What makes superheroes so great is that they stand for something. They could stand for hope, freedom, peace and justice. It’s what drives them. Makes them who they are. And what people latch onto in their worlds. People know those ideals will live on through the heroes in a world of chaos. By standing for something, it gives these heroes a purpose in the world they exist in. This was seen in Superman recently. He stands for hope. When the world gets bleak, people look up to him for hope. James Gun nailed this. He used Superman’s purpose to establish him in the new DCU. Now DC’s other popular hero is up; Batman. But James Gunn is respecting the character so much, he wants to give Batman a reason as well to exist in the DCU. He does not want Batman to be in the DCU just to be in there. Gunn is searching for the reason. After the events of Superman, some reasons may be around for Gunn to use.
One reason that Gunn could use to naturally place Batman in the DCU is to have Batman represent order at street level. Superman had to stop a handful of larger-than-life threats in the film. An evil clone, a biomechanical villain, a kaiju, and a wormhole (and kind of an interdimensional imp) were all on his to do list. These threats instantly put a lot of lives in danger. They also showed that Superman can be pushed around and defeated. With the world supporting him as much as they did in Superman, seeing the Man of Steel kind of vulnerable could very well place some doubt in the minds of many. That their savior cannot protect them from everything. And with the pocket dimension opening up in an instant and quickly tearing a rift in the Earth, sending it to a black hole, high levels of paranoia could fill the world. It could trinkle down to street level. That’s where Batman could enter. People could believe that there is no consequence since the world could end at any moment. Or that they could do what they want since the all-powerful Superman showed vulnerabilities. That could create lawlessness, especially in Gotham where lawlessness runs rapid. That’s where Batman enters. He could stand for order, for justice. While Superman takes care of global and powerful threats, Batman looks out for the little guys on street level and in the underworlds.
Another way is to rely on what Batman is; paranoid. Even though Batman is a strongly driven man, he is a very paranoid individual. Which has led him to do what he is known for; create contingency plans against everyone whether it’s an enemy or even an ally. As of now, not much is known about the DCU Batman which includes his outlook and potential relationship with the DCU Superman. Regardless, Batman definitely saw the message Superman’s parents sent with him. Batman could have done one of three things after hearing this. One, reach out to Superman to ask him if it’s true. Two, make a contingency plan or a few against Superman. Or three, do both. His paranoia and his incredible use of prep time, more than likely, Batman would not stop at Superman. He would go for everyone. Seeing how easy it was for the Justice Gang to enter and resolve a foreign issue adds more reason for Batman to create plans. The metahuman issue was slightly addressed in Superman. It was stated that they have been around three hundred years but their presence is beginning to stir some problems. EVEN more reason for Batman to create those plans. He could serve as the center piece against the metahumans, for the better or the worse.
Finally, since Superman served as the bright source of hope and inspiration, Batman could be the opposite of that. While Superman showed the Man of Steel does what he does to protect the innocent, Batman could be the opposite side of that coin. Batman does what he does to punish the corrupt. Superman stood as the beacon of hope. Batman can stand as the dark force for good. Superman sees the beauty in everyone but Batman sees the ugliness in all. While good people ran to Superman, the bad people could flee from Batman. Superman makes sure the innocent are taken care of while Batman makes certain that the guilty are always hunted. Superman will serve as the bright source for the rest of the DCU but Batman embodies that harshness that could compliment that. If Gunn does display Batman in this fashion, a brutal aggressor that tracks down all sorts of crime, he will capture the quintessential relationship between Superman and Batman. This is how the two could build their relationship and perhaps serve as the foundation blocks for the DCU. Again, if this is the way James Gunn will treat Batman, his purpose for existing in the DCU is to keep Superman honest to his character but also cast out the lure of temptation to adopt some of Batman’s traits. The same could be said about Batman. Superman could be there to keep Batman honest to his character but also have him feel the temptation to adopt some of Superman’s traits. By having these similar but contrasting styles will greatly benefit the life of the DCU.
The fact that James Gunn is still finding a reason for Batman to exist in the DCU shows that he is highly respectful of the character. In his eyes, Batman is much more than a famous face for DC but a monumental presence that must have a reason to exist. He found it with Superman and no doubt he will find it with Superman’s greatest ally.
