“Sacrifice Play”
Artist: Dan Mora
Color Artist: Tamra Bonvillain
Letterer: Aditya Bidikar
Review by Bryant Lucas
The Man of Steel and the Dark Knight go toe-to-toe with the Devil Nezha, but one will have to make the ultimate sacrifice in this week’s Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #5.
Last month’s issue ended with a massive cliffhanger. Supergirl had returned from her time travel adventure with an ominous warning: in order to defeat the Devil Nezha, someone must enter the tomb with him and seal it from the inside. Before the heroes had a chance to conclude their argument about who was going to make such a sacrifice, Nezha awoke from his slumber and started throwing punches.
Clever Conclusions
This issue wraps up Mark Waid’s first arc on this new title, and boy was it a doozy. The first four installments of this series have been flat-out bonkers, so I had high expectations for issue five. It delivered. The conclusion was creative, as Waid could have taken the easy way out; however, he chose instead to end his story by showcasing his fantastic grasp of the characters – especially the titular ones. Also, this issue sets up the Batman vs Robin crossover that Waid’s been working on that will serve as a follow-up to Joshua Williamson’s Robin run. Exciting times.
Mora Emotions
It seems that Dan Mora has the unfailing ability to impress me with each issue. This chapter showcases his ability to capture raw emotion. Supergirl’s devastated by the events of the previous issue, and Mora makes her pain felt with a visceral intensity. Mind you, I’m a fairly empathetic person, so maybe that’s part of what’s going on here. Nevertheless, Mora’s art is just as gorgeous as in the previous four issues of this title. I’m hoping he sticks around for a while. He and Waid have struck gold with this book, so it would be a shame if either left.
Conclusion
It’s hard to find fault with Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #5. The issue’s well-paced and superbly drawn. Waid is an endless well of creativity and Mora is found of artistic beauty. I loved every panel of this issue. It’s just that good.
Final Verdict: This is a must-buy.
Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment