DC Is Still Obsessed With The Oldest Batman Insult

The Penguin proves that DC is still obsessed with the oldest Batman insult out there. A direct follow-up to the events of Matt Reeves’ The Batman, The Penguin follows Oswald Cobb’s rise to power in Gotham’s criminal underworld. Though Batman was previously able to stop the Riddler’s killing spree, he could not prevent the destruction afterward. Riddler’s destruction of Gotham’s seawall flooded the city and left parts of it inhabitable, leaving it as the perfect breeding ground for crime because of the lack of resources and law enforcement.
One character who is notably absent from The Penguin is Bruce Wayne himself. At the end of The Batman, he vows to help the city’s recovery efforts and inspire hope for the citizens. However, he has yet to be seen in the first few episodes of The Penguin. This is clearly because Robert Pattinson isn’t signed on to appear in the show, but Batman’s absence ultimately helps to prove one common Batman criticism that has been used against the hero for years.
Batman Is Often Accused Of Not Solving Crime The Right Way Bruce’s intentions are never doubted by the citizens of Gotham, as he donates his wealth to those who need it, while he puts his life on the line to stop crime as Batman. However, he is often accused by people and villains of not saving Gotham by failing to solve crime the right way. Of course, there is no definitive correct way to solve crime, but there’s a reason that Gotham’s problems never cease to disappear. Batman is great at stopping crime at the moment, but he has yet to address the larger issues in Gotham that actually cause crime to occur.
Gotham is a city that is synonymous with crime because of the class wars and how many citizens live in poverty. It makes it an easy place for criminals to roam free and conduct business. At the end of the day, Bruce is still a billionaire and doesn’t truly understand what goes on in the streets. He may be able to stop the crime as it’s happening and offer his aid in the aftermath, but he’ll never really be able to improve Gotham unless he starts addressing the root of the crime and why it happens in the first place.
The Penguin Reveals Batman Doesn't Really Save Gotham From Crime Close Batman undoubtedly saved plenty of lives in The Batman by stopping the Riddler’s killing spree, but he also played a part in making lives worse. Because he wasn’t able to prevent the flooding, many Gotham residents were displaced from their homes and some even died. In episode 2 of The Penguin, it’s said on the radio that Gotham’s crime rate has risen a staggering 42% in the wake of Riddler’s attack. That makes poverty and crime even worse than it was before, and Batman is nowhere to be seen.
The Penguin insinuates that Bruce is indirectly part of the problem, and it’s not the first time he has been either. The series shows everything from the perspective of Gotham’s streets. The elite and wealthy are largely left unaffected by the flooding, including Bruce Wayne himself, and while he can take time out to reflect on his personal journey and philosophy, Gotham crumbles.
Just like in past Batman iterations, Bruce can go on with his life after a catastrophe while the regular citizens must deal with the aftermath. There’s no doubting Batman’s kind-hearted intentions, but The Penguin has just confirmed that there is some weight to DC’s oldest Batman insult.


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