In DC Comics,BatmanandSupermanmakeup two-thirds of the company’s fabled Trinity, with the differences between the two being fairly obvious to anyone with even passing knowledge of the characters. According to Frank Miller, the creator of the seminal bat-storyThe Dark Knight Returns,Batman’s brooding hero is the perfect opposite of Superman’s lighthearted savior for a specific reasonthat stems from who they are at their core and what they represent outside of the context of the comics.
Pitting the Caped Crusader and the Man of Steel against one another both physically and ideologically in1986’sThe Dark Knight Returns, Frank Miller knows a thing or two about writing these iconic DC Comics characters, with hisBatman: Year OneandSuperman: Year Onestories being well-worth the read.
Frank Miller:Superman is an apologia worrywart and he’s concerned with keeping the world from blowing itself up. Batman’s this Dionysian character who’s out for blood, and they’re perfect opposites in that Batman is the reckless ego and Superman is the fearful superego.
In arecentInverseinterviewwithJustice Leaguedirector Zack Snyder, Frank Miller expands on his relationship with Batman and Superman by directly calling out what makes them different. DescribingBatman as the “reckless ego” while Superman is the “fearful superego,”Miller succinctly nails the differences between these characters.
Batman’s “Reckless Ego” Is the Opposite to Superman’s “Fearful Superego”
According to Comic Creator Frank Miller
Talking with Snyder about therole Superman played inThe Dark Knight Returnsas the government’s “tool,” Miller takes a moment to touch on how Superman is “an apologia worrywart” concerned with stopping the world from “blowing itself up” — in this context meaning that Superman allows himself to get bossed around all for the greater good. Next describing how he views Batman as a “Dionysian character who’s out for blood,”Miller continues by saying how Bruce and Clark are “perfect opposites in that Batman is the reckless ego and Superman is the fearful superego,”an observation that Snyder agrees with.
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Obvious in their visual and personality differences, Miller posits thatBatman and Superman are oppositesin ways that aren’t easily noticeable on the surface. Well-known for his meticulous planning,Batman’s reckless ego often sees him ignore the superego’s — i.e. Superman’s — moral standards, placing Bruce in direct conflict with Clark in ways that test Batman’s own morality. Meanwhile, Superman’s fearful superego has never been a bad thing, but his always cautioning against potential dangers and then feeling a sense of guilt or fear about taking action with his immense power is a problem that Batman’s tactical mind simply wouldn’t allow.
Batman and Superman Even Each Other Out With Their Many Differences
Also explaining how “extraordinary feats come easily to Superman” — all of Clark’s incredible superpowers from flying to laser vision to his incredible super strength, were justtherewhen he arrived on Earth —Miller reiterates how Batman is cut from a different cloth being a “self-made superhero”who works tirelessly to master all aspects of his alter ego, putting an even finer point on what makes Batman the perfect opposite to Superman.BatmanandSupermancomplement each otherin ways that keep their world safe no matter the threat, but being two sides of the same coin does have its differences.
Source:Inverse
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
Superman
The icon who launched the entire world of superheroes, the last son of Krypton escaped his dying world to crash land on Earth and be raised as Clark Kent. The world knows him better as Superman, the Man of Steel, the leader of the Justice League, and the most well-known hero in the DC Comics Universe. Blessed with the powers of a demigod, Kal-El of Krypton fights enemies both small and cosmic in his endless pursuit of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.
