Max88's Profile

Pure joy. That's what this book is. Comic book magic brought by two masters of the craft. Samnee's trademark dynamic flair of pop energy and Waid's dialogue and understanding of these characters and the genre at a fundamental level make this story already one of the most enjoyable Batman comics I have read in a long time. They are the real Dynamic Duo here. As it's been the case in World's Finest, this more chill, approachable, yet mysterious Batman feels like a breath of fresh air. Yes, this is another version of something we have already seen in Robin: Year One but I'm always down for whatever these two do. These throwbacks to the most classic versions of the characters are always a win in my book. In a time where bold reinventions are taking the spotlight at DC some may call it nostalgia, but I call it just timeless.

Forget about current continuity. The World's Finest books is where the fun is at. The back the basics, distill to the core, easy to pick up for anyone approach is doing wonders for Superman and Batman in the core series, and now it's being extended to these characters in what is arguably the best Titans series in an eternity. Waid keeps proving why he's a legend doing more fun comics than most pros today. More World's Finest spin-offs please.

I still can't believe this will he only 12 issues and Mark Waid hasn't yet had a full extended run on Superman or Action Comics. We need the definitive Waid Superman!

I can't get mad at such a beautifully drawn and extensively researched labor of love. However, I do have some quibbles. I find somewhat baffling that stories like Batgirl: Year One are mentioned but others like Nightwing: Year One or Teen Titans,: Year One aren't. Even lesser known ones like Black Lightning: Year One are but no Metamorpho: Year One (yes, that exists!). Does that mean those stories aren't canon? No, because they don't contraduct nything. It just means they aren't mentioned and not every single comic will be mentioned because that's impossible. After all, there is no mention of recent ones like Batman and Robin: Year One and World's Finest, and those are definitely 100% canon. But it would have been nice to have them there to make it a more complete reading experience. No mention of Long Halloween and Dark Victory which I find strange since most fans consider those to be the definitive versions of those events. And the one that I disliked the most: I just found out Tom King wrote a new version or the first encounter between Batman and Joker and I hate it. Who gave this guy so much agency over Batman history? His Batman is awful. Ed Brubaker's The Man Who Laughs is a better version of that story. I think it deserved a mention since it's a modern reworking of Batman #1 and that one got mentioned, but I guess they had to chose one and went for the more modern one. Oh well, it's not perfect but it's close enough.

Mark, if you are reading this (as I once heard you say you do): 1) When (if ever) are Lex and Brainiac coming to WF? (I'm surprised you have never done a Brainiac story) 2) Any plans for another story featuring Boy Thunder/Magog?

Waid and Hitch craft a powerful tale that may easily become a new Superman all-time classic. Mark is the guy that gave us two of the greatest Superman stories ever in Kingdom Come (also one of the greatest comics ever in general) and Birthright and seems like he might just repeat the feat here with what could be the definitive Superman-Lex story. This is a passion project for both parties involved and it shows as both are at the top of their game here. Waid writing a script that not only is fast-paced, compelling and emotional but that also allows to explore the breadth of the Super-mythos in all his sense of wonder. It's so great to see a veteran writer at this point of his career producing work that it's easily on par with anything he's ever done. He's an absolute legend. Hitch (aided by Kevin Nowlan's inks) hasn't looked this good since The Ultimates, proving once again he still is that artist who gave us the unparalleled sense of cinematic scope and immensity. The world of Superman as rendered by him looks nothing short of awe-inspiring. The script raises incredibly interesting questions and dilemmas about what Superman is trying to achieve in this story and his resolve to protect all life in a really mature way while exploring the fascinating dynamic between Superman and Lex. Waid's forte has always been strong characterization and there's an excellent flashback scene with teenage Clark that cristalizes just how good Waid is at writing Superman. As a writer of superheroes, one of the things he excels at is showing us how the world looks like through the eyes of these super beings. Just like he did with Matt Murdock on his Daredevil run and so many others. Waid writes about the superhuman condition. No one can understand how the world looks like when you're Superman (well, at least until Supergirl comes) so there's a certain loneliness that comes with Superman that's been a part of the classic incarnation of the character that makes him extremely compelling and interesting but that the bulk of the Post-Crisis writers have downplayed. And this is what I'm talking about when I say no one writes it like Waid. When you're a teenager you feel like you don't fit and nobody can really understand you, so this is extremely relatable. Superman lives thorugh the same stuff as us just on a super scale, as Grant Morrison likes to say. It's the pathos I think the character tends to lack in the main book. It feels great having a Superman story of this caliber of quality, it just has everything I could ask in a book about this character. This is top tier writing the likes of which I wish we had more often nowadays and the kind of stuff that reminds me of why I love comics in general and these characters in particular. Superman comics don't get much better than this. I LOVED THIS BOOK so apologies for the hyperbole if I came off as a rabid Waid fanboy because I am. Mark, if by any chance you are reading this PLEASE KEEP WRITING SUPERMAN. The world needs more Waid Superman!