I recently had a debate with the guy I'm dating about who would win in a fight...Batman or Ironman. The fact that he chose Batman was not really the thing that bothered me but rather that he said Batman was smarter than Ironman. I know that my prejudice against DC comics has tainted my view but I was willing to relent that Superman was indeed stronger than Ironman, however, Batman is in NO WAY smarter than Ironman. If it weren't for Batman's butler, he would be SOL. "Could you take her home Alfred?" and "Can you fix the suit Alfred?" and "What am I going to do Alfred?" WA-WA-WA. Tony Stark has no Alfred. The closest he has is Virginia Potts..not quite the same. Ironman works with a piece of shrapnel in his chest, dangerously close to killing him. Batman has overcome his fear of bats, becoming one with the bat. OOOOH. Ironman would absolutely win in a fight and he is indeed the smarter of the two.
I'm interested to hear what you think.
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9 comments:
I think you are both right. It just depends on how you define "smart." Tony Stark is clearly more intelligent in the traditional sense--anyone who can make a power suit in a cave in the desert with spare missle parts is a genius--but Bruce Wayne is more street smart, more resourceful. Tony is a bit of the Lone Ranger, while Bruce compiles all his various resources into toys that he can use for the job.
It brings up an interesting and not entirely hypothetical question--how many "heroes" in the traditional sense, e.g., Superman, Spiderman, Green Lantern, Flash, etc., can be characterized as intelligent? Even Peter Parker was a brainy kid, and most of the others were often shown using some ingenious method to solve a vexing problem. The interesting part of this issue is how it contrasts with the current inculturation of ignorance in our society. Einstein was once a hero of sorts, now the focus is on Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader (and most aren't). Blame the drug culture, blame rap music, blame rebelliousness in general--blame whatever you like (can't blame Bush for this one), but the premium our society once put on intelligence has now shifted to ignorance as the gold standard. Nobody cares about grammar, spelling, integrity--it's more beneficial not to show smarts or you will be outcast. We had that when I grew up, but it was only the dumb kids who expressed it, mostly from jealousy; "smart" was appreciated by the majority of society (young and old). Has our educational system failed so badly over the years? Or have apathy and laziness, spurred by the lure of instant gratification, become so ingrained that they overwhelm even the lowest level of self-worth and ambition? [Hard work pays off in the end, but laziness pays off now.] Why is this not the case with the Asian culture? What have they inculcated in their members that our population in general has not? I never expected to see a dumb Superhero in pop culture--why would we want one of those?--but then I rented Hancock. Very funny in parts, but with a disturbing quality. Hobo as hero...with the inevitable redemption in the end. But it's a farce, really, because our society doesn't focus on redemption any more. Now it's exploitation. With technology and industry being outsourced--all the Tony Starks of the world are now yellow skinned--we have nothing left that we need intelligence for. In fact, it's better for the common people to be, well, common, so corporations and hucksters can sell them stuff easier. We must demand better. To strive, to seek, and not to yield.
Thanks for the comment Dad. I never expected such a thought-out response on the comparison of superheros to our cultural demise. Don't you have a job? Where does all the extra blogging time come from? Insomnia?
First...Don't blame the drug culture. We learned it from your generation(damn hippies).
Second...don't discuss intelligence then make a highly racist comment like "yellow-skinned". It shows ignorance.
And finally..I just wanted to know who you think would win in a fight. Or at least who you think would win at trivial pursuit?
But I appreciate the time and energy you spent writing it.
If I were as obsessed by my job as I have been in the past, I wouldn't have a blog of my own. Now that Jane is out of the creatvie arts business, I have to find a new outlet for the pent-up seething waves of right-brainedness roiling around inside me. Blame the drug culture on us? Ha! Have you never heard of Do as I say, not as I do? Weren't we a bad enough example to keep you off of them? Obviously not.
I pick only one nit with your response--you can not equate intelligence with prejudice (and I disagree with your tag of racist--so overused nowadays--simply because of a colorful shorthand reference). Many of the finest minds in the world have had personalities (or grew up in a society or other surroundings) that slanted them against a particular type of person. It may be a character flaw--which I deny for myself--but it does not have a bearing on intelligence.
Love you, honey, so keep the dialogue open. We might both learn something.
Perhaps "racist" isn't the right word. How about "Inappropriate"? I love you too Daddy! Since when is Jane out of the creative arts business?
Aquaman for the win.
Nice B! Pick the only homosexual super hero for the win. I always knew you had it in you.
Aquaman? Really? Come on now, you know that the longer aquaman is out of water the weaker he gets. He would be turned into a fish stick if he took either one of the two on. On the flip side, I'm sorry Laura but Iron Man has no chance. Granted, he is smart, very smart, but only really in one specific area. Weapons manufacturing. Batman overall is probably one of the msot inteligent superheroes around. How else can a mortal man tangle with all these demigods that make up the rest of th comic book world? He can manufacture weapons just like Tony Stark but there is one key difference and that is reconnaissance. Batman has the ability to study and learn a opponents weakness and adjust a game plan accordingly. Iron Man does no such thing. He blows shit up basically. You have to remember Batman in "Detective Comics" He is a detective first, superhero second which makes him so effective. I know you will disagree with me and it's cool. Just as long as you know that Superman could be beat both of them.......easy.
Interesting points..wyseguy.
The only truth I can determine is that y'all have way too much time on your hands....
Aquaman? Are you kiddin' me? Green Lantern would kick everybody's ass! (Hmmm... was he Irish? If so, we'd never get him out of the bar. Ooops, more stereotyping...my bad.)
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