Warning: Spoilers for Batman #127 ahead!
Superman may be one of the oldest DC debates - if not superhero debates - but it's based on a fallacy. Despite all the situations that have been contrived to pit the two against each other, the fact remains that Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne are incredibly close friends. While it may be amusing to imagine them as adversaries, when the chips are down one will always have the other's back.
Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne have maintained their friendship ever since they first met on a fateful cruise in Superman #76 (1952) by Edmond Hamilton, Curt Swan, Stan Kaye, and John Fischetti. Since then, the two have formed the backbone of the DC Universe, with Superman's optimism keeping Batman from completely falling into darkness and Batman's familiarity with tragedy helping him to bolster Superman when Clark is at his lowest. Batman and Superman are destined to be allies; while there has undoubtedly been friction between the two of them, at the end of the day they are always there for each other.
Batman #127 by Chip Zdarsky, Jorge Jiménez, and Tomeu Morey is one of the clearest examples of this principle. After being framed for the murder of The Penguin, Batman finds himself being hunted by Failsafe, a robot he himself designed to activate and take him out should he ever go rogue and break his "no killing" rule. Bleeding and broken in the flames of Wayne Manor, Batman is prepared to die - only for Superman to arrive in the nick of time, his face deathly serious as he tells the Failsafe to back away from his friend.
The dialogue only heightens the strength of the bond between the two heroes. Superman describes Batman as his friend without hesitation, despite the issue beginning with a deep argument about Batman’s plans to stop Superman and the League should they go rogue. For his part, Batman's internal monologue reveals just how reassured he is to see Clark arrive: "[Superman's] voice is a boom. A Midwestern boom that tells even the cynics...everything will be all right." Considering that Batman is perhaps the DC universe's greatest cynic, this becomes a touching show of vulnerability not often afforded to Batman: having someone close he can rely on in his darkest hour.
The bond between Batman and Superman goes far deeper than Batman v. Superman's "Martha" connection. They have been partners and co-workers; in true comic book fashion, they have attended each other's weddings and funerals. Batman versus Superman will always prove to be a lie because at the end of the day, the world's finest heroes are defined by their friendship and not their enmity.
Batman #127 is now available from DC Comics.
