Batman is one of the smartest superheroes in the DC Universe, while Superman is one of the most powerful. Together, they make up the World’s Finest team!
Their friendship is one of the most enduring and iconic in comic books. These are two men with very different approaches to crime-fighting who have learned to respect and admire each other. They’ve faced many hardships, challenges, and conflicts together. While they don’t always agree and have had their share of fights, their partnership has stood the test of time and their victories and team-ups are legendary.
Batman and Superman’s relationship dates back to the Golden Age, where their Earth-Two counterparts were honorary members of the JSA, though they weren’t present in the title, to busy living many adventures in the pages of their solo titles at the time. It wasn’t until the Silver Age that their partnership truly took off, beginning with World’s Finest Comics #71 and continuing nearly uninterrupted until the series ended with issue #323.
More than 70 years later, the two heroes still work regularly together—whether it’s for a single issue, a complete storyline, a major comic book event, or as co-leads in an ongoing comic series.
If you’re curious about Superman and Batman’s friendship but don’t know where to start and what to read, this reading guide is here to help you read about one of the best team-ups in the comic book universe!
Where to start reading Batman/Superman?
For individual stories (and more!), we invite you to check our reading orders:
You like Batman and Superman separately. So what could be better than reading about the two iconic DC superheroes in the same comics? Here are two standout titles that highlight their friendship and deliver the goods for new (or longtime) readers:
- Batman / Superman: World’s Finest (2022-Present) — From Mark Waid and Dan Mora, this story is set in the not-too-distant past of the DC Universe, offering a modern take on the early team-ups between Batman and Superman. It’s a love letter to classic comics, a fun action romp, and a sharp exploration of the dynamic between the two heroes. This ongoing series is a great entry point into the world of the Man of Tomorrow and the Dark Knight.
- Jeph Loeb’s Superman/Batman (2003-2004) — No one makes comics more accessible than Jeph Loeb, and his Superman/Batman series from 2003 is another great entry point into the world of these two iconic heroes. Set in a Post-Crisis world, it reintroduces the duo with a tone that captures the fun (and occasionally goofy) side of their adventures. The book uses a dual-narrator technique to contrast Superman and Batman’s viewpoint, highlighting their camaraderie, antagonism, and evolving friendship.Loeb penned the first 25 issues, which form six interconnected arcs that tie into the broader DC continuity. The rest of the series is less consistent—featuring a mix of self-contained stories, some more memorable than others (see below for a few highlights!)
When Batman meets Superman…
…Or Superman meets Batman! Thanks to retcons, reboots, and timeline tweaks, you can bet that the first meeting between the Man of Steel and the Caped Crusader has been rewritten several times. So, without further ado, a selection of notable “first meetings” in continuity for those who want to start with the moment where it all begins (at least for that version of reality!).
In Pre-Crisis DC:
- Superman (1939) #76 — “The Mightiest Team in the World” is considered the first meeting between Superman and Batman! In a moment that almost feels like part of the Twilight Zone today, Batman and Robin have succeeded in getting rid of crime, leading Bruce Wayne to take a vacation! Fates would have it, the millionaire finds himself sharing a cabin aboard the luxury liner Varania with no other than Clark Kent! Both men must find a way to avoid each other to discover their secret identity. They failed, and a superhero buddy relationship is born! Written by Edmond Hamilton and penciled by Curt Swan.
- Hamilton also wrote two other “first meeting” stories: World’s Finest #84 (1956), where young Bruce Wayne tries to uncover Superboy’s identity in Smallville, and World’s Finest #94 (1958), which recounts an early meeting between Superman, Batman, and Robin.
In Post-Crisis Continuity:
- Man of Steel (1986) #3 — Superman and Batman’s first meeting is rewritten by John Byrne. When Superman heads to Gotham City, he finds himself at odds with the brutal — and oftentimes unlawful — methods Batman uses to fight crime when the Dark Knight tricks Superman into helping him by putting an innocent life on the line!
In the New 52 era:
- Justice League: Origin (2011) — In the New 52 era, the new iteration of Batman and Superman first met in Justice League Vol. 2 #1, a new JL origin story from Geoff Johns and Jim Lee. But what is really their first meeting?
- Batman/Superman: Cross World (2013) — Two years after Justice League: Origin, Greg Pak and Jae Lee’s Batman/Superman relate a forgotten tale between Batman and Superman set before their first encounter in Justice League.
Essential Batman/Superman Comics Team-Ups Through the Years
Batman/Superman in the Pre-Crisis Era:
DC Comics has put out two omnibuses collecting the World’s Finest Comics of the Silver Age (issues #71-172) if you want to read more of those stories. Here are a short selection of some of the best stories of the period.
- World’s Finest Comics #88 (Superman’s and Batman’s Greatest Foes) — Superman and Batman face a team-up of Lex Luthor and the Joker! Written by Edmond Hamilton, penciled by Dick Sprang.
- World’s Finest Comics #142 (The Composite Superman) — A mysterious new villain with the combined powers of the Legion of Super-Heroes threatens Superman and Batman. Written by Edmond Hamilton, penciled by Curt Swan.
- World’s Finest Comics #159 (The Cape and Cowl Crooks) — Superman and Batman must outsmart impostors using more than just superpowers and gadgets. Written by Edmond Hamilton, penciled by Curt Swan.
- World’s Finest Comics #176 (The Superman-Batman Split) — This is a Batman vs. Superman story with a game of cat and mouse between the two superheroes and their allies. Written by Cary Bates, penciled by Neal Adams.
- World’s Finest Comics #207 (A Matter of Light and Death) — When a deadly light-based weapon threatens the Earth, Superman and Batman must race against time to unravel a cosmic mystery. Written by Len Wein, penciled by Dick Dillin.
Finally, don’t miss Superman Annual #11: For the Man Who Has Everything, a classic tale from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons with Batman, Robin, and Wonder Woman visiting the Fortress of Solitude with gifts on Superman’s birthday.
Batman/Superman in the Post-Crisis Era:
- Superman: Dark Knight Over Metropolis (1990) — Batman and Superman team up to investigate a mysterious death, uncovering a conspiracy involving Lex Luthor, Intergang, and a deadly Kryptonite ring. Written by Jerry Ordway, Dan Jurgens, and Roger Stern; pencils by John Byrne, Dan Jurgens, and Curt Swan.
- World’s Finest (Vol. 2) — In this 3-issue arc, the Joker and Lex Luthor swap cities, forcing Superman to defend Gotham and Batman to protect Metropolis. Written by Dave Gibbons, penciled by Steve Rude.
- Batman & Superman: World’s Finest (1999) — A 10-issue miniseries that recounts the first ten years in the relationship between Superman and Batman who meet once a year to commemorate a tragic event. Written by Karl Kesel, penciled by Dave Taylor.
- Superman #168/Detective Comics #756 (2001) — A 2-part story where Lois seeks out Batman to retrieve President Luthor’s Kryptonite ring. But Lois and the Dark Knight have an obstacle in their way–the Man of Steel! From Jeph Loeb, Ed McGuinness, Greg Rucka, Koi Turnbull.
- Superman/Batman Annual (2006) #1 — A modernized retelling of “The Mightiest Team in the World” by Joe Kelly and Sean Murphy.
- Superman/Batman Annual (2008) #2 (The Unexamined Life…) — Once again, Joe Kelly revisits some old classics (World’s Finest Comics #178 and #180) in this story in which Superman loses his powers and takes on the identity of Supernova. It’s also set early in the career of the first Robin and reimagines his first meeting with Superman. Collected in Superman / Batman Omnibus Vol. 2.
Batman/Superman in New 52 and Beyond:
- Batman/Superman (2013) — This is Greg Pak and Jae Lee’s take on Bruce and Clark’s friendship during the New 52 era. The series run for 32 issues. The last two issues are tie-ins to…
- Superman: The Final Days of Superman — The Man of Steel reaches out to his loved ones and most trusted allies to say his good-byes. But before the end, the Man of Steel must fight one final battle alongside Batman, Wonder Woman and Supergirl.
- Batman (2016) #36-37 (Superfriends) — Tom King’s reflects on Superman and Batman’s relationship in this two-part story drawn by Clay Mann, where the two men confront each other and try to see the hope behind the madness.
- Batman/Superman (2019) — Batman and Superman have to work together to take on the Batman Who Laughs, confront General Zod and Ra’s al Ghul, and more! written by Joshua Williamson and Gene Luen Yang.
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow #19 (World’s Vilest) — The Man of Steel and the Dark Knight are ambushed by a cadre of evil Multiversal doppelgangers. Written by Dave Wielgosz and penciled by Jorge Corona.
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