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How to Become A Real-World Superhero

utherdoul writes "Batman isn't from outer space and wasn't born with a mutant gene --he uses his riches, raw determination and technological know-how to equip himself to fight evil. So why couldn't the average geek do the same? I've written a story for Forbes.com that breaks down the Dark Knight's expenses and explains what it would cost to become a real-world Batman using commercially available training and technology." From the article: "Batman's suit is a modified piece of infantry armor built by the applied sciences division of Wayne Enterprises. It's waterproof, bulletproof, knife-proof and temperature-regulating. Paired with an impact-resistant, graphite-composite cowl and spiked ninja-style gauntlets, it allows Batman to protect himself against everything from swords to machine guns."

19 of 596 comments (clear)

  1. So why couldn't the average geek do the same? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    If you can't do it from the comfort of your terminal, it ain't worth it.

  2. What? by Daedalus-Ubergeek · · Score: 5, Funny
    Batman isn't from outer space and wasn't born with a mutant gene


    Also, Batman isn't real.
  3. Batman's weakness by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 5, Funny

    Why doesn't anybody aim at his chin? (no armor there)
    All it requires is a sniper.

    1. Re:Batman's weakness by tomhudson · · Score: 5, Funny
      http://www.health24.com/sex/Glossary/1253-1271,263 53.asp
      Doggie style

      Also known as rear entry. Sexual position in which a person who is on all fours is penetrated from the rear, either vaginally or anally.
      Turns out that the "other" doggie style is the most used:
      Survey says "Doggie Style" is most used sexual position:

      Husband begs for 2 hours
      Wife rolls over and plays dead
  4. Re:Cut to the chase - $3.4 million by superpulpsicle · · Score: 4, Funny

    Recovering some old ladies $10 purse as a superhero: Priceless.

  5. Re:Cut to the chase - $3.4 million by nubbie · · Score: 3, Funny

    The Butler: $200,000
    Damn! A butler make $200,000? Why didn't my parents name me Jeeves?

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  6. ...also... by Otter · · Score: 3, Funny
    So why couldn't the average geek do the same?

    Furthermore, the average geek doesn't need to "count on forking over $297,000 a year on gifts, including Tiffany diamond earrings and necklaces for your lady friends."

  7. $740 a month for Shoalin training?!! by sTalking_Goat · · Score: 4, Funny
    Man whatever happened to knocking on the temple door and waiting three days without encouragement

    These Chinese keep claiming to be communists but I just don't see it.

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    My days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle...

  8. "Secret" Batcave by cant_get_a_good_nick · · Score: 4, Funny

    I always wondered how nobody knew about him being batman, where he's got all this high tech stuff that sometimes gets blown up (the batmobile in Batman and robin). Do they kill the contractors after they're done? There's gotta be one guy who gets drunk in a bar and says "you think you're job is cool, i just fixed the anti-lock brakes on the batmoboile at wayne manor"

  9. Contrast by spellraiser · · Score: 5, Funny
    City of Heroes account: $14.95/month

    It's a no-brainer. Also, we are geeks, right? Real life is a bit too ... real. Especially when it comes to engaging in violence with unsavory characters.

    Now, a badass remote-controlled robot to roam the streets, beating the crap out of the bad guys, that would be something else ...

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  10. Wayne Enterprises; hmm there COULD be a connection by wernst · · Score: 4, Funny

    ALL this guy's stuff is from the Whatever-Whatever division of Wayne Enterprises. You'd think this "Batman" fellow owned the freaking company or something... ;-)

  11. Legal costs will kill him by kmahan · · Score: 3, Funny

    Let's not forget the legal costs here. He'll need a fulltime team of lawyers.

    - copyright/trademark infringement (obvious) - *BIFF* *BAM* *POW* must all have TM after 'em
    - defense attorneys to get him out of jail/represent him for all of his speeding tickets
    - civil attorneys to handle all the lawsuits from the criminals he "wrongly assaulted"
    - insert obvious comments about riaa/mpaa/gitmo

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    Invalid Checksum. Retrying.
  12. Re:Cut to the chase - $3.4 million by modecx · · Score: 5, Funny

    Legalized abortion costs the public virtually nothing and has a much greater effect on reducing crime...

    Is that kind of abortion of the postadolescent variety? Because a superhero might be able to help greatly with that, too!

    I can see it now: The Aborter. He's a mild mannered abortion clinic doctor by day, helping rid the world of unwanted babies... By night he's on par with The Punisher, except he has a custom-formulated serum that makes villians crap their intestines right out, resulting in a long, miserable (and incredibly messy) death! He also has sonar vision (don't ask how that happened, you don't want to know!) that can also detect "bad seeds", while they're in the womb!

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  13. even if the vest can stop everything... by mangu · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...have you seen any bullet-proof vest that extends below the belt? Is there nothing important to protect there, or do they think snipers play by boxing rules?

  14. Re:Cut to the chase - $3.4 million by ilsa · · Score: 3, Funny

    The Bottom Line
    Final Cost: $3,365,449


    The long version makes it clear that most of the goodies are made by, developed by, or otherwise courtesy of Wayne Enterprises. Now, granted, it's his company, and he can afford an accounting firm that can figure out how to write off $3.3 Million.

    But you would think somebody in R&D would at some point read the latest press on Batman say "Hey! I remember working on that project!"

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    -- I Am Not A Terrorist.
  15. Re:Cut to the chase - $3.4 million by Diamon · · Score: 4, Funny

    Wow you can pull off an alter ego as a billionaire by barely spending a million dollars? I guess Wayne manor is just cardboard, duct tape and a coat of paint.

  16. Re:A better plan... by epiphani · · Score: 4, Funny

    yes, but this is the logic of most of batmans' opponents, and everyone knows that they always loose.

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  17. Re:Cut to the chase - $3.4 million by AeroIllini · · Score: 4, Funny

    But you would think somebody in R&D would at some point read the latest press on Batman say "Hey! I remember working on that project!"

    I think the people in Wayne Enterprises all work on parts and pieces of the projects, never really knowing what they were for, and I think Alfred was supposed to be the one who assembled them into their final form. (I guess that means he also gives the Batmobile a tuneup once in a while.) With that sort of divide-and-conquer strategy, the only employees you'd have to keep quiet would be those in the Bat-Shaped Black Plastic Casings Division.

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  18. Re:riches wont do you any good by way2trivial · · Score: 3, Funny

    religon vs. being high?

    to an agnostic, there is a WHOLE LOTTA things running in parallel

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