Review Batman/Superman World's Finest Annual 2024

The Batman/Superman World's Finest Annual 2024 came out this week. But it was a bit of a feint. This really is more akin to an old style Showcase comic with 4 stories, 3 of which seem like pilots for new books. 

It is true that the first story, a tale of the 5th dimensional imps, will lead directly into the main World's Finest book. But otherwise, this was more akin to one of the event-related anthologies than to a Superman and Batman book.

I'll briefly review each story but I'll start by saying there is one winner, one 'okay' and two 'not bad's. Is this worth the $4.99? Is this a bait and switch, not really since the topics are right there on the cover. I knew what I was getting in to.

Overall though, I felt a little taken advantage of. Batman/Superman World's Finest is one of DC's best books these days. It has been a very consistent winner. So attaching it's name to these 4 disparate stories seems like a sleight of hand for my five bucks. 

The opening story is by World's Finest scribe Mark Waid who is joined by Cullen Bunn. Edwin Galmon is on art.

It is a silly story where we have Mr. Mxyzptlk calling to order a meeting of the Just Us League, a team of 5th dimensional imps who have attached themselves to an Earth 0 hero. The imps trade barbs and blows, showing us just how silly they are. But Mxy called them together because a great threat is coming. It seems that there are 5th dimensional imps who link themselves to villains.

It is a cute tale with Galmon's art being an easy fix. Who knew there was a l'il imp Black Canary out there. And despite the existence of Mxy and Bat-Mite for decades, villain-linked imps is a new idea. Given the 'red on black' text by the main bad imp,. I suppose they have linked to Darkseid or the Batman Who Laughs. If there is an imp for every DC hero, does Kara have one?

This wasn't bad. I'll have to see how the story is fleshed out in the main book to decide if this prologue was needed.

On to the rest.

Review: Batman/Superman World's Finest #15

Batman Superman World's Finest #15 came out this week ... and I'm just grinning. 

Has there ever been a book more appropriately named? This book is truly the world's finest comic being produced.

Who doesn't want fun, gripping, interesting superhero action in a cohesive universe? Who doesn't want to see Batman and Superman as friends. Robin and Supergirl as sidekick about to take the step into full-fledged heroic personas? A deeeeeeeep dive into DC's catalog, with B-list heroes fighting D-list villains? Snappy dialogue? Gorgeous, energetic art? 

This book just sings.

Writer Mark Waid is clearly having a ball here. I have been reading DC for over 40 years and I think I have a comprehensive fund of knowledge on the era this book takes place in. But when you start pulling out the weird villains of the 70's Titans and Challengers of the Unknown, I am at a loss. But here they are! But these little flourishes and Easter Eggs only work if the main story is engaging. Things are becoming clearer here. We have moved from a 'Who killed Simon Stagg?' murder mystery to an all out robot rebellion on Earth. Waid went there in his Threeboot Legion but this time we get to see some familiar faces joining the fray. Throw in 2 new villains and the writing crackles.

Dan Mora gets to have just as much fun. The book is Batman/Superman but Mora gets to bring his style to a ton of the DCU here. The Titans, Supergirl, Robin, the Doom Patrol, the Challenger of the Unknown, and Red Tornado are all in this book. This reads more like a Legends of the DCU book and Mora is sizzling. As I have said before, every character he draws makes me want to have Mora on that character's book. Heck, I'd read his Red Tornado! Whoa!

Enough gushing. We have hit 15 months of it. On to the details.

Review: Batman/Superman World's Finest #14

Another month, another excellent issue of Batman/Superman World's Finest!

World's Finest #14 continues to storyline exclaimed on the cover - Who Killed Simon Stagg! This issue does a great job pushing the storyline forward with a lot of revelations explaining away much of the mysteries here but leaving a few out there. I think a few visual clues are out there for future issues so I'll let you know my thoughts in the main review.

Writer Mark Waid is just giving me comic comfort food with this title. These are straight-forward, entertaining super-hero stories set in the 'Elsewhen' of the DCU. So with a young Dick Grayson still acting as Robin and Batman wearing a yellow oval on his chest, we see Batman and Superman investigating the death of Stagg. With Bruce Wayne as the main suspect, Bruce is a little hampered so it is up to Superman and Robin to do the digging. Throw in Metamorpho, the Metal Men, a classic JLA villain, a good murder mystery, and enough DC ephemera to keep this longtime fan happy and this title continues to shine. 

I mean, read that last paragraph. That's what comics should be like.

I haven't even mentioned Dan Mora's art which just continues to sizzle. Waid is putting him to work on this book throwing all the craziness of old DC into this book. The action is spot on with a panel of Superman in this issue just iconic and perfect. But it is the smaller stuff, the heroic poses of the heroes or the joy just oozing out of Robin that makes this even more spectacular. Just fantastic.

Everyone should be reading this book. Everyone.

On to the details.

Review: Batman/Superman World's Finest #13

Everyone should be reading Batman/Superman World's Finest. 

I cannot remember the last time I was so thrilled to read a comic. This title, written by Mark Waid and drawn by Dan Mora, has been a complete treasure. It is a sort of classic look at the Superman and Batman families. It is a little bit of a primer/teaser to the DCU as a whole. It includes deep dive references for grizzled readers like me. And it is fun! Comics should be fun!

World's Finest #13 came out this week and was another rollicking, entertaining issue. We have seen Waid bring in the Doom Patrol, the Teen Titans, and other guest stars here. This time we are deep diving into Metamorpho, the Element Man. Tremendous! Waid throws in a significant plotline, the death of Simon Stagg, that directly impacts one of our title stars. 

Dan Mora is a machine. I think, if you compare this to the first few issues, he is a bit sparser in his details. I am not surprised given the amount of work I am seeing from him out there. From covers to the upcoming Shazam book, Mora must be a machine. His stuff still sizzles. There are a couple of pages in this book that are just stunning. So I am glad that even though he is on Shazam he is still sticking around here too.

Waid and Mora have given us a baker's dozen of winners. Everyone should be reading this book. On to the details.