Image Credit: DC ComicsDC Comics is celebrating its 75 anniversary this year. That’s a true milestone, and the iconic publisher deserves a round of applause. But we all know the truth: these first 75 years have been a resounding failure. A failure, I say! Because DC has never successfully answered the most important question of the century: Is Batman better than Superman?
PopWatchers, I think it’s time we resolve this, once and for all. Let’s look at the question in the most basic sense: Who would win in a fight? This is a no-brainer. Superman could feasibly defeat Batman using only the lame powers, like Super Freeze Breath and Super Memory. Once he turns on the Super Speed and the Heat Vision? Game over.
Batman’s only real hope is kryptonite, but Lex Luthor uses kryptonite all the time, and how’s that working out for him? And no matter what kind of crazy paranoid-genius counterattack you think Batman could come up with, Superman could always just punch Earth into a black hole and call it a day.
But Batman vs. Superman is also a cultural conflict. Who’s more interesting to read about? Who’s more capable of evolving with the times? Who has a better costume? This is also a no-brainer. Ever since Frank Miller’s 1986 The Dark Knight Returns, Bruce Wayne has dominated every media sphere: cartoons, video games, Halloween costumes, and movies. And such movies! Batman is the star of the best (The Dark Knight) and worst (Batman & Robin) superhero films ever. (He’s also the star of the best Christmas movie ever. Batman Returns. Seriously!)
So Superman wins in a fight, and Batman wins in the court of public opinion. That leaves us with… oh no, a tie! This won’t do at all. PopWatchers, did I miss something? Am I too dismissive of Batman’s ability to fight Superman? Is Clark Kent secretly cooler than Bruce Wayne? (Quentin Tarantino seems to think so.) Should Batman earn grade inflation because his villains are so, so, so much better than Superman’s? Sound off below!
Team Superman. Maybe the movies suck, but “Man of Iron, Woman of Kleenex” gives Superman the win.
NERDS….NERDS….NERDS NERDS NERDS NERDS NERDS NERDS NERDS NERDS NERDS NERDS NERDS NERDS NERDS NERDS NERDS NERDS NERDS
And damn proud of it
Damn proud of it.
DAMN PROUD!
You’re using the name “Ogre,” and calling these other folks nerds?
By making the reference to Ogre in Revenge of the Nerds, you sir or madam have proven yourself to be that which you espouse to despise, a nerd.
Welcome!
Is Bruce Wayne darker? Yes. More interesting? Yes. But I think the true winner is who would win in a fight (since they are, uh, superheroes), and that’s definitely Superman.
Unless Batman finds Kriptonite, Superman’s deadly weakness.
Oh is that what Kryptonite is? I had no idea.
And that’s addressed above.
Batman just happens to be the only man Superma trusts with Kryptonite (just in case he goes evil).
So Superman admits he could be beaten.
Brad: Ha! Your reply gave me a chuckle. Thanks for that!
I dont think superman has ever beaten batman in a fight. Go read “Dark Knight Returns” (Frank Millers comic) for a goddamn graduate class in how to take superman apart.
Also: Kingdome Come, and the “Tower of Babel” trade from Morrison’s JLA run also showcase Batman being far superior to superman and outdoing him with cunning and wit.
1) in the old comics they already proved that batman can defeat superman even without the kriptomite 2) even the joker beat superman but he cant beat batman
Why is there even a debate? They are so completely different you don’t have to play favorites.
Batman all the way!!
Agreed. BATMAN BABY!
Team Superman. I’m sorry, but he can *shoot fire from his eyes*. That automatically trumps everything else! *g*
Cyclops can too and he sucks lol, Batman all the way. Too clever , Never gives up and dirty tactics will win,
Superman would beat Batman in a battle….but Batman would destroy Superman in a war.
Oooh, I like that sentiment.
Well played, but I think you have to had that Superman would never want to hurt The Batman, but The Batman would hurt Superman and in fact has dozens of plans in place to do so.
Batman is way better than Superman.
Batman wins this easily. All he has to do is knock Superman off a horse.
That is wrong on so many levels… the worst offense being that it made me laugh out loud.
You weren’t kidding – that’s f—ed up!
(Almost as f—ed up as the fact that I laughed.)
I think we have a new #1.
debate’s over, crispy won.
Ohhh, man. That is bad. And shame on me more for laughing.
Yeah, no one can beat that.
Batman/Bruce Wayne. He’s not a particularly pleasant character but he’s the guy you’d want to have your back (which is why DC keeps pairing him with Supes).
BATMAN!
WONDER WOMAN!!!
Hahaha! The thing is, she is Batman’s girlfriend in the Justice League animated films, so then Superman would get double tagged.
Gambit! Oh, wait…
I look at it like this: Superman is Tom Brady; Batman is Ben Roethlisberger. Like Brady, Superman is a pretty-boy fancy lad with genuine superpowers… but there is an obvious weakness in each (Superman = kryptonite; Brady = the all-out blitz + a bum knee). Both are dull, whiny individuals that you wouldn’t want to know personally. Batman is like Roethlisberger: he’s scrappy, resourceful, takes HUGE risks but always seems to land on his feet. Neither have an exploitable weakness but both are deeply troubled, morally questionable, and prone to bad decisions. Despite their many flaws, Batman and Big Ben are easily the more interesting and the ones I would want on my side in a fight.
Superman. Hands down. Though I do love Batman, Superman just trumps.
So, if I’m following your comparison, when will women start accusing Batman of sexual assault?
next tuesday, about 3:00… didn’t you get the memo?
nice to see an nfl comment. I don’t agree 100% with it, but it was interesting
Your argument kind of falls apart at the implication there are any less-than-flawless qualities whatsoever to Tom Brady, the Cadillac of men, the paragon of human achievement, the closest thing to a superhero we will likely ever have in real life.
Also, Batman’s not a rapist.
Team Aquaman!
Have Batman drop chicken of the Sea Aquaman in the middle of the Gobi Desert. Let him try his fishie mind control out there.
Batman is way cooler. But Superman would win in a fight. Thank goodness, they are friends.