Nathan Cabaniss reviews Deadpool/Batman #1…
It’s been over twenty years since Marvel and DC have had an official crossover, a streak that comes to an end this week with the publication of Marvel/DC: Deadpool/Batman #1. The news that both publishers would be teaming again for a new round of crossovers took the world by surprise earlier this year, and anticipation has been high as fans are curious to see what a Marvel/DC crossover looks like in the modern day.
As the first of two specials teaming the Dark Knight and the Merc with the Mouth, Marvel/DC: Deadpool/Batman #1 is Marvel’s contribution to the event, with DC set to publish their own one-shot in November. In addition to the full-length story pairing up the titular characters, the special also contains six other short stories from all-star creative teams, taking full advantage of the first Marvel/DC crossover in decades. The multitude of stories available makes it sound like readers will be getting their money’s worth, but the question must be asked: does the crossover live up to the hype, or have Marvel and DC dropped the ball? Let’s tackle each story in turn and find out…
“The Dead of Knight”
Written by Zeb Wells
Penciled by Greg Capullo
Inked by Tim Townsend
Colored by Alex Sinclair
Lettered by Clayton Cowles
Batman and Deadpool meet up for the first time in the title story, as Wade Wilson finds himself summoned to the DCU by the Joker to capture the Dark Knight as part of his latest scheme. While it’s a pairing that is entirely commercially-driven, there is an interesting dichotomy between Batman and Deadpool that seems ripe for further exploration. Sadly, “The Dead of Knight” doesn’t really do much with either character, getting bogged down by exposition and never really allowing for any sparks to fly during the proceedings.
Writer Zeb Wells has a good handle on each character’s voice, but seems far too reserved in building the story around them. Not much of any real import happens, as the plot goes through the most rote movements before reaching a rather lackluster climax. I definitely appreciated seeing a more classic Joker here as opposed to the near-apocalyptic threat he’s become in recent years, but his tired ploy to poison Gotham City with Joker venom speaks to the overall half-hearted approach.
Greg Capullo at least understands the importance of the assignment (or the aftermarket value of his original art), and proceeds to draw the hell out of the story given to him. But sadly, the artist isn’t given a whole lot to work with here, as the script doesn’t really play into any of his strengths. The explosive action and creative layouts that made him a superstar on Batman are noticeably subdued, replaced instead by endless scenes of expository dialogue that don’t lend themselves to interesting visuals. For instance, we learn that the Joker had to use the services of Klarion the Witchboy, Reverse-Flash and the Cosmic Treadmill to bring Wade over to the DCU—all of which happens off-panel and is explained after the fact.
It’s not a terrible story by any means, but this initial Deadpool/Batman pairing plays things far too safe, never feeling like it ever truly gets going in the process.
“The Gun & the Sword”
Written by Chip Zdarsky
Penciled by Terry Dodson
Inked by Rachel Dodson
Colored by Terry Dodson
Lettered by Joe Caramagna
Easily the best story of the bunch, this Captain America/Wonder Woman pairing does what a Marvel/DC crossover should do; namely, compare and contrast both characters to define who they are and what they stand for. Zdarsky doesn’t bother with any multiversal shenanigans in bringing the characters together, with the story instead taking place on a world where the Marvel and DC heroes exist side-by-side. Wonder Woman first encounters Cap during WWII, as the two are faced with an ethical dilemma that will ultimately define their heroic careers for decades to come. Readers are treated to quick flashes of important moments in this merged universe, such as Cap coming out of the ice by a combined Justice League/Avengers team, before wrapping up in a touching final moment that brings Cap and Diana’s story full circle. All of it is brought to beautiful, vivid life through the art of Terry and Rachel Dodson, creating an eight-page story that is fully-formed from beginning to end.
“Catch”
Written by Kelly Thompson
Art by Gurihiru
Lettered by Joe Caramagna
I’m a great admirer of Kelly Thompson and Gurihiru’s It’s Jeff! series, so the two of them turning their talents to a Jeff the Landshark/Krypto the Superdog sounded like the perfect inclusion here. Sadly, this is a single-page gag story that’s bafflingly stretched across six pages, as Krypto and Jeff play a game of volleyball before being called home by their respective owners for dinner. Gurihiru’s drawings are undeniably adorable, but this isn’t really a story.
“The Red & the Green”
Written by Kevin Smith
Art by Adam Kubert
Colored by Frank Martin
Lettered by Joe Caramagna
A Daredevil/Green Arrow crossover written by Kevin Smith seems like one of the biggest no-brainers of the entire special. While the eight-page story is slight, it’s a fun pairing that is buoyed by excellent artwork courtesy of Adam Kubert. Smith does his best to facilitate a story that allows his artist to shine, largely getting out of the way and letting Kubert loose on a story that sees both heroes crossing paths while fighting the League of Assassins and the Hand. Some of the jokes are cheesy, but it only adds to the old-school feel of the whole affair, feeling like a classic superhero team-up straight out of the Bronze Age.
“Rocket Has a Green Lantern Ring Now”
Written by Al Ewing
Art by Dike Ruan
Colored by Moreno Dinisio
Lettered by Joe Caramagna
This brief two-pager is impressive in how much it manages to pack into such a short amount of time, as the Green Lantern Corps and the Nova Corps agree to an interdepartmental transfer that sees Hal Jordan and Rocket Raccoon swapping places to often hilarious results. It’s a pretty funny short done in the great Mad magazine tradition, cramming in gag after gag across a two-page spread. I would pay money to read the full story of how Rocket and Green Arrow stage a heist to rob a Las Vegas casino.
“Showdown”
Written & Drawn by Frank Miller
Colored by Alex Sinclair
Lettered by Joe Caramagna
Frank Miller writes and draws a Batman/Wolverine crossover here, a sentence I have trouble writing out even after having read the story itself. It’s only three pages long, and really counts more as an “encounter” rather than an actual story, but I still found the brief piece to be endlessly fascinating. The grizzled Batman from the Dark Knight Returns faces off against Old Man Logan for reasons that are never explained, and Miller seems to use the story as nothing more than an excuse to express his admiration for Batman and his distaste for Wolverine… An amazing statement to make, considering this whole special was Marvel’s contribution to the inter-company crossover. Many fans are quick to complain about Miller’s current artistic style, but I found the way he utilizes the blocky, simplified shapes only more evidence that he is one of the all-time greats when it comes to the sequential arts.
“Enter: Logo”
Written by Ryan North
Art by Ryan Stegman
Colored by Frank Martin
Lettered by Joe Caramagna
The special ends with another short piece that doesn’t really qualify as a story. The most significant thing about this three-pager is the return of the Amalgam universe, the long-dormant imprint that spun out of 1996’s DC Versus Marvel mega-crossover. Readers are introduced to new character Logo, a combination between Lobo and Wolverine, who… doesn’t really do much of anything. With any luck, the promise of this story’s ending will see more adventures in the Amalgam universe of Marvel/DC combination characters.
All in all, Marvel/DC: Deadpool/Batman #1 is a fairly pedestrian effort. While none of the stories are bad, the special plays things far too safe, with the first meeting between the Dark Knight and the Merc with the Mouth feeling especially like the creative team was holding back slightly to appease both publishers. Let’s hope that Grant Morrison and Dan Mora will be more adventurous when their Batman/Deadpool special drops in November.
Nathan Cabaniss
