Future State Batman Superman 1

Week 4 of Future State finally delivers some of the biggest pairing fans have been waiting for. This week we get the team-up of Batman Superman 1. When these two meet it should be a joy and one hell of a story. This issue delivers on both counts. The best part of this pairing revolves around who they are. The big, blue, boy scout who always looks for the morally correct thing to do with hope and optimism meets up with the dark, realistic, do whatever you need to do to stop the crime sceptic. These best friends may like each other but they never see eye to eye.

This issue does a wonderful job capturing this relationship. The two work together, but Superman lectures Batman on doing the right thing and does not think about reality. The best option is always the right option despite the consequences. I love the line where he asks Bruce what wrong because he went “huh” instead of “hrm”. Meanwhile, Batman growls at Superman for being the boy scout and not thinking things through. He may help a homeless man by starting his fire with laser eyes, but he just alerted the Magistrate to their position.

Batman Superman 1 – One Hell of a Story

Beyond the wonderful writing displaying the imperfect friendship, the main story also brings a lot to this issue. Even though it comes late in the Future State release calendar, this story takes place in the early days of the new reality. Peacekeper-01 has not assassinated Bruce Wayne yet and the Magistrate has only just taken power.

Fear spreads throughout Gotham because of the Magistrate’s actions, but the will of the people refuses to break so far. A new drug, ‘false-face serum’, has hit Gotham and bled into Metropolis. Superman stops a kid from committing suicide and chats with him about the drug. FFS changes one’s face into an animal head. The facial recognition software of the Magistrate cannot identify the person who uses it, but there is a problem. The effects were meant to be temporary, but instead they persist beyond use.

The two spend the rest of the issue tracking down its maker and meet some interesting kids along the way. Eventually, Superman meets Mr Toad, the creator of FFS. Batman uses the computers to track the funding, but when all things go quiet on Superman’s end, he knows something jsut went wrong. Boy, does it ever!

Batman Superman 1 – Cream of the Crop

This issue quickly jumped to the top of my favorite Future State titles so far, and I didn’t even mention the rats with laser vision! I love the relationship between eternal optimism and sceptic realism. This issue captures the Batman/Superman dynamic perfectly, and the story does a good job of not only creating a problem, but it makes it relatable as well. The way Batman and Superman deal with the kids involved with the drug really puts some heart into the story. They don’t jsut run around busting bad guys.

I highly suggest picking up this title. What did you think of Batman Superman 1? Are you anxious for the second part? Head over to DC Fanatics on Facebook and tell us what you thought.