Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #34 // Review
At exactly 9:16 pm, every dog in Robinson Park began barking. One of them was a dog named Ace. He’s also known as the bat-hound. Right now he’s hanging out with Btgirl because Batman, Robin and Superman have all gone missing. If Batgirl is going to figure out what's going on, she’s going to need more than just one ally in her quest. She’s going to need a journalist. Crime-fighter, journalist and dog team-up in Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #34. Writer Mark Waid and artist Fran Galán put together a fun, little one-shot for the end of the year.
They were confronting a powerful psychic named Galtar when they disappeared. Some time later there was a massive disturbance that was only really all that apparent to dogs. Thankfully, Jimmy Olsen knows Krypto the super-dog and Batgirl had been working triple-duty with Ace the bat-hound when the whole thing went down. Olsen has access to exotic chemicals that give him super-powers, so he can aid Batgirl in tracking down what happened...an investigation that can only lead to Arkham Asylum and certain danger. It’s okay though: a girl, a boy and a couple of dogs might be exactly what Superman. Batman and Robin need.
Waid keeps a firm sense of the absurd running the story. The dynamic between Batgirl and Olsen is a lot of fun. Olsen comes across with a great deal of strangth and charm as someone who is clearly in way over his head as Batgirl tolerates him. Her competence and coherence contrast against Olsen’s overall lack of experience in a way that makes for a really fun dynamic that moves everything forward on the page with a great deal of energy and charm. The overall plot feels remarkably well. executed and paced for perfectly-rendered rising and falling action.
Galán keeps it fun throughout as the somewhat manic intensity of the action is amplified across page and panel. Batgirl maintains a heroic stature as Olsen looks goofy and rubbery. There’s a cartoonishness about it all that manages to maintain a sharp sense of action that moves things along with a great impact. The color that Galán binds to the page adds a layer of warmth and emotionality that also develops an immersive sense of mood and atmosphere. The visuals might look weird and goofy in places, but that’s by design too. It’s all more or less pefectly placed on the page.
Waid and company continue to find a fun energy that keeps the energy rolling throughout the issue with style and poise. The story itself might not feature a whole lot of novel energy about it...and even the idea of teaming-up Batgirl with a lesser character in the presence of...pets isn’t really all that new or original either...but iot’s all quite a bit of fun on the whole and it all moves from beginning to end in a fun rush of energy.
