Is Batman more popular than Superman?

[Electricmastro]

I’ve often seen Superman be called the most iconic and popular superhero of all time, but when I considered the amount of media and spin-offs Batman had been associated with in these last three decades in particular, I felt inclined to ask this question to see how you all felt, over whether Superman is more popular, or whether Batman is more popular, or if they’re both equally popular alongside their fellow “trinity member” Wonder Woman.

[C_Miller]

Batman is absolutely more financially successful than Superman. I'd argue as far as "popular" that's tough to quantify. They are both the most iconic superheroes of all time with Spider-Man in third place. But I think it's probably a 1a/1b situation with Spider-Man at 2.

[SJNeal]

Unfortunately, yes, he is.

[Sacred Knight]

Yup. Popluarity-wise I believe the seeds were planted around wiuth Dark Knight Returns, and then Batman '89 really had Bat-fever take hold for the first time. From there the successes and other media properties just took off with regularity. Only proviso would be that in the comics themselves, it took till about the mid to late 90s before he supplanted Superman as the number 1 focal point there.

[WillieMorgan]

Batman generates a lot more revenue than Superman certainly, and has done consistently for a long time now.

For the record I'm a bigger fan of Superman than Batman, although I enjoy both.

[Wandering_Wand]

Today, yes.
Previously, no (like decades ago).

I believe the top 3 modern Superhero hierarchy is something like (in terms of overall popularity, sales, merchandise, etc.):

1. Spiderman
2. Batman (some people and lists flip flop between Bats and Spidey being 1-2)
3. Superman

[Güicho]

In the public eye, Superman was king into the first Christopher Reeve era films
There was a huge paradigm shift (although some are loath to admit it) about the time of DKR and then the Keaton films.
I wonder if this is reflected in the comic sales of the time.
I know at some point Batman's sales became the benchmark of healthy comic book sales.

[Flash Gordon]

1,000%

Batman has a lot of top quality comic book runs, films, and various media. Superman has had Grant Morrison and a few Alan Moore bits. 1978 was a long time ago, and the Fleischer serials and the George Reeves show (while the best) was even longer ago.

Superman COULD be very successful but it would take a creative thrust to do so....and he's on the CW now.

[Holt]

Batman's benefitted greatly from more consistently successful movies and a continued presence across all mediums in a way not a lot of other superheroes have. I was floored when I realized the other day that there hasn't been a Superman cartoon since STAS in the 90s.

[Gaius]

Yes, which has largely been the status since 1989. Wonder Woman is distinctly behind both of them though the films may go some way to raising her to their status.

And I say this as a much bigger fan of Superman and Wonder Woman than Bats.

[DrNewGod]

In the public eye, Superman was king into the first Christopher Reeve era films
There was a huge paradigm shift (although some are loath to admit it) about the time of DKR and then the Keaton films.
I wonder if this is reflected in the comic sales of the time.
I know at some point Batman's sales became the benchmark of healthy comic book sales.

The last time Supes was on top was probably during The Death/Return of Superman, which is now over 20 years ago. The last time it got close was probably for a brief spell after The Nu52 relaunch, when everybody wondered where it was going.

Seems a few months ago, however, somebody posted a year-by-year graphic who was selling better.

[The no face guy]

Batman has been more popular for the last 30 + something years. His popular began to surpass Superman's shortly after Frank Miller's Dark Knight and the initial Batman 1989 Batman movie. Popularity wise Batman has become the financial flagship of DC.

It wasn't always that way though. When I was growing up playing with Superpower figures Superman was still DC's number one, and he was main super hero for my parents generation, but things of course change in time. I've seen the popularity of many heroes rise and fall.

[jb681131]

I’ve often seen Superman be called the most iconic and popular superhero of all time, but when I considered the amount of media and spin-offs Batman had been associated with in these last three decades in particular, I felt inclined to ask this question to see how you all felt, over whether Superman is more popular, or whether Batman is more popular, or if they’re both equally popular alongside their fellow “trinity member” Wonder Woman.

Hard to say why Superman is concidered more iconic. I guess he represents "THE" perfect superhero.
But since very early on Batman has had way more success than superman. Maybe because of Robin, then in the Bronze/Modern age because of his very dark side.
Anyways, over the years Batman always had more medias on him (more comics appearences, more tv shows, more movie appearences, a big familly, ...).

[Riv86672]

I read somewhere, and it always stuck w. me, the Superman, Tarzan, and Sherlock Holmes are the 3 most famous ppl who never lived.
Unfortunately it was pre-internet, and i've never found the statement online to share.

-shrug-

[Ascended]

Bats is more financially successful, and has been since the 80's.

Superman is still more well known around the world. Batman is on that list too, but a few spots below Clark.

Of course, the fact that a grandmother in North Korea knows the "S" shield but not the Bat logo doesn't mean a lot when DC gives Bats all the good creators and big roles in Events while forcing all the cool stuff out of Superman's mythos for the benefit of other characters, and WB makes great Bat films while utterly undermining and screwing up everything about Superman.