Did you know the original Batman occasionally favoured guns over batarangs?
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00:00From wielding famous powers to adopting unlikely individuals as his stepchildren, Batsy has
00:04done plenty of eyebrow raising things that barely get a mention. Some of these may come
00:08across as little more than mundane life facts, some of these may make you question everything
00:13you knew about Batman.
00:15Taking all of that into account, I'm Adam from WhatCulture and here are 10 obscure Batman
00:19facts that you have probably never heard of.
00:2210. Bob Kane conceived the character, but it was Bill Finger who created the version
00:27we know today. Bob Kane is widely remembered, and rightfully so, as the man behind one of
00:32the greatest comic book characters of all time. Following the crazy success of Superman, DC
00:37were eager to cash in on momentum and put more superheroes out there, that is when they turned
00:41to Kane, and the rest is history.
00:44But there is more to the story, Bob Kane's original idea for the character incorporated
00:48influences from Douglas Fairbanks' Zorro, a Leonardo da Vinci conceptual machine, the movie
00:53Bat Whispers, and even Dracula. However, that original concept involved red clothing, a domino
00:59mask, and a cape that was less a cape and more a pair of actual bat wings. This is where
01:04Bill Finger entered the picture.
01:06Kane originally met Finger at an event and invited him to join his team. It was Finger who
01:10later completely revamped the aesthetics of the character and gave it the iconic look we
01:15know now. This included changing the color scheme to black, inserting a cowl with bat ears,
01:20and swapping the wings for a more practical cape.
01:249. He was packaged as a merged character with Wolverine
01:27The Amalgam comics saw DC and Marvel come together to create hybrid versions of some of their most
01:32popular characters. Set between two of their major crossover events, these one-shot comics
01:36served up as a series of dream combinations that few would ever have imagined seeing, one
01:41of which was Batman merging with none other than Wolverine. The result was every bit as over
01:46the top as one would expect. Logan Wayne was orphaned at a young age and had to be sent
01:50to live with his uncle in Canada. The latter is met with the same fate, and the now-kinless
01:55Logan finds himself in the Canadian Air Force. From there, he ends up in a super soldier program,
02:00gets implanted with adamantium, and eventually gets free of his masters to become his own
02:04superhero. To the rest of the world, he is a wealthy artist, but in the shadows, he is
02:09his dark claw, a superhuman blessed with enhanced healing, an adamantium skeleton, mastery of
02:14every kind of combat technique out there, and of course, money, lots of money.
02:208. His favorite food is Mullagatani Soup
02:23From crazy scenarios no one thought they would ever get to see, to the most basic of personal
02:28facts, everyone has that one comfort food they keep turning to. Even Bruce, after coming
02:33home all tired from a long night of crime fighting, has that one culinary demand he will make to
02:38Alfred as soon as he's taken off the cape. The item in question is Mullagatani Soup.
02:43Originating from South India, Mullagatani is a dish featuring a spicy curry base, together
02:48with carrots, coconut milk, and either chicken, mutton, or lentils as the protein core.
02:53A somewhat bastardized version was imported into Europe back in the 18th century. Of course,
02:58everything has to be made extra special for one of the world's greatest protectors.
03:02In Batman number 701, we find out that Alfred actually has a special, customized recipe
03:07for the soup. This includes a chicken mane with bacon, garlic, tomatoes, and a unique
03:12curry powder. Well, if you have the responsibility of staving off the likes of Joker, you need
03:17the right amount of nutrition and taste. And judging by the look on Batman's face in the
03:21aforementioned issue, when Alfred announces that his favorite dish is ready, this soup
03:26might just be essential for keeping Gotham safe.
03:297. In the original story, he was raised by his uncle
03:34Batman's origin story is arguably the most famous in all of comic book history. The unforgettably
03:39grisly sight of a helpless Bruce, collapsed on the cold floor as his parents laid dead in
03:43front of him, is known to one and all. What is equally well known is that after the tragedy,
03:48he was raised by his butler and proxy dad, Alfred Pennyworth. In one of the earliest versions
03:53of the story, however, it was not Alfred but rather Bruce's uncle Philip Wayne who took
03:58in the young orphan and helped raise him. Originally, Philip was part of the Earth 1 continuity,
04:03though subsequent revamps saw his character move to Earth 2. He was then erased completely
04:07in the aftermath of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Ultimately, he does get reintroduced, but as
04:13Philip Kane, Bruce's maternal uncle. Though he gets very little mention in mainstream discussions,
04:18it is worth wondering how different the entire Batman franchise might have looked without
04:23Alfred as one of the key pieces. After all, though Wayne's most loyal servant is so much
04:27more than a mere caretaker, he is the one who helps shape the kind of hero Bruce eventually
04:32goes on to become.
04:346. He Has Used A Green Lantern Ring
04:37The dark multiverse is a mirror to the normal multiverse. Whatever exists in the regular multiverse
04:42is likely to have a twisted and corrupted version in the dark one. After all, the latter is where
04:47the realities are on an irreversible path to complete annihilation. In Earth 32 of this multiverse
04:52lived a Bruce Wayne who would go on to master the power of a Green Lantern Ring. The ring
04:57chooses Bruce following the murder of his parents, but instead of using it as a tool for justice,
05:02the vengeful Bruce wills into a weapon for executing criminals. His killing spree eventually sucks
05:07in the likes of Jim Gordon, who stood opposed to his brutal ways. After he is able to boost the
05:12ring with a battery of his own construction, because he does also possess the intellect and
05:16resourcefulness of Bruce Wayne, he manages to even defeat the rest of the Lantern Corps who
05:21arrive to stop him. With no one else left to oppose him, Bruce eventually dons the aesthetics
05:26of an actual Batman, while also retaining the powers of the ring.
05:315. He Adopted A Piece Of Starro As His Son
05:34You know, the giant alien starfish that controls people via telepathy and conquers entire worlds?
05:40Yeah, Batman kept a sentient piece of them as his adopted son. During the No Justice storyline,
05:45Starro joins the Justice League in their battle against the Omega Titans. Determined to redeem themselves
05:50after all of their horrible past deeds, Starro sacrifices themselves in order to help the
05:55heroes win. In the aftermath, Batman comes across a surviving piece of their fallen ally,
06:00and decides to keep them. This sentient miniature Starro is housed in the Hall of Justice. In uncharacteristically
06:06lazy fashion, Bruce simply names them Jaro, after the fact that they used to live in a jar. Jaro becomes
06:12strongly attached to Bruce, coming to regard him as their father. They also become an important ally to the Justice League in their battles against the likes of the
06:18Legion of Doom. Despite their background, Jaro is shown to be quite affectionate and protective
06:23of others, at one point going as far as manipulating the League to stay away from the Legion, so they don't get hurt.
06:314. He Was Chosen To Be A Yellow Lantern
06:35The Yellow Lanterns are one of the major antagonist groups of the DC Universe. Founded and led by the rogue Green Lantern Sinestro, their yellow power rings use fear instead of justice as a measure for choosing their wielders. In that case, it is a
06:48dark knight. It doesn't come as much of a surprise that a yellow ring would set up Batman as a potential
06:52suitor. After all, who can strike more fear into the hearts of criminals than the dark knight?
06:57This is precisely what happened during the Green Lantern Sinestro Corps War storyline. A yellow
07:02ring censors Bruce and approaches him as its next potential user. Of course, this is Bruce freaking Wayne that
07:08we're talking about. No alien energy battery can bend his willpower. The ring immediately realized who it was up against
07:14and decided to retreat. Batman and Batman alone gets to decide what powers he calls upon and how. Though
07:20it has to be said, the prospect of Batman powered by a fully charged lantern ring is an absolutely terrifying
07:26one.
07:273. He Held His Own Against Darkseid In A Physical Brawl
07:31Batman's most important weapons are his superior intellect, battle acumen, willpower, and of course,
07:37near endless resources. As the man himself once put it, his superpower is being rich. However, that does not mean he has a
07:42not put on unreal shows of strength when the situation is called for it. Case in point, his fight against
07:48Darkseid in Batman and Robin number 37. Now admittedly, it was with the help of a special armor, but that can
07:54be considered as part of his abilities. The armor in question, the Hellbat, is one of Batman's final aces up his sleeve.
08:01It is a last resort he only ever turns to when all other options have been exhausted. Made of a special kind of
08:06nano metal, it gives Batman unparalleled strength. But the suit itself is actually powered by Bruce's
08:12own metabolism, meaning the more he uses it, the more he drains himself. In the aforementioned issue,
08:18Batman calls upon this double-edged sword to take on the near unbeatable Darkseid. Despite all of his
08:23might, the ruler of Acropolis takes a pounding from the Dark Knight, before uncharacteristically allowing
08:28Bruce to make a tactical retreat after the suit becomes compromised.
08:322. He has teamed up with Spider-Man
08:36DC and Marvel's crossovers have given us some absolute dream teams, one of which was the Caped Crusader
08:42joining forces with your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. During the 1995 crossover one-shot, Spider-Man
08:48and Batman Disordered Minds, Bruce and Peter are forced to come together to thwart their two greatest adversaries.
08:54The story sees Carnage and the Joker encountering one another, after a psychiatrist tries to use them as subjects
09:00for her new treatment chip. Naturally, this goes south in no time. After the treatment fails, the two
09:06villains briefly tease a partnership. Of course, this is the Red Slayer and the Clown Prince of Crime we're
09:10talking about. The prospect of an alliance was short-lived. Before long, the two are trying to kill
09:16each other. The deadly conflict draws in their respective superheroes, who quickly realize they have to put a
09:20stop to this. Carnage then fixes death at the hands of Joker and is even able to entrap Batman. Eventually,
09:27though, the two heroes are able to work together and overcome both the enemies, because of course.
09:331. The No-Kill Rule Wasn't Always There
09:37No matter what happens, no matter how dire the circumstance, the Dark Knight does not allow his morals to get corrupted.
09:43There is just one slight issue. This no-kill rule was not actually there when Batman first started. In the
09:50earliest versions of the character, Batsy was more than happy to mow down his opponents with bullets if
09:55the situation called for it. Batman was fine with shooting criminals, tossing them into giant containers
10:00filled with acid, and snapping their necks with lethal kicks. There is one particular panel from Batman
10:05Number One that gives us the starkest of contrasts imaginable with the modern day Batman. Here we see
10:11him literally hanging a criminal to death from the Batplane while it was flying. Maybe increased coverage
10:16and the later advent of social media forced even Batman to make his methods more palatable. Or maybe
10:22Bruce decided the world needed a philosophical saviour as much as a physical combative one. Regardless of the
10:27reason, it is near impossible to imagine this kind of Batman existing today and how it would change his entire mythos.
10:33And as always, please do let us know what you think of our list in the comment section, and also let us
10:38know which one of these facts you found the most shocking. If you do want to come and follow me on
10:42social media, I am at strong87 on Twitter and on Instagram. Come and say hello to me on there.
10:47Thank you for watching everybody, I hope you enjoy the rest of your day, and until next time, take care.