REVIEW: Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #47
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #47 continues the fusion battle that should’ve been featured in DC K.O. It’s also an unexpected dive into the alter ego crisis’s that Superman often found himself in early in his superhero career –at a time when it seemed crazy that Lois didn’t know who he was. At the same time, the Omega threat level of the Joker and Luthor merger gets the attention of the Justice League.
Main cover artist Dan Mora gives us the clash of the fusion forms for the final time with this being the last issue in the arc. While the Batman Superman fusion seemed more cosmic based with it coming from a Green Lantern Ring, the Joker and Lex’s fusion is more magic considering its origin from an ancient artifact and more extreme powerset. This cover juxtaposes those themes nicely.
Fabrizio De Tommaso features as this series’ cover artist for the punk rock variant cover series. Several of his pieces have white backgrounds, so it may be part of his style. Speaking of style, Batman isn’t just punk here, he’s functionally punk with his utility belt even getting a rehaul. Superman is pretty drastic, but that’s what punk is. He honestly looks like Bizarro from Red Hood and the Outlaws. The grey skin doesn’t help that much either.
Erik M. Gist gives us a classic and beautiful cover of the duo investigating a call in Gotham city –the police light colors reflecting off the buildings is a great touch. The blue on the costumes pop and it all feels hand painted. But I really want to talk about that gargoyle because it’s my favorite thing about this cover. It’s not even a gargoyle, it’s a man that looks like he inhaled Joker has. I love it, imagine driving past a gargoyle like that on the way to work.
Other variants are available from Adrian Gutierrez and Chris Sprouse.
Batman and Superman continue to battle Lex and the Joker above Metropolis. Using their knowledge-based magic powers they inherited from the Absorbascon, the merger revealed their secret identities to the world. The fallout is instantaneous as Alfred is targeted at Wayne Manor by Poison Ivy. Batman and Superman are able to break away to save him. Meanwhile the fallout in Metropolis isn’t as threatening, but just as severe. The Justice League also suspect that becoming omniscient through the Absorbascon can’t be good for anyone or anything’s sanity.
The fusion drops by The Daily Planet to see Lois. Naturally, finding out Clark is Superman is like something he has been hiding is making her doubt the person she thought she knew. Clark has never said no to the question, he’s just managed to dodge or avoid it. It’s in the rules, Superman can’t lie. As he says, and we know, Clark Kent is his claim to a normal life as a human and not isolation as an alien. Still for Lois, things will never be the same. But maybe they can fix it, and the Justice League may have a way to stop the Lex and Joker merger. However, they need to work fast as the merger gets smarter, they get dumber.
Mark Waid could’ve gone with something like Commissioner Gordon and Batman for the big secret identity revealed in a compromising way dialogue, but he chose Superman and Lois. That’s because it’s simply more compelling with them. For me, this is the biggest selling point of the issue outside of the continued action. Had it not been for the fusion, this could be a sequence in a Superman comic. Letters are by Steve Wands.
Adrian Gutierrez, with colors by Tamra Bonvillain unleash madness with the Joker and Lex merger with countless different powers. I guess it’s a question of what they can’t do. The Batman and Superman fusion also has its limits tested. Like Darth Vader in Return of the Jedi, we don’t have to see the face to feel the emotion of what’s going on behind the mask. Some of these panels are great examples of that. The Justice League’s involvement also makes this issue feel more like an event. As it turns out, the Batman Superman fusion does have a symbol on his back rather than cape. Every new angle presents a new element of the design. And even though this arc is ending –the Batman Superman fusion’s impact in modern DC Comics goes on.
(9/10) Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #47 continued our highly contested fusion and merger nemesis match and surprises us with a profound dive in why Clark kept his alter ego from those closest to him at a time when it hardly matters anymore. Call me crazy, I also see some DC Studios Superman inspiration in some scenes.
