Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #35

Recap
20,000 LEAGUES BEGINS! A distress call from Atlantis has brought Batman and Superman deep beneath the waves... and face to face with the king himself: Aquaman. But this man of two worlds harbors a secret, and it will be up to the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel to thwart a coup that threatens the peace of all undersea life!
Review
Suppose Batman/Superman: World’s Finest has accomplished one thing in its 35 issues. In that case, it consistently and successfully works as an outlet to tell Silver Age-inspired stories featuring beloved and fan-favorite characters for a wide audience. Mark Waid contains a wealth of knowledge and respect for these characters and their long histories, which can be daunting for new readers. Whether a long-time or new reader picks up an issue of World’s Finest, the story will be true to the characters. With Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #35, Mark Waid along with artist Adrián Gutiérrez, colorist Tamra Bonvillain, and letterer Steve Wands, takes the World’s Finest to the lost continent of Atlantis where a mysterious plague is spreading.
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #35 contains great moments, but the opening pages are especially great. Just after seeing the horrifying illness spread under the sea, the issue jumps to Aquaman, Robin, and Superman catching a baseball game from the rafters. The moment not only establishes Aquaman as a major player in this arc, but it is also such a pleasure to see these characters enjoying themselves during their downtime. Adrián Gutiérrez is a fantastic choice as the main artist for this series. His style is fresh and exciting in similar ways that Dan Mora’s, who still provides covers. A change in artist can be jarring but by now Gutiérrez has made the series his own. Tamra Bonvillain’s colors are fantastic as always, but she handles the underwater scenery especially well, adding a lot of interesting detail that other colorers might neglect. The various Atlantis locations shown are familiar but exciting and interesting thanks to Gutiérrez and Bonvillain.
Mark Waid knows his readers almost as much as he knows these characters. Aside from fun moments like the baseball game, readers will also love the underwater suits that Batman and Robin wear. They’ll also love the small nods to earlier moments from DC history like early Justice League of America appearances and even an early love interest of Superman: Lori Lemaris. Waid’s pacing moves quickly and doesn’t waste time giving the creative team some action to work with. One moment in particular in the later part of the issue sticks out on all fronts. Superman is forced to fight Tritonans, and Gutiérrez and Bonvillain lay down some incredible visuals and silhouettes. Steve Wands’ lettering is the cherry on top which does such a fantastic job of leaning into the playfulness of Waid’s writing but matching the intensity of the art.
Final Thoughts
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #35 sets up a new arc that starts strong with plenty of surprises for readers. Waid, along with the fantastic creative team, has put together an engaging issue that takes readers under the sea, leaving no one feeling like a fish out of water.
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #35: The Sea Was Angry That Day
- Writing - 8/108/10
- Storyline - 8/108/10
- Art - 8/108/10
- Color - 8/108/10
- Cover Art - 8/108/10