“Eclipso is a thing of shadow. And, mystically speaking, the most effective way to dispel darkness…is to burn it away!”
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #31 not only saw the return of Eclipso and the destruction of the Justice League’s satellite base, but also the arrival of new series artist Adrián Gutiérrez. Now, in this second chapter of Shadows Fall, with the Justice League captured and Batman and Superman under the control of Eclipso, Mark Waid and Gutiérrez weave a tale where Robin turns to his allies in the Justice Society. Their mission? Free the Boy Wonder’s mentors of their magical corruption in order to keep the entire world from going dark.
Anybody familiar with Waid understands his affinity for the old guard of popular DC heroes, particularly with teams such as the JSA and Legion of Superheroes with the most recent example being Mon-El’s immediate reappearance in his coinciding Action Comics run. The JSA’s presence in this issue is as charming as you could hope, with the emphasis on Waid’s clear favorites—Jay Garrick, the Spectre, and Doctor Fate—who all steal the spotlight in their mission to stop the magically tainted World’s Finest and free the Justice League.
Gutiérrez instantly becomes the star of the show with his energetic and dynamic art style that complements the fast pace of the narrative. His action sequences channel a marriage between Jorge Jimenez and previous series artist Dan Mora that makes things feel fresh yet more consistent than most art switches typically do, however Gutiérrez truly shines in his use of closeups that show some unique panel perspectives that simply yet effectively convey the motion and tension in those scenes in a unique manner.
A surprise in the Batcave, courtesy of DC Comics.
Enhancing Gutiérrez’s work is Tamra Bonvillain’s diverse, frequently eye-catching colors that make the characters, and sometimes even the panels themselves, pop right off the page, even with the shadowy aesthetics due to this arc’s premise. In tandem, Mark Waid’s script also feels more attuned with Gutiérrez’s art style in comparison to previous fill-in artists, modernizing the energy the DC veteran brought to JLA back in the late ’90s. Particularly of note is the fact that this series frequently uses a high concentration of characters which leans towards a more jumbled narrative, a factor which is present here but is significantly less jumbled and more focused than in previous arcs.
In terms of the narrative, it continues the trend of high stakes villain of the week stories without losing the sense of scale that this series frequently brings to the table. Repeated end-of-world scenarios can often make a series lose that sense of scale, but focus on setting up the future—noted because of Eclipso’s presence in other books—the lighthearted camp comedy that has become a Waid staple, not skimping out on key elements like an unpredictable villain plot, all of which push the modernized silver age sensibilities of the series all the further.
To sum up, World’s Finest #32 is yet another visually stunning addition in DC lore, boasting an action-packed team-up narrative that hardly misses a beat. This series continues to be among the most fun superhero comics on the stands due to the sheer unapologetic blast that the creatives always seem to be having in this sandbox of a book. And though it does feel obvious in how the characters are used that Waid is ramping up for his upcoming Justice League Unlimited series with Dan Mora, World’s Finest is sure to remain a more than worthy sister title.
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