REVIEW: ‘Batman/Spawn,’ Issue #1

Batman/Spawn #1 is written by Todd McFarlane, penciled by Greg Capullo, inked by McFarlane, colored by Dave McCaig, and lettered by Tom Napolitano. It’s published by DC Comics in association with Image Comics. Al Simmons and Bruce Wayne are both extremely different, yet eerily alike. Both men suffered a great tragedy in their life: Simmons was murdered by his former employers and separated from his wife Wanda, while Wayne lost his parents in a senseless act of violence. And both tragedies ended up shaping their lives, but for different reasons. Simmons made a deal with the demonic Malebogia, becoming Spawn, while Wayne took up the mantle of Batman to fight crime in Gotham City.

Their paths cross when the Court of Owls convinces Spawn that Batman is the one responsible for his wife’s death. Hellbent on revenge, Spawn tracks down the Dark Knight. But Batman isn’t willing to go down without a fight. As the two trade blows, they soon learn of a secret connecting the Court and their respective tragedies. And Batman’s vow never to take a life clashes with Spawn’s extreme methods of dealing with his enemies.

This isn’t the first time Batman and Spawn have crossed over, but it is the first time McFarlane has written the duo together. He hones in on the threads connecting the two, as well as their respective differences. And he also manages to weave elements of Spawn’s history into Batman’s in a way that makes sense. However, multiple references are made to ongoing events in the Spawn comics which might leave newcomers in the dark. And McFarlane tends to be overly wordy with his descriptions, to the point where one wonders if he’s writing a comic or a novel.

The real star of the one-shot is Capullo. Having spent a decade illustrating Batman, he dives back into the world of the Dark Knight with ease. Batman is often shown standing in shadows, his cape wrapping around him and blocking out all sources of light. Conversely, Spawn is hard to miss with his blood-red cape and glistening silver chains. Keeping in line with McFarlane’s theme of duality, Capullo opens the one-shot with a series of panels that juxtapose Simmons and Wayne’s early lives, as well as their connections to the people in their lives. And as befitting a Spawn comic, things get bloody. Batman attempts to fight Spawn hand-to-hand and literally breaks his knuckles open, and the Joker looks like something out of a horror movie with his decaying, rotting face.

McFarlane’s inks add plenty of shadow and texture to the book, giving it the gothic feel one would expect from a Batman and Spawn crossover. Special kudos have to go to McCaig and Napolitano, though. McCaig’s color art shifts between the cool blue  lights of the Batcave to the harsh gray walls of Arkham Asylum, with shadows lurking around every color. And Napolitano manages to perfectly replicate Spawn’s gray-lined word balloons, as well as the wordy narrative captions that usually accompany every Spawn comic.

Batman/Spawn #1 is a one-of-a-kind crossover event, with gritty artwork and a connection between the characters overcoming a byzantine story. Whether you’re a fan of the Dark Knight or the hellish antihero, this is worth a read. And the last page teases that the two may reunite in the future – so one can only wonder how McFarlane and Capullo will top themselves.

Batman/Spawn #1 is available wherever comics are sold.