The Great Debate

By Scott Smith in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 21, 2005 6:44PM

The Tribune’s Julia Keller outs herself as a huge nerd this morning by throwing her two cents into a debate that has torn apart grade school playgrounds for decades: who’s better, Superman or Batman?

In the piece, Keller speaks for all Superman fans who have had to put up and shut up in the face of all the hype over Batman Begins. She notes that fans of Superman are often mocked for their allegiance to America’s Biggest Boy Scout and that it’s high time that those who follow the big red “S” stand tall and be counted. She even gets all existential on our asses by proclaiming that “Superman is about being; Batman is about becoming.” Moreover, she says choosing one over the other isn’t about deciding who can win in a fight but says something about the person you are.

We were really surprised to see Keller take on this topic. Outside of Mo Ryan (who we love), rampant geekiness doesn’t often show up in the Tribune. After you turn 12, this is a discussion that only occurs under one of two conditions: A) you are high; or B) you are posting on an Internet message board.

Despite the Tribune's current poll results favoring the Dark Knight, Chicagoist is casting its lot for Superman.

We know it’s cooler to dig Batman. Cooler car, cooler costume, and a much easier commute into downtown than Superman. The argument often used by Batman fans when attempting to prove who’s better is that he’s just “a regular guy with no superpowers” and therefore his achievements as a superhero are that much greater. This is, of course, complete bullshit. When your workplace is essentially the Sam’s Club of superhero gear and you’ve got a platinum card, that takes you out of the realm of “regular guy” land. Otherwise, the "regular guys" of Chicagoist would be 300 push-ups and a Kevlar vest away from being professional ass-kickers. Besides, what good is a superhero who can’t even save Hollywood’s declining box office receipts?

Superman stands for living the best life with the gifts you're given. Frank Miller’s work aside, he embodies the idea that in a postmodern world there may exist a universal truth (justice and American way).