The Other Universe of Bruce Wayne

In the universe we live in, Bruce Wayne is a well-known intelligent, wealthy, and handsome philanthropist. He is viewed as a heroic figure and symbolizes “justice in human form”. Reading about someone who is so popular and widely known for his greatness makes the lonely, drunk man described in Bucky Sinister's “The Other Universe of Bruce Wayne” appear even more pathetic than he really is. We know of all that Bruce has achieved and all that he has the potential to be, so watching him drown himself in whiskey and destroy his own health with cigarettes in order to “solve” his girl problem is a pity.

This poem is an easy read compared to a lot of other poems out there. With the presence of Bruce Wayne in this poem, I felt as if I were on familiar territory. The poem first introduces Bruce as a poor man who lives in a trailer. It then says , “Without money, there’s no Batman; no Batmobile, no Batcave, no utility belts, much less a cool butler and a trusted sidekick”. Despite an introduction to a legendary figure who is placed in an unfamiliar situation, one that goes against our preconceptions of Batman, words like “Batmobile” and “utility belts” were familiar and brought back old childhood memories. It was definitely enjoyable to read about a figure I had grown up watching on TV.

Due to Bruce Wayne's presence, the poem took on a more literary stance. If the poem were to talk about some average guy getting dumped by his girlfriend, getting drunk over it and then getting comforted by a friend, there would not be much to say about it. Similarly, there would be no special meaning behind the poem if it were to glamorize Bruce Wayne as the superhero he is already portrayed as in the media. Instead, by adding a popular culture figure and placing him in an unlikely situation, the poem challenges the readers to ask questions and analyze the situation that Bruce Wayne was put into.

Why is Bruce portrayed as a messed up drunk as opposed to the hero we all know and love? Maybe to show us that in an alternate universe, we are all capable of being as successful as Bruce is. In the poem's universe, Sinister has his “shit together” whereas Bruce is “poor” and “ain't that lucky in love”. Or maybe this poem is trying to tell us that we should be satisfied with the lives we are given and not take it for granted because in an alternate universe, we may not be as well off. We could bet that Bruce never thought he would be living in a trailer instead of a mansion and be dumped by a girl instead of dumping a girl. On the other hand, the poem could also be telling us that in the real world, Bruce Wayne is just like the rest of us mere mortals. At the end of the poem, Sinister is reassuring Bruce that he is looked up to and loved by everyone in “another universe”, allowing Bruce to realize that he has the potential to be that way as well in the universe they currently live in. That Bruce from the other universe is a heroic figure who is hyped up by the media, one that merely serves as an inspiration for the people. In reality, the man behind the identity of Batman, or any other mask and costume, is a normal guy dealing with problems others have to deal with as well. This flawless image we have built up for Bruce Wayne as Batman is unrealistic and people like that do not exist. There are no clear answers to the question, but Sinister is clearly trying to tell us something with the poem.