Hey Everyone,
Paul here…
Ben Grim knocks out The Hulk (Fantastic Four #13, 2019, pgs.13-15) W. Dan Slott A.Sean Izaakse
Few years back, Reed Richards formed The Future Foundation. A school in the Baxter Building for a handful of brilliant, unique, and gifted children. I’m sure this sounds familiar, but Xavier and The X-MEN have mutants covered (though there happen to be a couple of mutants in The Future Foundation, like Reed’s son Franklin). As part of one of their school projects, the kids came up with a way to make Ben Grimm revert to his human form for one week, every year for the rest of his life. Though the kids Felt bad that they couldn’t come up with a way to make the transformation longer than one week each year, Ben was elated. A few years later, Ben marries his longtime girlfriend Alicia Masters. They make sure to time their Hawaiian honeymoon perfectly, so they’ll have as much time as possible together while Ben is in human form. The change arrives at the same time every year, Ben doesn’t have any control over when it happens. So it’s a very inconvenient time for a bloodthirsty Hulk to show at Ben and Alicia’s honeymoon resort, when Ben is only minutes away from turning back into a human. Though there’s always been a rivalry between The Hulk and The Thing, we later learned that The Hulk is being mind controlled by Alicia‘s lunatic stepfather and Fantastic Four villain, The Puppet Master. The Hulk and Ben engage in arguably their most vicious and brutal battle. Time is running out and the fights doesn’t seem to be going Ben’s way. With only seconds to spare, and the life of the woman he loves on the line, Ben musters up every ounce of heart and strength he has left, to deliver the punch of the century. Knocking The Hulk out cold. Unfortunately for Ben, the crisis may have been averted, but he was so badly injured in the fight, that by the time he wakes up, his week as a human for the year has come and gone. Much to his chagrin, he’s reverted back to his rocky, Thing form. At least he still has Alicia and there’s always next year.
Justice League International (1987) W. Keith Griffin & J.M. DeMatteis A. Kevin Maguire)
“ONE PUNCH!” Batman lays out GL Guy Gardner with one, almost effortless punch, after professional dickhead Garnder gets angry, picks a fight with Batman, and says he can take Batman anytime, anywhere. It doesn’t go Guy’s way, too say the least.
Batman #612 (2003) W. Jeph Loeb A.Jim Lee
This is actually the first “in continuity” fight between The Dark Knight Detective and The Man of Tomorrow. While wearing a Kryptonite ring, Batman delivers a devastating punch to Superman’s face, fending off an attack by The Man of Steel, while he’s under the control of Poison Ivy. It’s often said that, with prep time, Batman could defeat nearly any opponent. This fight is a great example of Batman getting caught totally off guard for a confrontation he is absolutely not ready for. Yet, using the tools he has on hand, his tactical knowledge of his opponent and his environment, The Dark Knight is able defeat (or at the very least bring the fight to a draw) one of the most powerful beings on Earth. To quote the great Superman himself, in a different comic book…
Hal Jordan give Batman a well deserved crack in the mouth (Green Lantern: Rebirth #6) 2005 W. Geoff Johns A. Ethan VanSciver
Batman never liked or trusted Hal Jordan and the feeling was mutual. In the Justice League, Batman, a mortal in a room full of gods, calls the shots. His authority among the heroes is almost always respected. On the very rare occasions when its isn’t, he doesn’t like it one damn bit. Hal Jordan never bought in to Batman’s bullshit and wasn’t afraid to let him and everyone else know it. With the fate of the universe at stake, Earth’s Green Lantern’s needed to take action. When a distrustful Batman attempts interfere, Hal Jordan decks him and lays him out, with a shocked Guy Gardner exclaiming “ONE PUNCH!”. A little poetic justice for Guy Gardner. Gardner may be a horse’s ass, but Batman can be a real prick. He isn’t occasionally called “The Dick Knight” for nothing. Batman deserved this humbling punch in the face.
Honorable Mention:
Alfred Beats The Living Shit Out Of Superman (Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year One) W. Tom Taylor
In the Injustice: Gods Among Us – Year One storyline, a horrific tragedy pushes Superman into becoming a tyrannical dictator, ruling Earth with an iron fist. Some heroes side with him and others join a resistance against Superman’s regime led (naturally) by Batman. In a move that could turn the tide of the war, Batman develops a pill that can give normal humans superpowers (super strength, invulnerability, etc.). Superman manages to corner Batman in the Batcave, before Bruce can take the pill. Superman begins top brutally torture his one time friend. Superman stops when someone puts a hand on his shoulder, he looks up to see Alfred Pennyworth standing over him, who has just taken the superpower pill. Alfred proceeds to give Superman a lesson in exactly what will happen to anyone, be they god or man, who fucks with his family.
Alfred doesn’t let Superman off the hook with a simple brutal beating. He gathers up the injured Bruce and make their way to the teleporter in The Batcave, to make their escape. But not without throwing one final sick burn Superman’s way, to make it crystal clear exactly what Alfred’s opinion of the Man of Steel has become.
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-Paul
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