After a powerful start is there enough narrative meat to justify the existence of this title?  Read on to find out.

The official description from DC:

It’s the conclusion of the first arc in this series as one world dies and another lives! Plus: We discover why Superman and Batman have no memory of this tragic first adventure.

Is the age of the New 52 we’ve seen re-interpretations of staple icons, they’re still themselves but with mechanical alterations.  And what the creative team accomplishes with this tale is not necessarily something that justifies that fact, popular or not, it instead uplifts the feeling we as fanboys or fangirls get when we think about superheroes  There are some off moments but the whole of this journey is a joy, so grab your cape and find a nice quiet spot to breath-in this finale.

Greg Pak delivered a script that’s as moody as it’s bold.  He takes both Batman and Superman, as traditional and modern fans would like to see them, on an evolutionary road.  During which he breaks them down, enables sequences that are sure to delight and reveals a bond that will make these vigilantes into the heroes they can be.  Between the inner dialogue and outer banter there’s a lot to love here as both of these titans clash with two worlds in the balance.  I’m not going to avoid it, the ending, as much as it made sense considering what happens in current continuity left me a tad bit underwhelmed.

The art by Jae Lee with the assist by Ben Oliver is just as sophisticated as the narrative it seeks to support.  From the first page to final panel the talents deliver a vision that captures enough detail to please, even when faced with repeated viewings. The one complaint that could be levied, is the fact that there is too much negative space.  But to me, in this release, it allows a primal focus on our primaries which is endlessly engaging.

Batman/Superman #4 is a brilliant comic that stumbles at the landing but manages to leave a lasting impression.  Recommended.

4/5