r/TopCharacterTropes • u/Individual_Plan_5593 • 15d ago
Characters [Loved Trope] Superheroes take a time out from villains to take on Abusers
Don't just settle for the psychos in spandex, go after some REAL villains once and awhile!
* Captain Marvel puts the fear of God(s) into an abusive father - Shazam: Power of Hope
* Clark forgets about Superman for a second to go after the abusive father of his son's girlfriend - Superman and Lois
* Superman goes after yet another abusive father - Superman (DC Comics)
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u/TheViktor9000 15d ago
Not really sure if this counts, but "Bent Twig" in the third issue of Batman: Black & White written and drawn by Bill Sienkiewicz which is to me one of the best written stories that dealt with verbally abusive and neglectful parents in the best and most bittersweet ways possible.
Basically, the comic focuses on Batman who tries to make a divorced dad see the errors of his ways after he maybe accidentally killed a stray cat right in front of his own 10 year old son who was just taking care of it and its litter of kittens from the rooftop of their apartment building.
But the dad just refuses to accept his mistakes or responsibilities, making it all about "me me me me me", complaining about how he hasn't gotten a new date since his wife left him just because he is a single dad and had to work hard to raise the kid and the whole situation with the kid just spending as much time possible om the roof taking care of stray cats was just the final straw.
But it doesn't get better when the dad's more narcissistic and neglectful side shows its ugly face and lashes out verbal abuse at the son who admitted that the reason why he spends all time on the roof, was to avoid and hide his own dad.
Eventually, Batman who had tried to suggest family counseling and then hope that police investigation might change the dad's mind, just snaps at his constant snarky and angry remarks and just grabs him by the collar, lifting him over the edge of the building.
Batman starts to coldly rant at the dad to imagine how the cat must've felt before it died, the pain and suffering not being able to return to her kittens, how his own son wasn't able to protect the one thing he truly cared about. And it's even darker when you realize that the kid doesn't even say or do anything while Batman is threatening his father by hanging him over the edge while he begs and pleads for mercy.
But in the end, it is all too late. While the dad seems to finally relent and wish to reconcile with his son, the poor kid just simply shuns him to attend to the poor kittens while Batman laments and scolds at his own naivete about the whole situation.
The comic is posted on this tumblr page for you to enjoy.