Batman is no longer DC’s greatest detective, like beloved Justice League character [SPOILER] Outperforms Bruce Wayne

Batman has a renowned reputation as the best detective in the DC Universe, hence his original appearances taking place in the classic Detective comics series. However, a Justice League icon gave it a run for its money. Elongated Man’s wife, Sue Dibny, was officially smarter than Bruce Wayne by solving a mystery that even he couldn’t solve, thus replacing him as the greatest detective in DC lore.

Batman: Gotham Knights #41 by Scott Beatty, Toby Cypress, Wildstorm FX, Noelle Giddings, and Janice Chiang begins with Batman arriving at Sue Dibny’s book signing. Disguised as his criminal alter ego, Matches Malone, Batman recruits Ralph Dibny, the Elongated Man, to aid him in his investigation of a synthetic drug called Elastix. Sue follows her mission and, right away, she and Bruce develop a rivalry as he critiques his mystery novel.

Batman’s mistake is underestimating Sue’s investigative skills and when they embark on a case together she demonstrates that she is the smartest detective between the two. Batman’s coveted World’s Greatest Detective title has been stolen by an unlikely member of the Justice League, while Sue Dibny keeps the Dark Knight on his toes.

Sorry, Batman: Sue Dibny Is Officially DC’s Smartest Detective

Elongated Man’s Wife Outperforms Batman During His Team Up

According to Batman, Elastix is ​​a mysterious substance that can also cause cellular breakdown as a horrible side effect. This drug is being consumed in clubs, so Batman brings in Elongated Man and Sue to help him find out where and how people are getting access to it. Sue is encouraged to sit back and let the men handle things, but instead she does some investigating of her own. and discover the truth. At the entrance, club guests receive stamps imbued with Elastix in their hands. Sue discovers this before anyone else, proving that she is a better detective than Batman.

When Batman discovers that Sue has solved the mystery before him, he doesn’t handle it gracefully. Instead, he throws sarcastic comments your way. This heated rivalry culminates in Batman letting bullets fly into his car while Sue is inside it.which she claims was a spiteful attitude on his part. Batman isn’t known for holding petty grudges, but that could change when one of his most notable talents – his detective skills – comes into question. After all, he acts antagonistically towards Sue throughout the issue, while her intellect competes with his. This DC rivalry takes on another layer of intrigue considering how intertwined Sue’s story is with Batman’s.

Elongated Man and Sue Dibny’s mystery-solving story rivals Batman’s

The story of the Justice League detective duo, explained

Elongated Man and Sue Dibny started on the 1959 series The Flash as friends of Barry Allen’s Flash. They then migrated to Detective Comics, starting with a story from issue #327 by Gardner Fox, Carmine Infantino and Gaspar Saladinocementing them as Batman-level detectives.

As Batman fights criminals in large-scale mysteries at the core ‘Tech narrative, Ralph and Sue’s stories follow them as they travel the world solving simpler mysteries. Their investigations tend to revolve around curiosities, like a man painting his horse in a peculiar way. They’ve even teamed up with Batman himself on occasion and shown they can investigate the best of them.

While certainly not as popular as Batman with the mainstream superhero audience, Ralph and Sue’s contributions to the DC Universe are no less worthy of recognition. During the 80s and 90s, they were pillars of the European Justice League and Justice League International. Initially, Elongated Man was invited to join the league, as his elastic powers make him a valuable asset. Despite Sue’s lack of superpowers, she served in the Justice League working as a monitor behind the scenes. His years of loyalty to DC’s premier superhero team further emphasize his rightful place as Batman’s equal.

DC’s best detective deserves a return to keep Batman in check

The new Justice League is the perfect opportunity to bring back Batman’s rival

Although Elongated Man and his wife once played a pivotal role in the Justice League, they faded into obscurity over time. Sue’s controversial death in Identity Crisis caused her and Ralph to be written out of continuity for years. The two were restored to life in the New 52’s Secret Six reboot, but have since been relegated to cameos and flashbacks. With the Justice League expanding its roster to include all heroes, there’s never been a better time for DC to bring back this beloved detective duo and give Batman the competition he needs for best detective status.

Batman: Gotham Knights #41 is now available from DC Comics.