Having gotten completely sucked into the comics, *nothing* strikes me as a bit much for Batman anymore.

But, like, what about those who aren't sucked into that universe? (Or those, like me, who hover only on its edges?) It strikes me as just, you know, too much, in a similar (though of a different type) way that Joel Schumacher's Batman was too much. Batman works, if you make me believe he might exist in this real world; any strong whiff of unbelieveability just pushes me out of the story. So, disurbed billionaier, fine; disturbed billionaire who can afford to hire the personal trainer from hell, fine; disurbed billionaire who tinkers and builds and acquires cool gadgets, fine; but "studies with ninjas" is kinda over the top.

Well, he spent 10 years travelling all over the world to train himself to be the bestest vigilante ever!

Meanwhile, NewLine's website for A History of Violence is up -- there is a clip from the movie in it. (A scene with Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen.) There is also a trailer up on the Cannes Film Festival website. Subtitled in French. Kind of fun.

Hm. I am likewise on the edges of the Batman universe, and "studies with ninjas" ups the attraction for me. YOTTMV

But I could study ninjutsu if I wanted to. As the improbable things in Bruce's life go -- that's one of the easy ones. If I had his cash, you damn well bet I'd be travelling the world and studying fighting styles. No need to kill my parents, and I'd never even intend to be taking it out on the road, vigilante style.

Hell, I know a guy travelling right now, who just finished studying Muay Thai in Thailand, and is expecting to taste the arts of each country he goes to.

No angsty billionaire him. Just a guy taking a year off.

But I could study ninjutsu if I wanted to.

Like, with ninjas? In some far-off wilderness? (Where the master of this very Japanese art is an Irishman?) I think I could have bought it better if they hadn't specified "ninjas," or if it had been Muay Thai or something else. Just, "ninjas" sounds like the kind of big fat lie movie-people use instead of realistic texture.

Also, it raises the problem of "How does everybody in Gotham society not immediately know who Batman is?" If Bruce Wayne is a recluse, suspicion falls on him. If he spent years in the hinterlands of Asia, suspicion kind of falls on him. It's hard to disappear for long periods of time, and still come across seamlessly as a society airhead. "I went to school in Europe" doesn't cut it any more, you know?

Just, "ninjas" sounds like the kind of big fat lie movie-people use instead of realistic texture.

It's true that Batman never flips out like a mammal and kills people. But I still suspect he has real, ultimate POWER!

Like, with ninjas?

Well, that's what you call people trained in ninjutsu, so it would be a good place to start.

In some far-off wilderness?

Hey, my friend talked his way into a teensy Muay Thai camp. He had to do some sweet talking to only stay for weeks instead of months, but training with Eastern martial arts experts somewhere far off is the most attainable part of the Batman mythos. Well, other than losing parents to violence.

(Where the master of this very Japanese art is an Irishman?)

Don't know. Never actually applied.

Just, "ninjas" sounds like the kind of big fat lie movie-people use instead of realistic texture.

Which, no doubt, offends actual ninjas, but that doesn't mean they don't exist and don't include white guys. Studying Muay Thai would hardly give Bats what he needed. Ninja is a wide-ranging art of stealth, deception and fear. Muay Thai is mostly hitting people really hard.

If Bruce Wayne is a recluse, suspicion falls on him

Everyone's alter egos are safe with me. In that I'm never going to suspect, without evidence, that you're the masked villain or hero. Because, come on. How random and unlikely to happen near me! If you're a vapid flake, even less likely. It's a thing.

Those ninjas. They're whacky.

If I was a flesh and blood Gothamite I would probably assume that Batman is someone I don't know, rather than Bruce Wayne. ETA: I would assume this guy was some kind of superfreak.

Also, while I agree training with ninjas is a bit cliched, I'm having trouble thinking of a good analogue for it, when we're talking about a martial arts lifestyle.

Ninja is a wide-ranging art of stealth, deception and fear.

You pretty much have to be a ninja to be Batman, don't you. He's not like Superman, all bright colors and flashy life-saving.