DCU Comic Book Reviews

SUPERMAN/BATMAN #40

Torment, Part 4:  Trapped

November 2007

Written by Alan Burnett

Pencils by Dustin Nguyen

Inks by Derek Fridolfs

Cover by Dustin Nguyen and Derek Fridolfs

Synopsis

On the dwarf Planet Tartaros, Batman is being attack by Superman, who has been brainwashed by Darkseid and Desaad.  Batman is wounded and seemingly about to die when he is suddenly saved by someone who is able to make him invisible.  He passes out.  When he awakens, he learns his savior is Bekka, Orion’s wife.  She tells Batman that ever since Darkseid had been planted into the source wall, he had lost his ability to use his omega beams.  Eventually Desaad learned the truth.  When Desaad located Highfather’s staff imbedded in the source wall, he proposed a deal with Darkseid to use the staff to restore his power.  To get it, Superman would be needed.  Now, Bekka leads Batman off of the planet while Bekka finds a way to keep Darkseid away from the staff.  However, before they reach their destination, they are attack by Parademons. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

Okay, let me see if this makes any sense.  The overall plot just became a lot more interesting.  However, the story in this issue just annoyed the hell out of me.  I did not find, at all, Batman lusting after a married woman to be an interesting story.  Not that it couldn’t happen or that a good story couldn’t be done with that premise, but in the midst of Darkseid and parademons and Superman and New Gods, it seems out of place.  I think the story was strong enough without overwhelming it with Batman lusting after someone he just barely met. 

But the minor quibble of a small plot point in this issue overshadows the overall storyline, which is starting to turn out to be more interesting than I thought.  Not only did the exposition provided by Bekka put all of the previous issues into context of the over story, but it immeasurably helped to understand what is going on in the entire DC Universe and, in particular, Countdown.  In fact, at the back of this issue, the DC Nation reveals that Darkseid will get his powers back in this title, issue #42 (in two months!), which would suggest would lead into Darkseid’s plans that has been hinted at in the pages of Countdown (or could lead into the upcoming mini-series, Death Of The New Gods).

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