Marvel vs DC · Superhuman
Nightwing vs Spider-Man
The most acrobatic hero in DC meets the most acrobatic hero in Marvel. Neither of them can stop making jokes.
Tale of the tape
| DC | Universe | Marvel |
|---|---|---|
| Street level | Tier | Superhuman |
| Acrobatics and escrima sticks | Strength | Spider-sense, super-strength and impossible agility |
| Holds back like his mentor taught him | Weakness | Holds back to avoid hurting anyone |
| 1–2 | Record on Versus | 3–2 |
The Arena
Spider-Man swung through a dimensional crack and found himself in a grimy, rain-soaked city he did not recognise, chasing a thief across the rooftops. He landed on a ledge and nearly collided with a man in a black-and-blue suit, holding two escrima sticks, who was chasing the same thief.
“Hey!” said Spider-Man. “That’s my thief!” Nightwing grinned. “Your thief is in my city.” Spider-Man looked around. “This is a city? I thought it was a very large puddle.” Nightwing laughed. “That’s Blüdhaven for you.” The thief, seeing both of them distracted, quietly climbed down a fire escape and escaped.
Both heroes noticed at the same moment. They looked at each other. “Your fault,” they said in unison.
Round One
Nightwing struck first, his escrima sticks crackling with electricity. Spider-Man’s spider-sense flared, and he flipped over the strike and fired a web at Nightwing’s face. Nightwing ducked, rolled and swept his legs. They tumbled across the rooftop, flipping, dodging, both of them laughing.
Nightwing was the better acrobat, trained by Batman since childhood, every movement elegant and precise. But Spider-Man had spider-sense, which warned him of every attack before it came, and he was far stronger: he could lift a car, and Nightwing was merely the best-trained human alive.
Nightwing landed a few clean strikes anyway. Spider-Man was genuinely impressed. “Okay, you’re good. Like, really good.”
The Turn
Nightwing changed tactics, using every trick Batman had taught him: smoke pellets, misdirection, attacks from blind spots, feints within feints. He was brilliant, the best trained acrobat in either universe. And spider-sense saw through all of it, tingling before every strike, before every trap.
Spider-Man began to web Nightwing’s escrima sticks, his ankles, his grappling hook. Each time, Nightwing cut himself free with a hidden blade. But each time it took a second, and Spider-Man used every one of those seconds to land a blow.
Nightwing was faster, smarter and better trained. But Spider-Man was stronger and simply could not be surprised.
The Finish
Nightwing tried one last move, a perfect triple backflip off a water tower into a diving kick. Spider-sense tingled. Spider-Man caught him in mid-air, wrapped him in a web cocoon from his shoulders to his ankles, and stuck him to the side of the water tower. Nightwing hung there, swinging gently, laughing.
“Okay,” he said. “That was a really good move.” Spider-Man sat down on the edge of the roof beside him. “You too. That triple flip was amazing. I’d never be able to do that.” Nightwing grinned. “Batman made me practise it a thousand times.” Spider-Man winced. “That sounds terrible.” Nightwing laughed. “You have no idea.”
Spider-Man cut him down, and they went after the thief together. They caught him in eleven minutes, trading jokes the whole time. The thief, sitting in the back of a police car, said it was the most annoying arrest of his entire life.
The verdict
Spider-Man wins
Nightwing is the better acrobat and a brilliant, Batman-trained tactician, but Spider-Man is much stronger, and his spider-sense sees through every feint and trap Nightwing can throw.
- Spider-senseNightwing cannot surprise him.
- StrengthSpider-Man is superhuman; Nightwing is peak human.
- WebbingIt slows Nightwing down every time he cuts free.
How the rematch could go differently: A Nightwing who used tech to jam the spider-sense, the way Batman would, could finally land the surprise he needs.
Who do you think wins?
Who would win in a fight between Nightwing and Spider-Man?
Spider-Man wins. Nightwing is the better acrobat and a brilliant, Batman-trained tactician, but Spider-Man is much stronger, and his spider-sense sees through every feint and trap Nightwing can throw.