REVIEW: Batman/Superman: World’s Finest 2025 Annual #1

Gorilla Grodd has reassembled the Legion of Doom, and it’s time to bring them back to the present in Batman/Superman: World’s Finest 2025 Annual #1, the third part of We Are Yesterday. Naturally, that means a face-off with Batman, Superman, and the Justice League before they become unlimited is all that stands in their way. 

All six covers of We Are Yesterday comics more than likely line up into a larger image by cover artist Dan Mora. This story means he gets to draw a big cast of villains in comparison to the tons of heroes he’s drawn over this series’ run. And, it’s the classic Legion of Doom no less. You have villains like The Joker, Scarecrow, Captain Cold, Black Manta, Cheetah, and Superman rogues Lex Luthor and Bizarro all returning to their former villainous glory.

Clayton Henry may not be the artist on this issue of World’s Finest, but makes time for a variant featuring Batman and Superman as well as John Stewart. This isn’t random. This oversized annual edition comes with a new John Stewart story by Morgan Hampton with art by Henry. Though not entirely since it’s a revised origin story for the character set in the World’s Finest past continuity. It remains to be seen if it will be integrated into DC All-In. 

Laura Braga has a really cool Daily Planet or Lois Lane pinboard-themed variant featuring Batman, Superman, Luthor, and The Joker. The comic book industry needs more art styles like Braga’s – bold lines and colors that aren’t dark or gritty. At the same time, Batman and Superman seem more based on their New 52 selves.

 An amazing Legion of Doom variant cover is also available from Salvador Larocca with colors by Pasquale Ferrara. 

Gorilla Grodd shows the Legion of Doom the future, how much the Justice League has grown in the present and how their presence and power have severely lessened. After using the new Justice League member Air Wave to travel back in time to the site of Darkseid’s death, Grodd and the Legion have to travel back. Fortunately, they are in a young DC Universe ripe with time travel devices to harvest tachyons and not enough heroes to guard them all. It’s classic hero/villain match-ups in a battle for the time machines with an outcome that no one could’ve seen coming. 

Christopher Cantwell takes over the script from Mark Waid after working with him on the story. Cantwell has a small bibliography when it comes to DC, so it’s interesting seeing him help pen a major crossover event for the continuity as a whole. The good news is that this entry in the story takes place in the past world of World’s Finest, a surface-level knowledge of the current DC continuity is required. Cantwell takes the classical approach to the characters which is what the World’s Finest series is all about. Story-wise, this issue explains a portion of the last entry in Justice League Unlimited that was sort of glazed over on a page. So, the overall story is only inches forward. Still, it introduces a nice conflict by the end that spices it all up. Letters are by Steve Wands. 

The best thing about this issue is the art by Dan McDaid and colors by John Kausz. There are some prime matchups here – Superman vs. Bizarro, The Flash vs. Captain Cold, and Batman and Robin vs. The Joker and Scarecrow. The two Men of Steel fly through buildings and create craters where they land while fear gas flies and Joker breaks out his mallet. But honestly, some of the coolest action comes from Plastic Man against Black Manta and Sinestro. In one page, his body makes up the panel borders in a really creative move. Kausz does a cool job with the tone – it feels like you get Silver Age colors in Modern age linework. McDaid does have a bit of Neal Adams in him based on some Batman panels. Meanwhile, Superman and Bizarro come out flying. 

(7/10) Batman/Superman: World’s Finest 2025 Annual #1 moves the ‘We Are Yesterday’ crossover inches forward but offers prime DC content with Superman and Batman going against their biggest villains without the current climate of the present DC continuity. This once again feels like these characters are being brought back to their roots for better or worse. That being said, this issue’s strongest suit is the art and action.