Batman vs. Black Panther: Which Martial Artist Would Win in a Fight?
Batman and Black Panther are known to be among the best martial artists in the comics. They both have developed a strong sense of justice and have plentiful resources at their disposal. Both are incredibly smart and use gear to enhance their abilities, so if it ever came to a battle between the two, it would be a very interesting fight. This is why we decided to “stage” the battle between the two characters, to see how it would all play out. When it comes to Black Panther vs. Batman, who is more powerful, and who would win?
Black Panther is more powerful than Batman and would have no trouble defeating him. Black Panther is stronger, faster, and more durable. He also has superhuman abilities that Batman does not have access to. Both of them likewise use technology and special suits in their exploits, but Black Panther seems to have superior technology, so even suited-up Batman loses this one. However, the catch with Batman is, he usually has a plan to deal with almost anyone, and given enough time, he would find a way to deal with Black Panther as well.
Now that we’ve covered that Black Panther would take this one, it’s time to analyze why. We’re going to analyze the powers, abilities, strengths, and combat styles of both characters so you can see why we came to our conclusion. If you’re interested in more, stay with us and keep reading!
Powers and abilities
Black Panther was born as a regular human but eventually got superhuman enhancements through the consummation of “Heart-Shaped Herb.” The herb granted him effects similar to Super-Solider Serum and made him perform at peak human level. He also has some additional supernatural powers that stem from the blessing he received from the goddess Bast.
King of the Dead T’Challa can communicate with the dead, command them, and create energy constructs by harnessing the same energy that Bast empowered him with. Black Panther also can sense when Vibranium is taken out of Wakanda and where it’s headed.
Batman doesn’t have superhuman powers, but the long years of training, meditation, and hard work transformed him into a near-superhuman who operates at peak human performance. Despite being a “mere mortal,” Batman has been seen over the years performing superhuman feats and greatly surpassing average humans in terms of physical feats.
However, he doesn’t have any powers or abilities in the superhuman department, which is why he ultimately loses in this category. The point goes to Black Panther.
Points: Black Panther (1:0) Batman
Strength and stamina
Black Panther’s enhancements give him peak human strength, and he is generally stronger than most non-powered humans in the Marvel Comics Universe. When discussing the strengths of superheroes, we often deal with several tons, in some cases, millions of tons. Black Panther is not like that, as he can lift around 800 lbs. Of course, there have been instances where he managed to lift far heavier objects and deal with enemies far stronger than him with nothing but raw strength.
In terms of stamina, Black Panther can keep fighting for several hours before getting tired. This is due to his superhuman stamina and efficient metabolism, which allows him to deal with fatigue toxins more efficiently.
Batman doesn’t have super strength, and it’s difficult to measure how much he can truly lift because of the inconsistencies in writing over the years. But let’s just say that Batman can lift anywhere between 450 and 1000 lbs. As it can be seen, Batman doesn’t have superhuman strength but is capable of achieving superhuman feats, dealing with multiple attackers at the same time, and overpowering vastly more powerful characters than he is.
Batman, likewise, can fight longer than an average human, in one instance fighting for 28 hours before the effects of fatigue started settling in.
Even though Batman and Black Panther are really close in terms of how much they can lift, Black Panther’s peak strength is far more than Batman’s due to his superhuman qualities.
Points: Black Panther (2:0) Batman
Speed
Black Panther was never considered to be a speedster in Marvel comics, as his speed is nowhere near the mind-blowing speeds that some other superheroes can achieve. Still, due to the herb, Black Panther can reach speeds that far surpass what the average human can achieve.
Black Panther can reach speeds of 35 miles per hour on average, going as far as to reach 45 miles per hour in some instances. His combat speeds are where he truly excels, as he was often described as being faster than the eye can follow when he fights.
Batman can reach speeds of up to 40 miles per hour, although, in some instances, he was known to reach more. Despite not having superhuman speed, at least in the conventional manner, Batman can still often outrun vehicles and dodge bullets. Like Black Panther, Batman is known to be “too fast to follow” in combat, his movements resembling blurs.
Black Panther is faster than Batman, although not by much. We can assume that his slight speed advantage translates to combat as well. The point goes to T’Challa.
Points: Black Panther (3:0) Batman
Durability
Black Panther has a highly enhanced immune system that deals with injuries and other ailments far more effectively than that of an average human. Like the rest of his physical aspects, Black Panther has the durability of a peak human, meaning that something that would disable the average human won’t harm him as much. He is nowhere near indestructible as he must rely on his Vibranium suit to deal with more severe damage.
Batman also has peak human durability and can tank damage that would otherwise disable average human beings. Like with Black Panther, most of Batman’s durability comes from his Batsuits composed of Kevlar and a small percentage of titanium that gives him unapparelled levels of protection in combat, even against superhumans.
Based on everything, Black Panther has a slight advantage due to his superhuman durability properties. Since the suits and equipment will be analyzed later, currently, the point goes to Black Panther.
Points: Black Panther (4:0) Batman
Intelligence
Black Panther is considered to be a genius with an eidetic memory. He is a master of physics and engineering and even invented his own scientific discipline called Shadow Physics, which combines alchemy and physics and allows him to track Vibranium at a quantum level.
Most of what Black Panther uses in combat has been designed by him and created in Wakanda, using their own resources, aka Vibranium, which is especially abundant in the region. Due to everything said, Black Panther is not only a world-class scientist but among the best diplomats in the Marvel Universe and one of the most gifted military strategists.
Batman excels in various fields, such as aviation, business management, chemistry, hacking, and disguise. He is like Black Panther, a super genius with an eidetic memory who mostly relies on his own inventions in combat. Batman also excels as a leader and investigator, demonstrating proficiency in a wide range of technologies and weapons.
Both Black Panther and Batman are incredibly intelligent and considered to be the best at what they do, so their intelligence is difficult to judge fairly. So we’re going to use the facts here, Black Panther is the 8th smartest man in Marvel Universe, while Batman is the second smartest man in the DC Comics Universe. The point goes to Batman.
Points: Black Panther (4:1) Batman
Combat Skills
Black Panther has trained extensively in martial arts since birth. He has become a master in a wide range of armed and unarmed combat styles from around the world.
He is rightfully considered one of the greatest martial artists in history. T’Challa has proven his prowess by matching or even surpassing highly skilled opponents like Captain America, Daredevil, Iron Fist, and others in hand-to-hand combat. He has even defeated Wolverine on two occasions, effortlessly overpowering him despite Wolverine’s claws.
In addition to his martial arts expertise, Black Panther is a master acrobat. This is due to his training in gymnastics, acrobatics, and brachiation, and he often displays remarkable agility and flexibility in his movements.
T’Challa’s proficiency extends to marksmanship as well. He is highly skilled with various projectile weapons, firearms, and hunting knives, demonstrating his accuracy and precision as an expert marksman.
Batman is among the greatest fighters in the comics in general, as he is a master of numerous martial arts. Before he took over the identity of Caped Crusader, Batman spent 12 years wandering the planet looking for the best martial artists to train him.
He studied boxing at Roxbury Fielding Academy and received further training from Wildcat in this style. Additionally, he developed a unique fighting style called “Bam Pow,” specifically designed to fight with the Batman Who Laughs. Batman is also skilled in Dim Mak, an ancient martial art that focuses on striking vital points of the opponent’s body to induce paralysis, intense pain, or even death.
He possesses knowledge of Ninjitsu, Karate, Krav Maga, Muay Thai, and Tae Kwon Do, showcasing his diverse training. Despite fatigue and blood loss, Batman demonstrated his wrestling abilities by engaging in a match with a bear. He is also skilled in stick fighting and has trained his proteges, the Robins, in using bo-staffs.
Both Black Panther and Batman are considered among the best at what they do, and in terms of combat abilities, both get the point.
Points: Black Panther (5:2) Batman
Suits & gear in general
We won’t compare all possible versions and every suit the two have ever developed. We’re going to compare the default versions of their suits. This is the fairest approach because if we compare every version of characters, we will eventually reach godlike versions and end up in a stalemate.
Black Panther’s standard habit is a Vibranium-infused panther suit that serves as his ceremonial regalia.
The suit has evolved in appearance but maintains its ability to absorb vibrations through the Vibranium lacing, providing protection against kinetic attacks such as bullets, blades, and powerful blows.
The mask’s lenses enhance his night vision, allow infrared vision, and reduce glare. The suit includes a Vibranium Microweave Mesh that nullifies the momentum of incoming objects and prevents stabbing, though it can be cut along the grain, which is a major disadvantage. Black Panther’s gloves have Anti-Metal Claws that break down metals at a molecular level. Energy-Dampening Boots enable him to land silently from great heights, scale walls, and skim across the water.
The suit incorporates disguise technology, allowing T’Challa to alter its appearance or become invisible. He possesses a teleportation device, a hard-light shield, and Vibranium Energy Daggers that can slice through structures and be used as projectiles. Finally, Black Panther can utilize the stored kinetic energy in his suit for enhanced strikes or release it as an omnidirectional energy burst.
Batman’s Batsuit is made of Kevlar and a small amount of titanium, providing bulletproof and resistant properties against various attacks such as explosions, impacts, and falls. It is flame-retardant, insulated, and reinforced in the gloves and boots to withstand punches and kicks. The gloves feature metallic blades on the sides. The lightweight cape allows Batman to glide. The mask contains lead to shield his face from X-ray technology, including infrared and night vision, auditory sensors, and sonar.
The mask also incorporates security systems like the utility belt, such as aggravating gas and electric blasts. Also, the Batsuit can endure extreme temperatures and absorb energy, redirecting it back at adversaries.
With everything said, it’s clear that Black Panther uses superior technology. The point goes to T’Challa.
Points: Black Panther (6:2) Batman
Black Panther vs. Batman: Who wins?
With everything said, it’s clear that Black Panther would win this fight both in gear and without it. This is solely due to his superhuman properties, powers, and abilities that Batman doesn’t have access to.
Although there is a catch when it comes to this fight, and it’s the fact that given enough time, Batman can prepare and take down almost anybody. He handled opponents of cosmic scales with enough prep time, so if given enough time to plan and prepare for the encounter, I have no doubt that Batman would ultimately win this fight.
