Greetings shippers welcome back and it’s time to take a look at yet another DC pairing
one that while it had some fans fully came into being in the general shipping consciousness
thanks to what many considered to be a horrible reboot/retcon.
We’re going to be taking a look at Batlantern.
The pairing of Batman Bruce Wayne and Green Lantern Hal Jordan.
A specification that must be made for when it comes to Green Lantern’s there are options.
Also Batlantern is a character name of Bruce Wayne who is both Batman and the green lantern
on earth 32.
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Now let’s take a look at this quasi rare pair.
Batman and Green Lantern have been characters in the public consciousness for several decades
with Batman first appearing in 1839 indeed at the time of this recording the bat recently
celebrated his 80th birthday.
While the green lantern in his hal jordan iteration first appeared in 1959 near the
dawn of the silver age but before it would reach it’s zaniest heyday as the silver
age is said to span the years 1956 to 1970.
Though some will quibble as to it’s exact length.
From since nearly the beginning these two have moved in the same circles.
Both were founding members of the Justice league which began in 1960 and would be involved
in large events and team ups.
However, the two were nowhere near the set team up staples.
Instead Superman and Batman were most often paired as partners eventually being dubbed
world’s finest while Hal would find himself often on adventures with Barry Allen The Flash
or later on post his death and even a little before with Oliver Queen The Green Arrow.
So if these two weren’t exactly front and centre how exactly did people start shipping
them?
It must be noted that characters sharing copious amounts of interaction is not necessary for
all shippers, though for some it is.
Instead some are able to operate off of the conceptual similarities they see in the characters
or believing they know how they would interact together and for others small moments are
enough to build a firm foundation on.
Bruce and Hal had an interesting relationship that was meant to be close a left over vestibule
of the silver age where all heroes got along swimmingly regardless of some glaring differences.
However as time went on there began to be more cracks and yet the closeness remained.
So let us quickly examine the players with the caveat that during certain eras certain
core traits will be more or less prominent depending on current comic trends and writers,
and in hal’s case which retcon is being employed.
He’s had more than one.
First up Bruce Wayne a man driven by guilt and thirst for justice, and a need to protect
by utilizing almost any means necessary.
Sticking to dark imagery the dark knight works in the shadows and tends towards being emotionally
closed off, and if left to his own devices for too could tend to paranoia.
Despite this there is a warmth there that can be brought out by certain key individuals
and he is a loyal friend to those he let’s in who can be very deeply hurt.
His first dedication is to his mission and he can be abrasive rumours abound that he
is a vampire or an urban legend and he does little to dispel them.
Next up Hal Jordan a test pilot capable of great willpower.
Hal’s personality is an intriguing blend of traditionally cocky fly boy but also serious
hero with drive focus and a guilt complex which depending upon the circumstances can
go into full blown survivor’s guilt.
While capable of leadership and creativity.
Hal can be rash, and at times gullible as well as distracted by his libido.
By the very nature of his powers he embraces the light, though how he feels about authority
tends to be inconsistent.
Though there is a trend towards rejecting organized authority but grudgingly respecting
strong leadership including Batman’s.
In the early days these two’s relationship was one of respect, though as time went on
their differences grew more pronounced.
Hal\s recklessness would grate on Bruce, and Hal would sometimes find himself on the receiving
end of Bruce’s coldness and strict moral code.
Their relationship took a turn for the worse when Hal’s life began to fall apart, after
the destruction of Coast City and Hal’s deterioration into the villainous parallax
which led to many murders and some reed richards hair streaks.
Bruce’s trust in him was shattered even after he sacrificed himself by dying in the
sun only to have his spirit bound to the Spectre.
Batman didn’t really want much to do with him, even after his villainy was retconned
away and many of the deaths undone, and their fractured relationship was dealt with in Hal’s
rebirth arc which thought very highly of Hal and not so much of Bruce but managed to find
an even keel.
Here their relationship was defined as one of respect but also one that was rough contrast
in approaches light and dark, embracing one’s pain or moving past it, or ignoring it depending
on the viewpoint.
Hal brought out Bruce’s odd sardonic at times a tad sadistic humour and Bruce forced
Hal to always be on his a game and prove himself, however it was not uncommon for the two to
butt heads.
From this more rocky relationship some shippers were on the edges seeing the potential for
these two to be closer, perhaps to be counter balances to the other.
There was also the similarities in their past post Hal’s origin retcon that saw both of
them witnessing the death of parents in Hal’s case his father and of course famously for
Bruce both of his parents.
A bond that would ultimately be addressed later on down the road canonically.
Now with that groundwork laid out it is possible to move on to the big shipping catalyst.
The New 52.
In 2011 DC relaunched most of it’s titles in what they deemed a soft reboot but was
truly a large one as it reset the entire DC universe as well as tweaking origins and removing
most legacy characters both first and next generation.
A lack of cohesion internally made the reboot a confusing affair as different comics were
affected differently some starting again others continuing on and details as to which character
was adhering to what could change leading to certain characters knowing more or less
than they should at any given time.
The idea behind the New 52 was very similar to the one behind MArvel’s Ultimates universe
the idea that comics were getting too confusing for new readers and that they needed a fresh
clean slate as a jumping on point.
Unlike the ultimates universe DC did this in it’s main universe as they had a history
of giant sweeping reboots to clean up their canon.
While the New 52 did have it’s fans and some good books and for some worked as intended
as a springboard into either comics or dc comics.
It was not well received over all, widely mocked and derided it was ultimately undone
by 2016 with a storyline conveniently called convergence that led to Rebirth however not
all of the New 52 changes were gone and one thing the New 52 gifted shippers with was
a completely new take on Hal and Bruce’s relationship.
In the New 52 verse heroes had only been operating for 5 years with the exception of Batman as
his age was reduced yet he had still had all of his sidekicks and they had gone through
most of their key story beats i.e jason’s life and death and resurrection so in an attempt
to make the new continuity work he had been operating for 10.
Bruce and Hal meet in the first issue of the justice league during the arc justice league
origin and quickly develop a very snarky relationship that contrasted sharply with their past one.
Hal now had a lot more of his immaturity back and joked, was more reckless and hot headed.
However while Bruce was annoyed by these traits he was a mellower version having been softened
by being rendered a more caring parental like figure for the most part.
As a result it comes across that he may find some of Hal’s antics endearing.
Hal quickly develops a nickname for Batman in the form of Spooky.
Hal is the first person Bruce chooses to reveal his identity to in a display of great trust.
After being impressed by how Hal handles himself despite him being all over the place and Bruce
even being able to slip his ring off him.
Hal even manages to get Bruce to smile very shortly after meeting him.
From there aside from arguments about how missions should run their relationship involves
lots of jabs at each other and Bruce sniping at Hal for being tool reckless but also consists
of Hal trying to accompany Bruce on as many missions as possible and being excited to
be the person to go fetch him for league meetings.
Bruce also allows Hal to fawn over him and help him during moments of weakness particularly
during the Darkseid War arc with many fans picked out Justice League #50 as a particular
shipping highlight.
This new continuity presented an intriguing jumping on point for shippers.
For more casual fans, new fans or ones unfamiliar with these characters prior histories if one
was a fan of these types of interactions as a shipping foundation it provided a fresh
start and a new ship.
Also for a new era as shipping, the concept of it and ability to create and share works
was not only easier than ever but also at a peak high of enthusiasm in 2012 which was
when the justice league comic relaunched.
2012 also being the year that saw a huge boom in the MCU thanks to Avengers, as well as
Johnlock and Supernatural, and Doctor Who just
to name a few.
In terms of Batlantern however something else occured for older or fans with a wider breath
of comic backstory.
The contrast between prior interactions coloured how they viewed the new ones and made some
inherently more shippable.
A good example of this was Batman sharing his secret identity with Hal as well as smiling
ta him.
While this may be a new continuity for many fans they had a long history of knowing that
Batman only revealed his identity to those with whom he was extremely close and rarely
smiled at anyone.
So these moments coupled with it being a first meeting came across as extra shippable as
the older canon imprint carried over blending with the new take to create a new ship.
One that could draw upon the past while embracing this newer canon that could also disregard
some of the more contentious moments of the twos history.
On the flip side new fans could now go back and find these past interactions and had already
been looking at the two through shippable lens could then colour past readings.
The two have continued to share their newer dynamic post Rebirth though it is a bit more
mature at times.
While it never grew to be a huge DC ship it did become one people were aware of and did
generate a decent amount of art and fics and some truly dedicated shippers who still produce
works to this day at the time of this recording.
So if those were some reasons that some came to ship these two why have some not taken
to it.
Well when it comes to these two characters both are involved in some iconic pairings
already both canonically and in fanon with BatCat or even WonderBat having firm holds
on the dark knight alongside Superbat and Batjokes.
While Hal has his beloved Carol Ferris and HalBarry.
Though there are of course as ever multi-shippers and polyshippers.
The two have also during their antagonistic periods been pitted against each other in
terms of who is a better hero subtly in the writing.
Fostering an idea in the minds of certain fans that one has to prefer one to the other
that they are heroic opposites that Batman is way better than reckless Hal or that finally
the green lantern is a hero who won’t stand for Bruce’s tyranny.
For these fans the idea of shipping them may seem unfeasible.
Though some enjoy the idea of them sharing a grudging friendship.
Others a less of a fan of one character specifically.
Hal has had a long history of being disliked for many reasons chief amongst them traits
that are no longer played up such as being a little dumb, and also clumsy.
However some do not take to his cocky fly boy attitude that if not written just right
falls straight into frat boy territory which is not for everyone.
There are also some who just think he’s flat out boring.
Others are not a fan of Batman either feeling he is overrated or also arrogant and in his
case cruel and potentially abusive, or at the very least very abrasive and emotionally
stunted though the latter trait can be something some fans enjoy working with.
There are of course those who do not enjoy shipping either because it is not for them
or they find the fanbases too chaotic.
While others do no take the time to understand it and feel it is a waste of time or that
all shippers are trying to impose their ships as canon which they feel would ruin the source
material.
While some shippers do wish for their ships to be canon others do not and simply enjoy
the fantasy element or even ship pairings they feel would be terrible canonically.
Some feel these two wouldn’t work.
That they would grate on each other too hard.
That Hal isn’t serious enough for Bruce or capable of co parenting Damien.
That Bruce would just push Hal away and bring him down.
That Hal’s duties as the green lantern would come between them.
And of course for some it simply didn’t grab them not every ship is for everyone and
not always for complex reasons.
Different strokes for different folks there are plenty of ships out there.
When it comes to works one can expect to see many secret relationship, or surprise repressed
feelings fics.
As many feel that the DC world would be shocked by these two getting together.
The art can have some beautiful contrasts with the bright green and dark blues or black
together.
It may not be the largest DC ship or even the largest ship for either of these characters
but if one is interested check it out and see what it has to offer, and with how much
comics change and grow who knows there may be even more shipping fodder incoming.
Are you a Batlantern shipper?
What is your rarest DC ship?
Did you enjoy the New 52 share all your thoughts down below and you know the drill numbered
if possible I love a good essay comment.
Thanks as always for taking some time out of your day to spend it discussing shipping
with me I always appreciate it.
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I will see you all when I can and until then let’s get to that outro buh bye!