No comic fan alive would deny ends up harming Superman more than it helps. Instead of being seen as an independent, hopeful ideal, he’s seen by many as Batman’s natural opposite, putting Clark in a box that limits him.

Modern Superman is Portrayed as Batman's Natural Opposite

The DCU Often Views Superman in Relation to Batman

While not initially created as a shared world, the DC Universe came together after the groundbreaking success of independent heroes. Heroes that once stood on their own, namely the two titans of the industry, Batman and Superman, found themselves working together. During the Golden and Silver Ages, Clark and Bruce were allies, but they weren’t always paired up, and it would take a while before fans and the world at large viewed them as two sides of the same coin. That would come during the Bronze and Modern Ages, and it would bring a major shift to Superman and Batman.

As comic book storytelling evolved, comic creators experimented with Batman and Superman, seeing them as natural complements of one another. After all, Bruce was a mortal man who fought in the shadows while Clark was a powerful alien who fought in the light. It was only natural that writers would create stories highlighting this particular dynamic. But as storytelling moved into the Modern or ‘Dark Age’ and Batman’s foothold in pop culture grew stronger with successful media adaptations, Superman started to become shaped to be the opposite of whatever Batman was.

The Dark Knight Returns presented Superman as a government stooge while Batman was an aging fighter against the system. Superman: Red Son had the Man of Steel as a leader of a fascist government with Batman as a freedom fighter for the people. Even in canon stories, Batman once highlighted their polar opposite nature, saying that at their core, Clark is good, while Bruce isn’t. Instead of emphasizing what Superman is, he became more defined by being what Batman isn’t, to the detriment of the iconic hero.

Superman is More Than Just a Counterbalance to Batman

Fans Know What the Big Blue Boy Scout Truly Stands For

Sure, it’s easy to look at Superman and see him as someone who balances out Batman. But for a long time, Superman existed in a vacuum, and he didn’t need to be in any kind of dynamic with Batman to help shape his moral com. When Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created the Man of Tomorrow, they created Superman to be a man of the people. Someone who did good things because it was right, and fought robber barons and domestic abs just as much as he fought powerful villains.

What has kept Superman the evergreen figure he is in popular culture is the things he stands for. Clark Kent may not be of humanity, but he represents the best of what it has to offer: kindness, empathy, and comion for living things. He’s an optimist to the core and, no matter what difficulties he faces, Superman stands firm that there’s always hope. That inspiring sentiment so associated with Superman doesn’t come from any dynamic, that comes from within Superman, and it’s why he’s been so beloved for the better part of a century.

Unfortunately, that’s why this strong association with Batman ultimately damages Superman. As much sense as it makes to present these two as halves of a greater whole, that minimizes the ideals and things that Clark stands for. All the hope and optimism wasn’t just arbitrarily attached to his character because he’s Batman’s opposite. They’re values woven into the fabric of who Superman is. By putting these two together so frequently, it’s made it hard for the independence in Superman to truly shine.

Everyone Should Acknowledge That Superman is His Own Hero

He's Always Been More Than Batman's Lighter Half

This isn’t to say that Batman and Superman can’t or shouldn’t be associated with one another. They’re the World’s Finest, after all, and when it comes to icons, it’s hard to match the energy of Bruce and Clark. That being said, while it’s understandable that one would see them as counters to one another, Superman deserves more than to have his image defined by Batman. He’s a phenomenon unto himself and to make it seem like he’s only there to counter Batman does Clark a huge disservice.

Sure, Batman is the bigger character, and it feels natural to see Clark as someone whose worldview exists to oppose Bruce’s. It creates conflicts in stories that feature the two of them and has them play off of one another better. However, that makes it seem like Superman’s idealism and hopefulness isn’t genuine or authentic, as if it's hard to imagine someone could really view the world more positively and not as cynically as Batman does. But as any Superman fan knows, he is an honest-to-goodness optimist and that deserves to stand out on its own.

While it’s fun to see Batman and Superman butt heads every once in a while, it’s important to that Clark doesn’t exist just to counter Bruce. He’s someone that stands for all the good things of this world. He’s not shaped by Batman, but rather, the most positive and wholesome aspects of humanity. When one really takes a look at Clark, they shouldn’t see Batman’s light and bright counterpart, but instead the endearing symbol of hope Superman really is.

Superman

Created By

Joe Shuster, Jerry Siegel

First Appearance

Action Comics

Alias

Kal-El, Clark Kent, Jonathan Kent

Alliance

Justice League, Superman Family

Race

Kryptonian

Franchise

D.C.

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