My recollection of Watchmen isn't perfect, but I seriously doubt Rorschach was better than Batman. In H2H he took down a handful of police officers pretty skillfully, but was overwhelmed before long. Batman even when out of his prime didn't have any trouble with mobs of mercenaries during Rises, nor did he have trouble with four elite ninja while still inexperienced during Begins. Rorschach fights dirty, but Baleman was an incredibly quick and tactical thinker, and his significantly superior physicals can't be ignored. Joker was just as brutal as Rorschach and yet he was still outsmarted by a bloodied and blinded Batman, so I don't see Rorschach fairing any better against a well-rested and prepared Batman. Bale also has feats against more noteworthy characters like Bane and Ra's, whereas Rorschach was all cannon fodder.
@nickzambuto: @legacy6364: Those feats weren't in TDKR though, were they? By then, Batman's no longer at his peak fighting level- just the same as Rorschach, who's also a few years past his best before date by the time the events of Watchmen unfold. Still, Rorschach does have some decent H2H feats in the prison as well. And even in that scene in TDK, how would Nolan's Batman have fared if he'd been limited to whatever tools and weapons he could improvise on the spot, in the same way as Rorschach? And in that Batman vs. SWAT team scene, the SWAT team aren't even trying to take Batman into custody; they've got their own, different mission and they're just trying to stop him from interfering.
@nickzambuto: @legacy6364: Those feats weren't in TDKR though, were they? By then, Batman's no longer at his peak fighting level- just the same as Rorschach, who's also a few years past his best-before date by the time the events of Watchmen unfold.
Batman's no longer at his peak fighting level, but he still took out a group of highly trained mercenaries, and Bane.
Rorschach beat on a man with cancer, got jumped by the cops, took out 3 thugs and a midget in prison, then got his ass kicked by Ozy.
@nickzambuto: legacy6364: Those feats weren't in TDKR though, were they? By then, Batman's no longer at his peak fighting level- just the same as Rorschach, who's also a few years past his best before date by the time the events of Watchmen unfold. Still, Rorschach does have some decent H2H feats in the prison as well. And even in that scene in TDK, how would Nolan's Batman have fared if he'd been limited to whatever tools and weapons he could improvise on the spot, in the same way as Rorschach? And in that Batman vs. SWAT team scene, the SWAT team aren't even trying to take Batman into custody; they've got their own, different mission and they're just trying to stop him from interfering.
I think you missed my point. In saying Batman could take down mobs of mercenaries during Rises, when he was out of his prime, which is something Rorschach could not do, that only reinforces how above Rorschach Baleman would be in his prime.
That's a fair point about Baleman having more resources than Rorschach, but it's not as if he can't use that gear against Walter as well, so it's still an advantage.
@nickzambuto: @legacy6364: Those feats weren't in TDKR though, were they? By then, Batman's no longer at his peak fighting level- just the same as Rorschach, who's also a few years past his best-before date by the time the events of Watchmen unfold.
Batman's no longer at his peak fighting level, but he still took out a group of highly trained mercenaries, and Bane.
Rorschach beat on a man with cancer, got jumped by the cops, took out 3 thugs and a midget in prison, then got his ass kicked by Ozy.
C'mon guys is this even seriously a question? Rorschach for the win easily he was better his fighting style wasn't stiff unlike batman's he kicks batman's sorry ass lol and easily nolan batman wasn't really that great
Due to presentation The Watchmen characters seem to have higher physical stats, but in this case it's not enough to remove Batman's advantages in skill and intelligence. Batman simply has better feats against similar opponents.
Batman, come on Rorschach lost against like 5 cops.
No, he beat 4 in the building, jumped out the window, then beat 5 cops simultaneously in H2H on the street, but was then restrained by the next 5 who turned up whilst he was finishing off the last of the first 5 cops.
There were like 17-20 of them (he ran away from a 5th in the building, and there were at least 2 plainclothes)
Baleman was generally going against the SWAT 2 or 3 at a time and also had prep and planning and a magic motion detector, as well as the element of surprise, and the SWAT team were distracted by all the hostages and terrorists whilst they were fighting him.
Rorschach was taken by surprise, he was set up, he was already surrounded when he realised there was trouble and he had like <1 minute to prep and all he had access to was household objects, he was swarmed.
They're not that comparable, Rorschach's scenario was worse (and very different).
@silent_bomber: Batman didn't have prep. He wasn't even aware that he'd even be going up against a SWAT team; his initial plan was to take out the doctors and then get to The Joker, it was only when he actually entered the building to which he realized that the gunmen were hostages. He had to save the hostages and take on a SWAT team.
He had about as much time Rorschach did to take on SWAT (though; they did actually announce publicly to Rorschach that they've surrounded him).
@silent_bomber: Batman didn't have prep. He wasn't aware that he'd even be going up against a SWAT team; his initial plan was to take out the doctors and then get to The Joker, it was only when he actually entered the building to which he realized that the gunmen were hostages. He had to save the hostages and take on a SWAT team.
He went in there with sticky bombs and a whole load of other equipment and knew the building's layout reasonably well.
He also had a magic motion-detector and Morgan Freeman navigating him :)
Regardless I think you have to agree that the scenario's are completely different, Rorshach's was essentially a 10 man brawl after he left the building, and prior to him leaving they already had his position and he was surrounded before he knew what was happening.
Baleman's scenario included more emphasis on planning.
@silent_bomber: The situation was different I agree (and had some extra equipment). It wasn't his original plan to attack the SWAT; he had to alter his plan and also had the task of making sure that the SWAT didn't kill any of the hostages, he had very little time to actually accomplish what he did. He was fighting tactically; he did have Sonar technology which gave him somewhat of an element of surprise but I don't see why the element of surprise is irrelevant here. Batman's stealth feats are still valid and applicable against Rorschach.
I wouldn't call it planning, because his 'plan' changed as soon as he entered the building, and prior to that he commented that The Joker's situation is possibly more complicated than what the police think. It was improvising.
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