Superman/Batman #31 - DC

This book has so many things going for it. DC has the All-Star series, with Superman and Batman, each in their own respective series, and rumored with more to come, but this series has been an all-star since it's inception. This issue alone has an Ethan Van Sciver cover, Mark Verheiden, of Alien and Terminator fame, writing it, and Matthew Clark on the inside pencils. Matt has most recently been the penciller for the Outsiders. Hopefully he'll be going back there after this story arc. But, his pencils, while already great, have somehow steadily improved over the last year or so. And it's my understanding that he's been behind some of the look and costume changes on the Outsiders. Fantastic!! Anyways, in this book, it looks like Zook, a character from the JLA, long ago, is back with a vengeance. It's seems that DC, lately, has this thing with bringing back what were goofy characters from years ago, and making them legitimate threats. I don't know the whole history, but it's my understanding that Zook is an extra-dimensional character, kind of along the lines of Myx from Superman fame. So anyways, he appears to be messing with all the alien heroes on earth, which is quite an impressive arsenal to be messing with. Superman, Supergirl, Martian Manhunter, Killowog, Ultra the Multi-Man, and I'm sure others, are all hearing a call that seems to be bringing them to odds with the Earth and how it's treated aliens in the past. Batman is trying to be the calming force, and break through all this illusion, but, he hasn't been successful so far. He may have to team up with Lex Luthor to do so. Also there's this Black Stone, that both sides want, that Superman has been keeping locked up in his fortress. Luthor sends Batman and Plastic Man to retrieve it, but the power of the stone overtakes Plastic Man. Now we don't really know which sides he's on. He can hear the call, but isn't controlled by it. When he returns to Luthor, he is obviously captured and Luthor is trying to extract the stone by any means possible. Which brings Batman back to Luthor, to make sure nothing happens to Plastic Man. Fantastic story arc. As have they all been. I was always a big fan of World's Finest, but this one seems to have far surpassed that one. Congratulations!