Warning: contains spoilers for Batman #119
DC Comics has finally proved that Superman would be far more challenged if they just switch nemeses. A scene in the recent Batman #119 highlights this point.
It’s no secret that Joker and Lex Luthor are considered the main nemeses for Batman and Superman respectively. Comic fans may argue that other villains may be bigger threats and even rivals for the heroes, but outside comic circles, mainstream pop culture and non-comic readers undeniably link the pairs together. This was probably why Joker and Lex Luthor were chosen as antagonists in the heroes’ first popular big-screen adaptations. But when the two foes switch, it’s easy to see just how better suited they are to take on each other’s heroes.
At the end of James Tynion IV’s run on Batman, Bruce Wayne is left without his vast fortune. That means he can’t fund his international effort to outsource Batman using Batman Inc. This left a hole for Lex Luthor to come in and fill that void as Batman Inc.’s financier. Now, in Batman #119 by Joshua Williamson, Jorge Molina, Adriano Di Benedetto, and Mikel Janin, Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor are clashing. During a private dinner meeting, Lex tells Bruce the story of a $20 million dollar bottle of mine and then proceeds to pour the bottle right on the floor. For Bruce Wayne, a man who was never without his fortune, seeing Lex taunt him by wasting millions and millions shows just how matched Lex is as a villain to Bruce.
Fans also got to see the flip side to this equation in the alternate universe story Injustice. Instead of going after Batman, Joker decides to attack Superman by killing Lois Lane. This triggered Superman to kill Joker and start a fascist state across the planet. Superman snapped because he was ill-equipped to deal with the brutal chaos Joker can inflict. Meanwhile, when Joker killed Jason Todd, Batman was able to recover and not allow the Clown Prince of Crime to break him morally.
The reason Joker and Batman go together is that they are opposites. Clowns are supposed to bring joy, but the Joker only brings horror. Bats scare people, but Batman rescues them. Similarly, Superman is just one man with unlimited superpowers fighting against one man with unlimited brainpower and money. But the reason the conflict gets amplified when the enemies are switched is that they are more mirror versions than opposites. Bruce and Lex face off as men with money. Superman is a colorful character who brings hope while Joker is a colorful character that takes it away. Fans deserve to see more of these two famous rivalries swapped.
