When did Batman become more popular than Superman? 1 1

[Bookery]

23 minutes ago, kav said:

Batman fans have to admit it's more realistic that an alien has godlike powers than a guy who IS INCREDIBLY LUCKY WHEN IT COMES TO BULLETS.

Still he falls behind James Bond... 1.2 million rounds of ammunition fired at him, often when he's out in the open as on a ski slope, and he's alive not because he did something incredible, but only because his opponents apparently keep firing into the sky.  (Though even here you would think sooner or later one would drop back out of the sky and plunk him on the head... a whole different sort of Skyfall).

[kav]

6 minutes ago, Bookery said:

Still he falls behind James Bond... 1.2 million rounds of ammunition fired at him, often when he's out in the open as on a ski slope, and he's alive not because he did something incredible, but only because his opponents apparently keep firing into the sky.  (Though even here you would think sooner or later one would drop back out of the sky and plunk him on the head... a whole different sort of Skyfall).

Pretty much all good guys are immune to bullets.  Bad guys can fire thousand of rounds of machine gun and the good guy picks em off no problemo with a hand gun.  He might get a round in the shoulder but that's no biggie-typically good guys start chuckling when that happens.

[Bookery]

1 minute ago, kav said:

Pretty much all good guys are immune to bullets.  Bad guys can fire thousand of rounds of machine gun and the good guy picks em off no problemo with a hand gun.  He might get a round in the shoulder but that's no biggie-typically good guys start chuckling when that happens.

I'm a big fan of old Hollywood westerns, but the constant shoulder-shots followed by a slight grimace can be annoying.  Those were often large-caliber bullets made of lead... most likely a shoulder shot did considerable if not permanent damage, assuming you didn't die of infection afterward.

[valiantman]

3 hours ago, TwoPiece said:

Not that I am aware of...

I would like to think that I am smart, and I don't walk around thinking I'm Superman. Why? What am I doing wrong!?

No one walks around thinking they are Superman, but they can walk around thinking "What would Superman do?" and have genuine reflection on the possibility of perfection, even if the goal isn't achievable.

Walking around thinking "What would Batman do?" can often end with "I'd crack some skulls with my Bat-a-brass-knuckles, if I had some."  Not exactly a beautiful reflection of humanity.

[kav]

57 minutes ago, Bookery said:

I'm a big fan of old Hollywood westerns, but the constant shoulder-shots followed by a slight grimace can be annoying.  Those were often large-caliber bullets made of lead... most likely a shoulder shot did considerable if not permanent damage, assuming you didn't die of infection afterward.

Bullets do not go straight in like in the movies.  They go for the grand tour, skating off bone.  A bullet can enter the shoulder, exit the knee.  The also do not need to be 'pulled out!' unless they are in a joint space or impinging a vessel or nerve.  Once they stop, they are harmless.  Doctors leave em in!!

The worst was 310 to Yuba-guy gets a slug in the gut, goes on posse.  No ill effects.  WTF Hollywood?

[Mercury Man]

8 hours ago, Bookery said:

  A lot of it also has to do with when you grew up and how you perceived things

Agreed.   Social changes, values, tastes for sure.  Much like Baseball, which is seeing it's fan base creep up in age every year (the average age of the World Series watcher is now past 55 years old, and still trending upward....not good for MLB), Superman seems to be a bit of a dinosaur now.   I like his current title, but most of the back issues I find in the dollar box (and I see a lot) are not worth reading.  Not all, just most. 

Edited June 28, 2019 by Mercury Man

[VintageComics]

9 hours ago, Bookery said:

A fun thread, partly because there can be no "right" answer... it's all hypothesis and opinion.  Vintage Comics is no more right or wrong in his choice than Shadroch or I am in ours.  A lot of it also has to do with when you grew up and how you perceived things.  It's also important to understand that the term "most popular" is not defined.  It can be interpreted quite broadly.  If one is thinking "only comics", then I suspect (without looking it up) that Superman might still have out-sold Batman well into the '70s, if for no other reason that DC still considered him their flagship character, and put him into as many different titles as they could... Superman, Action, Adventure (as Superboy), World's Finest, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, specials and 80-pagers, etc.  But the broader media certainly covered Batman more intensively... at least for awhile... during and following the TV series, as did product merchandising.

Another factor is the age of the reader, or fan, we are discussing.  Younger kids (say 6-8) almost always identified with Superman.  Older ones (13, 14 or older) generally preferred Batman (at least in my region of the country).  And what about world-wide?  Is Superman still better recognized in the far corners of the planet than Batman?  I suspect he translates better in some cultures (he's more universal, whereas Batman is connected to a noirish urban environment, and has more ties to western criminal justice systems).  In America, in the present, I don't think there is any doubt Batman is more popular than Superman (and Spider-Man may be more popular than either, but that's a separate debate).  But worldwide?  I don't have an answer.

Tim, I guess I'd be curious as to whether Batman was more popular among the adult crowd in 1966 as compared to 1989. Even though Batman was popular in 1966 (and I'm not disputing this) it seemed to be more focused on children whereas the 1989 Batman craze seemed more mainstream (I was 19 in 1989 and it was everywhere). 

What would interest me would also any info from OSPG  advisors who were either responsible for or involved in the discussion of changing the value of 'Tec #27 over Action #1 or Marvel #1. That was a big deal among collectors.

[Crops068]

Oh I know absolutely when Batman became better than Superman.

Spoiler

September 2018 upon the release of Batman: Damned #1, being the 1st DC Black Label and the 1st appearance of the Batawang/Bruce Member/Batmember/etc....

amirite?

Spoiler

 

[ComicConnoisseur]

On 6/25/2019 at 7:40 PM, Mercury Man said:

Superman was 'The Man' for many years.   He basically started the genre.  He was marketed heavily in the 1930's and 1940's.  Had his own radio show during that time, had his own newspaper strip, then got his first tv show in the 1950's.  Kids wanted to be like Superman.  They sold a ton of merchandise in that time, with his likeness on it.   Batman was there too, but he certainly didn't garner the appeal that Superman did in that era. 

Then that all changed.  Was it 1966 and the Adam West interpretation.  Was it Frank Miller?  Was it the changing of society, into liking more brooding, conflicted characters?   When did Batman lap Superman?  

1966 and 1989. What makes Batman more popular is he has by far the best bad guys.

 

[ComicConnoisseur]

On 6/25/2019 at 9:09 PM, kav said:

The first superman movie was better right?  

Yes, 1978 Christopher Reeve Superman movie was better as well as the Zod Superman 2. In the long run though Bats has way more better villians and that`s the key.

[kav]

8 minutes ago, ComicConnoisseur said:

1966 and 1989. What makes Batman more popular is he has by far the best bad guys.

 

a clown, a couple of mad hatters, a guy whose only power is posing riddles, a female walking salad and some dude from the ICU?  Vs a computer cyborg genius, a criminal genius, several kryptonians and a guy who can suck out his powers??  Batman's villains are basically the guys I see on the street everyday catching imaginary bugs-

Edited June 29, 2019 by kav

[ComicConnoisseur]

On 6/26/2019 at 2:04 AM, shadroch said:

Batmania in 1966 dwarfed anything the Keaton movie approached. Nothing since then has approached it.

Sixties had quite a few manias.

Beatlemania, Monkeemania, James Bond mania and Batman mania. Perfect storm because back than basically they only had like only 5 channels. This made a big difference compared to modern times.

[kav]

In any sort of realistic world, the joker would be pushing a shopping cart around gibbering to himself.  Thats what happens to untreated mental patients, not rising to the top of a criminal enterprise-

[kav]

If being Craaaazy is some super ability, my city is filled with super villains-

[kav]

Batman's weak villains match his useless powers and 'abilities'.  Watching him fight the Joker would be like watching bumfights.com.

[kav]

The End

[kav]

On 6/25/2019 at 6:30 PM, kav said:

I was doing a 7 day fast once for spiritual reasons-on day 3 I cracked-I was heading to McDonald's and Star Wars came on the radio and this inspired me to stick with it.

Things that happen when you fast for 7 days:  you notice that people seem way too casual about EATING.  You read an entire cook book.  You think about food constantly.  When you break the fast you compose huge dinner of home made tamales, steak, choc cake etc, eat 2 bites and you feel sick and are full.  I learned later you're supposed to drink broth and jello.

Oh and ps-at no point did I feel 'weak'-I still worked out 5 hours a day, went to school and worked 30 hours a week.  Water only-no diluted juice or calories of any kind.

[Larryw7]

3 hours ago, VintageComics said:

Tim, I guess I'd be curious as to whether Batman was more popular among the adult crowd in 1966 as compared to 1989. Even though Batman was popular in 1966 (and I'm not disputing this) it seemed to be more focused on children whereas the 1989 Batman craze seemed more mainstream (I was 19 in 1989 and it was everywhere). 

What would interest me would also any info from OSPG  advisors who were either responsible for or involved in the discussion of changing the value of 'Tec #27 over Action #1 or Marvel #1. That was a big deal among collectors.

The 1966 show was popular with everyone. Adults got a kick out of the campy humor and all of the celebrity appearances, while kids loved the action and color. Every star in Hollywood wanted to play a guest villain. I was too young to understand the craze(I was born in '66), but I remember Batman being popular, and that the local Kiddie City had an entire aisle dedicated to just Batman merchandise. And those aisles were huge!

[kav]

Munsters was wildly popular but Batman knocked it off the air.

[Mercury Man]

8 hours ago, kav said:

Batman's villains are basically the guys I see on the street everyday

Poor Leona Helmsley