I am still catching up on reviews as the 'Summer of Superman' is really in full effect with books coming out each week!
Batman/Superman World's Finest #41 came out two Wednesdays ago, starting a new arc putting our heroes on the Bizarro World and dealing with the ensuing insanity. There is a lot of fun in this issue as Mark Waid seems to have a firm grasp on the opposite speak and opposite thoughts of the Bizarro mind. And seeing our heroes, usually firmly in control of situations, seem like true fish out of water. Add to that some fun sight gags and this was both hilarious and scary.
Adrian Gutierrez remains on art and ramps up the insanity. Again, the story content leads to the odd mix of humor and horror that allows Gutierrez to stretch his artistic muscles.
Will Waid be able to keep up that mix in a satisfactory way for the whole arc?
Robin wakes up in a strange place and is suddenly being chase by enraged and out of control Bizarros. It isn't the wacky place it usually is. It is foggy and dark and scary. It makes even the dour and stoic Caped Crusaders lose some modicum of control.
I love how Batman calls out that he snuck up on Robin. And I love that Robin tells him to stick it. This isn't the time or place.
How did they get here?
A little deus ex machina that I hope is explained further later. Working in what appears to be the Fortress, a dimensional vortex whisked them all away.
A little deus ex machina that I hope is explained further later. Working in what appears to be the Fortress, a dimensional vortex whisked them all away.
Who did this? Why?
And then, the cause of the turmoil on the world.
There is a 'normalcy plague' (my term) that when affects a Bizarro makes them sane. Sane Bizarros feel insane and lash out. Backwards thinking Bizarros are afraid of the plague and so run to the diseased to then become infected. Love this sad Bizarro Jimmy lamenting his sanity.
Because, of course, backwards thinking people would run to the disease. Okay. That somehow makes sense.
The 'normalcy plague' sort of reminded me of the 'equalizing plague' that took down Thanagar in the 70s.
The heroes feel they need to get control of the situation. So they seek out the one thing that might stop the marauding hordes.
One piece is the imperfect duplicator ray. Since this is THE most important piece of Bizarro technology on the planet it is left out in the open.
Again, Waid has a strong sense of Bizarro backwardness.
And then Superman heads into space and finds a piece of Green K. Keeping his distance he sends it hurtling down to Batman.
Gutierrez does a great job here, showing us Superman's cautious approach and how he slings it down. Love that top panel. Batter up!
The Batman uses the ray to create Blue Kryptonite, the kind deadly to Bizarros, to keep the army away.
But the need answers.
Blue Kryptonite!
Our World's Finest knows the best people to help them would be Bizarro Superman #1 and Bizarro Batman.
They head to the Bizarro Batcave. Love the signage out front showing the world the Batcave is this way. Again, that is Bizarro thinking.
But love that Batman is nauseated by it, the exact opposite of what he would do.
I love the way Gutierrez shows it with the neon signs and arrows. Like out of a Bugs Bunny cartoon,
This was a decent issue with some fun hooks. I was glad Waid's grasp of Bizarro backwards thinking and speech was consistent. And a 'normalcy plague' is a purely Bizarro idea.
As always, the comic entertained although perhaps not to the level I am used to.
Overall grade: B-
1 comment:
A Bizarro story with internal consistency would be treat enough. That it doesn't feel like silly fluff but the actual horror it would be is an accomplishment!
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