Shazam has been infected forcing Batman and Superman to fight their former ally for survival. He’s not the only one infected though. Minor spoilers for Batman/Superman #2 follow.
Batman/Superman started off its new run with some interesting goings on within its pages. It wasn’t perfect, but there was enough good in it to make it enjoyable. With this second issue though, it expands on everything that was good in the first issue, making this issue much better. However, some of the problems present in the first issue are still present, albeit not as prevalent.
The best parts of the first issue were the interactions between Batman and Superman, as well as the art. To start off with the back-and-forth between Batman and Superman, the quality of that continues to be great in this issue. The first half is action-heavy, so its fun to see the two play off each other in that sense. Whereas the back-half of the issue is much more dialogue focused, which lets us see how the two work together. There isn’t a lot of banter in this issue, which really helps to define that camaraderie between the two.
There’s also a more of build-up of what’s to come in this issue. Said build-up is extremely well done, leaving you on your toes. The only problem with this build-up stems from certain announcements that DC has already made, which spoils certain things. Knowing this takes away certain experiences from the issue, but it doesn’t change the fact that the execution is solid.
Yet again in this issue, the art is gorgeous. David Marquez simply knows how to draw superheroes. He picks the exact right moments to go wide with his panels and when to get up close. This creates some excellent pacing throughout the issue, which keeps it moving very briskly. Plus, his linework is beautiful no matter the scenario. The Batwing crashing into Shazam? Gorgeous. Batman and Superman? Impeccable. Batman staring at a computer monitor? Enticing. Everything he does in this issue is great.
The problem with this issue is pretty much the same as last issue, and it will be for a bit it seems like. However, it’s only a problem depending on how you feel regarding The Batman Who Laughs. If you like the character, you will enjoy this issue more. If you’re sick of The Batman Who Laughs, you’ll be a bit more frustrated. This issue relies even more heavily on The Batman Who Laughs, thus paving the way for even more of the character. By itself, this isn’t necessarily a good or a bad thing, it just depends on how you feel about the character.