“Impossible” – Part Two
Artists: Dan Mora, Travis Mercer
Color Artist: Tamra Bonvillain
Letterer: Steve Wands
Review by Bryant Lucas
The Dark Knight and Man of Steel traverse various dimensions with Bat-Mite in this month’s Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #27.
In the last issue, Superman and the Dynamic Duo were pulled into the second dimension while battling against various supervillains and their 5th dimension counterparts.
Funky Silver Age Physics
Coming off of the Kingdom Come sequel, the “Impossible” story arc is, in some ways, a return to form. Waid’s early stories channeled a certain zaniness reminiscent of the Silver Age, but that was set aside for “The Heir to the Kingdom” storyline, in place of a melodramatic vibe, more aligned to the original Kingdome Come story.
Now that Waid’s done with the drama, he’s decided to go ham on the insanity. World’s Finest #27 is a wacky romp and Waid’s use of a classic character and the fifth-dimensional imps harkens back to the kooky science fiction stories of the fifties, where many of comics’ greatest supporting cast members were transformed into crazy monsters, and both Bat-Mite and/or Mr. Myxzptlk wreaked havoc on reality. This issue’s a lot of fun, yet it also serves as a love letter of sorts to DC’s Silver Age.
2-D Madness
Travis Mercer joins Dan Mora on art for this issue, splitting the workload based on planes of reality. Mora brings his usual artistic brilliance to the scenes set in “our world” and the 6th dimension, while Mercer takes on the second dimension pages.
Mora’s work is always brilliant, and Mercer’s work is also great; however, it’s for different reasons. Mercer’s two-dimensional work harkens back to the early Hannah-Barbara Batman and Superman cartoons from the 60s and 70s. Again, this nod to the past is a nice touch for a comic that’s always been intentionally drenched in nostalgia.
Between Mora’s normal aesthetic – a hybrid of sorts between more modern sensibilities and designs of yesteryear – and Mercer’s retro animation style, this comic is an artistic gem.
Conclusion
World’s Finest #27 is another issue in a long line of excellent stories in what will undoubtedly be viewed as a GOAT run in years to come. Waid’s unbridled joy for his subject matter is palpable, and it’s clear that Mora and Mercer revel in the opportunity to let their imaginations run wild.
What’s clear from the final product is that Worlds Finest is a passion project for each party involved.
Final Verdict: Another chapter in a masterpiece opus.
Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment