Battle of the $$$$

If Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne each had a month to prepare for a confrontation, at the end of the month when the two finally collided, who would win?

Iron Man (after one month of preperation)

vs.

Batman (after one month of preperation)

Both are filthy rich and have a vast array of technology and resources. Who would take it?
Post Edited:2008-03-28 12:35:54

A year? This is ridiculous. Anything could happen in a year. How could you possibly determine who would win? This would almost come down to DC vs Marvel; not necessarily other characters (though that's always a possibility), but things like technology, magic, anything that falls under "resources". Even aside from their personal wealth and intelligence (which are not to be discounted) these characters are both extremely well connected with people and powers all over their respective universes. With a year and the proper motivation way too much could happen.

Batman... I think he proved in Justice League: Tower of Babylon that he can prepare better for eventual confrontations with characters who are much more powerful than he is.

As another note... years of prep and Iron Man still hasn't taken down the Hulk

Aside from the fact that he's not allowed (Marvel's going to actually let him stop Hulk? Please) he did have something that would stop Hulk during WWH, but he didn't get to use it. The stuff he used to depower She-Hulk would have worked (unless SPIN tech jobs to Hulk too) but someone stole it and he went into battle thinking he had it when he didn't. In any case, he did end up stopping Hulk so it's not like he can't do it.

Buckshot says:

"A year? This is ridiculous. *Anything* could happen in a year. How could you possibly determine who would win? This would almost come down to DC vs Marvel; not necessarily other characters (though that's always a possibility), but things like technology, magic, anything that falls under "resources". Even aside from their personal wealth and intelligence (which are not to be discounted) these characters are both extremely well connected with people and powers all over their respective universes. With a year and the proper motivation way too much could happen."

You're absolutely right. A year is way too much time. Alright, a month.

A month..still my money..or Bruces is on Batman

I think my problem is more with the resources than the time. Iron Man can't jump into Reed's time machine and give himself more time within a month? Bruce can't dial up Zatanna and have her fit him with some kind of magic to make him unbeatable?

Maybe if they were both stuck at their bases, not allowed to get help from anyone else or use anything they themselves didn't make it might work.

I'd have to agree with Avantar, here. My money's also on Batman. Hands down one of THE most resourceful characters in all of comics. He has shown time and time again that his ability to think on his feet aids him in just about any fight. If given a month..a year...however long to prepare for a battle, you can bet your behind he's coming with not just one strategy, but three or four. I just don't think Stark possesses that type inprovisational skills..

Buckshot says:

"I think my problem is more with the resources than the time. Iron Man can't jump into Reed's time machine and give himself more time within a month? Bruce can't dial up Zatanna and have her fit him with some kind of magic to make him unbeatable? Maybe if they were both stuck at their bases, not allowed to get help from anyone else or use anything they themselves didn't make it might work."

I see what youre saying but this makes me wonder just what we mean by prep time. My first thought was even with a year, why would they take it that far? Iron Man knows that Batman is a street level fighter and Batman knows that Iron Man's a second tier combat suit. They might stop at a sonic device with neural disruptors from Tony (just in case Batman had sonic countermeasures) and an EMP device that also projects a magnetic disruption wave from Bruce (just in case Iron Man has magnetic shielding against EMPs).

But then Bruce is obsessive and that and his brilliance might make it hard for him to sleep at night overthinking everything Tony could do. Then Tony would know that Batman is that way and he would overprepare as well. Or would he? This depends on what we are saying they could pick up with their prep time. How much can Tony truly learn about Batman and the way he thinks? How much can Bruce truly learn about Tony and the way he thinks?

Thinking it through, I'm going to say that no matter how long the prep time is and no matter what level of information we set it at, that Batman would be able to find out more about Tony. Tony will have government agents and his own detectives working for him, but Bruce will use those government contacts against Tony to be able to backtrack and get more info on him. The registration will help Bruce as will the feeling of animosty of some of Tony's ex friends who might be more willing to say what they know about him and undoubtedly know more than Bruce's teammates really know about the Batman.

So I think that no matter what Bruce will end up learning more about Tony and thus will come more prepared for the battle.

Forever says:

"My first thought was even with a year, why would they take it that far? "

Honestly, I think they would because that's what I would do and so it makes sense to me. Just like Superman using his speed in fights, smart people with connections using both these things to their fullest makes sense to me. It's not something they don't do much of in comics (like Supes with his speed) but they have the resources to do pretty much whatever they can imagine in this situation.

In any case, I'd back Batman. Stark may have the tech advantage (and I believe he does if we're looking at just what the individuals have made) and plenty of smarts, but Batman just thinks too much and in a way better suited for war. Not saying that Tony can't plan a battle, just that he can't do it anywhere near as well as Batman. Batman's brain beats anything Tony will build. That's basically what it comes down for me. Hadn't thought of what you said Forever (about who learns what about the other guy) but that just makes it better for Batman. I still think that battles like this (basically, just prep) leave too much in the air, especially when you try to look at specifics and what they could actually do, but I believe that for the most part, Batman will come up with multiple strategies to win this and handle anything Tony throws at him.

Avantar says:

"Batman... I think he proved in Justice League: Tower of Babylon that he can prepare better for eventual confrontations with characters who are much more powerful than he is."

Yeah, when they don't have the same opportunity to prepare.

Buckshot says:

"Honestly, I think they would because that's what I would do and so it makes sense to me. Just like Superman using his speed in fights, smart people with connections using both these things to their fullest makes sense to me. It's not something they don't do much of in comics (like Supes with his speed) but they have the resources to do pretty much whatever they can imagine in this situation. In any case, I'd back Batman. Stark may have the tech advantage (and I believe he does if we're looking at just what the individuals have made) and plenty of smarts, but Batman just thinks too much and in a way better suited for war. Not saying that Tony can't plan a battle, just that he can't do it anywhere near as well as Batman. Batman's brain beats anything Tony will build. That's basically what it comes down for me. Hadn't thought of what you said Forever (about who learns what about the other guy) but that just makes it better for Batman. I still think that battles like this (basically, just prep) leave too much in the air, especially when you try to look at specifics and what they could actually do, but I believe that for the most part, Batman will come up with multiple strategies to win this and handle anything Tony throws at him."

I agree. The more I thought about it the more I couldnt imagine Tony outplanning Bruce. Tony just doesnt think that way and there's no way he would get keyed into the fact that Bruce will not rest over the entire month or year.

Tony would just look at what Bruce has normally and what exotic things he has been able to bring out and think he has the proper game plan. Tony might spend more time refining his equipment so that it would work perfectly for his original plan but Bruce will be rewritting his plans as he digs deeper and deeper into the considerably more available information he would find on Tony.

I always lean towards the characters going all out of course, because if they have something available, then why wouldn't they use it? It's just that in prep time issues I like to look at what the person would be able to figure out for his preparation. If Tony knew Batman's mind I think Tony would work just as hard in the planning stages and be just as prepared and then I would give him the win, but I dont find it likely that he would be able to figure that out about Batman even with his vast resources. Youre right, these prep time battles leave far too much in the air.

Forever says:

"I see what you're saying but this makes me wonder just what we mean by prep time?"

I hate prep time as a battle concept since most of Marvel and DC's characters can call on all sorts of help in time.

In terms of this battle, I think Batman would take it. Stark is a brilliant strategist but for an individual fight I don't think he could match Wayne who has that but is also more adept as a fighter. That would be especially important if the tech gets taken out of the equation.

I think Pohocom, the fact that he did prepare in the first place is showing ingenuity and forethought about possible situations and outcome that gives him the edge to outthink Stark. Better planner...

Cosmic Sentinel says:

"I hate prep time as a battle concept since most of Marvel and DC's characters can call on all sorts of help in time. In terms of this battle, I think Batman would take it. Stark is a brilliant strategist but for an individual fight I don't think he could match Wayne who has that but is also more adept as a fighter. That would be especially important if the tech gets taken out of the equation."

I think most of us are in agreement.