What happens to all the Batarangs? (Batman)

[FaxModem1]

I'm not sure if this has been covered, but Batman apparently has a budget for batarangs. And uses them in a lot of encounters. How are they made? Does Bruce Wayne have a sweatshop somewhere assembling thousands of the things? Or does he and Alfred and whatever Robin is available spend entire days making them?

And, after they're used in a fight, what happens to them? There would have to be dozens, if not hundreds, or thousands of the things littered all over Gotham. Couldn't someone check to see the fingerprints on them? Or the metallurgy on them to see where the raw material comes from, to narrow down the manufacturer?

Just what all is involved for Batman's most popular weapon?

Similar questions would need to be asked for Green Arrow's arrows, of course.

[Lord Revan]

Well it depends on what the batarangs are like, something like the Nolanverse batarangs is something Batman would probably make himself, possibly also collecting used ones when he can to be reused. At their most basic form batarangs are just a piece of solid material shaped like a bat, as long they're not too damaged or otherwise lost they're 100% re-useble. Also the materials the batarangs don't really need to be made from super rare alloy.

Same with Green Arrow's arrows, it's not a super complex or exotic device that can easily be tracked.

[Crazedwraith]

The thing is most versions of Batman have close ties with the local police force as well. So any he doesn't recover personally. Might get taken as evidence and crime scenes and then "lost" and returned to him. Like wise the issues of being tracked through them, well he wears gloves to take care of fingerprints and mostly the people with access to them aren't concerned with identifying him at all.

[Elheru Aran]

Batman usually wears gloves, so fingerprints aren't an issue.

As we see in Batman Begins, he has them made by the container-load, at least in some versions, as "toys" in China. I'm certain that to cover for them, one of his subsidary corporations is probably a toy business and sells actual Batarang or similar throwing-stick toys.

In other versions of Batman, he does make them himself, and I'm sure he prototypes them himself as well. As to who makes them-- probably just has them laser-cut en masse, take a minute to refine the form on a grinder, either Alfred or Robin or Bruce or a robot doing that.

I suspect he just picks up after himself whenever possible. A few of them are electronic and return automatically; others are on a rope of some kind. I'm sure he's able to put some kind of Bat-Tracer on them, so he can track down lost ones. He's in something of an odd place in the comics where people know he exists, he's a bit of an urban legend, the cops know he's around because he's always leaving random small-time criminals tied up for them, and finding out who he is exactly isn't that high of a priority for most. So if someone finds a Batarang laying in an alley, it's more like an 'ooh Batman is real' moment than 'what the crap is this, where did it come from, let's find out'.

As for Green Arrow-- any exotic arrows like the boxing-glove arrow, he'll retrieve. Exploding arrows take care of themselves. The rest can be handled by bulk orders at Cabela's, which is probably exactly what the props team for the show do

[Batman]

Some issue or other actually came out and said the things have GPS trackers so I can retrieve them later and most of them are just weirdly shaped shuriken anyway. And as superhero merchandise is by now an in-universe thing them being manufactured along with actual toy batarangs is entirely possible.

[Elheru Aran]

Some issue or other actually came out and said the things have GPS trackers so I can retrieve them later and most of them are just weirdly shaped shuriken anyway. And as superhero merchandise is by now an in-universe thing them being manufactured along with actual toy batarangs is entirely possible.

"Here's the NERF (TM) foam Batarang (TM) for your boys age six to sixteen, and the CARBON FIBER Batarang (TM) for your boys sixteen and older. When you're cosplaying Gotham's Dark Knight in your battles of Heroes vs. Bad-Guys, accept no substitutes!"

"...oh, the metal ones? Those are for our martial-arts catalog. If mall-ninjas want to play with them, we'll accommodate them, but it should be noted we take no responsibility for people doing stupid things with them like throwing them at criminals. That would be absurd. We strongly recommend all safety precautions be used with these recreational devices, including gloves, safety goggles, and reflective vest."

[Raw Shark]

I did once teach archery to the next gen bow psychos. The fewer questions are asked here, probs the better. Unless you like picturing a shark shooting some bastard with a bow, in which case follow the joys.

Let's be honest - I never lied. They knew what ring they'd stepped into.

[Isolder74]

Well at least one Gotham City cop is known for collecting the things to try and work out who Batman is, Harvey Bullock. Where he keep all the one's he's collected….who knows.

[Batman]

Given the GCPD is pretty much in league with me chances are they are stolen/returned to me/destroyed as fast as he collects them

[Lord Revan]

I would suspect there's enough, copycats or people trying to frame Batman that finding out he is thru batarangs is of limited use at best.

[Imperial Overlord]

eBay.

[Zixinus]

eBay.

Pretty much. I'm sure that the citizenry like to collect them and use them however. Same with the police, who probably sell them on the sly.

That said, I'm picturing an evidence lockup with a big box of used batarangs, all in plastic bags with dates and stuff, dedicated to just it. "Oh, Batman lost a few again? Throw them in with the rest."

There is probably an actual section of "batman-related evidence" that keeps getting ruined.

[The Romulan Republic]

eBay.

Pretty much. I'm sure that the citizenry like to collect them and use them however. Same with the police, who probably sell them on the sly.

That said, I'm picturing an evidence lockup with a big box of used batarangs, all in plastic bags with dates and stuff, dedicated to just it. "Oh, Batman lost a few again? Throw them in with the rest."

There is probably an actual section of "batman-related evidence" that keeps getting ruined.

Frankly, it arguably doesn't even make sense for Batman to be a vigilante or have a secret identity in terms of the larger DC verse. He's one of the lead members of the Justice League and he's saved the world a bunch of times. Superman is his best bud. Who's going to lock him up? Hell, if you tried to prosecute him he'd probably just get a pardon for SAVING THE FUCKING WORLD. He doesn't even have that many loved ones to protect who aren't superheroes in their own right.

I guess its just a PR thing at this point? That part of his image to intimidate criminals is this faceless creature of the night?

[Batman]

The Batman subset never made sense as part of the larger DC universe. Nevermind the pathological do-gooders like Clark or the Marvels (or whatever they're called these days), Wally has been flat out bankrupt at times. You think he'd say no to a million or three every month for the 30 seconds or so it'd take him to clear out all street crime in Gotham?

As for uncostumed loved ones the only one coming to mind is Lesley Thompson (yes, nominally neither Alfred nor Talia wear costumes but Alfred is basically an uncredited sidekick and Talia can go toe to toe with Lady Fucking Shiva).

[The Romulan Republic]

The Batman subset never made sense as part of the larger DC universe. Nevermind the pathological do-gooders like Clark or the Marvels (or whatever they're called these days), Wally has been flat out bankrupt at times. You think he'd say no to a million or three every month for the 30 seconds or so it'd take him to clear out all street crime in Gotham?

As for uncostumed loved ones the only one coming to mind is Lesley Thompson (yes, nominally neither Alfred nor Talia wear costumes but Alfred is basically an uncredited sidekick and Talia can go toe to toe with Lady Fucking Shiva).

Part of the status quo fixation for superheroes. It really makes me want to write story where we take the premise of DC and then try to actually explore what the consequences of that would be.

[Tribble]

The Batman subset never made sense as part of the larger DC universe. Nevermind the pathological do-gooders like Clark or the Marvels (or whatever they're called these days), Wally has been flat out bankrupt at times. You think he'd say no to a million or three every month for the 30 seconds or so it'd take him to clear out all street crime in Gotham?

As for uncostumed loved ones the only one coming to mind is Lesley Thompson (yes, nominally neither Alfred nor Talia wear costumes but Alfred is basically an uncredited sidekick and Talia can go toe to toe with Lady Fucking Shiva).

Part of the status quo fixation for superheroes. It really makes me want to write story where we take the premise of DC and then try to actually explore what the consequences of that would be.

In universe IIRC a big part of it is Batman wanting criminals to have something to fear - your typical Gotham criminal doesnt care all that much about the police or do-gooders like Superman.

Plus heroes tend to stay out of each others turf on principle, unless asked. No doubt a lot of them hesitate before going into Gotham uninvited for fear of earning Batmans displeasure.

And we are talking about a billionaire dressing up as a bat to beat criminals into a pulp with his bare hands - most other DC heroes dont think jos plans make sense and that he's crazy... just on their side.

[The Romulan Republic]

The Batman subset never made sense as part of the larger DC universe. Nevermind the pathological do-gooders like Clark or the Marvels (or whatever they're called these days), Wally has been flat out bankrupt at times. You think he'd say no to a million or three every month for the 30 seconds or so it'd take him to clear out all street crime in Gotham?

As for uncostumed loved ones the only one coming to mind is Lesley Thompson (yes, nominally neither Alfred nor Talia wear costumes but Alfred is basically an uncredited sidekick and Talia can go toe to toe with Lady Fucking Shiva).

Actually, I can think of one vulnerability for Bruce legally- civil suites. He could probably get a pardon, or just hire the best defence lawyers, but what happens when he gets hit by thousands of lawsuits for damage caused by Batman? Even if he wins them all, that's going to eat up a lot of time and money.

[Lord Revan]

The Batman subset never made sense as part of the larger DC universe. Nevermind the pathological do-gooders like Clark or the Marvels (or whatever they're called these days), Wally has been flat out bankrupt at times. You think he'd say no to a million or three every month for the 30 seconds or so it'd take him to clear out all street crime in Gotham?

As for uncostumed loved ones the only one coming to mind is Lesley Thompson (yes, nominally neither Alfred nor Talia wear costumes but Alfred is basically an uncredited sidekick and Talia can go toe to toe with Lady Fucking Shiva).

Actually, I can think of one vulnerability for Bruce legally- civil suites. He could probably get a pardon, or just hire the best defence lawyers, but what happens when he gets hit by thousands of lawsuits for damage caused by Batman? Even if he wins them all, that's going to eat up a lot of time and money.

there's also the fact that a vigilante is technically speaking a criminal, along the GCPD doesn't "know" who Batman is they ignore his crimefighting as "criminals fighting among themselves". If Batman was a legally deputized agent of the police (either local or feberal) he'd be suspect to all red tape that comes with that and not even GCPD wants the Joker to be let go due technicality because Batman was a bit too rough at arresting him.

In essense Batman having a secret identity allows both him and the GCPD more freedom to duel with Batman's rogues gallery.

[The Romulan Republic]

The Batman subset never made sense as part of the larger DC universe. Nevermind the pathological do-gooders like Clark or the Marvels (or whatever they're called these days), Wally has been flat out bankrupt at times. You think he'd say no to a million or three every month for the 30 seconds or so it'd take him to clear out all street crime in Gotham?

As for uncostumed loved ones the only one coming to mind is Lesley Thompson (yes, nominally neither Alfred nor Talia wear costumes but Alfred is basically an uncredited sidekick and Talia can go toe to toe with Lady Fucking Shiva).

Actually, I can think of one vulnerability for Bruce legally- civil suites. He could probably get a pardon, or just hire the best defence lawyers, but what happens when he gets hit by thousands of lawsuits for damage caused by Batman? Even if he wins them all, that's going to eat up a lot of time and money.

there's also the fact that a vigilante is technically speaking a criminal, along the GCPD doesn't "know" who Batman is they ignore his crimefighting as "criminals fighting among themselves". If Batman was a legally deputized agent of the police (either local or feberal) he'd be suspect to all red tape that comes with that and not even GCPD wants the Joker to be let go due technicality because Batman was a bit too rough at arresting him.

In essense Batman having a secret identity allows both him and the GCPD more freedom to duel with Batman's rogues gallery.

Hmm, that's a good point.

On the civil suite issue, I'm now wondering if there are any stories about superheroes getting sued over collateral damage in a fight. What if, instead of trying to kill Superman in Batman v Superman, the film had been a legal drama where Bruce sued Superman for damages to Wayne Enterprise property and employees?

[Batman]

Depressingly enough that would probably have been the more entertaining movie

[The Romulan Republic]

Batman v Superman is frustrating because you can see glimpses of a good movie through the murk- its just all muddled up with poor pacing, needless plot-contrivances, and Snyder-isms.

[Solauren]

For Batman remaining masked, it's all about perception.

Remember from Batman Begins?

A man can be silenced, ignored, or bought off. But a symbol, that's uncorruptable.

[Batman]

Only the Batman is a man, and me and Gordon decided to let him be corrupted at the end of TDK because it was either that or expose Harvey Dent was, and letting Batman take the blame was the lesser evil.

[Solauren]

Only the Batman is a man, and me and Gordon decided to let him be corrupted at the end of TDK because it was either that or expose Harvey Dent was, and letting Batman take the blame was the lesser evil.

I was speaking in terms of the larger DC Multiverse with Super-powered beings.

Not the isolated 'no powers' Dolanverse.

[Tribble]

Only the Batman is a man, and me and Gordon decided to let him be corrupted at the end of TDK because it was either that or expose Harvey Dent was, and letting Batman take the blame was the lesser evil.

... Which they could have just as easily pinned on the Joker. The Joker and his gang were known cop/mob killers and he was known to be going after Dent in particular. If Gordon said that some of the Joker's gang had managed to kill the cops and Dent while everyone was busy with the ferries, I'm sure everyone would have believed him. And all he'd have to say was that he had learned about Dent's whereabouts but he and Batman were too late to save him. Which is technically true, from a certain point of view.

I mean, given everything that happened the idea that Batman just started randomly started randomly killing people on a whim seems less plausible than "the Joker did it" IMO.

But I digress