To get pumped for the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, we’ve been running an ultimate Batman vs. Superman bracket tournament on the DC Database. The premise is simple: 16 versions of Batman, 16 versions of Superman, each given their own bracket. Fans determine the greatest version of Batman and the greatest version of Superman, and the best one from each dukes it out in the finals.
There were a couple of ground rules we had to lay down. For example, we decided to cut out any versions of the characters that were “idealized” versions of the regular canon, like All-Star Superman and Batman of The Animated Series. Competitors had to be as distinctly different as possible. We also tried to keep the powers reasonably in-line with each other, so nobody would unfairly nuke the entire competition. At last, the results are in. Let’s see who comes out on top.
The Losers
There were a lot of crazy match-ups! I was surprised to see Adam West Batman take down Vampire Batman, but I guess he must’ve had some kind of anti-vampire spray. Powerhouse Batman One Million lost early to Green Lantern Batman, probably because nobody knows who Batman One Million is and he looks kind of dumb. Bruce Wayne of The Dark Knight Returns seemed like he would take it after beating fan-favorite Steampunk Batman, but he lost in the semi-finals.
I was very disappointed when Amish Superman lost to Medieval Superman in the first round. I don’t know why, but I’ve just always had a soft spot for that guy… maybe it’s the straw hat. Superman of At Earth’s End lost to Amalgam’s hybrid character Super-Soldier. This was just stupid because Super-Soldier spent all his time going after one Hitler, and I’m pretty sure I remember Earth’s End Superman shot at least two Hitlers. Christopher Reeve Superman looked like he might make it to the end, having already defeated the mighty Super-Squirrel, but he lost in the semi-finals.
The Finalists
Representing Batman is Terry McGinnis, also known by the name of his TV show Batman Beyond. Beginning his career in the distant future year of 2039, McGinnis is a high school student who became Batman after stumbling onto the secrets of an elderly Bruce Wayne. Using a high-tech suit designed by Bruce, he fights crime while the elder Batman gives him advice from the comfort of the Batcave. The suit gives Terry the ability to fly, has a stealth mode that turns him invisible, and also carries a vast array of weapons.
Representing Superman we have Superman-Prime, a.k.a. Superboy-Prime, the homicidal lunatic Superman of the Earth-Prime universe. Raised in a world where superheroes existed only in comics, the Clark Kent of this universe was shocked when he actually developed the powers of Superman. Superboy-Prime originally appeared as a hero and was instrumental in saving the world during Crisis on Infinite Earths, but he later went insane during Infinite Crisis after accidentally killing several of the Teen Titans. He believes the DC Universe is a corruption of what superheroes are supposed to be like, and he has no qualms brutally murdering people because they are all only comic book characters to him. He’s an over-the-top parody of the worst kinds of fanboys. In addition to the powers of Superman, Superboy-Prime wears the armor of the Anti-Monitor, carries a Sinestro Corps ring, and his future self — the Time Trapper — has the power to erase anyone from the timestream.
How They Would Fight
They would… really? Are we doing this? Terry McGinnis fighting Superboy-Prime? OK, this is hilariously mismatched, but I’ll give it a shot on how we could make this fair. Honestly, I think the bracket system kind of screwed itself here. A genius like Bruce Wayne might have a chance against a Superman, but Terry beat all of the Bruce Waynes thanks to his technically superior firepower. Likewise, any other Superman would have a conscience that works in Batman’s favor, but Superboy-Prime is a literal sociopath. Terry McGinnis is a great guy, don’t get me wrong, but, at the end of the day, he’s a high school student with a taser and above-average brawling skills. I guess… Terry… has… Kryptonite?
Yeah, Kryptonite! That’s the stuff! That’ll wipe that dumb look off his face!
Kryptonite actually doesn’t work on Superboy-Prime if it’s not from his destroyed universe.
In fact, didn’t Superboy-Prime once kill a dude by throwing Kryptonite through said man’s chest? Yes, that happened.
OK, I’m gonna take this in another direction. Terry McGinnis probably can’t go head-to-head with Superboy-Prime in a fight, but he knows how to get inside people’s heads like no other Batman. That’s how he beat the Joker, right? For someone as emotionally fragile and insecure as Superboy-Prime, that might make a huge difference. Terry does have the wisdom and budget of Bruce Wayne in his corner, so he could maybe rig a trap using red sunlight generators or magic. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt on this one.
Hmm, maybe it’s not too late to check out a life insurance policy on Batman, though.
Thanks for reading! For more information on the different versions of Batman and Superman in the DC Multiverse, check out the DC Comics Database on Wikia! Then vote for Batman or Superman in the final round of our ultimate Batman vs. Superman bracket tournament.