Batman / Superman: World's Finest #33, by DC Comics on 11/20/24, brings the Eclipso arc to a close when the JSA and the JLA team up to stop Eclipso from enslaving humanity.
Is Batman / Superman: World's Finest #33 Good?
Writer Mark Waid wraps up the Eclipso arc in a hurry with a rip-roaring race to stop Eclipso and Dr. Gordon from confiscating a satellite network that would spread their powers over the globe. By the end, the super teams get the job done with a comic that relies on tons of action, clever dialog, and a breakneck pace, so readers craving an energetic finish will get all they can handle.
In Batman / Superman: World's Finest #33, we begin with a tattered Dr. Bennet wandering in the woods to find the Justice League and the JSA. Sadly, her search is rewarded when she finds both teams trapped in diamond prisons. Fortunately, Robin arrives as Batman's backup plan and frees the encased heroes with an amulet imbued by Dr. Fate with an anti-magic spell.
The super teams rush off to put out fires across the globe created by Eclipso's spell that knocked out power and communications. The grounded heroes such as Green Arrow tackle a military conflict in the Republic of Mustan. The Green Lanterns restored power to Chicago to help a hospital with patients reliant on medical equipment. The World's Finest chase down Eclipso and Dr. Bennett before they can reach the satellite network control center in Greenland.
Eclipso uses his shadow powers to possess the minds of soldiers, civilians, and some heroes to make everyone's efforts ten times harder. Dr. Bennett throws lethal attacks at scientists on the ground and astronauts in the International Space Station to keep Superman distracted.
The issue ends with Batman challenging Dr. Bennett to kill him while Dr. Fate casts a well-timed spell.
What's great about Batman / Superman: World's Finest #33?
If you want fast-paced action, big stakes, seemingly impossible odds, and a solid excuse to get the JLA and the JSA to team up, this issue is as good as it gets. Mark Waid leaves nothing on the field, with superhero action aplenty and clever moves to win the day.
What's not great about Batman / Superman: World's Finest #33?
Mark Waid's race to defeat Eclipso, at times, feels like a race to get to the end. The issue immediately jumps from one scene to the next to keep every hero occupied with barely a moment to breathe, so the winning blow happens a little too quickly and (perhaps) a little too easily.
How's the Art?
It's impossible to critique the art in this issue without drawing comparisons to the masterful Dan Mora, but Adrian Gutierrez keeps the energy, momentum, and grand spectacle on par with Mora. In fairness, there are a few panels that lack Mora's pop and finesse, but it's a good-looking comic on the whole.
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 #33 races to the finish line to end Eclipso's reign of terror with a non-stop action fest. Mark Wiad pulls out all the stops to make the arc's finale as exciting as possible, and Adrian Gutierrez does a commendable job living up to Dan Mora's high bar.
8.3/10
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I am not enjoying this title much sadly. I have realised it's something to do with how Waid has been writing these titles lately. They all feel just like white noise and spectacle without any substance to the story. It really gets boring if you don't have any impactful moments with characters that tell something more than shallow action. It is the writer's job to make us care about what is happening by writing a plot that relates these characters together, an arc, a progression of sorts otherwise anyone can just write then this happened and this happened and that happened and then commission it to a good artist. What was the story even here? Just a bad guy showed up and good guys beat them up with a combo of their super powers the end? I hate to say it, that might be enough for some readers but especially now that comics and mangas and as a whole entertainment is so varied and numerous (not to mention comics themselves having done this stuff thousand times before) a story has to offer something more than just smashing some action figures together. I am probably in the minority here but this title is very forgettable for me and doesn't give the characters room to show their unique background and personalities. It's like watching a game playthrough rather than reading a story. I hope I could get my meaning across about what I think both this and Action comics (and in a sense Absolute Power) lack. As always my criticisms are only meant for the quality of writing and not as a personal attack on the writers.
ReplyDeleteThough a slight correction, not all of Waid's latest issues this week have been disappointing for me. Batman and Robin Year One issue 2 this week was very good.
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