Superman/Batman: World's Finest

World's Finest (1990) #1-3

by Dave Gibbons, Steve Rude (Illustrator), Karl Kesel (Illustrator)

They are the World's Finest heroes, Superman and Batman, and they couldn't be more different. One is a bright, shinning beacon of hope and protector to the citizens of the sparkling city of Metropolis. The other hides in shadows and strikes fear into the evildoers that dwell in the crime-ridden Gotham City. But they have more in common than they realize. For one, they're both orphans of a sort, one who has lost not just his parents, but his world; and another who witnessed the cold-blooded murder of his partents.

Now they must come together to battle two of the most feared villains - Lex Luthor and The Joker.

Originally published in the mini-series WORLD'S FINEST #1-3.

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Batman, Superman, Comic Book, Superheroes

160 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1990

About the author

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Dave Gibbons is an English comic book artist, writer and sometime letterer. He is best known for his collaborations with writer Alan Moore, which include the miniseries Watchmen and the Superman story "For the Man Who Has Everything". He also was an artist for the UK anthology 2000 AD, for which he contributed a large body of work from its first issue in 1977.

Gibbons broke into British comics by working on horror and action titles for both DC Thomson and IPC. When the science-fiction anthology title 2000 AD was set up in the mid-1970s, Gibbons contributed artwork to the first issue, Prog 01 (February 1977), and went on to draw the first 24 installments of Harlem Heroes, one of the founding (and pre-Judge Dredd) strips. Mid-way through the comic's first year he began illustrating Dan Dare, a cherished project for Gibbons who had been a fan of the original series. Also working on early feature Ro-Busters, Gibbons became one of the most prolific of 2000 AD's earliest creators, contributing artwork to 108 of the first 131 Progs/issues. He returned to the pages of "the Galaxy's Greatest Comic" in the early 1980s to create Rogue Trooper with writer Gerry Finley-Day and produce an acclaimed early run on that feature, before handing it over to a succession of other artists. He also illustrated a handful of Tharg's Future Shocks shorts, primarily with author Alan Moore. Gibbons departed from 2000 AD briefly in the late 1970s/early 1980s to became the lead artist on Doctor Who Weekly/Monthly, for which magazine he drew the main comic strip from issue #1 until #69, missing only four issues during that time.

He is best known in the US for collaborating with Alan Moore on the 12-issue limited series Watchmen, now one of the best-selling graphic novels of all time, and the only one to feature on Time's "Top 100 Novels" list. From the start of the 1990s, Gibbons began to focus as much on writing and inking as on drawing, contributing to a number of different titles and issues from a variety of companies. Particular highlights included, in 1990, Gibbons writing the three-issue World's Finest miniseries for artist Steve Rude and DC, while drawing Give Me Liberty for writer Frank Miller and Dark Horse Comics. He penned the first Batman Vs. Predator crossover for artists Andy and Adam Kubert (Dec 1991 - Feb 1992), and inked Rick Veitch and Stephen R. Bissette for half of Alan Moore's 1963 Image Comics series.

Works other than comics include providing the background art for the 1994 computer game Beneath a Steel Sky and the cover to K, the 1996 debut album by psychedelic rock band Kula Shaker. In 2007, he served as a consultant on the film Watchmen, which was adapted from the book, and released in March 2009. 2009's Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars Director's Cut for the Nintendo DS and Wii platforms featured hand drawn art by Dave Gibbons.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

The draw here is the art, opposed to the story. Gibbons's storytelling suffers from a lack of focus and direction. There's almost no point other than having Superman and Batman switch cities while fighting Luther and Joker.

Steve Rude's art on the other hand is fantastic. I love the classic look he brings to the book. He makes Batman's original costume actually look good. And I'm always drawn to the look of Fleischer's Superman.

[Dirk Grobbelaar · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are those that make an argument that the two biggest superhero characters, in terms of popularity and influence, are Superman and Batman. It’s a good argument. Although Superman wasn’t strictly the first “comic strip hero” (characters like Lee Falk’s The Phantom debuted before him) he was the first bona fide super hero with powers to die for. He couldn’t really “fly” in his first outings, but bounding buildings seems close enough so we’ll leave it at that. It’s probably fair to say that almost every super hero that followed, was to some extent based on the Superman template, even if the goal was to make them “less like Superman” the criteria still had to be applied.

Batman followed shortly after. Where Superman serves as the template for a powered superhero, Batman arguably serves as the template for a non-powered hero. Using his wits, psychological tactics, tools, deductive skills and martial arts he has for more than half a century been the “real life super hero” that millions of boys aspired to become.

The two characters have been traditionally paired in an attempt to capitalize on their individual popularity, and to play Superman’s light off Batman’s dark (yin and yang, so to speak) but is the final product better than the sum of the parts? In this case, I don’t think so.

For one thing: Superman is heavily under-utilised here in order to let Batman at least feature. This tells me the threat level generated here by the Lex Luthor / Joker pairing is insufficient, or at least not multifaceted enough to justify featuring both heroes. I can’t help but feel that this would have made a nice Superman, or Batman, story. The fact that Luthor and The Joker are at odds and not exactly working together may have played a part. Also: The Joker is portrayed as truly clownish and awkward and not very menacing.

I like the DC Universe, and I like both Superman and Batman. As a result I enjoyed this book. It didn’t blow my mind, though, and there aren’t many surprises. There are better Superman/Batman collaborations out there (you may even want to check out the Superman/Batman/Wonder Woman pairing in Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman: Trinity). The art, on the other hand, is very nice and hearkens to the golden era of comic books.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

In some ways I feel like Gibbons (writer) dropped the ball on this one. The story has too many stops and starts, with too much "behind-the-scenes" plot really hindering the surface level plot. It seems an odd choice to have the book focus around two of the all-time greatest villains, Lex Luthor and the Joker, BUT then have the real villain be a nasty behind-the-scenes guy who is fronted by a different villain who turns out to be not so bad. Just that quick villain rundown is convoluted!

The individual chapters (originally published as separate comics) each have what amounts to wrap-ups, which makes it kind of clunky when you turn the page and the story continues, and I really didn't feel like there was much in the way of characterization. Mostly, it seems like Gibbons was depending on artist Steve Rude to pick up the slack.

And to some degree, Rude did just that. Some really beautiful work is on these pages. Some truly classic depictions of both Batman and Superman, making them look heroic, larger than life, but still human. And Rude is no slacker: the panels are filled with extra bits, human drama in the background, fully realized environments. Rude has a lot to be proud for on these pages, and I want to give an additional shout-out to my pal Karl Kesel, who did a fabulous job on the inks.

So, all in all, Gibbons did a fairly good job, but Rude did an outstanding job. I know that Gibbons can be a better writer than this, and I wish he would have shown that on this project. When you have an artist like Rude, when you know he's going to knock it out of the park, it's worth the writer's time to build a better park.

[Chelsea 🏳️‍🌈 · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn’t all that engaging. The most interesting parts are the parts where Bruce and Clark interact and discuss the parallels between their origin stories.

The most moving part was the scene where Bruce and Clark both wake from nightmares about losing their parents.

The story felt a little too drawn out, as though it could have been told more efficiently with 50 less pages.

The coloring also made it difficult to follow at times. I just think it needed some darker colors and more contrast so everything looked less washed out.

Anywho, it’s not really a recommend to be honest.

[Julio Bonilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

It may mean another short power cut…

Very reminiscent of the Batman/Superman Movie from the early 2000s, back when I was in high school …

[Kuroi · Rating 3 out of 5]

MEHHHHH.
Too old for my tastes and almost comically bland.
Batman saving kids in broad daylight...yawn.
That cheesy ending as well. Sigh.

[Tshepiso · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I finally got around to reading World's Finest. It was overall a mixed bag but I'm glad I read it. Firstly, I adore how World's Finest looks. The entire comic is a visual feast. Steve Rude's illustrations are so striking. I love how he (with glorious inks from Karl Kessel) relishes in shadows and silhouette. Rude plays with light brilliantly and their intrinsic understanding of framing and emphasis on iconic spreads was just delightful.

The character design here is also pitch perfect. Superman and Batman come off as almost mythical figures throughout. From Batman's sleek cowl and the iconic grey black yellow to the nostalgic hair swoop and dimpled chin combo on Superman they were definitely going for a more classic look and it works so well.

While I adored World's Finest's art its story wasn't my favourite. As the title suggest it's about Batman and Superman teaming up to stop The Joker and Lex Luthor who have overrun each other's cities. Unfortunately it digresses into an incredibly convoluted scheme by an evil orphanage warden attempting to indoctrinate kids into crime. I found the plot confusingly presented. The connections between characters and ongoing mysteries lacked a necessary clarity. To be honest I didn't even fully understand the plot until I read the liner notes in the back. Further the overall story just felt a little too silly given the prestige tone of the graphic novel.

But outside of the plot this story did have strong thematic weight. Much of World's Finest is an exercise in contrasting Batman and Superman. Visually I think the comic does this beautifully. Metropolis, Gotham and their respective heroes and villains have very distinct aesthetics that Gibbons and Rudin do well to highlight and eventually merge or subvert as the story progresses. The best moments in the comic are the silent parallel panels of the big two. As mentioned before the art is gorgeous and they do a lot of work to put these two characters in conversation without exposition.

But while the story presents aesthetics contrasts between Bat and Supes well I don't think the actual narrative presented does enough to meaningfully engage with their similarities and differences. This book is much more a story about Lex Luthor and the Joker buying orphanages than it is a story about Superman and Batman teaming up. While there are some interesting moments of connection between the two I think the narrative could have done more to engage with its leads and their opposing worldviews and methods.

Another disappointing aspect of the story was how the supporting casts of Batman and Superman were used. Lois especially felt more like a prop to play out a "What if Bruce Wayne dated Lois Lane?" scenario than a meaningful contributor to the story. I mean all their scenes together could be cut out with no meaningful loss. Characters like Commissioner Gordon and Perry White were also paired off in ways that didn't add much to the story or make much sense (like why wouldn't Gordon be liaising with Metropolis' police commissioner rather than the editor of a newspaper). This all made the story feel less thought through and intentional.

But overall World's Finest, despite its flaws, was a worthwhile read. Its visuals alone are worth the price of admission. While I wish the story was stronger and had a little bit more to say about our two leads I'm definitely not mad I read it.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I really enjoy stories that focus on characterization, which we see here in the comparison and contrast of Superman/Batman and Luthor/Joker. Gotham and Metropolis mix, and there's a lot of detail on how each hero traditionally works and what sets them apart. The ending was expected, but I still enjoyed it (I'm a sucker for a happy ending).

I think this could have used some editing, though - there were points when the artwork was confusing, and there were lots of side characters that I got mixed up. There was a good amount of plot going on (multiple narratives at once), and I think it was a little cluttered to read.

I did enjoy this, though I wouldn't call it one of the greats - if you're looking for a crossover, that's what you're going to get.

[Javier Muñoz · Rating 2 out of 5]

El dibujo es excepcional, en especial cómo se retratan las ciudades de gotham y metropolis, cada una con una atmósfera muy diferente. La historia... pues no me ha gustado nada, me ha parecido simplona y predecible, la curiosidad del intercambio de ciudades (aunque no se le saca todo el partido que se podría), el manido recurso de la relación entre batman y superman y sus grandes diferencias de personalidad y poco más. Los villanos están excesivamente caricaturizados para mi gusto, posiblemente la peor versión de Lex Luthor que he visto hasta ahora.

[Miguel Poch · Rating 4 out of 5]

De todos los encuentros entre Batman y Superman, el mejor que he leído. Con un tono clásico y aparéntemente infantil, probablemente inspirado en los encuentros entre los personajes en los 50, pero contrastado con un cierto realismo más actual.
Describe la manida relación entre los dos héroes desde las diferencias de sus mundos y personalidades, pero con un toque de entusiasmo que hace que no me resulte trillado.

[Jorge Schumacher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uma história mediana que só agradará aos fãs do Batman e do Superman.

[J.M. Giovine · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I realized this was a modern (kind of) take on Batman and Superman first-time team up, I couldn’t let this one pass. From the mind of the great Dave Gibbons, and the pencils of Steve Rude, World’s Finest attempts to be a blend between golden age storytelling, vintage art, and the maturity and wit from the take on comic books in the late 80s. Lex Luthor and the Joker have join forces in order to obtain a series of Orphanage properties in both, Gotham and Metropolis, which will make Batman and Superman to investigate the villains intentions against the orphan kids and the properties, most likely intended for criminal purposes, becoming the very first time these heroes showcase the very mythical partnership in the comic book world. For starters, I needed to read this, and experience this modernized event, considering how casual and abrupt the first encounter happens in the vintage comic books, I guess a far epic tale of the encounter should be created eventually, and reading Gibbon’s introduction inside this collection, is perfectly comprehensible why he was chosen. Reading it I’ve found an actual sense of fanatic insight between each panel, and definitely Rude’s pencils are the perfect companion, only followed by Oliff’s colors, which are a downright perfect blend between old-school and modern day comic book extravaganza, which is where the disappointing aspect of these 3 books comes from; they aren’t as epic as I would’ve expect them to be. I mean, we’re talking Batman and Superman on their first crime-fighting adventure after Crisis, and while the story as a whole feel more as a reinterpretation of the classic comic book pages, as aforesaid, the tone and dialogue in each panels feels completely updated as for those days.
For a better comparison, the comic book in general feels as an alternative take on the characters performed by Christopher Reeve and Michael Keaton, so in a far romantic way, World’s Finest feels as the film that would’ve been if these two movie worlds would’ve been made back in the day, which for appreciation purposes it adds plenty of value to its reading, which it did for me, but as the “modern-take” of the epic encounter between the two most popular figures in the comic book world, it didn’t do it for me; not necessarily because its poorly written or draw, which it’s not, but rather the stakes and way the story was handle. Are we really setting these two guys to fight Luthor and The Joker… from buying an orphanage in order to set all these kids to a life of crime controlled by them? Thinking about it, for a Golden Age comic book this is the perfect set up, and again, for a “would’ve been” film, it’s a proper plot, again, for back in the day. Nowadays we have all these interdimensional conflicts, adult-focused plots and high-epical-stakes, so we’re are spoiled as readers, and certainly I am, but at the same time, something extravagant isn’t necessarily what I had in mind on expecting this story to be like, but then again, compared to, for example, the animated film from 1997 did this very same thing in a far superior way, without elevating the tone of the over-the-top comic book extravaganza of these characters, and maintaining the tone already presented in both shows without attempting anything different and out of place. Here, the advantage is that, this is a unique three-book mini-series, and Gibbons definitely never intended to connect this to something in particular, already presented or introduced. Speaking of the characters, everyone works inside the story, but with the exception of Luthor, who’s this rare hybrid between modern-day villain and this odd-cartoonish foe that suffers from impulsivity, definitely the weakest part, since the better takes on Luthor are the ones presenting him as this serious megalomaniac with a sense of duty and power, never hiding his cleverness and wit. Joker is great, as always, and Gibbons clearly had a blast writing this character interacting in between these two worlds, although, I found it odd how Batman and him never really share an intense or exciting-fighting moment at almost any point, while Superman is there constantly suspecting against Luthor’s intentions. I should really say, the third book is really where stuff blows out and the stakes inside the story really escalates, and I do really wish that element could’ve been constant in the first two, since they feel more as a buildup, inside the introductions and character interactions. Overall, World’s Finest Isn’t Gibbons best work, but he really tries to offer the best of two worlds: modern day and old-school comic book traits. Rude’s art is wonderful and a delight to enjoy and appreciate between each panel, and while the story isn’t as strong or effective as I wanted, it still delivers an enjoyable and admirable take on the two of these legends. There are better takes on both, comic book and video format, in which these two got to know each other and fight together, but for the retro-value, World’s Finest isn’t a bad title to acquire for comic book fans and collectors.

[Dan Hensley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book's plot is just okay. But that's not the point. This book is more of an analysis on the similarities and differences between Batman and Superman and their respective arch-rivals.

The cons: I really wasn't invested in the main mystery - specifically the subplot about Oliver Monks and Byron Wylie. Those villains were very bland to me. Also, though I know this book is specifically a love letter to the golden age comics, I did not like how campy the writing was. This is more of a personal preference. I just happen to enjoy my Batman to be a bit grittier and my Supes to be a bit more of a wise old soul. Again, this is preference.

The pros: Despite my dislike for the old-school writing, I enjoy the throwback art style quite a bit - specifically the design of Superman and the Joker (his vacation outfit is hilarious). And speaking of the art - the use of light and darkness might seem to some to be a bit on-the-nose but I love showcasing the difference of characters (and their cities and villains) using lighting. I also love the way Bruce and Clark were drawn out of costume - with Clark dressed as a pencil-pusher (as he should be) and Bruce dressed with the latest "cool" fashion (Black trench coats and shades anyone?). I thought this showcased their characters perfectly. In my opinion the best character in this book is the Joker (which he often is, unless the writing is amazing enough to make Batman more interesting-which I love when that happens). You see, Lex Luthor is up to his normal grand scheming, but makes the ultimate mistake: He makes a deal with the Joker. You see the Joker just wants a relaxing vacation in Metropolis. Some mayhem, some murder, and of course - the perfect sun tan. The Joker is willing to let Luthor make some big moves in Gotham City, as long as Luthor allows him to wreak havoc in Metropolis for his 2-week vacation...or so it seems. But the Joker, as per usual, wants his cake and to eat it too. He has every intention to screw with Metropolis, but no intention at all to give up any ground on his home turf of Gotham. As far as Joker is concerned, there is no room in Gotham for 2 super-villains of their caliber and he'll be damned if Lex steals his thunder. Insanity ensues as the book drives to conclusion, and that sadly is the best part of the book that starts really slow and bland.

TLDR: Shows great dichotomy between Superman and Batman despite the campy old-school writing of their characters and the plot is mostly bland until the third act where the Joker shines. That being said, I think this is an important book to have if you are a fan of either Batman or Superman.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd read this previously and am happy to report that it holds up pretty well. Gibbons' script is a little off at times, and the plot's definitely loose. But Gibbons excels in the small moments, such as meetings between Perry White and Jim Gordon, Jimmy Olsen and Barbara Gordon (in wheelchair, sans any references to Batgirl or not-yet-existing Oracle), or Lois Lane and Alfred Pennyworth. The grudging admiration and professionalism displayed between Superman and Batman is excellently portrayed, and Gibbons does a brilliant job giving each character memorable moments without ever doing so at the expense of the other hero. The use of orphans as a plot element is well played as well.

The plot is extremely "comic book," and Rude really makes it shine. His version of both characters remains iconic to me. He does great work contrasting their styles, in how he frames them, his use of shadows and light, and how each hero moves. The storytelling is sometimes slightly confused, since the panels are so packed with details and the angles sometimes so extreme (it works for the panel, but not always the page), but Rude still manages at least a half dozen sequences forever burned into my brain: notably, the conversation between Bruce and Clark in front of the Midway orphanage, with the train racing past; Superman giving Batman a copy of Zorro for Christmas; Superman lifting the wall of the orphanage in Gotham and later twirling the hammer used to knock down the support.

A fun book to revisit. I enjoyed it.

[Chris Browning · Rating 3 out of 5]

I suppose this does count as World’s Finest in the sense where fine means “it’s okay” - basically this is world’s most satisfactory but not stellar. It’s never bad, but a bit lightweight and I don’t think Gibbons is ever in charge of a story worth telling

I’m reminded of Gibbons’ most notorious writing experience: the time he took Rogue Trooper from being one of the most elegantly simple stories in 2000AD (future war with two insane sides at war, one lone soldier and his three dead friends to talk to wandering through the madness) and reimagined it as a chaotic shambles, with no evidence he ever understood why the strip worked. It’s weird that an artist should desire to clutter up his scripts, but it’s as if he saw the dense, thoughtful scripts of Alan Moore and just saw a mass of words and though “oh I’ll just do that”. A simple and striking plot is here ruined by endless subplots and a big bad who isn’t very big or bad. He has terrible storytelling instincts for someone who has such great artistic instincts

Thankfully Rude saves the day - considering how cluttered the script makes so many of the pages, he has an elegant simplicity to his art which manages to nicely contrast Superman (who, admittedly, Gibbons does seem to understand) and Batman and their worlds. Everyone has humanity to them and his line is always gorgeous lively. Even when the script is a trudge he makes the pictures zip. It does a lot of the carrying though it must be said

[Vicenç Sanz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Superman/Batman los mejores del mundo no deja de ser una curiosidad, un comic que no aporta nada nuevo al mundo de los superhéroes, que se limita a remarcar lo distintos que son (ellos, sus vidas, sus alter ego y sus ciudades) pero lo capaces que son de llevarse bien cuando es necesario, hasta el punto de convertirse casi en amigos.

Es un comic revival de una época pasada, hecho con mucho mimo y ligeramente modernizado para los tiempos que corren. Un comic interesante, divertido de leer, pero que tampoco aporta nada al lector más allá del entretenimiento.

Trama sencilla, dibujo adecuado, desarrollo predecible, villanos insulsos… curiosamente lo que mejor funciona son los dos protagonistas, su relación y cómo se enfrentan a las amenazas.

Así, al final lo que tenemos entre manos es un comic del montón, bonito, nostálgico, pero del montón. De esos que quedan en la estantería olvidados y que raramente se vuelve a coger.

Reseña completa en: http://darlantan8.blogspot.com.es/201...

[Stoffia · Rating 2 out of 5]

J'étais curieux de lire Dave Gibbons (le dessinateur de Watchmen) s'essayer à la scénarisation. Comme souvent lorsque cela se produit, Gibbons a donc produit une histoire qui manque d'originalité, mais qui donne beaucoup d'occasions à Steve Rude (l'illustrateur, ici) de briller.

L'histoire : Lex Luthor et le Joker passent un marché. Le Joker aide Luthor à faire de nouvelles acquisitions à Gotham, question de sortir son empire financier des limites de Métropolis. En échange, Luther laisse Joker semer le chaos dans les rues de Métropolis durant un mois.

Batman soit donc affronter l'ennemi et Superman, et Superman l'ennemi de Batman.

Évidemment, puisqu'il est important pour les fans que chaque héro soit le seul capable d'arrêter son vilain respectif, les deux échouent. Ils décident donc de s'échanger de ville pour le mois. Batman devient le héro de Métropolis, Superman de Gotham.

Bref, c'est une histoire peu satisfaisante pour le lecteur, parce que l'exigence du retour au statu quo au dénouement empêche Gibbons de faire quelque chose d'original avec son expérience.

[Sotofunkdamental · Rating 3 out of 5]

No es mala lectura y resulta entretenido, pero podría haber estado mejor, teniendo en cuenta que los villanos involucrados son Joker y Lex Luthor. Recomendable para fans de Batman y Superman. Argumento: "Son los mejores héroes del mundo, Superman y Batman, y no podrían ser más diferentes. Uno es un faro brillante y resplandeciente de esperanza y protector para los ciudadanos de la resplandeciente ciudad de Metrópolis. El otro se esconde en las sombras e infunde miedo a los malhechores que habitan en la ciudad de Gotham plagada de crímenes. Pero tienen más en común de lo que creen. Por un lado, ambos son una especie de huérfanos, uno que ha perdido no solo a sus padres, sino también a su mundo; y otro que presenció el asesinato a sangre fría de sus padres. Ahora deben unirse para luchar contra dos de los villanos más temidos: Lex Luthor y The Joker".

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The juxtaposition between Superman and Batman is a really fun concept to explore as they switched cities when Joker went on a ‘holiday’ in Metropolis, Lex heading up a business investment in Gotham. However, I think it would have been more interesting if Superman had a go at Joker and Batman had one at Lex, really shake things up. I also, so very sorry Steve Rude and Karl Kesel, did not like the art or colouring style choices at all. But overall, I really liked the story and the friendship between the dark and light in both the heroes and the villains (less friendship with the Joker though, ‘poor’ Lex, what an absolute pain) as well as that one scene with the kids doing drawing of their favourite superheroes. That was beyond sweet.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

The four main characters are reduced to shouting "nu pogodi! Luthor" or "Batman!" and vice versa when the other foils their plan. Rather than have Superman deal with the Joker and Batman with Luthor, Superman goes to Gotham to stop Luthor and Batman goes to Metropolis to try and deal with Joker. Upon finding out how Luthor is buying up properties and pushing people out of their homes, Batman is like "whelp, nothing I can do about that, better head to Metropolis", as if he's not a billionaire. Just a difference in setting then, which isn't especially interesting considering Kal and Bruce regularly leave earth to fight threats, and most of the action in this thing takes place in between Gotham and Metropolis. After Superman catches Lois flirting with Wayne, -rather than acting standoffish- they go right back to fighting the bad guys. There's no tension and no -real- sense of danger. The art is decent even though I am glad the world's finest underwear is a lot less prominent these days.

[Matthew Kresal · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the surface, there are stories that look like they ought to be good. World’s Finest is one such example given that it looks for all the world like the ultimate cross between the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight. With them dealing with the machinations of each other’s big baddie and swapping towns for the middle act, there’d seem to be plenty to love. That isn’t quite the case though thanks to a plot line that is at once thin and convoluted involving an orphanage that, outside of connecting the two orphaned superheroes a thin narrative link, offers nothing substantial to the story. In short, there’s not much substance here despite some nice artwork. A decent but frustrating read.

[Rayco Cruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un gran comic de principio a fin. Ese estilo de dibujo, rozando lo retro... Me ha encantado. La historia, mezclando a Luthor con el Joker, me ha parecido interesante, pero inocentona. Quizás se le podría haber sacado más partido, pero aún así me ha gustado mucho. Un clásico imprescindible que establece las diferencias y similitudes entre dos héroes que son (casi literalmente) la noche y el día.

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were parts of this book that I liked and some not so much. I found the story hard to follow in places and did not get much of a sense of this being a team-up book rather it felt like two separate stories running parallel. There were some good standalone moments though that made picking this volume up worthwhile.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

You get TWO stars for The Dude's art alone, another because it is a CLASSIC kind of comic book superhero story by Dave Gibbons, and a fourth because it works so well. Sure the layout and panel composition is so out there but that works with The Dude, he makes it work. The sub plot of the weird orphanage guy and crime kids is what loses a star. Bright, colorful and yet moody in spots. Great book.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is kind of the antithesis of Watchmen and Dark Knight Returns. Reconstruction instead of Deconstruction. Done by two master's, this is a nice analysis of why the polarity of Superman and Batman works so well.

[Poly Ranca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Volumen 16 de la Colección Novelas Gráficas Batman y Superman, volumen 16.
Edición para Argentina y otros países con ISBN propio pero que replica el resto del contenido de la edición española.
ISBN 978-84-17531-71-3

[Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this a lot, although the whole orphanage plot was strangely confusing. Seeing the heroes and villains in a swapped setting was interesting, and showcasing the main conflict as Joker vs. Luthor was an interesting take.

[Javi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha gustado, sobretodo el aire clasiquete que tiene, tanto en guión como en dibujo.

[Kai Charles(Fiction State Of Mind) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous art and a classic story with Superman and Batman

[Eladio Garro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the best, but this is a true love letter to Batman and Superman, and their adventures in both Golden and Silver age thanks to Dave Gibbons' script and Steve Rude"s visuals.