Batman / Superman: World's Finest #23 Review

     

    

Written by: Mark Waid
Art by: Dan Mora
Colors by: Tamra Bonvillain
Letters by: Steve Wands
Cover art by: Dan Mora
Cover price: $3.99
Release date: January 16, 2024

Batman / Superman: World's Finest #23 begins the fight to save the cosmos when the Batmen and Supermen from two worlds join forces to stop Gog from launching a war against Darkseid.
Is Batman / Superman: World's Finest #23 Good?

When DC announced Mark Waid would be returning to Kingdom Come for a pseudo-prequel arc, I had my doubts. I'm happy to report that Batman / Superman: World's Finest #23 confirms my doubts were misplaced. If you like big, impactful, meaningful superhero action stories, this is as good as we've seen in a long time.

When last we left the World's Finest, our Batman and Superman crossed paths with Metatron, who confirmed Gog took the Mobius Chair and was grooming Earth's heroes, including David, to launch a suicide attack against Darkseid. Earth-22's Superman and Batman overhead the truth from Metatron and decided a team-up is in order.

Now, the World's Finest x2 attacks Gog head-on to stop him before he opens a Boom Tube to Apokalips and leads an army of Earth's (misguided) heroes to certain doom. From there, it's an all-out melee to prevent the inevitable.

Does David see the light? Maybe. Does Gog open a Boom tube to Apokalips? Maybe. Does a big attack with Earth-22's versions of the Justice League happen? Yes and no. You'll have to read it for yourself., but just know that Waid and Mora don't disappoint.

What's great about Batman / Superman: World's Finest #23? Practically everything. Dan Mora's art is phenomenal. Waid's pacing, plotting, and dialog are all on point, and the cliffhanger is a doozy.

What's not so great about Batman / Superman: World's Finest #23? Purists will find nitpicks with how well (or not) this issue fits within the established Kingdom Come continuity. You could make the case that David's arrival created an alternate Kingdom Come timeline as a way to wish those nitpicks away, but the criticism is valid.

How's the art? Dan Mora's work on the World's Finest series is, so far, flawless. Mora captures drama and excitement in the smallest gestures and the biggest haymakers. If the average comic cover price wasn't already too high, I'd argue DC should be charging more for this title compared to the rest of their lineup.

About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

Follow @ComicalOpinions on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter


Bits and Pieces:

Batman / Superman: World's Finest #23 delivers excitement, adventure, and stupendous art. Waid is working hard to give readers a Kingdom Come prequel that lives up to the original, and Mora's art is unmatched at DC.

9/10