Batman and 127 Styles of Martial Arts

[ashworth]

Looking at the DC Character Batman, on Wikipedia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman

Batman has trained extensively in various different fighting styles, making him one of the best hand-to-hand fighters in the DC Universe. He has fully utilized his photographic memory to master a total of 127 different forms of martial arts

Obviously mastering 127 styles is a little bit over the top and to be honest quite unnecessary! Just a way for comic writers to make there characters super impressive, for those of us that train in martial arts understand that this high un-realistic and maybe even more of a hindrance...

interesting point about utilizing his photographic memory to master all of these arts, but I don't see how that would work? obvious I know that this is all fiction but it's interesting to think about and discuss how this could work... have you heard about anyone with a photographic memory using it to excel in Martial arts?

Just think this could create an interesting discussion about the borders between realism and fantasy...

[Zaine]

On the one hand, as a life long comic reader, it's comics.

On the other hand, if pressured about it, I imagine that DC would say reason that choice in some way similar to this: "There are only so many ways that a body can move. Bruce has spent a large amount of time in training and has, in fact, touched 127 different martial arts. Did he spend years with each? Perhaps not, but he got enough out of it that he was able to come to the correct conclusions about stylistic ends for each of these arts. Bio-mechanics being as they are, and Bruce being the genius that he is, we can see how he has master his body and therefore these martial arts."

DC, if you're reading this, I do have a Masters in Creative Writing and I AM available for hire.

[sensei8]

Well, why not? Like Zaine has said, "it's comics".

Photographic memory or not, Batman or not, being effective in 127 different MA is quite far-fetched and improbable to the Nth degree, however, once again, "it's comics" and anything is probable in that realm.

Just have to love the imagination of comics, and I do.

[ashworth]

Zaine, I’m sure DC are digging through all the martial art forums trying to find their next big creative writer and if they do find you… remember it was my topic that got you spotted

Obviously we know how far-fetched the extent of this statement is, I was just curious to know how much a photographic memory could help with learning multiple martial arts.

[bushido_man96]

The fact that this is what bothers you about Batman is kind of odd.... there are so many others....

[DarthPenguin]

only way i could see it working would be with relation to variants of techniques: in my main style my toes point this way when executing technique X but in new style they do this way. Then since he can already perform the technique, he adjusts it and 'masters' a new style that is a variant of his first.

I am also picturing it like : he is a BJJ BB and gets shown a Sambo, Judo, Luta Livre etc. variation of technique/new technique and since he is already amazingly skilled and remembers it perfectly he can just 'do it'

Batman sometimes seems like a lot of writers sat round a table playing a game of one upmanship to decide the craziest things they could get away with for him.

I used to say that a fight between Batman and Superman would go like this: Batman moves threateningly towards Superman; gets obliterated by eye beams from Space as Superman has instantly left the atmosphere/ a mountain is moved and relocated instantly on top of Batman etc

[ashworth]

only way i could see it working would be with relation to variants of techniques: in my main style my toes point this way when executing technique X but in new style they do this way. Then since he can already perform the technique, he adjusts it and 'masters' a new style that is a variant of his first.

He is better than me then... main style is karate, back foot is generally pointing at a 45 degree angle depending on what I'm doing, but when I started Iaido the back foot wanted to point forward, that's been very hard to correct that, they kept calling it my karate foot!

[DarthPenguin]

only way i could see it working would be with relation to variants of techniques: in my main style my toes point this way when executing technique X but in new style they do this way. Then since he can already perform the technique, he adjusts it and 'masters' a new style that is a variant of his first.

He is better than me then... main style is karate, back foot is generally pointing at a 45 degree angle depending on what I'm doing, but when I started Iaido the back foot wanted to point forward, that's been very hard to correct that, they kept calling it my karate foot!

He is batman, he is better than us all!

He has the two powers of being obscenely rich (i think they said in a relatively recent comic that he is a trillionaire now) and unbeatable plot armour - he beat up Darkseid after all!

[Shojiko]

well he originially trained in ninjitsu, jujitsu and tiger on Batman begins

[DarthPenguin]

well he originially trained in ninjitsu, jujitsu and tiger on Batman begins

Yeah i think there is a massive difference between 'movie batman' who is "relatively" grounded in reality and 'comic batman' who is anything but!