The Marvel hero who makes the perfect counterpart to DC’s Batman isn’t the hero who fans would assume. Iron Man is typically the one often compared to Batman, and rightfully so. As another billionaire who uses his own technology to become a superhero, Iron Man is a no-brainer pick – but still not the best pick.

The best Marvel hero to compare Batman to is the Iron Fist, and X user Karahuset makes that evident with artwork melding the perfect amalgamation of the two: Daniel Wayne, aka The Iron Bat. Her artwork can be viewed below in all its stunning glory.

On top of being dazzling, the artwork brings to light all of the often overlooked similarities that Batman and Iron Fist share together. Breaking those similarities will showcase exactly how this unlikely combination of heroism makes for two sides of the same coin.

A Hero’s Journey Molded By Tragedy

Similar Origin Stories

Both Bruce Wayne and Danny Rand are two rich orphans whose hero’s journeys were born and shaped by watching their parents die. By now, everyone knows the origin story of the boy who watched his parents get shot by a mugger in the middle of Crime Alley, but Danny Rand’s might still be obscure to some. A trip to the Himalayas turns deadly when young Danny and his mother Heather watch as father Wendell’s business partner, Harold Meachum, betrays him by letting him fall to his death. Shortly after, Danny watches his mother get mauled by a pack of wolves.

Both heirs to their wealthy family fortunes grew up harboring hatred for the men who killed their parents, and both were so blinded by vengeance that they wanted to kill their parent’s killer. However, in time, Bruce and Danny would see how much their parents’ murders had hardened them, compelling both individuals to adopt a no-kill rule. Both heroes, especially Iron Fist, have the tools in their arsenal to wipe out anyone in their path (even fellow heroes). Instead, they opt to take a non-lethal approach towards their enemies, as opposed to going down the same dark path that killed their parents.

Technology is Their Friend

And Money Their Superpower

One major difference between Iron Fist and Batman is that the former has superpowers while the other simply doesn’t. Granted, the latter compensates in other ways, to the point that some will argue that money is Batman’s superpower. As a billionaire, Bruce Wayne doesn’t exclusively use his money for things pertaining to his secret identity. He frequently uses his finances to fund new creations in his arsenal, having tech crafted for him in the form of gadgets, cars, and suits to contribute to his war on crime.

The same can be said for Danny Rand, especially now that the Iron Fist that once belonged to him has been passed on to Lin Lie. Now, just like Bruce, Danny actually is a hero without superpowers, and, just like Bruce, Danny compensates by using his money as a resource. The CEO of the Rand Corporation has an entire tech division dedicated to making useful tech to contribute to crimefighting, not only for himself, but for his friends, too. For instance, during the recent “Gang War” event, Danny gifted Luke Cage with the Cagebuster armor to take down giant robots.

Batman & Iron Fist Are Well-Traveled Martial Artists

Neither Needs a Hero Costume to Fight

Contributing to the idea that Danny Rand doesn’t need the Iron Fist to be a hero, he is a competent fighter who’s been well-trained in multiple forms of martial arts. Ninjutsu, Muay Thai kickboxing, judo, karate – name it, and Danny Rand likely knows it, thanks to his training at K’un-Lun. He may not have been trained under an endless array of masters like Bruce Wayne has, but Danny Rand was given well-rounded lessons at the monastery that taught him everything he knows. It’s no wonder he was recruited for Luke Cage’s super-team during “Gang War,” despite having no powers.

Meanwhile, as said earlier, Bruce Wayne is even more well-traveled than Danny Rand is by comparison. Both were trained by skilled masters, but Bruce’s list of masters runs endless. In preparation for becoming Batman, he traveled the world gathering any and every possible skill that could prove useful to his pursuit of his mission against crime in Gotham. This led to him seeking out teachings from characters like Henri Ducard, Ra’s al Ghul, Dr. Daniel Captio (who also trained The Joker, ironically enough), and yes, even Santa Claus. If Batman lost all his gadgets, he’d still be an efficient fighter.

Is Iron Fist the Ultimate Batman Equivalent for Marvel?

Even Better than Iron Man?

The biggest question worth answering out of all of this is: does Danny Rand truly make for the best possible equivalent to Batman to come out of the Marvel Universe? For many, that’s a tough argument to make when Iron Man is so popularized to be such an equivalent as well. However, while they do share many of the same attributes, Iron Man and Batman do not share as many parallels as Iron Fist and Batman do. In fact, Tony Stark has more in common with Bruce Wayne than Batman.

Yes, they’re billionaire playboy genius philanthropists who make their own gadgets, but that’s where most of the comparisons begin and end. Tony Stark lived most of his life comfortably, with his origin story not truly beginning until he was well into adulthood. That tragedy that shaped his superhero career was significant, but didn’t come to define who he is as greatly as what happened to Bruce Wayne and Danny Rand during their childhoods. That alone is a significant connecting thread between Batman and Iron Fist.

Meanwhile, while Tony has his own skills outside the suit, he’s nowhere near the skilled fighter or martial artist that Danny and Bruce are. None of these differences make Iron Man out to be any less of a hero than Iron Fist or even Batman, but it merely strengthens the case for Iron Fist being the Batman of the Marvel Universe. While there are plenty of characters who make an argument for this spot, there’s only one Danny Rand, and the former Iron Fist makes the best case for Batman’s rightful counterpart, emphasized by a stunning amalgamation of the two.

Source: Karahuset via X