Overview: In Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #19, Superman must save Batman from the Phantom Zone and stop Jax-Ur!
Title: Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #19
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Travis Moore
Colors: Tamra Bonvillain
Main Cover: Dan Mora
Variant Covers: Tony S. Daniel & Alejandro Sanchez, Alexander Lozano, Helene Lenoble
Nicolas Cage Variant Cover: Dan Mora
Release Date: September 19, 2023
Please Note: This comic book review may contain spoilers
Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #19 opens on Gotham City, years ago, right after the cliffhanger at the end of Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #18. Batman (Bruce Wayne) is trapped in the Phantom Zone while Jax-Ur roams free. Floating in that void, the Dark Knight communicates with Alfred Pennyworth, who also found himself trapped in the Phantom Zone. Alfred divulges to Batman what happened while, back in Gotham, Jax-Ur simultaneously dishes out all of his secrets to Superman (Clark Kent), as the two battle it out.
Apparently, the Phantom Zone’s walls have been weakening, and small breaches have inadvertently swallowed up the other Gotham citizens who went missing. Jax-Ur, communicating with the Riddler (Edward Nygma) telepathically, figured out how to calculate where and when the next breach would occur. The original plan was to switch places with Superman, but Jax-Ur ended up switching with Batman.
Out in Gotham, Superman manages to beat down Jax-Ur. Because he was only recently freed from the Phantom Zone, his powers haven’t fully absorbed Earth’s sun yet. Batman pushes through the Phantom Zone barrier with his mind, telepathically communicating with Superman as Jax-Ur flees. What follows is an info dump about who Jax-Ur is and what he means to Superman. Because Jax-ur’s careless actions resulted in the death of 10,000 on one of Krypton’s moons, the council banned spacecraft, which led to the decimation of Superman’s people during Krypton’s destruction. Superman, battling his own inner rage, blames Jax-Ur for billions of Kryptonian lives lost.
Though Batman/Superman: World’s Finest is typically one of the most consistent and best books DC has been pumping out in the last year or so, the opening to this second installment of “Phantom Riddles” is a bit of a letdown. The expository dump of information carries on for pages and pages, and the art, this time penciled by Travis Moore with colors by Tamra Bonvillain, isn’t exciting. The paneling is serviceable, allowing enough room for the dialogue, lettered by Steve Wands, to have space to breathe. The paneling feels like a throwback to old-fashioned comic book storytelling, which could be the case, as the costumes Batman and Superman are wearing definitely harken back to decades ago. Superman is sporting a Christopher Reeves-inspired look, with muted colors reminiscent of the 78 film. Batman’s mask, on the other hand, looks like it was inspired from the Dick Sprang years.
Batman uses his math skills to calculate where Jax-Ur most likely fled to, which also is the next spot for a breach to appear. Jax-Ur yanks Batman back to Gotham, throwing him to the ground in order to finally escape. Superman rescues Batman, though he’s disappointed that Jax-Ur got away. Batman belies Superman’s self-deprecation, reminding the Man of Steel that it took both of them to find this spot. He then tells Superman that Jax-Ur is acting on a grudge, which means he’s likely going to hunt down other Kryptonians. This reminds Superman of the Bottle City of Kandor.
Dan Mora draws an incredible Nicolas Cage Superman variant cover for Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #19
Superman and Batman arrive at the Fortress of Solitude as Jax-Ur has started melting Kandor. They interrupt the destruction, which leads to a rather brutal battle between Superman and the Kryptonian criminal. While the art in the earlier half of the issue felt lackluster, here Moore and Bonvillain really shine, using the space to offer a colorful and intense exchanging of blows. While Superman and Jax-Ur pummel each other in the face, Alfred communicates telepathically with Batman, telling him that a strange alien with a device has been entering the Phantom Zone, which is why the walls were weakening in the first place.
Batman makes note of this information, then hunts for a Phantom Zone projector, so the two heroes can send Jax-Ur back where he belongs.
Jax-Ur gains the upper hand, beating Superman mercilessly to a pulp. Blood drizzles down the Man of Steel’s face, and shards of crystal fly everywhere. It’s a powerful, gut-wrenching, wince-inducing few pages until Batman reveals himself. Jax-Ur is sent back to the Phantom Zone, and Superman and Batman applaud each other for a good team effort. Batman promises to train Superman in hand-to-hand combat. The two then use the projector to bring back the Gothamites trapped in the Phantom Zone.
In the final few pages, Riddler is captured, and Superman and Batman promise to team up once more. The final page reveals that the alien, whatever it was, promises to free the prisoners trapped in the Phantom Zone. This storyline will continue in the pages of Action Comics in 2024.
Once Jax-Ur is defeated, the pulse of this story dies again, and all of the loose ends, such as the trapped Gothamites and Riddler on the loose are wrapped up in a panel or two. Just as the issue was starting to pick back up, it stalls, coming across as a fill-in story to give space between the last arc and the upcoming Kingdom Come-centered storyline next month. It’s not the worst fill-in story, but it is definitely a noticeable drop in the polished, almost perfect storytelling that Waid and team have whipped up throughout the previous 17 issues of this incredible series.
Editor’s Note: DC Comics provided TBU with an advanced copy of this comic for review purposes. You can find this comic and help support TBU in the process by purchasing this issue digitally on Comixology through Amazon or a physical copy of the title through Things From Another World.
