First and foremost, you did a fantastic job with this one, Comic Viners. Over 700 votes and 11 pages of very detailed debate. Sure, it got a little heated at times, but it was great to see everyone was able to tone it down and keep it focused on the facts instead of derailing it into something personal. So, if you took part in this -- be it voting, engaging in the debate, or even reading the debate -- give yourself a pat on the back.
Now that all of the batarangs have been thrown and optic blasts have been fired, who's left standing? According to the CV community, Batman is the one walking away from this fight. Calm down, team Cyclops! DC's hero by no means won in a landslide. Wayne took 50% of the votes and Scott Summers earned a respectable 44%. Meanwhile, 6% thought it was too close to call.
"Too close to call" sounds about right. There's simply no denying Scott would take this in an open environment and there's absolutely no disputing Batman would take this in a stealth heavy location where they don't begin visible. This scenario, however, is our attempt at a happy medium and that's exactly why it's always used (city at night, lights on, fair starting distance with some cover).
We all know Scott has the potential to turn this match heavily in his favor with just one optic blast to his opponent's chest. His concussive blasts -- even when toned down against humans -- are quite powerful. He's knocked out humans with ease, KO'd Wolverine with a hit to the back of his adamantium head, and has unleashed absurd amounts of power. While he has zero motivation here to remove his visor, there's no reason to believe he may not eventually fire a wider blast, either (kind of like he did against Bishop in Messiah CompleX, for example).
Furthermore, he's very, very accurate. Yes, there have been examples of him missing characters like Bullseye and Wolverine has indeed dodged him, but he's also shot Storm right out of the sky and, thanks to his brilliant tactical mind, has unleashed jaw-droppingly effective ricochet blasts on numerous occasions. He's also a very talented hand-to-hand combatant (most notably in Aikido and Judo), but let's be honest, he's no Batman in that element. However, his ability to use his power in close combat is a wildcard that cannot be overlooked. A well place (be it via ricochet or even lucky) blast in close proximity could once again put the odds in his favor.
Cyclops' combination of raw power, accuracy and tactics won't be easy to overcome -- not by a long shot. But, given his history, it's fair to assume that Batman does indeed have the physicals, intellect, resources and skill to potentially come out on top. It won't be easy by any measure and one small slip-up could end it, but taking everything into account, it's doable.
This is without question an uphill struggle for Batman, but given all we've seen over the years, I fail to see why it's impossible. Upon dodging the first blast (at a fair distance, mind you), he'll immediately know he's dealing with a foe who can unleash a volley of powerful and rather accurate blasts. Given the Dark Knight's more than capable mind, focus on stealth and variety of equipment, it's probable he could take a stealth approach at this point. A smoke pellet, perhaps, and a grappling line to a rooftop or alleyway wouldn't be far fetched. Now, Scott isn't a man who will just stand out in the open, shooting wildly and screaming. He's also a tactical character, so if Batman attacks to soon or if his rush doesn't go exactly as planned, there's a good chance he could get tagged. But, if it utilizes his resources properly and is able to get close to Scott, it's entirely reasonable to assume he could take the victory with his large edge in skill. The fact he can vanish right in front of talented oppo Again, a ricochet or lucky shot from his opponent could bring the fight to a close, but upon seeing Scott's power, I sincerely doubt he'd take his chances and would aim for a swift takedown.
Flip a coin because this truly has the potential to go either way. Scott's mutant power, formidable accuracy and tactics have the potential to shut this down with just one solid hit, but Batman has the means required to potentially get close in due time and seize the victory. Honestly, a totally rational argument can be made for either combatant.
Viner Argument for Batman is by Super_SoldierXII
"Can't help but feel Scott loses this one. Batman, being all "clever" and all, will see the big red ruby quartz visor strapped to Scott's eyes (I mean, c'mon), and figure right away that looks, in this particular battle, could very well kill. He'll hit a smoke pellet, go all stealth, take Cyclops out. End of story IMHO.
But, but, but, Cyclops has clobbered Wolverine, so Batman should be easy peasy in a random. Wrong. While both are undoubtedly top tier martial artists, their respective styles couldn't be more different. Wolverine relies on his durability in a fight more so than avoidance, it's part and parcel to his fighting style. Not so with Bruce. Cyclops knows he can unleash on Logan without killing him right off the,um, bat (couldn't help it). Again, not so with Bruce. And let's face it, Logan isn't nearly as clever as Bruce in his approach to a fight; all too often opting to go all "raar", "roar" and "snikt" on his antagonists. Not thinking things through is not Batman's M.O. Nor is Logan as geared or 'ninja-like' as Batman. Which is to say Logan doesn't have anywhere near the amount of tools to take Scott out as Bruce does, and has no choice but to close the distance and get in Scott's face.
Bruce will fall back on said gear and far superior hand to hand skill to avoid Scott's, admittedly, far superior offensive abilities.
Despite Cyclops' increasingly more questionable morals, he won't unleash with area of effect blasts. Not before knowing what he's up against, and by then it'll be too late IMHO. He'll try to tag Bruce with enough concussive force to put down a normal man first. So even if he does tag Bruce before Batman can evade, I'm not sure the one blast will be enough as a result.
Again, and to conclude, Batman sees the obvious weapon strapped to Scott's face, goes stealth to avoid, gets close, takes Scott out. The end."
Don't be sad, Cyclops fans. If you want to, you can tell yourself this was the outcome.
Or, perhaps you can tell yourself this is how it went down.
Want more Batman battles?
- vs. Taskmaster (W: Batman)
- vs. Kraven (W: Kraven)
- vs. Deadpool (W: Batman)
- vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (W: Batman)
- vs. Daredevil (W: Batman)
- vs. Gambit (W: Batman)
- vs. Wolverine (W: Wolverine)
- vs. Captain America (W: Too close to call)
- vs. Black Panther (W: Black Panther)
- Official Discussion Thread for the segment (use this thread for future match suggestions!)
Next week will be a usual and Batman-free "Comic Vine Battle of the Week." Batman battles will only take place during the first week of each month. Check the homepage Monday to see who's brawling next, mon ami. Oh, and do try to have a good weekend!
Feel free to suggest characters in the Official Discussion thread or via Twitter.