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Jul 03, 2015 Web Exclusive By Cody Ray Shafer

At the end of Convergence, both Batman and Superman are starting from zero. Superman’s lost all his powers, and his identity is now public knowledge. Bruce Wayne is apparently dead, and Batman has transformed from the brooding vigilante to a super-cop in high tech gear. Batman/Superman examines both characters’ loss of identity by also resetting their relationship. Clark knows something is different, because Bruce won’t return his calls, prompting him to embark on a quest to find his billionaire playboy friend. Maybe this iteration of Lois and Clark won’t pan out, and Bruce and Clark finally make it official. That is, of course, if Bruce isn’t really dead, but only comic book-dead and waiting patiently to make another triumphant return. But I digress.

The title of this chapter is “Truth Hurts,” and the truth revealed is Bruce Wayne’s fate. Assuming the person that truth is supposed to hurt is Clark, it turns out to be a blow that never really lands. There’s a real missed opportunity here, a chance to exploit not only Superman’s weakened physical presence, but his vulnerability on an emotional level. Plenty of chances line up, but Clark moves so quickly from place to place that the truth alluded to never really sinks in. Before we get that emotional closure, Clark is face to face with whatever soul now fraudulently wears his old friend’s identity.

The choice to introduce this new Batman from Clark’s perspective is an obvious, but important one. It’s almost a more successful reveal than we see in the mainline Batman, because the sense of mystery that is essential to the character is somewhat lacking in the heavy armor. It would be nice to see the writers hold back that bit of information from Clark as long as possible. Of course that’s unlikely, but it’s the most interesting development in an otherwise underwhelming relaunch for DC’s biggest heroes. (www.dccomics.com)

Author rating: 6/10