Superman or Batman Poll

[Laughablefellow]

Ok, some of you are thinking "what??? This is a LITERATURE forum. We have no room for comic-strip super heroes here!" Well, to you I say "Cursed be he (or she) that thinks graphic novels arn't literature!" And also "Bite my bag, you!" So on to the debate!

100% agree that graphic novels are a completely valid form of Literature! So much so that I applied to write my dissertation on them, I even got the proposal accepted but then the only lecturer who came close to being a specialist decided to take "research leave" and I had to switch to a second choice option about Shakespeare. Some graphic novels have amazingly profound messages, religious (Ross Kingdom Come), political (Moore V for Vendetta and psychological (Morrison's Arkham Assylum). Just 'cos it's got pictures doesnt mean it's not capable of depth, brilliant prose or just being damn entertaining.

As for the debate: Superman has an amazing attraction - being able to fly, being invulnerable, faster than a speeding bullet. I think Supes is who everyone wants to be, but Batman is just such a better character, he's the comic book Sherlock Holmes, the greatest detective on Earth, a genius, a martial arts expert and boy does he have issues. He's got a lot more depth than Superman and his at times ambiguous morality make his stories (75%) of the time the better ones, for example: Frank Miller's Dark Knight stories, the Hush series, aformentioned Arkham Assylum, he's also a great character in Kingdom Come and of course Moor's Killing Joke. Can't wait for the new film btw!

[Bakiryu]

Batman is way better than superman. he's human in first place and yet he's able to do all that amazing stuff. plus, he's so dark and brooding!

[Remarkable]

Batman had always a kind of magic on me.He attracted me a lot(still does)and I felt close to him in a way.Most of all,because he is true.He is not the incarnation of pity and goodnes,but also not a cold-blodded criminal.We,after all,have a part of Batman in us.

[amalia1985]

BATMAN to the bones!!!
What could be better than Christian Bale....

[LadyWentworth]

BATMAN to the bones!!!What could be better than Christian Bale....

Oh, you and your Christian Bale!

As much as I love Batman, I still prefer Superman. I honestly never really could figure out why. When I was a kid I wanted everything to be Superman. I just always liked him so much better. Maybe it was because I thought Christopher Reeve was cute as Clark Kent!

Still, though, going for the actual comic, I preferred to read about Superman's heroics over Batman. I will say, though, that Batman always had the better villains! But I suppose whose villains were better is a completely different topic all together.

By the way, 189 days until "The Dark Knight"!

[RobinHood3000]

Brooding, brooding, all he does is brood. Green Arrow has a LIFE.

[pussnboots]

Superman is my man. He can leap tall buildings in a single bound, I can't remember the rest. He didn't use any gadgets to catch the bad people. Althiugh I thought the batmobile was cool.

[RobinHood3000]

Look!

Up in the sky!

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's...SUPERMAN!!

Faster than a speeding bullet!! Stronger than a locomotive!! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!! Able to wear red underwear and not have his masculinity questioned!! THE MAN OF STEEL!!

Well, something like that.

[pussnboots]

In response to being able to wear red underwear and not have his masculinity questioned, I must say the original superman(George Reeves) looked pretty darn good in those tights.

[cquirke]

Ok, some of you are thinking "what??? This is a LITERATURE forum. We have no room for comic-strip super heroes here!"

Frustrating poll, because for me, "comics" didn't stop there. My fave comic is The Watchmen, and I'd love to see a similar poll between Dr Manhatten and Rorsarch (sp?)...

The Dark Knight takes it for me. He has a sinister dark side which makes him more realistic as a person

Hmm... you'll loooove The Watchmen :-)

Unlike most post-"comic" graphic novels, The Watchmen doesn't try to distance itself from the "pulp super-hero" generation - instead, in embraces the concepts and artwork (even paying homage to pre-superhero "pirate" comics) and takes them further, putting really dark and warty flesh on the bones. Don't expect it to be a quick one-off read, though - it rewards all the attention you can pay.

[MorpheusSandman]

Batman has far more potential for depth and complexity. I rather like the psychoanalytical interpretation of Batman's world that all the villains are drawn from his own psychosis (The Joker being the purest form of that).

[book_jones]

I've always been a Marvel Comics guy, but I went with Batman because he has a more interesting and versatile story. He has been effective both as a comedic figure and as a deadly serious psychological character.

[Christophe]

For me, it's simple. Batman because he is flawed.

[clumsy angelle]

I like Batman more than Superman because he is more humane and real...

[princesspoppi]

Definitely Batman, there is something just so cheesy and lame about Superman...and really, undies on the outside - *shakes head*