It seems in today’s age of comics, everyone is going for two things;

Firstly, the “status quo changing” story. You know the one where “our hero will never be the same again!”, and, secondly, a story that is “dark and gritty and realistic.” While both of those styles of storytelling can be really fun, I generally embrace the opposite; I like seeing classic interpretations of characters put into situations that may change them a bit, that definitely show us who they are as characters, but don’t change their world dramatically.

This arc of Superman/Batman does just that. And does it extremely well. The story opens up with contrasting viewpoints of Batman and Superman that we’ve had since issue one of the series, and there’s even quite a bit of real-world influenced humor involved (I swear that’s Val Kilmer). From that we’re taken on a quest of ridding the world of Kryptonite thanks to a revelation Superman has after an attack early on in the story.

This premise works wonderfully on two levels; it creates a really great “buddy” adventure for both Superman and Batman as they, as a team, track down and lock up the world’s Kryptonite, and it opens up a lot of questions that could be asked about Superman’s vulnerability as a person and as a hero.

I think writers Mike Johnson and Mike Green really made the most of both of those aspects of the story. You really do feel the friendship and complementary relationship between Batman and Superman…without it ever feeling hokey or cutesy. And you really do gain a lot of insight into Superman’s character and his psychology. Making him a bit more interesting than he was before you read the book.

That said, The Search for Kryptonite still delivers all you’d expect from a Superman/Batman story; great action, plenty of villain interfering, and, of course, plenty of good moments from Batman. While the story does focus on Superman, Batman still gets plenty of “page time” and always makes the most of it.

My absolute favorite thing about the story, however, is the art of Shane Davis. Thus far, he’s a little known artist, but I really haven’t a clue why. He brings a style and quality of art that hearkens to Jim Lee, and, I would argue, easy rivals Ed Benes’ work. The front cover is a perfect example of the entirety of The Search for Kryptonite’s art; really moody, colorful, and displaying the strength that really defines both Batman and Superman.

All in all, The Search for Kryptonite is a really quality story that I would recommend to almost anyone. If you’re looking for a big event that changes both characters’ lives, a dark, Frank Miller-esque piece of drama that pits Batman and Superman against each other…this isn’t for you. But if you’re seeking a fun, well-written, well-characterized story involving two of comics’ best characters, this is a prime example of the great things that can be done with DC’s big two.