Review: ‘Batman/ Spawn’ Is Bonkers And Fun

Crossovers are such a funny thing. They need to satisfy fans of both properties while telling a decent story. So after decades, how does Batman/Spawn do?

Todd McFarlane, Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, Dave McCaig, and Tom Napolitano give us the rematch decades in the making.

The Court of Owls have shown Al Simmons that there’s a way to free his beloved Wanda from Hell. Reluctantly, he accepts, hoping this will be what reunites him with his lost love. In exchange, the Court asks for one thing- kill Batman.

This story is just kind of nuts. It’s packed full of detail and easter eggs, but it’s also just a bonkers, hyper kinetic joyride. McFarlane does his best to tell a story that’s satisfying to fans of both characters, while also providing a continuity-laden, multiversal link between the two. In the “fun” department, he succeeds, but a lot of the story is hard to follow.

First of all, this story is completely distinct from the original crossover (I don’t know if it links to the sequel, as I haven’t read it). So it’s a rematch for us, but first meeting on the page. There are leaps in logic that can be confusing, and plot holes throughout. It also contains several out of nowhere scenes that were pure fan service. It’s not particularly bad, but just know you’re getting the comics equivalent of an 80’s action movie.

The art team knocks it out of the park, and makes this worth the price of admission alone. Capullo, Glapion and McFarlane draw page after page of gorgeous work. It’s adrenaline pumping action beats that don’t let up, but it also has a frightening new Talon as the villain that works entirely on the visual. McCaig’s colors are grim and dirty, but never murky or unclear. It’s not perfect- the layouts are often chaotic, and there’s a lot of dead space on the pages. Overall it looks stunning though.

Napolitano’s letters enhance the story a lot. He keeps McFarlane’s exposition heavy dialogue clear and prevents it from dominating the page. He also does some fun tricks with emphasis that makes it even more engaging.

This is far from the best story you’ll pick up this week, but it’s a hell of a lot of fun. I don’t think anyone will regret reading it.

Batman/Spawn is available now from DC Comics/Image Comics.