Superman Vs. Batman

Who would win in a fight: Superman or Batman—perhaps the cliché argument between comic nerds, the question has been around for ages and still inspires heated debate between casual and hardcore comic fans.

So, for the enrichment of my readers, I thought I would go ahead and start to compose a list of of some of the Superman and Batman brawls in recent memory.

--The Dark Knight Returns--

• Scenario – Batman has a plan. This is never a good sign for Superman. It is hard to discuss this without the spoilers, but Batman’s giant pulsing brain once again lets things play out exactly as he intends. One thing is sure: this legendary comic is an excellent illustration of the balance of power between these foils: Superman always wins the battle. But Batman always wins the war.

• Fair fight? – Not exactly. Batman is old as sin…

• Awesomeness – totally awesome.

VICTOR:

--The Dark Knight Strikes Again--

• Scenario – Batman, given ample planning time, is always going to come out on top. Some of the meta-arcs in recent memory have played around with the idea that Batman is TOO calculating, perhaps to a fault (I am thinking of the OMAC saga, specifically) but that premise doesn't really ring true. Batman is Batman because he can handle thing when the shit hits the fan. Always. Anyway, for you Batman fans, here is a lovely scene of the big fellah humiliating his Kryptonian buddy. My Batman-camp friends would not hesitate to frame this image and put it on their wall. It is probably one of the most graphic scenes of violence towards Big Blue in comic history. After having Green Arrow hit him with Kryptonite Napalm, the Flash light him up with landmines, Batman steps in to take the glory with a few well placed punches: in Superman’s words, Batman 'takes him apart like a high school science project.'

• Fair Fight? – No. Batman has THREE other superheroes on his side.

• Awesomeness – Extreme

VICTOR:

--Batman 612--

• Scenario – Superman, under the control of Poison Ivy, comes after Ol’ Bats. Improvising with his surroundings, Batman blocks Superman at every turn. Turns out that Superman was fighting Poison Ivy’s control throughout the fight, holding back as best he could, so Batman’s victory is a little more hallow, though Bats reveals that he never comes to Metropolis without being prepared for a brawl with Superman in the form of his trusty Kryptonite ring. While there isn't as much action as one might like, there is no denying that Jim Lee is essentially THE comic book artist of this generation--the artwork is just amazing.

• Fair Fight? – Nope, it is stated explicitly that Superman is holding back.

• Awesomeness – pretty awesome.

VICTOR:

--Adventures of Superman 642--

• Scenario – Under the control of Maxwell Lord, Superman believes he is brawling with the biggest baddies in his rogues gallery, but is in fact brutally beating Batman within an inch of his life. This is one of the instances were Superman gets a drop on old Batman which results in the latter in intensive care with Superman’s fingerprints imbedded in his skin. Superman, when not holding back, proves to be an overwhelming force but, frankly, with all those powers we shouldn’t be surprised. The real shame here is that all we get to see of the fight are those tiny faded holograms. I would have loved to see a full page spread of bat-brutalization, if only to balance out the graphic beatings that Batman has handed out in some of the previous examples.

• Fair Fight? – I’m going to say no. While Superman was acting under his own volition (though he thought it was a different opponent) he did get the drop on Batman. While I’d normally just say that this is the element of surprise and quite fair, Batman’s ‘super power’ is his ability to plan and adapt. Superman essentially sucker punches him, so I’m not going to give him full credit

• Awesomeness – not very awesome

VICTOR:

--Superman Batman 33--

• Scenario – I swear, if there is one good reason to keep reading Superman Batman, it is that those two seem to fight each other just as often as they fight the badguys. Well, in this one, Batman is possessed by the alien force known as Blackrock. While he does look pretty badass, this issue just goes to show that traditionally, the more power Batman has the less likely he is to win.

• Fair Fight? – Almost! Superman is fully powered and in his right mind. Batman has superpowers to match Superman's, but his intellect has been poisoned.

• Awesomeness – Pretty awesome.

VICTOR:

--Superman Batman 56--

• Scenario – Batman has stolen Superman’s powers and superman comes to try and reclaim them.

• Fair Fight? – Well, the tables have turned. Batman, a little drunk with power, is for once the one to run in guns blazing. The parallels to Dark Knight Returns are a little too on the nose here—they even have a street lamp in the backdrop to drive the point home. I can’t give Superman full points here either, as he pulls a ringer in the end to save his ass.

• Awesomeness - minimal. Honestly, this issue didn't really ring true. As I said, the premise of Batman going 'mad with power' never really sticks. It is pretty much the opposite of what we've come to expect of the character. As one of the few fully human characters fighting the good fight, he is especially appealing specifically because he is self-sacrificing and noble. While some comics successfully paint him, rather, as a mentally damaged psychopath out for revenge against the criminal world, it is pretty clear that that portrayal is a departure from what we expect. In a mainline title, it just seems stilted.

VICTOR: 

--World’s Finest 294--

• Scenario: I just… I can’t even look at this without laughing.

• Losers: all of us.