I wasn’t sure if we’d ever see this again in my lifetime, but here we are — Marvel and DC have announced their first crossover event in about 20 years, as Batman and Deadpool will met in two different issues this fall.
Marvel will kick things off in September with Deadpool/Batman by Zeb Wells and Greg Capullo. DC will follow in November with Batman/Deadpool by Grant Morrison and Dan Mora.
Each issue will also feature back-up stories starring different Marvel and DC characters by as-yet-unannounced creators.
Wells is the recent writer of Amazing Spider-Man and also co-wrote Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine feature film. I don’t think he’s ever written for DC before, but Capullo certainly has, having worked on Batman for about 50 issues and of course the recent Batman/Spawn crossover. More recently he’s been doing work for Marvel, including a recent miniseries starring Deadpool’s bestest friend, Wolverine.
“After writing Amazing Spider-Man for 60 issues, I told Marvel I needed a break. Marvel told me I could do that or I could write a comic starring Deadpool and Batman with the best Batman artist of our generation. I no longer needed a break,” Wells told Entertainment Weekly. “In Batman we’ve found someone who has even less time for Deadpool’s antics than Wolverine, but a city-wide threat from the Joker makes strange bedfellows (literally, if Deadpool had his way). It’s been a blast letting Deadpool loose in Gotham City and watching what happens.”
Marvel didn’t share much more about the story, beyond it involving Deadpool coming to Gotham on a job.
“Am I dreaming? This crossover is likely to be the high point of my career…and, I’ve had a great career,” Capullo said. “Some of my earliest work (many years ago) was on X-Force, so Deadpool and I go way back. More recently, I spent 10-plus years drawing Batman at DC. The idea that I get to do a crossover event with Deadpool and Batman…If I am dreaming, please don’t wake me!”
On the DC side, Morrison makes their return to Batman and mutants with this crossover. It also reunites them with Mora, who they worked with on the BOOM! Studios Klaus.
“I don’t do many comics these days but there was no way I could turn down the chance to work with Dan Mora again, one of my all-time favourite artistic collaborators—and definitely no way I could turn down Batman and Deadpool!” Morrison said. “Expect 4th wall busting mayhem, owls, blood, blades, and at least one giant typewriter!”
DC revealed even less about the story, although Publisher Jim Lee did say it was “a very creative story.”
“This is more than I ever imagined I could do in my career, and it is a huge honor to be part of this crossover: it doesn’t happen too often, and I am a HUGE Deadpool fan!” Mora said. “When I first worked with Grant, I didn’t know what to expect but it was an incredible team-up. I always hoped to work with Grant again, and working on Batman/Deadpool is like a dream come true. Grant and I working together on this once-in-a-lifetime project is going to be such a fun experience.”
The project marks a return to a tradition that began in the 1970s, when Spider-Man and Superman first crossed over in the pages of Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man: The Battle of the Century by Gerry Conway and Ross Andru. The two companies produced numerous crossovers together up until 2003, when JLA/Avengers was released. Some hope came last year, though, when they re-opened the forbidden door and released a couple of omnibus editions featuring those classic crossovers.
Deadpool/Batman will arrive in stores Sept. 17, while Batman/Deadpool will arrive sometime in November.
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