Batman / Superman: World's Finest #44 // Review
Bruce had a tip from an informant. Evidently there’s this factory outside of Sedna, Arizona that’s doing some very dangerous work. Bruce sends Robin out to investigate. He happens to mention as much to Clark while they're both handling something in Bolivia that involves them both wearing capes. The thing is: the factory in question is also being investigated by Lois. Turns out that it’s a factory run by Lex Luthor. Clark decides to send Kara out to look after him just in case. Things get suitably uncomfortable in Batman / Superman: World's Finest #44. The writing team of Mark Waid and Mark Russell deliver a fun one-shot story. featuring by Lucas Meyer and colorist Rain Beredo
Supergirl and Robin had gone out on a date once. It was an awkward moment that neither of them are terribly eager to re-live, but it’s not a bad idea for the two of them to work together if the factory turns out to be dangerous. Supergirl could normally handle something like this entirely on her own, but since the factory i question seems to be attempting to manufacture a synthesized form of Kryptonite, she’s going to need Robin every bit as much as he needs her.
Waid and Russell deliver some well-executed interpersonal comedy in and amidst the action. The somewhat predictable trajectory of the relations between Supergirl and Robin are given more than enough nuance and texture to feel a lot more interesting than they have any right to be. Supergirl and Robbins changing attitudes towards each other seem cleverly orchestrated everything seems to have a suitably impressive kind of justification. And that goes not only for the two main characters, but also for everybody who is attacking them. The writing team does a really good job of giving Luthor’s lackeys substantially more personality than such characters are often allowed.
There is quite a bit of amplification in the drama throughout the issue. It does his job in intensifying the comic moments of a very funny issue. Even with things being amplified the way, they are somewhat unrealistically for emotional and comic effect, Meyer and Beredo managed to add in more than enough subtlety and nuance in the emotionality of the characters to develop something that looks visually appealing. A really solid execution of action and an impressive panel layout don't hurt either.
The writing is solid enough that one could certainly be forgiven for wanting a regular series featuring the two characters. The writing team has defined a really clever dynamic between the two of them. That seems to work quite well as a buddy action thing that could also lead to romance. Neither one of them is more capable or confident than the other. They're both characterized as being somewhat and experienced, but also very capable and very powerful in their own right. It's a fun dynamic that would work really well for a variety of different dynamics. All too often young superheroes aren't given enough room to grow. They're essentially just superheroes who happen to be a little younger. It's nice to see a situation where they still have a lot to learn and a lot to learn from and about each other. It's fun.
