Who would win in a battle between Spider-Man and Batman? Between Godzilla and T-Rex? Or better, who would prevail in a grudge match between Rush Limbaugh and Scott Simon? Now that the excitement of last year’s election is past, I want to see the de facto leader of the GOP, radio’s dominant conservative voice, stripped down to sumo attire against the progressive avatar Simon, who’s visiting town courtesy of Seattle Arts & Lectures. Simon’s topic is “Leaping From Journalism Into Fiction: Making It Up Is Hard, which undoubtedly bears upon last year’s Windy City: A Novel of Politics (Random House, $24). But enough about the book. Let’s hope Simon throws away his prepared text tonight to talk headlocks and wrestling holds, how to leap off the turnbuckles Mickey Rourke-style, and when to deploy a folding metal chair against Limbaugh. Rush is quicker than he looks, and Simon will need to be on guard against razor blades his adversary conceals within his rolls of fat. I recommend Simon wear the traditional masked costume of the Mexican luchador, NPR logo on his cape, for both the lecture and the fight. BRIAN MILLER

Wed., March 18, 7:30 p.m., 2009