Originally posted by Dark-Jaxx
...Seriously, what has Manhattan actually DONE? 😐
People love making threads with him in it because it raises this question and ends with people yelling at one another for whatever reason. Manhattan's the ultimate in implied power, but 12 total issues in an ensemble work means that his concrete feats are barely enough to fill one short post of scans.
Beyond that fact is that his name is dragged through the mud far too often for a lack of feats, when it's very obvious that the character, and the series, wasn't created for feats at all. I always disliked vs. battles with such characters, because it misses their point entirely. I'd personally argue that he's beyond Surfer, but why bother? Besides the fact that I can't objectively defend that opinion, I'm arguing an aspect of the character that is irrelevant.
His power was implied because it had more affect in the story that way. Gaudy displays would have cheapened his persona. His function in the story is what is important, not what he did on-panel.
Superman is about power levels and feats. Manhattan isn't, and never should be.
Originally posted by DigiMark007
But essentially you're right. If we approach it from a vs. perspective, there's not much way we can say anything but "Supes wins." But it's the approach itself that I oppose, and is why I see the rash of Manhattan threads as more than a bit silly.
shuddup and pick a winner!
Lets look at both of them
Doctor Manhatten powers
Regeneration,
Energy and matter manipulation,
Flight,
Immortality,
Superhuman strength, speed and durability,
Intangibility,
Precognition,
Teleportation,
Self-duplication,
Superhuman growth,
Genius intellect
Here are Superman's
Superhuman strength, speed, stamina, durability, senses, intelligence, regeneration, and longevity; super breath, heat vision, x-ray vision and flight, genius intellect.
There are a lot of similarities and differences, now we can sit here and debate who is more invincible, and faster and all that. They are pretty evenly matched. However in theory by the comics, Dr. Manhatten has 5 major advantages on Superman. Intangibility, if you cant touch him, you cannot hurt him. Precognition, if you can see the future of a fight, they you know how to win. Teleportation, again, if you cant touch him, you cant win. Self-duplication, he can create as many duplicates of himself as he wants to all who are individuals and think on there own therfore acting independent of one another. The last is energy manipulation, which is the same inherently as the silver surfer. Another thing is Superman has a weakness to kryptonite.
So in theory after you match them skill for skill, Dr. Manhattan would win, but he has no were near the the record that Sup's has, Superman has faced enemies that have been more powerful and always won. Doctor Manhattan is a great idea, but he lacks the personality and good will of a character to be fully developed unlike superman
With all this, Dr. Manhattan and Supes would probably battle it out for hours destroying the whole earth before a winner was named, so I count this fight a draw. Besides, they have nothing to fight about. Dr. Manhattan has no human concerns appear pointless and without obvious merit about anything regarding civilization. Case, in point.
Draw, both equals, with nothing to fight about