To commemorate The Caped Crusader’s special day, this week the Superman Book Club is embarking on a special Saturday originating adventure that’s brimming with action, the world’s greatest detective, madmen and the ladies that work for them and other wonderfully fun stuff worthy of the World’s Finest label.
Our itinerary through Gotham City and Metropolis is as follows:
-Superman: The Animated Series, S2: E16-18 “World’s Finest” parts I-III
-The Batman, S5: E1 and 2: “The Batman/Superman Story” parts 1 and 2
Discuss:
The World’s Finest mini was written by Dave “Watchmen” Gibbons and pencilled by Steve “Nexus” Rude, two of the comic world’s finest talents by any measure.
Between their considerable talents, and the considerable talents of our heroes within the story, what are your thoughts on this particular team-up tale of Batman and Superman?
“World’s Finest” and “The Batman/Superman Story” offer two different titanic TV team-up tales of our respective heroes. Which was your favorite?
What’s your favorite Superman and Batman team-up story? It can be from the comics, movies, TV, whatever. What matters is that it matters to you.
There we have it Men of Steel and Crusaders That Are Caped! A rousing three part adventure in the comics and on TV, followed up by a two-parter from the comics and TV as well. Read and watch and watch and read whilst celebrating the World’s Finest heroes.
SN: The current Batman/Superman ongoing series is worth a read. #1 came out last month, while #2 is on-deck for release next Wednesday, the 25th (exactly three months from Christmas, how 'bout that!). If you’re looking for the very latest adventures of the World’s Finest, you’ll find them in the pages of Batman/Superman.
As our buddy Nathan P is wont to say, “maybe.” lol… The calendar notice for this week’s reading has been duly submitted, Commander Vroom! Since for some reason no image appears on this thread, I used this:
It’s finally on the calendar. Now if the Mods (paging AutoMod, paging AutoMod, do you read me over?) would perhaps remove the two “upcoming events” at the bottom of Community that already occurred this weekend, your club might bubble to the top!!!
Never read the Worlds Finest mini series. That book is special. The plot is irrelevant, but the characterization and artwork are fantastic. You normally get Bats/Sups with maybe Lois or Alfred. Here we get the main players of the supporting cast all together interacting. You want to see more of Lois and Alfred together, more of White and Gordon. The Worlds Wortest duo are also entertaining, scheming against the heroes and each other. Then there were orphans and Laurel and Hardy and Costello but no Abbett, weird but harmless.
The artwork here is incredible. It’s a little cartoony, a little retro, simple lines and colors at times and very detailed at others. This are already long issues at 49 pages, but the take even longer to read because of extensive dialogue but more importantly you’re forced to examine each panel for all the details in the background. All that without being a distraction
@msgtv The interactivity of the Super and Bat casts is one of the highlights of this World’s Finest mini.
World’s Finest typically is a term that applies to just Superman and Batman, but in the case of this book it applies to them, their supporting casts and even each hero’s top villain. Truly the World’s Finest in many ways.
I agree about the art too. Steve Rude is a treasure. I’ve never seen bad art from him on anything. Re-reading this mini has made me want to re-examine his Nexus output.
Then we get a two parter focused on our heroes and LL. The Loeb issue is a a fun adventure with an uncomfortable dinner thrown in (don’t talk politics at the table!). Maybe Loeb doesn’t have the strongest plots but his Superman is just really enjoyable. Then we get the great Greg Rucka who proves he’s not great at everything. Just think he doesn’t nail the lighthearted tone of the story and the art doesn’t help.
