By: Andrew Fontana
Batman #37 is the perfect superhero team-up comic, period. It’s perfect not only because Tom King understands what makes these characters tick, but also that he’s able to write a great team up comic while having those characters do the most ordinary of things. There’s no alien invasion to fight, no villainous plan to thwart, yet this comic about superhero comics’ most important friendship completely nails why Bruce and Clark complement each other so well. Most of Batman #37 is simply two friends (and their significant others) hanging out, and that’s all Tom King needs to spin one of the most enjoyable single issues in recent memory.
Tom King likes to mirror his characters visually and with dialogue, and he uses that narrative technique here to masterful effect. There’s humor to having Bruce and Clark wear each other costumes, of course, but King elevates that bit of fun to a subtle meditation of how each character inhabits their respective role. If anything, King calls into question the very notion of superheroes being bifurcated beings. As an exchange between Lois and Selina suggests, Batman and Superman are less divided between their public and private personas than is assumed. King makes that clear even as he deftly humanizes them.
Visually, Batman #37 is a stunner. Penciler Clay Mann and colorist Jordie Bellaire are tasked with setting the scene for a quiet, slice of life issue, and they rise admirably to the occasion. Mann’s clear layouts convey the chaos of a county fair while ably keeping the focus on the issue’s cast. A creative use of panels adds a sense of whimsy to the county fair setting. Bellaire ‘s dark, yet vibrant colors makes the night Batman and co enjoy feel palpably real.
Rating: 9.0
