1 Story Proved Batman is Right to Have Plans on How to Defeat The Rest of The Justice League

Summary

• Though he has often bee called into question for having them, Batman’s anti-hero contingency plans are necessary due to the power of the beings in the Justice League, most notably Superman.
• Adventures of Superman
  #642 justified Batman’s habit of being prepared to fight against allies who could easily overpower him, as it depicts a brainwashed Superman nearly killing his friend and ally, before the intervention of Wonder Woman.
• Batman’s contingency plans are a sign of his intelligence, rather than paranoia, and are essential for protecting himself and others from super-powered allies who have been corrupted.

Batman is known for always having a contingency plan, no matter the situation. While it’s true that Batman plots behind the backs of his friends and knows how to take them down if he ever has to, it’s also been shown that he’s entirely justified in doing so, given the incredible extent of the power wielded by heroes like Superman.

Adventures of Superman #642 – by Greg Rucka and Derec Aucoin – provided the biggest example for why Batman’s anti-hero contingency plans are not just useful, but necessary. In this issue, Superman, under the control of Maxwell Lord, enters the Justice League Satellite and immediately attacks Batman.

Superman brutalizes Batman and immediately puts him into emergency care. It’s only due to the timely arrival of Wonder Woman that Batman manages to survive at all. This moment in particular calls into question those who have doubted Batman for having plans against people who could kill him in seconds.

Batman Was Brutally Beaten By Superman With Ease

Adventures of Superman #642 – By Greg Rucka, Derec Aucoin, Cam Smith, Sean Parsons, Tanya Horie, Richard Horie, & Jared K. Fletcher

Some writers and readers alike treat Batman’s preparedness as if it were a negative, but stories like
Adventures of Superman
#642 vindicate him.

Batman is one of the greatest fighters in the DC Universe, and is a brilliant tactical mind, but he is still just human. Bruce is also a deeply paranoid man, working alongside literal gods, and beings who can move planets, something that has always been difficult for him. If the Justice League were ever to turn on Batman, he’d be in true danger. This is why Batman has contingency plans, and why he’s not unreasonable for doing so. Some writers and readers alike treat Batman’s preparedness as if it were a negative, but stories like Adventures of Superman #642 vindicate him.

In the issue, the only reason that Batman survived Superman’s assault was because Wonder Woman arrived. Not only was Batman taken by surprise, he was completely unable to fight Superman off. Despite activating the Watchtower’s defense systems, none of that mattered. Wonder Woman’s timely arrival was the only reason Superman didn’t end up murdering his best friend. Moments like this are what makes it imperative that Batman be able to take down his allies if necessary. Wonder Woman has a history of being possessed, Hal Jordan was taken over by Parallax as well. As with Superman, their power levels make them major threats, when corrupted.

The Justice League are some of the most powerful beings on the planet…If, for whatever reason, any of them turn evil – which they have in the past – Batman needs to have ways to protect himself, and others.

Wonder Woman Had To Rescue Batman From Superman

Batman plotting against his friends isn’t an indication of his inability to trust people or his paranoia; rather, it is a sign of his intelligence. The Justice League are some of the most powerful beings on the planet, and none of them are immune to mind-control. If, for whatever reason, any of them turn evil – which they have in the past – Batman needs to have ways to protect himself, and others. If, for instance, Bruce had a protocol that immediately teleported the Watchtower to a red sun, or if the Watchtower was equipped with Kryptonite drones, Batman wouldn’t have been nearly murdered by Superman.

Adventures of Superman #642 is available now from DC Comics!