Who's the Best... Batman Story?

Doug: Our long-awaited (yeah, seriously - people have been clamoring for it) review of The Dark Knight Returns lands in just a few days. Ahead of that, let's talk Batman stories. Whatcha got for a fave? Is it TDKR? How about something from the Englehart/Rogers/Austin team? There has been some love around here before for "The Joker's Five-Way Revenge!" Or, maybe it was an episode of Batman: The Animated Series? Whatever -- let's have some fun reminiscing on the adventures of the Caped Crusader.

That Zany Bob Haney: World's Finest 228

World's Finest #228 (March/April 1975)
"Crown for a New Batman"
Bob Haney-Dick Dillin/Tex Blaisdell

Doug: Hey, everyone -- it's been a long time since we looked in on a Bob Haney-penned Bronze Age DC. Too long. Of course, with our current series of reviews examining Steve Gerber's run on the Guardians of the Galaxy, we've been getting a certain sort of zaniness through those yarns. But we're back in somewhat familiar territory today, as we jump into another episode of the Super Sons. We first met these guys here on the BAB back in the fall of 2013. This particular issue is in the first half dozen adventures of the Super Sons as under the care of Haney and Dick Dillin, and I'm reading and scanning from the tpb Superman/Batman: Saga of the Super Sons.

Doug: As with almost every DC comic of this era, the splash page sets up that issue's mystery. And are we faced with a humdinger in this one! Lying prone on the floor of his penthouse balcony is Bruce Wayne, Superman standing over his corpse. Emerging from the apartment are Bruce, Jr. and Clark, Jr. -- the Super Sons. And to lead off, Haney gives us some painful dialogue as young Clark says to young Bruce, "Cry it out, Bruce-buddy! Get all the grief out of you!" Ouch. As we turn the page, our heroes find a couple of clues beside Wayne's body -- a dried seal paw, and a dagger made of whale bone. Superman quickly uses his Super-brain to deduce that the killer must have come from the Arctic (ya think?), and young Bruce heads inside to tell his mother. Elsewhere, we see the city react to the news of the elder Wayne's passing, via the newspapers, and a somber Alfred set to put the cape and cowl into permanent storage. Later, as young Bruce tells his veiled (always) mother that he will assume the role of the new Batman, a voice calls loudly from off-panel. It's Dick Grayson, and he has come home to assume the mantle of the Bat himself. So you see where this is headed. The two youths bicker before Clark, Jr. tells them to cool it, but even the next day at the funeral each young man thinks to himself about personal memories of the Batman, and how he shall take over.

Doug: At the reading of Bruce Wayne's will, both Bruce, Jr. and Dick await the blessing of their deceased mentor. But while financial arrangements are mentioned (Alfred is going to live "comfortably" on $20K a year? My, how times have changed!), no word is spoken as to who shall become the new Batman. But what is strange is the last bequest -- that $5 million should go to a mystery partner of Wayne's, a Simon Link... but only if he comes forward to claim it. Later, Bruce, Jr. dons his own Batman costume and heads to his father's fresh grave to make an oath. Robin is there, however, with the same idea, and decides that these two rivals can settle things once and for all with a contest to see who can bring Bruce Wayne's killer to justice first. Now don't you think this is all just a little morbid and incredibly disrespectful to the deceased? Anyway, as the two young avengers shake on their deal they are split by a harpoon that lands in between them. Spying their assailant, the two take off after him, but end up stumbling over each other in their earnestness to be the apprehender.

Doug: This is a pretty fast-paced tale, as the very next day who should show up in Gotham City but Simon Link? Seems word about $5 million gets around quickly. He briefs our cast on just how he worked with Bruce Wayne, and that he figures Wayne left him so much money because he was always square in their dealings. But the executor reads one more stipulation from the will -- in order to fully collect, Link must first take Bruce, Jr. to the Bering Sea and show him the life of a seal hunter. Link's not too happy about this, claiming to be retired. But Bruce, Jr. blurts out the deal he had made with Robin -- man, he just outed half the DCU! And then he suggests that they team up with Link to solve this mystery. Shortly, the gang is headed for the Bering Sea on a small plane. Superman and Superman, Jr. fly outside, while Bruce, Jr. and Dick are with Link, who is piloting. Bruce tells that he heard an Eskimo named Malook was headed to the Arctic only days earlier; Link says Malook is a guy to watch. Soon they are at a base for seal hunters and the boys inspect the surroundings. Dick Dillin draws the worst-looking killer whale I have ever seen, by the way.

Doug: Seemingly conveniently, one of Link's men calls out that they are getting a distress call from another base that their ice flow is breaking up. Link orders the Superman family to fly ahead and assist, while they go it alone against potentially hostile Eskimos. Sure enough, as their ship continues they are eventually attacked by Eskimos in kayaks, firing rifles. Link orders Bruce and Dick below deck -- they protest, but he yells at them to move. What happens next raises an eyebrow, as Link fires on the Eskimos in the water with big guns and then rams them with his ship. Soon he's launching artillery onto land, destroying a village of women and children. But unbeknownst to Link, Bruce and Dick bailed off the ship and are making their way to land (Batman, Jr. via kayak, Dick being towed by a seal... no, really). The two are shocked to see the destruction Link has wrought. Then they remember to ask about Malook, and they are pointed toward a nearby cave. The boys strap on some snowshoes and off they go in pursuit. Soon cresting a hill, our heroes see Eskimos using rifles to slaughter seals. Batman, Jr. comes unglued and leaps into the midst of the "hunters". An Eskimo gets a drop on him from behind when Robin leaps to his rescue. The two fight hard, and knock off a mask. Not necessarily a rubber mask (which we are quite fond of around here, in a denigrating sort of way) -- this one appears to be of the Halloween variety, like when you were a kid -- face-fitting, with a rubber band that wrapped round your noggin? The "Eskimos" scatter, and Batman, Jr. is left to wonder which one is Malook. Robin says that none of them are.

Doug: Our not-so-dynamic duo quickly discover that the "Eskimos" made off not on foot, but on hidden snowmobiles. But our heroes have only snowshoes, so they trudge off in the direction in which they think Malook is located. They soon come upon another guy, sans Eskimo mask, who lies dead at the foot of some rocks. They blame his death on this Malook character, and then commandeer the dead guy's snowmobile and head off in hopes of finally solving this mystery. As we enter chapter three, the boys come upon another dead white man. This guy also had a snowmobile, so now both Robin and Batman, Jr. have one. So they race along, until very shortly they come upon a menacing-looking fellow with a rifle. They have finally found their man, Malook! Robin falls to a graze wound, and as the Eskimo approaches him, Batman, Jr. rides hard on his snowmobile, launching himself off of it and onto Malook's back. A shot goes off, but into the sky. Robin is all right, having faked his wound. So now begins the interrogation, and I have to say -- if Bob Haney isn't the product of his times in regard to perspectives and stereotypes on Native Americans, then I don't know who is! The dialogue in this section is painfully racist, both in terminology used as well as the broken English "dialect". Dick Dillin is complicit and assisting, as he draws Malook with the stereotypical buck teeth. Young Malook paints himself as a freedom fighter, and tells the boys that he and his people wanted to remove Simon Link from their area due to his depletion of the seal population; since Bruce Wayne was his major benefactor, then he also needed to go. But Batman, Jr. and Robin aren't so sure that Malook is telling the truth.

Doug: To wrap this one up, Malook tells the boys that there is a man frozen inside an iceberg that looks like a polar bear (no lie). The man in question allegedly would not kill seals as Link had ordered. In that man's pocket is a paper that proves that Link had given orders to kill the Eskimos. Not sure if Malook is totally on the up-and-up, the boys decide to tie him up and stick him in a cave until they return. So it's out of the fightin' togs and back to Link's ship. Link isn't too happy to see them, and orders them back onto the boat -- he says that he's aware of the costumed interlopers, and he'll mete out his justice against them. Bruce tells Link about the man in the ice with the note. And sure enough -- a short time later there's an iceberg. Shaped like a polar bear. Well, Link starts shelling it (dude's got some big guns aboard that seal catcher), and soon enough a body appears, frozen in the belly of the "bear". The corpse is loosed, and Link's men bring it on board. But before any note can be found, Dick says that this proves that Link has not only been illegally harvesting seals, but that he's also perpetrated genocide against the natives. Link orders his men to grab the boys. But all of a sudden, the corpse springs to life -- it's Superman! And Superman, Jr. arrives right away. But before any real pleasantries can be exchanged, they notice that Link has beaten it out of there. Superman, Jr. is in pursuit, and comes across a group of seals making their way across the ice. One of them is really Link, wearing a seal skin for cover. And you can probably guess where this is going -- a killer whale punches through the ice, grabs Link, and hauls him underwater. Back on the ship, who should arrive with the cavalry but Batman?

Doug: Yep, the Caped Crusader himself. Long story short -- Malook really did try to kill Bruce Wayne, but the plainclothes Dark Knight disarmed him and listened to his story. Malook told him about Simon Link, so Wayne took pity on the man and created the ruse that we've seen play out. Superman was in on it from the beginning, but no one else. And how cruel is that? Fake your death, the wife and kid don't know, have a funeral, announce it to the world... I guess Bob Haney thinks all's well that ends well, but I had some problems with this plot the first time I read it and I do again on the re-read. I can take zany -- and we've seen quite a bit of that. But this one, and it may be due in large part to being a product of the time in which the creators grew up and the time in which this saw publication... I found the plot of today's comic overly zany, racist, and with characterization from Robin that wasn't quite right. Overall, this was one of my least enjoyable Haney reads. And I've gone on record stating how the guy has grown on me as I've read more and more of his work. But today really wasn't a satisfying experience, aside from the general Bronze Age aspects of the publication of the book itself.

An Obscure World's Finest Story

Mythology. The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross (Pantheon, 2003)
"The Trust."
Chip Kidd-Alex Ross

Doug:  Closing time, kids.  Not only does today's review close out our month of special stories painted by Alex Ross, but this is our last review before our now-2nd annual vacation.  If you're just dropping in today to check out this post, Karen and I will be taking a break from new posts during the month of January.  In our place you'll find "classic" reviews from our library, as well as lively conversation generated by our readers.  But that's for three days from now.  Today we want to expose many of you to a nifty little story found at the very back of the luscious hardcover you see pictured above.  Designer and text author Chip Kidd teamed with Ross to produce an 8-page story featuring Superman and Batman and Robin.  What can you accomplish in only 8 pages, you might ask?  Why wait?

Karen: I was excited when Doug brought up wanting to review this story in one of our "editors' meetings". I'd read it ages ago and enjoyed it but never thought about reviewing it here. I'm looking forward to this chance to revisit it.

Doug:  It was a nice refresher -- I'd only vaguely recalled the story, and had to look it up to make sure I hadn't dreamt the whole thing!

Doug:  I'll need our DC fans to help me out with this one -- has there ever been a contingency plan in the DCU for dealing with an out-of-his-mind Superman?  I think we all know that in the Marvel Universe, through the years, there have been many a'plan to engage the Hulk when on a berserker rage.  I have no idea if this is a new idea or not, but it's going to be cool.  We open with Superman doing a right-angle smash through the center of the logo sculpture atop the Daily Planet building.  The Batman is on that same roof, weighing his options.  The media has already sent out the word that Superman is out-of-control; the military will soon be on the follow.  Batman knows what he has to do -- it's something he and Superman had agreed to at a prior time.

Karen: I know there was a story (the title escapes me) a few years back where secret plans Batman had made for taking down everyone in the JLA were stolen and used against the heroes. Of course, Batman's team-mates were not too pleased that he had made these contingency plans, but that's the way Batman operates in DC nowadays. In this story, Batman and Superman are obviously still buddies and have made plans together in case something has happened to drive Superman out of control. I like that a lot better.

Doug:  So a batarang shoots out from a pistol, and a line encircles the ankles of the Man of Steel.  Now I know Batman's much stronger than your average guy, but given the speed at which Superman appears to be flying, I would think the Dark Knight's arms would be ripped from their sockets!  But the Batman holds fast and gets one heckuva ride through the skies of Metropolis.  He suddenly gets a transmission from Robin, who is monitoring the situation while doing research into the possibilities of Superman's madness.  The Boy Wonder reports that he's isolated an unknown frequency coming from the Metropolis Observatory -- a transmission that seems alien in origin!  Batman orders him to jam it -- Robin, now sweating it hard, says he needs more time!  As Batman hears the plea of his ward, the centrifugal force from a direction change by Superman hurls his body against the side of a skyscraper.

Karen: Batman is one helluva tough guy, isn't he? But man, that's an exciting sequence! And the intensity of Batman's expression is terrific. I also liked seeing Robin, and in a very sensible role: providing tactical support.

Doug:  In the notes that preface the story, Ross remarks that he and Chip Kidd had discussed that this entire sequence should give readers the notion that they are on a rollercoaster.  I say -- success!

Doug:  We flash back to a time many years prior, in the Batcave.  Superman approaches his friend and confidant, holding a box.  He tells the Batman that inside the box is a means to stop him, should any of his enemies ever gain control of such a Super Man and use him for a weapon.  Batman opens the box, now obviously made of lead, to see a chunk of Kryptonite.  Superman remarks that he wouldn't have asked Lois to do it -- for she could not.  He knows that Batman, however, can.  Cut back to the present, where the pellmell flight continues.  Superman appears to try to shake the Batman off of him, turning at hard angles and flying near to the buildings.  Robin breaks in with another transmission -- his efforts to scramble or block the alien signal have failed.  And more... six stealth bombers are closing on the city.  Batman knows that the time is now -- no looking back.  As he draws the pistol from his utility belt, he thinks of an oath he took after the death of his parents:  no guns.  He thinks how ironic this is -- not even the Joker could make him resort to this action.  But a friend could.  He fires.

Karen: Kidd and Ross do an excellent job of ratcheting up the tension here -and the stakes: six stealth bombers -not fighters, bombers! Man, that seems like overkill. It's all up to Batman. The panel with Batman firing the gun, with his squinting eye just above the barrel, is perfect.

Doug:  Superman flies directly into an office, far above the streets of the city.  Of course, that means Batman is right behind him.  Batman scrambles to his feet and rushes to his friend's side.  He thinks that he has only 10 seconds to remove the projectile he'd fired -- a Kryptonite-tipped dart.  He pulls it from Superman's shoulder and sheathes it in a lead-lined sleeve.  He calls to Superman, who groggily reacts.  As Superman begins to stir, Batman removes a red suctioned transmitter from behind Superman's ear.  The work of Brainiac.  Batman asks Superman, now sitting, if he's OK.  Superman is weak from the ordeal, and from the Kryptonite that directly entered his bloodstream.  Batman muses, "I often wonder, Clark: Do you now what you are?  You are the original myth.  The one we'll always believe.  What would we ever do without you?"

Karen: Batman made sure his weapon was not too lethal. And of course, after saving his friend, the two go off to stop Brainiac (we only get one panel of that  but you know they cleaned his clock). 

Doug:  I loved this short story the first time I read it ten years ago (wow -- hard to believe I've had this book that long), and it's not diminished at all.  The plot and script are minimalist, and we're not really sure of the time in which it's set.  But what I love is we have a Batman untainted by Frank Miller, Bane, the "Death of Bruce Wayne", or anything else.  Dick Grayson is Robin.  And Superman?  Doomsday isn't even on the radar.  So this is an untarnished corner of the DCU.  Shoot -- given the way things are today, some new readers might think this is some sort of Elseworlds story!  But what I cherish the most is the characterization -- in word and movement and deed.  It's there.

Karen: I feel the same way. This is the Batman-Superman relationship I want to read about: one of deep mutual respect and friendship. Yes, they are very different, but essentially, their goals are the same. I miss this relationship.

Doug:  Before we part, it should be clear to everyone that Karen and I are unapologetically in Alex Ross's corner.  I received my copy of Mythology for Christmas the year it was published, and later in the spring was able to accompany a friend to a Ross gallery show in Chicago.  I took along my copy of Mythology and Alex signed it to me, on the frontispiece.  You can see that below.

That Zany Bob Haney: World's Finest 215

World's Finest #215 (January 1973)
"Saga of the Super Sons!"
Bob Haney-Dick Dillin/Henry Scarpelli

Doug:  Oh, it's about to get zany around here.  You've had since May to rest up from our last Bob Haney-penned story.  You're going to thank me.  We are definitely on Earth-H today, or maybe better yet Earth-JRWI (Just Roll With It).  Of all the offbeat tales from the mind of Bob Haney, today's might be the gold standard.

Doug:  We open with a splash page of Batman and Superman, their wives, and some tough named Rocco at the funeral of... Superman and Batman?  That's where you'd be wrong.  Because today we're talking about Superman, Jr. and Batman, Jr.!  That's right.  I didn't even know this stuff existed until I stumbled across this trade paperback while doing one of my semi-regular Amazon.com searches.  Since I write these "Zany Bob Haney" posts, I knew I had to have the book.  I bought a nice copy from the used market, and am not disappointed... well, at least not in the condition of the book.  We'll see about this story.  We actually hit our stride on the second page, as Superman sits at his breakfast table, in full costume mind you, while his wife hands him the phone.  We're not privy to Mrs. Superman's identity yet.  On the other end of the line is -- you guessed it -- Clark Kent, Jr.  It seems the lad hasn't made much contact with his parents lately, and they're miffed.  Haney then assaults our senses with a full-throttle generation gap set-up:  Superman is peeved at the kid for not calling his mom, the kid is ticked because he has superpowers he's never been able to use, Superman says he only has half of the superpowers anyway because he has an Earth mother and one Superman in the family is enough, and yada yada yada.  Young Clark gets in one more shot, telling the old man that he's ruined his life by making him be a softie like Clark Kent!  And then the biker gang busts through the window of the community center (natch) where young Clark is working.

Doug:  "Satan's Sockers" proceed to tear up the place.  Clark's having none of it, and with his dad still on the line takes it to the gang.  Clark rips through them pretty easily; but on the phone we can hear Superman telling the Mrs. "I better get over there!"  But when Superman arrives the gang is gone and he's left to chew out Clark for showing off his powers.  Clark reminds him that they are only "half" powers.  They exchange some more terse words, and then young Clark punches his way through a wall while Superman calls after him to come back.  We then cut over to Gotham City, where Bruce Wayne, Jr. is being awakened by Alfred... for lunch.  Donning a robe, young Bruce joins his parents (Mrs. Wayne is shrouded behind a large hat).  The generation gap is all good at this home as well, as young Bruce voices his disdain for his father and the restrictions placed on him by his parents.  Alfred clicks on the television news, to a story about the Batman arresting a mob leader.  Or so he thought.  The cops had to let the guy go for insufficient evidence, and now he plans to sue the city and the Batman!  Master Wayne is shocked, as he wasn't anywhere near this guy.  Then Alfred spills the beans and young Bruce goes ballistic, calling the faithful butler a traitor.  You see, the spare Bat-suit went missing -- well, we know who was wearing it.  Some more inter-generational bickering fires up, and young Bruce leaps over the penthouse garden's wall (his mother faints at the sight) and slides down a wire to the street (still wearing his PJ bottoms and the red robe, for sure).

Doug:  Do you remember when Superman used to leap tall buildings in a single bound?  It's kind of neat that Haney re-employs that limitation on young Clark.  We see him bounding "100 miles at a leap" and heading toward Gotham City.  In Gotham, young Bruce is at a nightclub with a lovely blonde but wants no part of her.  He says he's waiting for someone... we know who.  In walks Clark and the two kindred spirits greet one another.  They head outside for a walk and to discuss their problems.  They both agree that their dads are pretty cool, but as youngsters they're misunderstood.  Unbeknownst to the boys, though, a little "superdickery" is afoot as their dads are listening to the whole conversation through a bug planted on Bruce by Alfred!  The super dads lament the situation, but try to think of a way to humor their sons.  Batman points to a drawer labeled "Crime Files" (a step down from "Bat Shark Repellant") and says he knows that in Sparta City the head goon, a Rocco Krugge, is losing his grip.  What if the boys were sent in to finish off Rocco, which should be an easy task?  Superman isn't so sure, and then comes up with a zany idea -- what if he creates a duplicate city, that will vanish when the super sons experiment is over?  Like you, I'm sure, Batman says "Huh?!?"  Superman flies off to what really looks like San Francisco and heads into the bay to the end of the San Andreas Fault.  He then shakes the fault much like you or I would shake out a rug.  Look at the picture... I ain't making this stuff up.  And to prove it, I'm providing the next page so that you can read this time/space explanation in all its Haney-glory.  Neal Adams has nothing on geo-evolution after reading this scientific mess!!

Doug:  So the scene settles in Sparta City, where we look in on an ailing Rocco Krugge.  His son, Rocco Krugge, Jr. (sheesh...  but you know what?  I have grown to love these Haney-tales because of their sheer idiocy!!), is getting pressure from one of the top goons to take over the family and put down some punks who want their own piece of the action.  But this guy's interested in normalcy, not a life as a don.  Outside, Superman checks his work and notes the tremors besetting the city as it time slips.  At about that instant, the boys arrive on a motorbike and get chased by a buckling, snaking road!  They make it safely into town, and are about to wet themselves because their own super-dads sent them here to deal with the Krugge situation.  As they get to downtown, they come upon a gun battle between a car and a cable car.  The boys strip out of their civvies, their dads' costumes on underneath, and go into action.  Clark lifts the cable car while bullets ricochet off of him -- he informs us that the bullets do leave bruises.  Bruce jumps into the car and metes out a little justice, albeit with some hip lingo.  After the mop up, the boys hop back on their bike, leaving behind a calling card signed "Courtesy of Batman, Jr. and Superman, Jr."  Again, I am in no way making this stuff up.  I couldn't.

Doug:  We head back to the Krugge estate to find Rocco, Sr. mysteriously healed.  He's ranting at some of his muscle and vowing to get the Super Sons.  Then to a rented room we go to find the boys basking in the glory of the success of their first mission and admiring their press.  They decided to head out again, so jump on the motorcycle, in full costume.  They don't get too far before the bike starts acting funny.  Superman, Jr. tosses Batman, Jr. away just before the bike explodes!  Yup -- the mob found these guys out (how?  They were wearing costumes) and rigged the cycle.  So now it's war, say Batman, Jr.   Because criminals are a superstitious and cowardly lot, you know.  The boys take out several low-level heavies over the next week, but realize they're not putting much of a dent in the larger operation.  Their big break comes when Rocco Krugge decides to send his own son to meet with the Super Sons, to set a trap.  Our young heroes arrive on a wharf for the meeting, and Superman, Jr. moves to a secluded spot to cover Batman, Jr.  Rocco, Jr. shows up and presents damning evidence that would convict his father.  Batman, Jr. (bro--therrrrr) is excited, but only until Lil' Rocco pulls a piece on him.  Batman, Jr. tells Rocco, Jr. that he isn't sweating, because his "super chum" is nearby.  Suddenly a bomb goes off and we see young Superman sprawled across the docks, out cold.  Rocco, Jr. keeps the gun on Batman, Jr. and the next we see is the super boys in the back of a limo, accompanied by the Krugges.  Our young warriors are taken to a half-completed dam, where Superman, Jr. is pushed over the edge -- and then buried in wet cement!  Batman, Jr. laments this development, but old man Krugge tells Rocco, Jr. to off the young Batman.  As the elder Krugge's limousine pulls away, we hear a single "Pow!"

Doug:  We check back in with the parents.  Clark Kent is again at the breakfast table, but this time in a business suit.  In Gotham, the Waynes enter their Rolls.  Both of the wives worry aloud about the boys; both of the dads reassure their women that their sons will be just fine.  But, just to keep everyone happy, Superman flies out to Sparta City to check on things.  Flying at the right frequency (uh... yeah, nevermind), he enters the duplicate city.  But what does he find there but a vibrant, healthy Rocco Krugge addressing the media.  Wait a second, thinks the Man of Steel.  And then it hits him.  When he altered space and time, whatever they were treating the dying Krugge with must have short-circuited or something and sped up the healing process!  So now we come back to the splash page again, at the funeral of the Super Sons.  Superman and Batman are there in costume, again with their wives, and Rocco Krugge.  Batman wants to go after Krugge, but Superman talks him down.  Batman is overtly emotional, and as he stalks off with his wife yells to Superman that this is his fault and he never wants to see him again!  In the car, the elder Krugge says to young Rocco that this couldn't be better, and the evidence that young Rocco had given to Batman, Jr.?  -- Don't worry about it.

Doug:  However, in his dreams Rocco Krugge is visited by a vision of a quite healthy Superman, Jr. and Batman, Jr.  He dresses and drives himself to the cemetery (were the boys buried in Sparta City??), where he finds the graves open, the coffins on the ground, and empty!  The boys emerge from the shadows to confront their would-be murderer.  Clark says that suspended animation really is no trouble for him, and young Bruce of course has a utility belt full of funny herbs and such.  Rocco's believing this not, so Haney gives him (and us) the explanation:  Superman, Jr. was really freed from the concrete before his air ran out, and Batman, Jr. really wasn't shot by Rocco, Jr.  Of course lil' Rocco steps out of his own shadow and tells his old man that a life of crime just wasn't for him.  The old man scoffs at this development, and says the evidence isn't there to convict him of anything.  Just one second, says the Super Sons as they produce the files.  You see, Superman, Jr. had used his X-ray vision to locate the papers while he was in the concrete -- which was in a dam way outside the city limits.  And unless I don't know my geography, I believe on flat land the eye can only see about seven miles before the curvature of the Earth takes one's vision away.  And it's not flat near San Fran, kids!  Well, with these latest revelations, Rocco, Sr. takes off running.  Dummy trips over a headstone, though, and his rod goes off.  Bang, dead.  And guess where he fell?  Right over his own wife's tombstone.  Young Rocco says that his mom always resented the life of crime.  Now they were both at peace.

Doug:  On the outskirts of Sparta City, Superman and Batman have gathered with their sons to debrief on the mission.  The boys are a little irked that it was a set-up with the phony city, and that the real Krugge is still at large.  Not so fast, says Batman -- the real Krugge died of a heart attack while visiting his wife's grave.  So in the end, the Krugge empire was brought down.  The boys seem to take that explanation for what it's worth.  Then they tell their dads that they don't want the super-scene anymore, and off they ride, into the sunset.

Doug:  Whew!  What a dense story with a zillion zany turns.  As I said above, I've come to admire Haney's imagination and I take these stories for what they're worth.  Bob Haney obviously didn't give a rip about characterization or continuity -- he just wanted to tell zany stories.  And you know what?  They're kind of fun, in a "what the heck??" sort of way.  Keep you on your toes, that's for sure.  We haven't seen a whole lot of Dick Dillin on the BAB, but he's just as solid as ever in this issue of World's Finest.  I have no prior knowledge of inker Henry Scarpelli, but I noticed in the trade that the next issue was inked by Murphy Anderson.  As you might imagine, it's a little slicker production.  As a programming note before I leave, by the time this sees print I should have received my copy of the new Jim Aparo hardcover, which continues his run with Haney on The Brave and the Bold.  We're not done with the zany one yet, not by a long shot!