If there is one debate that has defined DC fandom for decades, it’s the question of who is the better hero: Batman or Superman. It’s an argument that shows no signs of ending anytime soon, and one fans will likely continue having forever. However, a new development is giving Superman fans fresh ammunition in the ongoing argument over why the Man of Steel may ultimately be the better hero.
Batman die-hards seem to have an endless list of reasons why the Dark Knight is better than the Man of Steel, but the same can be said for Superman fans. While the debate has raged for decades, many of the arguments for why Clark Kent is the greatest superhero of all time ultimately boil down to three core ideas.
First, there’s the philosophical difference between the two heroes: Superman inspires hope, while Batman inspires fear. Second, Superman is widely regarded as the original mainstream superhero, the blueprint for what a hero should be and the moral standard by which others are measured. Third, despite possessing god-like power, Superman chooses compassion every single time (at least, in the main universe).
It is this final point, Superman’s unmatched compassion, that Absolute Superman #21 demonstrates on an astonishing scale. Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval deliver a moment of utter selflessness so extraordinary that Batman fans will be hard-pressed to point to an act of compassion from the Dark Knight that comes close.
Superman Proves Why He’s the Greatest Hero With His Final Request
Comic Page Comes from Jason Aaron’s Absolute Superman #21 (2026) – Art by Rafa Sandoval
Absolute Superman #21 picks up where the last issue left off, with the Man of Steel battling an enraged Black Adam who poses a world-ending threat to Earth. During the battle, Superman realizes that he might not make it out alive and leaves one final request with his friends, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen.
The Man of Steel asks his friends to listen carefully as he begins listing all the ordinary people around the world he helps in his everyday life, requesting that Lois and Jimmy check in on them in his absence. Superman mentions an elderly man in Botswana to whom he delivers medicine, a blind woman in the mountains of Peru whose garden he tends, children in Tanzania to whom he brings vaccines, stories, and treats, and many more.
This final request not only shows that Superman is always thinking of others, even in what could be the last moments of his life, but also highlights the Man of Steel’s limitless compassion and humility, as no act of kindness is ever beneath him. Ensuring these people would still be cared for even in the event of his death is one of the most emotionally hard-hitting developments in recent Superman comics, and it truly reiterates why the Man of Steel is the GOAT.
So, if you’re a Superman fan looking for your next piece of evidence to bolster your argument that the Man of Steel is better than the Dark Knight in the inevitable next Batman vs. Superman Reddit debate, then you have an absolute gem here.
Absolute Superman #21 from DC Comics is now available to read!