Summary
Batman’s strategic thinking proves invaluable as he helps bring down an Avengers villain without lifting a finger. Batman’s skills as an inventor, detective, and tactician make him an essential member of the Justice League. Despite being just a human, Batman’s brilliance and resourcefulness make him a crucial asset in taking on powerful adversaries.
The Justice League often goes up against the most powerful villains that DC has to offer, so some fans have questioned just how much use Batman — a non-powered human — could be against literal Gods and demons. Batman demonstrates exactly why the team needs him when he helps take down a classic Avengers villain without even lifting a finger.
During the events of the JLA/Avengers miniseries by Kurt Busiek, George Perez, Tom Smith, and Comicraft, the Marvel and DC Universes are switched around. Characters that usually appear in Marvel’s universe suddenly appear in DC’s and vice versa. This leads to the Avengers villain Terminus ending up on DC’s Earth, going on a rampage.
The Justice League struggle to stop him due to his overwhelming power, but thanks to some quick thinking on Batman’s part, they come up with a winning strategy. Such is Batman’s role in the League: not some heavy hitter like Superman, but a strategist who can help the team win, even from afar.
Related Marvel Almost Traded DC an MCU Hero for a Justice League Icon Marvel and DC Comics nearly traded heroes back in the 1990s, as a proposed deal would have seen an Avenger join the Justice League and vice versa.
Batman’s Strategy Helps Defeat the Avengers Villain Terminus
Batman is one of the most skilled vigilantes in superhero comics. He traveled the world to learn everything he knows about fighting crime, and he has an absurdly brilliant mind on top of that. Bruce is a skilled inventor and detective. He can quickly deduce the weaknesses of both friends and enemies from how they fight and what they do. Batman is famous for contingency plans because, given enough time, he’ll always figure out a way to win. The Justice League is an absurdly powerful team, not just because of the number of people on it with superpowers, but because of the variety of things the people on it can do.
While the League is overpowered by Terminus, Batman simply watches until he figures out a plan. Using a telepathic link supplied by the Martian Manhunter, Batman directs his teammates and manipulates Terminus at the same time. Batman tricks Terminus into believing that the League is trying to remove his scepter from him when, in reality, they’re redirecting the scepter’s energy back at him. Because of Batman’s tactical mind, he helps bring down an opponent that would’ve been able to kill Batman alone in a few seconds.
Batman Proves His Major Worth to the Justice League
Batman is an integral member of the Justice League, and many writers want him to be right in the middle of the action, even when it doesn’t make sense. Batman is an absurdly skilled man, but at the end of the day, he is just a man. There really isn’t anything a character like Batman should actually be able to do against the likes of Darkseid or the Anti-Monitor in a straight fight. But that doesn’t mean he’s a useless member of the team, either. Batman is one of the most brilliant minds that DC has to offer, and he demonstrates exactly why he belongs in the Justice League when he helps bring down a major Avengers villain.
JLA/Avengers is available now from Marvel and DC Comics!