What were the major differences between Batman and Superman?

The two major DC comic book superheroes, Superman and Batman, are perhaps two of the most drastically different superheroes in the entire world of comic books. While sharing many similarities and often battling for the public spotlight as the world's most famous superhero, they are, above all, far more different than they are similar.

Perhaps the most important difference occurs with the true identity of each hero. Superman and Batman both have public personas and...

The two major DC comic book superheroes, Superman and Batman, are perhaps two of the most drastically different superheroes in the entire world of comic books. While sharing many similarities and often battling for the public spotlight as the world's most famous superhero, they are, above all, far more different than they are similar.

Perhaps the most important difference occurs with the true identity of each hero. Superman and Batman both have public personas and alter egos that allow their true identity to remain secret. While Bruce Wayne, the billionaire playboy from Gotham city, dons the alter ego of Batman, Superman, an alien named Kal-El that came from the planet Krypton, must take on a persona of his own after being adopted by a well-doing family named the Kents. Bruce Wayne takes the form of Batman to scour the night's streets in order to stop criminals after becoming hellbent on preventing crimes like the murder of his parents. Superman, on the other hand, takes on the form of Clark Kent to conform to society, to fit in. Superman, the superhero, is the true identity of Clark Kent. The powers he holds are his by birth, and in order to belong in the normal world, he must adopt the mild-mannered Clark Kent persona and hide his superpowers. Batman's powers are entirely bought and obtained through his large monetary influence as well as his extreme physical fitness.

The other significant difference between the two heroes is certainly which powers they hold. Superman, as spoken in his original radio plays, is "Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings at a single bound!"; in other words, his powers are otherworldly. Batman, on the other hand, utilizes gadgets, weapons, and technology to prowl the darkness and overpower his enemies. His superpowers are ultimately wealth and intelligence.

These two superheroes act as cultural icons and metaphors for the typical American life. Both are lonely, both are outcasts, and both aim to better the world through stopping criminals. It is the differences that set them apart, however, and it is the differences that make them two sides to the same coin of cultural Americana.