Batman and Me

Google "Who's the greatest superhero of all time?" and there he'll be, at or very close to the top. And that's distinguished company, of course; Superman, Spider-Man, Captain America, Wolverine - winners all, and worthy of our respect and adulation.

But Batman rises above them all, because he is a man. Superman? Alien. Spider-Man? Radioactive bug bite victim. Cap? Supersoldier experiment. Wolverine? Mutant. Batman is none of these; we are reminded of Bruce Wayne's exchange with Barry "Flash" Allen in Justice League: "What are your superpowers again?" "I'm rich."

Batman has no actual superpowers; he has only his mind, his wits and his resourcefulness. Billions of dollars certainly help, his wonderful toys are second-to-none; but Batman isn't a superhero by chance or genes or amuck science - he's a superhero through sheer will.

He is often the superhero we want to be, the guy we wish we were. He prevails against the worst humanity can muster, not through overwhelming power, but overwhelming competence. His will is indomitable; he is an unstoppable force of nature because he chooses to be. We covet that consciousness; we wish for that will.

And here in these brief pages, we'll celebrate him.