Review: Batman/Superman #4

Batman/Superman #4 came out this week continuing the story of the Batman Who Laughs infecting heroes close to the titular pair in some major evil plot. I have been following along because Supergirl is (unfortunately) heavily involved in this arc.

An interesting wrinkle about this issue is that it gives us a bit of a repeat of events from Supergirl #36. We see Kara again infected, this time with art by David Marquez.I like seeing scenes from different perspectives.

Writer Joshua Williamson brings a good pace to the proceedings here, especially the battle scenes. But he makes one slight gaffe in my mind when it comes to the Secret Six. We'll get there in the review, promise.

The art by Davis Marquez continues to shine. His work is clean, even when dealing with the Goth-like villains. And the action is smooth and palpable.

But seeing once again Kara succumb? Well, I have seen it enough to last a lifetime.

On to the book.

We start out with Batman and Superman fighting infected Donna Troy and Hawkman.

Both have specific things they don't like about our heroes.

Among those complaints? Well Donna is unhappy that so many kid sidekicks have died. And Hawkman is very upset about Batman preparing so much. As someone who is a bit sick of Batman being ultra-prepped and unstoppable lately, I echo Hawkman. But the Donna gripe is legitimate. She rattles of the names of a number of fallen Titans.

Then we get a bit of a monologue.

We learn that the Batman Who Laughs is trying to drag his League's satellite to Earth-0. There the satellite will infect everyone. To bring it into the main universe, the Batman needed 6 specific energy frequencies, especially Kal- El's! He'll have to lure a Kryptonian to the Fortress to infect them, completing the energies.

Okay, so the Dark Satellite will act like a transmitter infecting everyone? That's weird.

Meanwhile, Superman and Batman have been able fend off the attacks of their opponents and sneak away. Superman has a failsafe plan he can activate to put the Fortress in lockdown. But it also means our heroes will be locked in. To get there, he needs Batman to run interference.

I thought this panel was interesting. The toxin brings out the underlying worst in people. In someway these heroes feel all the evil they have been suppressing. That means Kara has feelings and motivations like her dark self, just buried.

That's pretty awful. I guess all heroes have feet of clay in this modern world.

With Superman off trying to lock down the Fortress. Batman pushes the attack.

Using a member of Superman's zoo, he brings the fight to Hawkman and Donna.

To lure a Kryptonian to the fray, the villains set off an alarm.

Nice panel here with Batman rodeo riding a dire worm.

And then we get scenes from Supergirl #36 reexamined.

This one is straight out of Supergirl.

I do like how Marquez draws Kara.

Very iconic pose.

And then the infection with Kara grabbing the thrown batarang. She quickly succumbs.

Again, Marquez draws a very nice Supergirl.

And that's that.

Initially we see Jaime Reyes try to fight off the control. (I guess Kara has less control?) But soon all six are ready.

I would have been thrilled if it was Kara was trying to fight the infection given how strong her convictions have become over and over in her comic. So to see it be Jaime struggling and almost shaking off the infection was pretty rough. It should have been Supergirl. This is the issue I have with Williamson and the Secret Six. Supergirl has gone through this so many times, she should be the one struggling against the influence of this infection. Instead,  once again, we end up seeing a Dark Verson of her, one happy to be evil. It  is ... well ... tiresome.

Am I being too pig-headed about this whole arc?

Overall grade: C+

The infected Kara and her brethren of the Secret Six unite to bring the satellite in. And then she is ready to fight.

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