Warning: Spoilers for Batman & Robin: Year One #6 ahead!

From the classic batarangs to the Batman's arsenal has grown increasingly high-tech and complex over the years. However, as a glimpse into the Dark Knight's earlier days shows, Batman is at his best when he lets his tools assist his considerable crimefighting talents, rather than replace them outright.

Batman & Robin: Year One #6 – written by Mark Waid, with art by Chris Samnee– is a perfect example of Batman's elegance in simplicity. When Bruce must rescue Robin from the clutches of gangster General Grimaldi, he ambushes a group of goons by crashing through a window - except after a burst of panicked gunfire, it's revealed that "Batman" here is simply a bat-shaped kite.

The distraction is beautifully clean and does its job perfectly: by the time Grimaldi's guards realize they've been had, Batman is already in the building and on the hunt for his captured protégé.

Despite Being One Of DC's Most Advanced Heroes, Batman Is Not Defined By High Tech

Batman & Robin: Year One #6 – Written By Mark Waid; Art By Chris Samnee; Color By Mat Lopes; Lettering By Clayon Cowles & Chris Samnee

Batman's ingenuity slowly began to be shown through his possessing hyper-specific gadgets, culminating in Silver Age goofiness and the wackiness of the 1966 Batman TV series. This helped set the stage for contemporary Batman, known for having a contingency or gadget for any situation.

Now, Batman's technology is some of the most advanced in all of DC. The Batsuit is now lightweight armor, with Batman's cowl containing holographic displays, voice controls, and a breathtaking array of sensors. Batman is capable of keeping all of Gotham under surveillance, shutting down entire city blocks on a whim. In the most extreme examples, Batman has canonically built robots that have turned rogue and threatened the world on two separate occasions, and has armored suits that are so high-powered that they are designed to take down Superman himself.

Batman Is Best As A Character When He Keeps It Simple

Bruce Wayne Isn't DC's Iron Man, And That's Okay

While the story is set in Batman's early years, the kite gadget in Batman & Robin: Year One #6 is the perfect example of why Batman shines in a low-tech environment: the tool enhances Batman's skill, rather than performing the distraction for him outright. Simple, low-tech tools highlight and amplify Batman's skill and ability, whereas specialized, high-tech solutions steal the spotlight for themselves. Anyone can press a button and let the device do the work, but only Batman can use a simple kite to sneak into a heavily armed facility.

This is where Batman shines: as the detective whose simple tools express his mastery, rather than the other way around.

True, Batman did use a sonic emitter to agitate a swarm of bats back in Batman & Robin: Year One #4; however, it could be argued that the bats were the main gadget in that endeavor, and live animals are about as low-tech as one can get. The Year One stories highlight Batman at his rawest and sharpest, without any of the fancy tools that would become the hallmarks of his latest adventures. This is where Batman shines: as the detective whose simple tools express his mastery, rather than the other way around.

Batman & Robin: Year One #6 is available now from DC.