REVIEW: Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #48

The cool thing about this series is how its set in the past of the DC Universe. Naturally, that means the whole multiverse is set in the past –and that’s what Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #48 is about. Our story starts with Ultraman and Owlman before the Crime Syndicate was even formed. We’ve already been to Bizarro World, so why not Earth-3? One thing is for sure, it’s definitely stranger than Bizarro World. 

The doppelganger cover collection continues with Dan Mora replacing Superman and Batman with their Earth-3 counterparts. This and the Bizarro World covers do make it feel like their comic series has been hijacked. It’s been a while since we’ve had any Crime Syndicate members featured on a cover unless it’s a cameo for a multiversal event.

Mark Spears’ trading card variant series have been invading all of DC’s comics since December. The cover is arranged with borders that resemble trading cards from the 90s. Normally, the character being featured is the main one of the series, but since Superman and Batman already have their own, Spears went with Joker, and seeing this I say that he’s one of those artists that draw villains better than heroes. His Superman vs. Lobo cover is one of my favorites.

Megan Huang gives us a simple variant cover of our three heroes. I personally like the sleeker textures –that’s something unique.

Regular cover artist Adrian Gutierrez, with colors by Luis Guerrero, also us another Ultraman and Owlman variant with Batman and Superman in the horizontal split screens.

The supervillains Ultraman and Owlman have been running their Metropolis and Gotham City for years and aspire for greater things –like the whole world. Owlman pitches this to Ultraman after killing the hero, The Riddler. He mentions a powerful new device at S.T.A.R. Labs. He’s really vague on it but refers to custody in regards to where its being held. They return to Owlman’s cave where Talon was following a lead on the item, only to have been attacked and killed by Nile Caulder and the Doom Syndicate.

Owlman swiftly gets a new one (really, he has orphans locked in the cave on standby) and   the three head to the Doom Mansion. The vagueness only increases here because even evil Niles doesn’t know what the whatever the item in question is. Because before we could find out, it was taken from him. Man, everyone wants this thing –going on three thefts after Ultraman and Owlman. Starting with the Doom Syndicate, they’re going to have a run the gauntlet because everyone on Earth-3 never gives out information for free.

Mark Waid’s real treats in this issue aren’t the storytelling or plot, it’s the worldbuilding of Earth-3. Because it’s been destroyed and has come back so many times, it’s hard to grasp the canons that tend to stick. So, here’s what Waid has for us; Bruce of Earth-3 arranges for the murder of his parents so that he can inherit their wealth and Ultraman is the tyrant of Metropolis (hopefully his story from Forever Evil still sticks). The Flash’s Rogues Gallery are naturally heroes as is The Riddler. Lois Lane is also around. With no Crime Syndicate, every villain group may be competing to be the one in charge. The whole vagueness behind whatever they are after in this issue can get annoying, but it’s one of those stories that feels more about the world. Letters are by Steve Wands.

Because the world counts so much here, visuals are everything. Marcus To, with colors by Tamra Bonvillain, illustrate this twisted DC Universe. The headquarters of the Doom Syndicate decorated with the heads of their enemies that were so fierce on our Earth like Mallah and the Brain lets you know evil always wins here. As another cool visual easter egg, Elasti-Girl has her deformed face as seen in the TV series. Looking at the colors, I believe the key to Earth-3 is more shading and shadows. There’s also an art to illustrating Batman’s origin. Right at the beginning we’re hit with Owlman’s. Starting off how we have always seen but something is off with Bruce.

(7/10) With the quest for the vague object of great power, storytelling won’t be Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #48’s strongest point. But, it’s a new exploration of Earth-3, set before the Crime Syndicate when Ultraman and Owlman weren’t the planet dominators we know them as.