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OPINION: Batman or Superman: Which Comic Should You Be Reading?


Right now, the two biggest superheroes in comics are Batman and Superman. One is what all of
humanity should strive to be, and one is what a man could be he if dedicated all of his life on a singular goal to stop all crime. And dresses like a bat. They’re also the only two heroes with two separate comic books dedicated to them. You might also be able to count Spidey, but he has, like, ten of them all dedicated to different versions.
Anyhoo, this is not an easy question. Both of these characters have A-list writers backing them, and are currently writing some amazing stories. But sadly, comics are extremely expensive, and since Marvel’s Fresh Start, there are quite a few out there that should be making your pull list. Let’s take a look at which of these superheroes comics you should be currently reading.
(There Will Be Minor Spoilers Down Below For King’s Batman)

Should You Be Reading Batman?

When you talk about Tom King’s Batman, it’s very easy to just talk about one issue: Like, The Brave and the Mold, when he teamed up with Swamp Thing to help solve the big green guy’s father murder. One of the the best stories in 2017. But one must first look at Batman 50; the giant-sized anniversary issue to really understand if King’s run is worth the time. 
Because there are some issues that are just beyond this realm; while others aren’t so much. And after the bombshell in the wedding issue, well, it’s then important to look at his run as whole, instead of a few amazing single issues. And yes, that’s usually the case, but with King, he takes it up to a whole new level.
And so, a lot of people were turned off by King’s Batman 50. He created this epic love story, and in the last minute, Selina ditched Bruce on a rooftop (rooftops are kind of their thing). And then, he delivered an instant classic in Batman 51. No joke. Bruce Wayne doing jury duty about a crime Batman committed against Mr. Freeze. And it was a magnificent way to show how out of control Batman currently is after he lost the love of his life, in a manner which has never been done before.
So, that huge bombshell in 50 was about how Bane is doing everything in his power to break the Bat. And how every villain Batman’s faced in King’s run is somehow helping him to do so. This means, if you’re really into serialized storytelling than King’s run is the option for you. Also, some of his comics are so ethereal, and in doing so, makes his comics like no other currently out in those regards. 
I would dive deeper into Detective Comics, but since Tynion’s departure, it’s a tough recommendation. Tynion’s run was very emotional at times, and also, included the Gotham Knights, which made it a Bat-family book. It was a very nice combo with King’s Batman. But without a clear outline makes it a wild card.

Should You Be Reading Superman?

DC Comics somehow managed to get one of the biggest writers of our generation, Brian Bendis. And currently, he’s doing all the Superman books. He started right out of the gate with Man Of Steel. Which deconstructed Superman in a way that we really haven’t see since I started to read comics. He stripped Superman of, well, everything that made him Superman. The Fortress of Solitude, his family, everything he knew about Krypton – and the results were fantastic. And yes, that last issue of Man of Steel was pretty lazy in how he solved the problem with Rogol Zarr – that is until you get to Superman 1.

There’s also Action Comics 1001, which just premiered this week, which had key elements from the first six issues of Man of Steel. It was an intimate tale where Superman was supposedly the villain, and he had to get to the bottom of who was causing these fires. Of course, he didn’t manage to find out who, but at least he cleared his name. There’s something wonderful about having two comics: One’s a blockbuster, while the other’s a bit more intimate, telling two interconnecting stories that are both similar and vastly unique. Quite impressive to be honest.

Which One Is The Winner? 

This is definitely a tough one to answer with both comics being among the best-selling comics, with top writers delivering top-notch scripts bi-weekly (weekly in Bendis’ case). And so…The winner is…Batman….And Superman! Both of these comics deserve your money. I’m sorry if you were expecting a different answer. Or if it that was anticlimactic, but the truth is, these are the best comics out, and they’re worth your money. Basically, if you want to get your money’s worth, then no two characters can do better than Batman and Superman.