Superman vs batman

Ramiro Velazquez
Mrs. Malone
AP.English 11
2-21-12
Batman vs. Superman

Not often in literary history do two characters contrast and match each other so well. Batman and Superman are the figure heads of DC comics and were the only characters keeping the comic giant above the rising waters of collapse. It is natural that the characters, both sixty plus years in print, have acquired amassive fan base. The fan base of the two juggernauts of comics have been known to attack one another with claims on who is superior or who is the most interesting. With all of the fan "wars" several reoccurring traits of the characters have been the basis of most claims on who is truly the best comic book character. Those traits are: the origins of the characters, their secret identities, and the styleof justice they deliver.
First let's talk about the Man of Steel himself, Superman-or Clark Kent if you prefer. His comic book origin, oddly enough, has gone through some odd changes and ret-cons during his tenure. Essentially the various origin stories all have Superman coming from his home planet of Krypton in a rocket, narrowly escaping the apocalypse that shattered his world; he was sent tothe planet Earth. Where he was found by Jonathan and Martha Kent, a caring family from Smallvile longing for a child, they raised him as one of their own. In some tells, Clark began using his powers at a young age as the hero Superboy, but recently that was removed from history as it didn't make sense in the Chronological time line. Clark would eventually leave the city of Smallville to go intoMetropolis. There he developed the Superman persona and began to defend the world from the likes of Lex Luthor, Braniac, and various foes.
Superman's secret identity is often a major topic of discussion. One argument is that Superman is his real identity and Clark Kent is his alter ego; being that he was born with his powers instead of gaining them in life. Others argue that he is Clark Kent thatjust so happens to be Superman; since he was raised to be human and later discovered he had powers. Either way both sides agree that Superman purposefully made his mild mannered ego act different to Superman in every way. Clumsy, bumbling, and not all there, best describes Clark when compared to his Superman persona. Clark has gone so far out of his way that he often fools those he is around allthe time, both as Superman and Clark. Lois Lane, Clark's love interest, never figured out the identity of Superman despite being the one human, other than those of the superhero society, to be around Superman the most. Shows how far he goes with the personality change considering that the only thing hiding his identity is a pair of glasses and a "spit-curl".
Superman, with the benefit of hissecret identity, has developed a style of justice all his own. Instead of hunting down villains, Superman just stands back and reacts to every crisis, threat, and emergency, always protecting the lives of the innocent-and sometimes the evil-from immediate danger. Only after everyone is safe that he will take on the main threat that is at hand.
Batman is a stark contrast to the Last Son of Krypton,for starters, Batman's origins are slightly different from Superman. Batman being born into a wealthy family as Bruce Wayne lived a normal life until at a very young age his parents were killed at gunpoint during a back alley robbery. This moment would shape young Bruce Wayne's life as he was raised by his loyal butler Alfred until he turned eighteen. At the age of eighteen, Bruce began to travelthe globe learning various martial arts and weapons training. After about six or seven years of globe hopping, Bruce returns to Gotham City and finds it corrupted beyond all belief. With crime lords ruling the streets and government offices, Bruce decides to take matters in his own hands. Using the bat-an image to strike fear in the crooks and villains of the city-Bruce developed the persona...