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As Superman leaps into cinemas, DC fans can’t help but wonder about Batman’s place in the new DCU. James Gunn has assured us that The Brave and The Bold, Batman’s first movie in DC Studios' main continuity, is on its way, but it feels strange to see so many other characters introduced before the Dark Knight. After all, Batman is one of the most enduring foils to Superman, right?

Wrong. The DCU already has the perfect foil to Superman in the form of Green Lantern Guy Gardner. He may not be the box office powerhouse that Batman is, but Guy Gardner is the right character to face off against Superman because he is everything that Superman isn’t.

It all comes down to character contrasts. Superman, at his core, is a story of selflessness, care, and love. He doesn’t go out and save the world because he wants attention or because he enjoys doing heroic things – he does it because that’s who he is. I don’t doubt that Clark Kent would be out there trying to save lives even if he weren’t invulnerable and even if he couldn’t bench-press planets. The idea of turning his back on someone in need is simply a foreign concept to him. He isn’t just a good guy in comics; Superman is a good person too.

Let’s compare this to Guy Gardner, DC Comics’ most epic try-hard. He is, by all accounts, an asshole. In most versions, he is the comic book equivalent of that guy who shows up to the bar, hits on every woman there, and tells them they're missing out on the night of their life when he goes home alone. He is that guy who peaked in college and still thinks everyone should worship the ground he walks on for scoring the winning touchdown twenty years ago.

In short, he is unbearable to be around. And yet, he is still one of DC’s heroes. No one would argue that Guy Gardner isn’t a hero. He’s saved the universe multiple times and always fights on the side of good. When the universe is threatened by the Sinestro Corps, Guy Gardner is ready to jump onto the front lines and he’ll make sure everyone out there sees him kicking bad guy butt. He is a good guy, but certainly not a good person.

The big difference isn’t necessarily strength. Both Superman and Guy Gardner (and all Green Lanterns) are on the cosmic end of the DC power scale. They can deal with planetary crises on their own. What separates them is their self-image and confidence. Yes, Guy Gardner is one of the most outwardly confident people in DC, but only to hide his deep-seated insecurities. His whole life he has been passed over in favor of other people. First, his father favored his older brother when he was a kid, then the Green Lantern ring chose Hal Jordan over him, relegating him to backup duty. Everything he does is to prove he is good enough, strong enough, and worthy enough to stand beside the proverbial gods of the Justice League. He wants to be remembered, even if he has to show his whole backside (sometimes literally) to do it.

That’s why Guy Gardner, not Batman, is the perfect counterpart to Superman. There is not an insecure bone in Clark Kent’s body. He has no instinct to show off. He never needs to prove his worth to anyone because he knows he is worthy all on his own. Batman is the same way. He doesn’t show off because he doesn’t need to. The Man of Steel and the Dark Knight are too similar at their core, which makes them great friends and allies but not great foils for each other.

I say all this as a Guy Gardner fan. He is a fun character to read (the 2006 Green Lantern Corps run does him justice) because of his flaws. He is a tool, in every sense of the word, that can be used for good. You wouldn’t want to hang out with him for any amount of time, but he’s still that buddy you take to the bar anyway just in case there is a brawl. He just shows affection by putting people down because, again, he’s a deeply insecure, wounded person who should have gotten therapy but instead got a Green Lantern ring.

While everyone was baffled by James Gunn’s decision to bring Guy Gardner, goofy bowl cut and all, into the DCU opposite Superman before we got a whiff of Batman, I got it. He isn’t there to be a real threat to Superman; he is there to show us everything that Clark Kent isn’t and we’ll all see that in action on July 11 when Superman takes flight on the big screen.

James Gunn's Superman is flying into theaters soon enough, and Popverse has all you need to prepare. Refreshing your cinematic memory with our Superman movie watch order, learn what we know about the upcoming Superman movie, Superman's S-Shield through the ages, and read about what DC is doing ahead of their flagship hero's triumphant return.