by Nathan Libecap
I'm not a big collector of DC Comics. I used to love Batman comics, but haven't read them regularly for over five years now. One of the reasons is that there are so many Bat-books, there might only be one that has a decent artist. If I can't get into the art then I can't get into the comic book, no matter how mind-blowingly great the writing is supposed to be. So usually I only buy a DC Comic if it's by an artist whose work I really like. Case in point, the Superman/Batman Annual #1.
If you don't know who Ryan Ottley is, I feel sorry for you. He is like Ed McGuiness (who also has some pages in here and is the regular artist of the series) in that his art is more cartoony than realistic. He's also the artist on "Invincible" over at Image. If you like superhero comics and you haven't read an issue of Invincible...grow up! (Yeah, that's the joke - Grow up, reading comic books, etc. etc.) That's like being 28 and still buying Brass Monkey when you could buy a bottle of Jameson's. Anyway, the issue is pure enjoyment. It's a "how Superman and Batman met" story that takes place even before Lois and Clark ever held hands. And it's the best one I've ever read. There's a great scene where Clark and Bruce are forced to share a bed. Neither one know's the other's real identity, but something happens where they should be off saving the world.
The writing (by Joe Kelly) is over the top, like Stan Lee's writing. Lots of words that are more than one syllable. Lots of sentences that contain more than a few adjectives. Sometimes the reader is addressed directly. What's great about the issue is that there's still a lot of action,; the characters are distinct; the humor is funny; and it's got a great jab at both Marvel and DC at the end, making fun of the giant crossovers that seem to be happening more every year. This issue reminds you that self-contained, single issue comic books are possible.
It's a great argument for them, in fact. This issue is more entertaining than any crossover that I've read in the last two years, and it's self-contained! So do yourself a favor and spend $4 on a comic book that you might actually read more than once.