Batman: Genius or just really smart?

[Maxie Zeus]

This thread is to replace the "Batman is a genius" and "Batman is NOT a genius" threads. No reason to carry on the same conversation in two different places.

Also, I don't see much use in throwing out a term like "genius" that people will just use and interpret in different ways. That just leads to misunderstanding, confusion and anger.

So my question is, just what kind of a "smart" guy is Batman? Is he book smart? Street smart? An intellectual? Or just a good billiards player who can spot the angles?

Is he a technical wiz? Or does he just know how to get the best out of people?

His deductive abilities: Is he just a really good observer? Do his "detective" abilities rely on a good sense of psychology? Or has he read every book ever written, and so knows without looking it up that the paper foil that comes wrapped around a stick of Juicy Fruit is manufactured in only one factory (and knows its street address in Bangkok)?

Has he mastered every language on the planet? Does he know where the Ark of the Covenant is hidden and just refuses to tell anyone?

Does he get all his stuff out of books? Or does he just have really sharp wits?

Is he able to master any subject (no matter how abstruse or technical) immediately and with no effort? If he put his mind to it could he bring peace to the Mideast, end world hunger, provide a unified field theory in astrophysics and build a better mousetrap? Or is he just good and figuring out what people will do before they do it?

[The Green Hornet]

the answer is yes to every question if you're a writer :D


actually some good questions here-- ill think on them for a while

[Stupendous Man]

Maxie .. this is only slightly off topic and not meant as an
accusation in any way.

Does Toonzone have "forum etiquette"?

This thread began as "Batman is not a genius" .
The thread was still active yet someone began a
"Batman is a genius" thread simultaneous to mine.

If someone feels that the point bieng made in a thread
is incorrect ..shouldnt that be argued within that thread
as opposed to creating a different thread altogether?

I would assume you feel this is the case as you merged the two threads.

I dont blame the member who created the parralel thread .. I just wonder if perhaps if there shouldnt be ettiquete rules in place which state that diverse opinions should be discussed within a thread as opposed to creating a thread for every opinion.

The point of all of these threads should really be to
inspire friendly thoughfull debate.

[murmur]

Hornet: I did not intend to flame you. If it seemed that way, I apologize. I am used to forums where people know each other better and make little jabs in good humor. I will hastily correct that here and mind my tongue; I don't want to get off on the wrong foot. At this point the argument does seem silly in light of MZ's post (kudos for that, and the melding of the threads). It really is just semantic. If you're itching to jab me back though I won't take offense. :)

[metaphysician]

I think part of the problem here is what people are using as benchmarks.

Reed Richards and Dr Doom aren't geniuses. They are superhumanly intelligent. They outdo Hawking before they are even fully awake. And thats when they drunk alot the previous night.

*I* am a genius. I checked. 157 IQ. And Batman is *WAY* smarter than me.

[The Green Hornet]

wow we have a lot of people with genius IQs on this board (yes that includes me)


i wonder if being geniuses predisposes us to love Comic Books ? :)

[Maxie Zeus]

Originally posted by Stupendous Man
Does Toonzone have "forum etiquette"?

If someone feels that the point bieng made in a thread
is incorrect ..shouldnt that be argued within that thread
as opposed to creating a different thread altogether?

I would assume you feel this is the case as you merged the two threads.


Well, there are no hard and fast rules. Just whatever seems to work.

By and large, if what you have to say is relevant to a discussion in a thread, then it's a good idea to reply to it in that thread. But there are obvious grey areas. Sometimes the point you want to make is so large, and could change the discussion in a thread so much, that it is better just to start a new thread while acknowledging the old. I think that's what was the case with the rival "Batman is/is not a genius" threads, which is why we (or I) tolerated them at first.

I only closed/merged them because they started paralleling each other. I didn't merge them because that would have created a real confusing mess. I also thought the subject needed a fresh relaunch if it wasn't going to get ugly.

Basically, what I did wasn't meant as a rebuke to anyone. No one did anything "wrong." I was just stepping in to try to make the discussion a little clearer. Just a little light housekeeping. ;)

[Barb Gordon]

"Genius" can have so many varying meanings and be used to describe so many different things that I refrain from touching that word for this post. Is Batman smart? Yes, I beleive he is. Smart, how? Math, Science, English and History wise he is very smart. He's got incredible detective skills, as well as athletic skills, street smarts, intuition, random know how, etc. I mean, he just really is smart. Not just in one area, but in many. I think I read on some site that he was just below "genius" level(whoops, went and used the word), but like I said, what exactly can define a genius? being book smart doesn't cut it as a definition. More or less, Batman just uses his brain to as much of its full potential he can.

Barb^-^