IIRC, it was actually the prior JLA author (Grant Morrison) who’d been asked in a magazine interview who’d win if they all came to blows – and answered that it’d be Batman, if he’s prepared. Mark Waid’s contingency-plan story came not too long after, but still after.
In case they need it- the same reason the U.S. has plans to invade Canada. Good guys are always going bad in comic books and somebody has to come up with a plan just in case.
In fact, the story in question has Batman refer to one of those prior stories – when Lex Luthor took over Superman’s body and Green Lantern’s power ring fell into the wrong hands.
And of course, Grant Morrison’s initial run on JLA had Batman taking out a group of Martians all by himself.
If Batman couldn’t think of a plan to defeat Batman, then he’d be unprepared, right? And the only way Batman can be defeated is if he’s caught unprepared, right? Therefore, Batman’s plan to defeat Batman must be to not have a plan, or at the very least to not let himself know if he does have a plan.
Brainiac 5 could take out Batman if both of them had time to prepare. (And if Brainy was focused enough).
Doc Savage would take out Batman. After all, Doc is the one who pioneered the concept of being prepared for everything.
Frankly, I liked Batman better when he was the World’s Greatest Detective.
As it happens, Batman has given himself a post-hypnotic suggestion to temporarily forget his plans for use against Martian Manhunter – who can read minds. Batman is thus shown periodically reviewing the plan when MM ain’t around.
Did he show them around Gotham?
Supes wasn’t trying to kill Batman, but he was definitely trying to apprehend him. And Bats got him pissed, so he wasn’t showing as much restraint as you might expect.
The preparations in this scenario included Robin shooting Superman with a batmobile that’s essentially a tank, Green Arrow shooting a kryptonite-tipped arrow at him, and Batman wearing a suit of armor that was hooked into the city power grid – a fact he used to run many, many amps through Superman’s head.
So yeah, preparation, uber toys, and help from other non-powered people.
Key aspects of the plan include burning his initials onto his brain and stealing a very improbable spaceship.
Batman has become ridiculous over time. He was originally a smart, pathologically driven, crime fighter. He was well known for having a glass jaw, and his lack of preparation, rushing into fights before he knew what he was up against. His popularity grew through the comical TV series, and then the new image began to form as a means of rehabilitation, eventually reaching the Dark Knight stage. Batman has no chance in a fair fight against anyone with super powers, and little chance in an unfair fight. Superman could take out Batman with a blink of his eyes, and faster than Batman could blink his.
In addition, Supes had just encountered a nuclear blast from very close range, which took more than a bit out of him. Robin was more of a distraction so he wouldn’t spot Ollie zinging the kryptonite arrow into his ass.
Because Batman is a paranoid egomaniac who thinks every single metahuman is a ticking time bomb, but he, himself, is incorruptible and immune to mind control.
His plans, on the whole, were also BAD plans.
Few would work, several of them are also torture.
Superman: Red Kryptonite - An artificial K-variant which was intended to be less lethal. Untested, and untestable without committing crimes, or admitting what he was doing. As it turned out, the only reason the plan worked was the fact that Superman hadn’t gone evil - it supercharged his powers to the point he was a danger to those around him. Would only make him more dangerous, if he were bad.
Green Lantern: Post-hypnotic suggestion - A clever plan, really. Make Kyle ‘go blind’ by using his ring to implant a post-hypnotic suggestion while he slept, thus making it impossible for a visual thinker like Kyle to use his ring. There are two major problems with this. 1) How does he expect to get access to Kyle in his sleep to do that if he’s gone bad? 2) It only works if Kyle’s gone bad, or ‘Parallax’-style mind-control, where ‘Kyle’ is still there - completely external mind control, since Kyle’s not the one who’s actually in control, it won’t work. (It’s also questionable, as not being able to see his reality doesn’t mean he won’t be able to imagine things.)
Martian Manhunter: Set him on fire - J’onn is coated in nanites that cause his skin to burn in the presence of oxygen. Meaning he’s in utter pain and terror. Also, as it turns out, it didn’t actually cause his powers to turn off - he caused a lot of trouble by flying around in terror, while in flames.
Aquaman: Fear-toxin-induced hydrophobia - Orin needs to have contact with a fairly minimal amount of water fairly regularly, or he dies. So, making him unable to do so would hurt him. Several problems: 1) how does he get access to Aquaman to make him hydrophobic? 2) It results in the choice between a slow, agonizing death, and blinding terror. (They got past this by sedating him and putting him in water - this is only workable if he’s not evil…or if he’s been tortured long enough to be approachable.) 3) It takes a good amount of time before it even begins to work, and once it does start working, it takes a while to totally debilitate him. That gives him a lot of time to cause mayhem.
Wonder Woman: Endless battle - Injected with a nanite that induces an illusion of endless battle. Which she physically fights. Theoretically this will make her heart give out. So, you’ve got a woman, who can go hand to hand with Superman, lashing out at non-existent enemies, while not noticing the actual people in her presence - making her a danger to everyone around her - until she eventually dies (except, uh, this is Wonder Woman - IF that’ll happen, it’ll be a long while). Add in the question of how you get close enough to inject her (projectiles are out, since this is Wonder Woman), and it’s a pretty terrible plan.
Flash: The granddaddy of all grand mal seizures - Tagged with a ‘vibro-bullet’ that induced super-speed seizures. Including kicking and shaking, meaning it was difficult to approach him without getting pummelled at light speed. Which is obviously a very unpleasant situation. And Wally’s perception speeds up when he’s using his speed…so this torture, from his POV, lasted for months.
Plastic Man: Frozen and smashed - Assuming the smashing is a flourish added by Ra’s, we’ve finally hit a good plan - there’s no major issue with getting access to do it, it’s not undue torture, and it doesn’t make him more dangerous. (Even with the smash, it wasn’t nearly as bad as Wally, J’onn, or Orin got for the torture level. Eel wasn’t happy, but it wasn’t as bad as the NEXT time it happened to him.)
Wait, Tengu - you’re putting forth “getting access to the target” as a major hurdle in Batman’s plans? This is the stealthiest man alive, we’re talking about.
Plus you’re saying “several of them are also torture” like it would be a problem.
See, this is the problem with Batman.
It doesn’t matter how much of a ninja he is, he still can’t shield himself from super senses, survive in space, etc.
Except, of course, he can, because he’s The Batman, and The Batman has to be able to beat anyone.
He’s gone well past ‘badass normal’ - even ‘well, it’s comic books’ level of badass normal. He’s the mary suest of mary sues.
JLA #1. The League is waiting for Batman to show up. “I’m here,” he says; “I’ve been here for an hour.” Superman gives him a funny look. “Strange. I didn’t hear your heartbeat.” Batman: “Hh! Gadget worked.”
I think the problem is all of the writers who try to out-badass The Dark Knight Returns. That really was a great story, and the whole Batman-vs.-Superman fight was an impressive take on how effective Batman could potentially be – given decades to contemplate how he’d take down his friend/adversary. But to project that kind of success onto every storyline afterward diminishes what Frank Miller did with DKR, as far as I’m concerned. Taking on Superman was a major achievement, not just Batman vs. whoever it happens to be this week.
Oh, and for those who love the Dark Knight Returns (as well as for those who find the dialogue overwrought), I submit this.
Aquaman, Kyle, and Wonder Woman - the three for which you mention access or delivery problems - don’t live in space, and don’t have particularly enhanced senses. (Aquaman has good hearing and low-light vision, but not exactly Kryptonian.)
So yes, I think sneaking up on a sleeping twenty-something artist is well within the skillset of the Batman.