REVIEW: Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #39
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #39 gives you two for the price of one, quite literally in part four of ‘We Are Yesterday‘. As The Legion of Doom Attacks across time, we get a look at the gauntlet they throw Batman and Superman through both in the past and present DC Universe.
Dan Mora’s cover is a tribute to the recent history and Crisis events. It’s been a while since Perpetua, Mother of The Multiverse, graced a cover from DC from the days of Year of The Villain and Dark Nights Death Metal. The Batman Who Laughs is represented as another major force of that era of DC. Pariah is there too based on his role in Dark Crisis along with the Crime Syndicate’s Ultraman and Owlman, also synonymous with Crisis events. And of course, you have Waller’s Amazos from Absolute Power. Set to the backdrop of the Infinite Earths, this is one cosmically packed cover.
Lucio Parrilo’s variant cover is that gritty, dark, photorealism that we all like to see with Batman and Superman taking on their archrivals. The simplicity of a dark and stormy background means that more resources go to the characters, and it really shows the grounded nature of Batman and The Joker and the high-flying action of Superman and Lex Luthor.
In contrast, A.L. Kaplan’s variant cover is bright and stylized. With the flashy background and impact stars looking like camera flashes, they kind of look like supermodels on this cover. The warm handling of their faces also leans in that direction. Superman can, without a doubt, pull it off. I’m not so sure about Batman, however.
Another variant is available from Adrian Gutierrez of Batman and Superman investigating a train tunnel. The glare of the flashlight obstructs Batman like the darkness he is while Superman can see in plain sight.
Robin has been sent forward in time to the present DC Universe aboard the Watchtower with the present Batman and Superman with the present him as Nightwing. But before the issue can revolve around him returning to the past as it would seem. We see our heroes exploring the different timelines as we see what modern Metropolis is like with Lois as Superwoman. If this is what they’re dealing with, one can only imagine how the rest of the Justice League is fairing.
There’s a fun charm to DC characters visiting versions of the DC Universe that they have yet to or already have experienced – reflecting on what they lost and gained or what needs to happen. While it’s not DC’s future, it’s neat seeing commentary on stories from characters outside the original story. The past versions of Superman, Batman, and Robin fill that role to an extent here as they navigate the contemporary DC Universe that references the current climate of Superman and Batman comics. Mark Waid doesn’t focus on this as much, but it’s nice to see it in a couple of panels. The main villains of the issue would be Sinestro and Scarecrow. Letters are by Steve Wands.
Clayton Henry and Tamra Bonvillain continues to deliver smooth and crisp illustrations. A lot of the best ones are single panels such as the portrayal of the timeline destabilizing and showing excerpts from the past – including Superman Blue and Batman Zero Year, as well as the Crisis events from Dan Mora’s cover.
(8/10) It’s a tale of two World’s Finests in Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #39 in both the past and present. This chapter also helps to shake up We Are Yesterday after the slower burn of the last one.
