Written by: Mark Waid
Art by: Adrián Gutiérrez
Colors by: Tamra Bonvillain
Letters by: Steve Wands
Cover art by: Dan Mora (cover A)
Cover price: $3.99
Release date: September 18, 2024
Batman/Superman: World's Finest #31, by DC Comics on 9/18/24, begins a new challenge for the Justice League when a booby trap left by Eclipso finally springs, freeing the villain and endangering the world.
Is Batman/Superman: World's Finest #31 Good?
Writer Mark Waid's time on the title may be winding down, but it appears he intends to go out with a bang. Batman/Superman: World's Finest #31 puts the Justice League back on their heels in the worst way, leading to big hits, shocking developments, and the arrival of allies to save the day... maybe.
Batman/Superman: World's Finest begins with the Justice League assembled at the Watch Tower to witness a solar eclipse as a celestial wonder of nature. At precisely the moment of the eclipse's peak, the JL is attacked when it appears Green Lantern, Black Canary, and Green Arrow are possessed by Eclipso.
Love him or hate him, Mark Waid knows how to start a superhero comic with a bang. A simple gathering turns into a fight for survival in the blink of an eye, and it's all thrills from here.
The issue shifts to a flashback 24 hours ago. The Justice League puts the finishing touches on the world's most energy-advanced construction in the world's history - Solar City. One of Solar City's leading architects and former host to Eclipso, Dr. Bruce Gordon, helps with ensuring the city is running at peak efficiency. Unfortunately, the city isn't running at peak efficiency, so Gordon becomes desperate to solve the technical issues, both to accomplish something great and to show the world he's not responsible for the heinous deed of his former alter ego.
Waid smartly sets the stage for Eclipso's return by playing on Bruce Gordon's insecurities and fears. Gordon was always an unwilling host for Eclipso, so instead of using the too-often used cliche of a misunderstood victim, Gordon is presented as a tragic figure who becomes recklessly eager to be rid of his curse.
Gordon rifles through a number of storage boxes to find something that could resolve his technical woes. His searching unlocks a hidden storage box that contains exactly the part he needs, but when Gordon ignores Mona Bennett's pleas to slow down and test, the device suddenly turns into a bright crystal and explodes. In the aftermath, Gordon becomes a sunlight-based version of Eclipso. Drinking in the Sun's rays, Gordon's powers shunt to Eclipso, imprisoned in a dark crystal aboard the Watchtower. The sudden influx of power frees the demon.
Admittedly, the entire sequence happens fast, almost too fast, so you'd need to pause and trace back a few panels to really get the gist of what's happening. Eclipso gloats later to fill in the gaps. Still, the sequence of events is, again, thrilling.
The issue ends with a losing battle aboard the Watchtower, one heck of a cannon shot, and a lone survivor reaching out to the world's first Justice team for help.
What's great about Batman/Superman: World's Finest #31? When it comes to fun, exciting, rousing superhero action comics, Waid is one of the best in the business. Waid nails the spirit of adventure simply by nailing the setup, which is a sad deficiency in too many comics from the Big 2 these days.
What's not great about Batman/Superman: World's Finest #31? The setup and premise make perfect sense, but the execution feels a little rushed in spots. Rushed enough that Eclipso has to deliver a few words of exposition to fill in the gaps. It's not a big deal, but you'll notice it.
How's the Art? Okay, let's get to the elephant in the room. Adrián Gutiérrez steps in for Dan Mora on Waid's final arc of the series, so the big question on everyone's mind is, "Is Adrián Gutiérrez as good as Dan Mora?" In truth, no, but few artists are. That said, Adrián Gutiérrez comes in as a semi-close second, so diehard Dan Mora fans will notice the difference, but the difference isn't big enough to detract from the title in a sizable way.
Put another way, Adrián Gutiérrez did a great job living up to an impossibly high standard.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
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Final Thoughts
Batman/Superman: World's Finest #31 kicks off the last arc in Mark Waid's run with an action-packed, thrilling return of Eclipso. Waid's core premise and creative setup are top-notch despite a few rushed moments in the execution, and Adrián Gutiérrez's turn on the title would make Dan Mora proud.
8.5/10
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