Whether you love it or hate it, there is no denying that Superman And Batman are among the most popular ships in the DCU fandom. Although they’ve never been romantically linked in canon, countless comedic moments between the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight have fueled fans’ imaginations. Now, readers have been given yet another moment to inspire even more SuperBat fanfiction and fanart.
With a release date for January 15, 2025, Mark Waid and Adrián Gutiérrez Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #35 is already shaping up to be a highly anticipated issue. Gutiérrez continues as the new ongoing series artist, and the new story arc, 20,000 leaguesBegins. In this arc, the duo responds to a distress call from Atlantis, where they will come face to face with the King of Atlantis himself.
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BATMAN / SUPERMAN: WORLD’S FINEST #35 (2024) |
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Release date: |
January 15, 2025 |
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writer: |
Mark Wade |
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Artist: |
Adrian Gutiérrez |
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Cover artist: |
Dan Mora |
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Variant covers: |
Frank Cho, Chris Samnee, Matt Lopes, Kris Anka and Ethan Young |
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A distress call from Atlantis brought Batman and Superman deep beneath the waves…and face to face with the king himself: Aquaman. But the man of two worlds harbors a secret, and it will be up to the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel to prevent a coup that threatens the peace of all undersea life! A new story arc begins as the world’s finest cruise under the sea with new ongoing series artist Adrian Gutierrez! |
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While fans await the release of the issue, they can enjoy Chris Anka’s Batman and Superman-centric art, part of the ‘Sweater Weather’ variant cover series, Giving bold, steamy interpretations of fan-favorite characters embrace the winter chill.
… Millennials and Gen Zers will likely find even more hilarity in this cover due to their shared appreciation for wine.
Superman and Batman get steamy, winter-themed cover art
Cover D Sweater Weather Card Stock Variant by Chris Anka for Batman/Superman: The World’s Finest #35
Anka’s variant cover depicts the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight enjoying a small pool of glacial water outside the Fortress of Solitude. Clark is shown wearing Superman-themed swimming trunks while Bruce lounges beside him in the waterPut on his Batman deck. Notably, Superman heats the frigid water with his heat vision, turning it into an impromptu hot tub and causing steam to waft off the surface, literally making this the steamiest moment in comics between the two heroes. But, verbatim, the scene explores a rarely seen dynamic: both characters relaxing together outside of their superhero work, with the added bonus of both stripping down to their swimwear.
While there’s inherent humor in Batman and Superman hanging out in their swim trunks — especially with Bruce refusing to remove his deck — millennials and Gen Zers will likely find even more hilarity in this cover due to their shared appreciation for wine. The platform was known for its six-second looping videos that defined the humor of both generations. The scene in Anka’s art evokes an iconic vine with a blurry video of two men making love in a hot tub As ridiculously far apart as possible while an unseen narrator sings, “Two brothers, chilling in the hot tub, five feet apart because they’re not gay.” Therefore, this association only adds to the humor of the scene.
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Is the ‘sweater weather’ variant cover a win for superbat shippers?
Cover C Card Stock Variant by Chris Samnee for Batman/Superman: The World’s Finest #35
Although Anka’s variant cover probably only depicts two friends hanging out in their bathing suits together in a glacial pool, it remains a notable moment for Superbat shippers. It is rare to see Bruce and Clark depicted completely alone outside their heroic escapades, so witnessing them enjoying each other’s bare-chested company at the edge of the world can undoubtedly be interpreted as romantic subtext with a little imagination. This scene will likely inspire at least one fan to create fanart or fanfiction based on it, ultimately benefiting the entire fandom that enjoys shipping. Batman And Superman Together.
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #35 Will be released on January 15, 2025, from DC Comics!