Preview: Batman/Superman #1

[manwhohaseverything]

I don't like the fact that Batman and Superman already knew Shazam was Billy Batson. In the story after New 52, the identity should not have been revealed yet. Moreover, they should have a discussion if they find Shazam's true identity is Billy. Because he is still a boy. Not as trained as Robin. Superman should have worried about this fact. This should have been made as a story.

He had a 10 year old with superpowers who had to learn to defend himself and help others. I am sure clark has grown past that stage already.

[Korath]

Plus, it's not as if he could do much to prevent Billy from super-heroing anyway. Short of kidnapping him and removing his ability to say SHAZAM!, Billy can become, well, SHAZAM! whenever he wants.

And let's not forget that in this continuity, he has fought alongside him for some time (at least during the Darkseid War). So that, plus having had a son who was starting to be a super-hero at age 10, Clark isn't exactly in position to throw a moral tantrum over a kid turning into a super-powered adult.

[The World]

Eh, it was just sort of classic Post-Crisis Superman/Batman interaction in that it's just not very good. It's clear few if any of them understand the strength of the connection and sort freestyle interaction based off of visual identifiers instead. Superman comes off as consistently soft and "naive", and Batman is a one note cynical voice. It's just not to my liking.

Literally the story is just screaming "SO DIFFERENT, LIGHT/DARK, LIGHT/DARK, THEY'RE LIKE OPPOSITES OR SOMETHING" There's no nuance or subtlety and everything just hits you in the face like a brick. Neither character has any facets or complexity to them, their just cliche surface level, Post-Crisis angles that fail to live up to their own legacies. I can see why this might have been funny 30 years ago but it's just monotonous now.
Good art though.

[The World]

Also since it's seem possible it might go this way, any aggression from Batman should be met with aggression from Superman. As a character hes suppose to be the type that stands up to bullies nor rollover like some kind of whipped dog.

[Myskin]

God why are the Post-Crisis writers so unbelievably incompetent at writing the Superman/Batman connection. Can they really do nothing but SCREAM: LIGHT/DARK, LIGHT/DARK, LIGHT/DARK, TOTALLY DIFFERENT GUYS, WOW CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT WHAT ARE THEY EVEN DOING WORKING TOGETHER. I mean it's 14 year fanfic writers levels of lacking any sort of nuance or subtlety and once again showing that they can't communicate any of the qualities of the relationship that made it endure for something close to 50 years in Pre-Crisis. 30 years of the Post-Crisis interpretation and its just them screaming the same generic concept that haven't been able to give even an ounce of depth to since '87.

And Superman was dangerously skirting classic Post-Crisis naive moron territory he always enters when he's around Batman for more than five seconds. Again some research would do Post-Crisis writers wonders about how the Superman-Batman thing even works.

I hate being hyperbolic but this is so stupid and makes me wonder why the keep trying their hand at something they don't even seem to like and in doing so just end up tarnishing the concept in the first place.

Good art though.

Cannot but agree. This approach was already incredibly stale when Loeb launched the first Superman/Batman series more than a decade ago.
Besides that, it's incredible how this entire issue is literally ridden with clichés. I mean, seriously, read those dialogues.
Superman and Batman shouldn't act like their enemies or they will become like them. Batman is serious and Superman is kind and uses his supersight to spot lung cancer. And so on and on and on. Jesus, haven't we already read this story, like one million times? It seems like a bot has written it.

[manwhohaseverything]

Also since it's seem possible it might go this way, any aggression from Batman should be met with aggression from Superman. As a character hes suppose to be the type that stands up to bullies nor rollover like some kind of whipped dog.

Yeah! Even jon isn't written like he takes shit from damian. This bruce being a jerk and clark being ok with it has run its course. But, i didn't get the feeling that he was being a jerk.

[The World]

Cannot but agree. This approach was already incredibly stale when Loeb launched the first Superman/Batman series more than a decade ago.
Besides that, it's incredible how this entire issue is literally ridden with clichés. I mean, seriously, read those dialogues.
Superman and Batman shouldn't act like their enemies or they will become like them. Batman is serious and Superman is kind and uses his supersight to spot lung cancer. And so on and on and on. Jesus, haven't we already read this story, like one million times? It seems like a bot has written it.

Yeah I didn't even mean to be so negative in my post, but at the same time it's so rote at this point. It's all autopilot writing. There needs to be some balancing on the points of distinction and points of similarities on these characters if they want this to keep going still be interesting to watch. It doesn't have to 1:1 but its got to be enough that we can get more interesting characterization because it's getting to the point where I can guess what they're going to say before they say and that isn't because of strong characterization but because everything has been simplified down to only a few possible options.

It's like Laverne and Shirley but it's not very funny.

[The World]

Yeah! Even jon isn't written like he takes shit from damian. This bruce being a jerk and clark being ok with it has run its course. But, i didn't get the feeling that he was being a jerk.

I'm just being preemptive but its the feeling I get from this story. When they go hard in with the "OH SO DIFFERENT" thing it usually means the writer can't identify the difference between kindness and weakness and think Superman being afraid of Batman is a sign that he's a good person.

[robotgarden]

Plus, it's not as if he could do much to prevent Billy from super-heroing anyway. Short of kidnapping him and removing his ability to say SHAZAM!, Billy can become, well, SHAZAM! whenever he wants.

And let's not forget that in this continuity, he has fought alongside him for some time (at least during the Darkseid War). So that, plus having had a son who was starting to be a super-hero at age 10, Clark isn't exactly in position to throw a moral tantrum over a kid turning into a super-powered adult.

The important thing is that Billy is "just a boy" until he transforms. And no one protects him during that time. This is different from John and Robin. (So he was infected) I think the Justice League is worth discussing about Shazam. And I think it is worth writing in the work.

[The tall man]

How could anyone have a problem with the Batman who Laughs but not have a problem with apex predator Luthor. He is far above anything BWL is doing. Luthor is leading practically every villian on earth and dealing with cosmic forces and universal ending scale stuff, this whole totally thing is way out there. The BWL just seems to be screwing with Supes and Bats for shits and giggles by infecting some people and turning them dark. I can more readily accept the BWL and all his schemes far more than I can accept all powerful Luthor remaking the universe.

[manwhohaseverything]

I'm just being preemptive but its the feeling I get from this story. When they go hard in with the "OH SO DIFFERENT" thing it usually means the writer can't identify the difference between kindness and weakness and think Superman being afraid of Batman is a sign that he's a good person.

I agree, that this whole dynamic has become monotonous. But, clark was fairly self-assured and caught what bruce was doing with his interrogation to tell if infected thing. So, i felt the issue was just meh. Plus, bruce was going to the place his parent died. I think clark was right to cut him some slack. Also, Clark shouldn't show his hands. I mean, this clark has been able to go behind bruce's back. Even located bruce's moon base and used it to protect his family. He doesn't need to beat his chest.
I feel like asking, what is the point of this book? Does this book have a story that needs to be told with these two characters specifically ? I feel like this book serves no purpose for either characters.

[Tzigone]

How could anyone have a problem with the Batman who Laughs but not have a problem with apex predator Luthor. He is far above anything BWL is doing. Luthor is leading practically every villian on earth and dealing with cosmic forces and universal ending scale stuff, this whole totally thing is way out there. The BWL just seems to be screwing with Supes and Bats for shits and giggles by infecting some people and turning them dark. I can more readily accept the BWL and all his schemes far more than I can accept all powerful Luthor remaking the universe.

I have issues with both. I also sort of think everything is too big or too broad now. Because events sell comics, I know. But too much death, too many heroes/villains in too many stories (once every few years for something utilizing that many characters in one story would be okay), and the repetitive hero-goes-bad. Brainwashed, drugged, falling to darkside, or even faking: tired of it. At least when it lasts more than a couple issues (if effects more than one hero). Too many heroes in an event is probably my biggest - the ones that either derail what's going on in a title or force you to buy other titles to know what's going on in the one you are reading.

But Luthor is too big right now. I'd never even have made him president, though, and that's achievable for human beings, so take the opinion for what it's worth.

[Ascended]

How could anyone have a problem with the Batman who Laughs but not have a problem with apex predator Luthor. He is far above anything BWL is doing. Luthor is leading practically every villian on earth and dealing with cosmic forces and universal ending scale stuff, this whole totally thing is way out there. The BWL just seems to be screwing with Supes and Bats for shits and giggles by infecting some people and turning them dark. I can more readily accept the BWL and all his schemes far more than I can accept all powerful Luthor remaking the universe.

I think most of us (me at least) are giving apex Lex a free pass because that just feels like a storyline. It'll run its course, Snyder will do what he wanted to do, and things will return to relative normal for Lex when it's all over. Lex getting to spend a minute as a cosmic force......hell, it's even been done before. It's not really outside his character's goals or aspirations or ego, he's been on this level before, and whether we enjoy the ride or not it ultimately won't be permanent.

TBWL however, isn't just a storyline. It's a new rogue that DC clearly wants to push hard, and he could become a staple of the villain gallery. If it's successful or DC is really stubborn, this guy might be really hard to avoid for a really long time. The Lex thing feels impermanent but BWL might have staying power. People who don't like him aren't fond of the idea of having to put up with him for the next twenty years.

Speaking for myself, I love BWL. He's a totally ridiculous concept, and I adore what he represents thematically. We're looking at the furthest extreme of the Batgod approach here, and that's kind of a fascinating idea. He's all the worst things about modern depictions of Batman cranked up to 11, ready to rock the hell out of a retro, trying-too-hard heavy music video. It's beautiful and meta as sh*t. He's overexposed as hell these days, but its beautiful.

[Vordan]

And we had to deal with Evil Supermen nonstop this past decade so it’s time for Bat fans to get a taste of it lol! I think BWL will be killed off or at least pushed to the side at the end of Snyder’s JL run though.

[Frontier]

And we had to deal with Evil Supermen nonstop this past decade so it’s time for Bat fans to get a taste of it lol! I think BWL will be killed off or at least pushed to the side at the end of Snyder’s JL run though.

Yeah, I kind of doubt BWL will have much mileage to him after Snyder is finished with his JL stuff or whatever he still needs him for.

He's basically just a souped-up and kinkier Joker anyways.