Batman/Superman #27

I didn't care for a chunk of last issue and this one was the one I had been looking forward to.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Robo-Bat Gordon thinks back to the level of trust Superman had in Batman and seems bitter than his run of being Batman has a weaker Superman. Batgirl puts together that the weapon is a gun. While discussing what to do with it Jason suggests blowing it up which Dick retorts is his answer for everything. Superman points out Vandal Savage will notice it if they blow it up. I do like that Jim makes sure Superman remembers that one of his priorities should be making sure his team live through this. I think that's the best bit I've seen of Jim being Batman. It turns out Superman didn't trust Batman to save Jimmy, he chose to save others and assumed Jimmy would die. Well he knew Batman was there he just didn't think he'd save him.

I know Clark is going though some stuff and is physically weaker but it's unnerving to hear him accepting that people might die.

They get the teleporter to work to beam Superman and Robo-Bat to Savage. The fight doesn't last long and they end up blowing up the teleporter. I did like Jim getting upset when Savage tossed Clark in the path of his shot. It's a good cop moment and reminded me what I liked about him before he got into a robotic suit. When Savage arrives his forced labor show him the "dead" bodies of Dick and Jason claiming they killed them. They send Savage off and when he escapes they don't know if he's alive or not. Jim reveals his ID to Superman.


Overall: I liked it more than last issue but it was such a bullshit fake out because Jason barely did anything in this.

Is Barbara supposed to come off clueless? I get that vibe with her being described as cheerful and having no concept of the danger. Last issue had her say she isn't a genius which goes against the ego she has in other new 52/DCYOU issues I've seen. Dick works with spies, Jason has been seen studying alien tech and I could see Tim doing this too. If she's not brilliant then just about any bat member should be able to do this. (I'm talking about the job it's self as I know the father/daughter angle is being played here.) Granted I miss the start of the arc so I might have missed other things she did. I really don't like how naïve she comes off which she shouldn't be given past experiences. At times she seems younger than Tim. At least someone realizes she's too cocky (makes sense that it's her dad) but no one ever calls her on this. It's bad for anyone but her apparently.

Jim was more likable in this although he doesn't really acknowledge Dick (which you'd think he would at least think about) or Jason. He pretty much ignored them which is just odd.

There's this attitude against Jason that feels like he's a straw man or everyone else has Bruces' voice from the Batman/Superman annual. Dick saying blowing up things is Jasons' answer to everything feels very similar to Bruces' line of thinking with the "you never change" crap. Also Barbara decided to blow crap up in the annual which had to lead to the deaths of at least a few aliens before they went into the Phantom Zone. I never see anyone giving her crap for that of course Bruce also pondered shooting the floating orb out of the sky before it was vetoed because of human casualties. But Jason is in the wrong despite the fact he's trying to come up with ideas. Even so it comes off like he's more reckless than he is. (Maybe it's because he's the youngest hero there?) Remember how he used a map of the hospital Suzie Su was using taking hostage to plot and trusted his friends to keep innocents safe? He can plan people, he did so against Batman.

It's not as strong of a vibe as last issue but it just feels pointless to start these argument if nothing is going to be done with them. The annual worked better because it had Batman debating it with him on a mission that might require it. There was actual discussion while this has people just being critical and Jason jumping to nukes last issue. The history between Bruce and Jason made it more meaningful while this felt like he was being ganged up on at times. There seemed to be hints of Jason realizing Clark was thinking about killing last issue and that they'd both have it all amount to something. Nope. Even having Bruces' two oldest boys there along with Barbara felt like such a wasted opportunity. I can find things that don't flow right for me although I'll probably forget about it soon. Normally I'd be disappointed but this is a "meh" issue for me.



Questions Raised?: Would Bruce really make the same choice?