Enemies and Allies - Retro Batman and Superman story not found on the comic book rack.

“Enemies and Allies” By Kevin J. Anderson,

From Harper Colins. ISBN: 9780061662553. $26.99

When last you read your loveable comic examiner, he was raving about the latest, high-tech version of Batman in the blockbuster (over 2.5 million sold) “Batman: Arkham Asylum” video game. Could that be the end of our loveable author? How could he possibly write more about Batman? Could this be the Bat-end of this Bat-parody intro?
While Batman’s video game success is scoring headline after headline, there is another Batman story that deserves some recognition. As much as Arkham Asylum is at the cutting edge of entertainment technology, Kevin J. Anderson’s “Enemies and Allies” is just about as retro as it can get.
Well, first off, it’s a novel. No, not a graphic novel. A real, hardcover (no paperback release yet) that re-images the first meeting of DC Comic’s two iconic heroes, Superman and Batman.
Even more retro is the story is set in the 1950s—with the fixings like Cold War angst, new atomic reactors, shoe-stomping Soviets and Marilyn Monroe.
While not quite the world we know, Anderson weaves an excellent tale of two heroes with very different styles who come together to fight a common foe—Lex Luthor.
In the heyday of military industrial complex, Luthor Corp and Wayne Enterprises are at the cutting edge of America’s race to out tech the Soviet Union, who just launched Sputnik. Wayne Enterprise has all the best technology, but Luthor Corp has all the best spies. When Luthor Corp begins to consistently beat out Wayne Enterprises’ contract bids and starts developing similar technologies to top secret Wayne projects, Billionaire Playboy and CEO Bruce Wayne decides to investigate—as his alter-ego, The Batman.
Batman is a new mask on the scene. Working from the shadows to clean up Gotham’s crime, he is considered almost as bad as the thugs and gangsters he fights. This is in stark contrast to the shining son of Metropolis, Superman, who red and blue suit can be seen saving sinking luxury liners and rescuing US fighter jets that have been shot down by UFOs.
UFOs that are really test beds for Luthor’s new “death ray,” a weapon he plans to sell to the government after it saves Metropolis from a Russian nuclear missile—launched by a rogue general in cahoots with Luthor.
Anderson, author of many sci-fi novels and the current heir to the Dune series, does a spectacular job of weaving the super hero world with the 50s with brilliant touches that may never have been seen before. When Bruce Wayne throws a fundraiser for Polio research, guests like Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Mrs. “Ladybird” Johnson mingle with Selena Kyle (that’s Catwoman, fyi), Commissioner Gordon and Bruce Wayne. When Luthor wants to put the heat on Superman, he has lunch with Senator Joe McCarthy and bends his ear about the alien menace. And that mysterious Tunguska event creator in Siberia seems to have a lot of strange, glowing green rocks that will change the Man of Steel’s life forever.
It are theses touches, combined with a great 50s-style story, that make “Enemies and Allies” a great read. Anderson captures the “voices” of the heroes and villains (not to mention Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen and the rest) with great clarity. You never have a moment of thinking, “Batman would never do that” or “Superman should just…”
The only complaint one could have is that while Batman is the more complex and interesting character, Superman gets a little more of the limelight, mostly because Lex is his arch-villain and the main antagonist. Hopefully, this will be balanced out in the sequel, which is currently being negotiated between DC Comics and Anderson.