Superheros are quite reckless.

[Frank White]

Remember in Blast from the Past when Superman picked up two cars and bashed them together on Mala. Those were somebody's cars, suppose that was like a poor person's only car. Supes should at least offer some restitution, at least Bats ain't the reckless, well he does breack down doors and windows but thats about it.

[The Guard]

See? People are confusing Brendan Frasier with Superman already? Don't tell me he couldn't play the big "S".

:)

[Hyper_Anthony]

*imagines terry flying by, dusting up a cartop. Then, going back and dusting it off*


...

[MILatino]

Originally posted by Frank White
Those were somebody's cars, suppose that was like a poor person's only car. Supes should at least offer some restitution

Not only on the JL but on most other hero shows I've seen, heroes use others' personal property as tools/weapons without any regard to the damage they do. How many times have we seen fights in museums or public places where they use priceless artifacts as "toys"? It's nothing new.

[Barb Gordon]

But it is a bit amusing when you think about it though. Basically, superhero's, in the eyes of a city, are a blessing and an evil in disguise. Sure they may rescue civilians and save the city, but they tossed about a few cars and trucks, bashed some roads, broke windows/buildings/walls, and who knows what else in the process. Hyper Anthony--I would get a kick out of seeing Terry do that! It would be so dang funny. Also, ever notice, for Batman at least, that not only does he obviously drive WAY over the allowed speed limit (what great law imunity), but he seems to like to drive in the middle of the street? At least in cartoons, whenever Bats is driving the Batmobile, the little white dashes on the road, which signify two seperate lanes, or directly running under the middle of the car. You can bet the animators enjoyed doing that little detail of reckless driving.

~Barb

[The Penguin]

I've always wondered when something like that happens who ends up paying for it? The owner? The hero? The criminal? The government?

It's always kinda bothered me. I mean if Supes "used" my car I really couldn't afford to replace it.

[Webryder]

Come on people think about it......

If your car got used in a battle by a hero of Superman's caliber to stop a crime and got wrecked, that vehicle would become an instant collectors item.

I can see it now. People would park their POS's in high crime areas hoping you-know-who would show up, a fight break out with anyone from Metallo to a common street thug and Supes would either fall on the car or strategize it into a weapon then after, try to auction their scrapped car piece by piece on ebay for huge bank probably racking in 10 times more what the car was worth in the first place(plus insurance), it'd be a blessing in disgiuse!! :D :D

I say let the whole Justice League come use my 4 door to beat down on the Injustice Gang in my backyard and make me a millionaire overnight! :D

[oranthal]

this is why batman is the best hero ever. he is not strong enough to lift cars and throw them at the bad guys, so he doesn't damage others people's property.

[M'ral]

Originally posted by The Penguin
I've always wondered when something like that happens who ends up paying for it? The owner? The hero? The criminal? The government?

My guess is, in the superhero world, insurance companies offer homeowners and businesses either coverage of superhero-inflicted damage as part of existing umbrella policies or special superhero insurance policies in high-risk cities like Metropolis-- probably with sky-high premiums. City governments might even require businesses to carry such insurance as a condition of operating in the city, just as they do IRL with general liability, workers' compensation, etc. For those who aren't insured, they could always sue the criminal, but good luck serving Superman a subpoena!

Personally, though, I can't see how using/destroying other people's property in the apprehension of a dangerous criminal is reckless. From what I've seen, many superheroes try to keep the property damage to a minimum when they can, and even when they don't, it really is justified. The superheroes consider the human lives they save by catching the bad guys more valuable than somebody's car or house or other belongings, and I'd be inclined to agree...even if it was my car being smashed over Mala's head.

As for Batman's reckless driving, he only does it when in hot pursuit of a dangerous criminal, same as the cops. In several episodes (Second Chance, for instance), when Batman's in investigate rather than pursuit mode, you see him crawling through city streets at 25 miles-per-hour or less, stopping for redlights and pedestrians, keeping to his side of the road, and generally being a good, safe driver. In the old comics, I think he even had a flashing red light and siren on the Batmobile to warn people up ahead when in the middle of a high-speed chase. And he'll end the chase and let the crooks go if innocents are put in jeopardy (see The Terrible Trio). Batman may work outside the law, but he does try to keep his lawbreaking to a minimum. He has to--not only can it hurt innocent civilians, it can also hurt his credibility in the eyes of the public and the law.

Well, I've babbled for long enough now. :o

[MILatino]

Originally posted by Barb Gordon
But it is a bit amusing when you think about it though. Basically, superhero's, in the eyes of a city, are a blessing and an evil in disguise. Sure they may rescue civilians and save the city, but they tossed about a few cars and trucks, bashed some roads, broke windows/buildings/walls, and who knows what else in the process.

Oh, and don't forget that the cops / military / authorities are usually never around, even if an atomic blast hits, unless the villian needs to show strength first. Then the law arrives and gets its butt kicked just in time for our heroes to bail them out, too. ;)

[murmur]

Originally posted by M'ral
My guess is, in the superhero world, insurance companies offer homeowners and businesses either coverage of superhero-inflicted damage as part of existing umbrella policies or special superhero insurance policies in high-risk cities like Metropolis-- probably with sky-high premiums. City governments might even require businesses to carry such insurance as a condition of operating in the city, just as they do IRL with general liability, workers' compensation, etc. For those who aren't insured, they could always sue the criminal, but good luck serving Superman a subpoena!
Brilliant. You could develop that into a routine.

Personally, though, I can't see how using/destroying other people's property in the apprehension of a dangerous criminal is reckless. From what I've seen, many superheroes try to keep the property damage to a minimum when they can, and even when they don't, it really is justified. The superheroes consider the human lives they save by catching the bad guys more valuable than somebody's car or house or other belongings, and I'd be inclined to agree...even if it was my car being smashed over Mala's head.
You're saying just about everything I was inclined to.

As for Batman's reckless driving, he only does it when in hot pursuit of a dangerous criminal, same as the cops. In several episodes (Second Chance, for instance), when Batman's in investigate rather than pursuit mode, you see him crawling through city streets at 25 miles-per-hour or less, stopping for redlights and pedestrians, keeping to his side of the road, and generally being a good, safe driver. In the old comics, I think he even had a flashing red light and siren on the Batmobile to warn people up ahead when in the middle of a high-speed chase. And he'll end the chase and let the crooks go if innocents are put in jeopardy (see The Terrible Trio). Batman may work outside the law, but he does try to keep his lawbreaking to a minimum. He has to--not only can it hurt innocent civilians, it can also hurt his credibility in the eyes of the public and the law.

Well, I've babbled for long enough now. :o
Hehe. Okay I'll pick it up then. Has anyone ever seen the episode of 60's Batman, where Batgirl has to come rescue Batman and Robin and when she finally arrives, Robin asks her what took so long and she was saying how she hit all the traffic lights and there were a lot of detour signs or something. Robin reacts the way the audience would saying something like "Are you serious?? We could have gotten killed?" And then Batman responds with the likes of "Well ol' chum she does have a point. Traffic safety is very important blah blah..."

Let's face it, priorities are priorites.

[DR. BELCH]

I figure Metropolis, Gotham, and Dakota City must have some of the highest insurance premiums in the DC nation. The last one I added because I was watching Static Shock today--"Bad Stretch"--and Stat blew up maybe tens of thousands of dollars worth of electronics using Talon's bansheelike voice against her. Not to mention the sewer line he tore up in an early season one ep while fighting Hotstreak, and some of the mishaps casued by his malfunctioning powers in "Sunspots".

Flash doesn't cause much damage, does he? I mean, he runs so fast he probably--for lack of a better term--shimmies through solid objects by dispacing his molecules (also explains how he puts on that red one-piece, which doesn't seem to have a zipper on it anyplace!)

And who could forget the insurance agent on Powerpuff Girls who admitted during career day he was a very busy man? He probably could have said "wealthy", too....

[Frank White]

The Flash ain't perfect, I remember in the Brave and the Bold when he was chasing Solovar after he stopped him with the rake the car slammed into the side of a building and these people were screaming trying to get out the way and Flash didn't seem too concerned. Anyway don't even get me started on the Powerpuff Girls.......

[Dark Spider]

I remember that episode of PPG when they move to Citiesville. Citiesville was meant to be real life and it couldn't be any realer. The PPGs weren't able to do anything they were allowed in Townsville. And the whole kicker of the episode was when the Mayor yelled at the PPGs when they destoyed the bridge. I atually loved that whole conversation. I imagine the same thing would happen to any superhero when they destroy city property in real life...

[pseudowudo]

Originally posted by Frank White
Remember in Blast from the Past when Superman picked up two cars and bashed them together on Mala. Those were somebody's cars, suppose that was like a poor person's only car. Supes should at least offer some restitution, at least Bats ain't the reckless, well he does breack down doors and windows but thats about it.



Why am I not surprised at the fact that you single out Superman everytime, and it's Kalibak in the 'TNBSA' episode 'Fathers Day' who was bashed with the two cars Supes used, not Mala(reBlast form the Past. ).
I recall some 'B:TAS' episodes in which Batman was also quite reckless in his actions, 'The Mechanic' Batman totally wrecked the Batmobile on the drawbridge when he and Robin failed to capture the Pengin's thugs. In 'Time out of Joint' after smashing the temporal device placed by the Clock King, Batman lost control of the Batmobile and ended up knocking over a street lamp in the process, you don't see Batman offer some restitution after damaging city property.

[Barb Gordon]

Batman might not offer to pay for any damage he does to the city, which he certainly does his fair share of--breaking store windows, messing up cars, destroying parts of buildings(think about the batarangs), Bruce Wayne probably pays to help the city in the some way. He just gives a donation here and there, and look, problem taken care of.

~Barb

[Allen's Nickname.]

*Spaz looks at his own quote*

Hmmmm......

[Nightwing]

lol!!! Oh come now! No one else honestly thinks it's a matter of priority? Kalibak (and that's right, it was Kalibak. I'd have trouble, and I'd also hate myself, if I forgot THAT hilarious/cool scene :)) is strong enough to do whatever he wants to who ever he wants. I think Clark's top priority is stoping him.

And Batman and Robin(DG) probably could have paid attention to what they may have knocked over, although I think the combined facts of what they had to do kinda beat out any minimum damages on the priority scale. :) If they crash into anything it would cause a nuclear explosion, and the Mayor is going to be killed and their little joyride just cost them like 2 days. :p

Hehehe, I think we just overlook that cuz when you're a superhero fanboy, you deal with having to save the world every day.

[Sapphic Amazon]

As unimportant as as my take might be, I never pay any attention to the property damaged caused as long as the writers and directors don't go completely overboard with it. Logic regarding common sense and the laws of science mean more to me when I spot them inexcusably missing. If you really want to be technical about superheroics, most battles would end with civilian injuries or fatalities, and this is obviously hardly ever shown. Imagine how many people must have died in the Batman Beyond movie with the destruction the Joker caused, or any Superman epsiode where trains are wrecked and buildings are toppled. How many times would people die when a hero, or villain, is tossed through the wall of some building, not to mention the debris that is constantly falling. How about all of those ubiquitous explosions? People have been killed over the years at gatherings when idiots shoot their guns in the air, (what goes up must come down), so how about all of the high-powered ammunition that the heroes either avoid or have deflect off of themselves? As far as high speed chases, the cops are often told to avoid these at all costs, when possible. There have been hundreds of cases in this country where civilians have died because cops were chasing a speeder or someone who ran a redlight. A number of cops have even been suspended or lost their jobs, as well as suffered through civil lawsuits. Personally, I'm glad the cartoons and comics don't spend much time on these subjects, otherwise at least every other battle would have ramifications regarding injuries, deaths and severe property damage. I think too many superhero battles would eventually cripple any country's economy. You can't constantly rebuild entire sections of cities. Too much logic, or assumed realism, simply ruins escapism entertainment. I'm in favor of skipping displaying most of it.

Sapphic Amazon