Monday, December 28, 2009

Review: World's Finest #3


Now that the holidays have passed, it is time to get back to blogging. And what better way to start than by reviewing World's Finest #3, by Supergirl team Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle.

Like the first 2 issues in this mini-series, this issue is fast-paced as Gates needs to have the characters meet, drop them into a mission, move his overall plot ahead, and have each issue end with a satisfactory conclusion. In this day and age of the standard 6-issue arc, it must not be easy. It really makes me appreciate all those 'done in one' issues of DC Comics Presents and Brave and the Bold I read growing up.

And this issue isn't just any team-up ... it's the first meeting of Supergirl and the Stephanie Brown Batgirl.


The issue starts with Oracle waking Supergirl from sleep to immediately activate her as a field agent for an ongoing mission.

Oracle has someone trying to track down Mr. Freeze who (you may recall) escaped capture at the end of last issue.Babs also hears that the Kryptonite Man is also in town. With that much trouble brewing, Oracle needed to call on a 'heavy hitter' so Kara gets the call.


This call is especially urgent since the operative Oracle has on the case, Batgirl, has gone off-line.

This whole scene between Oracle and Supergirl just reads right. The two have a history ... have worked together in the past ... and should be comfortable with each other as colleagues or friends. The conversation makes perfect sense. Oracle needs muscle; she thinks of Kara. Supergirl hears Barbara needs help so she's in.

Not to beat a dead horse, but I don't know if the earliest versions of this Supergirl would be so quick to say yes. I am glad this current Supergirl understands obligation.

I also love how Kara has a sticky note saying 'call Tim' on her laptop, a subtle reminder of her prior connection to the Bat family.


It's a good thing that Supergirl got on the trail right away. Batgirl and Catwoman are both welded to the inside walls of a freight container that is at the bottom of the Gotham river and taking on water. Luckily Supergirl is able to find and hoist the box to dry land and free Batgirl. The introductions are short and sweet. 'Hi I'm Supergirl.' 'Hi, I'm Batgirl.' Kara doesn't seem to be annoyed at the rescue or say anything sarcastic about the fact that Steph needs saving. Steph doesn't seem embarrassed or put off on being rescued.

Batgirl fills Supergirl in on the mission so far, how she and Catwoman both tacked Mr. Freeze and the Toyman to an old warehouse. Batgirl was sent to investigate a radiation leak. Catwoman is there for a bounty. Regardless of motivation, the two were overrun and dumped into the river by Toyboy.

The heroes' operation is pretty clear ... head to the warehouse and shut things down.


In a humorous moment, the two decide to leave Catwoman bolted to the wall, trussed up for the authorities. I love the pause as the 2 heroes look at each other and agree (without saying a thing) to leave Selina there. They are of like minds and already seem to be friends.



And they have more in common. As they enter the warehouse, they both quote the Batman, they both trained with him. It's another small moment that helps explain why the two would become fast friends.

Batgirl explains that the two supervillains had the Kryptonite man imprisoned in some sort of cryo-chamber.


Supergirl downplays the villains threat, figuring what could go wrong during the 'first Supergirl/Batgirl team-up'. I do like Kara's confidence here ... although it may be misplaced.

When the two break in, they are swarmed by malevolent action figures and Kryptonite taloned velociraptors all being controlled by Toyboy.


In my favorite moment in the issue, Supergirl decides to get to one of the roots of the problem. She derisively calls Toyboy 'Pinocchio' and smashes his head. That is awesome ... powerful and take charge.


Not to be outdone, Batgirl disarms Mr. Freeze before he can shoot at Supergirl. The banter and body language here is great, Steph sheepishly saying she wanted to be part of the action while Supergirl reminds Steph that Kryptonians are invulnerable. The art conveys that this is friendly chatter and not bristling with frustration. The two young women just seem to get along and I am happy to see that.


But the mission is far from over. The Toyman is using the Kryptonite Man as the power source for his Superman/Batman robot, last seen in the 'Public Enemies' arc of Superman/Batman. And armed with Kryptonite eye beams, it quickly gains the upper hand, grabbing Steph and blasting Kara.

This is just a great vertical double splash page really showing the power of the robot as it vanquishes the super heroes.


Batgirl signals to Oracle that she has a code black, the highest threat level she can relay. That means that Batman (Dick Grayson) and Superman get the alarm.

This was an excellent issue on all levels.

The writing and dialogue clicked. You could easily sense the budding friendship between Supergirl and Batgirl. No surprise that Supergirl's characterization is perfect in Gates' hands. And like the other World's Finest issues, this one was dense with story and fast-paced without feeling rushed.

As for art, it was great to see Jamal Igle back drawing Supergirl and he draws a heck of a Batgirl too. He is so comfortable with Supergirl, her body language, her expressions, everything. And the whole thing was topped off with a stunning Phil Noto cover.

I can only hope that we get to see more of these two heroes teaming up in the future.

Overall grade: A

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

IF the only purpose that Steph and Kara serve in this issue was to be jobbed out to the Toyman and Mister Freeze (thus to bring in Bats and Supie to "save them") then I can't say I liked the script at all.
Will wait to see what happens next though...

John Feer

Gene said...

Overall I liked the issue, the characterization of Kara and Steph was great, I loved how they hit it off immediately, and the art was wonderful. The story was fast paced, but I felt the issue ended too soon. I thought it was going to be a self contained adventure within the miniseries like World's Finest #1 & #2. This issue left me wanting more Supergirl/Batgirl adventures.

I agree with John in that I hope Kara and Steph are not just rescued by Superman and Batman in the next issue and then pushed into the background as the big robot is defeated.

I noticed that Pinocchio was on Kara's reading pile when Oracle called her. Now we know where she got that line when she smashed Toyboy's head in.

Speaking of that little creep, did you notice that Catwoman's top was unzipped AFTER she was tasered unconscious by Toyboy? Tsk Tsk.

Anj said...

IF the only purpose that Steph and Kara serve in this issue was to be jobbed out to the Toyman and Mister Freeze (thus to bring in Bats and Supie to "save them") then I can't say I liked the script at all.

Well, I'd like to think they were taken totally by surprise by this thing ... thus rationalizing their predicament.

I also think that a K-Beam like that might wipe out Superman as much as SUpergirl.

But you are right, if the 2 are merely Damsels in Distress next issue it would be a shame.

Anj said...

I thought it was going to be a self contained adventure within the miniseries like World's Finest #1 & #2. This issue left me wanting more Supergirl/Batgirl adventures.

I agree. They seemed to mesh well so I hope we see more

Speaking of that little creep, did you notice that Catwoman's top was unzipped AFTER she was tasered unconscious by Toyboy? Tsk Tsk..

Nice pickup. I didn't notice that at first!

Jason said...

I'm really glad Batgirl and Supergirl seemed to hit it off right away and establish a friendly bond. I think this bodes well for future team-ups. And I'll go ahead and put money on a future team-up involving Supergirl having to dress up as Batirl, since they're both blond, to rescue Stephanie from a situation. After all, Superman had to do it (pretend to be Batman) in the Batman/Superman animated series episode where Bruce was taken over by Brainiac.

Anj said...

And I'll go ahead and put money on a future team-up involving Supergirl having to dress up as Batirl, since they're both blond, to rescue Stephanie from a situation.

I can totally see that. Great call.

Anonymous said...

On the other hand I liked the post-it notes around Kara's computer "clean room!" "Call Tim!" clearly messages from Lana. Also note the guitar propped up in the corner, doesn't every teenaged girl in the USA have a guitar propped up in the corner? Talk about going native.
What would mama think?
:D
But Batgirl and Supergirl jobbed out to a pair of B-listers like Toyman and Mister Freeze, yeech...Lets home the girls take matters in hand next issue.

John Feer

Azaketh said...

I'll be straight up... great issue, but im sick of watching Super Girl get beat. I'm just... totaly f-ing sick of it. I can't tell you how much I'd pay right now to see Kara obtain a last page victory for ONCE. Just once.

Yes, I know, the villian needs to make a stand or the comic gets boring. I get it, I really do. But I'm starting to get fed up, I was REALLY hopping for a win this time, concidering poor Kara can't seem to get one in her own book.

Anonymous said...

I loved this particular issue of the title by Gates and Jamal more then any other and can't wait to see what happens next issue when Kara and her cousin team up with Dick as Batman and Batgirl against the Composite Superman mega-bot! :D

TalOs said...

*I loved this particular issue of the title by Gates and Jamal more then any other and can't wait to see what happens next issue when Kara and her cousin team up with Dick as Batman and Batgirl against the Composite Superman mega-bot! :D

Bubbly Bunny said...

I loved this issue mainly because i am a HUGE Supergirl/Batgirl fan and i really want these two to be best friends. I have been picking up both these titles and they are both wonderful.But ya i am sick of Supergirl always being beat or told she isn't good enough or whatever. DC please make me a happy fan and after the whole New Krypton story make Supergirl Linda Lang full time and have her team up with Batgirl a lot. Like make them best friends.