1997: "Elseworld's Finest" (part 1)
The 1997 Elseworld called "Elseworld's Finest" was way ahead of its time in the way it showed Clark and Bruce's relationship. It's set in a 1930s world where neither is Superman or Batman and they get caught up in an Indiana Jones-style globetrotting adventure--Bruce is a world-weary, cynical adventurer and Clark a clean-cut, earnest Metropolis reporter. They start off prickly and end up the best of friends, and it's a lot of fun!
Things are set in motion when Lana Lang, Clark's old flame, comes to Metropolis to ask his help. Her father has been kidnapped while researching an ancient artifact called the Godstone, and she needs Clark's help. The two of them fly to Egypt, accompanied by Jimmy Olsen, a 12-year-old orphan. Clark doesn't exactly have powers, but they're starting to manifest a bit--as well as strange dreams of an ancient, ruined civilization.
Lana takes Clark (and stowaway Jimmy) to Paris to enlist the help of broke, scruffy nerfherder and ne'er-do-well Bruce Wayne, who is currently drinking and trying to forget his latest love affair with his friend Alfred Pennyworth.
However, Lana gets Bruce to help by mentioning the legendary city of Argos, where the Godstone is supposed to be. They travel to Egypt, where they meet--Carter Hall!
Hall points them to Ra's al Ghul's camp of creepy assassins, where Lana's father is being held captive:
It turns out the rite is to resurrect Ra's once again. When Ra's comes up out of the Pit he starts killing his followers in the Pit-induced insanity. Clark jumps in to save Talia when it looks like her father will kill her and blows their cover. Ra's, however, takes a liking to Clark (after seeing a sword break on his skin) and treats them to dinner and exposition about the Godstone.
Oh my word, I love that last panel so much. They're so adorable!
Indeed, Clark gets gussied up in ceremonial robes and goes to meet Talia, who has her priorities straight as usual:
They get away when Bruce uses Talia as bait to lure al Ghul away from Clark, Jimmy, and the Langs. However, pierced by a poison blade, Bruce falls into a secret cave:
In the meantime, Clark, Jimmy, and the Langs stumble right into Alexi Luthor, who is a Jules Verne-style mad scientist, also in search of the Godstone. Things look grim for both Clark and Bruce, but fear not! In part two we see the origins of Superman and Batman!
Things are set in motion when Lana Lang, Clark's old flame, comes to Metropolis to ask his help. Her father has been kidnapped while researching an ancient artifact called the Godstone, and she needs Clark's help. The two of them fly to Egypt, accompanied by Jimmy Olsen, a 12-year-old orphan. Clark doesn't exactly have powers, but they're starting to manifest a bit--as well as strange dreams of an ancient, ruined civilization.
Lana takes Clark (and stowaway Jimmy) to Paris to enlist the help of broke, scruffy nerfherder and ne'er-do-well Bruce Wayne, who is currently drinking and trying to forget his latest love affair with his friend Alfred Pennyworth.
However, Lana gets Bruce to help by mentioning the legendary city of Argos, where the Godstone is supposed to be. They travel to Egypt, where they meet--Carter Hall!
Hall points them to Ra's al Ghul's camp of creepy assassins, where Lana's father is being held captive:
It turns out the rite is to resurrect Ra's once again. When Ra's comes up out of the Pit he starts killing his followers in the Pit-induced insanity. Clark jumps in to save Talia when it looks like her father will kill her and blows their cover. Ra's, however, takes a liking to Clark (after seeing a sword break on his skin) and treats them to dinner and exposition about the Godstone.
Oh my word, I love that last panel so much. They're so adorable!
Indeed, Clark gets gussied up in ceremonial robes and goes to meet Talia, who has her priorities straight as usual:
They get away when Bruce uses Talia as bait to lure al Ghul away from Clark, Jimmy, and the Langs. However, pierced by a poison blade, Bruce falls into a secret cave:
In the meantime, Clark, Jimmy, and the Langs stumble right into Alexi Luthor, who is a Jules Verne-style mad scientist, also in search of the Godstone. Things look grim for both Clark and Bruce, but fear not! In part two we see the origins of Superman and Batman!