For 24 issues, Batman/Superman: World’s Finest has detailed the early adventures of the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight. With Robin the Boy Wonder in tow, the two heroes have gone from uneasy allies to the best of friends. However, Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #25 details a different tale. One focused upon the World’s Vilest villains – Lex Luthor and The Joker.
Written by Mark Waid with art by Steve Pugh, the story details the first time the archenemies of Superman and Batman joined forces. However, this story does not pit the villains in battle against their sworn enemies. Instead, Luthor recruits the Clown Prince of Crime to help him locate a lost treasure. The treasure is hidden by eldritch means and it is said those who seek it will find only madness. Logically, this leads Luthor to recruit the maddest lunatic in the world as a navigator.
The first five pages of Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #25 can be viewed below.
Why Lex Luthor Keeps Teaming With The Joker
The preview for Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #25 clarifies just why Luthor is dealing with the aggravation of managing The Joker. The two have drastically different personalities and wildly different goals. Joker sees himself as an agent of chaos and seeks to avert order in all forms. By contrast, Luthor seeks to impose his own will upon Metropolis, viewing Superman as a threat to his idea of order.
This point has been addressed before in earlier comics. The end of Infinite Crisis had Luthor explain that it was better to work with Joker than have him work against you. Luthor voiced a similar sentiment in Grant Morrison’s JLA, noting that he preferred to keep Joker where he could watch him rather than have him work unsupervised. It remains to be seen, however, if the new Batman/Superman: World’s Finest story will have the two villains find common ground or not.
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #25 arrives in comic shops everywhere on March 19, 2024.
