Public Enemies

Gallery

Official Name

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies

Storyline Aliases

The World's Finest, Public Enemies

Universe

New Earth

Locations

Washington, D.C.

Characters

Heroes

Superman, Batman

Villains

Lex Luthor

Others

Toyman (Hiro Okamura),
Captain Atom

Titles

Superman/Batman

Collected

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (Trade Paperback)

Creators

Jeph Loeb, Ed McGuinness

First appearance

Last appearance

Superman/Batman #1
(October, 2003)

Superman/Batman #6
(March, 2004)

History

In the first story arc, "The World's Finest", also referred to as "Public Enemies" (issues #1-6, illustrated by Ed McGuinness), then-U.S. President Lex Luthor declares Superman and Batman enemies of the state, claiming that a Kryptonite asteroid headed for Earth is connected to an evil plot by Superman. Luthor offers a $1 billion bounty, which encourages both supervillians and superheroes to attack. Superman almost kills Lex, with Batman standing aside. Superman changes his mind at the last moment. The new Toyman, Hiro Okamura, assists with the asteroid's destruction. Captain Adam is seemingly killed. The danger averted and Luthor's plans in jeopardy, Luthor injects himself with a mixture of Venom and synthetic Kryptonite, dons a battle suit from the planet Apokolips, and confronts Batman and Superman. Luthor is defeated and appears to die in the battle, although he is shown to survive. In the course of the fight, Luthor is irrevocably exposed to the world as a villain for the first time in post-Crisis continuity. Losing the presidency, Luthor is succeeded in office by Pete Ross.

Issues

• Superman/Batman #1
• Superman/Batman #2
• Superman/Batman #3
• Superman/Batman #4
• Superman/Batman #5
• Superman/Batman #6
  

Paraphernalia

Items: None known.
Vehicles: None known.
Weapons: None known.

Notes

• Captain Atom is actually transported to the Wildstorm Universe, as revealed in Captain Atom: Armageddon #1 (December 2005).
• Many of Luthor's crimes were revealed by Lois Lane and the Daily Planet in Action Comics #700 (June 1994). However, the charges against him were dismissed at trial, after he presented falsified evidence that he had been kidnapped by renegade scientists from Cadmus Labs and replaced with a violent clone. Action Comics #737 (September 1997).
  

Trivia

This story was adapted in the direct-to-video movie, Superman/Batman: Public Enemies.

Recommended Reading

• Superman: Lex 2000
• Presedent Luthor Secret Files and Origins
• Superman: Our Worlds at War
• Superman/Batman: Supergirl
• Superman/Batman: Absolute Power
• Superman/Batman: With a Vengeance!

Links and References

• "Superman/Batman" at Wikipedia
  

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