As the underwater drama between the Tritonions and Poseidionians continues to unravel, our World’s Finest heroes are working overtime to keep things from falling further apart. First, we see Batman and Robin attempt to stop – checks notes – The Floronic Man (wow, I love the Bronze Age of DC Comics) through their combined wit and banter. Additionally, Superman is trying his best to understand the not-so-simple boundaries of international relations and foreign affairs while still trying to be a hero to everyone.
Along with this, we see how the early days of Aquaman’s journey as leader of Atlantis were far more tumultuous than expected. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. So, this sure seems like a heck of a lot to fit in one comic book, doesn’t it? But if anyone can do it, superstars Mark Waid, Adrián Gutiérrez, and Tamra Bonvillain sure can make this issue jam-packed in the best way possible.
DC
What I’ve appreciated about this arc is how, for a majority of the time, each character is still able to flourish. This issue is no different, where the story’s breakdown of subplots allows all of our favorite heroes to shine in a way best suited for them. However, the unsung hero of this issue, surprisingly, is Superman. While the Dynamic Duo continues to be just as dynamic as ever, and Aquaman tries to lead his kingdom away from war, it’s Superman who seems to face a more complex challenge: diplomacy.
Instead of punching his way out of things or sharing inspiration through a speech, Clark is forced to maneuver a complicated world where customs have to come before doing what he thinks to be the right thing. Through this story, Waid has once again shown how his knowledge of the DC Universe expands beyond the intricacies of it and into delivering a story where each hero that we love is put in situations that may directly oppose their foundation; as a result, they often come out stronger and on the other side. All of this is a long-winded way of saying that not only is this a captivating story of heroes fighting villains we haven’t seen in a long time, but it’s also about heroes being fundamentally challenged on a moment’s notice.
DC
Adrián Gutiérrez and Tamra Bonvillain work well together to deliver another issue full of sharp and vibrant life. However, something that Gutiérrez works well on in this story is maintaining an underwater visual while not making things look too bubbly or funky. Although this isn’t a huge thing, it helps to keep the intensity of the issue intact. A great example of this is the blending of line work between maintaining the realistic view of what an underwater fight may look like while also showing Batman’s battle against The Floronic Man without things looking too out of place. Scenes like this are only further boosted by the sharp colors Bonvillain brings. This is best seen by the issue maintaining a green and underwater hue that blends the bright tones of gadgets, capes, and superpowers quite well. Altogether, this issue is another visual masterpiece in many ways thanks to how the pair consider the environment our heroes find themselves in and blend things in very intricately.
DC
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #36 is another strong issue that continues the fast-paced nature that this arc has had and further pushes everyone into a corner. Just when things look ready to wrap up, it seems they’re still far from over! As a result, the issue ends on a great cliffhanger that should leave readers excited for the finale of this story.
You must be logged in to post a comment.