Review: Batman/Superman World's Finest #34

I hope everyone is having a happy and healthy holiday week!

I am still catching up on the comics from last week which included Batman/Superman World's Finest #34. Waid has been using a great formula for the book. He has a done-in-one rest issue between his arcs. And with the Eclipso story behind us, we get this fun story with a new pair of World's Finest duos - Batgirl and Jimmy Olsen as well as Ace and Krypto. Much like the Supergirl/Robin issue in the first year, it is fun to see Waid handle other members of the Bat/Super family, giving them the spotlight. 

It's a simple plot. Batman, Superman, and Robin have gone missing. The pets seem to sense that something is awry and so find their human friends to save the day.  The fun is seeing Batgirl have to contend with a flirty Jimmy and a super-powered dog. Babs is the 'straight man' here, responding to the insanity around her. 

The art is by Fran Galan. His work is new to me. There is an energy and style here that reminds me of Dan Brereton. This is no small compliment. I love Brereton. So this issue shines artwise for me. I wouldn't mind seeing Galan doing more Batgirl stuff in the future.

On to the book. 

We start in the past. A villain named Galtar is using a mystic eye to turn the people on planet Altos-9 into a mad mob. He has done the same on other planets, leaving them in rubble. So our World's Finest crew come in to save the day. 

Some good bits here. Robin name drops Takron-Galtos, the prison planet that is still around in the Legion continuity. Seeing our gang focusing on universal justice and not just Earth justice is fun too. And Robin proves to be the wisest, noting that eyes usually come in pairs.

Is Galtar new? You never know with Waid. He might have had one appearance in the past somewhere. He is new to me.

And is it me? Or have there been a lot of Legion references in DC Comics lately?? 

Cut to the present and we learn that Batman and Superman have been missing for weeks. 

Batgirl has been taking triple shifts to keep Gotham safe. But she isn't alone.

It is always cool to see Ace.

Galan really shines with Batgirl throughout the book. Perhaps it is the Thrillkiller Elseworlds that make me see some Brereton here.

At the same time, Krypto is waking up Jimmy to help save the day. 

Waid also seems to have a ball writing Jimmy. We see that he dreams of Wonder Woman. We hear about his trophy collection. And we learn he owes Krypto a bunch of favors. 

It is such a fun scene. I may have actually giggled. This is the Jimmy I like to read, just a little bit weird and silly.

Krypto drags Jimmy to Gotham where the dogs lead our now teamed-up heroes to Arkham, the center of the disturbance they are sensing.

I love Jimmy as he tries to woo Batgirl a little. First he says 'you can call me Mr. Action' and then he tries the world worst like to try and woo. Batgirl is just not buying it. She recognizes just how bad Jimmy is at all that.

Turns out Galtar is using Arkham as a sort of focal point of madness to try and brainwash our heroes inside that cabinet. 

There was a second eye!!

I like the idea of using Arkham as a sort of nexus. And I like that Waid didn't succumb to the temptation of throwing every Batman villain into this tale.

The inmates are running the asylum.

I do like the teamwork between this new World's Finest. Batgirl and Ace will deal with the riff raff. The super-powered team will take on Galtar.

The fact that Galtar says he is facing off against Krypto ... again ... makes me think there is an old story out there where the two have faced off. Ok comic historians, help me out!

I also like how he calls Krypto, Superman's familiar. A perfect word choice for a wizard to use.

The fight is pretty brief. Jimmy is able to elasticize himself into the cabinet to unlock it from the inside.

With Superman and Batman free and with Jimmy able to literally wrap things up, the fight is over quick.

I'm glad Jimmy got to have part of the fun. 

Nothing left but the wrap up. Superman flies Galtar back to Takron Galtos. Batman hops into the Batmobile. Jimmy will be flown home by Krypto. And Batgirl has to wonder about all the weirdness.

Great end joke about Streaky. Her exasperation over a super-cat being out there was a great exclamation point on the whole proceedings. Babs just isn't used to the insanity.

I love these done-in-ones as Waid gets that they are meant to be a bit of relief between the hardcore stories, a moment of levity often. He also seems to understand all the characters, giving me a pitch perfect Babs and Jimmy here, just like he gives me a pitch perfect Kara and Dick, Clark and Bruce.

Nice issue to end the year on. A little light on plot but heavy on fun and characterization.

Overall grade: B+