In DC Comics,Batmanis one of the best fighters in the company’s sprawling catalog of heroes, with there only being a few standout characters who can beat him in a fair fight. Now,one of Batman’s most formidable rivals returns to the comic spacein a way the Dark Knight needs to start getting prepared for.
A master of the skills and abilities needed to ensure his nightly crime-fighting adventures go off without a hitch, Batman has trained in dozens martial arts forms and has held his own against the likes of Richard Dragon, Lady Shiva, and even the best fighter in his extended Bat-Family,Cassandra Cain aka the current Batgirl.
In the latest issue of Cass’ soloBatgirlseries — an action-packed ongoing comic that has delved into the character’s strained relationship with her brutal assassin of a mother, Lady Shiva — the one man who can consistently take Batman down has finally reemerged from the shadows, andhis name is Bronze Tiger.
Batman Needs To Watch His Back Now That Bronze Tiger Has Returned to DC Comics
Batgirl #9- 2025 (Tate Brombal and Takeshi Miyazawa)
Living a quiet life on a secluded ranch somewhere deep within Montana, Benjamin Turner, aka Bronze Tiger, makes his return to DC Comics at the beginning ofBatgirl #9after Cassandra Cain’s Batgirl searches him out in the aftermath of Lady Shiva’s death, hellbent on finding what Cass calls the “Jade Tiger.”
Hunted by three enemies loyal to the League of Shadows, the Blood of Wu, and the Unburied, and who carry three mysterious swords with a taste for Cass’ blood, the fact that Batgirl tracked down Bronze Tiger for this mission is a reflection on how valuable he is as a character, to say nothing about hisBatman-level martial arts skills.
Bronze Tiger was portrayed by Michael Jai White in the CW’s live-actionArrowtelevision show.
First introduced in 1974’sDragon’s Fistsnovel before making his official DC Comics debut in 1975’sRichard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter #1, by Dennis O’Neil and Leopoldo Durañona, Bronze Tiger is a swift and controlled brawler who occasionally wears a realistic tiger mask to scare the living daylights out of his foes before taking them down with ease.
Bronze Tiger Has Beaten Batman Multiple Times in Hand-To-Hand Combat
Batman Has Admitted Bronze Tiger Is the Better Fighter
Defeating Batman in his fair share of matchups over the years, Bronze Tiger was once brainwashed by Ra’s al Ghul’s League of Assassins and forced to fight Batman, with one of his most recent appearances coming in 2017’sBatman #17, where Ben beats Bruce in a sparring match, withBatman outright admitting that Bronze Tiger is “faster” than him.
Mastering the same martial arts techniques Batman has and then some,Bronze Tiger’s overall quicknessand intelligence in battle easily match Batman’s, with the outcome of most of their brawls going to Ben. Less a villain nowadays and more a hero,Bronze Tiger has developed a healthy rivalry with Batman, where they spar and train together to hone their skills.
Fans of Bronze Tiger suddenly have a lot to get excited for with Ben’s inclusion inBatgirl #9, as not only is the character poised to play a big part in Cass’ journey in finding the Jade Tiger, but if Batman decides to get involved, Bronze Tiger could potentially take on the Dark Knight once again in a fight.
Until then, however, Batgirl and Bronze Tiger will be an inseparable pair as Cassandra Cain tries to avoid being killed by assassins while getting to the bottom ofLady Shiva’s final words, ensuring that thisBatman-related book won’t be skimping on the martial arts action anytime soon whenBatgirl #9hits comic shelves on July 2.
