By Harrison Stewart — In superhero comics, continuity is king. It gives us nerds finer points to argue over as well as a sense of progression in between inevitable reboots. But continuity can also throw up hurdles to newer readers who just want to dip their toes. With so many titles flying at you on a weekly basis, keeping up can feel like a Sisyphean task: “Where’s Alfred? Why’s Superman a teenager? There are how many Crises, now?!”

Enter Mark Waid and Dan Mora’s Batman Superman - World’s Finest #1, a book that can (and should) be enjoyed by any fan of the Caped Crusader and Man of Steel. The bar for entry is delightfully low: if you are who Batman and Superman fan, you’re all set. That purity of purpose is refreshing, allowing the story to entertain and hold fun above all as the primary goal. I’m happy to report that this book delivers in spades.

Set early in both heroes’ careers, Batman Superman - World’s Finest #1 starts with a classic set-up: Bat-baddie teams up with Super-saddie to take on the big boys. Things go about as poorly for our villainous team as you’d expect, until one pulls out a syringe of Red Kryptonite. Unlike its green cousin, this kryptonite doesn’t drain Superman’s powers — it gives him more. But each strand of red is different and produces unique results. So what happens when you shoot him up with a bunch of them all at once? Well, you’ll probably need backup, even if your name is Batman. If this first issue is any indication, Waid is sure to give us plenty of fun silver age cameos throughout this series.

As for visuals, Mora is better suited to this task than perhaps any other contemporary. There is a delicate dance at play within these pages, a deft balance of dark and light. When pairing DC’s brightest and darkest characters, the temptation is to let one shine over the other. In either case, the artist often chooses whether this will be a Batman or Superman book visually. Mora expertly straddles the line with such attention to detail that the text denoting “Gotham” or “Metropolis” is often moot. You know where you are just to look at it.

That holds true for the title characters as well. Based on his work in Detective Comics, we knew Mora had Bat-chops to spare. But I was equally delighted by his rendering of Superman, particularly the facial work. His man of steel exudes power and gentleness in equal measure, giving the reader an appropriate sense of character before he even opens his mouth. Throw in some epic action sequences and power poses, you have one of the finest looking titles on the shelf. Frankly, I wish every superhero book looked even half this good.

Overall: World’s Finest #1 is a gorgeous title that trades in the grit for some much-needed fun, setting itself apart and above in the process. 9/10.

REVIEW: Batman Superman - World’s Finest #1

Batman Superman - World’s Finest #1
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Dan Mora
Colorist: Tamra Bonvillain
Letterer: Aditya Bidikar
Publisher: DC Comics
The Dark Knight. The Man of Steel. They are the two finest superheroes that the world has ever known...and they're together again in an epic new series from the legendary talents of Mark Waid and Dan Mora! In the not-too-distant past, Superman's powers are super-charged from a devastating chemical attack by the villain Metallo...and the only ally that the ultra-powerful Man of Tomorrow can turn to in this turbulent hour is Gotham's own dark vengeance: the Batman. A nearly fatal burst of power drives Bruce Wayne to his own extreme measures to help his friend...enlisting none other than the Doom Patrol for aid. It's the world's greatest superheroes from the world's greatest comic book talent in an epic comic book experience that kicks off the next big events in the DCU. Get ready, it's time to soar.
Price: $4.99
Buy It Here: Digital

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Harrison manages a comic shop by day and writes comics by night. You can find more of his writing at @stewart_bros