DCU Comic Book Reviews

SUPERMAN/BATMAN #32

The Enemies Among Us, Part 4

February 2007

Written by Mark Verheiden

Pencils by Matthew Clark and Ron Randall

Inks by Andy Lanning

Cover by Phil Jiminez and Andy Lanning

Synopsis

Superman has heard “the call” and has decided that as an alien he has the right to take Earth.  And his first goal is to kill Batman.  However, Batman uses kryptonite to escape Superman’s clutches.  Batman then goes to find Plastic Man, who has been brutally tortured by Lex Luthor to remove the Blackrock.  Meanwhile, Superman frees himself from the Kryptonite, only to be greet by Batman, who has now been possessed by the Blackrock.  batman has heard the “call” and accepts it.  Later, Superman visits his wife Lois, who manages to break him free of the alien control.  Free, Superman rushes to help his fiend, Batman.  Meanwhile, in Metropolis, aliens have congregated because “they” have arrived. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

This issue left me scratching my head in bewilderment.  The entire thing felt rushed, as if Verheiden spent too much time setting up the story that now with one issue to go he has to get through each plot point as quickly as possible. 

I think, in my reviews of past issues of this storyline, that I have mentioned a few scenes here and there that just seem to come out of nowhere and don’t make sense, a least in terms of pacing and segues.  Perhaps in terms of the story it makes sense, but it also needs to flow smoothly from one scene to the next.  This issue manages to create one mother of an odd transition as we jump immediately from Batman rescuing Plastic Man to Batman being possessed by the Blackrock.  There is no explanation how he got his hands on it (didn’t Luthor have it?) or why he felt it necessary to use the Blackrock.  I suspect Batman would be smart enough to know the dangers involved with taking the Blackrock, so why take as a “precaution.”  Against what?  Batman has fought Superman before and has won before.  He certainly could do it know.  It just does not make sense.

What was the deal with the appearance of Lobo?  Why include him in the issue just to simply state that he refuses to hear “the call” but also refuses to help Superman.  This better be a set-up to something later, otherwise that page was pointless.