Over the years, Batman and Superman have proven time and time again that they’re the two greatest heroes in the world. Even more than that, while they’re wonderful heroes separately, they’re even better together. As a team, they’ve formed the Justice League, they’ve saved the world countless times, and they’ve become the best of friends.
Even when they’re at odds, Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent can always come together to save the day. Above all else, Batman and Superman truly are the World’s Finest heroes. That is not only their call sign — it’s also the simple truth.
10 When They Appeared Together For The Very First Time And Had Each Others’ Backs
Eighty years ago, the DC Comics series World’s Finest began. While this series was originally intended as a way for Batman and Superman to work together, they wouldn’t actually appear together in the series until World’s Finest #71, written by Alvin Schwartz with art by Curt Swan. It was in this comic that Batman and Superman had to team up for the first time in order to stop a jewel thief.
Not only that, but this was when Superman and Batman actually started really being friends as Clark and Bruce, too. They help defend one another’s identities here, setting up a long-standing precedent of having each other’s backs, no matter what, throughout their lives.
9 When They Shared A Bed In Superman/Batman Annual #1
While Superman and Batman may have officially met nearly a century ago, their meeting has been reimagined countless times since then. In the comics, on the television, and in the movies, Clark and Bruce have had any number of different first meetings with one another. One of the most recent introductions the characters had to one another was in Superman/Batman Annual #1 in 2006.
Written by Joe Kelly with art by Ed McGuinness, this story actually updated an old DC Comics story — Superman #76, written by Edmond Hamilton with art by Curt Swan. These stories see Clark and Bruce meeting for the first time on a cruise ship. They have to share a bed with one another, and both of them are terrified the other one will find out their secret the entire time. Their bond is strong and clear no matter how they meet — especially when a trope like “there was only one bed” gets utilized.
8 When They Swapped Cities To Help Each Other Out In World’s Finest
Any fan of Superman or Batman knows that their home cities of Metropolis and Gotham, respectively, are more important to them than almost anything else. For Batman especially, the drive to protect Gotham is practically a compulsive need. When Bruce and Clark can’t protect their own cities, they make sure to try and help one another out.
In the 1990 miniseries World’s Finest, written by Dave Gibbons with art by Steve Rude, Batman and Superman have to protect one another’s cities. They help each other out and they prove their true deep friendship, despite how new it was at that point.
7 When They Had To Overcome Their Differences In The Movies
The pages of DC Comics comic books are not the only places Batman and Superman have been the World’s Finest. In movies like The Batman/Superman Movie: World’s Finest, Batman and Superman have no choice but to team up. At first, here, they don’t get along at all. This is often the case when Batman and Superman meet for the first time, as they can naturally bristle against one another.
However, over the course of the film, the two of them grow to be not only friends by the end of it, but also respectful of one another as heroes. They’re able to stop the bad guys in this movie, which was technically three episodes from Superman: The Animated Series — World’s Finest, parts I, II, and III — and become the dynamic duo fans knew, loved, and wanted to see most of all.
6 When They Were Willing To Do Anything For Each Other In Batman & Superman: World’s Finest
There are many series and stories that go by the name World’s Finest. In fact, there are so many stories that use this famous call sign for the duo that it’s easy to get lost in them. Another series that held the name was Batman & Superman: World’s Finest, written by Karl Kesel, with art by a variety of artists across the series, including Dave Taylor, Tom Morgan, Peter Doherty, and Graham Nolan.
This series saw ten issues that spanned ten years of Batman and Superman’s friendships. In these pages, fans of the World’s Finest can see the two slowly becoming closer and closer. Not only that, but this is one of the comics that showcases just how much Bruce and Clark truly mean to one another — and that they really are the World’s Finest in all ways.
5 When They Were More Than Teammates, But Also Friends
Some people see superhero teams like the Avengers or the Justice League, they consider the characters to be more coworkers than actual friends. However, over the years, Batman and Superman have actually proven that they are friends. Their friendship has strengthened their bond as well as their abilities as superheroes.
In Jeph Loeb’s run on the ongoing monthly Superman/Batman comic, there are many moments that show that the strength of Bruce and Clark’s friendship has similarly strengthened them as heroes. Without being there for each other, they couldn’t be the World’s Finest superheroes that they are.
4 When They Were Superpowered Teammates On The Small Screen
The Batman/Superman Movie: World’s Finest wasn’t the only time that Clark and Bruce were best friends on television. The television show Justice League, as well as the show Justice League Unlimited — which was technically the same show, as well as a sequel — saw Clark and Bruce’s friendship actually being instrumental to the team’s success.
From the very beginning, they — and Wonder Woman — are the ones keeping everything together. Even when they have to fight the Justice Lords versions of themselves, their bond only grows deeper — and their superheroics grow stronger.
3 When Batman Helps Superman Stay A Superhero After Losing His Powers
At times, it seems that Batman might only keep Superman around because of how powerful he is. Even though they’re best friends, Superman could be a liability if he lost his powers. However, when that very thing happened in Superman/Batman: Annual #2, “The Unexamined Life…,” written by Joe Kelly with art by Scott Kolins. Much like Superman/Batman Annual #1, this story revisited old stories about the World’s Finest and updated them for the modern comics.
This particular annual updates and reimagines World’s Finest #178, “The Has-Been Superman,” and World’s Finest #180, “Superman’s Perfect Crime.” In Superman/Batman: Annual #2, Superman loses his powers, and Batman and Robin take it upon themselves to teach Clark how to fight. They save him in all ways and help him keep being a hero even when he can’t be superpowered like he once was. Even when Clark can’t be Superman, Bruce is still there for him to help him continue being one of the World’s Finest.
2 When They Always Come Back Together, No Matter What
With superheroes like Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent, it’s always interesting to explore a narrative where the two of them are at odds in some way. In Batman #36 and #37, entitled “SuperFriends,” parts one and two, written by Tom King with art by Clay Mann, the two of them are slowly starting to befriend one another again.
They have to learn how to trust one another once more, and seeing the two of them not only confront each other’s differences but come to love them about one another, gives the characters a firmer friendship than ever before. The light-hearted moments, as well as the deeper bonding conversations, present in these comics, prove that Batman and Superman are truly the World’s Finest whether they’re hashing things out, having fun at a carnival, or saving the world.
1 When They Knew They Needed Each Other In The End More Than Anyone Else
Above all else, Batman and Superman know that they need each other. In the end, they are the ones who balance each other out, and guarantee that they will be able to continue being the incredible heroes they are. In Batman/Superman #27, "Trust," written by Greg Pak with art by Cliff Richards, their balanced relationship is put on display.
This comic sees Clark telling Bruce, “I know all the clichés. I’m the light. You’re the darkness. I fight for justice. You fight for vengeance. But in the end, all that really matters… is that we’ll never give up. And we’ll never give up on each other.” This quote truly encompasses the World’s Finest and their relationship with one another.