Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #1 is pure comic book fun featuring the two best superheroes! The number of Batman and Superman comic titles are almost endless; there was Superman/Batman, and the Superman/Batman: World’s Finest (1990) limited series, Batman and Superman: World’s Finest, that began in 1999, and Superman/Batman, the first issue was published in 2003. In animated form there was the Batman/Superman Movie (1997) which put together “World’s Finest” episodes of Superman: The Animated Series. The 2009 Superman/Batman: Public Enemies animated film was based on the “Public Enemies” storyline in Superman/Batman #1-6 (2003-2004) by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness.
It all started with their first team up in Superman #76 (1952) switching identities and learning each other’s secret identities! This was in “Batman - Double for Superman!” by Alvin Schwartz and Curt Swan. The superheroic duo was on the covers of World’s Finest Comics, but first teamed up in issue #71 (1954) in “The Mightiest Team in the World” by Edmond Hamilton and Curt Swan. This cover by interior artist, Dan Mora, has Superman and Batman divided by the white with the face of Mongul and a red side with of course the Joker and a tiny figure of Bane. We see ringed around Superman; Lois Lane, Perry White, Jimmy Olsen and a small figure of Brainiac. Below is the shadowy face of Lex Luthor on the underside of Batman’s cape.
There is the Kent house on the red side and then in the blue of Batman’s cape is Alfred, Robin, Commissoner Gordon, and Catwoman. An impressive collage of two superhero casts. Chapter One of The Devil Nezha arc, “Doomed” is by Mark Waid, returning to a regular DC title!, and Dan Mora, he provided artwork for Future State: Dark Detective. It begins in Metropolis, in “The Not-Too-Distant Past…”, this is before all of the new reboots? We have the familiar Daily Planet building when we see giant vines break through the city streets. It looks like they are about to destroy the city. Perry has Jimmy clear out the building, everyone has left, but Lois wonders about Clark Kent. So this is before she learns of his secret identity and marries him.
The cityscape, action of the Poison Ivy vines, and character expressions are finely rendered by Mora. We see the red and blue blur race through the streets. Poison Ivy is on the ring of the Daily Planet globe. She drops tiny vines, her connection to all plants that she calls The Green, first identified in Swamp Thing #47 (1986). She turns expecting to find Superman, but instead it’s Batman and Robin, the Dick Grayson Robin! Batman ties up Ivy and Superman is in the sky holding a child who drops a Superman doll, foreshadowing?, while vines burn from his heat vision. He safely brings the boy to his mother and Batman introduces Pamela Isley. She also has a partner, the half-zombie, half-robot, Metallo! It is a gruesome depiction of the super villain with the Kryptonite heart.
Superman is stunned by his appearance and the Kryptonite, Batman and Robin rush to confront him, Superman reels with a headache. Ivy is able to bring her vines to entrap the Dynamic Duo. Metallo walks towards the kneeling Superman. Batman hits the vines with defoliant from his utility belt. I have not seen him use the utility belt in years. Poison Ivy rages at him killing the Green and sends Robin over the rooftop! Metallo explains to the fallen Superman that he has lost his humanity. Batman leaps from the Daily Planet roof reaching out. He launches his grapnel gun. Metallo takes out a syringe with a synethic blend of Red Kryptonite. This has random effects on Kryptonians. Batman has caught Robin. Metallo raises up his arm with the syringe!
Then, in a stunning panel, he stabs Superman with the Red Kryptonite syringe to a terrible scream! Robin goes into action while Batman kicks Poison Ivy. Robin brings up his staff and then powerfully stabs Metallo in his Kryptonite heart! This is no ordinary superhero fight! A shadowy presence, Nezha?, watches the battle on the rooftop of the next door building, he observes with a spectral voice. Nezha is actually conected to the Monkey Prince title, a Chinese protection god. Batman and Robin check on Superman and his body explodes with Red Kryptonite energy! We see the mysterious villain with demonic horns next to another, a henchman? Next, the story flashes back to the Batcave in Gotham City. Batman is working on his computer as Alfred brings tea on a tray. He is busy tracking the Penguin and finds his location at the Eastside docks.
In Metropolis, Superman can see the situation with his enhanced vision taking off his glasses and Clark Kent clothes, very cinematic. The Penguin holds Robin’s utility belt as the Boy Wonder is restrained and suspended over a molten bowl. Robin notices that the Penguin has new henchmen, visored men carrying lightning bolts, the Thunderers of Qward! These warriors were introduced in Green Lantern #150 (1982). They are startled by someone who resembles Batman to the Penguin. The Thunderers throw their bolts which has no effect on Superman, but gave Batman the time to rescue Robin. Batman takes care of the Penguin while Superman repairs the Thunderers’ damage to the warehouse, but there is one remaining Thunderer! Once things settle down, a partnership is formed. Batman and Superman working together is usually tense, a conflict of their different viewpoints, so this is refreshing not to worry about the same problems.
We flash through the beginning in a series of panels, Batman and Robin see Superman in pain from the Red Kryptonite. He struggles to tell them to back away as the Red Kryptonite transforms him into a skeletal body like the Batman villain, Doctor Phosophrous. Jimmy and Lois appear and Robin updates them on the situation. All of them are helpless watching an out of control Superman. Robin wonders if there is a doctor who can help him. Batman contacts the Bat Computer and sends Robin after Superman who has flown through the Daily Planet globe! Jimmy catches up to Superman who is transformed into a steel statue! They are joined by Robotman, Elasti-Girl, and Negative Man from Doom Patrol! Somehow, they have to take Superman to the leader of the Doom Patrol, Dr. Niles Caulder, who is familiar with unusual mutations. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #1 has classic superhero fun, brings in diverse supervillains who are serious threats to our heroes, and artwork to capture all of it!
Five Red Kryptonite Syringes out of Five!
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