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Post by driver1980 on Aug 6, 2023 14:40:45 GMT -5
On sale 20 years ago today:  So, for fans of the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight, how did you feel about a team-up title between the two? It wasn’t their first as they teamed up for years in World’s Finest Comics, but for fans of both, it might have been an enjoyable read. I just wish the title had had a letters page. What do you think might have been a good title for a letters page? Elsewhere, one suggestion (which I believe was AI-generated) is “World’s Finest Correspondence”. I do feel that I preferred Superman/Batman team-ups to be occasional affairs, rather than the premise of an ongoing title. I don’t envy any writer who has to come up with threats big enough for both men - and threats that don’t make Batman redundant. As far as 2000 to 2009 is concerned, if there was an award for favourite art on a book, the art on this title might have won any award I had voted for. Really, though, I feel Superman/Batman team-ups should be rare events that mean something, not something that becomes routine. Sadly, though, and everyone’s mileage varies, anything special is now routine in the Big Two, from what seem like ubiquitous Spider-Verse events, to Superman/Batman team-ups. |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Aug 6, 2023 15:44:46 GMT -5
I feel like if it's not Silver Age silliness, it's really hard to have to credible threats for a Batman/Superman team.
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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 6, 2023 18:36:36 GMT -5
I wasn't a fan of the art, so I didn't read the series. McGuinness' characters looked too "roided up" and off model, for me. I couldn't get past that. As it was, I was barely reading any mainstream comics and very little superhero stuff, outside the ABC line, after Starman finished up.
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,700
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Post by shaxper on Aug 7, 2023 9:36:20 GMT -5
At the time, I was trying to stay on top of so many series at one time, and this one screamed, "doesn't really count", so I skipped it. I don't recall ever hearing someone say there were any must-read stories within, so it remained off of my radar.
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Post by chadwilliam on Aug 7, 2023 10:35:48 GMT -5
I did read the first storyline for the series and found it pretty bad. Everything reminds Superman of Kansas and sunshine as he flies around with a cornball smile; everything reminds Batman of his parents' murder and darkness as he grimaces and scowls and yet, it did reestablish their friendship after 15 years or so of the "Batman's too cool to hang around with a boy scout like Superman" attitude which was always lurking somewhere in the foreground or background of their get-togethers following Dark Knight Returns.
It was also during that weird period continuity wise where Luthor was president and Batman thought Metallo may have been the guy who shot his parents. I guess the former was an issue DC was going to have to resolve at some point so they did it here while the latter was one of those over-the-top ideas meant to blow readers' minds but seeing Batman shout "How could you hide this from meeee!!!!" just seemed way too soap operaish to resonate.
Luthor deciding to inject himself with kryptonite and getting into a street fight with Superman over the skies of Washington, D.C. was just dumb and came out of nowhere (again, he was the president at the time - and why a man who almost died from wearing a kryptonite ring would inject the stuff into his bloodstream makes no sense to me); a big fight scene between Superman and Batman against Captain Marvel and Hawkman resolving itself off-panel just seemed like Loeb couldn't figure out how to write a way out of his own cliffhanger; a bunch of superheroes deciding to obey Luthor's order that they attack Superman and Batman just because he's president... well, the whole thing was dumb and nonsensical.
But so was the idea that Superman and Batman can't be friends, so I appreciate it for fixing that.
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Post by k7p5v on Aug 10, 2023 22:30:10 GMT -5
The majority probably won't agree, but the artwork of Ed McGuinness is still an All-Time Favorite    |
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Post by tonebone on Aug 11, 2023 9:43:56 GMT -5
The majority probably won't agree, but the artwork of Ed McGuinness is still an All-Time Favorite I agree with you! I tend to lean towards artists who have just a touch of bigfoot cartoonist in them... Mike Wieringo also being one of them. |
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Post by zaku on Aug 11, 2023 9:44:40 GMT -5
At the time, I was trying to stay on top of so many series at one time, and this one screamed, "doesn't really count", so I skipped it. I don't recall ever hearing someone say there were any must-read stories within, so it remained off of my radar. Well maybe people remembered the old World's Finest and Pre-Crisis B&Bs where nothing of importance ever happened and they assumed that this series was the same (and instead it concludes the Luthor Presidency saga...) But really, I think the most important thing that ever happened in WF was that it was decided to retire Superman's Robots (but why there and not in the character titles???) |
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Post by zaku on Aug 11, 2023 9:50:13 GMT -5
The majority probably won't agree, but the artwork of Ed McGuinness is still an All-Time Favorite From this:  |
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Post by Duragizer on Aug 11, 2023 18:38:17 GMT -5
Only read a few issues, mainly the ones which introduced the post-Crisis Kara Zor-El. Wasn't a fan. Chalk it up to Michael Turner's garbage artwork or my hatred of Birthright and everything that came of it.
And this is only in hindsight, but I just don't believe Batman belongs in the greater DC Universe. The character works best within a gothic/expressionist/noirish setting, and that goes right out the window when you pair him with Superman or any other garishly coloured long underwear character. Even if you can find a way to include him without making him redundant, he becomes a black-&-gray Iron Man, which really isn't what the character should be IMO.
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Post by thwhtguardian on Sept 25, 2023 5:45:18 GMT -5
I really loved this series, and the art gave off fun saturday morning cartoon vibes.
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Post by MWGallaher on Sept 26, 2023 18:37:18 GMT -5
I thought using the merged symbols as a logo was cool. I can't think of any prior comics that dared to do that, nor of any other characters whose symbols are iconic enough to get away with it.
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Post by rberman on Sept 27, 2023 9:47:53 GMT -5
I haven't read this series. Conceptually, the team needs a writer who comes up with problems that Superman can't solve by force alone, so that Batman can add detective smarts. Maybe a political conundrum, or a sleuthing challenge, or a threat with a magical component.
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Post by tonebone on Sept 29, 2023 8:43:28 GMT -5
I haven't read this series. Conceptually, the team needs a writer who comes up with problems that Superman can't solve by force alone, so that Batman can add detective smarts. Maybe a political conundrum, or a sleuthing challenge, or a threat with a magical component. Then you will probably like this... there's a couple of clever scenarios just as you describe. |
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