Comic Book Combat, Fight #2: Dark Knight vs Super Soldier
Now this matchup is gonna be tough to call. Unlike the Superman/Thor matchup, Captain America's and Batman’s powers (if you can call them that) and abilities have largely stayed the same throughout their publishing histories. The only thing that’s changed is the times the live in and the technology they’re able to call upon for a given situation.
Both these men are pretty evenly matched, physically. Batman has trained his body to its limits in every known fighting technique. Captain America is, thanks to Dr. Erskine’s formula, as strong, powerful, and agile as a human can be without being super-human. That being said, Cap has, I think, an advantage in the brute force department. However, as any fighter will tell you, there’s more to winning a fight than brute force.
They say “clothes make the man”. In the case of these two, that saying is true. Over the last few years, Cap’s outfit has morphed into something a lot more utilitarian than your standard super-hero fair. Out goes the mask, tights, and privateer boots. In comes the helmet, chain mail body armor, cargo pants, and combat boots. The one thing that hasn’t changed (well, not much) is the shield. Cap’s shield is unique in the Marvel Universe. It is the only known alloy of the nearly-indestructible metal, adamantium and the vibration-and-impact-absorbing metal, vibranium.
Adamantium is what Wolverine’s skeleton is laced with and his claws are made of. Vibranium exists in only two places in the Marvel Universe, the country of Wakanda, ruled by the Avenger know as the Black Panther, and in Antarctica, primarily the area known as the Savage Land. It is the Wakandan form of vibranium that is in Cap's shield. It has the ability to absorb and negate kinetic energy and vibrations, and in so doing, it becomes denser and stronger. During my research, I have found that vibranium does have a limit to its vibration absorption abilities. One can apply enough force to the vibranium that it will not be able to absorb it all and will be destroyed and, subsequently, release all of the built up vibratory energy it has stored in its molecular structure.
Batman’s suit, meanwhile, is usually depicted as simply skin-tight leotards, but, for story purposes, it is actually high-tech, Kevlar-like body armor.
Unlike Cap, Batman doesn’t have a main weapon, per se. He’s a gadgeteer. He carries a wide assortment of weapons, gadgets and equipment to aid in his detective/crime-fighting work, but also for defensive and offensive combat. From batarangs to grappling lines, gas pellets to tazers. Whatever the Bat needs, he either has ready at hand, can get it when he needs it, or can make it himself or through the resources of Wayne Enterprises.
Now to the actual matchup.
If Batman and Captain America lived in the same universe, it is entirely plausible that Batman would have scouted Cap extensively, to the point he would have come up with contingencies should they ever meet. It is also entirely plausible that Cap, through his S.H.I.E.L.D. and Avengers contacts, would at least know of Batman enough to know he existed and that he was a non-powered human. They might even know his identity, but that’s a debate for another day.
Both men are considered master tacticians, so it would stand to reason that each would know how to fight the other, at least on paper. Batman, however, would be the one to overplan. To have contingencies for contingencies of contingencies. To have the proper weapons in place, or near at hand to counter whatever Cap could throw at him, which would probably be his shield.
Batman would know gas wouldn’t work, at least not for very long. Unless he used a gas designed to kill Cap, Cap would metabolize any gas, if not quickly, then at least before he was completely incapacitated. Any thrown weapon or tazer-type weapon Batman would employ would be blocked by the shield. The best move Batman has is to fight close-quarters, where Cap has a distinct strength advantage.
Batman is considered one of the top 3 martial artists in the DC Universe, next to Lady Shiva and Bronze Tiger. Cap’s military training, as well as his supplemental combat training with people like Taskmaster would make him a formidable opponent in his own right, but it’s hard to see how he could stand long against Batman with all the tricks and traps he would call upon in a fight.
This is going to be close, but I would have to give this fight to Batman. He’s the more accomplished fighter in close-quarters, he has more weapons at his disposal, plus, given the opportunity or necessity, he’ll cheat.
Comments
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Also, for your Wonder Woman opponent, I'd suggest either She Hulk or Captain Marvel (although you may want to save that one for the other Captain Marvel) :-)
I've still got the original bracket somewhere. I think Superman defeated Thanks in the finals. Batman made a nice Cinderella run, totally maximizing the 24 hour prep time and the Walmart shopping spree. :-)
Barring that, Superman should have immediately destroyed all the Wal-Marts at superspeed.
Wonder Woman could slaughter him.
Walmart adherents are nucking futs. :D
That's like saying Superman always wins these things because he's Superman.
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Why would someone go through all the trouble and effort (and presumably cash) to make something like this!?!
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