How Batman Would Take Down The 7 Most Powerful Justice Leaguers

As comic book fans, we all know that Batman is more than just a guy in a bat costume, right? The guy has spent his life sharpening his mind, body, and spirit until he became one of the most capable superheroes alive. He may not have powers, but the work Batman has put into himself has made it so that he actually rivals some of the most powerful people in the superhero community. In fact, as someone who doesn’t have powers, Batman has made several contingencies should his pals in the Justice League go wild.

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The classic JLA storyline “Tower of Babel” shone a light on just how prepared (and paranoid) Batman really is when it comes to his Justice League allies. All of Batman’s contingency plans are stolen and used by Ra’s al Ghul to defeat the greatest heroes on Earth. It was a shocking plot, and it did some major damage to Batman’s reputation. But it also revealed how the Dark Knight could defeat DC Comics’ most powerful heroes. Read on to discover 7 plans Batman has formulated to stop the Justice League’s finest.

7. Plastic Man

You might think Plastic Man is a joke, but the truth his, the guy is insanely powerful. Batman couldn’t risk the idea of someone like O’Brien going back to his old criminal ways so he thought up the best way to stop him. During the “Tower of Babel” storyline, Plas is flash-frozen, which makes him extremely susceptible to shattering. Which, of course, is exactly what happens, and Plastic Man is broken into hundreds of pieces. A simple solution for an overpowered hero, but it’s a good one.

6. Aquaman

Again, Aquaman might not be taken seriously by the world at large, but he is absolutely one of the most powerful Justice Leaguers. So, how would Batman take him out if needed? As seen in this story, he’s doused by Scarecrow’s fear toxin, which is altered to specifically instill intense hydrophobia in Aquaman. He can’t even drink it without reacting negatively, putting Arthur at a severe risk of dehydration and death. It’s not the flashiest contingency, but man, is it effective at hitting Aquaman where it hurts.

5. Green Lantern

With a ring that can summon anything its user imagines, it’s hard to think of a way to beat Green Lantern. But Batman thought ahead and implanted a post-hypnotic suggestion in Kyle Rayner’s mind that robbed him of his vision when using his Power Ring. He was still able to generate constructs, but had no way of knowing who or what he was hitting. Thankfully, the blindness was temporary, but for a brief time, Batman made it so that Green Lantern felt fear, impairing the use of his mighty powers.

4. The Flash

Being the Fastest Man Alive doesn’t mean much when the hero plotting a way to stop you is Batman. To stop the Flash, Batman devised a bullet that could lodge itself in the Flash and counter his vibrational frequency. The bullet, lodged in Flash’s spinal column, is designed to trigger seizures when Flash runs too fast. It’s a wild idea, but it’s enough to slow the Flash down long enough for someone else to get the drop on him. Devious on Batman’s part, but incredibly clever.

3. Martian Manhunter

Tragically, the first person to fall victim to Batman’s planned countermeasures was Martian Manhunter, who got one of the most painful contingencies conceived. J’onn is doused with seemingly harmless dust, which contains nanite machines that convert his skin into magnesium, making the normally resilient hero burst into flame. As fans of the hero know, fire is Martian Manhunter’s biggest weakness, and it wasn’t until Wonder Woman and Flash recovered their friend that he had nearly burnt himself to a crisp. It was wildly horrifying and makes one wonder why Batman would ever think of such a plan.

2. Wonder Woman

Let’s face it, Wonder Woman is one of the greatest heroes around. Batman had to get creative with his plan for Dian, and instead of working on something physical, he went for a mental approach. He devised a virtual reality scenario where Wonder Woman faces off against an unbeatable (but not real) opponent, with the idea that she would never give up and keep fighting until she died. It was clever and played on Wonder Woman’s fighting spirit, turning one of her best assets against herself.

1. Superman

Forget green kryptonite, as Batman had a better plan in mind using the irradiated rock’s unpredictable cousin, red kryptonite. With the transformative effects of red kryptonite, Superman’s skin becomes transparent, causing him intense harm and overloading his system with direct contact with solar radiation, overwhelming the Man of Steel. It’s way more effective than green kryptonite, and it incapacitates Clark without ending his life. Batman’s probably thought of dozens of ways to stop Superman, and this is one of the most productive (for the villains who use it, at least).

What’s your favorite contingency Batman’s got in mind to stop the Justice League’s members? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!