Snag in the fanfic fabric
So just after comÂpletÂing the first draft of the first part of my Clark-Bruce fanÂfÂic, I decidÂed to go look at canon mateÂriÂals as research for facts. Seems Iâve got the facts all wrong and itâs bothÂerÂing me.
Iâve posÂtuÂlatÂed that BatÂman would be active and fightÂing crime a few years before SuperÂman, and that he would be a few years oldÂer than Clark. Clark in the SmalÂlÂville conÂtext is 16 or 17 years old, and I was figÂurÂing Bruce at 22 or 23 havÂing been active for a year or so.
Well, I went back to BatÂman: Year One by Miller and MazÂzuchelÂli. I think thatâs canon. AccordÂing to this verÂsion, Bruce was 25 when he first put on a cape. And someÂone makes a comÂment to the effect that âyou donât have to go all the way to MetropÂoÂlis to find a man of steelâ which indiÂcates pretÂty clearÂly that SuperÂman was runÂning around and pubÂlicly known by then.
Of course, this is fanÂfÂic, plus SmalÂlÂville is already a non-canon variÂant. Still, itâs disÂapÂpointÂing to have my pet theÂoÂry blown.
Yes, Iâm a geek. Shut up. Now to see if I still have a copy of The Untold LegÂend of the BatÂman or John Byrneâs Man of Steel miniseries.
BatÂman ThemeĂąÂÂThe Jam
Of course, this is fanÂfÂic,
Of course, this is fanÂfÂic, plus SmalÂlÂville is already a non-canon variant.
Yep. You donât have to honÂor sevÂenÂty years of comÂic conÂtiÂnuÂity: all you have to do is not conÂtraÂdict SmalÂlÂville conÂtiÂnuÂity. Such as it is.
p.s. It is fitÂting that
p.s. It is fitÂting that since SuperÂman preÂdatÂed BatÂman in real life, he should retain that priÂmaÂcy in the secÂondary uniÂverse as well. I think thatâs why I have a probÂlem with the idea of SuperÂman takÂing hero lessons from BatÂman. SuperÂman is the first. Itâs just part of who he is: priÂmaÂry colÂors, priÂmaÂry staÂtus. BatÂman is like Supesâ shadÂow; he comes after, heâs defined by his difference.
Youâre kind of tryÂing to reverse that, to have SuperÂman define himÂself against BatÂman rather than the othÂer way around, and I think itâs cause you just like BatÂman betÂter. But Iâm not sure itâs true to the charÂacÂter concepts.
WellÂlÂlÂlÂll, OK, yes. Action
WellÂlÂlÂlÂll, OK, yes. Action Comics #1 preÂcedÂed DetecÂtive Comics #27 by eleven months. But to say that BatÂman is defined by difÂferÂence from SuperÂman is absurd. BatÂman was difÂferÂent from the othÂer stoÂries that appeared in DetecÂtive Comics in that he had gadÂgets and a cosÂtume. SuperÂman was the first of his kind; BatÂman was a variÂant of a genre that had been going on long before SuperÂman existÂed. What youâre sayÂing, although facÂtuÂalÂly corÂrect, is sort of like sayÂing The ShadÂow was a Doc SavÂage knock-off. (Yes, and SuperÂman will always be a Doc SavÂage knock-off)
SuperÂman will always be pubÂlished by the DetecÂtive Comics comÂpaÂny. BatÂman will nevÂer be pubÂlished by the Action Comics company.
SuperÂman was the first of
SuperÂman was the first of his kind
See? You agree with me.
Yes, and SuperÂman will always be a Doc SavÂage knock-off
No, heâs funÂdaÂmenÂtalÂly difÂferÂent, and even you acknowlÂedged that already, so LA LA LA I CANâT HEAR YOU.
OK, I was out of line with
OK, I was out of line with the Doc SavÂage comÂment. I apologize.
So basiÂcalÂly Diana got her whole inspiÂraÂtion from seeÂing Clark in action? She has no misÂsion but to imiÂtate SuperÂman? Itâs pretÂty clear, at least from canon mateÂriÂals, that neiÂther BatÂman nor SuperÂman (or WonÂder Woman, for that matÂter) got the idea to resist evil from the other.
Crap. Well, I donât have a stoÂry any more, do I? Maybe I could do a Clark/Phantom crossover.
Itâs pretÂty clear, at least
Itâs pretÂty clear, at least from canon mateÂriÂals, that neiÂther BatÂman nor SuperÂman (or WonÂder Woman, for that matÂter) got the idea to resist evil from the other.
That is basiÂcalÂly what Iâm sayÂing, except Iâm also sayÂing that if one of them was first it was Superman.
Crap. Well, I donât have a stoÂry any more, do I?
I thought the stoÂry was Lex verÂsus Bruce? What part of that goes out the winÂdow if Clark isnât takÂing hero lessons from Batman?
OK first, âgivÂing hero
OK first, âgivÂing hero lessonsâ is unfair. I thought he might proÂvide some piece of pracÂtiÂcal advice, like to work under a pseuÂdoÂnym and to keep his idenÂtiÂty secret. CanonÂiÂcal SuperÂman has read The ScarÂlet PimÂperÂnel, but I donât think SmalÂlÂvilleâs Clark has, despite the claim that heâs âread every book in the SmalÂlÂville library.â SmalÂlÂvilÂlleâs Clark is either playÂing dumb or just isnât very book-smart.
Almost anyÂthing that BatÂman would have to teach Clark about being a hero, Clark would reject out of hand anyÂway. BatÂman would be full of âwow, you can fly, so you could fly crimÂiÂnals to 70,000 feet until they pass out from anoxÂia and terÂror, then bring them back down and danÂgle them by one toe or threatÂen to toss them into the intake of a movÂing jet engine! Thatâs great!â And Clark would be like âno, Iâm not going to hurt anyÂone if I can help it.â
In fact, the ENTIRELY NEW TO ME idea that BatÂman would be Clarkâs tutor is sort of intriguÂing, because I imagÂine that would be a forÂmaÂtive Clark expeÂriÂence as he vows to stand for everyÂthing BatÂman isnât.
NevÂerÂtheÂless, I find it much more believÂable that BatÂman could inspire SuperÂman than vice verÂsa. SeeÂing BatÂman in action would driÂve Clark to the conÂcluÂsion that if peoÂple withÂout extraÂnorÂmal abilÂiÂties could do it that he could damn well make a difÂferÂence, and besides, with his speÂcial abilÂiÂties he could do it *right* instead of being a big terÂrorÂist like Wayne.
Going the othÂer way, I donât see how havÂing a bulÂletÂproof space alien in a blue suit flyÂing around inspires a human to take action. âSuperÂman thwarts bank robÂbersâ yeah, well if I were bulÂletÂproof I could do that too. Pass the bong. LitÂtle old lady getÂting beat up in the street? Sounds like a job for SuperÂman. WonÂder where he is anyÂway? I oughtÂta write to my conÂgressÂman and comÂplain about that guy.
As far as havÂing a stoÂry, well, if itâs Lex verÂsus Bruce and Bruce isnât old enough to have dedÂiÂcatÂed his life to stopÂping peoÂple like (he thinks) Lex, itâs more like âLex and Bruce sit around and drink expenÂsive chamÂpagne, nothÂing hapÂpens.â Not much stoÂry there.
SeeÂing BatÂman in action
SeeÂing BatÂman in action would driÂve Clark to the conÂcluÂsion that if peoÂple withÂout extraÂnorÂmal abilÂiÂties could do it that he could damn well make a difference
DunÂno, I just donât think that works. Clarkâs driÂve to proÂtect peoÂple comes from the way he was raised (or, my perÂsonÂal pet theÂoÂry, from his genetÂics). Either way itâs deeply innate. In the SmalÂlÂville conÂtext, Clark is already takÂing action. He makes a difÂferÂence every week. (Not always for the betÂter, butâŠ)
Going the othÂer way, I donât see how havÂing a bulÂletÂproof space alien in a blue suit flyÂing around inspires a human to take action.
See, Iâm realÂly sensÂing the SuperÂman hate from you, and I just donât think that putting Clark in a subÂorÂdiÂnate posiÂtion to Bruce is going to fix the probÂlems we both have with the Big Dumb Alien.
As far as havÂing a stoÂry, well, if itâs Lex verÂsus Bruce and Bruce isnât old enough to have dedÂiÂcatÂed his life to stopÂping peoÂple like (he thinks) Lex
What if he has, in the same sense that Clark has already dedÂiÂcatÂed himÂself to truth, jusÂtice and the AmerÂiÂcan way? Theyâre both doing it, but not yet in tights? (Heh heh.) I can totalÂly see Bruce being in stage three of a five year plan. After all, doesÂnât he have to get the BatÂcave built and the comÂputÂer up and runÂning and stuff before he actuÂalÂly puts on the cape?
HavÂing a half-formed SuperÂman and a fulÂly-formed BatÂman seems wrong. Canât they be equals? Itâs your stoÂry dude, Iâm just shootÂing off my mouth.
Clark is already takÂing
Clark is already takÂing action, grantÂed, but he hasÂnât decidÂed to make a career out of it. He hangs out with his friends until someÂthing hapÂpens and then he goes and tries to help. I think that *is* innate. (lowÂerÂcase âiâ on âinnateââââI donât care to go into nature verÂsus nurÂture here). Grown-up SuperÂman works on a difÂferÂent modÂel. Heâs ever- (or at least often-) vigÂiÂlant and one preÂsumes actuÂalÂly schedÂules time in his day to invesÂtiÂgate crimÂiÂnal activÂiÂty. He chasÂes vilÂlains around the world and beyond.
It could be argued that the change from pasÂsive hero-of-opporÂtuÂniÂty to active hero-of-choice is part of the natÂurÂal proÂgresÂsion from child to adult, but I donât think it hapÂpens sponÂtaÂneousÂly. I think it hapÂpens as a result of the expeÂriÂences one has as one gets oldÂer. NothÂing grows in a vacuum.
In the SmalÂlÂville conÂtext so far, Clark is always just along for the ride and finds some sneaky way to save the day withÂout anyÂone seeÂing him. Bruce is On A MisÂsion startÂing at age 8, but, at least accordÂing to canon, doesÂnât actuÂalÂly embark on that misÂsion by leavÂing the trainÂing and prepaÂraÂtion phase and going out to make a difÂferÂence until age 25. Heâs not going to throw charÂiÂty balls until heâs 20, Iâm cerÂtain. And heâs not going to try to stop Lex Luthor until heâs got a few months in the field. Bruce is many things, but impetuÂous is not one.
So keepÂing with canon, *maybe* a younger rashÂer Bruce Wayne would try to take down Lex and learn that heâs got to plan betÂter in the future. OK, well, then thereâs no charÂiÂty ball being held at Wayne Manor, and you can throw away all of chapÂter one. AND this entireÂly difÂferÂent stoÂry than the one Iâd been writÂing is just the stoÂry of Bruce Wayne getÂting his ass kicked (litÂerÂalÂly or figÂuÂraÂtiveÂly) by Lex Luthor and his Big Dumb Bodyguard.
A stoÂry with both BatÂman and SuperÂman should be about What It Means To Be A Hero, not just about humilÂiÂatÂing BatÂman. Youâve expressed interÂest in seeÂing SuperÂman win the SuperÂman verÂsus BatÂman fight, and so I guess whatâs comÂing up is what you want to see. Young Bruce Wayne is the vilÂlain. So OK, maybe youâll get your victory.
A stoÂry with both BatÂman and
A stoÂry with both BatÂman and SuperÂman should be about What It Means To Be A Hero, not just about humilÂiÂatÂing Batman.
I donât think Iâve ever seen a Batman/Superman stoÂry where BatÂman got âhumilÂiÂatÂed.â WhereÂas I have seenâââmore than onceâââthe stoÂry where BatÂman humilÂiÂates SuperÂman. So thatâs no longer very interÂestÂing to me. Itâs a tired conÂceit. Iâm just sayinâ.
OK, well, then thereâs no charÂiÂty ball being held at Wayne Manor, and you can throw away all of chapÂter one.
Dude, whoa. You donât have to pick up your toys and go home. Tell your stoÂry howÂevÂer you wanÂna tell it; if I hate it Iâll write my own rebutÂtal and weâll call them Earth Sp and Earth Si and do crossovers from time to time.
Iâm not takÂing my toys and
Iâm not takÂing my toys and going home; just frusÂtratÂed. If Bruce is 16, chapÂter one is scrapped and Iâm startÂing from scratch. What Iâve writÂten assumes Bruce is Lexâs age, and Lex is 22 or 23 right?
Itâs easÂiÂer for meâââfor a lot of reaÂsonsâââto adjust Bruceâs age upward for this stoÂry than downward.
How would you like to see Diana kick BatÂmanâs ass?
What Iâve writÂten assumes
What Iâve writÂten assumes Bruce is Lexâs age, and Lex is 22 or 23 right?
24. AccordÂing to the SmalÂlÂville charÂacÂter bios, Lex was born in 1980. More interÂestÂing tidÂbits: âLexâs full name is AlexanÂder Joseph LuthorâŠHis mothÂer died in 1993. Lex has attendÂed schools all over Europe. He gradÂuÂatÂed from PrinceÂton with a degree in bioÂchemÂiÂcal engiÂneerÂing. He startÂed gradÂuÂate school at Yale and is now on a break.â
Itâs easÂiÂer for meâââfor a lot of reaÂsonsâââto adjust Bruceâs age upward for this stoÂry than downward.
So make him Lexâs age. Itâs a SmalÂlÂville stoÂry and SmalÂlÂville hasÂnât estabÂlished Bruce Wayneâs date of birth. I just donât like the idea that SuperÂman picks up a cape âcause heâs imiÂtatÂing BatÂman, but maybe you can sell me on it over the course of the story.
How would you like to see Diana kick BatÂmanâs ass?
Iâm up for seeÂing Diana kick anyÂbodyâs ass, up to and includÂing my own.
But realÂly, I donât have anyÂthing against BatÂman. Itâs not like I want to see him get his teeth kicked in. I love BatÂman! I just want to see SuperÂman get his godÂdamn due for once.
24 is even betÂter. I can
24 is even betÂter. I can jusÂtiÂfy a sinÂgle year of age difÂferÂence between Lex and Bruce. EspeÂcialÂly because Lex is like a superÂgeÂnius and all that, and poof! Bruce is only ONE year oldÂer and already Batman.
And I think itâs part of SuperÂmanâs âdueâ that he doesÂnât ever kick BatÂmanâs ass. He doesÂnât ever sink to that levÂel. And he lets BatÂman get away with a lot of stuff. In the grown-up canon world, I think itâs axiomatÂic that SuperÂman holds BatÂman in great esteem and even admires BatÂman. If SuperÂman ever had any doubt that BatÂman was not a Good Guy, BatÂman would be unmasked, in chains, and servÂing a life senÂtence under maxÂiÂmum secuÂriÂty. Whether the US of A could build a prison that could hold BatÂman is anothÂer quesÂtion, but itâs painfulÂly clear to me anyÂway that BatÂman operÂates only at SuperÂmanâs whim.
I also have to doubt that SuperÂman would ever let BatÂman have a career withÂout some kind of a head start. With no track record, if BatÂman pulled the shit that BatÂman pulls, BAM! in prison faster than a.⊠well, you know.
Yeah, yeah, Dark Knight Returns. I know, BatÂman found a way to beat SuperÂman. But SuperÂman was actÂing (grudgÂingÂly, I believe) under orders. If SuperÂman believed that Bruce was a Bad Guy, it would have been over long before it began.
Iâd nevÂer try to sell you on the idea that SuperÂman is imiÂtatÂing BatÂman, but everyÂone makes their way in the world with some conÂtext and hisÂtoÂry. Even Superman.