Warning: contains spoilers for The Penguin #8!
DC has confirmed that one Justice League genius is smarter than Batman. Although known throughout the DC Universe as “the World’s Greatest Detective,” Batman is not the smartest man on Earth. While it is close, there are at least three others who intellectually outrank the Dark Knight, and in The Penguin #8, fans learn one is a member of the Justice League, and has fought alongside Batman.
The Penguin #8 is written by Tom King and drawn by Rafael De Latorre. The Penguin meets the Riddler, in his civilian guise, at a restaurant. The two have a frank discussion, with the Riddler trying to goad the Penguin. The Penguin points out that the Riddler is not only smarter than him, but Batman as well. Penguin goes on to say the Riddler could even give “Lex and Terrific a run for their calculators.”
Penguin brings all this up just to ask the Riddler why no one takes him seriously, despite his prodigious intellect.
Mister Terrific Has More Than Lived Up To His Name
Mister Terrific Has Become an Important Part of the DC Universe
The “Terrific” the Penguin mentions is Michael Holt, the second person to hold the name “Mister Terrific.” Created by John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake and first appearing in 1997’s The Spectre #54, Mister Terrific has gone on to become a pillar of the DC Universe. Regarded as one of the smartest people on Earth, Mister Terrific has been affiliated with both the Justice Society and the Justice League, and will make the leap to live-action in James Gunn’s Superman film, due in 2025.
The Penguin’s assessment is worth noting because he ranks both Lex Luthor and Mister Terrific as smarter than Batman. This would seem to fly in the face of conventional wisdom, namely that no one can out think Batman. While the Dark Knight is intelligent and resourceful, there are intellects greater than his, including Mister Terrific. Both Batman and Mister Terrific make extensive use of high-tech gadgets in their missions, but Mister Terrific, unlike the Caped Crusader, also addresses systemic issues and creates technology that benefits people. Mister Terrific also has his own company, much like Batman.
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Mister Terrific Could Be An Excellent Check on Batman
Could Mister Terrific Beat Batman?
By positioning Mister Terrific as smarter than Batman, DC has also created a system of “checks and balances.” Many villains (and even heroes) in the DC Universe are afraid of Batman, thanks to the Dark Knight’s formidable intellect. In the past, Batman has created fail safes that end up backfiring on him and erode trust in his peers. Mister Terrific is not encumbered by Batman’s paranoia, and is far more open and transparent about his intentions. If Batman ever went rogue, the Justice League’s Mister Terrific may be the only one who can stop him.
The Penguin #8 is on sale now from DC Comics!
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