Byrne Robotics: Q4JB: Batman vs. Spider-Man

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Topic: Q4JB: Batman vs. Spider-Man - Who wins? (

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Stephen Robinson
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Posted: 14 January 2015 at 4:28pm \| IP Logged \| 1

"ninja" Batman was part of a ninja fad that never ended. It's interesting
because Miller's Daredevil was the ninja, and Miller himseld didn't add
those elements to his Batman, though others did.

The acrobatics and martial arts we see Batman having mastered would
imply that his training began not long after his parents died. The
detective work would be most of his teens, but even incarnations of
Sherlock Holmes don't go into too much detail on his training in that
area. He's just brilliant.

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Peter Martin
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Posted: 14 January 2015 at 5:23pm \| IP Logged \| 2

Batman is still in his physical prime and therefore is 31 tops. I would figure him as just turned 30. He's not young enough to be impetuous or inexperienced, nor old enough to be in any stage of natural physical decline.

In terms of Spider-Man vs Batman, I would see Spider-Man winning just because he is so much physically stronger, faster and has his Spider-Sense to counter any of Bruce's planning/traps/cunning surprises.

Edited by Peter Martin on 14 January 2015 at 5:24pm

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Brian O'Neill
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Posted: 14 January 2015 at 11:28pm \| IP Logged \| 3

Except Batman could come up with either a special gas, or some mechanical device, that could nullify the spider-sense.(Assuming Batman would add Spider-Man, or any other Marvel character, to that file he compiled on contingency plans to take out the JLA if they ever 'turned')

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Peter Martin
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Posted: 15 January 2015 at 8:06am \| IP Logged \| 4

That sounds like special pleading. Presumably he could come up with a device to nullify anyone's powers and could defeat anyone.

How does Batman even know about his Spider-sense?

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John Byrne
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Posted: 15 January 2015 at 1:58pm \| IP Logged \| 5

How does Batman even know about his Spider-sense?

��

One of the things the old TV series got right was that Batman undoubtedly keeps up to date computer files on friends and foes alike. If he's stayed abreast of Spider-Man's adventures, he's probably seen enough reports to deduce the wallcrawler has some kind of "sixth sense" that warns him of danger.

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Michael Penn
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Posted: 15 January 2015 at 2:15pm \| IP Logged \| 6

I will just share an opinion I had some time ago and JB's response:

Me:

Spider-Man is ten-men-strong, super-fast, climbs walls, leaps stories, performs ordinarily impossible gymnastics and has his defensive "Spider-Sense" and his multi-purpose webs to boot. To me Captain America is about the most noble superhero ever created and I would take no pleasure in seeing him lose, but, straight-out, Cap versus Spider-Man, really... no contest.

JB:

Yes -- Spider-Man would lose.

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Peter Martin
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Posted: 15 January 2015 at 3:20pm \| IP Logged \| 7

So he watches news reports on the Marvel universe?

Edited to add: which is to say, the Batman wins by virtue of preparation argument seems to be predicated on a reasonably specific context (that they exist in the same universe and Batman has been aware of Spider-Man for some time and that something as internal and not easily observed as the Spider-sense has been observed... and then Batman finds a way to neutralise it in a way that, say, Dr Doom has not been able to do), which makes it seem like special pleading to me.

Edited by Peter Martin on 15 January 2015 at 3:24pm

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John Byrne
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Posted: 15 January 2015 at 3:56pm \| IP Logged \| 8

So he watches news reports on the Marvel universe?

��

For Batman and Spider-Man to meet, the encounter would have to take place in the same reality as the first Superman/Spider-Man. In other words, a shared universe.

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Peter Martin
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Posted: 15 January 2015 at 4:38pm \| IP Logged \| 9

I would agree that a shared universe would be the best way to depict such a meeting, but I don't see that this is the only way it could happen -- the JLA met the Avengers without such a requirement.

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John Byrne
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Posted: 15 January 2015 at 5:02pm \| IP Logged \| 10

I would agree that a shared universe would be the best way to depict such a meeting, but I don't see that this is the only way it could happen -- the JLA met the Avengers without such a requirement.

��

But that, in my not even remotely humble opinion, was fan-wankery of the worst kind, stuffed to bursting with useless trivia. The original SUPERMAN vs THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN set a perfect matrix, one I have done my best to follow.

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Robert Bradley
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Posted: 15 January 2015 at 5:18pm \| IP Logged \| 11

But that, in my not even remotely humble opinion, was fan-wankery of the worst kind, stuffed to bursting with useless trivia.

* * * * * *

Yes, but it was so well-drawn it was worth it.

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Peter Martin
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Posted: 15 January 2015 at 5:56pm \| IP Logged \| 12

-----------------------------------------------------

I'm right with you in so far as Superman vs ASM was a more natural, more accessible and simply better approach than the over-thinking of JLA/Avengers... but the latter does mean Batman would not HAVE to share a universe with Spider-Man in order for them to meet.

I mean, this whole discussion does fit under the heading of trivial -- sometimes fans like to have a little discussion that doesn't amount to a whole hill of beans.

I think perhaps the original question might be better couched as 'Which could you more easily envisage: a story in which x beats y or a story in which y beats x?'

The unornamented 'who would win in a fight between x and y' does, to me, suggest a straight dust-up, which lends itself to the one with the superior power set.

For example... I can more easily envisage a story in which the FF beat Galactus than the other way round, because (a) I've seen it several times before and (b) they are heroes, and we expect heroes to find a way to win.

But, who would win a fight between the FF and Galactus? I'd go with Galactus.

So, can I easily envisage a story in which Batman beats Spider-Man? Yes.

Who do I think wins if they have a scrap? Spider-Man.

Edited by Peter Martin on 15 January 2015 at 5:59pm

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