Superman or Batman?

[Murderofcrows71]

 

[LOTRFan]

PS - Thanks for such an honest post DA.

 

[pickard]

Batman has always been more "realistic" in that he is just a man who has trained himself to near-perfection. There's an element of "hey, I could do that."

I could learn martial arts and crime investigation skills, but no matter what I do, I can never have Kryptonian DNA, so I'll never fly or shoot lasers from my eyes.

As a kid, I always favored Robin, for the same reasons I mentioned above for Batman, but he was a kid and a lot less brooding.

As I've gotten older, I graduated first to Batman, because I stopped relating to 14-year-olds, and now I think there's a shift going on where I'm starting to like Superman more.

I think the simplification of him as the "big blue boy scout" is not as true as it was 20 years ago. The Superman in the comics has problems that don't just go away at the end of an issue, like they used to. He has marriage troubles and job troubles. (Which is one way where he's more human, or more relatable, than Bruce.) Even his superhero-ing is much less black-and-white lately.

Plus, Superman's powers are just more fun. Batman Begins is probably a better movie than Superman Returns, but it is still an unmatchable thrill watching your hero fly through the air, catch multi-ton planes, fight back fire with his super-breath and shoot lasers from his eyes.

 

[Collector Freak]

Batman. His Rouges Gallery alone crushes Superman.

 

[Dr.Mirakle32]

I like them about equally. Sometimes, I'm in a Batman mood, and other times, I can be in a Superman mood.

 

[chamildav]

Superman is my favorite superhero. He's just a helluva' guy. I don't know that I see anything wrong with being "The Big Blue Boy Scout". Seems like a pretty honorable title, all the more so when someone like Lex Luthor uses it as an epithet. To be honorable, brave, self sacrificing, humble, to treat others with kindness and respect, and those are a very few of his qualities, well those aren't bad things, ya know? Clark Kent/Superman is, even with his amazing abilities, is one of the most human characters in comics when written properly by authors like Kurt Busiek, Allan Moore, Geof Loeb, and others who "get it". He is an inspirational character representing the best in humanity. He isn't about vengeance and punishment. He's about Justice and mercy. He's is a protector of society, not the judge of it. Geof Loeb in his "A Superman for all Seasons" explains much better than I ever can what makes Superman such a fantastic hero. If you have a chance please read this and see what can be done with "The Man of Steel". I'd also recomend the current "Superman" and "Action Comics" currently being authored by Johns and Busiek. If you don't feel regular Superman books are never well written I think this might change your mind. Anyhoo, I'm a huge fan of Superman. The first and greatest costumed superhero.

I am a Batman fan also and have probably read more Batman than any other DC character including Superman. I became a fan of his a long time ago, back in the late sixties actually when Dennis O'Neil and Neil Adams were producing some of the best superhero comics I've read to this day. The first real attempt to paint the character as a real person in a real relatable world. All those Raj Al Ghul Ninja death-cults and crazy Sci-Fi characters they created like Man-Bat along with some interesting supernatural stuff was brilliant for the times. I read almost exclusively Marvel comics at the time but this stuff was so good it made me a fan. And no one does better sequential art to this very day than Adams. Batman is a brilliant character when written properly also. More modern stuff like Frank Millers "Batman: Year One" is excellent. Geoff Loeb and Tim Sale's "The Long Haloween", and "Dark Victory" featuring Robin are about as good as it gets. Batman is a complex and interesting character with a brilliant rogues gallery, many of those rogues being based on the creepy characters who populated the world of "Dick Tracy", and add a great deal of depth to the stories feturing Batman. Yup, I am a Batman fan too.

But "Big Blue" is number one for me.

 

[Batty]

Great post, chamildav. In some ways people underrate Superman. They think he's just a "super-hero" who can do anything. I think some forget about his humanity and compassion. He may be alien, but he was raised by two loving humans and given a strong set of human morals. Sure, he could go out and kill all the bad guys, stop wars and bring world peace, but nothing is that easy or so black and white.

I agree that "A Superman for all Seasons" is a must read. It's a beautiful piece of work.

 

[chamildav]

Thanks, Batty. It would have been a better post if I'd edited for grammar and spelling. I need to proof read this stuff before I post.
I agree that a tendency does exist for underating Superman. Or overating depending on how you say it. A big knock is his "god-like" powers. Well, he isn't a god, he's a man with amazing abilities and he uses them to protect and serve the rest of humanity, not for conquest or self agrandisement. What's not to like about this guy. I do agree though a good deal of lousy story telling has been done in Superman stories. But he's a great character.

Does anyone read DC's "Solo" title? It features different noteworthy comic artists work and was published bi-monthly. I say "was" because it's just been cancelled. A shame. If you ever see it pick up the issue featuring Tim Sale. I love his work anyway, but among other tales in this issue he has a couple of very clever stories, one featuring Batman and Catwoman on a "date", and another featuring a young "The Man of Tomorrow" written by Loeb, taking place before before he'd become Superman, in a very nice vignette as told by his mom. Great stuff.

 

[Batty]

Thanks, Batty. It would have been a better post if I'd edited for grammar and spelling. I need to proof read this stuff before I post.

I wouldn't worry about grammar and spelling. You can tell by most of my posts!

I'm disappointed about Solo being canceled. I loved it. 48 pages with no ads by top artists. Maybe the cover price scared some people off. It's really too bad.

 

[figuremaster_les]

BATMAN.
Always has been.

But, I have to admit, in recent years, Old Supes has gained a lot of ground.

I think of Batman and Superman, in a social movement manner that is, the same way I do the Bela Lugosi Dracula and Karloff Frankenstein. Both sets originated in the 1930's just after the Pulps, and just when the medias of comics were emerging and Film was newly talking, and was re-inventing itself...
And it seems a time when completely new visual imageries were taking root in the social concience. Both Frank and Drac came out in 1931, forever changing horror imagery. Both were opposites of the same idea. Batman and Superman were 1938-39. Same thing. One was a SUPER man, and the other was a MAN that did super stuff.

Batman, like Dracula, is creepier, is tied to bats, and is "from the night" therefore, more mysterious. I like that stuff better, so I like Batman more.
Superman, like the Frankenstein Monster, is physically stronger than the normal man, and are both not men. Not human. (you could argue that also for Drac, but...work with me here...I am trying to make a point...)

Which to pick? It depends for me on what mood I am in, what the character represents to me at that time, and what that character reflects in me.

I was rebellious and angry and liked to hide from the world like a Phantom in my youth (especially at Halloween), so Batman was more appealing. And Batman is a real guy doing this dangerous crime fighting stuff, and that is odd and strange, so what better way to be rebellious?
Now, I am older, less worried what people think of me, and actually appreciate the coming of age and finding of ones true self type of story that seems to be the ultimate tale of Superman. Out there in bold, primary colors, fearlessly taking care of business.

But....there will always be "the Bat"

What a great team they are though. Gotta give them both their due.

 

[Batty]

I think the real reason I prefer the Bat over Supes is because I was exposed to Batman at an early age (that doesn't sound weird, does it?). As a kid I watched the 60's series, I had the Halloween costume and it was one of the first comics I ever read. I also had this great Neil Adams puzzle that came in a coffee can. When I started to seriously start collecting comics in the early 80's, Batman was the one I started out with. Batman was just a bigger influence over me.

 

[Shai]

Batman. His Rouges Gallery alone crushes Superman.

Ha !!!! thats a first..for once I agree with CF..great statement...Batman's got the best vilains..He could kill Superman in a heartbeat.He's too smart.Geek talk, geek talk...

 

[DarkArtist81]

I have never herd such a compelling reason for someone to like Batman...Its amazing what people can take out of simple things like movies, cartoons and comics...For those with a more watchful eye, there are lessons to be learned in the places you would never look...I think that was a great post Josh, with its own little hidden lessons...to the watchful eye that is.

Thanks King.... I've just always known that if I were a rich guy with access to my own multi-million dollar company and a cave under my house... I probably would do the very same thing.

I guess that character just made sense to me and I could understand what his motives were, where he was coming from.

And great post chamildav, Superman has been superbly written as of late, and his boy scout status is definetely to be admired. He's right under Bats in my list and will always be the type of guy that everyone should aspire to be....

 

[Giant Chicken]

Batman all the way!!!!!!

I really like the new Superman movie and my wife and I have fun watching Smallville but to me the character of Superman is very generic.