In Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #30, Batman, Robin, and Superman must travel to Themyscira to help solve a murder.
Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #30 main cover by Dan Mora
Title: Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #30 – Death in Paradise
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Gleb Melnikov
Colors: Tamra Bonvillain
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Main Cover: Dan Mora
Variant Covers: Lucio Parrillo, Puppeteer Lee, Daniel Bayliss, Jorge Jimenez & Alejandro Sanchez
Release Date: August 21, 2024
This comic book review contains spoilers.
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #30 opens many years ago, with Batman and Robin flying to Themyscira to meet with Wonder Woman and Queen Hippolyta. Superman is flying alongside a Batwing that is designed to look like the one flown in Batman (1989). It’s Robin’s first time meeting Wonder Woman, who has just recently met with Superman and Batman.
Wonder Woman leads the team to the lab of a murdered Themysciran scientist. Though the Amazons have tried to solve this murder, they cannot, which is why they called Superman and the Dynamic Duo. Batman quickly deduces that this woman was murdered 8 hours ago, and while Batman looks at the clues, he sends Robin off with Superman to question Magala, the only person on the island unaccounted for at the time of the murder.
Superman and Robin arrive and find Magala suffering from the sight of monster hands reaching out from the Well of Souls. It’s where Amazons reincarnate from, but this was no ordinary Amazon clawing through. As they comfort her, Batman turns up nothing back at the crime scene. He uses Wonder Woman’s lasso on her and deduces that the murder is a ruse. That’s when the body transforms, and Apate, Goddess of Trickery, appears.
It’s quickly revealed that Apate was just stalling and getting everyone to pay attention to her, as her cohort, Dolos, the God of Illusion, was busy stealing Prometheus’ Fire. The heroes battle Dolos and Apate, trying to take back the fire. While they battle back and forth, Robin summons the other Amazons, and together, the trickster siblings are sealed away for eternity.
Queen Hippolyta thanks Batman, Robin, and Superman, and the men leave Themyscira. Before they go, Superman flirts with Wonder Woman, who blushes at his boyish charm.
Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #30 variant cover by Jorge Jimenez & Alejandro Sanchez. Image: DC Comics
The story is quick, leaping from beat to beat without much room for taking in all of the clues. It works well enough, serving as a functional in-between story ahead of the next big arc in Batman/Superman: World’s Finest. However, the initial framing of a murder mystery is ill-served, as it’s wrapped up rather quickly and feels crammed in, with the real story revolving around Robin’s introduction to Wonder Woman and Themyscira. In light of this dual identity for the story, neither is pulled off in a way that is memorable or interesting.
Gleb Melnikov takes over art duties from Dan Mora on this issue, and it shows. Melnikov is an effective artist and has turned in some truly beautiful work. However, when put on a title that’s typically drawn by Mora, the distinction between their two styles is quickly evident. Luckily, Tamra Bonvillain continues coloring duties here, washing over the pencils with that Silver Age-inspired glow that has become synonymous with this title. It helps cover the different linework styles and the blockier character designs.
Because this issue takes place so far in the past, Dick Grayson is sporting his classic Robin short-shorts. Everyone else has elements of modern design woven into their costumes, making Robin’s look really stand out. Depending on your mileage, it may seem a little off-putting.
Editor’s Note: You can find this comic and help support TBU in the process by purchasing this issue digitally on Amazon or a physical copy of the title through Things From Another World.
