Review: Batman/Superman Vol. 3- Second Chance

Quick Summary

Pros: The opening chapter is a fun change of pace. The second half of the book is a unique look at Batman and Superman. This half also does well in examining how the two heroes’ past affects their present. This half also looks better artistically.

Cons: The first half of the book is pretty average overall. The Superman: Doomed crossover issue will be confusing for those unfamiliar with the event. The artwork in the first half of the book is lackluster.

Overall: This is a book that starts out alright and ends strong. On the negative side, the collection starts with a few stories that are only average, and the art stumbles in a few places. On the positive side, the quality level soars in the second half and provides a unique take on Batman and Superman that any fan will be able to appreciate. This second half pushes the book from average to good and makes it worth reading. If you enjoyed the first two volumes of this series, it is very likely that you will enjoy this one as well.

Story

Though Batman/Superman Vol. 3: Second Chance is not quite as strong as the two preceding volumes, it is still an above average book that presents an entertaining take on both Batman and Superman. It starts with some action packed stories that aren’t that deep but manage to be pretty fun. Then, the second half of the book adds in some additional meaning and concludes the collection with a solid look into who Batman and Superman are as heroes. Overall, this volume is another success that continues a lot of what readers enjoyed about the first two volumes.

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The volume starts out by eschewing the series’ traditional focus on examining Batman and Superman’s characters and places the focus on fun action instead. The first story, written by Jeff Lemire, relishes in this and sees Superman shrink down into Batman’s bloodstream so that he can defeat a few microscopic invaders. It is a somewhat ridiculous premise that lends itself well to entertaining fight scenes and humor. Though this isn’t as powerful or meaningful as some prior stories in this series, it does end up being a fun interlude between two heavier storylines.

Shortly after, the volume transitions into the main event. The demon Kaiyo, from Batman/Superman Vol. 1: Cross World (Review), returns and sends Batman and Superman back in time to Darkseid’s invasion of Earth 2. This chapter of the story is a bit generic and is mostly a rehash of an earlier DC Comics story, but may be a bit more entertaining for those who have not read Earth 2 Vol. 1: The Gathering. It is also mostly an introduction to the rest of the book, meaning it sacrifices a bit of entertainment value in order to provide necessary information.

Once this chapter concludes, the real fun begins and the book gets every bit as good as the first two volumes. Superman and Batman have their memories wiped and are thrust back into the real world with no knowledge of what they are doing or who they are. This causes them to devolve into versions of themselves uninhibited by the past. Superman starts to take the law into his own hands and Batman tries to avoid crimefighting entirely. Seeing them like this is fun and interesting as it is so radically different from the versions most fans have come to know and love.

It also ends up being another poignant reflection on who the two are as heroes. Both of them realize how much their past helped shape them into the people they are today and how necessary that past is. This knowledge comes at a price though, since both of them realize that they could, potentially, be happier if they let loose from their own iron-clad morals. It is a wonderful acknowledgement on the responsibility and pain these two heroes bear.

Second Chance also collects one chapter of the Superman: Doomed (Review) event. This chapter is a focus on Superman’s chief allies and is, for the most part, entertaining. It has Batman and Wonder Woman team up and enter the Phantom Zone in search of something to help Superman. The biggest downside is that it really only works in conjunction with the rest of the Doomed (Review) event and, thus, will not make much sense for readers who have not read it.

(spoilers end here)

Art

The first half of the book features artwork from a host of different artists, including Karl Kerschl, Scott Hepburn, Tom Derenick, Daniel Sampere, and Tom Raney. For the most part, this half of the book ranges from average to below average. Most characters and locations look alright here; they don’t stand out like they did in the previous volume but they also don’t look bad. However, there are more than a few random places where facial expressions look contorted or characters simply appear to be drawn in an odd manner. These moments negatively affect the work and take away from what is an otherwise decent first half.

The second half of the book starts out with a chapter from Jae Lee and concludes with two from Diogenes Neves, who appears to mimic Lee’s style. Lee’s work is easily the highlight of this collection, as he brings the same level of imagination and quality that we discussed in our review of Vol. 1: Cross World (Review). Neves’ work is not quite at the same level but it is a solid attempt to maintain consistency. Overall, the second half of this book looks good and is a significant improvement from the first half.

Continuity

Batman/Superman Vol. 3: Second Chance continues the story from Batman/Superman Vol. 2: Game Over (Review) but also heavily references the events of Batman/Superman Vol. 1: Cross World (Review).

The story here continues in Batman/Superman Vol. 4: Siege (Review).

This volume also references and continues the stories from other comic books, detailed below:

• At the very beginning of the collection, members of S.H.A.D.E. can be seen talking about and monitoring various superhuman events. These include:
  • Supergirl’s time as a Red Lantern, detailed in Supergirl Vol. 5: Red Daughter of Krypton.
  • Green Arrow’s fight against the Outsiders, detailed in Green Arrow Vol. 5: The Outsiders War (Review).
  • The formation of the Justice League United in Canada, detailed in Justice League United Vol. 1: Justice League Canada (Review).
• The second chapter, of this collection, is a tie-in to Superman: Doomed (Review). See our Superman: Doomed event reading order here to see where it fits in. This chapter also references a number of events from Superman’s past:
  • Wonder Woman mentions that Zod and Faora should be in the Phantom Zone. The two were put there back in Superman/Wonder Woman Vol. 1: Power Couple (Review).
  • Ghost Soldier tried to kill Superman back in Action Comics Vol. 5: What Lies Beneath (Review).
  • Superman’s initial fight against Xa-Du is told in Action Comics Vol. 3: At The End Of Days.
• Earth 2’s final showdown against Darkseid is shown here. This event was originally show in Earth 2 Vol. 1: The Gathering (Review).
• Various specific Batman memories are shown on one page. These include
  • Members of the Court of Owls from Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls (Review).
  • Bloody attacks on Batgirl, Jason Todd, and Damian Wayne from Batman: The Killing Joke, Batman: A Death in the Family, and Batman Incorporated Vol. 2: Gotham’s Most Wanted respectively.
  • Joker’s detached face from Batman Vol. 3: Death of the Family (Review).