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Superhero Smackdown
Paul writes "Fox News is running a story that asks one of the best geek questions of our generation: who win if Superman and Batman fought one another?. The last this topic was big was during the Spider-Man/AOTC rush in May. I distinctly remember a particular essay that compared Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, any Jedi (particularly Yoda), and James Bond." Obviously the author didn't read DK2 ;) And I put my money on Deadpool, if only because his quips are better.
Batman wins through guile, then spares Superman's life. Film at eleven.
Have you ever read comic books? The only known kyrptonite was given to batman from superman to stop him in case he goes crazy. I agree with what others are saying. If Batman attacks then he wins but if superman attacks first he wins (b/c batman doesn't carry around the kryptonite 24/7).
Actually, if I remember that story correctly, Batman ended up dead at the end of the fight. Granted, it was a self-administered, drug-induced temporary cardiac arrest to give the illusion of death, but it certainly implies that Batman didn't expect to actually win in a fight to the death. And if Superman hadn't been feeling charitable, he wouldn't have let Batman get away after his funeral, when Supes was the only one who could hear his heart start beating again.
Of course, this sort of thing is always subjective to the moods of the storywriter. Which is why you never, ever want to bring up this topic on the rec.arts.comics newsgroups.
A friend and I had a discussion about this a whiles back, and I raised the following important points:
1) Batman also had the help of others: a new Robin in the original DKR, and The Flash, Green Arrow, and Plastic Man in DKR2.
2) Superman was working for evil villains oppressing the world's populace. His heart clearly wasn't in the fight.
3) Most importantly, both of these stories take place in an alternate universe, set in years after the end of the traditional "Silver Age" DC universe was closed. It is hard to extrapolate these results to the present-day Modern Age Superheroes.
Another thing to point out, in the current universe, Superman once gave Batman a kryptonite ring, with instructions to use it if he were ever to become evil (a-la Red Kryptonite Superman in the third movie). If there was such a battle, it would likely be because one of the two "switched sides". If so, Batman would likely use the ring to his advantage.
Actually, In "Dark Knight Strikes Again" (DK2) Batman beat the crap out of Superman. True, he softened him up with a robotic dinosaur and some type of kryptonite stuff, but by the time Superman got to him, he was about as powerful as a common street thug. Sans the bad attitude.
God, I can't believe how many of you geeks manage to horribly mangle the plot of "The Dark Knight Returns". You must write for hollywood. I'm not even a damn fanboy, and I can synopsize the battle more accurrately.
Batman plans ahead and is prepared while big dopey Superman comes blundering in to take B into custody because the powers that be say he's a "bad boy".
Batman gives S a dose of the K, smacks him around with some missles while he's weakened, and generally beats him until he cries like a little girl. They point that out in the story that Batman wants Superman to know that he got his ass kicked, and by whom.
Then, having already thought through the scenario, B knows that even if he wins, that the world has changed, and he can't operate openly anymore. So he has a chemical concotion, that he thought up with his big brain, that puts him in a coma.
Superman thinks he's killed B, and cries again. Batman sculks off to continue to use his big brain to fight evil from the shadows.
Basicly, Batman wins because he's a big smarty-man, but then throws the fight. In the bigger picture, they're both victims of circumstance, and have to comprimise to survive in the world.
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
This scenario has already been done.
Batman: Dark Knight Returns
Yes, Superman is the man of steel, but with planning, resources and a little help from an old friend (who happens to have a bit of a grudge against Superman) Batman kicks his little blue schoolboy ass. Not to mention that Batman happens to be 70 years old at the time.
It's a great read!
Amazon link
I hate my sig.