The Joker and Lex Luthor have combined into one psychotically genius being, and only a Batman/Superman fusion can stop them. Part 3 of 3 debuts today in Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #47, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. The world is under attack, and only one amalgam hero can help.
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #47 is a solid finale to the story arc, with Adrián Gutiérrez leading the charge with spectacular art. Everything from Poison Ivy attacking Alfred to the demented Joker/Lex amalgam looking creepy as heck is a testament to Gutiérrez’s work. Art is very clean, kinetic, and never wastes a panel. Meanwhile, inks by Vicente Cifuentes and colors by Tamra Bonvillain make the art pop. The color palette is like an ode to bright comics of our youth, further leaning into the tropes that set this book apart from darker and more serious superhero books.
But then again, the stakes are so high that this is a fairly serious chapter. The issue opens where we left off last, as the entire world now knows Clark and Bruce are their superhero alter egos. Setting aside their identities, which have been revealed a number of times over the years, this is clearly Mark Waid having a little fun with a previous era of these characters. The goofiness of that is elevated by the very serious threat of Poison Ivy coming to kill Alfred at one point, and later, the major master plan of the villains is frightening.
The vines look so cool.
Credit: DC Comics
That major master plan is also a bit too similar to Batman Forever’s Riddler, as we learn they’re sucking the intelligence out of everyone on Earth. Setting it apart from the goofy ’90s Batman film, however, is the tension between Joker and Lex, as neither is fully on board with the plan. Gutiérrez does a great job with an effect to show the brain-sucking power via a sniper shot of green energy.
As for conclusions, Waid comes up with a clever idea that lets things wrap up fairly quickly while still feeling earned. Ever the Boy Scouts and vigilante justice giving heroes, the amalgam Superman/Batman sacrifices itself to enact a plan. The fact that the combo of these characters isn’t retired completely is also a nice touch.
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #47 sticks the landing with style, embracing Silver Age absurdity while still delivering genuine tension and blockbuster visuals. Mark Waid’s script knows exactly when to lean into comic book goofiness and when to raise the emotional stakes, while Adrián Gutiérrez’s art ensures every page crackles with life. Even when the plot treads familiar ground, the execution and a smart final sacrifice keep this finale feeling satisfying and true to the spirit of the series.
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