The Dao of Batman

"Heroes don't concern themselves with things like libraries and research. Once they've had their origin, they don't try to think anymore, just fly around. Books, inventions, discovery—they leave that to us." (Grossman 126)

When I read this, I realized there's one very popular exception to Doctor Impossible's generalization—Batman. I think this is the first time I've realized the core of his appeal—he combines the most appealing aspects of hero and villain. He's brooding, lonely, and misunderstood—all classic villain traits. Yet he's also rich, movie-star handsome and more interested in helping civilians than hurting or conquering them. Most importantly, he uses sweet gadgets of his own design. That's usually the preserve of villains who, more often than not, are just super-intelligent humans with a bone to pick. Batman is a super-intelligent, super-privileged lost soul with a bone to pick. Genius.

But back to Soon I Will Be Invincible. The story definitely has a brains vs. brawn theme, but it's complicated by the fact that the tempting jocks and nerds analogy isn't perfect. There are sexy evildoers and lame defenders; Blackwolf is smarter than most villains and Doctor Impossible is stronger than most heroes.

Doctor Impossible isn't a tragic or even particularly sympathetic character; he's just a dick. I'm not sure whether it's common for geniuses to be socially abrasive, but if he can enjoy the company of a reporter who isn't—most likely—his intellectual equal, then he has no real excuse for being such a singular social failure. For a genius he seems unable to draw simple and vital conclusions about how to interact with others. His cliché monomania makes him unappealing company, and the resulting (and predictable) rejection makes him even more disgusted with others. I posit that he avoids others so that he can fall into a depressed state that inspires him. He's powered by social rejection. It doesn't seem that he gets much thinking done when happy, but then again, after 126 pages he still has yet to describe a single happy moment he's had. He's like mad-scientist Morrissey but far less cool.

P.S. Has anyone seen The Venture Brothers? Mister Mystic is totally Byron Orpheus. Also, I'm totally a nerd. :'(