Batman verses Superman

(SPOILER ALERT)With the end of the Dark Knight trilogy this summer and the initial trailer for the Christopher Nolan version of Superman I've come across a long standing argument between comic book readers and super hero lovers.  Who is better?  Batman or Superman?  When I was a kid I always liked watching the Superman.  Now though, I think I like Batman better.  Over the years I've still enjoyed watching Superman cartoons but have to say that Batman has won me over.  Even the cartoons.  Especially Batman Beyond.


I actually enjoy watching Batman Beyond more then the original Batman cartoon.  That said the original is always the best.

When it comes to Superman how is it that we are the only ones who know that Clark Kent is just wearing glasses.  Is Lois Lane really that stupid?  I've always wondered how how oblivious a ""smart" reporter like Lois Lane could miss the fairly obvious fact that her coworker was just Superman in a suit and tie. 

The Dark Knight Trilogy is by far the best adaptation of Batman ever done and is my favorite.  While life is considerably more depressing at times one thing I have noticed is that Batman has much more fun then Superman.  I mean what can you really do with a cape?  If you recall in The Incredibles the cape was a big problem.  Superheros kept getting sucked up into jet engines.  (Of course Batman has a cape but that is not his main mode of transportation and most of the time he's either on the ground and is always away from jet engines.)   You'd think that being an alien from another world Superman's parents would have planned for him to have a little extra spending money.  He does have the "Fortress of Solitude."  Can't he ask for a raise in his allowance?  .  That said, even without money Superman could use that  super brain of his and build super toys.  Oh wait. He doesn't need to because nothing can beat him.  See, that's the problem.  How many times can The Daily Planet  run that story?  In theory, you should only be able to get away with that once.  After that it's old news.

Now, If you look at the list of Bat Toys you've got the car (the Tumbler beats every Batmobile EVER hands down!), the motorcycle, and what I suppose you could call a Bat hovercraft/jet.  Bottom line.  It flies and it's awesome!    And we can't forget the utility belt.  Bruce Wayne being a "billionaire playboy" certainly has it's perks when it comes to gadgets. 

There really isn't much to Superman other then the fact that he has super strength and has to stay away from kryptonite.  As much as I enjoyed watching Christopher Reeves as Superman when it comes down to it there really isn't all that much about Superman that's all that appealing.  Although he does get the girl.  But then again, they all do.  I don't recall any Superman having any big moral revelations other then the fact that he needed to control his speed.

Batman on the other hand is human which means he can fail.  He will fail.  In every movie Christopher Nolan movie he did fail. In fact The Dark Knight Rises opens eight years after the last movie and Batman took the fall for the murder of Harvey Dent.  Not much of a super hero, but very human.  As his Dad tells him in Batman Begins, "Why do we fall Bruce?  So we can learn to pick ourselves up."    That says something.  He can learn.  And he might not be Batman when he does it.  That is an important lesson in and of itself.  So while Superman flies around the earth, slowing it down to save Lois Lane, Batman (or maybe Bruce Wayne) will be teaching us why it is important to be the little engine that could.  Superman might have super strength but my money is on Batman.  He has to find a way to beat Superman.  That's what makes him the better superhero and the better man.  But that's just me.