Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #23 – Mark Waid, Writer; Dan Mora, Artist; Tamra Bonvillain, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: It’s the penultimate issue of Waid and Mora’s epic sequel to Kingdom Come, with Gog and Magog taking center stage as the biggest threat so far in this series. Magog, of course, is none other than David—the tragic young hero formerly known as Boy Thunder, who was embittered after being lost in time and space. Gog, meanwhile, is the mad last survivor of the Third World, nursing an ancient grudge over the fall of his world and seeking a glorious battle against the most powerful enemy to emerge in the last few eternities—Darkseid. Gog has most of the world under his thrall, Magog most of all, but Batman and Superman have managed to turn their older counterparts over to the side of good. Last issue painted Gog in a slightly more sympathetic light, as a tragic explorer driven to madness, but this issue creates a very different picture—one who went mad with power and is trying to unleash the unthinkable.
Gog’s original story, over in JSA more than a decade ago, never went into his motivations beyond seeking to be worshipped, but this issue weaves together a pretty fascinating story—one that actually ties in to one of the oldest mythologies in the DCU and potentially makes him a threat to the entire multiverse. But while the stakes are sky-high here, there’s actually a very emotional story here of a boy who just wanted to find a family, lost it—and found the wrong one in a dark world. A conversation between David and Batman here perfectly sums up why Waid is such a great writer for the DC characters, but it’s not long before the real world comes calling and brings an even bigger threat to their door—and I have a sinking feeling that the final issue of this arc won’t end happily for everyone. Waid continues to deliver on this title, weaving some fascinating hidden adventures for DC’s two biggest heroes.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
