Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #31 – Mark Waid, Writer; Adrian Gutierrez, Artist; Tamra Bonvillain, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: It’s time for the next big flashback arc, as the Justice League takes on one of the deadliest villains in the DCU – Eclipso, the malevolent spirit best known for possessing Dr. Bruce Gordon and being the main villain of a 90s event comic. But Eclipso is long gone, locked away in his Black Diamond, and Bruce Gordon and his wife are back to being a science duo. The two have even broken ground on their greatest achievement – Solar City, a massive project that will help society get off fossil fuels. It’s an achievement that impresses everyone – except Gordon himself, who is still brooding and obsessing over his past possession. Convinced that everyone still sees him as a villain, he attempts to use an experimental device – which turns out to be a trap, blowing up his lab and releasing Eclipso, who wastes no time possessing him again and kicking off a much bigger plot just as an eclipse is about to hit.
This issue is told in a non-linear style, with the threat kicking off aboard the JL satellite right from the start as the eclipse arrives – and immediately several members of the League are possessed and go on the attack. We’ve seen quite a few JLA vs. JLA stories lately, so the impact of this scene might be lessened a bit, but Waid is so good with dialogue that it really doesn’t matter. This issue does an effective job of conveying Eclipso’s menace, as the possessed heroes quickly tear their way through the opposition and send a wounded Red Tornado in search of help – from another iconic superhero team. It’s hard to do team-up books because none of the characters are fully under the control of the writer, but Waid setting it in the past gives him a unique opportunity to retell the history of the DCU. With all Waid has planned for the comic line, it’s great to see he has long-term plans for this book.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
