DCU Comic Book Reviews

SUPERMAN/BATMAN #50

The Fathers

September 2008

Written by Michael Green and Mike Johnson

Pencils by Ed Benes, Matthew Clark, Allan Goldman, and Ian Chruchill

Inks by Matt “Batt” Banning, Norm Rapmund, Marlo Alquiza, Rob Hunter

Covers by Ethan Van Sciver and Ed McGuinness

Synopsis

Smallville, years ago, Dr. Thomas and Martha Wayne watch a spacecraft land in a field.  Thomas decides to investigate and pulls out of the wreckage a small crystal.  Today in Smallville, Superman and other heroes help to repair the town after the attack by Waller’s group.  In the midst of the rebuilding, they find a small Kryptonian device.  When Superman touches it, the device activates a droid in the batcave.  It assimilates everything mechanical in the cave before moving to Gotham.  There, Superman is able to stop it.  When he picks up the device, however, it explodes.  Years ago, Thomas Wayne finds himself in Krypton, part of hologram program he started when he touched the crystal.  There, he meets Jor-el, who wants to learn more about various planets before he decides where to send his young son when Krypton explodes.  Based on what Thomas tells him, Jor-el decides to send his son to Earth.  Now, in the wake of the blast, Superman says he had a dream about his father meeting Batman’s father.  Batman had the same dream.  In the batcave, they find a journal left behind by Thomas.  In the Fortress of Solitude, they find a crystal left behind by Jor-el.  Both documents confirm that what they dreamed actually happened.  Long ago, their fathers met. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

So, I think any opinion of this issue essentially boils down to the answer to one question:  is the basic premise of the story showing the World’s Finest fathers meeting stupid?  If you answer yes, than you probably tossed this issue against the wall in frustration, bagged it, and completely forgot about it.  It is a gimmick that stretches that thin line of credibility, especially when Green and Johnson toss in how their fathers were responsible for the others eventual place in the superhero community.  If you answer no, then you probably thought it was neat story that was fun to read, bagged it, and completely forgot about it.  Which is to say that while the gimmick is interesting, it is also nothing more than can really be done with it or use it to expand on the world of Batman and Superman. 

I liked the art and the choices that were made for the artists, with Benes and Churchill handling the present day material, drawing the characters for the books they are on (Justice League of America and Titans, respectively).  Then the art for the flashbacks is different, not only to invoke different setting, but also a different time and era. 

I am not sure I buy this idea that Thomas Wayne was able to reengineer Kryptonian Tech in order to build up the Wayne empire.  For one, Wayne was supposed to be a medical doctor.  Would someone with training on the human body be able to work with technology like that?  Yes, doctors are smart, but that doesn’t mean they are inherently smart to work in other fields.  Besides, I always though that it was Bruce who built on the fortune of his family and that Thomas inherited the money.  But who knows what the official continuity is supposed to be.

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