Marvel and DC come together to crown the definitive victor between Wolverine and Batman in a multiversal crossover that’s one for the ages. Twenty-nine years after Wolverine and Batman merged into the Amalgam universe’s most famous hero, Logan Wayne a.k.a. Darkclaw, Marvel and DC present a new crossover event. This time, several characters either team up or fight each other.
Marvel/DC: Batman/Deadpool #1 presents multiple unlikely encounters. While Daredevil and Green Arrow join forces against the Hand, Wonder Woman and Captain America fall in love, and Rocket Raccoon exchanges places with Hal Jordan, Wolverine and Batman beat each other up. Weathered and weakened by age, The Dark Knight Returns-era Batman and Old Man Logan-era Wolverine try to kill each other.
Written and drawn by The Dark Knight Returns creator himself, Frank Miller, the short story “Showdown” from Marvel/DC: Batman/Deadpool #1 pits Bruce Wayne against James Howlett in a single location and with no external help.
Batman Defeats Wolverine, Proving That Brains Beat Brawn
Marvel/DC: Batman/Deadpool #1; Written by Frank Miller; Art by Frank Miller & Alex Sinclair
Frank Miller’s Marvel/DC story is the shortest one, and it boasts the artist’s unmistakeably rough, minimalistic style. Batman and Wolverine spend most of the story fighting inside a cartoonish cloud of dust, with old-school onomatopeia like “Krak” and “Koom!”. Though both heroes end up equally bloodied and battered, Batman manages to sneak a bomb belt onto Wolverine and take the mutant down.
Batman doesn’t kill Wolverine, however, and how exactly Wolverine couldn’t do more damage using his Adamantium claws is unknown. But within the context of a hypothetical match, it makes sense for Batman’s wits to gain him the upper hand, as well as for Wolverine to get too caught up in the battle to notice Batman’s strategy. This is especially true for the older version of both heroes.
The Dark Knight Returns Confirms Batman Could Defeat Old Man Logan
Batman Knows How To Stop Characters As Powerful As Superman If He Really Wants To
In Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, Batman singlehandedly defeats two of his biggest opponents: the Joker and Superman. Batman’s unforgettable fistfight against a veteran Man of Steel demonstrates how far Bruce Wayne’s tactics and intellect can carry him. If he could outwit and overpower the Man of Steel, then facing a weakened Wolverine, even one as grizzled and experienced as Old Man Logan, falls well within Batman’s capabilities.
Old Man Logan is a shadow of Wolverine in his prime. Logan’s healing factor is drastically reduced, leaving him vulnerable to injuries that his younger self would shrug off. Throughout this saga, Wolverine barely survives encounters with characters he would defeat easily in his prime, like Gorgon, Bullseye, and the Hulk gang. Old Man Logan’s ferocity no longer compares to the near-unstoppable rage of mainline Wolverine.
Although Wolverine’s claws could theoretically kill Batman in an instant, it has always been Bruce’s mind that levels the playing field. In regular DC lore, Batman has consistently outmaneuvered physically stronger opponents, including Bane, Killer Croc, and the entire Justice League, as seen in Tower of Babel. Batman‘s genius for exploiting weaknesses and creating contingencies gives him the edge over Wolverine.
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- Created By
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Bob Kane, Bill Finger
- Alias
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Bruce Wayne
- Alliance
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Justice League, Outsiders, Batman Family
- Race
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Human
- Franchise
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D.C.
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- Created By
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Roy Thomas, Len Wein, John Romita Sr.
- First Appearance
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The Incredible Hulk (2023)
- Alias
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James “Logan” Howlett
- Alliance
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X-Men, Avengers, Canadian Army, OSS/CIA, Avengers Unity Squad, Alpha Flight, New Avengers, New Fantastic Four, Savage Avengers, Weapon X, X-Force
- Race
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Human-Mutant
