Warning! Spoilers ahead for Batman/Superman #8
Is it possible that Batman is better equipped to take down classic Superman rival General Zod than Superman himself? Batman/Superman #8 seems to provide the answer.
While the initial quick answer would most likely be having Superman as the obvious best candidate, there are some points that can be made in Batman's favor which are highlighted in the issue. Going past the typical evidence such as strength and powers, Batman proves in this issue that there is more than one way to stop a threat besides one's fists and/or physical abilities.
Related: Batman's JEALOUS of Superman, But Not Why You Think
Batman/Superman #8 is a continuation of an arc from the previous issue, where Zod has taken the bottled and miniaturized lost city of Kandor. He then placed the city in one of R'as Al Ghul's Lazarus Pits in order to revive the Kryptonian city. Batman and Superman temporarily join forces with Al Ghul, but they are too late to stop the resurrection. The still miniature Kandorians are revived but become affected by the pit, attacking Zod, Al Ghul, Batman, and Superman indiscriminately with mindless fury. Zod doesn't care, only desiring that his brothers and sisters live again no matter the cost. After they manage to rebottle the resurrected and crazed Kandorians, R'as Al Ghul takes a merciless and drastic measure by damaging the bottled city with his sword, forcing Superman to retreat to his Fortress of Solitude in order to save them. Enraged by Al Ghul's actions, Zod lifts Al Ghul up into the air by his throat, forcing Batman to try and intervene.
Batman/Superman #8 shows why Batman is uniquely suited to deal with Zod. Not necessarily in beating him up and taking him down physically (though Batman could probably hold his own given his experience fighting Superman). Instead, Batman is able to do something that Superman would struggle with: the ability to relate to Zod's rage. Batman tells Zod that he understands how loss can drive a person to extremes. He also tells Zod that he can imagine how he must have felt when Krypton and Kandor were lost. Batman then goes on to tell Zod that killing R'as won't accomplish anything, least of all bring his people back or give him peace. Zod concedes and leaves the planet to reunite with his family on Jekkul, reinstating the temporary truce he has in place with Superman.
What's really interesting is that Superman later admits to Batman that his relation to Zod's anger is something that Superman could never do. Stopping the bad guys doesn't always have to result in a beat down, and it's nice to see Batman lean into this concept more than usual. It's also pretty enjoyable to see shake-ups between hero and villain matchups, with departures from the usual rosters. Perhaps Batman/Superman will continue this trend? Fans will have to wait and see when the next issue releases.
Batman/Superman #8 is on sale now.
from ScreenRant - Feed https://ift.tt/2V5K9SX
0 Comments