Batman & Superman’s Dark Replacements Collide in New Variant Cover

Batman and Superman’s one-time replacements, Azrael and the Cyborg Superman, meet for the first time in a special variant cover by artist Lee Weeks.

You Are Reading :Batman & Supermans Dark Replacements Collide in New Variant Cover

In a newly revealed variant cover, Superman and Batman’s dark replacements, the Cyborg Superman and Azrael, collide in battle. The cover, by Lee Weeks, is for the forthcoming Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #1, on sale in print and digital this March 15. The series, announced earlier this week, will be written by Mark Waid (returning to DC after nearly a decade away) with art by Dan Mora.

After the “Death of Superman” event, four heroes, each claiming to be Superman, arrived in Metropolis. One of them, a cybernetic being fans referred to as “the Cyborg Superman,” turned out to be a villain, hellbent on revenge against Superman. The Man of Steel, aided by the other three “Supermen,” vanquished the Cyborg Superman. Meanwhile, Batman was facing a crisis of his own: a massive breakout at Arkham Asylum, engineered by Bane to wear the Dark Knight down, as detailed in the epic Knightfall storyline. With Batman at his lowest point, Bane attacked, easily overwhelming him and breaking his back. While Bruce Wayne recovered, Azrael took on the Batman mantle, designing a new, armored suit. Azrael’s time as Batman was brief, and controversial, as he accidentally let a criminal die—which did not sit well with Bruce, who returned to reclaim the role. Azrael struck out on his own afterward. Now, almost 30 years later, these dark and twisted replacements collide for the first time.

DC announced the new series on Newsarama and provided both details on the book’s plot and creative team, as well as a look at the various variant covers. Lee Weeks’ variant cover shows Azrael, in the armor he wore while Batman, perched atop a building overlooking Gotham. The Cyborg Superman hovers in front of Azrael, just out of reach. Both look primed for combat.

The name World’s Finest is a callback to another comic of the same name, published by DC until 1986, that featured Superman and Batman team-ups, and Weeks’ variant cover is a dark reflection of that. Here, it is not Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne, but the Cyborg Superman and Azrael. The cover is also a testament to the popularity of these two characters and the storylines that spawned them, even almost 30 years after their initial publication. The Cyborg Superman not only became one of the Man of Steel’s greatest foes but would go on to menace Green Lantern as well. Azrael recently made his grand return in Batman: Urban Legends, and the publisher has hinted at massive plans for the character’s 30th anniversary.

Azrael and the Cyborg Superman once tried to replace Batman and Superman but fell short. However, these two characters left a lasting mark on fans, and Lee Weeks’ variant cover to Batman/Superman: World’s Finest celebrates them.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/azrael-cyborg-superman-batman-worlds-finest-dc-comics/