Flashback Fave: (ANIMATED) WORLD'S FINEST

When this was released on laserdisc more than a decade ago, I taped it to VHS and must have watched it about a dozen times, more or less. I thought the story was really, really good (with a few cool character interactions and moments), the voice acting top notch, and the animation exemplary (sort of an anime spin on Bruce Timm's BTAS style).

I was a fan of Batman, and admired, though was not that big a fan of Superman. Together, however, I liked the chemistry and contrast in characters. Gone were the days of the  happy, smiling relationship of their previous team-ups in the early days of comics. Since the 80's, the two were antagonistic and distrustful of one another - perhaps reaching it's zenith in the mano y mano, boot-in-the-face confrontation of the Dark Knight Returns. I was also a big fan of the "prestige" mini-series World 's Finest, written by Watchmen artist Dave Gibbons and gorgeously drawn by Steve Rude.

Memorable comics confrontations

With the success of B:TAS followed by Superman's turn in the hand-drawn realm, it was only a matter of time until the two teamed up, and with the "World's Finest" series of episodes in S:TAS (combined for one straight-to-video movie), the wait was well worth it.

Not a great start

When a mysterious jade statue gets stolen in Gotham by the Joker, Batman tracks it (and him) to Metropolis. He promptly encounters Superman and, in one of the first "cool" moments, simply uses his x-ray vision to discover Batman's alter ego. Not one to accept such a offense without retribution, Bats promptly stalks - via hidden tracker - Superman to his apartment, where he sees him changing into Clark Kent.

You peeked

Eventually setting aside their differences and misunderstandings, the two team up to try and foil the Joker, who himself has forged a shaky alliance with Lex Luthor, by making a deal to kill Superman with the jade statue (actually - surprise! - made of kryptonite). Like the two heroes, there's a couple of scenes displaying the characters' outward, often hilarious enmity towards one another. Another interesting plot development is the love triangle between Lois, Batman/Bruce and Superman/Clark, which almost ended up in marriage(!) for Lois-Bruce, until she discovers Batman's secret identity, and has second thoughts.

When were you going to tell me? The honeymoon?

For anyone wanting more of a Superman/Batman team-up it's a good thing DC Animation eventually turned Justice League into an animated series, extending their relationship, complete with passive-aggressive interplay, with the two eventually having, if not a traditional friendship, mutual respect for each other.

A comics adaptation of an adaptation of a comic