February 19, 2009 

Odd Gotham Law

Gotham City is odd

I love that law.

The trial is better.

Forgetting all the zany time-travel, does that legal argument even make sense?


  • Metz77

    Technically, yes, it makes sense. It’s sort of like… if somebody built a song based around the Pachelbel’s Canon chord progression, and Green Day sued them for plagiarism of Basket Case, Green Day would be legally wrong.

  • Maniac Doc

    Yeah, but that’s a civil case, Metz. Someone has to bring a suit for a civil case. If it’s the city or state bringing the charges it’s probably criminal, which means there’s actually a law on the books that it’s illegal to wear a Batman costume if you aren’t Batman. Which begs the question of how do they know he isn’t actually Batman? They don’t know Batman’s true identity…or do they?

  • Megalon

    The whole thing is made much funnier by Bruce’s ultra grim and serious expression in the last panel. Dude, just listen to what you’re saying!

  • sezaar

    The fact that Batman already “existed” in the past has no legal consequences if the Gotham Batman has laid some sort of patent or property rights. I believe the same thing has happened with some songs and melodies that were part of a public domain e.g. no-one knew who first wrote them yet it was possible to claim authorship. (some legal mumbo jumbo)

  • http://www.jlroberson.org JLRoberson

    I dunno, but that’s some awesome composition.

  • sezaar

    yeah it’s impressive how they already mastered modern drawing techniques.

  • http://www.myspace.com/thischarmingoscar Rorschach

    He really shoul add a big TM to his costume, and to all of his toys, which includes Robin, too. (I’m reminded of the time when a ressurected Jason Todd pretended to be Nightwing…morality aise, Dick could have sued him…)
    Maybe he will think of some franchise system someday, what would bring Batman II and Robin II to mind.

  • madwoman

    If Bats had a copyright, he would have to sue. If there is a law against wearing a Batman costume, it could be similar to a law against impersonating a police officer. Seeing Robin running around with a big TM on his head would be funny, though.

  • HellRazor

    The best part is how no one bats an eye that a guy in a Batman costume was running around in ancient babylon!

  • Michael

    Gotham’s judicial system must be having a slow day, if a relatively minor offense can go to trial just like that.

  • Dierna

    Yes..cuz Babylonian Wall Reliefs were THAT descriptive. :P

    The only reason Archaeologists are finding stuff like that anyways is cuz ole Bats is lost in time thanks to Darkseid….

  • http://www.myspace.com/thischarmingoscar Rorschach

    I’m just waiting to find Judas tied to a tree with a bat-rope.

  • HellRazor

    Or Batman nailed to a cross.

    Batman R.I.P. – Batman died for our sins!

  • http://www.myspace.com/thischarmingoscar Rorschach

    Let us imagine how Christianity would have turned out…
    who would be Maria Magdalena? Catwoman?
    John the Baptist? The Graaaaaaaaay Ghost?
    St. Peter? Dick Grayson?

  • David

    Lovely art. Is it Dick Sprang?

  • Your Obedient Serpent

    Rorschach: Robin already has the R-In-A-Circle Registered Trademark Logo! What more do you want?

    Someone needs to send this to Cory Doctorow at boingboing, so he can rant about copyright extensions and the public domain.

  • http://www.jlroberson.org JLRoberson

    @David: Actually, I’m guessing this might actually be Moldoff. And I don’t usually like Moldoff.

  • onion3000

    “Lovely art. Is it Dick Sprang?”

    “Actually, I’m guessing this might actually be Moldoff. And I don’t usually like Moldoff.”

    If it’s inked by Charles Paris. who can tell?
    “He took it upon himself to promote a consistency in style between the two camps which was not reflected in the underlying pencils.”
    http://www.supermanartists.comics.org/batman/Sprang.htm

  • onion3000

    Batman Vol 1 #102
    September, 1956
    Cover Artists: Sheldon Moldoff, Charles Paris

    “The Batman from Babylon”
    Writer: Bill Finger
    Penciler: Dick Sprang
    Inker: Charles Paris

    You gotta love the internets!

  • http://www.myspace.com/thischarmingoscar Rorschach

    @Serpent: A bar code.