Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #13: It’s All in the Name

Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #13 marks the start of its third arc in the recently revived title. The issue is written by Mark Waid, illustrated by Dan Mora, colored by Tamra Bonvillain, and lettered by Steve Wands and is one of the team’s finest issues to date. The first two arcs were fantastic, but it feels like this team has entirely found its groove by now. This may be because the first arc set some groundwork for Lazarus Planet, and the second revisited a key player from Kingdom Come, also written by Waid. With this arc, readers are thrown into what feels like a classic World’s Finest story featuring Metamorpho. 

The story is straightforward: Simon Stagg is killed, and Metamorpho is nowhere to be found. Both Batman and Superman believe that Metamorpho is innocent, but that is where things get interesting. Metamorpho might not be the most recognizable name for newer readers. Don’t fear because Waid provides an excellent and time-effective recap of his origins. This is done by having Clark Kent tell Jimmy Olsen the story while walking to the crime scene of Stagg’s murder. Mora’s art here is fantastic, pulpy, and horrifying, all within a few panels. Mora and Bonvillain knock it out of the park and then some with these sequences, and the rest of the book, for that matter. In addition to the art in these sequences, Steve Wands’ lettering shines. Clark’s speech balloons and narration guide the reader through the art and lead up to a fantastic panel revealing Metamorpho with his stylized wordmark.

This issue’s art is a perfect example of why Dan Mora and Tamra Bonvillain are two of the best artists working today. Superman and Batman have never looked better. Bonvillain’s colors stand out from her contemporaries. Her use of vibrant and sometimes pastel colors pairs well with the inking of the issue, which creates some interesting lighting effects. Mora’s attention to detail in moments of action is also worth noting. Batman and Superman can have quite contrasting action styles, but Mora captures the two in fun ways. Plus, Mora provides so many fun moments like Robin wearing Batman-themed headphones, a Clark-to-Superman transformation that feels like a transformation, and one of the most astonishing splash pages of Jimmy Olsen investigating the crime.