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 2,” DC Comics released this issue for August 2009, which concludes the tale starting in Issue # 60. Previously, Batman and Superman had joined forces with the youthful Justice Titans amalgams in Gothamopolis. It had been revealed that two other super-teams in this ‘dream world’ had been tragically killed in battle against Doomstroke in Metro City.
Meanwhile, the secret opposition of the Justice Titans is Lex Joker’s high-priced mercenaries: the Brotherhood of Injustice. In addition to Doomstroke, there are these criminal amalgams taken from Batman and Superman’s supporting casts: Brainycat; Penguello; Jimmy Two-Face; the Ventrilomaker; Lana Quinn; and a traitorous Titans insider.
Analyzing forensic evidence taken from Doomstroke, Batman is close to confirming his suspicions regarding the villain behind this ‘dream world’ and, more ominously, why. A midnight raid on the Justice Titans Tower finds Batman, Superman, and their new allies attacked by Lex Joker’s mercenaries.
Having deduced Lex Joker’s enigmatic true self, the Dark Knight realizes that survival is imminently linked to a stone statue of the Titans’ late sorceress: Ravanna. To escape this lethal ‘dream’ intact, the World’s Finest Duo now desperately needs help from the outside world in waking up.
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:
As with Issue # 60, the conclusion of “Mash-Up” presents both an engaging script and first-rate visuals. To the co-writers’ credit, they don’t dwell on the oddball amalgams so much, but more on how Batman & Superman perceive them. Yet, what separates this issue’s climax from another ordinary Superman/Batman team-up is a welcome injection of poignancy.
Occasionally teased in Detective Comics, the personal bond between childhood friends Batman and Zatanna Zatara briefly explores here an extra twist that is well-played. The same applies to the last two pages, as the World’s Finest Duo ponders if an old Justice League foe, no matter how deeply sedated, has finally unlocked their secret identities. “Mash-Up,” in that regard, ends with a sinister tease making perfect sense for a potential sequel.
Impressively, Superman/Batman # 61 delivers on all creative counts, making it worthy of re-discovery.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
DC’s Senior Story Editor, Ian Sattler, pens the “DC Nation” memo. The Daily Planet supplies five pages of press releases and artwork hyping ‘The Red Circle:’ a reboot of DC’s short-lived Impact Comics (updated takes on Archie Comics super-heroes).
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars
