Man of Steel

[The Dark Knight]

Incidentally, I realize that a fight is inevitable. This is Hollywood. What I want is a sort of Stan Lee-style hero vs. hero thing where Superman rolls with Batman but there's not a clear winner in the fight.

A fight is inevitable, and something like that would be ideal. Let each fan base get their kicks, so to speak. In TDK Returns, the angle is Batman is older, pissed off and anti-authority. He wants to take Superman down because he is helping to enforce that system.

Here, the dynamic would be different. Batman would be younger and wanting a sense of control given Zod's destruction. He doesn't know if he can trust Superman. So the quote read from TDK Returns at Comic Conn "remember I'm the one that beat you", wouldn't apply. Not jealous or revenge fueled.

Having a rivalry and testing the waters is another thing compared to all out war. Once they get a feel of each other, I'm sure it will calm down. What would be very interesting if is Superman initially views Batman as a villain. Yes, a villain. Batman is a dark guy who walks a fine line. We know Batman is a 'hero', but he doesn't. Superman could find out Batman is looking into creating artificial kryptonite or some jazz, and gets nervous.

In Superman's mind, Batman is the aggressor. In Batman's mind, Superman is a threat that may snap one day, just as he did so to Zod's neck. Neither are wrong, just looking at things from different perspectives.

[Edd Grayson]

I'd be happy with Superman going mad and Bats using kryptonite to stop him, and since kryptonie didn't appear in MoS, it would show that Batman really is the greatest detective.

[johnnygobbs]

I'd be happy with Superman going mad and Bats using kryptonite to stop him, and since kryptonie didn't appear in MoS, it would show that Batman really is the greatest detective.

I don't want to see Superman go mad.  Superman should be the calming influence.  I would love to see a crazy Captain Marvel if they ever get around to adapting 'Kingdom Come'.

[Edd Grayson]

I'd be OK with a vengeful Batman and a calm Superman as well. There needs to be a contrast between the two, otherwise it'll be dull IMO.

[thecolorsblend]

The more I think about it, the more logical it seems that, as with Byrne's MOS #3, Superman may go looking for Batman. There's really no way you could call Superman a freelancing vigilante after MOS. He surrendered to and then worked with the US military. The one thing Superman isn't doing is taking matters into his own hands.

The dark side there is Superman could be said to be aligned (however superficially) with the US government while I assume Batman is the freelancer in all this... just as things were in TDKR. True, Superman made it clear he's helping out on his terms and nobody else's but this still bothers me.

[BatmAngelus]

I think this is a viable scenario, given what happened between Superman and the military in MoS (they gave him his name after all) and that Snyder said that the TDKR comic would help them tell the story.  This is also a good way to make Superman the active one from the outset- after all, this is the MoS sequel and the audience will more likely identify with him at the beginning- given that they're familiar with him from MoS- than with the new Bruce/Batman.

[The Dark Knight]

I'd just love to see a finale action sequence where the two of them team up and foil the villain's plans. Each character taking the lead in their respective fields. Superman doing the heavy lifting and Batman the infiltrating and such. The fans, including me, would go wild.

I agree with Superman seeking out Batman. It's happened in numerous comics, namely Kingdom Come. And as we know, The Dark Knight Strikes Again. I'd like the concept of the US military planting the idea in Superman's brain. In very simple terms it's Superman = company man, Batman = his own man. Each character can learn something from the other. Superman to be a little more aware, Batman to learn he doesn't always have to go it alone.

[johnnygobbs]

I think this is a viable scenario, given what happened between Superman and the military in MoS (they gave him his name after all) and that Snyder said that the TDKR comic would help them tell the story.  This is also a good way to make Superman the active one from the outset- after all, this is the MoS sequel and the audience will more likely identify with him at the beginning- given that they're familiar with him from MoS- than with the new Bruce/Batman.

I don't know, Superman's relationship with the military seemed pretty testy at the end with him warning them about using their drones.  I don't know if Superman and the military would make for an easy alliance in this universe.  Plus, if this is still based on the Nolan Batman bear in mind how Bruce Wayne made much of his fortune...has he really got a right to be such a critic of the military?

[thecolorsblend]

I don't know, Superman's relationship with the military seemed pretty testy at the end with him warning them about using their drones.  I don't know if Superman and the military would make for an easy alliance in this universe.  Plus, if this is still based on the Nolan Batman bear in mind how Bruce Wayne made much of his fortune...has he really got a right to be such a critic of the military?

He's Bruce Wayne, not Tony Stark. Besides, I think his attitude might be that it's one thing for the military to have nukes in the ol' arsenal; it's quite another for them to appear to have a superpowered alien on speed dial. If this is the route they go with, Batman might look at the damage Zod and his minions did and have trust issues with anybody on Superman's power level.

I am so friggin stoked about this. If WB does this thing right... man, the sky really is the limit. I'm a DC boy from way back so I'm for anything that gets their cinematic universe rolling. I'm clearly not alone either. The MOS II announcement even blew the Avenger's SDCC panel out of the water.

[BatmAngelus]

I think it depends on the context.  Yes, Superman isn't buddies with the military at the end and probably won't be in the sequel either, but if he agrees with them that Batman is a threat to people, then he would certainly seek him out, regardless of his own opinion of General Swanwick and company.

Plus, if this is still based on the Nolan Batman bear in mind how Bruce Wayne made much of his fortune...has he really got a right to be such a critic of the military?

We don't know how much or how little this Batman will be similar to the Nolan Batman, so who knows.  In Batman Begins, it seemed to me that the military contracts didn't come into play until Mr. Earle took over, which means that Bruce was already rich (and an orphan) before his dad's company started making weapons.

Either way, I don't know if anyone is actually suggesting that Bruce/Batman will be critical of the military.  Colors' theory is the reverse- that the government and the military would be critical of Batman due to his extreme vigilante activities in Gotham, ala TDKR.  Batman would only be against them if they got in his way and, as colors suggested, could be critical in general that anyone- military or non-military- would trust a superpowered alien capable of the destruction that Zod and company caused.