Noteworthy Issues: Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #13 (March, 2023)

Alright, a new storyarc, and this time, it includes a certain Element Man.

Issue:  Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #13, March 2023

Writer:  Mark Waid

Artist:  Dan Mora

The Plot:  When Simon Stagg turns up dead, the World’s Finest team goes looking for Metamorpho.

Commentary:  Well, this was nice.  Then again, every issue in this series so far has been nice, but this one is still nice.  Simon Stagg, the evil billionaire businessman, turns up dead in his hotel room in Metropolis under suspicious circumstances.  It’s Metropolis, so Superman looks into it.  Bruce Wayne was supposed to be meeting him for lunch (though they apparently didn’t like each other much), so the Dynamic Duo are also looking into it.  And one things is clear:  given the cause of death and the state of the room, it sure does look like Rex “Metamorpho” Mason did it.

That leads to an updated version of Metamorpho’s origin story, and it looked a little crazier than before, with Rex basically being a shapeless blob until he learned how to make himself mostly human, all with the support of Sapphire’s love and affection.  Longtime Element Man fans will probably be happy to see Rex, Java, and Sapphire, and somehow, I’ll be surprised if Stagg is still dead when this is over.

Granted, the issue came up with a nice twist at the end for a prime suspect, at least as far as law enforcement is concerned.  Rex was a prime suspect, but it looks like he didn’t do it.  And as for the suspect that gets arrested…oh, I know that person didn’t do it.  It just remains for the World’s Finest team, with Jimmy Olson, Robin, and Metamorpho’s help I’m sure, to figure out who really did kill Simon Stagg.

But yeah, a last page swerve I didn’t see coming, and for that alone and the implications of that swerve, I approve of this third storyline.  You know, unless Waid and Mora drop the ball before all this is over.

I doubt that they will.

Grade:  B+