Writer: Mark Waid
Art: Travis Moore, Tamra Bonvillain, Steve Wands, Dan Mora
Publisher: DC Comics
Price:$3.99
Release Date: December 19th, 2023
Trapped in the universe of Kingdom Come, the World’s Finest heroes encounter skewed versions of their friends—a team calling itself the Justice Battalion! Can Batman and Superman prevent Boy Thunder from fulfilling his destiny and becoming the bloodthirsty Magog? Let’s dive into Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #22 by Mark Waid and find out!
If you’re interested in this comic, series, related trades, or any of the others mentioned, then simply click on the title/link to snag a copy through Amazon as you read the Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #22 Review.
THE DISPATCH
Batman/ Superman: World’s Finest #22 reads like a movie. The pacing is amazing. The action isn’t too over the top. The story is balanced. The characters feel important and ultimately carry the weight of a big-screen epic. Moreover, Waid does jam in an excessive amount of dialogue letting the art help dictate some natural moments within the comic with ease. Readers, there isn’t a better story arc at DC right now. The only story arc close is Zdarsky’s Batman run. So, let me simply open by saying that you need to get in on Waid’s Batman/ Superman: World’s Finest run. He’s set this thing up masterfully and even put another mini-event sandwiched in between this event that dangles within the realm of Kingdom Come. And now, with the cliffhanger revealing a pretty straightforward, but epic twist, Batman/ Superman: World’s Finest #22 should be hitting its stride at the perfect moment in the next installment.
Therefore, if you’ve been following along, take note of the background knowledge Waid infuses into the story. Sure, as noted before in my last review, Waid is responsible for Kingdom Come in the first place. Nevertheless, he’s building on the lore that this story has always had in place. It’s obvious how thought out and crafted Waid has pursued this endeavor. Each issue to date has been one clever little nugget on top of another with Batman/ Superman: World’s Finest #22 being no different. Even down to the explanations as to how Batman and Superman escape or purposely get recaptured is plotted meticulously with precision and accuracy to the characters. Moreover, Waid just writes these two heroes so well. In fact, after seeing the March 2024 Solicits, I’m excited to see that it looks as though this series is just going to keep on truckin’.
Last but not least, I think the movie atmosphere can be directly connected to this art team. The way they maneuver each panel with the perfect angles, close-up shots, and balance between villains and heroes offers exactly what I feel would be showcased on the big screen. It’s almost as if you could cut the panels, lay them on top of one another, and create the movie exactly as is. Moreover, the expressions of the main characters speak volumes adding such emotion to the issue, especially from Superman. He’s so angry and readers will feel it on every page.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Batman/ Superman: World’s Finest #22 very well may be the best issue in this entire run to date. It puts the puzzle pieces together well, offers a perfect balance of action and suspense, and couples those elements with outstanding illustrations that make this installment feel like a movie. Moreover, fans are given a plan for Gog that makes sense while also fitting with the original Kingdom Come and stands true to the character. Plus, we get to see the fruition of Magog as well as the potential of what’s to come from this series and the ramifications it could have throughout the DC Universe. Now, I know it’s Christmas this week but while you’re out, I think you need to go grab this issue on Tuesday. Don’t wait. Go out over lunch if you have to and make it happen. Let me know what you think, have a great week, and God Bless!