Batmanhas a renowned reputation as the DC Universe’s best detective, hence his original appearances taking place in the classicDetective Comicsseries. However, aJustice Leagueicon has given him a run for his money. Elongated Man’s wife, Sue Dibny, has officially outsmarted Bruce Wayne by solving a mystery that even he can’t crack, thereby 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 hiscriminal alter ego, Matches Malone, Batman recruits Ralph Dibny, the Elongated Man, to assist him in his investigation of a designer drug called Elastix. Sue tags along on their mission, and right off the bat,she and Bruce develop a rivalryas he criticizes her mystery novel.
Batman’s mistake is underestimating Sue’s sleuthing skills, and when they embark on a case together,she demonstrates that she’s the smarter detective between the two of them. Batman’s coveted title ofWorld’s Greatest Detectivehas been stolen by an unlikely Justice League member, as Sue Dibny keeps the Dark Knight on his toes.
Sorry, Batman: Sue Dibny Is Officially DC’s Smartest Detective
Elongated Man’s Wife Outwits Batman During Their Team-Up
According to Batman, Elastix is a mysterious substance that can also cause a cellular meltdown as a horrific side effect. This drug is being taken at clubs, so Batman brings Elongated Man and Sue along to help him figure out where and how people are getting access to it.Sue is urged to sit back and let the men handle things, but she instead does some investigating of her ownand uncovers the truth. Upon entry, guests at the club receive stamps on their hands that are imbued with Elastix. Sue figures this out before anyone else, proving she’s abetter detective than Batman.
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When Batman learns that Sue solved the mystery before him, he doesn’t handle it gracefully. Instead, he throws snide remarks her way.This bitter rivalry culminates in Batman letting bullets fly at his car while Sue is inside of it, which she claims to have been a spiteful move on his part. Batman isn’t known to hold petty grudges, but that could change when one of his most notable talents -his detective skills- gets called into question. After all, he acts antagonistically towards Sue throughout the issue as her intellect competes with his. This DC rivalry gets another layer of intrigue considering how entwined Sue’s history is with Batman’s.
Elongated Man & Sue Dibny’s Mystery-Solving History Rivals Batman’s
The History of Justice League’s Detective Duo, Explained
Elongated Man and Sue Dibny got their start in the 1959 run ofThe Flashas friends ofBarry Allen’s Flash. They then migrated toDetective Comics,starting with a story from issue #327 by Gardner Fox, Carmine Infantino, andGaspar Saladino, cementing them as Batman-level detectives.
While Batman fights criminals in large-scale mysteries in the core’Tecnarrative,Ralph and Sue’s stories follow them as they travel the world solving simpler mysteries.Their investigations tend to center around oddities, such as a man painting his horse in a peculiar manner. They’ve eventeamed up with Batmanhimself on occasion and shown that they can sleuth with the best of them.
Elongated Man made his first appearance inThe Flash#112 by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, and Sue debuted a few issues later inThe Flash#119.
While they’re certainly not as popular as Batman to 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 mainstays in the Justice League Europe andJustice 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 went on to serve the Justice Leagueby working monitor duty behind the scenes. Her years of loyalty to DC’s premier superhero team further emphasizes her rightful place as an equal to Batman.
DC’s Best Detective Deserves a Comeback 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 an integral role in the Justice League, they’ve faded into obscurity over time.Sue’s controversial death inIdentity Crisisled to her and Ralph being phased out of continuity for years. The two were restored to life in the New 52’s reboot of the Secret Six, but since then they’ve been relegated to background cameos and flashbacks. With theJustice Leagueexpanding its roster to include every hero, there’s never been a better time for DC to bring back this beloved detective duo and giveBatmanthe competition he needs for the status of best detective.
Batman: Gotham Knights#41is available now from DC Comics.
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
