DC Comics, Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #7 & #8 Spoilers: Who Is The Boy Thunder?

Spoilers

DC Comics, Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #7 and #8 Spoilers follow.

Who Is The Boy Thunder?

Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #7 Spoilers follows.

Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #7
Written by: Mark Waid
Art by: Dan Mora
Covers by: Dan Mora, Joshua Middleton, Pete Woods, Todd Nauck

BRAND-NEW STORY ARC! The untold story of Superman’s short-lived sidekick is at last revealed, but what secret connection to one of DC’s most timeless tales does this story foreshadow? Only time will tell (that’s a clue, folks). The next epic arc in the World’s Finest saga begins here!

The book opens with a teen from Gotham City seemingly having a similar origin story to Superman’s.

Well, that alternate Earth’s ship lands on the Primer Earth 0.

The boy escaped his exploding Earth, misses his parents and generates a lot of heat?!

Superman helps him calm down and control his powers.

The boy is taken to the Fortress of Solitude, but specifically into the Bottle City of Kandor, where he is examined by Kryptonian scientists.

We learn that the boy, David Sikela, came from an Earth that may have been cooler than the core universe’s Earth so his body process the sun’s energy differently.

He’s given legendary Kryptonian freedom fighter Hel-Oz’s costume as it may be able to contain his powers.

Well, that costume is in fact Superman’s old Nova costume from when he briefly lost his super-powers in September 1968’s World’s Finest #178.

DC did also introduce a Supernova character in 2006’s 52 Week 8. The character was seemingly partially inspired by Superman’s Nova persona.

Although, Michael Jon Carter aka Booster Gold is credited as the first Supernova with the third Supernova being the villain Jonar Jon Carter who is Booster Gold’s father.

While I’m not familiar with a Hel-Oz, I am familiar with Mister Oz, who was Superman’s father Jor-El who survived Krypton’ s destruction and became a villain.

November 2017’s Action Comics #988 has Jor-El explain how he survived and how he became Mister Oz.

Ok, back to 2022’s Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #7.

On this Earth, David Sikela’s parents live, but mourn David as he died as baby.

He’s told to spare them that pain, of reliving their David’s death, which makes David break down consoled by Superman.

The main story ends with Boy Thunder seemingly joining or at least set to train with the Teen Titans.

The actual book’s cliffhanger page teases a rather macabre Key’s return.

Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #8 Spoilers follows.

Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #8
Written by: Mark Waid
Art by: Dan Mora
Covers by: Dan Mora, Taurin Clarke, Travis Mercer, Clayton Henry

RECKLESS YOUTH continues as Superman and Batman struggle to mentor the new Boy Thunder! The Key has drawn the World’s Finest team into an impossible dilemma unlike any they’ve ever faced when the entire city of Metropolis goes into a deadly lockdown!

It should be noted that despite the solicitations calling this arc Reckless Youth, the arc is now called Strange Visitor. Yes, that name is familiar to many DC fans. Sharon Vance went by Strange Visitor and debuted in October 1999’s Superman #149.

That cover was modeled on May 1997’s Superman #123 and the electric Superman Blue.

Between those covers, from February to June 1998 we has a Superman Blue and Superman Red, electric style, storyline.

That was modeled on July 1963 imaginary tale in Superman #162.

These stories seemingly inspired May 2017’s Superman Reborn arc that saw Action Comics #976 with their own take on Superman Red and Superman Blue.

Upcoming in January 2023 it appears these stories continue to influence with Jon Kent, Superman’s son, seemingly having to don the Superman Blue containment suit for an indeterminate period in his own new limited Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent series featuring Earth 2 Val-Zod Superman and Earth 3’s Ultraman.

Ok, onto October 2022’s Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #8.

The Teen Titans are testing David Sikela’s powers and they even give him is Boy Thunder nom du guerre.

Wonder Girl warns Robin about Boy Thunder as she is getting a bad vibe from him for some reason.

That’s an interesting tease as writer Mark Waid has said Boy Thunder is a longstanding DC character who will be unmasked, so to speak, at the end of this arc.

However, before that the Key has trapped Gotham City, quite literally, where they are.

That includes Batman and Robin being trapped in the Batcave.

While Superman is reluctant to have Boy Thunder help out, Batman isn’t and sends him on a mission.

There’s miners stuck in a mine with methane gas so Boy Thunder has to be careful as his powers could ignite the methane and kill everyone.

However, the latch is broken and he must use his powers like a scalpel to open the door.

However, he can’t. He flies off in tears. We get a seeming flashback to a similar situation on his parallel Earth that has David shook. Despite the imagery and trauma, Boy Thunder musters up the courage to go back, use his powers with precision and save the miners.

However, Boy Thunder is still troubled and traumatized. It’s not clear whether Supergirl’s words of comfort, as she as a teenager or so when she lost Krypton, will help David.

The book ends with the revelation that the Key is in cahoots with Batman’s arch nemesis the Joker.

Next up is Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #9 whose cover spoiled this cliffhanger months ago.

Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #9
(W) Mark Waid (A/CA) Dan Mora

Batman and Superman are on a quest to train the mysterious new hero Boy Thunder… but what’s that in the dark? A faint noise…sounds like a laugh? Uh-oh. The Joker is here and he’s got his own plans for a super-powered sidekick! Someone hide all the crowbars, quick!


In Shops: Nov 15, 2022

SRP: $3.99

Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #9 is in stores on November 15, 2022.

John is a long-time pop culture fan, comics historian, and blogger. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief at Comics Nexus. Prior to being EIC he has produced several column series including DEMYTHIFY, NEAR MINT MEMORIES and the ONE FAN'S TRIALS at the Nexus plus a stint at Bleeding Cool producing the COMICS REALISM column. As BabosScribe, John is active on his twitter account, his facebook page, his instagram feed and welcomes any and all feedback. Bring it on!