Every time Batman is an option in a poll, he wins no matter how freakish the odds. I can't blame you for going that way since DC Comics apparently agrees, having had the Caped Crusader destroy the likes of Superman and Darkseid in the past. We're basically left with a situation like this, though, with Bats playing the part of "rock":
That's right, nothing beats Batman. That's just how it is. So instead, I bring you the ultimate matchup:
Irresistible force meets unmovable object! Suck on that, Bat-fans!
The two worlds of these alternate Batmen are fairly similar -- dark, dangerous, and as realistic as their genres allow. I mean, this isn't "Batman: The Brave and the Bold" level of Bat-badness. Both characters are smart, ruthless, and effective.
I can't wait to see your reasoning as to who would win here! I just hope the internal conflict isn't so massive that it causes a rift in the space-time geek continuum.
the old batman is so much better than the new one. the new one is kind of harsh
As much as I like Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy (though the third one isn’t out yet), I grew up with Batman: The Animated Series. It holds a certain nostalgia that I can’t get past…that and some of the voice actors are the same for Batman Arkham Asylum and Batman Arkham City.
Doesn’t really get much better than Mark Hamill as the Joker…except maybe Heath Ledger…
To me, the Arkham video games are just an extension of the old series. But, maybe that’s just me.
Tricky…
When you’re talking Batman, the real edge is his ability to come up with better, and better gadgets to defeat his rivals. So who among these has the better gadjets? Well I have to give that edge to Dark Knight Batman.
I like Bale as Batman. But Kevin Conroy IS Batman. Ledger’s Joker was a really cool evil villain, but to me it wasnt The Joker. Hammil’s Joker is the best version there is. Including the comics. And as far as “in-universe” the animated Batman would make short work of Bale.
Hmmm…Awesome vs. Awesome. Everyone wins.
But I voted Animated Series since it felt like a comic book come to life, with the ability to be more expansive in its range of stories and villains. Plus it is in the top tier of its particular media. Along with the Avatar series, I believe Batman the Animated Series is the best animated series ever created.
Which would give him the much needed edge in an evenly matched fight.
Lets just say no matter what Batman it is they are all BADASS… I enjoy all Batman that and dependin on the age of the viewer which Batman appeals to them (Ex. a 5 year old may like the animated Batman while a 15 year old would like Nolan’s Batman)
http://youtu.be/R30YFdjXdVQ
Both versions in my opinion embody different aspects of the idea of Batman we get from the comics. The Animated Series Batman is like the comics come to life. We get to see The Most Dangerous Man In The World in action as we always imagined it when reading the comics. On the other hand, the Nolan Batman really portrays the philosophical side of the Bat. It’s almost like the Dark Knight series is seeing the world through Batman’s eyes, really dealing with the fear, chaos, and pain that his enemies cause, the never-ending cycle of it, not allowing himself to become a murderer, handling his parents’ death, and where do all those gadgets REALLY come from to begin with? For me, this interpretation gives a deeper glimpse into the real essence of the character, and for this reason, I vote for Nolan and Bale’s Batman.
I just realized I broke my own rule and voted according to how I felt about the show rather than evaluating the skills and power of the two combatants. Shame on me!
Hmmmm…Cartoon characters are more resilient than actual people. Yeah, that’s it!
This is the true answer to, “Batman, why won’t you just die?” Or, Batman:TAS beats Batman:TDK because this one doesn’t need a lozenge after a man-to-madman talk. He’s a bat not a horse. Nyuck-hyuck! PLUS, he’s a better superheroic detective than Nolan’s version. Okay, that’s three reasons. I’ll stop there.
As much as I love Batman TAS, I think Nolan’s Batman would just drive over his animated counterpart in his awesome tank.
Nope, gotta go with Batman:TAS. I have a feeling that Nolan’s Batman might be a little too realistic. Animated Batman will have the edge by pulling off something that live-action Bats just can’t accomplish.
Weeeell… both are awesome adaptations of an awesome superhero, no questions about that. And, as stated above, while both adaptations try to stay as true to reality as movies and cartoons can possibly allow. However, if the respective Bats broke this reality rule and tapped into the vast sources of power afforded in the on-screen universe, cartoon physics would offer greater advantage than Hollywood physics (and that’s saying something, considering). Beat that logic, I dares ya!
1). Jeff, you took a chance with this poll– it could have sparked an event so horrifying that it would have consumed us all; almost like a geek Cthulhu *L*.
2). @Myro– Exactly. Here’s two examples of Batman:TAS pulling off some kickass WTF-ery:
A). “Blind As A Bat”– Bruce Wayne is caught in an explosion that leaves him temporarily blinded. Does that stop him? Hell no. Using a device fashioned from the Raven X1-11 (a prototype military helicopter), he hard-wires it into his brain which grants him “sight”. And even when the device runs low on batteries, he still takes on the Penguin…blind.
B). “Time Out Of Joint”– Ok, so it’s not one of the better episodes of TAS, but when the Clock King uses a device, which allows him to accelerate/decelerate “time”, on the Batmobile causing it to accelerate to almost relativistic speeds, what does Batman do? Not only does he avoid oncoming traffic at those speeds, fast enough that if he were hit would trigger an atomic explosion, but he dislodges the device and returns the car to normal space/time.
You gotta give it to TAS.
So is this supposed to be by popularity or who would win in a fight? Honestly, I think Batman in BB & TDK has been shown to be a better combatant. BTAS Batman probably thinks on his feet a little more, but his skills seem overestimate IMO. If you rewatch the series, you’ll be surprised by the amount of times Batman gets his butt kicked by some random henchmen. If this were Batman from JL or JLU, it’d be different. For BTAS, not that skilled.
Love both. Just have to be objective on this. Nolanverse gets my vote.
I’d say Batman in TAS is a better detective, and more of a thinker, whereas Movie-Batman kicks more ass.
So, given planning, TAS. Otherwise, Movie.
Gotta go with the animated series. Aside from the fact that it’s insanely awesome, I have a vested interest in that I actually know one of the main writers from the series, Paul Dini. Gotta support my friends.
Paul Dini is awesome. I like his interviews with Kevin Smith.
As to who would win in a fight, Animated!Batman seems to have better gadgets. Bale!Bats got stuck with a load of “realistic” and “scientifically grounded” gadgetry, which unfortunately means his weapons are a lot more limited. I say Animated!Batman wins, but only just.
Had to go with movie batman. I haven’t seen very much of the animated series but I do feel like movie batman could win. Partially because I think the excuse of “if batman has time to prepare for his enemy he wins” is bogus because anyone will win if they are given enough time to prepare the perfect counter to their enemy. So ya, real batman seems more of a kickass fighter as some have said, so he beats up other batman, though mainly because he is wearing ultra secret US gov super-armor and TAS batman has spandex.
Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight hands down, just because I like superheroes that are more reality/life like.
Hey, no mater who wins the vote, in the end Batman wins, so I’m down with that. 😉 😀
Seriously though, how this would unravel would actually depend on what setting they’d be fighting in. If they were in real world, where physics apply, TDK would win hands down. TAS would try some of that cartoon physics, fall flat on his face and be taken down. Now in cartoon world, TAS would begin at an advantage since he’s used to that environment but don’t discount TDK. He’d rapidly figure out that he’s suddenly freed from the harsh reality of real world physics and his actual armor-that-protects-from-knives-and-bullets would give him an edge in the end. TDK wins. barely.
@Jeff: Copout! You just don’t want to see another contestant loose to Batman again, so you figure this is the only way out.
::whistles innocently::
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I’ll take that as a sheepish admission of guilt on your part.
I’m going to have to go with animated. None of the villains Nolan’s Bat have gone up against are overtly superpowered, just very talented humans all of whom posed serious threats to him. In the animated series, Batman as a matter of routine defeated superpowered baddies like Clayface and Man-Bat or even that version of Bane.
As mush as I love the Nolan films, I gotta give this one to TAS. TAS Batman is more defined and more experienced. And as others have pointed out, he’s more of a detective than Bale’s Batman. I think they are on even levels of butt kicking, so it would come down to the more experienced TAS Bats outthinking the BaleBats.
Ok, the Nolan series has had Batman square off against Joker, Scarecrow, and Ra’s al Ghul thus far with Bane to come in the upcoming movie. Not entirely sure if Catwoman is going to be villianess or ally there, one of the trailers has me confused as to her exact role in the movie so I’m not going to add squaring off against her. Batman comes across as pretty badass and fairly smart.
But the animated series had what, most of Batman’s Rogues Gallery for Batman to go toe to toe with and out wit, out manuever, and outsmart. And not only did he face the Rogues Gallery but he was often also shown having to square-off against more ordinary criminals and not just the Rogues Gallery henchmen. Plus he fought a cat person, a werewolf (ok, I looked and Anthony Lupus was a lesser Rogues Gallery member renamed Anthony Romulus for the series) , and alligators. He even had to go up against a robot version of himself who was supposed to know how he operated.
Overall I’ve got to give it to the Animated Series. The battles were naturally shorter to fit into a half hour, but I think they were just as intense. And at times you’ve got some bad guy just hit Batman only for him to maybe stumble then give that slow and menacing turn that just had the idiot know he’d just screwed up big time.
TAS, no question. That Batman is from the universe of Warner Bros. cartoons. It’s a world where wolves wear zoot suits and a rabbit can pass for a hot babe; where you can defy the law of gravity by never studying law, and wind up in Khartoum by making a left turn at Albuquerque. You can re-route a train by painting a tunnel on a cliff face, stand in mid-air until you notice you’re not on anything to stand on, and pull a lit stick of dynamite or an anvil out of a nonexistent back pocket.
The Dark Ka-nnig’t stands no chance.
@Jeff (again): Hey, I got an idea for next week’s poll… Movie Wolverine vs. Comic Book Wolverine. See who wins the adamantium claw battle.
My vote is going to The Batman of the Animated Series. While Christopher Nolan’s Batman is great, his DCAU counterpart has been through more dangerous situations, has defeated more rogues and eventually joined the Justice League.
Why do people keep bringing up cartoon physics? Do people remember watching BTAS? Other than his grapple gun, BTAS didn’t get too crazy with physics. Some things were a stretch (like disguises), but it wasn’t at all like Looney Tunes or anything like that.
Actual answer – I’d call it a standoff/tie, with the winner being whichever one is patient enough for the other to make the first move.
@Worf:
Don’t you see? You’re wrong about the winner – because no matter who wins, Batman loses! It’s all part of Jeff’s nefarious plot to bring down the Batman – so he can take over Gotham as it’s newest crime lord, the Black Boot!
Here is the answer for the Batman vs. Wolverine poll way back in April 2011….
Awesome stuff!
Hands down for me it’s the D.N. Version Based completely on the Massive difference in armor
While we can only Assume they are both the same Strength wise, the fact that the Dark Night Has Plated Kevlar Developed By a Company well versed in Military grade Protection would give him a clear advantage as far as Stamina goes.
(honestly I have had the…”pleasure” of Punching a very similar substance)
On a Personal Note, I believe this would be a one sided fight if either, or both took on Frank Millers Batman.
BTAS Batman. Better voices as both Batman and Bruce Wayne (not to mention he actually sounds THREATENING as Batman, unlike Bale’s grumblebat), FAR more convincing as the billionaire playboy (Bale’s performance makes it so blatant it’s all an act!), so many more awesome gadgets.
Also, don’t bash TB&TB, Jeff. That stuff is undiluted awesome Bat-action!
I think depth and longevity along with debates of voice and character acting by the two main iconic characters (Batman and Joker), give the advantage to Batman:TAS. I think with the conclusion of Nolan’s trilogy we will have only seen an early snapshot of the career of Batman (taking his lumps and figuring sh*t out), whereas the series gave us a wider picture of Batman and his abilities as both a bada$$ and an elite detective. So it’s not really a knock on Nolan’s Batman series since we know that compacting decades of story and character into 2+ hours can be rough, even across multiple movies, but it’s been done well.
What would be awesome, would be to stick the two in a blender and hit “awesome”. I think the older nerds like us need some darker animated shows outside of the usual Anime, though I could be unaware of some out there already. Going back and watching the animated series, it was not your typical campy Saturday morning cartoon like kids have today.
I have to go with the animated version since I’m not a fan of bale’s constipated voice, the stupid bat tank or heath ledger’s joker.