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| Written by Gavin Hignight |
I love dark stories. I love dark characters. I grew up reading comics like The Crow, Punisher, Vertigo titles…
Some of my cinematic heroes are directors like George A. Romero, Clive Barker and John Carpenter. I love it dark. It’s in my DNA.
You know what I don’t love dark? Superman.
As in the character Superman… yes, you can tell dark stories around him, you can surround him in sorrow, but he himself is not the darkness.
That’s not what he is.
And for the record I greatly enjoyed Watchman. The Dawn of the Dead remake was fantastic (and I am a tough critic when it comes to Romero remakes). But you have to use the right artist for the right job.
This being said, after the atrocious Man of Steel I had absolutely no interest in seeing Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. None.
So instead of discussing whatever that mess is, I’d like to look back on my absolute favorite times the Caped Crusader and the Man of Steel squared off or teamed up.
If you love these heroes, and you want to see them truly interact check out either of these.
Batman: Hush by Jeph Loeb, Jim Lee, Scott Williams and Alex Sinclair is such a great Batman comic. If there was ever to be a final Batman story, this would be a great candidate. It goes through many of the players in Batman’s career and life.
A nemesis the world’s greatest detective can’t figure out; a search that leads him across many a friend and foe. Including one of the best Batman, Superman scenes I’ve seen or read. I don’t want to spoil anything. You just have to read the entire graphic novel and I’m sure you’ll enjoy their meet up as much as I did.
The art in this book is as great as the storytelling.
Okay so I’ve covered my favorite reading with Bats and Supes… let now move on to the movies.
And by movies I mean animated movie. One that was made for television and won an Emmy I might add.
Batman: The Animated Series and later, Superman: The Animated Series (by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm) I still hold as the benchmark to all Batman and Superman properties.
Especially Superman.
There were things I enjoyed about Nolan films for Batman, the Adam West series and Michael Keaton Batman are still awesome… but for Superman (although I love the first two Christopher Reeve films), the animated series is what got him exactly right.
From the voice, to the world, to the villains and tone. He is Superman. Everything about him is good. The solution to many of the conflicts was often more a matter of brains vs brawn. His heart always in the right place.
With four years of Batman: The Animated Series, and Superman: The Animated Series following its path, we had hours of entertainment leading up to the movie, World’s Finest.
They had already laid the groundwork for an epic team up… It wasn’t just epic for the good guys either…
The moments with Lex Luthor (the best version of him by far) and The Joker (Mark Hamill’s Joker… the BEST!) are just as awesome… Throw in Harley and Mercy… maybe more entertaining than Clark and Bruce!
This is a great story that in an intelligent manner connects both Gotham and Metropolis. It tells an actual story that affects Lois Lane, Bruce Wayne, and their alter egos. And ultimately in the end, you get to watch heroes being heroes.
Rent it, buy it, watch it (below), Worlds Finest is the Batman and Superman we all deserve.
And it was made for kids on television 19 years ago…
Once it’s over… and you feel yourself in withdrawal over the cape and cowl awesomeness treat yourself to the Superman: Animated Series episode “Knight Time”.
You won’t regret it.
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