ALL BATMAN (1939) Characters © DC Comics & Bob Kane, etc.

ALL SUPERMAN (1938) Characters © DC Comics, Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster, etc.

Batman & Superman: World's Finest

The Joker had invaded a Gotham City antique shop and stolen a rage, green-colored statue. All the evil clown left of the statue was a piece of glowing stone that Commissioner James Gordon & Detective Harvey Bullock thought was a chunk of harmless jade. Batman, however, suspected it was not jade...and not so harmless.

Sure enough, tests in the Batcave showed that the sinister Joker had stolen a statue made of Kryptonite-the one thing that could kill Superman. Batman turned to his butler Alfred Pennyworth and asked, "Isn't Bruce Wayne about due for a trip to Metropolis?" Alfred knew, Metropolis was the home of Superman.

The Joker was already in Metropolis, making a deal with the evil billionaire Lex Luthor. "Pay me one billion dollars and I'll kill Superman." the grinning villain promised. Luthor agreed. With the Kryptonite, the Joker just might eliminate the Man of Steel once and for all.

That night, Batman searched every corner of Metropolis where criminals were known to hang out. No one was safe from his relentless quest to find a clue-any clue-that might lead him to the Joker.

Superman and Batman had never met, although the Man of Steel had heard tales of how mysterious Batman could be. When the Caped Crusader arrived in Metropolis, Superman decided to stop him. The super hero from Krypton did not realize that he and this masked man were both on the same side.

Superman used his X-ray vision to see the face behind Batman's mask. He was surprised to find that Batman was really the wealthy Gotham City businessman Bruce Wayne. Batman was annoyed. He wasn't sure if he could trust Superman with his secret. So he decided to find out the Man of Steel's other identity. That would even the score.

Without Superman realizing it, Batman stuck a small Bat-transmitter on Superman's cape. The device sent out a signal, and the Caped Crusader followed it to Clark Kent's apartment. Superman was just getting ready for bed when he looked out the window and saw that Batman had discovered his secret. Now the two of them had to trust each other.

Superman decided to join Batman in the hunt for the Joker. The two heroes knew they had to find the Clown Prince of Crime before he did something destructive. And Batman knew they had to find the Joker before he could use the Kryptonite to destroy Superman.

The Joker had a plan. As his assistant Harley Quinn watched in glee, he broke the statue into Kryptonite chunks. "We'll lure Superman here and finish him off," he announced. Harley thought that was a great idea. But then, she liked almost every idea that came from the Joker's evil mind.

The Joker sent Superman a TV broadcast telling the Man of Steel where to find him. When Superman arrived, the Joker was prepared with his Kryptonite surprise.

Kryptonite was the one thing that could bring Superman to his knees. As he felt his powers draining from him, Superman could hear the Joker's sinister laughter echo around him. It looked like the end for the great hero of Metropolis!

Fortunately, Superman's new friend arrived just in time. Batman had also heard the Joker's TV broadcast to Superman, and the Caped Crusader realized it was a trap. Batman quickly moved Superman to safety and then went back to destroy the Kryptonite by dissolving it in acid.

The Man of Steel's superstrength returned quickly. He and Batman resumed their pursuit of the Joker, soaring through the skies of Metropolis.

The trail led them to one of Lex Luthor's airplane-manufacturing plants. Batman wanted to quietly find a way inside, but Superman decided it would be quicker just to make a new door.

Inside, they found that the Joker had escaped again, but he had left behind a dozen deadly robots. Superman yelled to Batman, "Go after the Joker. I'll take care of these overgrown tin cans!"

Batman swung into action while his new pal tackled the robots. It took all of Superman's mighty powers, but he managed to destroy all the robots. His job, however, was far from over. He now had to race off and help Batman deal with their two deadliest enemies-the Joker and Lex Luthor!

Meanwhile, the Joker was proving that he could not be trusted, even by another crook. He had kidnapped his former partner, Lex Luthor, and had taken over the billionaire's experimental aircraft.

"Watch, Lexy-boy," the evil clown boasted. "I'm going to destroy everything in Metropolis with your name on it!"

One by one, Luthor's office buildings were shattered by laser blasts. Batman was right behind the Joker and Luthor, chasing them in the Batplane. He steered to get close enough to leap into the cockpit of the villains' aircraft.

When Superman arrived, he saw the Joker throwing exploding marbles at Batman. The sinister clown was yelling, "I don't care if these do destroy the plane! You're not going to take me in!" Superman and Batman had only seconds to get out, and to take Luthor and Harley with them.

There was no time to rescue the Joker before the aircraft exploded. Did the laughing villain get out alive? It didn't look that way, but Batman knew better. He remembered all the times he thought the Joker was gone forever...but still managed to return.

His business in Metropolis done, Bruce Wayne prepared to board his private jet back to Gotham City. "I thought we worked well together." Clark Kent remarked. His new friend agreed, When it came to fighting crime, this team was truly the World's Finest.