REVIEW: Batman/Superman: Weird Al World’s Weirdest #1
Who would’ve thought that the Weird Al Yankovic covers were teasers to something much bigger? That something bigger is Batman/Superman: Weird Al World’s Weirdest #1. It’s no April Fool’s special or marking any significant milestone. The best way to describe is a Weird Al story with Batman and Superman rather than the other way around. And, that is a very good thing.
The cover isn’t another entry in the celebrity series by Dan Mora, but rather by Dan Schoening and Luis Antonio Delgado. I like how Weird Al is incorporated into the title –how very humble of him to take third billing. Schoening does a sleek Batman and Superman and illustrate Weird Al for the real-life cartoon character he is. We’re also told here that Mr. Mxyzptlk is involved. That can only mean that some universal funny business is abound. The colors and shapes make it look like streamers and confetti launchers are going off –very neat trick.
I love some Mark Spears and this variant is no exception. We have Batman and Superman (with their mighty heroic clefts) in their respective button downs which I’m sure exist somewhere with Weird Al posing with them like it’s a photo. And like a photo it is, indeed, he looks very natural here. The only question is why is the background clouds of noxious-looking gas? Spears actually illustrated his Brainiac 5 variant cover for Legion of Superheroes #1 with the same fog-like background. Perhaps they are part of a series.
Riley Rossmo has one of the most unique art styles in comics. His variant plays like a MAD magazine cover with Batman and Superman getting lost in his hair, nothing like the exaggerated features of celebrities in art. We even get appearances from Krypto and Streaky. I also love how Rossmo draws Mxyzptlk –like a classic cartoon elf like how he was originally drawn.
Other variants featuring Weird Al have been done by Jerry Gaylord and another by Schoening.
Our story begins with an origin story of how young Al Yankovic acquired one of his many accordions one fateful day in Lynwood. A demon with a strangely 5th Dimensional name, Brxprttz, accosts him after school and challenges him to an accordion play-off. If Al wins, he gets Brxprttz’s golden accordion and if he loses, he loses his soul to him. Yes, like the Charlie Daniels song. However, the gold accordion reeks so he throws in his closet and forgets about it for years.
In the present and the 5th Dimension, Mr. Mxyzptlk had just gone out and got Gsptlsnz a present for their world’s equivalent for Christmas. But whatever he got her has been replaced with the most boring gift of all –socks. He’s kicked out of the house and notices the whole 5th Dimension is losing its whimsy as the imps lose their powers. They send Mxyzptlk to find Superman. After a stand-off with the Joker and Lex Luthor, Superman and Batman find that their world is becoming devoid of any strangeness, resulting in many superheroes not existing anymore. Seeing how deep this crisis is running, Mxyzptlk decides they need to find the weirdest man on the planet to help –Weird Al Yankovic, who has suddenly found himself working a normal job at an office. Whatever influence is at hand, he is able to escape it and our heroes find him. As it turns out, Mr. Nobody is behind this reality warping crisises, and the Al is the key to stopping him with the gold accordion and the weirdness he realizes was in him all along.
Leave it to Weird Al to be credited with “vibes” on this comic –such a character he can create a story just by existing. Meanwhile, Mark Waid and Tyrone Finch wrote a Weird Al Story that actually could work on its own. Weird Al has had several shows where he plays himself. Live-action or cartoon, it doesn’t matter, he’s going on absurd, musical adventures. This story kind of plays into that lexicon. There are tons of references to his songs and characters and the prevailing message of weirdness present in all his media. Letters are by Steve Wands.
Dan Schoening and Fico Ossio switch off illustrating with colors by Luis Antonio Delgado, and with a reality bending story, there’s going to be some crazy visuals. There’s not much for Superman and Batman to do other than to stand around Weird Al, but Al’s adventures are full of visual easter eggs to his personal life. We actually get a visual of Harvey the Wonder Hamster! That’s more than 30 years in the making. Mr. Nobody always has an artsy and surreal feel to him and the obstacles he throws at our heroes. Colors are by Luis Antonio Delgado.
(9/10) It’s Weird Al’s world and we’re just living in it in Batman/Superman: Weird Al World’s Weirdest #1. Here, the message of being weird and to remember to laugh is truly universal.
