You know, reading these comics makes me think that Batman is a concept that only really works if the writers use an even keel. If Batman mostly focused on defeating 'regular' crime and had his rogue gallery commiting mostly 'regular' crime and only going big scale very rarely, then the argument could be made that he's making a real difference and he is right by not killing them.

But by making ridiculous body counts all over the place, it just makes Batman look like an inept fool and Gothamites like suicidal lemmings.

Of course, I've read this community long enough to know that DC ever being that restrained is a fool's dream.