Batman Is the Perfect Opposite of Superman, And One of DC's Best Writers Knows Why

In DC Comics, Batman and Superman makeup 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-story The Dark Knight Returns, Batman’s brooding hero is the perfect opposite of Superman’s lighthearted savior for a specific reason that 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 in 1986’s The Dark Knight Returns, Frank Miller knows a thing or two about writing these iconic DC Comics characters, with his Batman: Year One and Superman: Year One stories being well-worth the read.

In a recent Inverse interview with Justice League director Zack Snyder, Frank Miller expands on his relationship with Batman and Superman by directly calling out what makes them different. Describing Batman 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 the role Superman played in The Dark Knight Returns as 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.

Obvious in their visual and personality differences, Miller posits that Batman and Superman are opposites in 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 just there when 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. Batman and Superman complement each other in 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

Created By

Bob Kane, Bill Finger

First Appearance

Detective Comics

Alias

Bruce Wayne

Alliance

Justice League, Outsiders, Batman Family

Race

Human

Franchise

D.C.

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.

FIRST APP

Detective Comics #27 (1939)

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Superman

Created By

Joe Shuster, Jerry Siegel

First Appearance

Action Comics

Alias

Kal-El, Clark Kent, Jonathan Kent

Alliance

Justice League, Superman Family

Race

Kryptonian

Franchise

D.C.

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.

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