The newly-released Batman/Superman #1, by Greg Pak, Jae Lee, and Ben Oliver, is DC Comics' New 52 attempt to bring back the old "World's Finest," and the more recent Superman/Batman joint series. For a comic book company that is constantly remaking and re-booting itself, DC keeps coming back to variations of their old formulas. Probably because historically, such super-team-ups have worked well for them in the past. This version of the Batman/Superman dynamic is a bit off-putting though. (Be warned, spoilers lurk down below the picture...)
While the initial and obligatory first meeting between Batman and Superman (done in their civilian guises as Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent), is suitably, and somewhat predictably tense, it serves as a good illustration of their much different world views. Clark is basically a good-natured rube from the country who prefers to see the good in people, and seeks to end conflict. Bruce, on the other hand, is the cynical city-boy who sees conflict as a natural state that must run its course to possibly prevent further conflict. Their first meeting does not go well, with Bruce brushing off the naïve reporter from Metropolis. And, they do not know at this point about the other man's dual identity. But, this meeting does spark Bruce to travel to Metropolis (as the Batman, of course), where he encounters his old female feline friend/foe, the Catwoman, about to murder a Wayne Industries employee. We later learn that Catwoman is possessed by something evil and murderous, but as she attacks Batman, we, and he, are unaware of that fact.
Since this is Metropolis, and Batman and Catwoman are fighting (oh, and there are some Wayne Tech killer robots to fight also), who drops into the fight but
Superman! Since in this version of the New 52, Bats and Supes have not met yet, Superman assumes that Batman is a bad guy and commences to try to do him bodily damage. Then we have the obligatory good-guy fight, until...
And this is where it gets confusing. Superman is transported to Smallville, where he encounters an older Batman who clearly knows Superman and Clark Kent, and has some handy kryptonite weaponry to hold Superman at bay for a while. I must admit, this part of the story confused me, but other reviews of this comic point out that this later, Smallville scene appears to take place on Earth-2, where the superheroes have a different relationship than in the "regular" New 52" universe.
While I am curious enough, and a big enough fan of Superman and Batman to read Batman/Superman issue #2 when it comes out, one glaring continuity (if such a thing exists in the New 52 at all), error irked me. I hope this is something that is resolved in later parts of this story arc, but the main theme of this comic book was the initial first and rather violent meeting between Batman and Superman.
In Justice League #1, from 2011, when asked by Green Lantern if he had met Superman yet, Batman answers NO (see panel from Justice League #1 below). Based on the costumes of Batman and Superman in this new 2013 issue, they are the younger versions of the Batman and Superman who "first" meet in the pages of Justice League. What gives? If Greg Pak and company do not have a logical explanation in later issues for this apparent continuity error, this comic fan will be very unhappy.
Despite this one potential problem, this new Batman/Superman comic is worth picking up for fans of the Batman and Superman. I will read the second issue and review that as well. I AM curious where this story line is going. Until next time...
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