Batman/Superman #22 Review

Written by: Greg Pak
Art by: Ardian Syaf, Vicente Cifuentes, Blond, Dean White and Beth Sotelo
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 8, 2015

Subterranean Homesick Blues

I want to lay it all out on the table before starting this review...I have not been impressed with the "Truth" story.  As a whole, I think it's been disjointed and lackluster, but individually, it's had it's moments. Take this book for example.  Last month's issue had some good moments (Lex and Clark's interaction, Superman pimping out the Batbike) and some bad (Lois and Cark's phone conversation was the worst).  The issue ended with Clark calling out Batman by possibly igniting an entire city block, but it did get his attention. It was a pretty cool ending that had me somewhat excited for this issue.  Now that I've read it, has my opinion of the Truth changed at all?  Let's find out...



This issue opens up right where we left off last issue and I was immediately thrown off by Jim Gordon's narration.  I know that he doesn't know Clark from Adam, but calling him a "clown in a t-shirt" just felt wrong.  He is still Superman and what is Gordon?  A clown in a robot Batsuit, if you ask me.  It really makes him look like a grade A moron.

Seriously, if Greg Pak's goal for this issue was to get the reader to hate Jim Gordon as Batman then mission accomplished.  He wants to arrest Clark and then seems to forget to do it.  He leaves Clark hanging worse than Tom Brady, and seems to take pleasure in talking trash about him.  In fact, Gordon was going to completely leave Clark behind until he reminded him that the same people who want to get rid of Superman, will probably come after Batman...and those he cares about.  Yea, that means Barbara.  It may have been a last ditch effort to get Batman on his side, but it worked.

While getting Clark and Gordon working together was what I wanted most to happen in this issue, the reality of it was not a dream come true.  Gordon continues being an ass, but when Lucius Fox enters the issue, he has some competition.

Clark really can't catch a break in this issue.  Even though Lucius appears to be breaking multiple laws and putting all of Gotham at risk, he treats Clark like a jerk who should just go home.  Again, this is still Superman!!!

Clark finally gets to prove himself to these Gotham jerks when they are attacked by Ukur, the Beastlord of Subterranea.  It's a nice shoutout to fans of Pak's Action Comics run, but as a part of the Truth story, it really felt out of place and just silly.  Almost as silly as Clark fighting a huge monster with a wrench.

It may seem like I hated everything about this issue, but I did like when Clark puts his wrench away and used his head and heart to try to calm the situation.  Then Gordon ruins it all in one fell swoop. The issue ends with Clark trying to end a war and me wondering what the heck I just read.

I can't say that I expected anything like what we got this month.  While each book has been telling it's own story within the Truth framework, this one was crazy.  After reading it, I wanted to punch Gordon right in the face and this whole Subterranea angle felt forced.  I'll wait to see how it plays out, but for now, this is my least favorite issue of the Truth so far.


I have been a fan of Ardian Syaf's art since he jumped on this book, but this was not his best issue.  Maybe it was the multiple colorists, but like the issue in general, it all felt off.

Bits and Pieces:

Add this issue to the multiple reasons why I haven't enjoyed the Truth story so far.  Jim Gordon may be Batman, but he's also a huge ass that made me want to jump into the book and choke him out.  The art felt off and the story went off in a direction that takes it further from the other Truth stories and just felt silly.  In other words, I hated this issue.

3.5/10