A Natural Disaster
Finally, a Worlds' Finest issue with a really good cover. It's emotionally intense for the right reasons, and oddly ominous in a unique way.
HOLY CRAP! IT'S A WORLDS' FINEST ISSUE WITHOUT FAR TOO MANY ARTISTS FOR NO REASON! Kevin Maguire's art has a few hiccups here and there, but overall I'm just relieved to finally have an issue with reasonably consistent artwork.
Although even though the art is now the most consistent it's been yet, ironically the story is all over the place, following up on loose ends from multiple arcs. Most of this issue follows up on the Holt forces raid on Starr Labs from last issue, but then right in the middle the story has to whiplash over into fallout from The Death of Robin, which somewhat continues the Family Matters arc, but technically kind of cut's any direct followup short. It also gives a perfect opportunity for some serious character development on Huntress' part, to perhaps meet Earth-Zero's Batman, but Levitz decides to eschew that in favor of continuing the odd Mr. Terrific arc. It just seems like a wasted opportunity. The whole scene is just so short, and only barely emotional enough, that it just feels obligatory. The whole thing really should've had more impact.
And then there's Power Girl. She's supposed to be super smart, right? Or at least not a complete bumbling idiot. I mean, what kind of person decides that, if her old missing friend supposedly tried to ransack her lab with no concrete proof that it was actually him behind it, the proper response is to go to his lab and throw a hissyfit and destroy it instead of LOOKING FOR EVIDENCE. She doesn't even seem like she's blind with rage, she's very casual about it, but yet she's dumb enough in her approach to ACCIDENTALLY CAUSE A MAJOR EARTHQUAKE! SERIOUSLY!? HOW CAN POWER GIRL BE THAT UTTERLY STUPID!? And her overcompensating sexual promiscuity to make up for the absence of the boob window is just.... "How could you not realize Michael Holt was Mr. Terrific if you were sleeping with him?" "He was good maybe, but Terrific...? Maybe I have higher standards?" UGH. Just.... ugh.
I am intrigued by what's going on with Mr. Terrific lately based on his complete character shift in Earth 2, and sudden appearance back on Earth Zero, so maybe the next issue will be somewhat good, but this one only barely introduced the idea.
In Conclusion: 1.5/5
There were some decently interesting developments on the Mister Terrific plot, and I have to give some props for FINALLY not being all over the place artistically, but this issue was all over the place in terms of story. A massive missed opportunity turned into an obligatory short scene that interrupted the flow instead of doing any real good; and Power Girl being.... so unbelievably stupid.
