite all this success, the stories and characters created for this company are not immune to confusing aspects of their story.
Have you ever wondered why Batman throws sharp metal Batarangs at criminals when he claims to have a policy against ending the life of any villains? Or perhaps you wondered why Green Lantern never used his powers to trick Superman into thinking he had kryptonite? If you did, you’re not alone, as these are just a few examples of the complex stories told over the course of over seventy years of comic book publishing, and the eventual problems that arise as a result of them.
These powerful yet complex heroes and villains are not perfect, and that’s what we aim to prove today as we take you on a journey to explore twenty-five logic comics from the vast world of DC Comics. Be ready to look for the bat signal as we head into these hilarious comics.
25 Hero Complex
The story of Batman and his origins is one that is quite familiar to not only comic book fans, but to the world at large. The story of billionaire Bruce Wayne, who witnessed the tragic loss of his parents as a child, used his wealth to travel the world, training to become the ultimate warrior and return to his home city of Gotham to rid it of criminals.
He became a symbol for criminals to fear, and in turn, began a war with the most ruthless and criminally insane villains the city has to offer.
It’s his story that has made the Batman comics such a huge draw for fans, but have you ever stopped to ask yourself if it was necessary to become Batman? He could have just used his wealth to rebuild the community and help drive corruption out of the local police force. Nah, let’s fight crime as a Bat-Man instead.
24 Batman’s Rules
The rules by which Batman conducts his work as a crime fighter are both strict and unforgiving. Besides his no ending life rule, he fights using his martial arts skills, his detective skills, and his technology.
Yet he has a strict policy against using guns of any kind.
We see this several times in both the comics and in the films/television shows/games that the character if featured in. One of the biggest examples of this conflict comes in the form of the Red Hood, a vigilante who uses brutal force to take out criminals in Gotham. He and Batman fight quite often because of this difference (as well as their history), and it shows how dedicated Batman is to the crime fighting lifestyle he’s set up for himself. In this logic comic, we see the failed logic from the film The Dark Knight Rises, when he tells Catwoman not to use guns but then shows his motorcycle is outfitted with weaponry.
23 The Human Factor
While they’ve been longtime allies and friends, the history of Batman and Superman is not one without conflict. Batman’s unwillingness to trust anyone and Superman’s belief in mankind’s overall goodness have caused the two heroes to come into conflict on several occasions. Fans saw this recently in the controversial film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Whether you loved it or hated it, the film touched on a very fundamental aspect of their relationship. The two men are heroes, but both are set in their ways and firmly believe that their way of fighting crime is the one true way. So much so in fact that their opposing views have led to them fighting. Now, a lot of fans think this doesn’t mash up, as Batman is human with no powers, yet Superman’s arch nemesis is Lex Luthor, who is also human with no powers whatsoever.
22 American Villain
The most popular characters in the comic book industry were born during a time of war. Characters like Batman, Superman, and Captain America, were born at the height of WWII, meant to portray the dark world around them while boosting patriotism and hope that heroes would rise to meet the evil at their doorsteps. These patriotic themes have been ingrained into the fabric of these characters for decades, so when Marvel recently published the Secret Empire storyline, they revealed an alternate history to Captain America, painting him as a secret agent of the Nazi-themed group hydra.
Now, a lot of fans and heroes alike would balk at this, but the last person you’d expect to have an issue would be The Joker.
Batman’s chaos driven villain has gone on record saying he’s an evil villain, but an American evil villain at that. It’s pretty sad when the Joker is more patriotic than you.
21 All About Tone
The one divisive thing about Marvel and DC Comics films is the tone of their films. Some fans of the films want to see more light-hearted and funny films from DC, while other’s want to see grittier, darker films from Marvel. We’ve seen these aspects play out well on the superhero television shows, like the dark tone of Netflix’s The Punisher or Legends of Tomorrow’s light hearted comic book tone on The CW. Yet, the films of both companies have yet to incorporate this into their movie’s storylines. Fans have complained for years about the tone of these films, while others have appreciated the films bringing classic comic book storylines to life. Well, in this next logic comic, we see just how difficult it is for fans to be pleased by change, as each company has worked to improve the tone of their films and yet fans still aren’t pleased.
20 Cape Troubles
Superman is definitely one of the most powerful heroes in the DC universe, (if not the most powerful hero in the comic book industry, but that’s up for debate). Yet, even he isn’t strong enough to lift the hammer of Thor.
In the Marvel universe, Thor’s hammer can only be lifted by those who are worthy.
Often when he’s in battle, he will simply place the hammer on his foe, rendering them unable to move whatsoever. One move that he’s often used in the comics is placing his hammer on the cape of a villain he’s fighting, which often keeps the bad guy right where Thor wants him. Superman, the strongest hero ever, shows this in the next logic comic, but Batman’s superior intellect and deduction skills prove to the man of steel that there is one thing no one has ever thought to do, and that’s to take the cape off!
19 Identity Crisis
The use of the secret identity in comic book stories is a long-held tradition. The hero never wants to reveal their true name or face, for fear that their enemies would use this information to harm their families, friends, or loved ones. It’s a rational thought, and yet the secret identity thing doesn’t always work. For instance, the big dividing moments in Marvel and DC films is the secret identity. In the MCU, both Captain America and Iron Man are publicly identified as heroes. Meanwhile, the man of steel himself Superman and the Amazon warrior Wonder Woman are mysterious to the people of their DC films. The funny thing that this comic points out that makes zero sense is that the MCU heroes wear masks, and yet, are well known. Meanwhile, the DC heroes don’t wear masks and are a complete enigma to the people. What’s wrong with this picture?
18 In The Face
One of the tools that Batman uses in his war on crime is the classic Batarang. The weapon is a metal object shaped like a bat and is thrown by the hero at villains while in battle. Well, one thing we’ve seen while playing the Batman: Arkham series is just how devastating the impact of one of those weapons is. Think about it. The sharp, metal weapon thrown as hard as it can be is hitting these human criminals in the face, and it does nothing but knock them out?
How are they not being stabbed or worse by these weapons?
The use of these weapons logically goes against everything Batman claims to stand for, and yet, it’s one of his most used tools in his arsenal. Maybe there is a special coating on these weapons that dulls them, but that seems a bit unlikely to me.
17 Pained Memories
The loss of his parents really did shape the man Bruce Wayne grew up to be. Witnessing a crime of that magnitude is difficult as it is, and yet, the crime being committed against your parents is something that should traumatize a child to their very core. You’d think they’d be in therapy for years and would want to stay away from violence as much as possible. Yet, instead, the young boy became a man dedicated to the fight for Gotham, facing down the city’s most notorious villains.
What’s always been a little strange to fans is Batman’s lack of emotions regarding the loss of his parents. Sure, there’s a lot of times where the memory will shock him, yet, we don’t see the Dark Knight ever break down at the memory of his loss. In this logic comic, we see him finally break down the way any son would at the loss of his parents.
16 Out Of Place
Another stark difference between the heroes of Marvel and DC is the way the citizens of their universe view them. In the MCU, the heroes are looked upon with a level of distrust and unease and are considered human’s with powers. Yet, in the DC universe, the heroes are almost “godlike” and revered with an inhuman presence, nearly to the point of worship. They are given statues and revered around the world despite their faults.
This is actually something that has come up before in a one-off JLA/Avengers crossover comic book.
Yet, as this comic points out, each team has one member who is actually the thing they claim to be. Thor is an actual “god” of Norse mythology, despite the other’s not always believing him, while Batman is the only Justice League member who is pure human, with no “godlike” powers to speak of.
15 Family Life
In the world of DC comics, the heroes often find themselves becoming a part of a heroic family. From the heroes of Team Flash, with generations of speedsters forming a family unit, to Superman and his cousin Supergirl (and a young teen clone called Superboy), these heroes are partially defined by the strong emotional family relationships that they built. Despite checking his emotions at the door during his missions and having lost his parents, Batman has built his very own Bat-family, with a multitude of various Robins, Batgirl, Batwoman, and much more. Yet, as we see in this comic, the whole concept of family is something poor Bruce Wayne will never get accustomed to. In this comic we see a scene from the popular show Young Justice play out, with Superman and Martian Manhunter giving their love to their relatives, and yet, Batman cares more about his car than the kids he’s leaving behind. And the parent of the year award goes to...
14 King Of The Heroes
There has always been a lot of debate about who the strongest and best hero in the DC universe is. While the obvious choice is Superman, other’s have argued Wonder Woman is the most experienced, while the Flash has the power of time itself.
Yet, the one hero who knows all of the other hero’s weaknesses and has prepared for the worst case scenario for all of these super-powered people is Batman.
Yes, the human of the group recognized the danger that these heroes represent if they should ever turn against the human race, and so he kept contingency plans to stop them if that day should come. It ended up becoming the basis for a longtime story arch involving the villain Vandal Savage stealing these secret weapons against the heroes. Yet, despite this, it was Batman who took on the Justice League and won, so the argument against him fighting Superman seems kind of silly now.
13 Voice Problems
The dark knight himself Bruce Wayne is known around the comic book world as the world’s greatest detective. His mind is one of the most intelligent in the world, and he is able to deduce the hidden clues in any case. He is always five steps ahead of his enemies and has created the technology and martial arts moves to counter any villain or situation that arises. Yet, there is one thing that makes zero sense that the Christopher Nolan films have made a point to point out. Why on earth has Batman not invented a voice changer for his costume? Think about it like this. He’s Bruce Wayne, one of the richest people on the planet. His voice is something that many would recognize, so why not invent a piece of tech that slightly changes it. In the Nolan films, the hero just added a gravelly tone to his natural voice, but technology would have helped a lot more.
12 We Need A Hero
One thing that the DC universe makes a big deal of showing is that billionaires in their world are known to become either heroes or villains. We have Bruce Wayne as Batman, while Lex Luthor has used his billions to become an armor powered super villain. With all the money at their fingertips, these rich people have built some of the most sophisticated pieces of technology in their world, allowing them to become criminals and heroes alike.
The one thing that doesn’t add up though is...why don’t billionaires in our world do that?
As this logic comic points out, there are nearly two thousand billionaires in our world, and yet not a single one of them has become a hero or criminal mastermind. Why haven’t we seen vigilantes in elaborate costumes running across rooftops and stopping bad guys in our messed up world? Something’s not adding up.
11 Best Friends Forever?
The complex history behind Batman and Superman was brought to life in the recently filmed Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The two heroes spent most of the two-and-a-half hour film as enemies, but within the last twenty minutes they became friends, respecting one another and Batman even changing what kind of hero he was after the final fate of Superman was revealed. Yet, this quick turnaround from enemy to friend is not the most shocking aspect of the situation. You see, there’s one person who has spent their entire life taking care of Bruce Wayne, and that’s Alfred Pennyworth. The man is Bruce Wayne’s butler, and yet, he’s been more like a father figure since the loss of his parents. Alfred has been by Bruce’s side since the beginning and yet, in just a couple of weeks, Bruce and Superman become best friends?
10 Impossible Game
The world of DC comics has not only been an integral part of the comic book, television and film industry, but a huge part of the video game world as well. The most popular video game franchise DC has is definitely the Batman: Arkham games. Making up four console games and several handheld games, the series follows Batman as he fights the most horrendous villains the DC universe has to offer. It’s offered up some of the most compelling, complex Batman storylines in the comics, exploring what would happen in the final battles between Batman and the Joker and the outcome of it all.
In the game, you play as the titular hero and explore huge open worlds to fight over.
One thing that didn’t make a whole lot of sense, however, was in the game you had all these amazing gadgets, like an explosive gel device to blow up walls, and yet you couldn’t get through a steel grate to get a Riddler trophy?
9 Don’t I Know You?
One of the big aspects of the classic Superman storyline is the fact that he hides his superhero identity behind his human identity, Clark Kent. Working as a reporter for the Daily Planet and portraying himself as the bumbling, nonsensical reporter that works closely with Lois Lane should be an easy disguise, but because of his massive body build and looks, the biggest disguise he can come up with to sell the Clark Kent persona is a pair of glasses. This was a big joke that fans made for years, especially in the original Christopher Reeve films, where it was quite obvious he was the alien superhero of the world. In this logic comic, the secret seems to have been outed, however, showing how clear it is that Clark and Superman are the same person. There has to be a better way to disguise yourself, or maybe just add a mask to your superhero ensemble.
8 Cape Advantage
One of the biggest items in a superhero costume has to be the cape. Capes are not a piece of clothing that one sees the average person wearing. Unless you are a magician or a superhero, there’s no logical reason to be wearing a cape out in public. The two heroes most prominently known for capes in the DC universe have to be Batman and Superman. The cape is an iconic part of each heroes costume, and it’s difficult to imagine them without a cape.
However, besides looking cool in a superhero outfit, what purpose does the cape serve?
In this logic comic, we see that Batman actually has several uses for his cape, acting as a special protective shield from weapons, increased flying when gliding through Gotham, and more. Meanwhile, the powerful Superman doesn’t use his cape at all in his superhero life, and so it’s definitely a style choice more than anything.
7 Truly Lonely?
What’s the one thing Batman always says to the members of the Justice League? He works alone. It’s been his mantra for years, taking his fight against the criminals of Gotham alone and taking a very solitary life. It’s led him to portray his everyday self as Bruce Wayne, the billionaire playboy, while in real life he is alone and has dedicated himself to the mission of protecting the city and nothing else. However, as this next logic comic shows, this isn’t really the case. Not only has Batman found romance amongst various villains and heroes alike, but he has an official Bat-family. He’s trained and raised several young men and women to become both his sidekicks, associates and fellow heroes. He even has a son with the legendary Talia Al Ghul, the daughter of the demon’s head himself, Ra’s Al Ghul. That doesn’t sound as lonely as he would like you to believe he is.
6 World’s Greatest Detective?
As we previously mentioned, Batman is known as the world’s greatest detective. Yet, how did Superman manage to hide his super secret human identity from the world’s greatest detective for so long? I mean, in the comics and television shows and films, Batman eventually deduced his identity, but it didn’t happen overnight.
The weird thing is the man of steel himself doesn’t have the best disguise possible.
As this next logic comic points out, the picture of Clark Kent looks almost identical to the picture of Superman in the comic books. They are nearly identical, with only the glasses separating the two personas. Yet, as smart and quick-witted as Batman is, how did it take him so long to figure out Superman’s identity? I mean, in one of the first moments the two heroes met in the animated shows, Batman only discovered Superman’s identity by planting a tracking device on him.