Overview: In Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #22, Batman and Superman finally meet Gog and find themselves imprisoned on Earth-22.
Title: Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #22
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Dan Mora
Colors: Tamra Bonvillain
Letters: Steve Wands
Main Cover: Dan Mora
Variant Covers: Jerome Opena & Tomeu Morey, Gerald Parel, Travis Charest, Olivier Coipel
Release Date: December 19, 2023
Please Note: This comic book review may contain spoilers
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #22 opens at Gog’s Saharan citadel on Earth-22, the multiversal dimension that will eventually be the basis for renowned Elseworlds story Kingdom Come and current home to Thunderman, a boy who was once Superman’s protege but now serves Gog. A number of issues about, this boy, then known as “Boy Thunder,” was sent through the multiverse after being unable to control his powers. The regular DC Universe’s Superman promised to find Boy Thunder, no matter what it took.
Now, on Earth-22, the main Batman and Superman find themselves stranded and without a way home, battling a horde of Justice Leaguers like Zatanna, Etrigan, and Blue Beetle, holding their own against an onslaught of Gog’s superhero acolytes. It’s a kinetic reintroduction by Artist Dan Mora, who skillfully interweaves a classic Superman/Batman team-up stylishly. Somehow, despite the action flow, Superman and Batman seem relatively calm and collected, conveying to readers that they’ve been here before, many times, and as a duo they can manage the stress and keep one step above their enemies.
Tamra Bonvillain is on colors, and for those who’ve been following our coverage of Batman/Superman: World’s Finest, the Bonvillain and Mora pairing is a dream-team of gorgeous, eye-catching art that pops!
While Batman and Superman battle on, they realize that against such a large horde, it could be unwinnable. When Batman points out that the heroes are aiming to capture, not kill, the two contemplate throwing the fight, so they can meet Gog. Thunderman arrives, and the main DC Superman and Batman are brought before Gog, Bringer of Eternal Light.
It is decided that these imposter Superman and Batman doppelgangers will be thrown into the catacombs, and Earth-22’s Superman will be charged with the task. The main Superman, ever-frustrated at his Earth-22 counterpart’s lack of humanity and compassion, screams for the Kingdom Come Superman to help Thunderman, that it’s not too late to save David. Earth-22 Batman watches from afar, once more pondering the predicament this all is. As with last issue, readers are reminded that Earth-22 Batman is still suspicious, not quite believing Thunderman’s flat out denial of having known the main Batman or Superman at all.
In their prison cell, Batman and Superman encounter Metron, who is severely starved for knowledge. It is his chair that Gog uses as a throne! He reveals to the heroes that Gog came from the world before New Genesis and Apokolips, that Gog was one of the old gods.
Meanwhile, Thunderman reveals to Gog that his lying and ruses toward the other heroes is causing emotional distress, and he fears he may not be able to act anymore. Gog tells Thunderman that their years of planning have reached an apex, that Thunderman shall no more be his former self. A beautiful bath of light washes over Thunderman, and he becomes Magog. Drawn by Mora and colored by Bonvillain, it’s a swirl of beautiful light and color, ending in the familiar reveal of Kingdom Come supervillain Magog.
Elsewhere, Earth-22 Batman catches up with Earth-22 Superman. He reveals his suspicions, noting that he checked Thunderman’s backstory and could find no evidence of the lies Thunderman told the other heroes. Batman posits that perhaps the otherworldly “imposters” are telling the truth.
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #22 variant cover by Jerome Opena
Back in the catacombs, Metron continues his tale of how the two of them came to meet. While Gog was absolutist about right and wrong, the two were friends for a time. When Metron introduced Gog to the idea of the multiverse, Gog stood silently for tens of thousands of years until David arrived, then stole the Mobius Chair and began his plan.
Earth-22 Batman and Superman arrive, returning weapons and fresh costumes to the main Batman and Superman. They admit that they were wrong, but using a bug from Earth-22 Batman, which the main Batman already discovered, they heard Metron’s tale. As Earth-22 Superman describes it, a fog was lifted. As all four heroes come together, Metron reveals that Gog is planning to cross dimensions and build an army big enough to take on Apokolips. Yet, Gog doesn’t care who lives or dies. In fact, he wants the heroes to die for his own personal gain.
The “why” behind this last statement is left implicit, as it doesn’t seem like Gog simply wants to conquer Apokolips. He may be removing heroes from the multiverse in order to spread his dominion across parallel earths without constraint or pushback, as well as taking out the new gods who followed after his world’s destruction.
Hopefully, we’ll get a firm, distinctive answer next issue as the two Supermen and two Batmen team up to battle Gog, Magog, and their army of Justice Leaguers. With only two of them holding their own quite well in this issue’s opener, it stands to reason that next issue will be an even more exciting mash-up, with the promise of both Batmen reading each other’s mind in a symphony of martial arts mastery.
As with all of the issue in this run so far, Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #22 continues the fun, fast-paced flow that readers have come to expect. It’s vivid, beautiful, and running on octane, much like the beginning issues of this series, with no signs of letting up.
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 through Amazon or a physical copy of the title through Things From Another World.
