As a longtime fan of the dynamic duo, I must say that watching Batman get his fair share of beatdowns from his allies is quite a spectacle. It’s a stark reminder that even the World’s Greatest Detective isn’t invincible and has faced some tough fights, even when they come from unexpected corners.
Despite appearing comical at times, the team, which includes a Kryptonian, a warrior princess, and a space cop powered by a cosmic lantern, is no match for the one clad in a bat costume. Surprisingly, or not, this caped crusader can intimidate them all with equal, if not greater, ease. Given his history of subduing villains stronger than himself and even overpowering fellow superheroes on various occasions, it’s hardly surprising.
Known for being trained by the League of Shadows and skilled at exploiting enemies’ vulnerabilities, the premier vigilante of Gotham has proven repeatedly that he can stand toe-to-toe with any supernatural danger that arises. However, it’s worth noting that there have been instances where Batman has faced off against his fellow heroes or members of the DC Comics universe, and those battles did not end in his favor. No clever plan or strategic use of bat-themed devices led to victory; instead, Batman was defeated, resulting in an early retreat for the Dark Knight.
Such is the danger of a superhero with no superpowers being hit with a fantastical dose of reality. But just how bad have the Bat beatings been during his time as one of DC’s premiere heroes? Who among DC’s company of crime fighters didn’t see eye-to-eye with Bruce Wayne’s alter-ego and have to knock him on his butt, and what were the repercussions of these altercations? Well, here are a select few occasions when that happened, and that iconic cowl was just barely enough to hide Bruce Wayne’s embarrassment at being absolutely schooled.
Green Lantern gave Batman a fresh one
Throughout his life, Batman has occasionally clashed with an ancient group dedicated to upholding peace, who wield light as their primary weapon. In a memorable incident, even the esteemed Green Lantern, one of the greatest among them, managed to subdue Batman in front of the entire Justice League and some renowned corpsmen.
In the comic “Green Lantern: Rebirth” written by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver, a confrontation broke out among the Justice League members when Bruce expressed his worries about Hal Jordan’s resurrection. Considering that the last time Hal was alive, he had been corrupted by the malevolent being Parallax and attempted to annihilate all existence, Batman harbored concerns about whether history would repeat itself.
Within mere moments after their reunion, Batman accused Hal “Highball” Jordan of continuing to pose a threat as the globe faced crisis. However, Jordan swiftly resolved the issue by tossing Batman a new ring. This action demonstrated that Hal had returned to his former self, easing the concerns of his fellow allies and earning Bruce a well-deserved right hook for harboring doubts about him.
Jason Todd got the jump on his former mentor
In the comic “Batman: Under the Hood,” it’s debatable if Jason Todd, the once-boy wonder who returned to Gotham City, was a hero. After being killed in 1988’s “A Death in the Family” and resurrected, Jason spent almost two decades seeking revenge against Batman. His relentless pursuit led to numerous fights between them. In the climactic chapter of their conflict, Jason presented Batman with a difficult choice: whether to kill the Joker or not, which was a grueling confrontation for Bruce.
Through most of the ordeal, Batman managed to emerge with only minor injuries, but it’s clear that the events took a significant psychological toll on him. This journey compelled our hero to confront his guilt directly as it miraculously returned from the dead. The resurrection led Jason to employ harsher, more ruthless crime-fighting tactics, methods that contradicted everything Batman had taught him. This was yet another blow for our hero to endure.
In the struggle over Jason’s destiny, it was undeniably Batman who emerged as the vanquished. His loss paved the way for a new character to emerge, one whose blows would forever be harder and more ruthless than any other member of the Bat-team, even though he was eventually reaccepted into their group in later years.
Superman has to squash the Bat beef far too many times
As a hardcore DC fan, let me tell you, even though Superman is one of the most formidable characters in the DC Universe, it seems Batman still believes he can stand toe-to-toe with the Last Son of Krypton. Over the years, there have been numerous encounters between Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne, with their fight in “The Dark Knight Returns” by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson being a memorable one – a battle that greatly influenced “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” which left quite an impact on Hollywood. However, no matter how many high-tech gadgets I have at my disposal or how many contingency plans within plans, it’s clear that even on the gloomiest days, I’m no match for an extraterrestrial like Superman who draws his power from our very own sun. There’s plenty of evidence to support this, some of which is almost cringe-worthy.
In a memorable moment, fans frequently remember when Miller depicted Bruce receiving a chokehold from Clark, but even then, the Man of Steel inflicted damage on him and at other instances throughout DC Universe lore. For instance, in Mark Millar and Dave Johnson’s “Superman: Red Son,” Batman attempted to sacrifice himself to take down Russia’s formidable weapon, though he ultimately failed. In DC’s main continuity, the popular “Hush” storyline by Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee depicted a situation where Poison Ivy manipulated Superman, putting Bruce in a difficult position. However, with Catwoman’s help and Lois Lane as bait to break Superman free from Ivy’s control, he managed to (at least) reduce the intense beating he was receiving from his crime-fighting ally.
Wonder Woman took Batman down and still lost in her own way
Frequently, overconfidence and lack of knowledge are Batman’s most formidable adversaries. In “Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia”, this enemy surfaced when Princess Diana confronted Batman directly – quite literally. Another clash that belongs in the category of “Doubting Thomas, Batman?” arises when Batman faces off against his long-time ally, Wonder Woman. This occurs when she vows to protect a woman named Danielle Wellys, who has murdered out of revenge. Given Batman’s familiarity with such complexities, he attempts to bring the woman to justice despite her pleas or any intricacies involved in the situation.
In the epic tale by Greg Rucka and J.G. Jones, Batman receives a severe and harsh beating at the hands of the warrior princess. Determined to safeguard the woman she has vowed to protect, she delivers the beating. However, during this confrontation, the emotional burden becomes too much for Danielle, causing her to tragically jump off a bridge to her death while Wonder Woman is still keeping Batman restrained. This heartbreaking event could have been prevented if only Batman’s close-mindedness symbolized by pointed ears had taken the time to listen to his longtime friend Diana. Occasionally, Batman’s unwavering devotion to justice can lead to wrong decisions.
Batman got a beating from his boy, Nightwing
Opt to team up as one-half of DC’s iconic duo, but be prepared for potential work disputes. Many trainees under the Batman have experienced friction with their mentors, including the original Robin, Dick Grayson, also known as Nightwing. However, it wasn’t until later in his career when he was already operating independently that he engaged in a physical altercation with Batman – and managed to emerge victorious.
2014’s “Nightwing” #30 showcased a fierce, no-holds-barred fight between Bruce and Dick. Bruce was pushing Dick to his limits for a mission he knew Dick could handle. The encounter escalated into an extremely violent clash, with Dick delivering several powerful blows to Batman. However, it wasn’t until Batman exerted intense pressure and referred to Dick as “boy” that Nightwing reached his breaking point, enabling him to deliver the decisive blow.
To Bruce, I wasn’t his kid, not in the sense he wanted me to be. After an intense battle, I knocked down the Dark Knight, showing I could rise to the challenge he and my father-figure expected of me. It was a harsh lesson, one that Nightwing still regrets, but since it was Bruce who pushed me, fans found it easy to forgive me. Looking back, maybe a “please” would have been enough, but in the heat of the moment, I didn’t see another way.
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2024-09-21 17:00