this post was submitted on 15 May 2026
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Late Stage Capitalism

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[–] wheezy@lemmy.ml 0 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Most Batman villains are attempting to destroy the structures that allow a billionaire like Bruce Wayne to exist. Usually via some perversion of what anarchist ideas are. The villains are portrayed as insane radicals with no care for human life. It's a common theme of all comic books. That the villains are the ones trying to fight the class hierarchy; and thus must be portrayed as insane blood thirty monsters.

Though you're right. He focuses on fighting the villains that attempt to either disrupt the class structures. Or, fights villains that directly steal from the rich (cat women often engaging in grand theft). But, the main people that he is fighting (or killing?) are low level thugs. It's the common theme of the "hero" spending the whole movie performing actions that undoubtedly killing or harming random members of the lower class. It is often only when faced with a corrupt politician or a corrupt villain of the ruling class that the conflict of hurting or killing them appears in the story. The victims of the lower class often have to be "perfect victims" to be seen as worth saving.

There is obviously parts of "good" that is done. But these are only ever done as a means to show the class hierarchy "working". The good must be done within the current structures of capitalism. Like you said, hiring petty criminals. The "good" is done out of the kindness of the ruling class. "We don't need to change class hierarchy. We just need need good rulers" is the theme

[–] agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works -1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Most Batman villains are attempting to destroy the structures that allow a billionaire like Bruce Wayne to exist.

Uh, source? Several of them are themselves billionaires. They're portrayed as "insane radicals with no care for human life" because they murder many people.

[–] wheezy@lemmy.ml 0 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Off the top of my head modern Joker, Anarky (obviously), Poison Ivy (often anti capitalist to preserve nature), Bane (specifically the Dark Knight adaptation), Ra's al Ghul (more of an Eco-fascist)

Most of these are their modern or movie adaptations that portray them heavily as anti capitalist to a degree that is not really leftist; but more as trying to portray any threat to the capitalist structures as only having the end result of totalitarianism. It's a false association of reality to ensure the current systems are still portrayed as "good but flawed". So, any attempt to change those systems is written as worse.

I'm not saying the characters aren't "insane". They are. I'm saying they are written to be insane to portray any threat to the hierarchy of class power as only something insane people would do. They are there to point to real problems of the world and offer only worse solutions. Batman is there to maintain the systems that cause the problems; but "correct" the flaws. It is written to say "the system is not perfect, but don't try to change it, you'll end up so much worse".

Batman is the "justice" that the system pretends to offer. And his villains are a character representation of how the ruling class of society wants to portray anyone that attempts to defy its class hierarchy.

[–] agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I feel like most of the ones who aren't just murderous psychos are given pretty sympathetic light when they make monologues about their causes. They only get beat up when they start blowing up the city or releasing gases or something. I'm pretty sure these face-offs are mostly written to give the "villains" a platform.

From a narrative perspective, the intrinsic connection Batman has to the inequalities of the system make him an intentional foil for the criticisms from the Poison Ivys in the rogues gallery that make very good points.

If you want comics to be more direct in their critiques, may I suggest The Invisibles, or maybe Transmetropolitan.

[–] wheezy@lemmy.ml 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

You're looking at this from the perspective of the universe the characters are in independent from our own world and the narratives the writers are creating. I think we're having different conversations.

[–] agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Maybe reread my last comment, I addressed that.

[–] wheezy@lemmy.ml 0 points 2 weeks ago

Yeah I was drunk last night when I replied. No idea if I even read it. Lol.