Quote Originally Posted by Beoric View Post
Not great examples. Cap is, in fact, augmented by the "super soldier" serum. Bats can't go toe to toe with monstrous opponents, but relies upon his gear and crazy preparedness.
Both Batman and Captain America are defined as being "peak-human physical performance". Batman gets there via training while Captain America got there through the serum (he's noted as being Olympic-level in physical capabilities, not superhuman), which is why I used those as examples: everything they're capable of is derived from training and natural inclination. Captain America can fight and be relevant alongside Thor and Iron Man because Cappy *has that much skill* (being in peak physical condition also helps, but the threats relevant to Thor, because he's a god, and Iron Man, because he's in super-tech armor, are so far beyond "peak physical condition" that it's kind of irrelevant). Put his shield in the hands of someone like Tony Stark or Thor, and it won't be able to do *nearly* as much as it will in his hands because, while it's a powerful tool, it's *not* the reason he's a superhero. Same goes for Batman's toolbelt.

For some characters, their gear is literally the only reason they can compete (Iron Man); for others (like Batman and Captain America), it's simply part of their total kit and wouldn't really do anything for the average person (or, at least, would do very little).

Also, I would argue that Batman's "crazy preparedness" is simply a manifestation of martial.