Current Events > Hot Take: Superman is more relatable than Batman.

(+) Yeah! (+)

I know the general consensus being that people can't relate to Superman because he's an overpowered alien god, while Batman is a regular dude.

But I say Superman is more relatable because his story deals with him being an (literal) outsider trying to find his place and his purpose in this world. Even as an established beacon of hope, he still struggles with his identity with ideas like being this all powerful being essentially living in a "paper world" and if Earth is better off without him. I think that's a coming-of-age story that most everyone can say they've been through in some point of their lives in some form or another. Especially people of the "nerd" variety that comics have always been stereotyped to have targeted for so long. Meanwhile Batman is a billionaire, playboy, sociopath. So relatable.
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I don't buy that Batman is just a regular guy. He's always done stuff that would be impossible for the average human
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People say Batman doesn't have powers but unlimited resources seems like a super power to me.
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Yeah I relate more to the country boy from Kansas who loves his Mom and Dad and marries a fiesty redhead than I do some creepy billionaire who holes himself up in his mansion and beats up poor people.

In all seriousness though, that's why I've always loved the modern take on Superman where there's three distinct identities: Kal-El, Metropolis Clark, and Smallville Clark, with the last one being his "true" self. He's just an intensely relatable and lovable person.

Superman: Birthright is a GOAT comic because of this
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MakoReizei posted...

I don't buy that Batman is just a regular guy. He's always done stuff that would be impossible for the average human

Because he's a textbook Gary Stu.
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Does anyone actually relate to Batman? People just generally find him more interesting.
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Doom_Art posted...

Yeah I relate more to the country boy from Kansas who loves his Mom and Dad and marries a fiesty redhead than I do some creepy billionaire who holes himself up in his mansion and beats up poor people.

In all seriousness though, that's why I've always loved the modern take on Superman where there's three distinct identities: Kal-El, Metropolis Clark, and Smallville Clark, with the last one being his "true" self. He's just an intensely relatable and lovable person.

Superman: Birthright is a GOAT comic because of this

+25
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Doom_Art posted...

Yeah I relate more to the country boy from Kansas who loves his Mom and Dad and marries a fiesty redhead than I do some creepy billionaire who holes himself up in his mansion and beats up poor people.

Lois Lane has black hair, not red hair.
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Neither are relatable. Batman just has good villains, actual character development, and good videogames while Superman doesn't on all three fronts.
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AmericaTheBrave posted...

Does anyone actually relate to Batman? People just generally find him more interesting.

He's the text book anti-hero trope.
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AmericaTheBrave posted...

Lois Lane has black hair, not red hair.

it's auburn
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The only person who can relate to Batman is Superman, because both their moms' names are Martha
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lilORANG posted...

The only person who can relate to Batman is Superman, because both their moms' names are Martha

wHy DiD yOu SaY tHaT nAmE!?!?
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lilORANG posted...

The only person who can relate to Batman is Superman, because both their moms' names are Martha

You know Thomas Wayne and Thomas Curry also share the same first name but nobody mentioned that with Aquaman.

Not that Martha actually being used as a plot point was anything close to a competent idea, but two people having the same name isn't that weird.
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Superman: Save..... Martha....
Batman: Why did you say that name?!?
Superman: ... 's Vineyard. I love that island.
Batman: ...
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The_Ivory_Man posted...

lilORANG posted...

The only person who can relate to Batman is Superman, because both their moms' names are Martha

You know Thomas Wayne and Thomas Curry also share the same first name but nobody mentioned that with Aquaman.

Not that Martha actually being used as a plot point was anything close to a competent idea, but two people having the same name isn't that weird.

It does make some sense in theory. Where it totally fails is execution. Its so laughably bad its hilarious that anyone was reading that part of the script and thought yeah, this is fine

Seeing Superman being motivated by the love of his parents humanizes an alien character that Batman had been treating as a monster the whole movie.

But what kind of person calls their parents by their given name? How many people in that situation would say Save Martha! as if the other person knew who the hell that was?

>_>
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MakoReizei posted...

I don't buy that Batman is just a regular guy. He's always done stuff that would be impossible for the average human

__aCEr__ posted...

People say Batman doesn't have powers but unlimited resources seems like a super power to me.

So is James Bond.

I've seen him do some things.

And he doesn't even count as a Super Hero.
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Doom_Art posted...

Yeah I relate more to the country boy from Kansas who loves his Mom and Dad and marries a fiesty redhead than I do some creepy billionaire who holes himself up in his mansion and beats up poor people.

In all seriousness though, that's why I've always loved the modern take on Superman where there's three distinct identities: Kal-El, Metropolis Clark, and Smallville Clark, with the last one being his "true" self. He's just an intensely relatable and lovable person.

Superman: Birthright is a GOAT comic because of this

This sums up my thoughts nearly entirely.

I'd likle to add through that there's also a spot in my heart for the Messianic interpretation of Superman from All-Star Superman. In that one humanity is something he understands but can no longer identify with. He his Superman first, Clark Kent second. Still his love of Earth is strong, and that story sees him spending his last days propping up humanity's future and inspiring the right people to step up. That imagine of Superman convincing that teen not to commit suicide is perfect.

The throughline in both of these interpretations is that Clark Kent/Superman has a big heart and he invests it in other people. Any Superman story that can keep that front and center for Superman's motivations is doing better than 90% of all comics IMO.
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I like Superman more as well.

To me .. Batman seems like an edgelord.

Wears all Black.
Growls when he speaks.
Tries to be a loner.
Hurts the people around him.
If you don't agree with him he can make you out to be the worse things ever.

And what is worse it seems like the more edgelordly they make him the more people like him. Like BvS Batman was horrible murderous psychopath. And people were like... yeah that is the best Batman ever.
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