Wonder Woman is too Violent for schools?

[chrisau214]

23. That's Something of a Myth

In roughly the first year of Batman stories from 1939-1940 there is a single story in which Batman is seen to actually be carrying a gun.

He doesn't use that gun to shoot people. He uses it to shoot a 'death ray' machine. Most of the time when Batman is seen with a gun in hand during that first year or so of stories it is because he has picked up a gun that is laying around or has been dropped by a criminal.

The following is a list of Batman's gun usage from the early days;

Detective Comics #29 - The only time Batman is seen to threaten anyone with a gun. During the course of the story a thug drops a gun that Batman then picks up. He then demands information from the other gathered baddies.

Detective Comics #32 - Batman is seen using a gun in the final panels of the story from 'Detective Comics' #32. He uses this gun holding silver bullets specifically to kill a pair of vampires because, apparently, he was confused and thought they were werewolves. At no other point in the story is Batman seen with a gun.

Detective Comics #33 - This issue features the only time that Batman is seen with a gun as part of his uniform. The holstered gun is seen on the cover and in the story within the comic. Batman uses the gun to shoot and destroy a 'death ray' machine.

Detective Comics #35 - This is a weird one. This issue features the infamous splash page of Batman brandishing a smoking gun. The reason it is weird is because this splash page has nothing to do with the story at all and Batman isn't seen with a gun at any point in the story. So in essence the splash page is basically sort of a poster unrelated to anything.

Detective Comics #36 - In this story Batman picks up a gun that was dropped by a criminal. He fires the gun into the air in order to attract the attention of the police.

Batman #1 - The straw that broke the camel's back. While we don't see Batman with a handgun of any kind in this issue we do see the infamous incident of Batman firing a machine gun from his plane. He fires the machine gun at a truck driven by a couple of thugs who are transporting one of Hugo Strange's monster men. After being hit by the deluge of bullets the truck crashes into a tree.

As far as killing goes that is a bit more accurate but even that is usually overstated. This is a list of Batman's 'kills' from the early days;

- Issue #
- (Was there a death somehow caused by Batman)Yes, Probable, Unknown
- Cause
- Batman's Reaction if any.


- Detective Comics #27
- Yes
- Thug falls into acid tank after being punched by Batman
- Fitting end for his kind

- Detective #28
- Probable
- Thug running toward Batman is thrown off of roof.
- No reaction

- Detective #30
- Probable
- Batman snaps neck of thug
- No reaction

Detective #32
- Yes
- Shoots two vampires with silver bullets
- Never again will you harm any mortal being.

Detective #33
- Probable
- Causes thugs plane to crash
- No reaction

Detective #34
- Probable
- Struggle with thug causes car crash
- No reaction

Detective #35
- Probable
- Thug falls onto another thugs sword
- No reaction

- Yes
- Thug falls from window after being punched
- No reaction

Detective # 37
- Yes
- Thug stumbles into knife after being punched
- Better him than thousands of others

Detective #38 (THIS PROBABLE DEATH WAS CAUSED BY ROBIN)
- Probable
- Thug kicked off of in construction building by Robin
- No reaction

Detective #39
- Unknown
- Batman and thug tumble off of roof with Batman landing on the thug
- No reaction

- Yes
- Batman pushes large statue onto group of at least four thugs.
- No reaction

Batman #1
- Yes
- Batman uses Batplane machine gun to shoot speeding truck killing thugs
- Much as I hate to take human life I'm afraid this time it's necessary.

- Yes
- Batman hangs zombie like monster from rope dangling from Batplane
- He's probably better off this way.

- Yes - Zombie like monster falls to his death after being gassed by Batman - There goes the last of the monsters.