DCU Comic Book Reviews

SUPERMAN/BATMAN #1

Part One:  World's Finest

October 2003

Written by Jeph Loeb

Pencils by Ed McGuinness

Inks by Dexter Vines

Cover by Ed McGuinness and Dexter Vines

Synopsis

In Metropolis, Superman encounters Metallo attempting to steal something from STAR Labs.  In Gotham City, Batman is investigating a series of recently dug up graves when Superman stops by a visit.  Superman tells the dark knight the perpetrator is Metallo, who is looking for his human body.  Suddenly, Metallo appears with a casket.  The dynamic duo battle Metallo, who shoots Superman in the chest with a Kryptonite bullet.  Superman falls into an empty grave.  Batman jumps down to pull the bullet.  Metall, however, then buries them both alive.  At the Pentagon, President Lex Luthor receives word that a Kryptonite meteor is about to crash into Earth.  When asked why Superman hasn’t been contact, Luthor telsl a collection of meta-humans it is best for the government to handle these situations....

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

If there was ever one person who could writer a title featuring the two biggest icons in DC Comics, it would be Jeph Loeb.  He has been responsible for some of the biggest and best stories featuring these characters, including Superman for All Seasons, The Long Halloween, and the recently concluded Batman storyline “Hush.”

This is a fantastic beginning to this series and I think Loeb pulled off perhaps the greatest trick with this issue:  he made the conflicting personalities of Superman and Batman actually work.  This first issue explores their relationship and how they work together.  It is refreshing to see that Loeb writes these two with respect for each other, but at the same time they have healthy completive edge with each as well, as shown by Superman’s investigative reporting, a slight dig at Batman’s detective skills that is not taken personally by Batman. 

The opening sequence featuring the two heroes narrating their origins, complete with visuals that thematically match each other, immediately links the two together while at the same time separating them.  Think about it.  On page two, we have hands outstretched on both panels, thus creating that link, but the visuals the children see are vastly different, thus painting them as completely different.  They are the same, but they are not the same.  The rest of the story continues this similar pattern, with not only alternating dialogue boxes but also alternating settings.  Superman first meets Metallo during the day in the sunlight.  Batman first meets Metallo at night in the rain.  And it is in the dark, a place Superman does not belong, that the man of steel becomes mortally injured.

Beyond the relationship between the titular pair, Loeb also makes sure to toss in a few good villains, a cool fight scene at the cemetery, and some interesting mysteries.  The next few issues should be a delight to read as Lobe lets everything unfurl. 

From left to right, the meta-humans are:  Starfire, Katana, Black Lighting, Major Force, Captain Atom, Green Lantern (John Stewart), and Power Girl. 

 

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