>

Practically every "super villan" in Gotham were created by Batman. It wasn't super serum powered undead giant that killed his parents, it was thugs. But after bat hit the scene Arkham was filled with super powered lunatics.
Without bat we wouldn't have to worry about city scale attacks from laughing plant ninjas.
You're still gonna need a smart, well-trained ninja

In the grand scheme of things, do you really need a ninja? Like, actually? Is there any scenario where pouring of billions of dollars of tech into one guy who runs around and punches people actually makes sense? >

Exactly, batman has been as this for years and has he made any meaningful progress for Gotham City? 
(Depends on what universe you look at) >


Exactly, batman has been as this for years and has he made any meaningful progress for Gotham City?  
(Depends on what universe you look at)

Gotham was already headed for hell on a train with no brakes and no conductor.  I like to look at it as Batman finding ways to slow the train and get people off safely where he can.
Has he lowered the crime rate?  No.  Did he prevent a mass casualty event and stop the city's complete destruction on numerous occasions?  Yes.  I wonder where that rates on the "meaningful" scale.