The rules governing super bats
by Terry on Mar.17, 2010, under A. Lee Martinez
You’re absolutely right, Lee. It’s not that I don’t like magic in my stories. I just don’t like ill-defined magic. I rebel against the use of magic as deus ex machina, but at the same time, I dislike book that provide a litany of rules and regulations regarding the uses of magic. I want something that strikes a balance between magical free-for-all and plot-stopping thirty thousand commandments governing the capabilities of and uses for magic in any particular world. I don’t need to know that Superman can’t peel a cellophane S off his chest (because in my world he can’t. Period.) unless it’s critical to the plot. As a reader, I want to be able to assume that if you’re telling me magic can’t raise people from the dead, it’s because it has bearing on the plot somewhere down the line. And if it doesn’t, I’m gonna be frustrated.
What I want is a book that convinces me that, while the author may not see the need to give out every detail & bit of minutiae about the rules governing magic, she or he knows what they are & is committed to playing by them.
There are two things I have to disagree with, though. 1) Batman is not magic. I think Sheldon put it quite admirably. The Green Lantern is magic. Batman is a deep voice, a fortune that could rival Bill Gates’, and a crap ton of training. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Dark Knight, but he’s not magic. 2) VCRs are totally obsolete.
As sort of an aside and since Lee brought up weird things going on with the magic of Superman . . . Does anyone out there watch Smallville? Can someone explain to me what on earth wish-fulfilling kryptonite is?
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March 17th, 2010 on 6:06 pm
Well, I’ve had this debate before, but why don’t we open it up again?
Batman IS magic.
Even if someone had all the money and time in the world, they could not be great at everything. It is simply impossible. In fact, I’d argue it’s even more impossible than Superman, who at least has a fantastic explanation for most of his abilities.
Add to this that Batman doesn’t have all the time in the world. He runs a multinational corporation during the day, beats the snot out of hoodlums and criminals at night, and manages to squeeze in the occasional party or social event to cement his playboy cover. Just when is he supposed to be doing all this training? Hell, I can’t even figure out when he sleeps.
He’s Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, Shang Tsung, Alan Quatermass, and a pinch of Davinci all rolled into one. He’s handsome, smart, physically perfect, ultra capable, and the only reason he hasn’t taken over the earth is because he’s cool like that.
In short, Batman IS magic in a way that even makes Green Lantern jealous.
And VCRs are going to make a comeback. Because technology is cyclical. It has to be. Otherwise, why the heck am I still carrying my pager around?