Review: Batman/Superman #14
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Max Raynor
Letters: John J. Hill
Colors: Alejandro Sanchez
Reviewed by: Carl Bryan
Summary
Batman/Superman #14 – NEW VILLAIN ALERT: THE COMPOSITE BATMAN/SUPERMAN!
Enter the Composite Batman/Superman! The Dark Knight and the Man of Steel are trapped inside the Brainiac protocol’s deadly moon base, and this psychotic A.I. will not stop until it has merged with the beings it believes are its creators!
Merging is exactly what our heroes are doing, as the deadly new fusion of the World’s Finest duo emerges to wreak havoc in the name of Brainiac! Can Steel and Batwoman turn the tide and save their friends?
Positives
The takeaway from this Joshua Williamson’s tale is that despite our best intentions of having a comprehensive protection via computers, it’s all doomed to fail.
It’s obvious Batman and Superman never watched Terminator. But it’s obvious that Joshua Williamson did.
Superman faces the Composite Batman/Superman (CBS) physically, and Batman faces the CBS on a cellular/bit level as it has to reason with the child like program. Each hero bringing his own strengths to the table as they are literally the parents or Dr. Frankensteins that brought this creation to light.
Max Raynor should be commended in blending CBS. This villain program has some resonating Hank Henshaw characteristics, but this villain/hero/anti-villain needs to stick around for future endeavors at DC.
Positives 2.0
The pairing of Batwoman and Steel. Steel is taking a prominent role in a few other comics. I feel like the death of Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther in the movies) and his influence on the African American superhero movement has provided writers a new lens to highlight these heroes’ much needed voices.
Batwoman’s role in the LGBTQ community makes her pairing with John Henry Irons even more special, so well done Joshua Williamson in placing these two together.
Negatives
This reeked of an Avengers movie script as we remember that one where Tony Stark creates Jarvis, who then becomes Ultron, and then……
It’s a retread for the well read comic viewer. There are some things that came out of this comic that were unique, but the base story has been done.
Verdict
Batman/Superman #14 – This has now catapulted Steel and Batwoman to a new level. Steel has been underplayed a bit in recent times, but it is time for he to come to the forefront. Batwoman is being carted around DC to find her niche having been in Gotham City Monsters. Again, Perhaps Steel, Cyborg, Black Lightning, and Jessica Cruz can be the DC Fantastic Four. Or a new World’s Finest can come out of their pairing.
