>>107122289Batman's a little like Donald Duck. One of Donald's greatest strengths is that he can be a hero or a villain depending on the story, and it wouldn't be out of character either way. He's extremely flexible, yet it always works for his character. Batman isn't quite that flexible, but he's still moreso than Superman or Wonder Woman. Generally, we expect Batman to play the "bad cop", but depending on the circumstances and partner, he could also play "good cop". He could play the straight man or the stoic whose presence in a funny situation makes it even funnier.
That's why he works so well with young, energetic sidekicks. They bring out the best in him and he's a character who is capable of causing conflicts within those characters or supporting and nurturing them depending on the desires of the creator and it would still work.
Of course, I'm talking exclusively about the animated iterations of the character.
>>107122423Superman's too nice. He can be a supportive influence, but it's hard to imagine him in conflict with someone as well. Plastic Man, for instance, is funny, but he's probably more funny with Batman than he'd be with Superman because Batman contrasts with him so well. Not saying he can't be interesting; in fact, the Animated Series version of Superman is probably one of my favorite versions of the character, though I feel that Justice League and Unlimited kinda ruined him. If I'm being honest, my favorite non-comic iteration of the character might be the one from Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
