REVIEW: Batman/Superman #14

Batman/Superman #14 is finally here, I have been looking forward to this issue for a while. I’m not sure why but for me it just seems like I’m having to wait ages between issues, although that isn’t really the case. That’s just how eager I am to read the next issue!

Before we go into the issue itself, let’s take a look at the covers. First up, the standard cover which is by David Marquez, with colours by Alejandro Sanchez. I have to say this is one of the darker covers of the series, usually it is completely vibrant, but considering the contents of the cover it makes total sense. At a glance it seems that Superman and Batman have been merged just for artistic value, but based on the final page of the previous issue we know that is most definintely not the case! This is a really striking cover and is possibly one of my favourites from the series. The detail on the textures is perfection.

Now onto the variant cover by Bryan Hitch, with colours by Alex Sinclair. This is another fantastic variant from these two, the pair never fail when working together. Hitch’s iteration of Superman really reminds me of Dean Cain, and I love that. The detail in this piece, especially with the shading is impeccable. That combined with Sinclair’s colours really bring this cover to life in a very realistic fashion. I will admit though, because there is rather a lot of shading and so much light is on Superman (the way it should be), it did take me a few glances to even notice that Batman was on the cover!

This issue is titled ‘Planet Brainiac: Part Three’ and begins with an epic brawl between our four heroes and their robotic counterparts. It’s a race against time to find out and understand exactly what Brainiac wants to achieve as this new established team find themselves somewhat overwhelmed.

This is a really action packed issue which really showcases the best of our heroes. Both Superman and Batman try to reason with the villain to find out exactly what he is trying to acheive in order to resolve the problem. Personally I love when this happens, although we are more used to Superman being the one to do this. It really is one of my favouirte things about the character, and I am always thrilled to see it being played out in comics.

Personally it feels like Steel and Batwoman were brought in purely for manpower and to mostly to give Superman and Batman time to do the real work. But I have to say I am not mad at that, I loved seeing the pair in comics again, espcially Steel, who I feel is a fantastic character that is completely under-appericated and under-used. The pair both have some great opportunities to shine in this issue, as well as some really badass moments, which were great fun.

This series has just highlighted how well both Superman and Batman work together, and I’m so glad we got this series. Joshua Williamson has handled the pairing perfectly, and has not only highlighted the many wonderful traits about the pair, but also the flaws and reasoning behind their notorious vilains. It offered a very interesting insight into the reasoning behind Braininac’s master plan in this series, which actually brought a smile to my face. Sometimes it isn’t all about hate and anger, that isn’t always what provokes them, sometimes it’s something much more melancholy.

The interior artwork by Max Raynor is phenomenal, there are so many different textures and details to each page. Some pages are video-game-esque and some have epic fight scenes, this issue really jsut showcases the range that Raynor has with his artwork. That range, combined with the incredible colours by Alejandro Sanchez is exactly the reason I love comic book art.

The different scenarios and atmospheres are instantly clear thanks to the detail and the colours, this is certainly the case when Batman goes into the programme to reason with Brainiac. There were actually moments during this sequence that reminded me of ‘Into The Spider-Verse’, I think that was down to the neon and abstract colour pallete, but boy did it make me smile!

Batman/Superman #14 is another relentlessly action packed issue, that really highlighted the compassion and understanding that both Superman and Batman have for the villains that they both face.

Haven’t picked up Batman/Superman #14 yet? You can get the standard cover by David Marquez here (UK), or here (US). Or if you prefer the variant cover by Bryan Hitch, you can get that here.

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