Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #42
Scheduled to arrive in stores: August 20, 2025
Cover date: October 2025
“Bizarro World Tour” – Part 2
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Adrian Gutierrez
Cover: Dan Mora
Variant Covers: Michael Cho; Adrian Gutierrez and Matt Herms; Mario “Fox” Foccillo and Prasad Rao (Pressy)
Reviewed by: Tony Parker
At the Batzarro cave, Bizarro Number One and Batzarro (both lucid thanks to the plague) explain the situation’s severity to the World’s Finest, asking for their help, when all hell breaks loose: Brainzarro (the Bizarro Brainiac) invades, his enlarging ray forcing the heroes to act. Batman, Robin and Batzarro take the Bizarro Batmobile while Superman and Bizarro Number One save the citizens from the attack of Brainzarro.
Unfortunately, things aren’t going well: Brainzarro’s force field does the opposite of the usual Brainiac force field, sticking Superman to him. While this happens, Batman explains to a confused Robin that while the Bizarros DO act in opposite, they are not wrong. It is simply their mindset, one that is being changed against their will, and thus, must be preserved.
The Gothamites eventually reach their target: Bizarro Lex Luthor, who in this world, is a mega fan of all things Superman. Lex (after much excitement) explains that the disease came from Uncentral City, and that’s where they have to go.
After a long and hard battle that involves some enlarging, Superman and Bizarro Number One manage to dispatch of Brainzarro (though they aren’t any closer to curing the plague). They join up with Batman, Robin and Batzarro in Uncentral City. A dead alien’s corpse greets them, as does his diary: Krylak III (the alien) had pure intentions, after visiting to research the planet. He had realized the cube world’s gravity was a problem, and that the planet would implode upon itself. Unable to convince the Bizarros to evacuate, he infected them with the virus so that they would understand, but got infected himself and committed suicide. Now there is no one to explain what to do, and time is slowly running out…
To Be Continued…
Story – 5: Now THIS is what I’m talking about, this is the stuff! Actual Bizarro stuff is happening, actual action sequences, actual creativity (like Bizarro Lex loving Superman), actual stakes! This is also the first story I have ever read that treats the Bizarros not like jokes. I am loving this a lot more now, highly recommended!Art – 5: Gutierrez makes Bizarro world feel both wrong and oddly lovely.
Cover Art – 2: It’s okay, nothing special. Batzarro looks more like Joker though.
Variant Cover Art – 3: Very nice New Frontier throwback!Variant Cover Art – 5: Perfect. Just perfect.
Variant Cover Art – 1: Not feeling this one.
Check out the Mild Mannered Reviews contents page.
