10 Different Ways Batman Has Been Defeated

2. By Going After His Loved Ones

Dead Robin Batman
DC Comics

Ultimately, the way you get at Batman is the same way you get at any supposedly €œinvincible€ hero (so any hero, really). The third act of Man Of Steel was boring because there were no stakes €“ seeing a couple of superpowered dudes duke it out isn't all that exciting, because you know neither of them is really in any peril. When people call Superman boring, they're thinking of that. When Superman is interesting, it's when he's forced to go rescue someone mid-fight, cos he's a good guy. Same applies to Batman.

All of these ways of €œdefeating€ him are fine, but the ones that involve brute strength are just boring. Watching Batman fight someone for twenty pages isn't all that fun €(most of the time, unless you're Frank Miller) €“when you know Batman's probably going to win. You defeat Batman not by taking him out, but those around him.

The Joker's greatest victories over Batman don't involve him fighting the guy. It's when he crippled Barbara Gordon, killed Jason Todd. That's how you €œdefeat€ Batman.

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Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/