Possibly the most hyped creative team of 2022 so far, writer Mark Waid (JLA: Tower Of Babel, Kingdom Come) and artist Dan Mora (Klaus, Power Rangers) come together to create possibly the best Cape comic of the year with Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #1. Featuring the impeccable coloring talents of Tamra Bonvillain and letters from Aditya Bidikar, this comic brings DC’s two flagship characters back together for a tense and wildly fun ride – featuring the Doom Patrol!
“In the not-too-distant past, Superman’s powers are super-charged from a devastating chemical attack by the villain Metallo…and the only ally that the ultra-powerful Man of Tomorrow can turn to in this turbulent hour is Gotham’s own dark vengeance: the Batman. A nearly fatal burst of power drives Bruce Wayne to his own extreme measures to help his friend…enlisting none other than the Doom Patrol for aid. It’s the world’s greatest superheroes from the world’s greatest comic book talent in an epic comic book experience that kicks off the next big events in the DCU. Get ready, it’s time to soar.”
Writing & Plot
You know, I could scarcely think of a better writer in 2022 for Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #1 than Mark Waid. His bibliography includes some of the best stories the ‘Big 2’ have to offer and demonstrates that few writers understand the superhero genre as he does. Waid brings his Silver Age influenced style to the pages of this iconic team-up and makes it a complete joy. World’s Finest #1 feels like a 60’s DC book but with modern structure and sensibilities. I’ll never get tired of reading a good ol’ Bats and Supes team-up comic, and this first issue sets up what could go on to be one of the most memorable yet. Waid takes some familiar ingredients – a Batman villain causing trouble in Metropolis followed by Superman getting poisoned as part of a secret plot – and throws in splashes of modern creativity to make them feel fresh.
The real treat that drew me to this comic was without a doubt the inclusion of the “World’s Strangest Superheroes – The Doom Patrol!” Waid effortlessly blends this cult classic team into this book. His modernized version of the original Arnold Drake and Bruno Premiani team is a wonderful treat, and he writes them exceptionally well (especially Robot Man). If you were expecting a Morrison/HBO series take on them, prepare to be disappointed. This is a Silver Age-style pastiche in every way, and a wonderfully entertaining comic through and through.
Art Direction
Dan. Freaking. Mora. The modern comics phenom blesses the pages of Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #1 with his signature brand of clean and hyper-kinetic penciling. His designs for our favorite classic DC characters here match what Waid does in the script. He takes the older designs and modernizes them through his own art style. Poison Ivy and other villains have scarcely looked better, and the Doom Patrol come across has highly refined versions of their classic selves – red and white uniforms and all. Mora injects life and personality into his characters through his highly detailed animations. His action sequences feel both immense and lightning-fast. If you’ve seen Mora’s work before, you know how hard his scenes hit when fists and superpowers are unleashed. Every page is busy but still focused. Mora is a master of using blocking to direct a comic’s pacing and the reader’s eyes.
The only thing that could improve the artwork of Dan-Freaking-Mora is the color-work of one Tamra Bonvillain. The former Doom Patrol colorist (Way & Derington run) brings her bright and vivid palette to this heavy-hitting superhero book with incredible results. She’s the perfect complement to Mora’s energetic pencils, offering colors that are reminiscent of the bright optimism of the Silver Age, but with modern fidelity. Lastly, Aditya Bidikar’s lettering is in absolutely perfect form for this comic. Their contemporary style constantly shifts like a liquid reacting to rocks being thrown in it, then crescendos into perfectly placed and effective SFX letters. This is a phenomenal work of visual storytelling, with an absolute S-tier art team making possibly the best-looking Superhero comic of the year so far.
Verdict
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #1 is an absolute treat of a superhero comic, and a reminder of what DC comics are like at their very best. Mark Waid leverages his years of expertise in the genre to pen a script that is equally fun and intense, with plenty of suspense to carry it into the next chapter. The visuals from Dan Mora and Tamra Bonvillain are nothing short of jaw-dropping, as they have crafted possibly the best-looking ‘Big 2’ comic of 2022. Be sure to grab this incredible #1 when it hits shelves on March 15th!
