World’s Finest
Genres: Action, Adventure, Superhero
Publisher: DC Comics
Vol 1: Spring 1941 – January 1986
World’s Finest Comics was published initially by National Periodical Publications and later by DC Comics beginning in the Summer of 1941 until January of 1986 spanning a total of 322 issues. The series was intially entitled World’s Best Comics, but changed to World’s Finest Comics after issue #1.
Originally, World’s Finest Comics was an anthology series that featured DC’s most popular characters from other anthology series — mainly Superman and Batman. The comic was 1.5 times larger than standard comics, and cost 15¢ (when standard comics were 10¢). The series was orginally issued on a quarterly schedule for the first twenty issues. It then went to a bi-monthly schedule but still retained more pages then the other DC Comics at the time.
With World’s Finest #71, the comic was made regular-size (and price). In order to retain the draw of Superman and Batman without giving them both full-length stories, the series began chronicling the team-up adventures of Batman and Superman. Unlike their Post-Crisis counterparts, the early versions of these characters were the greatest of friends and routinely teamed up to battle the likes of villains such as Lex Luthor, Brainiac and the Joker. Although not considered an official part of the World’s Finest team, the Golden Age Robin assisted them in many of their adventures.
For the best part of the Silver and Bronze Ages, the series continued publication with different formats going from regular size comics, featuring experimental ideas such as removing Batman from the lineup and making this series a team up book for Superman while Batman would team up with other heroes in the The Brave and the Bold Vol 1. The sales of World’s Finest Comics began to lag so Batman was brought back to the lineup. Other concepts included the Super-Sons storyline and the 80-pages Dollar Comics, which featured various back-up stories including Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel, Green Arrow and Hawkman among other notable characters, but always with a main focus on Batman and Superman. The series was eventually cancelled in 1986 after a series of failed attempts to revitalize the concept of the primary characters and the growing tensions between them as their new characterization made it impossible to keep the stories feasible.
Vol 2: August 1990 – October 1990
World’s Finest Vol 2 was a limited series that was published in 1990, written by Dave Gibbons and illustrated by Steve Rude. The series ran for three issues, in which a linear storyline was developed.
The series is a throwback to the anthology series titled World’s Finest (Volume 1); in which Batman and Superman starred as the featured characters. The previous series was cancelled in 1986, due to growing conflict in the characterization of the heroes, which was much different from the original concept. This series returns to the team-up format between Batman and Superman under the “World’s Finest” slogan, although the narrative is adjusted to fit the modern characterization of both heroes.
Vol 3: April 1999 – January 2000
This is the first time Bruce Wayne meets Clark Kent as well as the first encounter between Batman and Superman. In a world which isn’t yet accepting its new heroes, Batman and Superman learn to work together the hard way.
Vol 4: December 2009 – March 2010
After tracking down a threat to The Man of Steel – and all of Metropolis – Red Robin must team up with the new Kryptonian Nightwing to end this mysterious threat and rescue Flamebird. But is all this just a red herring to distract the heroes from an even bigger threat to Gotham City and New Krypton? Be here to find out in this 4-issue miniseries from rising star writer Sterling Gates (SUPERGIRL) and artist Julian Lopez.
