“Public Enemies” merits its place in this collection. It’s an essential Batman and Superman story, and I couldn’t think of a better one that encompasses the shared respect and friendship of the two heroes.
Wow. After several weeks of nagging, I finally received volume 5 of the DC Comics Graphic Novel Collection. The excuses and lack of communication are getting tiring now and the customer service that Jacklin Enterprises provides its subscribers is bureaucratically useless to say the least. According to the customer service representative, volume 6 will also be delayed because Jacklin serviced the stores first. So there you go, folks—no point in subscribing because you don’t matter. Also, I’m still waiting for the rest of my free gifts, but I think someone’s children got nice DC bookends for Christmas—I hope you enjoy them, kids.
The unfortunate Jacklin-gate aside, let’s discuss the actual book. Volume five collects Superman/Batman #1-6 (the “Public Enemies” arc) and the bonus Superman #76 (the first time Bats and Supes worked together). “Public Enemies” follows Superman and Batman who need to team up to stop President Lex Luthor (lol, Trump) after he accuses the Man of Steel of crimes against humanity. Along the way, the two heroes have to take on a top-secret team in order to save Earth from a deadly meteorite and stop Luthor.
If you’re a big DC fan, you’re probably aware this story was adapted into a successful animated film back in 2009. Much like the film, it’s a well-written story that beautifully captures the complexity of the relationship between Batman and Superman. Often competitive, sometimes dry, and occasionally humorous, Jeph Loeb showcases the full spectrum of their special “friendship”. There’s several intricate layers to this tale, and when you peel it all back, you realise these two heroes would be nothing without the other. Compare this story to Superman #76 and you’ll see the leaps and bounds the World’s Finest have made in becoming super friends.
On the art front, Ed McGuinness illustrates a story that you’ll be proud to have in your collection. His work is reminiscent of a time when you could lose yourself in a book for hours and admire every character detail and setting. In fact, I wish McGuinness would give DC a hand on some of its Rebirth titles…
Stay tuned for my forthcoming review of volume 6. Knowing Jacklin, the book will arrive sometime in June. Until then, ciao!
