smbm_cv75_r1 ...it’s best to leave while the party is still going. And we certainly have quite a party going on as we celebrate SUPERMAN/BATMAN’s 75th issue—in serendipitously enough the same year DC celebrates its own 75th Anniversary. It’s hard to believe this all started with Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness wanting to expand the SUPERMAN franchise from their run with a new take on a team-up book featuring the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight. In the past this was the WORLD’S FINEST, but that name just didn’t seem as fresh anymore. Enter Mike Carlin and his observation of an interesting tattoo he had seen on his commute—in a melding of the S-shield and the Bat-symbol, the book’s logo was born! Now under that icon, some very impressive talent has made its way through its pages. And this couldn’t be more true of the book that will be coming out soon. Starting with an awesome cover by Frank Quitely, the lead story is by Paul Levitz, who finally gets to team the Legion of Super-Heroes with Batman as well as Superman and Superboy, all lusciously illustrated by Jerry Ordway, no stranger to Strange Visitors. But this is just the beginning. What follows is a special section featuring 2-page strips. My homage to WEDNESDAY COMICS. It starts with Steve Seagle and Teddy Kristiansen doing the only sequel they ever will to IT’S A BIRD… with “It’s A Bat, ” a story of how an editor tries to get a special section like this going. It continues with Billy Tucci and Peter Tomasi with Gene Ha each playing up the grand adventures of our heroes, while Adam Hughes, David Finch, J.T. Krul, Francis Manapul, Duncan Rouleau, Jill Thompson, Michael Green with Mike Johnson and Rafael Albuquerque and Shane Davis all show us how the Superman and Batman families have been inspired by these two icons. From Supergirls to super-pets, and a wild take on a Lex Luthor and Joker teaming by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo, it has it all, but don’t just listen to me. Go check it out! So let the party rage—keep the music going, Matt Idelson—as I bid you a fond adios, muchachos; las Linterna Verde me llama. --Eddie B.