REVIEW: Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #35
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #35 may come as a relief to fans who enjoy the series for the larger entries. The one-shots are great, but they tend to be hit or miss. The larger arcs can have some redeeming issues if things are so south in that regard. In this issue, we see Superman, Batman, and Robin head 20,000 leagues under the sea to help Aquaman with a disturbance.
Dan Mora is never too busy at DC for a World’s Finest cover. Aquaman has made some small cameos in this series and now finally comes into a major supporting role. This cover leaves whatever the disturbance or reason they are down there a mystery.
Swamp Thing guest stars in Frank Cho’s variant. In fact, the whole swamp does in this atmospheric cover that gets it right with the overall green, bayou tone that catches the eyes from afar and completely immerses them. Cho nails the crocodiles too without any exaggerated style – just as they are in nature.
DC’s Sweater Weather variant set the internet abuzz when the covers were announced and teased. They’re all based on the idea of summer wear in subzero temperatures. Kris Anka’s variant of Batman and Superman jerry rigging a hot tub outside of the Fortress of Solitude made its rounds on social media with many likes (literal and technical). Everything works in a fun way, Superman’s swim shorts, the use of his heat vision, and Batman’s scarred body compared to his.
Other variants are done by Chris Samnee and Ethan Young.
Something is in the kelp and is affecting the locals, turning them into zombie-like savages. Mera sends out a distress signal and Aquaman, along with Superman, Batman, and Robin responds to it. Keeping in what now is an established theme in the series, our heroes must take on mind-controlled hordes that need freeing instead of beating. But the question always remains of how. They are able to find out there is some sort of fungus behind the plague, but a motive if any still remains.
Batman and Robin regroup with Aquaman and Mera in Poseidonis while Superman heads to Tritonis with Lori Lemaris. Lots of lore here – the cities of Poseidonis and Tritonis make up Atlantis as a whole. People from Poesidonis are like Aquaman and Mera while those Tritonis are telepathic mer-people like Lori. Lori was also one of Superman’s earlier love interests – not Clark, but Superman from a time when he felt more alien than human so he connected with such. As our heroes go down their respective paths to find out what’s happening, they get more questions than answers.
Mark Waid has been keen on exploring every corner of the DC Universe with this series and finally takes us down to Atlantis. Usually when other Justice League members get involved with Atlantis’ problems, they can lead to pretty big things, sometimes crossover events. This underwater adventure is obviously much smaller in scope. But we’ll see how Waid sets it up in the later issues. When it comes to Aquaman, he’s still getting his bearings as King and must earn his people’s respect. The official synopsis mentioned a secret, but I didn’t see mention of one in the story. Letters are by Steve Wands.
It’s a special issue because Adrian Gutierrez begins as the new ongoing artist for the series. Fortunately, he has an easy start with the blank, dark background of the ocean for his first full story. It’s the foam and bubble effects that convince the reader it’s truly underwater and not the color. His art isn’t too different from Mora’s and continues the series seamlessly. There are some subtle differences in how they both handle faces if I really have to dig for a contrast. The best panels we get in this issue are some redraws of classic Justice League of America covers with Starro and Darkseid, acknowledging their place in the canon. Gutiérrez and colorist Tamra Bonvillain capture the retro style and shading.
(8/10) Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #35 begins an undersea adventure that has some big potential. A strong Aquaman subplot could be on the horizon with a young Arthur still trying to gain his people’s respect as King at this point in his life.
