Batman/Superman 2 Hardcover – 27 April 2021

I enjoyed this volume much more that the first book. It could because I prefer the self contained stories, though they are influenced by what is going on in the DC universe.Book contains three story arcs and couple of stand alone stories.The first arc is against Ra's al Ghul and Zod, but are Batman and Superman more likely to team with their nemesis than each other.Arc two starts with a supposed reformed criminal is supposed back to his old ways and taking a chunk out of Gotham as well, but is their a hidden puppet master?Arc three starts with a wrecked Batcave. Batman's data base of criminal motives, activities, behaviour and next steps is corrupted and Batman and Superman are nowhere to be found it is up to Batwoman and Steel to find them and save the day.The annual is the 5th dimension imps once again arguing over who would win between Batman or Superman, of course the two heroes will need to role play the argument.The final story in about the heroes showing their humanity and a good last story.

“Batman/Superman – World’s Deadliest” collects issues #7-15 and Annual #1. Note that the series returns after the Future State event with a new volume 1.I was expecting a sequel to the first volume, dealing with the fates of the various characters infected by the Batman Who Laughs from the Death Metal event, but that is nowhere to be seen here.This is a collection of Superman & Batman team-ups, which are well-written and illustrated, but appear to be filling in the gap between Death Metal and Future State.There is a bit of continuity with their ‘regular’ series, but these are stand-alone stories (like in the current Justice League, for example). There lead story involves General Zod, Ra’s al Ghul, Kandor and Lazarus Pits…another featuring the Parasite and a very old mad scientist (literally and figuratively) from Superman’s past, and others involving Solomon Grundy, Bat Mite & Mr Mixelynitpixel, as well as rogue AIs from Batman’s past (and present and future, probably).These are entertaining, not quite old-fashioned, stories (like the current Justice League, for example), and we probably could do with more of them.