Warner Bros. will make history this weekend with the highly anticipated release of “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.”
It will be the first meeting of two icons on the silver screen in their long histories at the theater – apart from a throwaway joke in 1997’s “Batman and Robin”and a fake movie poster in Will Smith’s “I Am Legend.”
“Who would win in a fight, Batman or Superman?” is a question that has fueled many fan debates over the years. In their nearly 80-year history, the Dark Knight Detective and the Last Son of Krypton have faced off on more than one occasion, often with varying results due to their ideological differences and reoccurring instances of brainwashing at the hands of one villain or another.
Audience expectations on the quality of the film based on the marketing seem to be divided – fitting for a film titled for a clash between two heroes. Similarly, dividing fans is the outcome of this titular duel. If history and fan outcry tells us anything, the Caped Crusader has this in the bag.
“Batman’s more dope,” said Brittany Weimar, a senior computer science major. “He has the technology. He always has the money to come up with more stuff, even if something doesn’t work he can try other stuff – and Superman just has his set limits.”
Bruce Wayne’s trust fund does trump Clark Kent’s meager journalist salary. His seemingly limitless resources and genius level intellect are his biggest advantages when entering into fisticuffs with a god.
In the comics, they have allowed him to prepare for the fight and to exploit Superman’s known weaknesses, even fighting dirty to come out on top – as he did in Frank Miller’s “Dark Knight Returns”fromwhich “Dawn of Justice”is taking many cues.
As Sasha Aziz, a junior environmental science major, points out, “Batman always has kryptonite in his belt and he’s Batman, he always wins. Superman is a boy scout.”
Though true and blue is Superman’s classic depiction, remember that in these films he has been known to snap a neck if need be to settle a disagreement, as in Zack Snyder’s previous installment in the franchise, “Man of Steel.”And the big blue Boy Scout is not without his supporters.
“I want Superman to win,” said Saeed Darbo, a junior mechanical engineering major. “Superman’s from another planet, therefore he’s a whole different being with super strength, laser beams, and he can fly. Batman’s just your regular human who creates gadgets here and there. What’s a little gadget going to do against a super strong alien?”
It’s also important to point out that in Batman’s past victories, he wasn’t taking on a Superman at full strength. Superman has to be powered down by some form of kryptonite or by taking the brunt of an atomic bomb before Bats could even step in the ring with him.
This version of Batman depicted in the movie will also be dealing with a Superman with a somewhat looser moral code than he is used to in the comics. Bruce better reinforce the neck on his cowl.
Also, it’s important to note is that these are fictional characters and the outcome of any altercation between the two is completely up to the whim of the writer at the time.
Regardless, there is no denying the appeal of watching these two heroes clash on the big screen for the first time. No matter which of these two heroes win the bout, there will be no losers in the audience.
"Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice" opens in theaters March 25.
David Tunis-Garcis is an arts staff writer. Arts desk can be reached at arts@ubspectrum.com.
Photo: Ryan Hagen | UB Athletics
