Batman and Superman have been through the wringer together, going from bitter enemies to the best of friends. Although they are two completely different types of heroes, they have worked together against some of the evilest characters in DC history.
While they have both fought enemies of each other, it's clear that some villains are more obsessed with Batman than Superman or vice versa. Batman's gallery of rogues is unmatched and features a mix of scary, powerful, and genius supervillains who torment Gotham City and The Dark Knight. However, what would happen if these evil superbeings focused on The Man of Steel instead of The Caped Crusader?
10 The Joker's Careless Attitude Would Test Superman's Patience
Superman has dealt with the Joker on several occasions, including once ripping his heart out of his chest. However, Joker usually deals with Batman and the rest of the Bat family so he's not a consistent enemy of The Man of Steel. The Joker is a loose cannon who has no interest in taking over the world or becoming really rich. He creates chaos just for fun and kills innocent people for no reason. While Batman sometimes has a no-killing rule, his tragic past turned him into a gritty hero who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty with criminals such as The Joker. Superman is known as the big blue boy scout, who follows all the rules and doesn't enjoy hurting his enemies. The Joker wouldn't stand a chance in a physical matchup but on a psychological level, he could break Superman.
9 The Riddler Could Leave Kryptonite Riddles Everywhere
The Riddler has been giving Batman and Robin headaches for years. He has a narcissistic personality and is always looking to outthink The Dark Knight. While Superman is a smart person, he's not a detective and would become frustrated with Riddler's mind games and complicated crimes. The Riddler is not trained in physical combat, however, he has a genius intellect and could outthink The Man of Steel.
Riddler could leave riddles all around Metropolis and while Superman could reach them quickly, he may have trouble breaking his codes. Imagine Riddler if he got his hands on some Kryptonite and placed pieces of it in each riddle, Superman's mind and body would most likely break down before he could solve them.
8 Man-Bat Could Battle The Man Of Steel In The Sky
Batman has a lot of weird villains but perhaps the most absurd is Man-Bat. Dr. Kirk Langstrom transformed into a giant bat when he took a serum that was supposed to give humans bat-like sonar, and things went awry. Batman created an antitoxin that reversed the side effects but Man-Bat has returned several times. At the very least, Batman has knowledge of chemistry and a lab in his Batcave so he always has a way to combat Man-Bat. Superman doesn't have either of those luxuries, which would make his fight against Man-Bat that much harder. Lastly, Superman usually has flying to use to his advantage but Man-Bat can soar through the sky as well, which would even the odds.
7 Clayface's Transformations Could Confuse Clark & Superman
Clayface is one of Batman's most underrated villains, with several people taking up the clay mantle over the years. Matt Hagen's story may be the most well-known and most tragic tale of all the Clayface's. Hagen found a pool of radioactive protoplasm and gained the ability to transform his whole body into anyone or anything. Clayface may not match strengths with Superman, but he could come pretty close and shape his arms to any weapon he chooses. Also, if Clayface found out Superman's secret identity, there's no telling who he would change into. He could kidnap Lois Lane then change into her, which would allow him to get to Clark when he's in his most vulnerable state.
6 Mr. Freeze Could Use A Kryptonite Freeze Gun
Another tragic tale in Batman's lore is that of Dr. Victor Fries, who was changed forever while trying to keep his sick wife alive. His accident lowered his body temperature to freezing, alas Mr. Freeze was born. Superman's strength and heat vision would be a good way to combat Freeze, but his super-breath would be a non-factor for obvious reasons.
Freeze is also extremely intelligent and if he got his cold hands on some Kryptonite rocks, he could make some dangerous weapons to weaken The Last Son of Krypton. Freeze's trademark freezing pack and gun would become lethal if he liquified some Kryptonite and blasted some green ice in Superman's direction. A Kryptonite icicle to the chest of Superman would put him on... ice.
5 Solomon Grundy's Brute Strength Could Match Kal-El's
Solomon Grundy is based on a nursery rhyme and is a villain to mainly Batman and Green Lantern. Although, in recent years, he has battled Superman on several occasions. Grundy had a lot of fights against the Justice League and the Justice Society, even destroying the Society's headquarters and wreaking havoc throughout the city. Although, Superman is called The Man Of Steel for a reason. Take Kryptonite out of the mix and he is indestructible who has the ability to lift anything. Solomon Grundy is also indestructible and has a healing factor that makes him immortal. These two could match strength forever, which makes for an intriguing rivalry that could last a lifetime. In fact, Earth-One Superman flew Grundy off Earth and left him on an alien world because he could not overpower him.
4 Killer Croc's Anger & Violence Would Shock Supes
Waylon Jones was born with reptilian traits and was mocked by his abusive aunt, who called him a lizard boy freak. Jones finally had enough and killed his aunt, adopting the moniker, Killer Croc. Superman may have fought dangerous and monstrous villains before but Killer Croc's love for extreme violence may even shock Supe's. Croc could hang in a physical match too, having superhuman strength and an ability to heal quickly. What really makes Croc a viable enemy is his superhuman speed and reflexes, which he would need to match a man who's faster than a locomotive. In the Infinite Crisis storyline, Croc joins Lex Luthor Jr's Secret Society of Supervillains. The knowledge of the Luthor family, mixed with Killer Croc's violent temper, would be bad news for The Man of Steel.
3 Poison Ivy Could Make Red Kryptonite Plants To Seduce The Man Of Steel
Poison Ivy is an evil temptress, who has the ability to control plant life and poison anyone with a simple touch. She has faced off against Batman many times but has also been a love interest to The Caped Crusader in other adaptations. Superman being seduced by Ivy may be outlandish to think, but what if she got her hands on some Red Kryptonite? Red Kryptonite affects Superman's mental ability, causing him to act differently and make poor decisions. Ivy could sprinkle the red rock into her pheromone dust or on her plants, which would lower Superman's defenses and make him putty in her hands.
2 Ra's Al Ghul Lazarus Pit Could Outlast Superman's Life
Ra's Al Ghul is a master assassin that trained a league of ninja and cheated death many times. His Lazarus Pit is a rejuvenation pool that heals physical wounds and can bring people back from death. However, the Lazarus Pit will cause just as much damage to someone's mind as it will healing injuries. Superman's lifespan has changed in different stories but he is usually immortal or at least lives a lot longer than the normal man. Superman would meet his match in longevity with Ra's and would need to go through the whole League of Assassins to face him. While Ra's is an evil being, Batman has described him as an honorable villain. It would be interesting to see an honorable villain go up against the world's most honorable hero. Unless Ra's is fresh out of the Pit, then he would be less honorable and more horrible.
1 Bane's Kryptonite Venom Could Break His Steel Body
Bane has been causing chaos in Gotham for nearly three decades, even breaking Batman's back in his debut story, Knightfall. He is considered extremely intelligent and is a physical monster, thanks to his giant frame and venom-induced muscles. Superman would meet his match in physical strength in Bane, especially when the venom is flowing. Imagine the venom, laced with Kryptonite, pumping through Bane's giant arms. Batman has been known to defeat Bane by simply kicking out his venom tubes but if Bane lands a few Kryptonite punches, Superman may not have the strength to kick anything. Bane would eventually break Superman's spirit... and then his body.