Review: Batman/Superman #5
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: David Marquez
Letters: John Hill
Colors: Alejandro Sanchez
Reviewed by: Carl Bryan
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Summary
Batman/Superman #5: The Batman Who Laughs comes steps closer into building his tower that will launch his Dark Metal Portals and expand the Dark Metal Universe. The Sinister Six gains traction on Batman and Superman with the escape of The Batman Who Laughs from the prison Superman and Batman created. And it’s not going to rest well with their Amazon sister – Wonder Woman.
Positives
Scott Snyder lit a piece of dynamite when he created the Dark Metal Universe which provided us with the Batman Who Laughs. And as we “ping pong” through the Year of the Villain, we as readers should accrue every issue we can get our hands on of the now Sinister Six. The back stories across the DC universe and its comics are making issues such as this one robust as issue #5 is both physical warfare and psychological warfare. From the views of JLA corpses from another Multiverse planet to Clark seeing himself holding a deceased Lois and Jonathan, The Batman Who Laughs and his Sinister Six are not pulling punches.Â
You want trash talk…King Shazam and Supergirl are all about it. And Commissioner Gordon? Who gave me a Phantom of the Opera/Grifter mask? What makes him so powerful? His mouth is one thing as he digs into Batman with verbal darts. Joshua Williamson has the bullying down pat in his writing. And that emulates the type of villain that a Joker/Batman combo would give us.
Positives 2.0
Williamson’s writing is strong. And I love the last frame that David Marquez paints. DC has gone enormous strides in showing that while Batman is mortal, and Superman can be defeated by Kryptonite, their most power ally is Diana Prince. And Wonder Woman is about to enter into the fray. I knew that something would have to be done to defeat The Batman Who Laughs, and she is the person for the job!
Negatives
I love the Donna Troy/Hawkman combo, and I am almost down with the new nicknames for the Sinister Six…Sky Tyrant and Scarab. But this new version of Commissioner Gordon is a bit over done. While I did enjoy Commissioner #1, that is a more realistic way to drop him into the conversation rather than place him into a battle with the likes of Superman and Shazam!
Verdict
Batman/Superman #5 – This is the turning point issue and things are about to heat up with Wonder Woman entering into the picture. But is she going to be upset with Clark and Bruce or will she be their biggest ally in the fight to save everyone from The Batman Who Laughs!
