Would Batman Cross National Borders to Grab Snowden?

I'm thinking of that part in the Dark Knight where Batman goes to China (Hong Kong?) to nab that Chinese accountant for all the baddies. Obviously, he has no limits to his jurisdiction (but that was the first time I saw Batman do anything of the sort, and it surprised me). If Batman considers a person a threat, he'll go through all that trouble to a) stop them and b) prove that he can.

Batman has a deep sense of justice. However, what is his stance on such ambiguous violations of privacy? On a related note, Captain America became Nomad(?) during the Nixon era to reflect anti-government sentiment, but as a very America-based superhero, he (as a character) had much more reason to react to the political environment. Batman usually keeps to Gotham and focuses on local issues (Batman Inc. not included).

Basically, would Batman consider Edward Snowden the threat the government says he is, whether for what he's done or for his potential future actions? Would he praise the man as a hero? Would he even care, enough to act on it? I really don't know.

hahaha wth.

On topic, no because batman was always about justice not law.

Indeed, I'm sure Batman's got bigger problems than some whistleblower.

Where do you think the NSA gets their tech?

BAH-ZING.

Well I guess you could think about the part in that same movie where Batman taps in to all the phones and so on of Gotham citizens for his bat sonar thing and then destroys it after he stops the Joker. You could think about that and conclude... something...

But yeah, I don't think Batman would really give a shit.

I'm Batman and I say no, because every one already knew what Snowden leaked and because I am no tool.

Snowden =/= Criminal so No.

Well Snowden's in Moscow now, so Russian Martian Batman can take care of that.

Batman wouldn't cause he doesn't agree with NSA spying.

But the US Government would, and is probably pouring tens of millions of taxpayer dollars into finding him. And when they do we'll read in a Moscow newspaper how he died of a "mysterious heat attack from the stress of a life on the run."

Wait aren't we supposed to be able to just send a missile at him arbitrarily? Why don't we do that? Seems perfectly reasonable. I'm not particularly keen on a Speznaz vs Seal Team 6 matchup, Russians will overwhelm us with their numbers and make winter happen in summer.

Where do you think the NSA got the idea?

Batman isn't a government lackey like Superman.

@blastroid said:

@alwaysbebombing said:

Batman wouldn't cause he doesn't agree with NSA spying.

Where do you think the NSA got the idea?

Batman is completely in favor of violating everyone's privacy in order to seek out justice. In the comic Kingdom Come Bruce runs Gotham City like a totalitarian state with robot drones constantly surveying the streets.

I should note the mainstream press coverage of this is horrifying, basically everyone agrees he must be brought to justice at all costs! There isn't even scant mention of his rights.

No need to specify.

There was a mention of his rights. He could have stayed in the States and used Whistleblower laws to protect him. Instead he runs; It looks very suspect.

@andorski: Other than "Dark Knight Returns" when has Superman ever worked for any government?

Red Son! haha

His rights to a fair trial, you mean? I'm pretty sure that's what people mean when they say 'justice'.

I would say no, because he wouldn't give a damn about any of this, but comic-book Batman (vs movies Batman) is kind of a fascist douchebag, so maybe? DC is usually a little less political than Marvel though.

Which, while a great book in general, is also the single greatest Batman story ever told.

Supes has always answered to a higher power than any government, the US President!

Miller was being true to the lore despite what Superman "experts" would lead you to believe.

I hope they reveal Edward Snowden is the 3rd Robin. Nightwing and Dick Grayson have gotten a little boring.

In the Batman universe, a guy named "Edward Snowden" would almost certainly be a protege of Mr. Freeze, so yes.

Batman ain't got time for that.

Who needs Batman when your President happily orders the assassination of American citizens?

He probably has a Predator drone hovering outside his place now wearing a raincoat and a fake moustache so no one thinks it looks suspicious, just waiting for the call.

Batman broke the law to do the right thing. He would do it again by helping Snowden.

Screw you for spying on me, government. It's my country, and I hired you to run it in accordance with my votes, and I (and Batman) approve of anyone alerting me when you're actively acting against me without just cause.

I don't agree with the government that Snowden is a criminal and hopefully Batman would agree.

I wouldn't say greatest Batman story but it's definitely up there and it has one of his top 5 moments in it FOR SURE. Goddamn, it's so good.

Thank You Based Batmankoff!

And no, I don't think Batman would hunt Snowden.

I think Batman would actually support someone like Snowden. Batman is the very definition of someone who believes that going outside the law to do what's right is okay. He is a tried and true vigilante, and he would probably not care at all about the fact that Snowden might have stolen some classified information.

Though, Batman has also shown that he's sometimes favorable of mass spying on the populace "for the greater good"; so, he wouldn't necessarily assist someone in leaking this information. I doubt he would act to arrest him though.

Depends. What alignment of Batman are we talking about?

@mideonnviscera: Good call. But both "Red Son" and "Dark Knight" are way out of continuity.

Uh.. what? He is absolutely and undeniably a criminal under United States law. I'm not really sure that's even up for debate.

That being said Batman is 100% for invasive surveillance. He's the most overly paranoid dude on the planet, he has contingencies for every member of the justice league and maintains a worldwide network of electronic information gathering. He clearly has no issues spying on anyone he believe might pose any kind of threat and keeping tabs on the rest of us 'just in case'.

Would Batman take it upon himself to apprehend Edward Snowden? To what end? I imagine Batman already knows what agencies like the CIA and NSA are up to at any given time seeing as he seemingly has open access to their systems. He certainly isn't morally opposed to either spying or trying to expose government corruption. Most of all he really doesn't have a personal stake in it.

I suppose it'd be easy enough to write it that way though: Snowden threatens to also expose Batman's less-than-legal surveillance program (a far more invasive and encompassing program that is not subject to any law, regulation, or oversight). Sure Batman is doing it for our own good, but people don't like to be spied on and the Government would relish the opportunity to shift focus away from themselves and onto batman's misdeeds. Batman nabs Snowden, disposes of the whatever evidence Snowden has, maybe dangles him from a building or two and then gives him a job as the new Oracle.

@galamoth: Isn't that top one from the issue when Superman went in disguise as JFK, because there was an assassination plot against him? This was all before he was assassinated, too.

Fuck the NSA. Snowden is Batman

Hopefully, yes, in order to escort him to asylum in Ecuador, but not Arkham.

Nah. He should be laying low right now or he'll just draw attention to his own surveillance of the people of Gotham.