It’s chapter 3 of “Heir to the Kingdom,” the prequel story to Waid and Ross’ Kingdom Come (1996). So far, this arc has been a lot of fun, although there has been a lot of emphasis on hero versus hero fights, which isn’t exactly my favorite story idea in superhero comics, as it’s been done to death. With this being the third chapter in a 5-part arc, I’m expecting things to kick into a higher gear. Can the creative team deliver? Let’s have a look.

The hero versus hero fights continue for a while in this issue. It makes for an awesome spectacle, as Mora once more draws fantastic page layouts, double-page spreads, fight choreography and great character designs. Honestly, Mora is at the top of his game, and is a true comics superstar with all the incredible work he’s been doing. I feel like I’ve been repeating myself over and over again, but it’s true: every issue is a home-run for Mora. If all you want is the best superhero art that’s on stands right now, then look no further! World’s Finest is where it’s at.

Of course, it’s not just Mora, but Bonvillain has been massively important to the aesthetic and feel of this book, as she’s been coloring every single issue so far, even when other artists were filling in for Mora in between arcs. Her colors always pop—they are bright and optimistic and make Mora’s already beautiful art even more beautiful. Mora and Bonvillain have set a super high bar for superhero comics.

Waid’s writing is very solid throughout, but gets particularly good during the second half of the issue. See, the first half is more of the same: OG Batman and Superman are fighting the Kingdom Come heroes, who are being controlled by an evil god named Gog—it’s honestly nothing new. But during the second half, Waid turns this concept around, as it turns out that the Kingdom Come Batman and Superman have been working a case of their own, pretending to be in league with Gog, and are coming to OG Bats and Supes’ aid. That said, I think I would’ve preferred to see this issue focus on KC Batman and Superman more, showing us more of their investigation instead. Sure, it would have removed the reveal that they’re actually on the side of the angels, but it would also have removed a lot of hero versus hero stuff in favor of a more character-driven narrative rather than action-driven.

Furthermore, there’s quite a bit of exposition toward the end of the issue, too. What I like about it is that both Gog and Magog’s origins are being told in this arc, and the exposition is anything but dry. Mora and Bonvillain’s visuals make for a beautiful sequence, and Waid uses a poetic narrative voice to deliver the exposition. I also appreciate that there just isn’t a lot of room to really expand on Gog’s back story, so exposition is the most efficient choice in a 20-page comic book issue. Yet, it would have been nice if we could have gotten a closer look at Gog’s motivations, because, despite some of the details that are revealed through the exposition, he mostly still reads like a generic evil god figure. Gog looks cool and intimidating, but I don’t find him all that interesting so far.

Recommended if…

• More heroes beating up heroes! Let’s gooo!
• You’ve been waiting for Kingdom Come Batman and Superman to join the good guys.
• Mora and Bonvillain—honestly, you could just buy this book for the stellar art alone!

Overall: This is a good book, but I’m hoping that the creative team can give me more interesting stuff to chew on than just heroes fighting against heroes and a somewhat generic evil god-type villain. I love that the Batmen and Supermen have joined forces, though, and I can’t wait for the next issue! Despite my criticisms, I still recommend this one.

Score: 7/10

Disclaimer: DC Comics provided Batman News with a copy of this comic for the purpose of this review.