Summary

• Bruce Wayne's aversion to guns in Batman: Dark Age is explained through lessons from Ra’s al Ghul in Vietnam War.
• Unconventional weapons and tactics, like batarangs and grappling guns, are more successful for Batman than guns.
• Batman's strict no-gun policy not only prevents accidental killings but also disarms enemies effectively in Gotham City.

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Batman: Dark Age #2!Everyone knows about Batman's distaste for guns, but a new insight helps rationalize why he so strongly dislikes them. In an alternate take on the Dark Knight's lore, Bruce Wayne is deep in the throes of the Vietnam War, and a lesson from a surprising source helps the future Batman realize why using guns is futile.

In Batman: Dark Age #2 by Mark Russell and Michael Allred, Bruce Wayne is imprisoned thanks to the False Face Society. But a reprieve is offered to the young man in exchange for serving his country and going off to fight in Vietnam.

Bruce's unit trains under Ra's al Ghul, who teaches the men how to fight with their minds and bodies. While on a mission to free American POWs, Bruce recounts al Ghul's lessons, saying guns are unreliable and enemies are often prepared for them. The young Batman also says unconventional weapons and battle tactics are far more successful.

Batman's Unique Weapons Help Disarm Enemies Better Than Guns

Batman: Dark Age is set in an alternate universe (the same setting as its sister story Superman: Space Age). This world reinvented Bruce's origin to have him grow up through the 50s and 60s. In this world, the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne was a plan by the False Face Society as part of a larger scheme to control Wayne Enterprises and Gotham City. The Society also planned to murder Bruce, who stood to inherit the company. But Bruce got himself arrested after getting into a fight, allowing the False Face Society to install Pariah as Wayne Enterprises' leader.

Fans know that Batman is strictly opposed to guns due to the role they played in his parents' deaths. While that can be considered reason enough, this new twist to Bruce's preference is a logical one. Gotham is lousy with gun violence with both street criminals and supervillains using them. Most villains in Gotham are prepared to deal with guns when confronted with one. But many of them have no idea how to handle batarangs, smoke pellets or grappling guns. When criminals encounter these kinds of tools, they have no clue what to do, giving Batman a serious advantage.

Batman's Tools are the Most Sensible Approach to Fighting Crime

If Batman used a gun, there's a good chance his opponent could get it and use it. But most people aren't going to know how to accurately throw a batarang, much less know the mechanics of a grapple gun. Not using guns is a great way of ensuring Batman doesn't accidentally take a life, but it's also a fantastic way of disarming his enemies by using weapons they never see coming. While some may find a gun an easier approach, Batman has found a much better way of handling the villains he regularly fights.

Batman: Dark Age #2 is available now from DC Comics.