DC/Marvel: Batman/Deadpool #1 is written by Grant Morrison and published by DC. Artwork is by Dan Mora, colours by Alejandro Sánchez and letters by Todd Klein. Main cover art (left) is by Dan Mora.
DC/Marvel: Batman/Deadpool #1 is available from today, in comic book stores and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your physical copy from Forbidden Planet.
Synopsis
The Dark Knight and the Merc with a Mouth team up, along with other beloved DC and Marvel characters, for an adventure so mind-bending you’ll think you’re in a dream!
Review
Despite their supposed “rivalry”, DC and Marvel have actually collaborated many times over the years, leading to crossovers such as X-Men vs the Teen Titans, Superman vs Spiderman, and Darkseid vs Galactus, just to name a few. Now, in the year 2025, thanks to acclaimed writer Grant Morrison, we are getting the crossover to end all crossovers….Batman and Deadpool!
When big companies team up their iconic characters, there is a risk of leaning too far into fan service while forgetting to tell a cohesive, entertaining story at the same time. Thankfully, Batman/Deadpool finds the balance straight away and succeeds in both areas with flying colours. Due to Morrison’s extensive experience writing for both DC and Marvel, he can hone his skills in a way that brings out the the traits we know and love of these characters at the same time as telling a story that delivers in terms of spectacle and absurdity.
This comic delivers a story that is insane in all the right ways, yet is nothing new if you’re used to how over-the-top Deadpool comics can get. This feels less like Deadpool jumping into a pre-existing Batman comic (for that, you may want to read Deadpool/Batman, which came out a few months ago), and instead plays out the other way round, with Batman being thrown headfirst into a Deadpool sandbox full of fourth-wall-breaking ideas and scenarios that question the logic of everything you see on the page.
From Batman and Deadpool teaming up to take on evil cartoon ninjas to a Wolverine/Batman hybrid fighting Deadpool on a giant typewriter, Morrison is clearly having endless amounts of fun using this crossover concept as a springboard to take any idea, big or small, that he has and chucking them into the story just for the hell of it. He even does a brilliant job of justifying the very existence of the events in the comic, using villains from both comic universes that lend themselves to this mindbending type of storytelling, as well as introducing a “phantom stenographer”, which shares a striking resemblance to Morrison himself.
However, what really takes this comic to another level is Dan Mora’s artwork paired with Alejandro Sánchez’s stunning use of colours. The environments, character designs and action all pop off the page with a colourful intensity that plays into both Deadpool and Batman’s visual wheelhouses. Whether it’s the brutal brawls or the cutaways to two literal universes falling in love, every panel feels meticulously crafted and vibrantly energetic.
If you thought that wasn’t enough, there are also four bonus short stories attached to the end of the comic, all dealing with their own Marvel/DC combos and handled by a slew of talented writers. There’s a fantastically trippy Constantine and Doctor Strange crossover courtesy of James Tynion IV, Joshua Williamson and Scott Snyder, an adrenaline-filled team-up with Nightwing and Laura Kinney’s Wolverine courtesy of Tom Taylor, a rather goofy story where Harley Quinn and the Hulk go in search of hot dogs thanks to Mariko Tamaki and finally a fun, kaiju-centred smackdown that features Static and Ms. Marvel, courtesy of writer G. Willow Wilson.
Grant Morrison and co have really worked their magic to create a crossover that is truly bonkers and incredibly fun to read. It’s action-packed, funny and a feast for the eyes where its illustrations are concerned. I cannot wait to see where they take this crossover in its second issue.
Verdict
Batman/Deadpool is everything you want it to be and more. The humour, fourth wall-breaking storytelling and truly stunning artwork make this one of the most satisfying crossovers in recent memory. The addition of four equally brilliant short story collabs is the bow on top of this already brilliant comic.
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