Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #49 – Mark Waid, Mark Russell, Writers; Marcus To, Artist; Tamra Bonvillain, Colorists
Ray – 9/10
Ray: The conclusion of a two-part arc introducing Batman and Superman to the Crime Syndicate for the first time picks up earlier than the previous issue, which was told from the perspective of Owlman and Ultraman. That one saw the two villains tearing their way through the villains and heroes of the world in search of the most valuable quarry they’ve ever had – Batman and Superman, captured from their world. Now, we flash back to the beginning, as Batman and Superman go up against Brainiac, who has successfully opened a rift through the multiverse. The heroes crash through, find themselves in a strange new world – and are immediately captured by some ruthless guards who know they can get themselves the favor of their masters by delivering these multiversal counterparts to them. But after the initial interrogation, they get a surprising assist – from the Riddler.
Up is down and down is up in this world, so all the villains have a heroic edge to them here. Riddler is a scarred, unhinged vigilante who can’t help himself from spouting riddles as he pulls off his rescues, but he’s still a good guy underneath it all. I kind of wish we had seen more of some of these characters – like what would a heroic version of Scarecrow actually look like? This is a fun, fast-paced issue with a lot of surprising cameos and character beats throughout, as Batman and Superman pull off a daring escape, but that means leaving this world and its potential storylines behind for now. But next up is an oversized 50th anniversary issue as Dan Mora returns, and potentially brings Swamp Thing with him. It’s pretty impressive that Waid has shepherded this series for over four years, and has managed to keep things fresh without ever returning to the modern day.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes
