DCU Comic Book Reviews

SUPERMAN/BATMAN #5

The World's Finest, Part Five:  State Of Seige

February 2004

Written by Jeph Loeb

Pencils by Ed McGuinness

Inks by Dexter Vines

Cover by Ed McGuinness and Dexter Vines

Synopsis

On the news, it has been reported that President Lex Luthor has Superman and Batman in custody.  At the White House, Superboy, Cir-El, and Steel crash through the front door, while Huntress, Nightwing, Batgirl, and Robin infiltrate the back door.  However, they find Luthor instead.  The President deploys a nerve gas to render the batsquad unconsciousness while Superboy and Cir-El are captured.  Elsewhen, Captain Atom encounters an older Superman sometime in the future, when the world has been decimated by the Kryptonite meteor.  Disguised as Hawkman and Captain Marvel, Superman and Batman frees their would-be rescuers.  They then head off for Japan.  Defeated, Luthor decides if he wants something done right, he must do it himself, but donning a green and purple battle suit. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

I did not actively dislike this issue, but nor can I say I either liked or even though it was a solid addition to the current storyline.  For my tastes, there was too much going on, too many characters, too many feints and double feints, and too much over-the-top Luthor.  Worse, with all of this going on, it doesn’t really change the story.  In the last issue, the World’s Finest duo were looking for the kid in Tokyo.  Next issue they will actually visit that kid.  In this issue, they go great lengths to confront Luthor and then do...nothing.  They have targets on their back because of the President.  Why not take him with you back to Japan.  Or better yet place him somewhere where he can hinder you.  Instead, we get a confrontation with no meaning or reason.  Overall, this issue essentially was running in place and accomplishing nothing at all, other than to show the bat-family and the super-family banding together (although it is problematical since I doubt Huntress would willingly go help and somehow I don’t think Steel would be asked).  

Umm, exactly how did Batman and Superman defeat Hawkman and Captain Marvel?  In understand the concept of Castling, although I am not sure it is being applied the way it should be in this case.  Regardless, donning the disguises makes sense in terms of the capture of their rescuers.  Yet, their defeat of Hawkman and Captain Marvel is no where to be seen, unless it happened last issue, but I can find no evidence that the switch had happened before the final page of issue #4.  Did I miss something?

Just based on this issue, it is easy to see that the Batman Universe has much more depth and versatility than the Superman universe.  Batman has four people helping to Superman’s three.  Of Bats’ four, three of them have their own title (two of which appear also in team books) while the fourth appears in a team book.  Of Supes’ three, only one appears in a team book.  The other two barely appear at all in any books.  DC needs to work on Superman’s gallery of heroes to help him out. 

 

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