Damaged, but using that as a source of strength and focus.
How does that rule out psychosis? Just like blasts of radiation might make you or I dead, I think trauma-induced psychosis is perfectly reasonable a fuel for heroism in his universe.
Home schooling? You know, it's not just for scary religious people anymore.
Buffy ,'Beneath You'
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§ ita § - Jun 30, 2004 9:15:11 am PDT #4385 of 10000
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
Michele T. - Jun 30, 2004 9:17:35 am PDT #4386 of 10000
with a gleam in my eye, and an almost airtight alibi
I think we can all agree on "damaged," ita, but "psychotic" seems a bridge too far.
§ ita § - Jun 30, 2004 9:20:39 am PDT #4387 of 10000
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
YPMV.
The Batman I see operates in a very different reality from those around him. That's pretty much all I need for a definition.
You are more stringent, perhaps, or see him as more commonly grounded.
DavidS - Jun 30, 2004 9:21:27 am PDT #4388 of 10000
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
I think we can all agree on "damaged," ita, but "psychotic" seems a bridge too far.
"Psychotic" has very specific diagnostic meaning. It's for people who hear voices that tell them to do things and other gross misapprehensions of the consensus reality. Batman deviates from the social norm considerably, but he can readily put on Bruce Wayne's tuxedo and mingle and socialize as much as he wants without worrying about the bugs under his skin or whether the CIA is controlling his thoughts.
§ ita § - Jun 30, 2004 9:23:53 am PDT #4389 of 10000
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
Do you disagree with the Britannica definition, or am I interpreting it too loosely?
Thomash - Jun 30, 2004 9:23:59 am PDT #4390 of 10000
I have a plan.
Not being a doctor, I don't know what the dif is regarding psycosis and psychotic, if there is one. You make a lot of points of which I kind of agree with you on.
any of several major mental illnesses that can cause delusions, hallucinations,
Batman is very grounded in reality, doesn't even really believe in magic (should read some of his interchanges with WW in JLA).
serious defects in judgment and insight,
Okay, maybe training children to jump off of skyscrapers while doing a handstand then going out with them to do it and get shot at...
defects in the thinking process, and the inability to objectively evaluate reality.
They don't call him the world's greatest detective for nothing.
§ ita § - Jun 30, 2004 9:25:08 am PDT #4391 of 10000
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
doesn't even really believe in magic
Dude, there, right there is a red flag in a universe with Zatanna, but I should probably read the exchanges, because I can't believe they'd have him take the stance I'm reading that as.
Thomash - Jun 30, 2004 9:27:26 am PDT #4392 of 10000
I have a plan.
Should have been clearer, many of the issues I've read have him and WW arguing about gods and magic and their validity in the real world. Usually when they're sparring. Blanket stating he doesn't believe in magic was oopsy.
victor infante - Jun 30, 2004 9:36:59 am PDT #4393 of 10000
To understand what happened at the diner, we shall use Mr. Papaya! This is upsetting because he's the friendliest of fruits.
That's canon.
Is it sane? Is it compliant with our reality?
Well, maybe an exaggerated sort of sane, if you will. Bruce Wayne would hardly be the first person to put on a metaphoric mask to deal with the world, after all. But then, some other writers have had good takes on it.
The JLA story where Batman and most of the rest of the League were seperated from their alter egos was actually rather telling--"Batman" was an emotionless void, all skill skill and control, but no there there. Bruce was an empty, vapid plaboy with immense rage that he was unable to focus.
The end analysis, ala Plastic Man of all people, was that if you separate Bruce Wayne and Batman, you don't just get a psychopath and a playboy--Bruce Wayne needs all of Batman's training and discipline just to keep his own anger from consuming him.
Michele T. - Jun 30, 2004 9:38:29 am PDT #4394 of 10000
with a gleam in my eye, and an almost airtight alibi
ita, I think you are interpreting too loosely a definition that already lacked the rigor you would find a professional diagnostic manual.