A common criticism of Batman claims that his philanthropic work as Bruce Wayne is more effective at combating crime than his vigilantism. Batman Beyond proves this wrong, as the Gotham of the future is plagued with crime following Wayne's retirement from crime fighting, which is due to his ailing health.

During the 20 years of Batman's absence in Batman Beyond, Gotham is overrun by criminal gangs, such as The Jokerz. There is also a drug problem with a new substance called slappers. Furthermore, there's widespread corruption from big companies, like Powers Technology, which is involved with a number of illicit activities, such as illegal arms research and production. These companies' influences, along with a corrupt mayor, prevent interference in these affairs.

A lot of these issues have been influenced by the previous cartoon, Batman: The Animated Series. For instance, The Jokerz model themselves after Batman's arch nemesis, and while they're not on the same level as the original Joker, their acts of vandalism and violence have resulted in deaths. Furthermore, slappers, which are small patches containing the drug venom, are more widespread than the original drug that was in Batman: The Animated Series.

RELATED: Batman Beyond Just Met Bruce Wayne's Favorite DCAU Hero

Prior to Batman's absence, Gotham did face a lot of issues, such as gangs, poverty and corruption, but the unchecked influence of Powers Technology made its issues more rampant. These problems were made worse once Powers Technology took over Wayne Enterprises, which eliminated the only ethically run power player in Gotham.

Batman and Ace in Batman Beyond

In Batman: The Animated Series, the hero often fought against corrupt companies, such as Daggett Industries and Goth Corp, which were both involved in illicit practices. This type of crime fighting prevented these companies from having as much influence over Gotham as Powers Technology does. Powers Technology's concentration of wealth and influence supersedes that of any other authority figure within Gotham, leaving the police relatively helpless against its illicit activities.

Wayne's detachment from Batman also keeps him directly away from the philanthropic work he performed as Bruce Wayne, which was integral in combating the city's crime and poverty. A couple of episodes from Batman: The Animated Series and The New Adventures of Batman see Wayne hiring former convicts he fought as Batman as a way to give them a second chance. Without his role as Batman, Wayne becomes detached from Gotham's very serious problems, leaving him ill-equipped with effective strategies for his philanthropy.

RELATED: Batman Beyond Is Trending on Twitter Thanks to Michael Keaton's DC Return

By the time Terry McGinnis takes up the cowl for Wayne, Batman is able to restore hope for the city by taking out its largest source of corruption, Powers Technology CEO Derek Powers. Although Batman's return to the city is met by some skepticism, he is able to help Gotham's police department fight against the rampant problems that were exacerbated by the hero's decades long absence. This type of crime fighting also inspires Wayne to do more for the city, making him a more active philanthropist once again.

Although some critics believe that Wayne should focus solely on his philanthropy, Batman Beyond shows that Batman is necessary for Gotham's survival. While Wayne's work as a philanthropist is important, his work under the cowl helped make those contributions more meaningful in Batman: The Animated Seriesand McGinnis continues to help Gotham in Batman Beyond as the new vigilante.

KEEP READING: Batman Beyond: Justice League Unlimited Is STILL Terry's Best Origin