5 Things Batman Does Better Than Superman, and They’re Not What You’d Expect

Batman and Superman are two of DC’s greatest heroes. They were the first two major superheroes in the publisher’s history and they’ve played a huge role in inspiring every hero that has came after them. Batman and Superman are looked at in very different ways, each of them having very different MOs that have helped define who they are as heroes. In a lot of ways, you could say that they are very much the opposite of each other; Bats is the darkness and Supes is the light. While both of them do a lot of same things, their different methods have made it seem like they are less similar than they are.

Batman has to deal with things that Superman could not even fathom. He’s had to grow in directions that the Man of Steel hasn’t, leading to him doing some things better than his best friend over in Metropolis. While there are loads of things that Supes does better than Bats, it’s not everything; the Dark Knight doesn’t have the power, but he does have the goods in other ways. Batman does these five things better than Superman, showing why the world still needs him.

5) Training Young Heroes

The Bat-Family is ridiculously formidable and that’s all because of Batman. Sure, all of them worked hard to get where they are and brought unique skills to the table, but it’s Bruce Wayne who was able to forge them into the greatest group of vigilantes in the DC Multiverse. Over the years, Bruce was trained by some of the best in the world and he’s brought all of that to his training of the Bat-Family. He’s constantly pushing them further than they thought they could go, showing them that their weaknesses are only in their head. He’s gotten amazing at finding talented individuals who will not only survive his training but thrive. While they all complain about him at times, each and everyone of them know that without his training, they never would have reached the levels they have. Superman is great at inspiring people, but he rarely actually does any kind of training with other heroes. Batman has been able to take numerous people and forge them into something better than they were before in a way that Supes just can’t.

4) Long-Term Planning

Batman has become known for one thing above all the rest in recent years – his planning skills. The myth of “prep time” has become a hallmark of every Batman conversation out there – he’s known for his ability to come up with a plan to beat anyone. However, as great as he is at coming up with quick plans that would work, he’s even better at long term planning. The best example of this is the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh. Bruce decided to create a back-up persona just in case his enemies were able to beat him mentally. While it eventually blew up in his face, it shows the way that Batman plans things. He comes up with plans for anything, figuring out ways to deal with situations over long periods of time. Superman is honestly a better planner than you think – just because he’s all-powerful, that doesn’t mean he just falls back on his powers constantly – but he he’s not all that great with long term planning. Batman is always making plans for the future, just in case, ready for any terrible thing out there.

3) He’s Better at Using Violence

This one might seem like a no-brainer, since Superman is known for not wanting to use violence at all to solve most of his problems. However, Supes is actually pretty great at using violence, or at least the threat of violence against his foes. Think about it – no one wants to deal with someone as powerful as Superman. He’s used the fear of his powers numerous times to get information that he needed. Of course, there’s a problem with that – if someone calls Supes’ bluff, he’s not going to do it. Batman doesn’t have that problem. The Dark Knight is known for being a more violent hero, but the thing about it is that he knows how to use violence better than most. He knows when to use threats, he knows when to follow through on his threats, and he knows various methods that will always work. He’s also smart enough to know that sometimes, the threat of violence is better than actual violence. Batman faces the most violent villains out there, so he’s had to tailor his approach to dealing with villains who use violence like others drink water. He’s smarter about his use of violence than it seems and much better at using it than Superman.

2) Is a Better Inventor

This is another one that might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s actually not. Superman’s super-intelligence is often downplayed compared to his other powers. This started in the post-Crisis reboot of the character. Back in the old days, Superman would often be working in the Fortress of Solitude, using Kryptonian tech as the basis for numerous inventions, like Superman robots. In recent years, some creators remember that Superman is one of the smartest people on Earth, but it’s not as commonly brought into his stories. However, even with his super-intellect and access to alien technologies of all kind (he can literally fly anywhere and get whatever he needs from any alien race), Batman is still way better at inventing than Supes is. He’s created weapons and armor that even up the odds with the most powerful heroes and villains out there, and is constantly tinkering with his technology to take it in new, better directions. Supes is a great inventor, but Batman is just plain better.

1) He’s the Superior Detective

Superman is a better detective than he gets credit for. His superpowers make him a walking, talking crime lab; he can analyze anything and has the knowledge to figure out what various things mean. He can identify chemicals by sight and smell, can count DNA molecules, and see fingerprints anywhere. He’s dealt with numerous criminals over the years and has been able to find evidence to put them in prison, showing that he’s a great detective. However, there are times when he brings in Batman because he knows that Bats is the superior detective. While Superman is a mobile crime lab, he doesn’t have the knowledge that Batman has. One of the big reasons for this is because of their difference in the way they work. Supes is able to see anything, but he doesn’t know everything because he didn’t have to learn it, it’s just something he can do. The Dark Knight has the knowledge and experience to see things that the Man of Steel can’t. He’s had to work harder to get where he is and this has made him the better detective.

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