Batman #118

Every now and then, a few panels in a comic book gives you a reaction that you are not expecting.

(And no, I am not talking about the “to shock/disgust” the reader.)

In this issue, their is a Billionaire’s masquerade party, where everyone is is dressed as a villain.

After beating up the real bad guys, Batman turns when someone addresses him.

“Excuse me, batman?”

A little girl (dressed as Punchline) says, looking up to Batman, eyes wide:

“Can I get you autograph?”

As she holds a pen and a sheet of paper/book towards him.

Batman scowls down, as Batman always does.

Was it because he was addressed?  Was it because of the Punchline costume?  Was it because of the request?  All of them?

Batman activates one of his smoke tricks to get away, but not before….

In another panel, the little girls face has a huge smile as she looks at her paper/book with a huge bat-symbol drawn on it.

Those few panels are so Batman/Bruce Wayne.

After all the sh!t that is happening in comics/superhero stores stories today, I could not help but get a smile and laugh at those few panels.

It reminds me of a time when comic books were fun and witty and showed humanity and the innocence of youth.

This is what so many are missing today.

Doing something so small, while next to nothing to the heroes, is a world of difference to that one young girl, and doing it in the most Batman fashion as possible.  Without fanfare or fuss or reward.