3

Responsibility and the City

Batman versus Spider-Man

CHIROPTERA, ARACHNIDS, cartoon adaptations of all time; the Arkham series of

AND HOMINIDS—Oh My! video games is no less critically acclaimed; and
Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy is routinely
STAN LEE knew he had a hit on his hands when letters hailed as the pinnacle of superhero cinema—though
began flooding into the Marvel offices after Spider- we shouldn’t give short shrift to Tim Burton’s work
Man’s first outing in Amazing Fantasy #15 (August– with Michael Keaton, which brought respectability to
September 1962). Fans couldn’t get enough of Peter superhero movies while doing record business. 1989’s
Parker. Since the 1970s, Spider-Man has been Batman opened to $40.5 million domestically, and
headlining several monthly comic books while 1992’s Batman Returns debuted at $45.7 million—a
making cameo appearances in other titles. Today, he pittance, perhaps, compared to what Nolan’s sequels
continues to star or team up in multiple series, sharing would rake in, but good enough at the time for both of
shelf space with spinoffs featuring clones, supporting them to break opening weekend box office records.
cast members, and alternate universe counterparts,
such as Scarlet Spider, Spider-Gwen, and Renew Your I suspect the popularity of Spider-Man and
Vows. Batman is related to their being less super than other
superheroes. They inspire us in part because they
We have seen three different iterations of flatter us: They speak to the kinds of people we are,
Spidey brought to the big screen in the span of fifteen and our sense of who we could and should be. Spider-
years: a critically acclaimed, hugely popular trilogy Man gives us a larger-than-life metaphor for the
from director Sam Raimi starring Tobey Maguire; struggle to live like a decent person, day in, day out,
another pair under the heading Amazing Spider-Man in a permanently screwed-up world. Batman presents
that were decidedly less amazing; and 2017’s us with a different perspective, one that suggests we
Homecoming, a new version that incorporates must endeavor, constantly, to shape the world around
elements from Marvel’s Ultimate line of books and us and bend it to our will. They offer competing ideas
takes place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe about social responsibility. Whose conception of what
anchored by Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man. All told, it means to get involved in our communities and the
these six films have grossed almost $2 billion lengths to which we should go to improve them offers
throughout North America—and that’s not including the better model to admire and emulate?
Captain America: Civil War (2016), which saw the
debut of Tom Holland’s Marvel Cinematic Universe Iron Man, as discussed in the previous chapter,
version of the wall-crawler and grossed more than is a superhero because he can be; Batman and Spider-
$400 million domestically. Man are superheroes because they must be—though in
different ways for different reasons. Batman is an
Batman is arguably the most successful incarnation of the willful modern project to end
superhero product of all time. He has led two premiere suffering through applied reason, gaining mastery
titles since 1940, co-starred regularly in team-up over all things as a result. We may account for our
stories starting in the 1950s, and stayed with the partiality toward Batman in good part because modern
Justice League of America since its inception in the society is awfully committed to this undertaking,
1960s. The number of Bat-themed books ballooned in although not wholly. By way of contrast, Spider-Man
the 1990s, supplemented by spinoffs like Catwoman, reflects the shortcomings of modernity. Modern
Nightwing, and Robin. The Batman section of the principles and purposes must be supplemented and
Diamond Previews catalog—from which comic stores tempered by premodern wisdom and virtues, such as
and addicts order their books—is always the largest. those that classical philosophical and biblical
Recently, Batman accounted for six of the ten best- traditions articulate, lest they extend themselves
selling comic books across all publishers in October without restraint to ruinous extremes.
and November 2017.
For the purposes of this book, it may make
Like Spider-Man, Batman’s popularity sense to ask a simple question: Whose version of New
transcends the printed page: Batman: The Animated York City would you rather reside in? One whose
Series is generally considered one of the greatest streets are patrolled by a friendly neighborhood
Spider-Man? Or one looked over by a silent protector, Manhattan, Spider-Man has an admittedly large
a watchful guardian—a Dark Knight? backyard. Peter learned from his Uncle Ben that “with
great power there must also come great
responsibility,” and that is the lesson by which he
FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN guides his life. Still, Spider-Man’s sense of
responsibility is more moderate and less meddlesome
While I say that these two characters resemble than his opponent in this chapter. Whereas Batman
us mere mortals most, I recognize of course that pours his every moment into fighting crime, tirelessly,
Spider-Man possesses powers beyond those of obsessively, the Webslinger goes on patrol at irregular
ordinary human beings, the result of a bite from a times, rescuing people in dire distress but never
radioactive spider. Peter Parker has the strength of a presuming to save New Yorkers the trouble of taking
spider relative to his size—the ability to lift ten to responsibility for themselves.
twenty tons; in other words, strong enough to catch a
hurtling school bus—as well as a spider’s reflexes and A defining characteristic of Peter Parker’s life
agility. He can stick to walls and crawl up them, is his financial difficulties. He is so poor he has to sell
regardless of sheerness or verticality. And then there’s photographs of himself in action to the Daily Bugle.
his spider-sense— a tingly little feeling he gets that This revenue stream is a sort of self-flagellation, since
alerts him to imminent danger. Despite being a happy- he knows the tabloid’s owner, fake-news purveyor J.
go- lucky sort, there’s tragedy to Parker’s origin: Jonah Jameson, will invariably use them to portray
Raised by his Aunt May and Uncle Ben, Peter him negatively. Peter hand-stitches his costume and
dedicates himself to fighting crime after a robber, what money he has goes to supporting his Aunt May
whom he could have apprehended but failed to, kills or procuring ingredients for webbing. When he does
Uncle Ben. come into some dough, as when Jameson reluctantly
puts him on salary in Spider-Man 3 (2007), Peter is
More important than the amazing gifts he has made to look ridiculous, strutting down the street to a
been given is that his personality is familiar to us from James Brown beat, grotesquely self-confident. Should
everyday society. Peter Parker is a fairly ordinary guy he somehow strike it big, as he briefly did with Parker
who struggles daily with the same sorts of challenges Industries in the comic books, you just know he won’t
most of us face. He shares the same sorts of failings get to hold onto it for long.
we exhibit ourselves too. He has so many things going
on—personally, professionally, and super heroically THE DARK KNIGHT
— that he probably wishes spiders were known for Bruce Wayne, of course, is the exact opposite
their time-management skills. of poor. Indeed, he’s the opposite of Spidey in
He has more responsibilities than he can keep virtually every way: He’s not trading barbs with
up with and never realizes his full potential in any villains; he’s not worried about balancing his crime-
corner of his life. He’s always no-showing dates and fighting duties with his personal life or his
missing finals to take down criminals; he gets fired professional obligations to Wayne Enterprises; he’s
from his pizza-delivery gig because it took thirty-two not sad about being feared and distrusted instead of
minutes to stop a mugging and get the pies across being loved and admired. Batman may be more
town. Peter’s sense of frustration is compounded by human than Spider-Man in the sense that he does not
the fact that he can’t tell his teachers and girlfriends or have irradiated blood enabling him to press masses of
poor old Aunt May why he is letting them down all machinery and piles of I-beams overhead, but he’s
the time. They take him for a slacker and a shirker, nothing like you or me.
“brilliant, but lazy.” The irony of that slam on Peter He’s a socioeconomically privileged
from Spider-Man 2 is unbearable. He can only try his supergenius supplied with vehicles, gadgets, weapons,
best and find ways to deal with his disappointments. and training that no ordinary person has access to. His
Spidey bills himself as “your friendly fans say he must be the bravest of all comic book
neighborhood Spider- Man.” He is undoubtedly characters, on account of his having no superpowers,
among the friendliest of the superheroes, chatting and but he walks into every situation and confrontation so
wisecracking constantly with friend and foe alike. well prepared that he rarely has reason to feel
Neighborhoods are societies on a smaller scale than concerned. Of course, it took a lot of fortitude and
that of an entire city. However, seeing as he is usually resiliency to get like that; one does not simply luck
spotted swinging his way between Queens and into the physical skills of an Olympic-caliber athlete.
Knowing how to use what you’ve got is more is better to be feared than loved” (Machiavelli). His
important than simply having more to work with. origin story, first told in Detective Comics #33
Batman has a lot to work with and uses everything (November 1939, soon after the character’s
that he has maximally, 24/7/365¼. introduction in #27), gave us the shorthand for
Batman that has worked ever since: “Criminals are a
Young Bruce saw his wealthy and superstitious cowardly lot. So my disguise must be
distinguished parents, Dr. Thomas and Martha Wayne, able to strike terror into their hearts. I must be a
shot down in Park Row, later dubbed Crime Alley, by creature of the night, black, terrible.”
local thug and mugger Joe Chill. The crook
confronted them as they were leaving a showing of
The Mark of Zorro (1920 or 1940, depending on the
telling). The 2016 retelling of the origin story in He has accomplished that goal: A yellow
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice makes power ring from the Sinestro Corps once identified
Excalibur (1981) the film they had just seen. The latter him as the most frightening man on earth. As
feature portends his role as a messianic figure on a Montesquieu discerned, fear is the principle of
noble crusade, making more of him than some despotism. Moreover, the desire for control has its
slumming, swashbuckling vigilante. That said, I own basis in fear. When Bruce assures himself that he
would point out that Bruce Wayne is less like Arthur could quit the vigilante lifestyle any day he wanted (as
than he is like that fanatic for discipline and in Identity Crisis #4, November 2004), he sounds like
perfection, Lancelot. Whereas Zorro and the Knights a junkie. One thing that a person committed to
of Camelot are highborn, Bruce Wayne is heir to a controlling everything cannot control is his desire for
commercial and philanthropic empire—but that control.
combination serves as a proxy for nobility within Batman never felt more betrayed than when
modern industrial society. his teammates used magic on him to delete some of
After years of training in every imaginable his memories, thereby violating his vaunted self-
discipline, Bruce returns to Gotham City and becomes control (JLA #116, September 2005). He is such a
Batman by night while maintaining the role of spoiled control freak that he fashions clones of himself
socialite by day. He wages war against disorder in the programmed with memory implants, ready to serve as
chaotic microcosm that is Gotham City, a stand-in for his replacement when the time comes, because
New York City at its seediest: physically imposing; “Gotham must always have a Batman” (Batman:
psychologically oppressive; just this side of the state Futures End #1, November 2014).
of nature. The word gothic was originally a synonym The Caped Crusader’s yearning to impress a
for barbaric. Violently orphaned in his youth, Batman rational, moral order upon the world so consumes him
perceives the world as populated by pitiable, that he must fight proactively and not reactively, like
vulnerable victims in need of a protector since they Spider-Man. Batman is limited only by time and
can’t or won’t protect themselves against omnipresent means. Regarding the latter, he is, fortunately,
forces of cruelty and corruption. unimaginably wealthy. Regarding the former, he
Unlike Superman, who would not rule even apparently has no need for sleep. In addition, he
though he could, the principle that governs Batman enlists an endless succession of Robins, Batgirls, and
would have him rule if only he could. In one alternate Outsiders, an international army of Batmen called
universe, depicted in Injustice: Gods Among Us #4 Batman Incorporated, and uncostumed allies like
(June 2013), Batman admits that if he had Superman’s Alfred Pennyworth, Lucius Fox, and Commissioner
powers he would “impose peace” on the world. Clark Gordon all to overcome the problem of being just one
Kent’s Ma and Pa, farmers from Kansas, imparted to man. When disasters strike Gotham, he counts on
him a faith in ordinary people and respect for their these auxiliary arms to help maintain order the
freedom that billionaire Bruce Wayne does not share. Batman way: nonlethally, but not too nonlethally.
Spider-Man, by contrast, neither could nor would rule. BE A (SPIDER)-MENSCH
Not that he’d be well-suited for the job; he can barely
balance his check book. Modern society is marked, if not defined, by
our devotion to technological science. Modernity was
Batman combats evildoers in a fashion that explicitly established against traditional ethical
exemplifies a pair of well-known maxims: “The theories that prioritized the cultivation of good
passion to be reckoned upon is fear” (Hobbes) and “it character and acknowledged the existence of duties
that transcend individual will and choice. We are opt in or out of no matter how many times he tries. He
taught nowadays to avoid trouble, and that refraining may put his costume in a garbage can and declare
from harming others is sufficient for regarding himself “Spider-Man no more,” but only briefly. His
ourselves as righteous. life does not become more pleasant by turning his
back on his duty; rather, it turns out more miserable
Spider-Man, despite being a man of science precisely on account of that dereliction.
and despite using science to aid him in his quest to
better the boroughs of New York, turns our attention Spider-Man’s ethical ideal is to be an upright,
back toward ideas and practices that predate stalwart, long-suffering man who faces everyday
modernity. He helps us see ways to better resist travails with dignity and integrity. One wonders if the
modernity’s partialities. It is not that modernity is premodern roots of his character are better located in
altogether bad and the ancients are altogether good. the biblical tradition rather than in ancient Greek
Rather, the ancients provide us with a perspective philosophy. Uncle Ben’s ethic of responsibility
from which we may assess and understand the upsides certainly calls to mind Luke 12:48, whence it is
and downsides of modernity better than contemporary declared, “For unto whomsoever much is given, of
lenses alone provide, those being too partial. What is him shall be much required.” Spider-Man’s origin
good about modernity is fortified when elements of story brings to mind a passage from the Gospel just a
premodernity remain incorporated within it. few verses before that one: “And this know, that if the
goodman of the house had known what hour the thief
Aspects of Spider-Man’s character remind me would come, he would have watched, and not have
of Socrates. His spider-sense, helping him to avoid suffered his house to be broken through” (Luke
oncoming peril, resembles the daimonion that warned 12:39). Spider-Man’s friendly neighborhood”
Socrates against making bad decisions. (Peter also sobriquet has a Christian undertone to it too. He
possesses a complementary talent for ruining things comes to the rescue of all people indiscriminately,
whenever he feels good or expects something positive treating every person in the world as his neighbor.
to happen.) Socrates’ view that justice never involves Notice that he calls himself the Spider-Man of your
harming anyone is reflected in the way Spider-Man’s neighborhood. He will even go so far as to rescue his
webs—his weapons of choice—are primarily enemies from mortal danger.
defensive and cause no permanent damage. Also, the
hypothetical “man of perfect justice” described in The fundamentals of Christian ethics are, of
Plato’s Republic brings Spider-Man to mind too. He course, prefigured in the Old Testament, such as in the
always does the right thing even though he always rules found in Leviticus 19 about justice, alongside
earns a reputation for doing the wrong thing. Nobody commandments againstmistreating foreigners and
who wields great power on behalf of justice can avoid strangers. Roughly speaking, I thinkthat one way of
earning a bad reputation amidst the unjust and among paraphrasing Uncle Ben’s famous dictum is torender it
many others who are merely inconvenienced. But it’s simply as “Be a mensch.” In Amazing Spider-Man
worse for Spider-Man in that he gets accused of being #24 (May 1983), a fellow tenant from his apartment
an accomplice in any bank robbery he thwarts. The building refers to Peter as “a real mensch . . . if you
Daily Bugle’s headlines regularly ask readers to ask know what I mean.” When the widowed Aunt May’s
themselves: “Spider-Man: Threat or Menace?” new fiancé, Nathan Lubensky, and Peter first spend
time together, they head out to enjoy the best brisket
Peter chooses to keep up the good fight in town (Spectacular Spider-Man #50, January 1981).
nevertheless. The language of choice, however, falls Much has been written on the Jewish bona fides of
short here, as Peter regards what he does not so much Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s Superman, created in
as a matter of choice but of responsibility, a duty he 1938. While an explicitly Jewish superhero still might
must meet irrespective of his preferences and desires. not have flown in 1962, it’s eminently plausible that
He aspires to live in accordance with a higher Stan Lee (born Stanley Lieber) imbued his most
principle that he did not give to himself: It transcends famous character with some recognizably Jewish
him and commands him. Whereas the order that the qualities. I do not think that I need to apply gematria
modern technological project seeks to impose would to his name to ascertain that Peter Parker’s even more
ultimately absolve individuals of the need to practice secret identity is that he is Jew-ish.
personal and interpersonal responsibility,
responsibility is the central theme of Peter Parker’s Peter Parker grows up in Forest Hills, a
story: His responsibility to the people of his neighborhood in Queens known for its historically
metropolis is not something that he can indifferently Jewish population. “Nebbish” is plainly the right
adjective for describing the oft-bullied, romantically In both Sam Raimi’s trilogy and the rebooted
awkward bookworm that Peter was before he gained film franchise starring Andrew Garfield, Peter’s moral
his superpowers and got hitched to a shiksa. With all failure is magnified by his behaving disrespectfully
her histrionics, hypochondria, doting, and fretting, toward—that is, not duly honoring— his adoptive
Aunt May is not far off the caricature of a Jewish father shortly before he loses him. Whereas Batman
mother. Traditionally, Peter has to keep his costumed fumes at the world and its wrongdoers, pursuing them
identity a secret from her. Can you imagine the restlessly and relentlessly, Spider-Man is burdened
kvetching? “What, we raised you to be a superhero? with unremitting disappointment in himself. He does
You couldn’t be a lawyer like that nice Murdock boy? what he does in response to feelings of guilt and
You’re jumping off buildings, crawling on ceilings, shame and to avoid feeling even more regret. To that
what kind of life is that?” Writer Brian Michael end, he forgoes many of his ordinary desires, such as
Bendis has admitted that in updating Aunt May for succeeding in grad school or spending more time with
contemporary storytelling purposes, he modeled her his supermodel wife. His former supermodel wife, I
after his ima. His version of Peter regularly utters should specify—whom he officially never married,
commonplace yiddishisms and oys of exasperation. now, thanks to some recent retconning—because he
surely cannot be allowed that much happiness.
In a somewhat more political direction, I
would hazard the conjecture that the difficulty Spider- THE DARK MESSIAH RISES
Man faces in winning over the public, in overcoming
The World’s Greatest Detective is a master of
people’s instinctive aversion to spiders while still
inductive Baconian science and deductive Cartesian
dressing and acting in ways that advertise his peculiar
rationalism, the twin logics of modern reasoning. In
differences, resembles the struggle of Jewish
his laboratories and workshops, Batman crafts gadgets
immigrants to overcome historical prejudices and be
and prepares concoctions for every possible purpose.
accepted as part of North American society without
He not only keeps “shark repellent Bat-spray” on hand
relinquishing their distinctiveness. “Parker Luck,”
in the Batcopter, but it sits on a shelf alongside
whereby things always seem to go from bad to worse
barracuda, manta-ray, and whale repellents. He
for Peter, and even when he wins, he loses, is
possesses the most powerful personal computer in the
reminiscent of Jewish history, as its own scriptures
world, which he programs himself, hidden away in his
attest. In modern times, Lord knows how many
underground armory for his personal use only. He
motions in the United Nations have raised the
turns every cell phone in the city into a sonar
question as to whether modern Israel should be
surveillance device to spy on everybody everywhere.
classified as a threat or menace.
He launches a satellite to monitor superhuman activity
To be sure, Spider-Man is lucky that his New worldwide on the assumption that even the greatest of
York is not as corrupt as Gotham. Batman’s narrative heroes are liable to become threats to humankind.
depends on our accepting Gotham as an unvarnished Batman has devised strategies for defeating each of
representation of the actual human condition. Spider- his fellow Justice Leaguers just in case any of them
Man’s stories depend on imagining that New York is turn heel. That includes holding onto a stash of
not quite so bad, even in the 1970s. I like to think that Kryptonite—and not just the green kind. For someone
Peter would not become like Bruce if he resided in who is supposed to be Superman’s best friend, Bruce
Gotham, but I also wonder how long he would make Wayne sure does have a lot in common with Lex
it, or whether he would flee. It is like asking what Luthor.
turns people like those depicted in Fiddler on the Roof
Batman, like Spider-Man, is who he is on
into Israel Defense Forces soldiers and Mossad
account of a feeling of obligation. However, Bruce
agents. The tiny moustache on Spider-Man’s principal
Wayne’s is entirely self-imposed: He has no reason to
persecutor, J. Jonah Jameson, has got to be a big hint.
feel guilty for the death of his parents. He is being true
Peter Parker is not only haunted by the only to himself by sticking to his decision to become a
memory and beholden to the counsel of his Uncle bat; no one could blame him if he quit. His ethics are
Benjamin, who in his imagination becomes a sort of grounded in modern, subjective self-determination
ancestral super mensch, he is also consumed by and self-creation. His mission is the product of a
unrelenting guilt for falling short and letting his uncle willful assertion of personal values arising from
down when it mattered most. He transgressed against personal experience translated into personal
a transcendent rule of righteous behavior, and no obligations in his own imagination, without reference
quantity of good deeds will ever fully atone for it. to abstract principles or higher authorities. There’s an
abyss below the Batcave, both literally and piecemeal if we can’t stage a revolution that will cure
figuratively. the world’s evils with celerity. Longings like these
arise out of a rebellion against the biblical tradition
Whereas Spider-Man’s principle of that cannot be made sense of without reference to that
responsibility is expressed as a universal rule, no one tradition. Their proponents will claim to epitomize
else is expected, let alone morally required, to do as that tradition even as they dispense with it. In losing
Batman does—even if they suffered a loss similar to patience and faith in a divinely delivered savior, the
his. Other people may don the costume, but Batman desire for a messiah of some sort itself has not been
proper is singular, and Bruce Wayne is he. With forsaken. The responsibility for saving humankind is
apologies to Quentin Tarantino, Bruce Wayne is a seen as having fallen upon humankind itself, or at
disguise that Batman wears: When Wonder Woman least its leading representatives.
places the Lasso of Truth around Superman, he will
report that his name is Clark Kent and Kal-El. Wrap That Gotham City is totally depraved and
Batman in it and he’ll say, “I’m Batman” (Trinity unworthy of Bruce Wayne’s sacrifices on its behalf
Annual #1, July 2017). only further confirms his status as a messiah figure.
That Batman miraculously returns—whether from
After his parents’ murder, Bruce Wayne retirement or death itself, whether literal, presumptive,
decides to empower himself. He becomes a costumed or metaphorical—is a recurring theme in his stories,
agent of vengeance and control. An internal such as in The Dark Knight Returns (1986), The
compulsion drives him, and he channels it through a Return of Bruce Wayne (2010), and The Dark Knight
highly disciplined force of will. He appeals to us Rises (2012). The Wayne family’s religious affiliation
moderns because we like to imagine that we mere has been established in comic book continuity as
humans can overcome any obstacle, no matter how Roman Catholic, although Bruce personally seems
powerful, through grit and hard work. Taking in rather lapsed. His behavior nevertheless suggests
combination Bruce Wayne’s mental acumen, physical someone who remains committed to evidencing his
prowess, technological know-how, and financial righteousness through good works without ceasing.
means, however, he is so extraordinary as to be By this-worldly standards, however, Batman’s
beyond emulation by any actual human being. He has campaign is of the most inadvisable sort—one without
mastered not one or two but all of the martial arts. He a clear standard or reasonable hope of victory or any
can disappear like a ninja. He can heal a broken back exit strategy.
through calisthenics. He shares with Christ the quality
of being truly human, making him therefore a From a non-Christian perspective, Jesus looks
potential model for us to admire and imitate, and yet like someone who sacrificed himself in a spectacular
he, too, is so extraordinary as to be inimitable. but vain effort to change the world, having found its
iniquity and misery intolerable. From a Christian
Whereas Wonder Woman would cry “Great perspective, Batman is a false messiah, sacrificing
Hera!” and Aquaman would shout “Great Neptune!” himself endlessly but bringing about no meaningful
on the classic children’s cartoon, Super Friends, change. He shows no signs of hope regarding the next
Batman’s exclamation was “Great Gotham!” That world and he gives us no reason to have any hope in
oath is not really a prayer; it is closer to a curse, but it this one. For all his efforts, Gotham never gets any
is most like a self-motivational mantra. Batman’s less corrupt or less dangerous. Batman thinks that
attention is focused on his city as a whole, a metaphor violence is the answer even though more violence is
for the entire world or universe. The expectation that all he begets—and that includes his jerk of a son,
this corrupted world could be fixed by determined Damian. Spider-Man is apologetic about using
men acting from within it, especially through the violence in a way that Batman is not. Whereas
acquisition of technological might and the elimination Spidey’s help always comes from above, descending
of superstition, is the essence of the modern project. from skyscrapers or perched atop flagpoles, Batman
To Batman and modernity alike, superstition is linked emerges from the darkness beneath the earth. When he
with vice, especially injustice and cowardice, and a ascends to rooftops, he prefers to keep company with
form of ignorance easily exploited. the gargoyles. Maybe those aren’t ears on his cowl;
Nowadays, the secularized, liberalized, and horns like Daredevil’s would be more honest.
enlightened progeny of Jews and Christians alike have You can imagine Peter dying peacefully one
elected to place their trust in our own powers instead day, with Mary Jane at his side, surrounded by
of God’s. We plan to tikkunolam our way to paradise skittering spider-grandchildren. You can only imagine
Batman dying violently, if not at the hands of an previously battled to convince them to change their
enemy then in revolt against the reaper, determined to ways. That endeavor has met with mixed results, but
prove that there is no power he cannot counter. he doesn’t just reserve the effort for those with whom
Batman Annual #2 ( January 2018) gave us a glimpse he shares some sexual attraction, as in the case of
of a possible future where Batman does die Black Cat. Batman, meanwhile, typically deposits his
surrounded by those who care about him, but a reader villains at Arkham Asylum, an institution premised on
is right to regard that improbable scene as a dream, a the possibility of healing the mind and transforming
hoax, or an imaginary story. Batman’s romance with character through the application of scientific
Catwoman is assuredly ill-fated. Mask of the technique. That Batman must keep sending them there
Phantasm (1993) convincingly established that Bruce over and over suggests that he has too much faith in
knows that he cannot be in love and be Batman at the the capacity of mundane powers to fix people.
same time. He may carry no memory of the
ignominious death that befell the Batman of Earth- The essential difference between Spider-Man
Two, the one who married Catwoman, but we do. and Batman may be detected in the way Spidey’s
banter is full of quips and gags, if only to settle his
nerves—even though it gets on the nerves of his
teammates on the Avengers. Apart from Adam West’s
THE MEN IN THE MIRROR
campy portrayal on television in the 1960s, Batman is,
It is worth considering, briefly, the villains by way of contrast, mostly grim and gritty. When
against which our heroes are arrayed. Both Batman Batman dusts off his dry wit, it is usually intended to
and Spider-Man are generally considered to have the remind people of his intellectual superiority, not to
strongest rogue galleries in their respective universes. make them laugh. The Riddler attempts to match wits
The menagerie of miscreants bedevilling Spider-Man with Batman through word play, making him a
is a testament to the inherent dangers of modern suitable rival. Two-Face, who allows the flip of a coin
technology, typifying the myriad ways it is available to decide what he shall do, is an apposite opposite to
for misuse and prone to going awry. Spidey usually Batman’s deliberative talents.
finds himself fighting men transformed into super
But it is most fitting that that Batman’s
villains due to technological mishaps or side effects
archnemesis is the Joker. One who believes that
(e.g., Doctor Octopus, Green Goblin, Lizard, Morbius
suffering could be abolished through determined
the Living Vampire) or else bad guys who employ
human effort has little patience for humor. To such a
technology to become worse (e.g., Beetle, Chameleon,
person, joking is an affront. Comedy mocks the vanity
Hobgoblin, Jackal, Rhino, Scorpion, Vulture). Note
of visions of rational control. The person who can
the recurring theme in their names: The very attempt
joke amid a confrontation with evil, like the quick-
to become more than human through technology tends
witted Web head, must be reconciled to the permanent
to make them (and us) more like beasts.
imperfections of a corrupted world populated by fallen
Some of Batman’s adversaries, such as Killer creatures. Comedy is parasitical on tragedy. Deny
Croc or Poison Ivy, have qualities or MOs similar to tragedy, denounce comedy.
Spidey’s villains, but what mainly defines them is
Peter strives to always do the right thing even
their crooked minds or outright insanity. In Batman
though there is no promise he will be rewarded in this
stories, it is Batman himself who represents the
life for all of his labors and sacrifices; as the theme
promise of the power of technology. Given his
song of his 1960s-era animated television show
grappling gun and batarangs, the miscellany in his
reminds us, “Action is his reward.” Often his
utility belt, plus his countless custom vehicles for air,
righteousness only seems to bring him greater
land, and sea, there is little that is naturalistic about
misfortune. Batman stories are grounded on the
Batman beyond his muscles and brains, themselves
conceit that a rational will always triumphs on behalf
honed into machine-like effectiveness. He may be
of justice. That’s the comical part of Batman, which
brutal in his methods, but other than his nocturnality
he shares with the overtly messianic Superman,
and the scalloping on his cape, what about him is
embodying the Enlightenment era secularization of
batlike?
biblical ethics that promises the ultimate unity of
Spider-Man typically leaves his baddies righteous action and felicitous outcomes. Spider-Man
dangling from street lamps for the cops to cart away also refrains from immoral action, but his stories are
after his webs have dissolved. But Peter has also made different in that he does not always succeed while
concerted personal efforts to work with criminals he trying to do the right thing. Peter’s best efforts often
have heartbreaking consequences—most famously love that is its hallmark in our interpersonal
when his bashert, Gwen Stacy, plummets from the relationships and personal occupations.
Brooklyn Bridge and his desperate effort to save her
causes her neck to snap. That audiences today find Batman so sublime
may explain why 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man
ANGELS AND DEMONS was made to resemble a “Batman: Year One” story,
supposing that Bruce were an emotionally troubled
So who serves as a better model for the
teen with spider powers. That Spider-Man’s ethics are
moment? The overworked and overwhelmed mensch
so compelling, however, helps explain why Batman
driven by the need to help his fellow man become a
stole his gimmick at the end of The Dark Knight
better version of himself? Or the overdriven and over-
(2008), the centrepiece of Christopher Nolan’s trilogy.
determined demon who believes in the power of fear
There, Batman allows himself to gain a bad reputation
to help keep his city in line?
even though he only ever fought for what is right.
Despite his sensational abilities, Peter Parker Nolan’s Batman mothballs his cowl once the public
is written as someone so ordinary that he remains thinks ill of him, whereas Parker dons his red and blue
believably human, making Spider-Man’s example threads each and every day despite frequently finding
universally comprehensible and inspirational. In himself dodging bullets fired by the boys in blue.
seeing something of themselves in Peter Parker,
Both of these courses of action—stepping
readers are supposed to realize that, contrary to our
down and assuming the sins of another to protect a
usual complaints, all human beings possess great
beacon of hope for the masses; making a sincere effort
power. I am reminded of Montaigne’s observation in
day after day fully aware that some people are going
his essay “On Physiognomy”: “We are richer than we
to hate you for being too upstanding— are worthy of
think, each one of us. Yet we are schooled for
greater esteem and imitation than the mad resolution
borrowing and begging.”
to force the world into a rational shape through
It is probably easier to see just how powerful technologically enhanced intimidation.
we all are by considering how easily any one of us
Given that Batman and Spider-Man are
could cause immense harm to others. In truth, we all
America’s most popular legends, it’s worth asking
have more power than we recognize to be a positive
how they reflect aspects of the United States’ spirit.
force in the lives of those around us, even if only in
America is like Batman in that it wants its enemies to
ordinary ways in everyday affairs. Modern society
become good. It would prefer liberating them to
obscures this from us. In learning to live and let live,
vanquishing them, rehabilitating them to annihilating
we have come to feel isolated. As society and its
them. Like Batman, it will employ force and fear in its
problems grow, we feel small and unable to
efforts to reshape the world so innocents at home and
accomplish much that would matter. The state saves
abroad may live free from molestation. America is
us from having to help ourselves and others,
unlike Batman in that it has no compunctions about
mitigating our own agency. We end up comparing our
using firearms, but it is like Batman in that it pulls its
victimhood statuses in a competition to determine who
punches. It does not crush its adversaries as
is most helpless and therefore most deserving of aid.
completely as it could. Spider-Man represents the
Since Spider-Man’s character mixes his view that America is praiseworthy thanks to its
official status as a gentile with substantial Jewish innovations in civilized coexistence, its responsible
credentials in addition to some Socratic elements, I citizenry, and its manner of combining and preserving
would not want my depiction of his ethics to seem too the best ideas drawn from its premodern inheritances.
particularistic. That said, his outlook on the world and
The specifically Jewish dimension of Spider-
sense of responsibility is compatible with the
Man, with his stated focus on the level of the
Augustinian position according to which people are
neighborhood, is important to our understanding of
instructed to act rightly toward one another even
what makes him so special as a hero and as someone
though the rain falls and the sun shines on the just and
to consider worthy of praise. Outside of their
unjust alike. We should expect no sure reward or
historical homeland and nation, across the diaspora,
happiness in the here and now, and our salvation is not
Jews have been excluded from public affairs in many
something we can forge for ourselves, whether
places for long periods of time. It makes sense,
individually or collectively. The city to which we
therefore, that the morality of the mensch involves the
should truly dedicate ourselves is not to be found in
practice of personal and social virtues, but not so
this world. In the interim, we are called to practice the
much the political virtues, strictly speaking. It is the As regards praiseworthiness, I am giving
kind of morality one can practice when one is not able Spider-Man the edge. Imitating Spider-Man, at least
or permitted to develop the habits of active metaphorically, is something that we all could do,
citizenship. perhaps surprisingly well—even if most of us don’t do
so on account of how inconvenient it would be. It’s
Nowadays, in a nation as great in size as not for nothing that Spider-Man helps old ladies cross
America, whether because they are discouraged, the street or that one of the most amusing scenes in
unmotivated, or obstructedfrom involvement in Spider-Man: Homecoming shows that Peter Parker is
political processes, many individuals, irrespective of at his best when he’s confronting no one more
ethnicity, find themselves relatively inexperienced as menacing than a bicycle thief and when he’s giving
political participants. Even if they follow the news, directions to passersby. This is a degree of heroism to
listen to talk radio, engage in slacktivism on social which we all could and should aspire, a manner of do-
media, and pin buttons to backpacks or put bumper gooding that doesn’t require superpowers: the sort of
stickers on pickup trucks, most people have not helpfulness that may not save a life but will definitely
developed good citizenship skills. The qualities that improve one; the kind of behavior that keeps our
define a good citizen, politically speaking, are living together side by side a little more civilized.
obtainable only by deliberating upon the common
good in concert with others who often disagree, In short, Spider-Man’s New York is the sort of
exercising practical judgment and negotiating city we’d all prefer to live in. Not Gotham. We could
compromises, making decisions for which one may be all stand to have and be better neighbors, but no one
held accountable, and taking actions that affect the should want to live in a society where everybody’s an
community. Many people think that showing up at agent of, informant for, and/or target of the Stasi—
protests and rallies constitutes commendable political which is exactly what would happen if we all tried
participation when that is but a paltry substitute that imitating Batman more. Suffering Spider-Man’s usual
threatens to descend into something worse. ill fortune would be less unbearable than Batman’s
interminable ill disposition. Spider-Man still has a
The best that many people can do now is blast sailing between high-rise towers. You cannot
become respectable members of society—good imagine Batman woo-hooing while hanging off the
neighbors, but not exactly active citizens. Spider- line from his grappling gun. For reasons like these, we
Man’s specific moral qualities, and their limits, may must crown Spider-Man winner of this heat.
be related to the historical experiences of Jews,
pursuing righteousness in the absence of political
rights and privileges. Today, they prove relevant to all
of us who find ourselves confronted by vast social
forces that seem irresistible while feeling
disenfranchised by a government that is massive,
impersonal, distant, and inaccessible.
In the game of “who would beat who?” piety
among comic book readers dictates that Batman
always wins. Championing Batman is really only a
proud vote of confidence in ourselves. I won’t hesitate
to affirm that in a fight, Batman beats Spider-Man.
But imitating Batman, the scariest man on the planet,
would make a monster of anyone. Don’t get me
wrong: I do respect the way Batman represents
everything that gets labelled as toxic masculinity by
those who wish we could dispense with all
masculinity. Batman provides a critique of modern
squeamishness and oversensitivity, allowing us a
vicarious experience of wrongs righted by means of
armored gloves and cars. But let’s not adopt him as
our model.