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I'm aware of only two times that Batman has defeated Superman in a fight:

  1. The Dark Knight Returns (Which is an alternate universe).
  2. Batman: Hush (Where Supes was under Poison Ivy's mind control).

Has Batman ever fought Supes and won in the mainstream continuity?

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    Isn't Hush in the mainstream continuity?
    – Paul D. Waite
    Jan 29, 2013 at 14:31
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    @PaulD.Waite - It is. I just disqualified it because Supes was under Ivy's mind control, and I'm not entirely sure if he was in possession of his full facilities.
    – System Down
    Jan 29, 2013 at 18:02
  • Ah, gotcha - yes, Kryptonite-laced lipstick and all that.
    – Paul D. Waite
    Jan 30, 2013 at 11:10
  • When I was young, I used to read the Batman comics, and the only time I saw him fight Superman, it was a one punch fight, and Batman only avoided breaking all the bones in his hand because Superman rolled with the punch. Superman didn't even get mad about it, presumably because it didn't hurt at all.
    – Wad Cheber
    Jul 9, 2015 at 23:39
  • I don't remember The Dark Knight Returns being in an alternate universe, it's just set in the future. Can you explain what element excludes it from being in the mainstream continuity?
    – kikirex
    Apr 11, 2019 at 15:29

3 Answers 3

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Yes it has, although it was fairly recent, so watch out for spoilers if you're a comic-reader who's behind:

Batman did fight and successfully defeat Superman in Batman #35 of the New 52, although the conditions are similar to #2 in your question. Superman is under the influence of a very-powerful Joker venom, along with Wonder Woman, the Flash, and Aquaman. Batman is successfully able to stop all four Leaguers single-handedly (albeit one at a time), including Superman. While he does observe that none of them are working at peak efficiency, he also notes that Superman is going much farther than he normally would because he's not restraining himself.
Jokerified-Superman

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    How does he beat him?
    – AncientSwordRage ♦
    Mar 29, 2016 at 9:25
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    @AncientSwordRage As I recall Batman spends an entire issue thinking "Please not him, please let Clark be off Earth, please let it be the Flash or Diana or anyone but Clark," and then when Superman shows up it's just a matter of "hang on for dear life." Batman uses shrunken red suns in his fists' knuckles (courtesy of Ray Palmer) and spits a kryptonite-laced gum in Superman's face at the last moment, but it's a VERY close thing. Summary here, if you care to read more. The fight with the other heroes starts in the preceding issue.
    – Nerrolken
    Mar 29, 2016 at 18:04
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Batman has never fought Superman in any canon DC continuity where he has had time to prep and Superman wasn't under the influence of one force or another. In any such confrontation, Batman wouldn't have a chance. Even Batman admits this.

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  • In the New52, interactions between Superman and Batman have been limited and unlikely to be won by Batman for some time since the universe is basically being restarted. I suspect we will have a moment of awesome (TV-Tropes warning) where brain defeats brawn, in the future.

  • The most famous canon confrontation was – Batman Vol. 1 #611 where Batman faces off against a mind-controlled Superman. Batman does NOT win this fight. Superman breaks the mind-control on his own when Catwoman pushes Lois Lane out the window.

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  • In the Post-Crisis DCU, during the JLA storyline written by Mark Waid, Tower of Babel Batman uses an artificially created Red Kryptonite (of his own design, no less) to incapacitate Superman by overwhelming his super-senses. This makes Superman's senses so acute he can still hear people on Earth, while he was on the moon.

  • Batman created this Red Kryptonite as a contingency against needing to incapacitate Superman without killing him. Nary a punch is thrown. Batman also creates a similar contingency for the rest of the Justice League as well.

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    I like how he casually just "creates a similar contingency for the rest of the Justice League as well."! This shows how calculated and well-planned his moves are; Superman being a brute and totally-reliant on his "Power", would probably not foresee these "contingencies"...
    – Möoz
    Apr 2, 2014 at 21:02
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    His 'contingency' for Wonder Woman was a form of mind-rape that had her in constant fear & pain; it would have killed her (eventually, after several brutal days) when her heart finally gave out. It wasn't even remotely 'similar' in scope or effect to what he did to Superman. Superman was overwhelmed and expected to flee, Wonder Woman was stuffed in an agony fridge.
    – Jeff
    Jul 9, 2015 at 19:30
  • @Jeff, no his contingency for Wonder Woman was to have her confront an illusionary opponent who she couldn't beat in a fight but felt she had to. It wasn't about causing her constant fear and pain, it was putting her in a situation where her body would give out because of her iron will and bloody-minded determination that she could not accept defeat. It relied on the fact that she'd never stop fighting if she had any strength left in her. That's not fridging.
    – Keith Morrison
    Apr 10, 2019 at 23:53
  • @KeithMorrison - I didn't say it was about causing her constant fear and pain, I said that was the effect. The answer states that Batman's contingency for Superman was designed to incapacitate without killing, and that he had 'similar' plans for every other member. I pointed out that his plan for Diana was not similar in any way - it intended to kill her, but only after days of constant stress and battle.
    – Jeff
    Apr 11, 2019 at 13:48
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    Interestingly, in Superman: Up In The Sky, Superman admits that in a straight fight against Batman, he'd let Batman win, because winning the fight would mean more to Batman than it would to him. "Winning fights doesn't make me happy."
    – F1Krazy
    Dec 11, 2019 at 21:04
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Yes, in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

In the film, criminal mastermind Lex Luthor manipulates Batman into a preemptive battle with Superman.

Batman eventually subdues Superman with the aid of a kryptonite gas, but is convinced at the last minute not to kill him.

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    It would have been better if you could provide details of the fight/scene instead of movie. Although it seems to be correct answer so +1.
    – HBhatia
    Apr 10, 2019 at 10:44
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    Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice isn't in the mainstream comics continuity, which was what the question was asking about.
    – Thunderforge
    Apr 10, 2019 at 21:22

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