Batman’s son, we find is hard to get along with. He is also a killer.
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Robin tells Damien that “We don’t kill.â€Â I applaud this practice and I think that it should be encouraged, there is too much haphazard killing in entertainment today, which cheapens life in reality. But, why is this important? Ok, I know the value of life, but it seems to me that it is never explained. Not killing the bad guys is the practice of Superman and Wonder Woman as well. Why was it so drastic that Wonder Woman killed Max Lord? Is there an over arching value system at play? I think that it would be good for all of the DCU to explain this value system. It would be a challenge, of course, but I believe it would be worth it. Just saying “we don’t kill†does have the same effect in a world where superheroes kill everyday…and enjoy it.Â
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If the DCU is going to set themselves apart, they need to define there terms—state why it is important that they do not kill. I don’t mean, however, a statement from the publisher stating their policy of being nonviolent or whatever, I’m talking about the characters dealing with these issues. If the publisher truly wants to be responsible for any “moral education†of the reader (which, of coarse, opens another can of worms) then the story makes sense.
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I think that it would give the DCU an advantage to struggle with their core value in one way or another.