COMIC BOOK OF THE WEEK – “World’s Finest Comics” #313 (March 1985)

This week’s “Comic Book of the Week” is “World’s Finest Comics” #313, which was published by D.C. Comics in March 1985. This comic was titled “The Network II: Please Stand By” and featured Batman and Superman against members of a group of bad guys called “The Network.” The creative team included Joey Cavalieri, writer; Stan Woch, penciller; Alfredo Alcala, inker; Duncan Andrews, letterer; Nansi Hoolahan, colorist; and Janice Race, editor. Woch and Klaus Janson were the cover artists for this issue, which sold for 75 cents at newsstands.

This 25-page issue begins with Batman trapped in a dimension of nothingness called the “White Noise.” Members of the Network trapped him there in the previous issue, and Batman’s trying to figure out how to escape back to the real world.

Meanwhile, back on earth, members of the Network are arguing in the offices of Pacific Records. They’re wanting a $10 million ransom for Pacific Records president Ahmet Lateef, but they can't call in their demands because they’ve sent everything in the office, including the phone, into the White Noise with Batman. They eventually leave, along with Lateef, and explain that they’ve kidnapped him because he didn’t pay them for successful music videos they made for his company.

While that’s going on, Superman pulls Batman out of the White Noise and back into the real world. Batman and Superman then split up, and Batman starts doing a little detective work to determine why the members of the Network have it out for Lateef. At the same time, Superman flies to a nightclub, where the Network first struck in an earlier issue. There, he enters the White Noise through a warp in the middle of the empty nightclub building.

Inside this alternate dimension, Superman figures out how to neutralize the White Noise by using a crystal glass to create a humming frequency that jams the signal the Network uses to create warp holes into the White Noise. Back in the real world, Superman takes off to find the source of the broadcast the Network’s using to create the White Noise.

Meanwhile, Batman has convinced the nightclub’s owner, the beautiful Lilane Stern, to make the ransom drop. Fast-forward to the next night in Gotham Park, Lilane’s there with the money, and three members of the Network show up to get the cash. They begin to rough up Lilane when Batman swoops in and begins to beat up all three of them.

While Batman’s distracted with one of the bad guys, another gets his hands on Lilane, and they force Batman to return with them to their studio hideout. The members of the Network then decide that the best thing to do with Batman and Lilane is to send them into the White Noise for the “short remainder of their lives.” While they’re trying to open a warp hole, Superman’s flying to a communications satellite that broadcasts the around-the-clock signal for RTV, a rock video channel like MTV that’s the source of the Network’s White Noise frequency.

Superman uses his heat vision to alter the frequency, which causes outages among cable customers everywhere, and it’s not a moment too soon. The Network was on the verge of sending Batman and Lilane into the White Noise for good, but they can’t because the necessary signal's gone. They begin to blame each other for the problem and while they’re distracted, Batman takes action. While he’s slugging it out with the Network, Lateef and Lilane try to escape.

Meanwhile, Superman begins tracking down the remaining open White Noise warps and uses a piece of construction site steel to make a tuning fork that will close the warp holes. He then receives a distress signal from Batman and takes off for the studio where Batman is still holding his own against five super-powered members of the Network. Superman helps him mop up, and together they make short work of the Network. 

Lilane and Lateef are safe and sound, and the final scenes shows Lilane and Bruce Wayne having a romantic, late-night drink in the comfortable confines of stately Wayne Manor. Someone’s trying to call, but they don’t answer the phone because they don’t want to be disturbed. They probably should have answered this call though because it’s from an unnamed “ friend” who seems to be in a spot of trouble. Not only is he having a hard time getting Wayne on the phone, but he’s also being watched by a shady character on the sidewalk.

This comic (unless I’ve sold it) and others are available for purchase through Peacock’s Books on Amazon.com. If you’re interested in buying it, search for it there by title, issue number and date of publication.