In this review of Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #51, the heroes’ mission to the Arctic goes unexpectedly sideways when they wind up in the dimension of Skartaris, full of magic, dinosaurs, humanoid creatures, and a man called Warlord.
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #51 main cover by Dan Mora (DC Comics)
BATMAN/SUPERMAN: WORLD’S FINEST #51
Written by MARK WAID
Art by ADRIAN GUTIERREZ
Main Cover: DAN MORA
Variant Covers: MATTIA DE IULIS, ADRIAN GUTIERREZ
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: 5/20/26
This review contains spoilers
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #51 starts when Batman and Robin discover Superman unconscious, and then the story rewinds to thirty minutes earlier as the trio attempt to retrace the path taken by missing Air Force pilot Travis Morgan. Superman blacks out while Batman and Robin eject from their malfunctioning jet. The dynamic duo finds Superman unconscious in the middle of a strange jungle, but their efforts to help him are thwarted by a rampaging Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Batman and Robin put up a valiant fight, but it is up to the intervention by Travis Morgan (decked out in Warlord gear) to kill the dino, to Superman’s dismay. Superman tries to give the creature a proper burial but runs afoul of some reptilian humanoids whose magic allows them to capture Superman. Batman and Robin follow Morgan into a savage raid on a village, and the heroes use their gear to foil the retile men.
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #51, ends as Batman and Robin are introduced to Morgan’s rebel allies, while the questions surrounding Morgan’s fate and that of the other missing pilot, Randall Kreizer are answered (and it looks like he’s had some work done).
You won’t find this in Gotham City (DC Comics)
Analysis
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #51 gets right to the action from the opening page, complete with an unexpected arrival (raging dinosaur) and a couple of clever one-liners (from Robin). The flashback sets up the story with a mix of sharp exposition and clever dialogue. The inciting incident occurs in the middle of this as the heroes (and readers) are dropped into hostile and unknown territory.
Writer Mark Waid deftly weaves in this new story while unfolding past details about the missing pilots the heroes are searching for. Unlike his typical affinity for Silver Age DC Comics, Waid actually establishes the first meeting between World’s Finest and Travis Morgan, AKA Warlord, a hero of the bronze age (in comics) that mixes fantasy and science fiction. Remarkably, this is an actual first meeting between the four heroes, as Morgan never formally met either Superman or Batman in DC Comics (despite the perfectly reasonable Brave and the Bold option).
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #51 explores Superman’s complicated history with magic, and his reaction here to this vulnerability goes a long way to making him an even more endearing protagonist, (and that was even before his compassionate gesture for the slaughtered dinosaur). Superman’s fate at the hands of Tyrant Rex will inevitably force his friends and new allies into a dangerous and thrilling confrontation.
Travis Morgan is a noble, no-nonsense hero in a hostile world, so killing the rampaging dinosaur was pragmatic, but he is also unintentionally funny when discussing the heroes’ capes and assuming they use lethal weapons. Robin still gets the best zingers (as usual), while Batman gets information and respect from Morgan (especially with a clever response to the utility of capes).
Artist Adrian Gutierrez’s style feels a little rushed and sketchier than normal but still offers up a thrilling mix of widescreen spectacle with the rampaging dinosaur and the various battle scenes. Gutierrez’s skill with panel composition draws the eye with dramatic angles such as Morgan’s introduction. Also, Gutierrez’s knack for humorous facial expressions continues to amuse.
Luis Gurrero’s colors bathes the arctic scenes with cool blue hues, while Skartaris runs brighter and hotter and the silhouettes with a single-colored background enhances the impact of the panels.
Final Thoughts
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #51 offers up a brand-new story that officially chronicles the first ever meeting between the World’s Finest and Warlord. The typical mix of Waid’s peppy script, superhero action, dinosaurs, sword and sorcery and energetic artwork make this issue as entertaining as always.
