Written by Michael Green & Mike Johnson.
Art by Francis Manapul; Brian Buccellato & Rob Leigh.
Cover Art by Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato.
SUMMARY:
Entitled “Mash-Up, Part 1,” DC Comics released this issue for July 2009. One night, Batman and Superman are perplexed finding themselves under fire from the city’s SWAT Team, with Police Commissioner Perry White in command. Somehow trapped inside a composite of Metropolis and Gotham City, the World’s Finest Duo are then confronted by the strangely familiar Justice Titans, who are ready to fight.
Briefly facing Superman and Batman in battle, these youthful amalgams consist of: Star Canary; AquaBorg (Arthur Stone); HawkBeast (Gar Katar); Night Lantern (Hal Grayson); Donna Wonder (Diana Troy); and the Flash (Wally Allen). Another member later appears: the quirky teenage girl android, Terranado, whom the Dark Knight is instantly wary of.
Headquartered in Gothamopolis, the Justice Titans are skeptical of Batman and Superman’s ‘dream world’ hypothesis. Yet, the fearsome might of Doomstroke nearly overwhelms them all. Soon afterwards, the diabolical boss of this Doomsday/Deathstroke amalgam is revealed. This two-part storyline concludes in Issue # 61.
Notes: This issue is available digitally. Issues # 60 and # 61 were subsequently collected for Superman/Batman: Night and Day in hardcover, trade paperback, and digital formats. Most recently, these two issues were re-released as part of the Superman/Batman, Volume 5 anthology (consisting of Issues # 50-63) which is also available digitally.
REVIEW:
The first half of “Mash-Up” makes for a predictably fun read. Issue # 60, in that sense, welcomes an intriguing script (even with few surprises) and first-rate visuals that shouldn’t disappoint fans. Hence, finding out what happens in the next issue certainly makes good sense. The ultra-stylish Detective Comics excerpt supplies a welcome bonus.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
From writer Greg Rucka and artists JH Williams III; Dave Stewart; and Todd Klein, there is a five-page, color preview of Detective Comics # 854: “Elegy, Part One.” The slickly produced excerpt’s star is Kate Kane’s Batwoman. Lastly, the “DC Nation” memo is from DC’s Senior VP/Executive Editor, Dan DiDio.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6½ Stars
