Enemies and Allies is a story by Kevin J. Anderson, long time collaborator and author
in the Star Wars and Dune universes.  In this outing we are treated to a first time
meeting of the minds between Batman and Superman, and not as in the usual tech
vs. might battle that we have seen in the past.  The meeting of two of the titans
of the comic book scene happens interestingly enough rather plane clothed with
ace-reporter Clark Kent giving an interview to the reclusive, millionaire, playboy
and philanthropist, Bruce Wayne.

From the moment you have the first meeting between the two, the book is never
quite what you expect.  Fans of the The New Frontier stories will enjoy the setting
that places the Supes and Bats in the midst of a national panic as the Communist
U.S.S.R. step up the Cold War and the Space Race by launching the first orbital
satellite, Sputnik 1.

Anderson goes into detail, fleshing out the beginnings of Batman’s career as the
new vigilante in Gotham city, as well as the slow emergence of Superman as a
wondrous gift to a world the needs a bright beacon in what are very uncertain
times.  Batman and Superman both share similar problems in this period of
McCarthyism as governments are not quite sure where their loyalties lie or
what their true motivations are.

This book is defiantly in the spirit of the Elseworlds series that DC publishes,
giving us an alternate view of history.  Enemies and Allies combines a brief
retelling of history with a fantastic amount of pure silver-age fun and adventure.
 
Enemies and Allies is currently available in Hardcover ($19.00) and
Kindle electronic edition (10.00).

Overall rating is 4 out of 5 stars.