Review: Batman/Superman #1

There are moments in our lives that resound more than others. A special event, a tragedy or a first meeting with someone that will change our lives. These milestones define us, make us better or worse than we once were.

Greg Pak and artists, Jae Lee and Ben Oliver, use these same circumstances to bring together DC’s biggest icons for the “first” time. Their defining moments, shared tragedies along with prolific upbringings, are used to build upon their mythos and create something that is truly noteworthy. Pak portrays their rivalry/friendship in a perfect manner. Bruce Wayne, before the cape and cowl, has an instant dislike towards the future savior of Metropolis. Their brief encounter leads to immediate judgment from both parties, branding each other as the drunkard, playboy and the other, a sanctimonious blowhard. It’s nothing fans haven’t seen before, but the pristine writing form Pak and the beautiful art of Lee, bring it to a level never done quite as well as this. It will become a moment that fans won’t soon forget.

As for the first encounter of the Batman and Superman, I won’t reveal the circumstances behind it but, it is explosive to say the least! Utterly jaw-dropping visuals assault you as you take in the sheer brutality and power of these two individuals. The internal thoughts of our heroes, as they take each others measure, is pitch perfect. Pak makes them come across as arrogant and bold, passing judgment upon their foe again and underestimating each other in the process. The naive nature of the fledgling heroes is what Pak is trying to portray and he does it with panache.

Overall, the story is the perfect portrayal of Bruce and Clark, Batman and Superman, in the early days of their careers as future pillars of the DC Universe. The underlying tale of why these two are strewn together is both intriguing and thought provoking, but it is the rhetoric, both internal and external, between these two that will make this book unforgettable!