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Batman/Superman: World's Finest #7

Scheduled to arrive in stores: September 20, 2022
Cover date: November 2022

"Strange Visitor" - Chapter One: "Reckless Youth"

Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Dan Mora
Cover: Dan Mora
Variant Covers: Dan Mora, Joshua Middleton, Pete Woods, Todd Nauch and Hi-Fi

Reviewed by: Tony Parker
Click to enlarge

In a Gotham City of a doomed planet, Gayle and Asher Sikela send their son David in a rocket ship to a parallel earth to save him, and so another Last Hope enters the prime earth...

Meanwhile, on our regular earth, a mysterious rift opens up in the sky, seen through half the US. As the news reports it, Superman/Kal-El/Clark Kent, Batman/Bruce Waye and Robin/Dick Grayson all fly off to investigate it. David's ship vibrates through the rift and the Batwing, and after Superman catches it, the trio proceed to talk to David.

The panicked boy reveals his planet is gone, and his parents sent him away, which understandably affects Clark. Suddenly, David flares up in an intense heat, a blinding light. Superman just manages to get him to calm down, and he and Robin take him to the Bottle City of Kandor inside the Fortress of Solitude in order to analyze his powers. Kim-Da and a group of scientists give David a Kryptonian costume modeled on a legendary freedom fighter named Hel-Oz.

Batman calls the others and asks them to come to Gotham, at the same time as David realizes his alternate parents must be in this world's gotham. Batman indeed has located them, but after a shocking meeting, David's heart breaks as he loses his parents a second time in one day: His alternate parents had a David, and he died at 3.

While Dick comforts David, Clark and Bruce discuss what to do. Bruce explains that he and Alfred aren't equipped to train a super powered boy, and Clark realizes he has a sidekick now, as no one else can take care of the boy. Robin does come up with a way to cheer David up though, and takes him to the HQ of the original Teen Titans, to meet the then members of the team: Wonder Girl/Donna Troy, Speedy/Roy Harper, Kid Flash/Wally West and Aqualad/Garth.

Elsewhere, a man named Leonard accidentally frees a mysterious villain...

To be continued...

5Story - 5: Yet again, one of the best books in the market right now delivers, a tale so throwback you'd swear it was Silver Age, but with the nuance and humanity of the best superhero tales, a DCAU episode with a wonderful tint of nostalgia, the setting of this run in the past allowing for a strange sort of comfort. Alongside the love for guest stars that actually don't appear that much anymore (seeing the OG Titans is sure to bring a tear to some eyes), this book continues to prove that throwback can bring new joys.

There's also something so symbolic, tragic, and heartstring tugging about this particular premise: A boy who practically shares the origins of our two main heroes, but the age of Robin. It's an intriguing premise, and whether the kid turns evil or struggles with his grief, we are surely in for an emotional story, especially with Clark having to take care of a kid, a premise that we know by now works very well.

I've talked before about some of this run's strengths: The art (more below), the in-character behavior, the fresh feel, the buildups. Today I want to talk about the balance of fun and drama. So many books these days go too far in one or the other direction. A book is either grimdark, depressing, with not a single hint of life, or far too light and inconsequential to actually say something new about the characters. I wouldn't call this run groundbreaking, to be honest, but I will say that it manages to understand that a Batman/Superman team up needs a good balance of emotions and moods. Seeing Clark's face when he learns of David's origin is one of the best panels I've seen all year, seeing a book know when to make Dick be all jokey, then get serious when it matters, seeing a Bruce who's dark but not edgy, it's just a joy to behold. The book cares about its characters as humans, in moments such as Dick trying to cheer David up, Clark hugging him after all that happens, Bruce's comment on losing parents twice on one day, and how it sends him back. It's seeing a DC world that feels alive, and how many books do that anymore?

Once again: BUY THIS RUN. It is one of the finest in the world right now.

5Art - 5: What can be said anymore about Mora's art? As much as I enjoyed Travis Modre on the last issue, Mora returns with a vengeance to strike us with his brilliant colors, bright lights and affecting darks. Any man who makes Blue suit Batman look epic is worth a shout in my book, and that's not mentioning how each character looks so alive, there's that word again. The colors of old with the sensibilities of today, I would go so far as to say that Mora is the best artist for Superman and Robin currently, and a brilliant orchestrator of shadows and light. May he please work on more books!

4Cover Art - 4: A charming upside down cover, even if it could probably be more about the story than the aftermath.

5Variant Cover Art - 5: Throwback cover that almost emits an Alex Ross vibe. Kind of cover you'd hang up on a wall, beautiful!

2Variant Cover Art - 2: Far less interesting, not bad by any means, but very average. Also Superman's face is a bit odd.

5Variant Cover Art - 5: A group shot of almost every Bat and Super family member in their (usually) most iconic looks? I'd give a 6 if I could!

4Variant Cover Art - 4: A nice group pose of the OG Titans, very nice!

Mild Mannered Reviews

2022

Note: Except for digital first releases, the month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic went on sale.
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