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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 resourcefulness
05:17of a Bruce Wayne, he manages to even defeat the rest of the Lantern Corps who arrive to stop him.
05:22With no one else left to oppose him, Bruce eventually dons the aesthetics of an actual
05:27Batman, while also retaining the powers of the ring.
05:305. 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? Yeah,
05:40Batman kept a sentient piece of them as his adopted son. During the No Justice storyline, Starro joins the Justice League in their
05:46battle against the Omega Titans. Determined to redeem themselves after all of their horrible past deeds, Starro sacrifices themselves in order to help the heroes win.
05:56In the aftermath, Batman comes across a surviving piece of their fallen ally, and decides to keep them. This sentient miniature Starro is housed in the Hall of Justice. In uncharacteristically lazy fashion, Bruce simply names them Jarro, after the fact that they used to live in a jar. Jarro becomes strongly attached to Bruce, coming to regard him as their father.
06:16They also become an important ally to the Justice League in their battles against the likes of the Legion of Doom. Despite their background, Jarro is shown to be quite affectionate and protective of others, at one point going as far as manipulating the League to stay away from the Legion, so they don't get hurt.
06:324. 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
06:46their wielders. In that case, it doesn't come as much of a surprise that a yellow ring would set up Batman as a potential suitor. 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 ring censors Bruce and approaches him as its next potential user.
07:05Of course, this is Bruce freaking Wayne that we're talking about. No alien energy battery can bend his willpower. The ring immediately realized who it was up against and decided to retreat.
07:15Batman and Batman alone gets to decide what powers he calls upon and how. Though it has to be said, the prospect of Batman powered by a fully charged lantern ring is an absolutely terrifying one.
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 near endless resources. As the man himself once put it, his superpower is being rich.
07:42However, that does not mean he hasn't put on unreal shows of strength when the situation is called for it.
07:47Case in point, his fight against Darkseid in Batman and Robin number 37. Now admittedly, it was with the help of a special armor, but that can be considered as part of his abilities.
07:57The armor in question, the Hell Bat, is one of Batman's final aces up his sleeve. It is a last resort he only ever turns to when all other options have been exhausted.
08:06Made of a special kind of nanometal, it gives Batman unparalleled strength. But the suit itself is actually powered by Bruce's own metabolism, meaning the more he uses it, the more he drains himself.
08:16In the aforementioned issue, Batman calls upon this double-edged sword to take on the near unbeatable Darkseid. Despite all of his might, the ruler of Acropolis takes a pounding from the Dark Knight, before uncharacteristically allowing Bruce to make a tactical retreat after the suit becomes compromised.
08:312. 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 joining forces with your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
08:45During the 1995 crossover one-shot, Spider-Man and 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 for her new treatment chip. Naturally, this goes south in no time.
09:04After the treatment fails, the two villains briefly tease a partnership. Of course, this is the Red Slayer and the Clown Prince of Crime we're talking about. The prospect of an alliance was short-lived. Before long, the two are trying to kill each other.
09:16The deadly conflict draws in their respective superheroes, who quickly realize they have to put a stop to this. Carnage then fixes death at the hands of Joker and is even able to entrap Batman. Eventually though, the two heroes are able to work together and overcome both the enemies. Because of course.
09:321. The no kill rule wasn't always there. No matter what happens, no matter how dire the circumstance, the Dark Knight does not allow his morals to get corrupted.
09:44There is just one slight issue. This no kill rule was not actually there when Batman first started. In the earliest versions of the character, Batsy was more than happy to mow down his opponents with bullets if the situation called for it.
09:57Batman was fine with shooting criminals, tossing them into giant containers filled with acid and snapping their necks with lethal kicks.
10:03There is one particular panel from Batman number one that gives us the starkest of contrasts imaginable with the modern day Batman.
10:10Here we see him literally hanging a criminal to death from the Batplane while it was flying.
10:15Maybe increased coverage and the later advent of social media forced even Batman to make his methods more palatable.
10:21Or maybe Bruce decided the world needed a philosophical savior as much as a physical, combative one.
10:26Regardless of the reason, 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 know which one of these facts you found the most shocking.
10:40If you do want to come and follow me on social media, I am at strown87 on Twitter and on Instagram. Come and say hello to me on there.
10:46Thank you for watching everybody. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day and until next time, take care.
10:51Take care.
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