World’s Finest Comics #215
Published and © by DC, December 1972-January 1973
Title: “Saga of the Super Sons!”
Synopsis: Somewhere in DC space-time, Superman and Batman have young-adult sons who are eager to become heroes on their own terms.
Writer: Bob Haney
Penciler: Dick Dillin
Inker: Henry Scarpelli
Review: Umm, yeah: This is one of the worst comic books this reviewer has encountered out of thousands of Bronze Age issues read. Bob Haney, the mad mastermind of many a wild DC adventure (see reviews), cranks his disdain for continuity to 11, mixes in pseudoscience so wacky that OG “Star Trek” feels like a documentary in comparison, and tops it off with just about every Boomer “generation gap” stereotype from motorcycles to mutton chops. All of this fails to mask a generic team-up tale that could have been any Superman/Batman story. World’s Finest? Not even on a parallel Earth.
Grade: D
Second opinion: “Abominable and embarrassing.” – Hassan Yusuf, FantaCo’s Chronicle’s Series Annual #1, 1983 … “Always a good plotter, and packing a lot into his stories, (the Super Sons stories) weren’t (Haney’s) most exciting work.” – The Slings & Arrows Comic Guide (second edition), 2003
Cool factor: Nope. This one doesn’t even make it to “so-bad-it’s-good” status.
Not-so-cool factor: Sooo many options for this one. Superman and Batman might be the World’s Lamest parents, but let’s go with the Batman Jr. and Superman Jr. pillow fight.
Notable: First appearance of the Super Sons.
Collector’s note: According to MyComicShop.com, there is a Mark Jewelers variant of this issue.
Character quotable: “Sharper than a serpent tooth, a child’s judgment of his parent.” – Alfred the butler, paraphrasing Shakespeare the bard
A word from the writer: “As we said, it was not imaginary, not fantasy, but real, the way it happened. How so, you say? Despite all the issues published on the amazing careers of these two greatest of all superheroes, not every facet of their lives could possibly be covered. Both have lived a hundred lives in one, are bigger than ordinary reality, inimitable, and immortal. Thus, this issue gives you just one other, previously undisclosed portion of their unique stories.” – Bob Haney, from the “Cat on a Hot Typewriter” column in this issue
Editor’s note: This review was written March 23, 2026.
