Sometimes, stars align and fate brings two competing comic book publishers together for a crossover joyride. Or is it simply the two cosmic entities at the helm of the DC and Marvel universes falling in love and birthing an unholy union of fourth-wall-breaking, meta-adventure that brings together two of the most money-making characters from each IP?
Welcome to the second Batman and Deadpool crossover, this time from DC Comics. Written by none other than Grant Morrison, with artwork from Dan Mora, colors from Alejandro Sánchez Rodríguez, and letters from Todd Klein, Batman / Deadpool #1 puts you smack dab in the middle of a fever dream. However, that is not all, with backup stories on Nightwing/Wolverine, John Constantine/Doctor Strange, and others, the issue overwhelms you with one-shot after another, alas, only in quantity but not in quality.
“Batman has plot armor”: When Grant Morrison Out-Metas Deadpool
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- Credits: DC Comics/Marvel Comics
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- Credits: DC Comics/Marvel Comics
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- Credits: DC Comics/Marvel Comics
It is not every day Deadpool meets his match, but Holy Self-Insert, Batman! Morrison, who broke the fourth wall with Animal Man and Doom Patrol long before Deadpool could run his mouth, shows the true power of the storyteller. Batman / Deadpool #1 lacks a satisfying plot. Why are the Caped Crusader and the Merc With a Mouth running around? Well, because Eternity, the cosmic embodiment of the Marvel universe, and Ahti, its DC counterpart, decided to have a one-night stand. Okay, so how does this misadventure start? Well, nobody knows since the issue begins in medias res, not once but twice, before cutting to the exact moment where Batman and Deadpool meet. We hear snippets of something about an artifact and Waller’s Suicide Squad, but at this point, it sounds like mumbo jumbo to get the wheels turning.
Those, including myself, who love a good story would probably feel the issue drag on. Deadpool says his pop culture lingo is more updated than Batman’s, but every reference that Morrison throws is old (but gold). We get a Crisis on Infinite Earths reference, one about Amalgam, and a classic “Where Eagles Dare!” Easter egg too. It seems that all we will get is when we suddenly get our first villainous threat in Cassandra Cain. From here on out, nothing stops Morrison. They resurrect Darkclaw (yes, that infamous Batman/Wolverine mashup from Amalgam), before revealing the true puppeteer behind the events: Morrison themself!
That is the curveball that not only makes it worth it but also explains so much about the plot devices at play. We were fools to get lured into the mundaneness of the nitty-gritty details, when Morrison knew what this crossover was all about: having fun with the two characters at hand – one being the logical straight man and the other, the wacky personality who comes in with the final clutch. Yet both human and heart, and surprisingly, just as much of a basket case as the other. Morrison never for once loses sight of the true nature of the protagonists, and it is what gels them together, more than any shared goal in this multiversal shenanigan.
There is a reason why Batman / Deadpool #1 has such shareworthy panels, and it is because of Dan Mora. His talent to showcase both heroes (well, one hero and one anti-hero) in their muscular best is why he is still the force behind the Batman / Superman: World’s Finest books, which is also a crossover book at its core. Perhaps drawing multiple superheroes at their best is what brought out the best in here as well. Meanwhile, Alejandro Sánchez may have forgotten all about Batman’s prerogative to hide in the shadows. But by the looks of it, neither Batman nor Morrison nor we as readers mind, since the bright and sharp colors are what hide the meta commentary so well in the three walls of the comic.
Multiverse Magic Casts a Long Shadow on the Weak Backup Stories
Credits: DC Comics/Marvel Comics
Now, for the backup story you have been dying to hear about. You’re not the only one here, as we have been waiting for the Nightwing / Wolverine story, too, since we saw the preview pages. Tom Taylor has a long history with both Dick Grayson and X-23 (and Gabby, too!), which shows in the character interaction. Taylor knows that the element that connects both characters is not their swashbuckling moves but their compassion. The heart-to-heart they have, presented through their individual narrations, speaks of the deep friendship they could have had. For now, they settle down for mutual respect. However, this tell but don’t show aspect is what stops the backup from reaching its full potential. And because of the lack of any intense action, Bruno Redondo never gets to showcase the full extent of his art that won him his Eisners.
The Harley Quinn/Hulk and Static Shock/Ms. Marvel crossovers do not leave a lasting impression. The latter needs to be explored more, if only the big buck-earning characters give these two the spread they deserve. This brings our conversation to the John Constantine Hellblazer/Dr. Strange backup story. Was there any hype behind it? No. Is Sherman and Spicer’s art doing most of the heavy lifting? Absolutely. Is it a simple plot? Maybe. But it is no simple crossover.
Two witty characters having a banter, Marvel characters picking fights with their DC counterpart, an insidious feeling of a multiverse in danger – somehow, this is the backup we would like to see more of. There is an absolutely gorgeous panel of Strange and Constantine working their magic together, and the literal gutter lines on the page separate the DC and Marvel characters into separate panels. Artworks like these, when they work in tandem with the storytelling, are beautiful to look at.
Final Verdict: So, the Crossovers Are Just Cosmic One-Night Stands?
Credits: DC Comics/Marvel Comics
Problems with one-night stands are that they are temporary fun, without going the distance. Ironically, Batman / Deadpool #1 is just like that. It starts with a passion, throwing curveballs, twists, and every plot device in the playbook to keep things intriguing. Ultimately, the quality wanes before the end, until only a few highlights remain stuck in your mind.
Among those are the old Amalgam references, which Morrison and Mora slide into the story like a well-constructed cheeseburger. We hope to get another bite soon, and next time, the taste lingers on. For now, Batman / Deadpool #1 satisfies the “Rule of Cool,” which is what birthed the crossovers in the first place, giving fans the novelty more through its variant covers than the actual book.
Rating: 7.5/10
