Superheroes: The Party of Superman vs. the Party of Batman

Those who are into comic books and superheroes sometimes have this argument: who could win in a fight between Batman and Superman?

Some say Superman because he is more powerful.  He’s faster, stronger and unless you have a rock of kryptonite in your pocket he can’t be beat. 

Other’s say it’s Batman.  One, because he knows about Superman’s Krytonite weakness.  Also because even though he’s human, he is better at out thinking Superman.  Superman is good, but his super body doesn’t house a superbrain. 

In times like this a country is in need of a superhero and since we don’t have one to call on we have to rely on our political parties but which one?

The Free Public has aligned it this way: Superman is a Democrat and Batman is a Republican.

The writer argues that Superman is a Democrat because he grew up on small farm and grew up to work for a newspaper and such large papers have a “heavy focus on moving forward with equal rights for racial or sexual minorities”.

“The villains Superman often combated were rich and powerful,” write the Free Public.  “For example, the criminal Lex Luthor was a wealthy businessman, likely utilized by the writers of Superman as a symbol of massive, corporate, unregulated American business practices.”

Likewise he paints Batman as a Republican because he comes from money and most likely would vote with those interests in mind.

I have to disagree with the author of the piece.  Although I believe it may have been true when the characters were created, but the times must have certainly made the heroes change the parties.  In the new millennium Superman is a Republican and Bruce Wayne is a Democrat and here’s why:

Geography: in 2008 the Republicans have claimed and hold dear (tightly dear) those who hale from small towns and disdain the cosmopolitan life.  I am sure that although Clarke is living in NYC he still holds dear to those values he learned in Smallville.  Bruce Wayne on the otherhand is from the big city.

False identities: the fact that Superman likes to wear simple eyeglasses to help him create a secret identity puts him with the Republicans.  It’s the same way GWB likes to say he’s a Texan although he grew up in the East (he attended Phillips Academy and Yale).  What’s adorable is that people always fall for the simple ruse.

Clarke was also an alien parading as a human.  Republicans are often from rich, established wealthy families parading as everyday Joes.

Bruce Wayne’s intelligence: Batman is the thinking man’s Superhero.  He doesn’t have any superpower so he has to rely on his wits and supercool gizmos to take down the bad guys.  The Democrats are often characterized as being too intelligent and elite for their own good.  Bill Clinton was a Rhodes Scholar, Al Gore turned voters off with his intelligence during the 2000 election and Barack Obama has been described as an elitist.  A lot of Democrats weren’t born into money (Clinton grew up in a trailer park, Barack Obama’s mother was on welfare at one point, and John Edwards father was a mill worker) but the education and intelligence of Democrats and their deigning not to hide it or dumb down their conversations when talking to voters, is enough to give them the stamp of pretention.

Use of power: Superman is known to resort to force first when dealing with his supervillians. 

While Batman used intelligence, Superman often resorted to violence, the political equivalent to war. Superman would sooner melt an opponent with his heat vision than he would extend a negotiation or use intellect. He was a supporter of the use of force. (Free Public)

The Republicans are for world militarization.  Their ideas of using force first and disdaining the idea of talking to your enemies is akin to Superman’s first line of defense of beating up the bad guys.  Not being able to outpower his enemies, Batman first tries to rely on his wits. 

Personal outlooks: Clarke Kent often views the world though rose colored glasses.  People are either good or bad and he reacts to them accordingly.

Batman is dark and twisted.  He dated Catwoman who is dark and twisted.  He could deal with the dichotomy of human nature.

Republicans often say, “My Country, right or wrong.”  Democrats often look at the country using a harsh lens that make Republicans blanche and call the Dems unpatriotic.

You would think in a city as corrupt as Gotham the two superheroes would be good friends but they aren’t.  Superman has broken Batman’s back.  Batman has killed Superman after Superman had gotten a hold of some bad red Krytonite.  Most times they are friends but they just don’t trust each other.

Sounds like Washington.

The battle of the Superparties will be decided in November.  But just like Batman and Superman, the losing party will come back to fight another day.

And that’s the way the fans like it.