By the end of last issue, it almost seemed as if the stakes couldn't get any bigger and more absurd. That is... actually mostly true. This finale to the "Impossible" arc is a satisfying one, but also surprisingly simple after everything that led up to it. Don't get me wrong, it's still filled with magic and extra-dimensional craziness. However, it's certainly not the mind-bending, abstract storytelling that you might expect from the cover art. Ultimately it comes down to how fitting you find a traditional "all the heroes team up to overcome the villain" sort of plot.
Doom-Mite himself makes for a very impressive villain. The build up and presentation over the course of the arc combines the sense of chaos with abject terror. As with all the Mites, it's never quite clear just how powerful he might be, but what is clear is how much his abilities tower above the others. He's a giant among toddlers, while we are merely ants to whom it's all cosmically incomprehensible. Part of what makes his grotesque monstrosity work so well is Dan Mora's design. He's constantly shifting his size in a way that's often disorienting, and his bubbling, multi-armed appearance give the impression of a growth more than a man. It's very reminiscent of the character No-Face from the movie Spirited Away after he's gorged himself on food.
A good chunk of the story is devoted to our heroes going around gathering up as many magic users as possible. Just as when this story did something similar with the Justice League's heroes and villains, this almost feels like an excuse to see Dan Mora draw a bunch of different DC characters. Also just as before, it's not something I feel particularly inclined to complain about. It's empty calorie fanservice, but it still looks great. I also particularly liked the joke that they elected to skip over John Constantine due to his drunkenness.
Once everyone's collected, they need to use their collective magic to defeat Doom-Mite. This is probably the most disappointing part of the story. It's not a bad ending, but it's not particularly impressive either. Despite Doom-Mite's phenomenal cosmic powers with near limitless potential, what does him in is effectively just a series of generic magic beams. Once everyone begins pulling on the mystical tethers, you know that it's over and all that's left are a few panels of them struggling. The only magical thing about the fight is that we catch glimpses of modern storylines in the beams due to "everything in the sixth dimension happens at once", but there's far less excitement in seeing promos for current comics than there was in the nostalgia of classic character cameos.
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The climax of the fight is the "death" of Bat-Mite in one final sacrifice to defeat Doom-Mite. It's an emotionally confusing moment because, at least at first, it's played straight as a mournful tragedy. This is despite the fact that as readers, we know that deaths rarely mean anything in comics, especially for characters as loosely and inconsistently defined as the 5th dimensional imps. However, this only lasts for a couple pages before it's all played off for a gag where he was alive the whole time. Like I said, it's a very weird execution that I'm not sure quite works. That being said, the final bit that he actually looks like Superman under his mask is pretty funny.
Recommended If
- You've been a fan of this arc's mix of goofiness and action
- Magic users are some of your favorite parts of DC
- You don't mind a bit of Deus ex Machina
Overall
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #29 is a beautifully drawn finale to the "Impossible" arc that narratively feels more like a wrap-up than a climax. Its obligatory big fight against the bad guy is filled with all the spectacle Dan Mora consistently delivers, but the resolution to that conflict ironically feels too mundane, despite the half-a-dozen or so magic users involved. Nonetheless, it's still the fun time one would expect from the title.
Score: 7/10
DISCLAIMER: DC Comics provided Batman News with a copy of this comic for the purpose of this review.