Batman is basically DC’s Ebenezer Scrooge but on one fateful Christmas, that comparison is taken to a whole new level.
On the surface, Batman and Ebenezer Scrooge have a lot in common. Both characters are wealthy men who can be fairly grumpy. Of course, the Dark Knight is a much more heroic, altruistic character than Scrooge. Bruce Wayne can almost lapse into cruelty at times, however. For example, Batman was most similar to Scrooge in Lee Bermejo’s Batman: Noël, a DC Universe adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
At the start of Noël, the Caped Crusader has lost his way as a crimefighter. Since Jason Todd died, Batman has become a lot angrier, more violent, and ruthless. Just like Scrooge, Batman is more bitter and jaded as he’s aged. The Dark Knight is also coming down with a bad cold, but he refuses to rest. Batman has been obsessively pursuing the Joker, to the point of harassing one of his bagmen, Bob, in the streets.
Bob is named after Bob Cratchit, the overworked, underpaid employee of Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. Bob’s son is also straight out of Dickens’ tale. Tim, much like Tiny Tim, is a sick young man with a disabled leg. Batman plans to use Bob and Tim as bait to catch the Joker. The Caped Crusader also heartlessly plans on getting Bob arrested, in order to scare Tim out of a life of crime. Later on, in the Batcave, Batman sees a vision of Jason, warning him about the future. Robin plays a similar role to Jacob Marley, Scrooge’s old, deceased business partner who delivers a warning about the future as well. The vision of Robin haunts Batman, before he is called by the GCPD about Catwoman.
The Dark Knight’s elusive villain evidently has information about the Joker. Yet when Batman chases her, Catwoman reveals she just wanted to “play” with Batman, like they used to. Much like the Ghost of Christmas Past, Catwoman gets Batman to look back on his earlier days, when he and Robin fought crime in colorful, ’60s-style costumes. Yet, like Scrooge, Batman is unwilling to “play” like he used to. At the end of the chase, Batman falls off of the rooftops, only to be discovered by Superman. The Man of Steel acts as the Ghost of Christmas Present, telling Batman that he has pneumonia and he should probably take care of his health. Of course, being naturally stubborn, Bruce ignores this advice. Superman also flies Batman over Gotham, showing Batman all of the ordinary Gothamites who are planning to happily celebrate Christmas. The Man of Tomorrow specifically closes in on Bob, Tim, and even Commissioner Gordon, showing Batman how important the people in his city are.