Summary
First appearing in Bob Kane and Bill Finger’sDetective Comics#27,Batmanhas been at the forefront of superhero comics for almost nine decades. Having teamed up with some of his most powerful DC peers, but also crossing over into some of the most interesting franchises, the hero has no shortage of exciting and interesting crossovers. These even range in genre, from science fiction and action to horror and war.
Readers are accustomed to seeing the Caped Crusader fit in just about anywhere.
Batman’scrossovers have often seemed strange and unlikely, but the character fits in with just about every franchise there is, serving almost like a Swiss army knife of a character. Thanks to his street-level skills and record of working alongside cosmic-level protagonists, readers are accustomed to seeing the Caped Crusader fit in just about anywhere. Most ofhis crossovers make for excellent reads, but some stand out ahead of others for genre diversity, art, action and compelling stories.
10Superman and Batman versus Aliens and Predator
Mark Schultz, Ariel Olivetti, and Todd Klein
TheAlien and Predator franchises have crossed into the DCU several times, pitting iconic Justice League heroes against the deadly aliens. In 1991,the World’s Finest were forcedto take on both at once. The two-issue crossover follows Batman as he acts as an envoy of Superman, making contact with a group of predators, whose ship was lost in the Andes. Under the belief that Superman is a sun god, the Yautja seek the aid of the heroes to get off-world.
Batman and Superman’s fight with the Xenomorphs and Yautja gave theDark Knight a medieval makeoveras he joins the latter, albeit in a tenuous alliance. The series also highlights the vast difference in ethics between the calculating Gothamite and the compassionate Man of Steel, the latter trying to save the aliens despite Batman’s protest.
PREDATOR VS. BLACK PANTHER First Look Pits T’Challa Against an Army of Yautja
Predator vs. Black Panther #1 preview reveals a new look for Black Panther and the hunter-warrior Predators. Blood will spill in August of this year.
9Spawn / Batman#1
Frank Miller, Todd McFarlane, Steve Oliff, Olyoptics, and Tom Orzechowski
Spawn / Batmanis the first 1994 crossover between the two heroes, withMcFarlane’s then-new antihero clashing with the Dark Knight, only to form an alliance. The story follows a plot to transform the city’s homeless into killer cyborgs, building on Frank Miller’s Spawn story in the regular series.
For more recent Spawn and Batman goodness, readers should check out 2022’sBatman / Spawncrossover by Todd McFarlane, Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, Dave McCaig, and Tom Napolitano, available now from DC Comics!
Spawn and Batman have crossed overa total of three times, with the ‘94 crossover remaining the most famous. The sequel,War Devil, plays into the supernatural horror common in both characters’ worlds, shedding light on the mysterious lost Roanoke colony, making forone of the most thrilling Batman team-ups there is.
8Batman / Tarzan: Claws of the Cat-Woman
Ron Marz, Igor Kordey, Chris Chuckry, and Clem Robins
Batman may be thought of as a great fixture of DC’s superhero universe, buthis roots are squarely in classic pulp fiction — including Tarzan. InBatman / Tarzan: Claws of the Cat-Woman, the two worlds collide as Lord Greystroke makes his way to Gotham in search of stolen treasure that was looted by archaeologists funded by Bruce Wayne. The pair meet the Cat-Woman, a princess of a lost city nation in the heart of Africa that has been plundered by a villainous Finnegan Dent.
Claws of the Cat-Womaniseverything an adventure comic should be, following the two heroes as they venture into the jungle, taking on wild animals and trained killers as they do. Culminating in an epic escape from the clutches of crocodiles, the miniseries shows how wellBatman works when he’s away from Gothamand how closely he fits the formula of Tarzan.
7The Brave and the Bold#120: Batman and Kamandi
Bob Haney and Jim Aparo
Kamandi was created by Jack Kirbyto essentially work as DC’s answer toThe Planet of the Apes. Set in a world populated by anthropomorphic animal societies modeled on human history, such as the Tiger Roman Empire, the series is packed full of sci-fi and monsters. InThe Brave and the Bold#120, the Dark Knight finds himself in the savage future, where he poses as an animal himself to aid Kamandi.
The world of Kamandihas long been ripe for exploration by other heroes, andBatman’s inclusion makes for a great case of Kamandi’s potential, especially considering the Bat-Men of the future. The two heroes had a variety of crossovers, but this story stands out as their most epic. The issue even has a fun meta moment where Kamandi explains that he learned of Batman’s existence through the very comic series in which the story is told.
6The Brave and the Bold#108: Batman and Sgt. Rock
Bob Haney, Jim Aparo, and Tatjana Wood
The Brave and the Boldgave Batman some of his greatest team-ups, with everyone from Mister Miracle to Doctor Fate proving especially great. However, the best single story from the series comes from the Caped Crusader’s adventure with Sgt. Rock — who insists Adolf Hitler is still alive. Together, the pair of heroes hunt the fascist scourge in something that feels ripped from aTwilight Zoneepisode.
Sgt. Rock fans can’t miss the recent miniseries,DC Horror Presents: Sgt. Rock vs. the Army of the Deadby Bruce Campbell, Eduardo Risso, Kristian Rossi, and Rob Leigh, which is available now both digitally and in a collected edition from DC Comics.
The Batman and Sgt. Rock team-up is a great showcase of the dark, grittytone of Bronze Age comics, one that saw the two heroes take on history’s worst dictator in all-out war. The story offersa great piece of alternate history for DC fans, delivering the satisfaction of witnessing an in-continuity defeat of the fascist leader — and at the hands of Batman, no less.
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5The Brave and the Bold: Batman and Wonder Woman
Liam Sharp, Romulo Fajardo Jr., and Troy Peteri
The Brave and the Bold: Batman and Wonder Womanfollows the titular heroes as they make their way to the mythological Irish realm of Tír na nÓg, which is populated by two warring races. Escorted by Cernunnos, Batman deploys his detective skills to investigate the mysterious death of the king, Elatha, and to fend off an encroaching attack. Caught up between the conflict of the races, Bruce and Diana uncover a terrifying plot against the realm.
This six-issueBrave and the Boldminiseries isa brilliant exploration of Irish mythology, one made all the more fantastic by Liam Sharp’s stunning art. The series features Batman applying his detective skills to an unconventional setting, while also highlighting Diana’s indispensable skills when it comes to the magical side of the universe.
4DC Comics: Generations
Dan Jurgens, Robert Venditti, Andy Schmidt, Danny Miki, Ivan Reis, Aaron Lopresti, Joe Prado, Rags Morales, Bernard Chang, Kevin Nowlan, Mike Perkins, Scott Hanna, Klaus Janson, John Romita Jr.
TheGenerationslabel dates back to John Byrne’s limited series starring Batman and Superman, but the recent miniseries from 2021 took the idea further. Here, readers are treated toa team-up of superheroes from across time, led by the Golden Age iteration of the Caped Crusader, to save reality itself. With everyone from Kamandi and Sinestro to Starfire and Steel at his side, the hero embarks on an epic adventure through space and time.
The story is, in effect, a tour through DC’s history, highlighting some of its more obscure chapters as the heroes race to save the world.
Generations: Shattered#1 andGenerations:Forged#1 —both collected in a singleDC Comics: Generationsedition— follow the eclectic band of multi-generational heroes as they face the world-ending threat of Dominus. The story is, in effect, a tour through DC’s history, highlighting some of its more obscure chapters as the heroes race to save the world.
3Batman / Judge Dredd: The Ultimate Riddle#1
Alan Grant, John Wagner, Carl Critchlow, Dermot Power, and Richard Starkings
Batman and Judge Dredd have a fraught history of team-ups, with their vastly different approaches to fighting crime clashing sinceJudgment on Gotham. Their best crossover isThe Ultimate Riddle. Here, the pair are captured by a mysterious villain, who places them in an epic battle royale with other warriors.
The Ultimate Riddleis one of the most action-packed comics in Batman history, one that offers a revolving door of classic sci-fi villain tropes, each one defeated at the hands of the two protagonists. Thestory also highlights Riddlerin one of the rare cases of him presenting a truly formidable threat to the Dark Knight.
Move Over, Karl Urban - Judge Dredd Cosplay Celebrates His FULL Comic-Accurate Uniform
Judge Dredd is a badass character who doesn’t take guff from anyone, with new cosplay images bringing his comic-accurate costume into the real world.
2Superman / Batman: Public Enemies
Jeph Loeb, Ed McGuinness, Dexter Vines, Dave Stewart, and Richard Starkings
The 2003Superman / Batmanserieslaunched withone of the duo’s best modern stories: “Public Enemies.“This six-issue arc takes place in the aftermath of a successful presidential bid by Lex Luthor, turning him into the most powerful man in the world. Naturally, the World’s Finest become fugitives, which escalates when they’re framed for a crime they didn’t commit. In response, Luthor deploys his own team of superheroes to bring the duo down.
“Public Enemies” offers readers an excellent political thriller, an action-packed adventure, and a genuine case of the World’s Finest saving the world. One of the highlights of the story is its exploration of Lex Luthor’s unchecked ambitions, as he abuses his office and transforms himself into a monster.
1Batman / Superman: World’s Finest
Mark Waid, Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain, and More
Batman and Superman have a long and entertaining history of crossovers and team-ups, butMark Waid and Dan Mora’sWorld’s Finestseries represents everything readers could wantin such a series. Beginning with the duo’s fight against the Devil Nezha, the book kicked off with some memorable moments, includingthe merger of Batmanand Superman to fight Hal Jordan.
Not refined to any one story, thisWorld’s Finestseries is one of DC’s best ongoing titles, and a great case of the writing being a perfect match for the art. The series explores the respective heroes' sidekicks, their best villains, and their history together, even returning to the fan-favorite world ofKingdom Comeby Waid and Alex Ross, a highlight of the book. FewBatmanteam-ups can matchWorld’s Finest’s energy.
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
