With the release of yet another Batman movie this year, it is time to touch upon a meme that has taken hold online for the past few years: The Bat Credit Card.
The Origin Story
One of the most infamous superhero films of all time, Batman and Robin, was reviled by fans for decades after its initial release, but eventually became a fond piece of masochistic nostalgia for some, venturing into the “so bad its good” realm of campy film. So much of this comes from the hammy acting from the villains and the silliness of the action. In many ways, it’s a time capsule of 1990s cheese.
This gag prop gained infamy the natural way in the pre-internet era – by being the whipping boy of nerds and moviegoers alike in a fan backlash that would ultimately keep the Dark Knight off the big screen until it was rebooted in 2005 with Batman Begins.
In recent(ish) memory, Batman’s credit card has become something of a meme thanks to the semi-famed YouTube reviewer, Doug Walker, going over-the-top in one of his older Nostalgia Critic videos.
Why It’s Actually a Stroke of Genius
In this writer’s opinion, I believe the Bat Credit Card is not only a good idea but an essential piece of the Caped Crusader’s everyday tool kit.
The reason is simple – Bruce Wayne is a billionaire who was already shuffling millions of dollars between several offshore accounts on a daily basis (really, it just makes financial sense at a certain point). Given that Batman depends on secrecy and utilizes a wide array of high-tech gadgets, it is reasonable to assume that the Bat uses not only that card, but several to purchase his wide selection of equipment – or even bribe his own corrupt officials for the occasional lead.
But… How?
Another series of questions one might ask is “How could such a card even be possible? Who opens an account under the name of ‘Batman’? Don’t you need a social security number to open a line of credit?”.
If one looks closely at the shot the card is labeled “Good Thru Forever”. Having an unlimited expiration date is a formidable asset to have and that could only be possible through the deep coffers of Wayne Enterprises. On paper, Wayne Enterprises appears to be more of a holding company that only dabbles as a tech / R&D firm – having investments in numerous industries including banks and other financial conglomerates. Such a card could only be possible if it came from one of Bruce’s banks.
Haters Gonna Hate
Regardless of whatever backlash people feel like throwing at this simple prop, the fundamental fact still remains that there is a very logical reason for Batman to bring his own card wherever he goes.
We must remember that Bruce Wayne’s public persona is supposed to be a somewhat shady playboy who more than likely drank with the likes of Jeffry Epstein, Warren Buffet, Elon Musk, all while having multiple active group texts with Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates. He likely practices for his next rank in Krav Maga and Muay Thai with a Russian oligarch or two. In a way, the Bat Credit Card is synonymous with the dual persona of Batman: Bruce takes a toast with corruption while the Bat kicks their teeth in. You can only do both if you have a lot of money that couldn’t be traced.
