When it comes to heroes failing to make a change in the world, for the lives of Gotham's citizens. And yet, for all the hard work he's put in, Batman has little to show.

For nearly a century, Batman’s inability to improve Gotham on a fundamental level looks a lot worse when one sees the ways that the Marvel Universe’s Black Panther has been able to make Wakanda better for everyone. Batman may be doing his best, but Black Panther is making the Caped Crusader look like a chump.

Let's Be Real: Batman Can Only Help Gotham So Much

Despite His Best Efforts, Gotham is Only Marginally Better

Ever since Batman burst onto the comic book scene, he’s been working tirelessly to make his city a better place. After losing his parents in a random act of violence, Bruce devoted his life to becoming the hero Gotham needed. Between turning his mind into a steel trap and training with the world’s best martial artists, Bruce had everything he needed to begin his crusade as Batman. Of course, he refined his operation over the years, adding additional gadgets and even new partners, such as Batgirl and Robin, to help clean up the city.

Not only Robins and Batgirls, but partners like Nightwing, Oracle, the Signal, and occasionally Catwoman!

How long Bruce has actively been Batman is hard to pin down, but it’s safe to assume at least a decade or so. In that time, he’s done some great things, bringing a number of street-level criminals to justice and making people feel a bit more safe. However, as time has gone on, one could argue that things have only gotten worse for Gotham in the last few years. The supervillain population has skyrocketed, corruption is still deeply embedded in Gotham’s law and order system, and Gotham is still considered to be one of the worst cities in the DCU.

The truth is that Batman’s approach is more reactive than it is proactive.

The truth is that Batman’s approach is more reactive than it is proactive. That’s not to say Batman slacks on his duties, but Gotham is a big place and even with the Bat-Family on his side, he can only help his city so much. But he can’t be there to stop every shadowy crime boss or burgeoning supervillain until they become a problem that requires his immediate attention. Batman only has so many resources at his disposal and as much money as he has, he can only stop the bleeding.

Black Panther is Improving Things for His Home and Beyond

T'Challa is Showing Batman Up in a Bunch of Ways

While Batman is merely a citizen (albeit a wealthy one) of Gotham City, T’Challa is a king and leads the nation Wakanda. He had to fight for the throne, but he earned his place as Wakanda’s king, as well as the role of Black Panther, to guard his home and people. While Wakanda was already in a much better place than Gotham ever was, it wasn’t entirely safe, either. Threats from the outside and within threatened the stability of Wakanda, but through it all, Black Panther has been there for it, both as a superhero and as a king.

T’Challa’s influence is so great, he was able to found an arm of his kingdom in deep space...

As King of Wakanda, T’Challa has had to make a lot of decisions for his people, including moving away from the nation’s isolationist principles. But he’s never one to make a move that would cause the Wakandans strife. Everything he does is for the people’s benefit. He even created outreach centers and embassies to bring his people into the world, so that they could share their advancements with the world. Black Panther has even moved away from the structures that gave himself power, instituting political reforms to give his people a greater voice.

T'Challa helped create the Wakandan Constitutional Council in Black Panther #16!

Naturally, as a king, Black Panther can do so much more, since he has actual power in his nation. Batman may have the benefits of financial privilege, but that’s nothing compared to the authority T’Challa has, nor the changes he instituted in his reign as king. Heck, T’Challa’s influence is so great, he was able to found an arm of his kingdom in deep space with the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda. As great as Bruce is, Black Panther has done a hell of a lot more for Wakanda than Batman has done for Gotham.

Batman Needs to Step Up His Game to Improve Gotham

Maybe the Dark Knight Isn't Enough to Make Substantial Change?

Perhaps it isn’t fair to compare the two. One is just a hero, while the other is a hero who is the leading figure of his home. T’Challa’s role as king and Black Panther carry a lot of weight to the Wakandans and while Batman may be loved by some, he’s hated by others, including cops and corrupt political officials. But there’s something to be said about T’Challa’s involvement in government affairs. Maybe if Batman took a greater interest in changing the system from the inside, he’d be able to truly change Gotham for the better.

Of course, Gotham doesn’t have a king, but it does have a mayor, a position that, in the right hands, could be used to make things better for the city. Were Bruce to run and win Gotham’s mayoral position, he would do a much better job of overseeing the system, making sure the city’s most positions were filled by trustworthy people and ensuring funds went to the right places. No, it’s not punching out the lights of foes like Joker or Two-Face, but it’s something that could help serve Gotham better than being Batman.

...it’s clear that Batman’s repeated attempts to fix the system from the outside aren’t working.

Sadly, at the end of the day, Bruce probably isn’t going to go down that road. He’s a warrior, not a politician. And while Black Panther was able to make it work, it’s not who Batman is. But it’s clear that Batman’s repeated attempts to fix the system from the outside aren’t working. T’Challa has already proven that things can get better, but one can’t do it by acts of heroism alone. If Batman wants to bring real change to Gotham, he needs to take a page out of Black Panther’s book and start considering leadership.