ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on Batman's characterization in relation to specific villains in order to explore the Caped Crusader's role in solidifying a clear moral boundary between right and wrong. Batman's position as a more liminal hero—an antihero straddling the line between good and evil, morality and immorality, legal and illegal—demonstrates the broad public appeal of violent retributive characters who still manage to adhere to a strict code of morality. Despite, Batman darkness and the violent and outlaw ways that often pit him against the police, Batman always remains on the side of good. It may only be a thin line that separates Batman from the evil Batman variants. Owlman is as smart and skilled as Batman, but he uses his abilities only to help himself become richer and more powerful. Rather than fighting the criminal underworld, Owlman rules it with an iron fist.
