Written by Mark Waid.
Art by Dan Mora; Travis Moore; Tamra Bonvillain; Steve Wands; & Aditya Bidikar.
Collection Cover Art by Dan Mora.
SUMMARY:
Released by DC Comics in 2023, this 176-page hardcover compiles Batman/Superman – World’s Finest # 6-11 from 2022-2023. As previously established, writer Mark Waid’s Silver Age-inspired storyline occurs in the unspecified yet not-so-distant past. Hence, Dick Grayson’s Robin and Supergirl are still teenagers yet comfortably experienced as Batman and Superman’s protégés
In a cliffhanger from Issue # 5, Supergirl inadvertently loses Robin during their time-traveling mission, with seemingly no way to locate him in the timestream. In 1892 Corto Maltese, Robin has since joined a traveling circus where he is investigating multiple bloody murders being blamed on the show’s caged lion. Having discovered Dick’s landmark clues, Batman & Superman arrive undercover at the circus to assist the Boy Wonder’s sleuthing and bring him home.
On a doomed parallel Earth, married scientists Gayle and Asher Sikela send their teenage son, David, in a rocket ship towards another dimension to ensure his safety. Arriving on DC’s primary Earth, a bewildered David discovers he now has heat-generating powers he neither understands nor can control. As uniting David with his still-living parents in this reality isn’t an option, Robin enlists the Silver Age Teen Titans to befriend and tutor David. Donna Troy’s Wonder Girl soon confides in Robin that David’s unstable personality is concerning. Nonetheless, the Titans dub David as ‘Boy Thunder’ – Superman’s reluctant new protégé.
Having consoled David about his guilt-ridden ‘survivor’s remorse,’ Supergirl goes on a failed date with Robin. With Batman backing up Superman as David’s mentor, both heroes witness David faltering under crime-fighting pressure and struggling to uphold their non-lethal code. After a series of Key-related emergencies, David’s conscience prompts him to at last reveal to Superman the tragic reason for his ongoing anguish involving his parents.
Meanwhile, the Key and the Joker abduct and subsequently torture David to extract vital secrets about Superman and Batman. With the Teen Titans’ help, Batman & Superman attempt to rescue David. Boy Thunder’s vengeful grudge against the Joker is now established. Given David’s ongoing psychological trauma, Superman & Batman agree de-powering the boy (at least, for now) makes the most practical sense – especially, if he were to suffer a psychotic break.
A showdown with the elusive Key at the Fortress of Solitude, however, leaves David’s fate uncertain. Still, the last page is a pivotal hint. David Sikela’s storyline resumes in Batman/Superman – World’s Finest, Volume 4: Return to Kingdom Come.
Notes: This title is also available in trade paperback and digital formats.
REVIEW:
Though David Sikela’s destiny isn’t a shocker, writer Mark Waid concocts a terrific World’s Finest adventure. Frankly, the best storytelling comes in the first half with Robin’s rescue and appearances from Supergirl and The Teen Titans. Otherwise, Waid’s ‘Boy Thunder’ storyline wouldn’t be nearly as appealing, if not for the art team’s high-caliber artwork. For instance, a bleeding David’s torture, for instance, conveys nasty inferences of child abuse.
Apart from that icky sub-plot, Waid is very much on his creative game. Volume 2: Strange Visitor isn’t necessarily a must-have, but it is a welcome option to consider at the library.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
Dan Mora’s full-page cover precedes each story. In terms of intriguing padding, Volume 2: Strange Visitor delivers plenty in that regard. The flip side is that most of these covers are non-applicable to the actual plot. In a full-page format, its 24-page variant gallery consists of:
- Issue # 6 (Supergirl & Barbara Gordon’s Batgirl) – artists: Terry Dodson & Rachel Dodson;
- Issue # 6 (Superman & Batman) – artists: Trevor Hairsine & Arif Prianto;
- Issue # 6 (Superman & Batman vs. Lex Luthor) – artists: Nick Bradshaw & Nathan Fairbairn;
- Issue # 6 (Wayne Manor pool time, including Krypto) – artists: Rafa Sandoval & Matt Herms;
- Issue # 7 (Silver Age Teen Titans) – artist: Dan Mora;
- Issue # 7 (Batman & Superman) – artist: Joshua Middleton;
- Issue # 7 (Batman & Superman) – artist: Pete Woods;
- Issue # 7 (homage: Bat-Family & Super-Family protégés) – artists: Todd Nauck & Hi-Fi;
- Issue # 8 (Superman & Batman) – artist: Taurin Clarke;
- Issue # 8 (Superman, Batman, & their arch-enemies) – artists: Clayton Henry & Marcelo Maiolo;
- Issue # 8 (Joker & Punchline vs. Lex Luthor & Mercy Graves) – artists: Travis Mercer & Jordie Bellaire;
- Issue # 9 (Superman & Batman help cave-in victims) – artist: Paolo Rivera;
- Issue # 9 (underwater demon – possibly a demonic Aquaman) – artist: Steve Beach;
- Issue # 9 (Batman & Superman) – artist Afua Richardson;
- Issue # 9: (Superman & Batman – ‘90’s rewind) – artists: Mario “ Fox” Foccillo & Prasad Rao (Pressy);
- Issue # 10 (Superman: The Movie & Batman ’89 homage) – artists: Dan Schoening & Luis Delgado;
- Issue # 10 (eight mini-portraits) – artist: Brandon Peterson;
- Issue # 10 (Joker & Doomsday) – artist: A.L. Kaplan;
- Issue # 10 (Batcave holiday party with Paul McCartney) – artist: Dan Mora;
- Issue # 11 (Batman-Superman-Mr. Mxyzptlk playing card) – artist: Juni Ba;
- Issue # 11 (Huntress & Power Girl two-page spread) – artist: Jonboy Meyers;
- Issue # 11 (Wonder Woman, Batman, & Superman) – artists: Claire Roe & Jordie Bellaire; and
- Issue # 11 (‘Jack White III’) – artists: Rob James, Emery Swirbalus & photographer David James Swanson.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars
