Batman Vs Superman

[SGOS]

I'm going to see this because, err well, I can't help myself.  But while I've heard something to the effect of power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, that premise still seems dicey when applied to super heroes.  Well, Batman maybe.  He's just some rich guy with a megalomaniac brain disorder who has proven to be an emotionally challenged whiner over the last three episodes.  He's always getting himself into some introspective depression that allows evil to flourish while he broods on his little pot of self pity. 

But Superman is above all that.  Why would Superman even bother with a wannabe like Batman?  Sheesh!  That doesn't even make sense.  Unless Batman has a secret stash of kryptonite, he wouldn't even have a chance in a battle with Superman.  Nor would the whiny little brat even deserve it.

And then there's this:  Why would two forces for good want to fight it out to be the bigger force of good?  Doesn't that seem rather petty for forces of good?  Anyway, it must be Batman's fault.  I'm sure it is.  Superman will just have to take him to the woodshed and teach him a lesson.  And just to prove how lame this plot is, I'll tell you that I'd already considered this scenario before anyone in Hollywood ever came up with the idea.  And if I thought of it, it can't be that great.

[Hydra009]

Yeah, this particular scenario doesn't seem to make much sense.  Though bear in mind, I've only seen the film trailers, not I presume, the comic series it's based on.

Though, there is some potential for a corrupted superman storyline.  If you haven't already seen it, I highly recommend the Irredeemable comic series.  It shows exactly what happens when a superman goes off the deep end.

[Munch]

When I learned ben affleck was playing batman, I just gave up caring. I've not see anything yet to make me think he's even invested in the role.

Getting down to the lore however, something I've learned about comic books, is that the comic book hero is only as powerful as the writer wants them to be. Superman is a character who goes though so many writers who just alter his power levels as they see fit. In the silver age comics, he would pull plants out of orbit, bend time, and who could fly faster then light speed, but then you take the writers behind the animated superman tv series, where he would feel pain from being hit or caught in explosions, would have to strain to lift heavy objects, and who got the shit beat out of him by doomsday.

Well the concept of superman is someone of honor and righteousness, the fact the writers can make him a god if they choose to just doesn't make him compelling to me.

batman too is an example of how some contrived writing just can change it from being anything from a smart detective with a few gadgets up his sleave, to being ironman levels of gadgetry and reed richards levels of intellect, mentioned as being the smartest man on the planet, and lets not forget his infinite wealth he has access to without even doing much in his job as Bruce Wayne.

I enjoyed batman though the animated series run, but in recent years he's become so much the ultra genius, it makes him just less grounded a superhero (compared to superman) and now he just seems the justice leagues version of brainiac.

Writing and how powerful a character is comes down to just how the story wants them to be. batman who would have his head blown off by superman, pulls out a kryptonite mcguffin from his utility belt and boom, he has the upper hand. Superman figures out how to make him drop the kryptonite, batman ends up havng a million and one contingency plans, and all it proves is the story is whatever convoluted story the writers want it to be.

[stromboli]

A sci fi writer years ago did a piece in a sci fi mag about the credibility of Superman's powers. About the only one is bending a bar of steel, because it is muscles working in opposition. Every other thing, like flying, is not possible under anything like ordinary circumstances. And forget stopping a train or car.

[aitm]

I really had no problem as a child understanding the idea that in a different world of different gravity he could perhaps do many different things like..jump really high and fast and perhaps fly using a propellerish movement of the feet, but still when he could hold down a helicopter I paused,,exactly how heavy was he? Because obviously in order to hold down a helicopter just by standing flat footed he would have outweigh the craft and its thrust.

[Hydra009]

Getting down to the lore however, something I've learned about comic books, is that the comic book hero is only as powerful as the writer wants them to be. Superman is a character who goes though so many writers who just alter his power levels as they see fit.

Inconsistencies are a common problem in comics.  Any long-running series goes through a ton of writers, each with slightly different impressions of the character and his abilities.  And they often want to tell stories that couldn't work without one or more of his powers being toned down or momentarily forgotten.

And Superman in particular suffers from a pretty huge problem - he's simply too powerful.  He's invincible, has super senses, he's faster than everyone (except maybe the Flash), and he can flatten almost anyone in a brawl.  Earthly problems are, for the most part, a trivial matter for him.  This overpoweredness is negated somewhat by kyptonite and having him go up against villains like Darkseid and Brainiac, but Batman's a poor match for him.  Batman's main adversaries are gangsters and lowlevel supers - threats to a city rather than planetary threats.  Completely different tier.

batman too is an example of how some contrived writing just can change it from being anything from a smart detective with a few gadgets up his sleave, to being ironman levels of gadgetry and reed richards levels of intellect, mentioned as being the smartest man on the planet, and lets not forget his infinite wealth he has access to without even doing much in his job as Bruce Wayne.

Yeah, that really annoyed me.  Sometimes, he's a detective in a costume with a nice set of toys.  Sometimes, he's a supergenius with ludicrous contingency plans and just happens to always have the right thing on hand.  It's pretty ridiculous.

[drunkenshoe]

Looks a bit 'too much' from trailers.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

When I saw this mentioned the first time I immediately thought "Frodo vs. Sauron".

[gentle_dissident]

I'll watch Batman 66 and Burtonman for the camp value, but I'm more of a Marvel person.

[Hydra009]

I'll watch Batman 66 and Burtonman for the camp value, but I'm more of a Marvel person.

Yeah, I prefer Marvel, too.  It's pretty bizarre how DC relies so heavily on Superman and Batman movies and meanwhile Marvel is having great success with many different characters.

[Baruch]

I would be more interested in Superman, if they made a movie version of either of the two non-canon comic book versions ... Superman as the Brit defending the British Empire, and Superman as the Comrade defending the Soviet Union.  In the latter one, Lex Luthor is the President of the Evil US.

[SGOS]

I get junk mail from my local theater, and the last one is hyping this weeks opening of  Batman vs Superman with the perplexing question, "Who will win?"  It's like the question everyone has before the Super Bowl.  I'm going out on a limb:  Two super heroes duke it out in some kind of a poorly conceived misunderstanding only to realize that they must join forces to work for the betterment of mankind.  The final scene will be the two of them having a beer together at a sports bar.

[SGOS]

Critics at Rotten Tomatoes are giving the film 31%.  That's 6 points more than my Big Fat Greek Wedding.  Although audiences are giving it a 75%.  I'm going to the 11:00 AM showing after the sun comes up.  I'm in the mood for popcorn.

[drunkenshoe]

I'll go to 14:40 if I can manage. Let's see how bad it is.

[drunkenshoe]

I have no idea what to think about this movie. It was definitely better than I expected, but also different. Also anyone who didn't see the superman before this wouldn't enjoy it I guess.

Not bad at all. I need to see it again.