Hey look! It's that Batman paper I didn't abandon!

[adelynne]

Okay, having finished reading The Mark of Zorro, I've taken some time to put together a general outline for the paper on how Batman's an extension of other masked vigilantes, and tCdMC. Further input is welcome, especially on Comte, as I haven't re-read that yet.

Introduction
- Overall Argument/Theme - While the Modern Age version of Batman is a darker figure than the majority of his costumed predecessors, he is nevertheless a natural outgrowth of those vigilantes.

Chapter 1: Secret Files and Origins
- Personal suffering and wrongdoing to friends
- Bruce's parents death
- Edmond framed and sent to Château d'If
- Percy's friendship with the St. Cyrs when they're accused by Marguerite
- Diego's native friend beaten, frailes persecuted
- Training (physical and mental)
  - All are incredibly bright individuals
    - Bruce attends Cambridge and the Sorbonne at 14
  - Carry on a great deal of training in seclusion
    - Edmond has the ultimate seclusion in Château d'If
- Mentors, Father-figures, and Sources of Conscience
  - Alfred, Dr. Thompkins, Ducard comics, (not movie) for Bruce
  - Abbe, Mercedes, father for Edmond
  - Both Diego and Percy are solitary in their choices - leaders, not friends; mentors, not mentored.

Chapter 2: The Double Life
- Batman v. Bruce Wayne, The Scarlet Pimpernel v. Sir Percy Blakeney, Bart., Zorro v. Don Diego Vega, and Comte de Monte-Cristo v. Edmond Dantes
  - The latter is the only one who permanently switches one off and the other on.   Bruce mimics that transition in the Murderer/Fugitive storylines, also in the JLA storyline that follows "Tower of Babel"
  - The first three put on as much a mask with real names as they do with the masks they wear as Batman, tSP, and Zorro.
- The power of disguise.
- The symbolism and how that aids their quest.

Chapter 3: Allies and Enemies
- Bat Family
- League of the Scarlet Pimpernel
- Avengers (Zorro)
- Monte-Cristo works alone.
- Zorro and the Scarlet Pimpernel fight against a corrupt establishment whereas Batman and Monte-Cristo fight against criminals (some who have infiltrated the establishment)
- Bruce and Edmond have the power (in terms of wealth) to gain their ends when it suits them, whereas Diego and Percy do not have that power where it counts (Revolutionary France for Percy, dealing with the governor in California for Diego).   Therefore, resort to disguise.
- Batman and Scarlet Pimpernel have tentative support for some of their escapades (through Commissioner Gordon and the Prince of Wales); are masters of disguise.
- Both Batman and Zorro build up their "back-up" in the midst of the story - the Bat Family grows organically and Zorro recruits caballeros to his cause in one fell swoop - whereas the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel is already (by necessity) formed prior to the start of the narrative.
- Batman (through necessity) has the most extensive rogues’ gallery; Percy and Diego enlarge theirs through further adventures, Edmond only has the one set.
- May become 2 chapters.

Chapter 4: From Paper to Myth
- Helping the "downtrodden" is a big theme through all four
  - Haydee, Dick, and Jason get taken in as wards (Cassie sort of?)
  - French nobility, frailes, the Morrells.
- Justice v. injustice and justice v. vigilantism (when is it okay).
- Beneficiaries and final purpose.

Conclusions
- Bruce's drive for justice is much closer to Edmond's than Diego or Percy's - makes him a darker figure.
- All these men had to be brilliant, extraordinary, but not super powered - flaws and humanity in them make them endure as much as their escapades.
- Not only physical power, but also mental capacity separates them from the rest
  - The JLA frequently remarks on Batman's ability to think three steps ahead of the game, "World's Greatest Detective" moniker and Robin joke in the TT.
  - Monte-Cristo plays a subtle game throughout most of the second half of the novel that only nearly stalls due to Mercedes.
  - Both Percy and Diego out-think their enemies as their primary way of getting out of trouble - implement plans to perfections, fight only when absolutely necessary.

Comments

[mrsix.livejournal.com]

(if this double-posts, I'm blaming LiveJournal)

Is The Mark of Zorro a new book? I think I've seen it in the library and was considering taking it out.

Those are some interesting points, I'm rather impressed. I might suggest adding something to From Paper to Myth about the dynasties these figures tend to create. For example, Don de la Vega taking the mantle of Zorro from Don Diego in The Mask of Zorro or how the Batman identity has been passed down at times.

[adelynne.livejournal.com]

The Mark of Zorro is actually the original one (the name having been changed from The Curse of Capistrano to suit the first movie's title). The one you're thinking of is Zorro: A Novel by Isabel Allende which is next on my reading list. :)

Good point. Though Percy's dysnasty is in a completely different way (he does have that title he passes down) and Edmond leaves all his wealth to Maximillian Morrell & Valentine de Villefort.

[chaoticgoodnik.livejournal.com]

If you'd like someone to proofread for you once you're done with the paper, I'm game.

[lareinenoire.livejournal.com]

You'll definitely want to play with the justice v. vengeance angle, especially with LCdMC. It's vengeance, but in his mind, he's redefined it as justice. Interesting also that Edmond has no 'disguise' as it were. He is literally reborn as Monte-Cristo, and it becomes the way he thinks of himself...until Mercédès calls him by name at the end.

Percy and Edmond also, do not have any particular physical power. They're accomplished, but only insofar as gentlemen of their day and age were.

As for the Rogues' Gallery, Edmond's grows to an extent, in that he consorts with various ne'er-do-wells in order to bring down his foes, i.e. Benedetto.

[adelynne.livejournal.com]

To a certain degree, it's vengeance for all of them. Edmond is particularly interesting in this because he is the darkest extreme of the set, whereas I think Diego is, contrary to costume, probably the lightest. I like the range on these characters. They present a whole spectrum of human vigilantes.

Niether do Bruce and Diego. Bruce hones his body to perfection, but in a way he has to mythologically to compete with the superpowered superheroes.

See, this is why I need to reread. :)