In Batman: Ego, written by Darywn Cooke in 2000, a new category of villain fills the role left by the classic super villain. The new villain found within modern comics drastically differs from the villain found in Silver Age comics. This change in villain can be seen in other works besides the Batman comics. Ana G. Gal talks about the characterization of the hero and villain in Stoker’s Dracula in her essay “The Social Modes of Heroization and Vilification in Stoker 's Dracula, a Graphic Novel by Roy Thomas and Dick Giordano.” Within this essay, Gal addresses the change Dracula has undergone in his comic and the changing face of the protagonist, Van Helsing. By applying Gal’s analysis of the hero and villain in the Dracula comics to Batman
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As the villain has gotten darker, the hero has also descended into madness. This is highly prevalent within the Batman comics. The villains of Gotham are gritty, and Batman gets subjected to the insanity. The hero, in order to stop the villain, risks becoming like the one they wish to stop. In many cases, the hero shares numerous traits with the villain. Gal addresses this when she makes the point that “The hero and the villain share certain commonalities, in that their behaviors can be disputable…” (Gal 201). For example, in the case of Batman and Bruce Wayne, both characters are one half of a bigger whole. One character cannot exist without the other, which causes the characters to have similar traits. Parts of Batman’s character bleed into Bruce Wayne, and parts of Wayne’s character merge into Batman. The hero and the villain do not differ as much as society seems to believe. Each has their own transgressions that can be argued as “appalling” traits. Like evil Batman’s blood lust or Wayne’s damage psyche. Furthermore, Gal argues that “despite their difference in status, the hero and the villain are dependent on each other and share a notoriety that is often envied” (Gal 201). If there was no villain, there could be no hero. The hero and the villain are reliant on each other. They challenge each other, and if one is darker, the other rises to that level. In early Batman comics, Batman was characterized as a pillar of justice. He was the ultimate good guy that others aspired to be. However, in Batman: Ego, this is no longer the case. As established earlier, the villain in Batman: Ego is Batman. This once noble character is now the very villain he swore never to become. Furthermore, this comic addresses the lack of respect the public has for the caped crusader. In previous comics, the public loved and respected the masked hero, but with the rise of psychological villains and the
As the villain has gotten darker, the hero has also descended into madness. This is highly prevalent within the Batman comics. The villains of Gotham are gritty, and Batman gets subjected to the insanity. The hero, in order to stop the villain, risks becoming like the one they wish to stop. In many cases, the hero shares numerous traits with the villain. Gal addresses this when she makes the point that “The hero and the villain share certain commonalities, in that their behaviors can be disputable…” (Gal 201). For example, in the case of Batman and Bruce Wayne, both characters are one half of a bigger whole. One character cannot exist without the other, which causes the characters to have similar traits. Parts of Batman’s character bleed into Bruce Wayne, and parts of Wayne’s character merge into Batman. The hero and the villain do not differ as much as society seems to believe. Each has their own transgressions that can be argued as “appalling” traits. Like evil Batman’s blood lust or Wayne’s damage psyche. Furthermore, Gal argues that “despite their difference in status, the hero and the villain are dependent on each other and share a notoriety that is often envied” (Gal 201). If there was no villain, there could be no hero. The hero and the villain are reliant on each other. They challenge each other, and if one is darker, the other rises to that level. In early Batman comics, Batman was characterized as a pillar of justice. He was the ultimate good guy that others aspired to be. However, in Batman: Ego, this is no longer the case. As established earlier, the villain in Batman: Ego is Batman. This once noble character is now the very villain he swore never to become. Furthermore, this comic addresses the lack of respect the public has for the caped crusader. In previous comics, the public loved and respected the masked hero, but with the rise of psychological villains and the