Batman can solely staff up with fellow DC heroes like Superman, Wonder Woman, and The Flash so many occasions earlier than it begins to get a bit of previous. Sometimes, we’d like a narrative that shakes issues up and removes the limitations between popular culture universes. That’s how we’ve gotten some really traditional and downright bizarre comedian e-book crossovers over the many years.
From apparent team-ups like Batman/Spider-Man and Batman/The Shadow to extra uncommon fare like Batman/Elmer Fudd, these are the perfect (in addition to a few of the weirdest) Batman crossovers of all time. Note that we’re targeted solely on the tales the place Batman himself is the principle participant, not Justice League-centric crossovers like Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong.
10. Spider-Man and Batman
As arguably the 2 largest superheroes on the earth, it’s inevitable that Batman and Spider-Man would cross paths sooner or later. If something, it’s shocking that Marvel and DC waited till 1995 to make that pairing occur. But Spider-Man and Batman was definitely well worth the wait. This crossover zeroes in on the similarities between the 2 heroes and their respective tragic pasts, whereas additionally making the good choice to pit them towards the tag staff psychopathic duo of Joker and Carnage.
Spider-Man and Batman’s biggest energy is that it’s constructed by two adorned Spider-Man veterans – Kraven’s Last Hunt author J./M. DeMatteis and prolific Amazing Spider-Man artist Mark Bagley. The result’s a e-book that looks like a pure extension of the ‘90s Spider-Man comics (minus all of the Clone Saga nonsense).
Buy DC vs. Marvel Omnibus on Amazon.
9. Spawn/Batman
As two darkish vigilantes with billowing capes and big fanbases, Spawn and Batman are one other pure option to pair collectively. To date, there have been three crossovers between the 2 franchises (together with the very latest Batman/Spawn), however we’re giving the nod to the unique. That’s as a result of the primary crossover boasts essentially the most spectacular inventive staff, becoming a member of The Dark Knight Returns author Frank Miller with Spawn creator Todd McFarlane. That inventive pedigree makes for a enjoyable and suitably darkish team-up journey.
Buy Batman/Spawn: The Classic Collection on Amazon.
8. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Since their 2011 reboot at IDW, the Ninja Turtles have gone on to star in an incredible many crossovers. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles stays the most effective, because of the robust pairing of Batman veteran James Tynion IV and artist Freddie E. Williams II.
This crossover makes for a really entertaining assembly between two worlds, taking advantage of the conflict of personalities between the Batman household and the Turtles. Plus, who amongst us hasn’t questioned if Batman might take Shredder in a one-on-one duel? Tynion and Williams additionally discover actual emotional weight in forging a bond between the Dark Knight and the Heroes in a Half Shell.
The unique crossover proved profitable sufficient for DC and IDW to reteam on two direct sequels (plus a separate crossover primarily based on the animated variations of the characters). This crossover even spawned a 2019 animated film, which can be nicely price watching.
Buy Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol. 1 (2025 Edition) on Amazon.
7. First Wave
In some ways, the unique Golden Age incarnation of Batman is a really completely different character from what would comply with. It’s that model of Batman that shines on this distinctive and entertaining crossover collection. Written by 100 Bullets’ Brian Azzarello and drawn by Identity Crisis’ Rags Morales, First Wave combines a lot of iconic pulp heroes into one universe. Here, the Caped Crusader (uncharacteristically toting a pair of weapons) rubs elbows with everybody from Doc Savage to The Spirit to Rima the Jungle Girl. The collection is quite a lot of enjoyable, and we solely want the so-called Pulpverse had change into a everlasting a part of DC’s multiversal lineup.
6. Batman/The Shadow: The Murder Geniuses
It’s protected to say that with out The Shadow there could be no Batman. Pairing the 2 darkish avengers of the night time is just logical, and we’re glad this collection does such an incredible job of pitting the 2 collectively. Batman/The Shadow opens because the Dark Knight investigates the newest homicide in Gotham City, just for the prime suspect to be Lamont Cranston, a person thought to have perished 50 years prior. That’s simply the beginning of a whirlwind team-up.
As with so many books on this checklist, Batman/The Shadow is all concerning the inventive staff – writers Scott Snyder and Steve Orlando and artist Riley Rossmo. Sadly, that full staff didn’t return for the follow-up collection The Shadow/Batman, however the sequel remains to be an pleasant learn in its personal proper.
Buy Batman/The Shadow: The Murder Geniuses on Amazon.
5. Batman Versus Predator
Even because the film collection floundered, the Predator franchise discovered a second life in comics in the course of the ‘90s. That contains no fewer than three crossovers between the Dark Knight and the universe’s biggest hunter. For our cash, the primary remains to be the one to beat, because it incorporates a terrific story by Watchmen’s Dave Gibbons and artwork by a pre-X-Men Andy and Adam Kubert.
Batman Versus Predator boasts a easy however very profitable premise. A Yautja is operating amok in Gotham, and Batman is compelled to comply with his bloody path. The creators conjure up a terrific sense of environment, and finally do a much better job of capitalizing on the thought of a Predator searching in a bustling American metropolis than Predator 2.
Buy Batman vs. Predator on Amazon.
4. Batman/Judge Dredd: Judgment on Gotham
Batman and Judge Dredd each have a deep dedication to upholding the regulation and sustaining order of their respective dystopian cities. One would assume they’d get alongside famously. But not a lot it seems, as the primary Batman/Judge Dredd crossover exhibits us. When Judge Death breaches the limitations between dimensions and types an alliance with Scarecrow, these two costumed heroes should put apart their variations for the larger good. And boy have they got some variations…
DC and 2000 AD collaborated on three Batman/Judge Dredd crossovers within the ‘90s, however right here once more, our cash is on the unique. It’s actually arduous to high the enchantment of getting Dredd co-creator John Wagner concerned, together with the surreal, brutal, and downright psychedelic paintings of Simon Bisley. This may be the best-looking Batman crossover of all time.
Buy The Batman/Judge Dredd Collection on Amazon.
3. Batman/Grendel
Grendel isn’t essentially essentially the most well-known character Batman has crossed paths with over time, however it’s a pairing that simply makes inherent sense. Matt Wagner’s Grendel saga is a meditation on violence and vengeance, two themes central to Batman’s world. And provided that Wagner has labored with the Dark Knight solo loads of occasions over time, these characters collectively change into two nice tastes that style nice collectively.
Both the unique 1993 crossover and its 1996 sequel are nicely price studying. The first pits Batman towards the unique Grendel Hunter Rose, as the 2 conflict in each the streets and Gotham’s well mannered society. The sequel shifts focus to Rose’s futuristic successor Grendel-Prime. Both tales are ok to make you would like Grendel was a everlasting a part of Batman’s rogues gallery.
Buy Batman/Grendel: Devil’s Riddle on Amazon.
2. Planetary/Batman: Night on Earth
Warren Ellis and the late, nice John Cassaday joined forces for certainly one of DC’s biggest comics ever within the sprawling sci-fi epic Planetary. That collection wound up spawning crossovers with each The Authority and the Justice League, however it’s the Batman crossover that actually stands out (partially as a result of it’s the one one of many three to function your entire inventive staff from the principle collection).
In Planetary/Batman, the cantankerous Elijah Snow and his staff arrive in a Batman-less Gotham City on the path of a mysterious killer. Soon, the limitations between worlds are breached, resulting in encounters with an incredible many variations of the Caped Crusader. Half the enjoyable of this crossover is in the way it celebrates all eras of Batman’s historical past, from the traditional Golden Age to the campy Silver Age to the brooding avenger of The Dark Knight Returns. This crossover is principally simply an prolonged installment of the principle collection with a wholesome dose of Batman thrown in, and that’s sufficient to end in the most effective Batman crossovers of all time.
Buy Batman/Planetary: The Deluxe Edition on Amazon.
1. Batman/Elmer Fudd Special
As it occurs, the perfect Batman crossover can be essentially the most weird. Batman/Elmer Fudd Special is a component of a bigger line of mash-ups combining heroes of the DCU with iconic Looney Tunes characters. It’s additionally far and away the perfect, mining extra out of the goofy premise than we might have ever imagined. This is likely one of the solely comics to ever rating a ten in our IGN evaluate.
The brilliance of Batman/Elmer Fudd is that it performs the pairing utterly straight (which, in flip, results in some really hilarious moments). This is a 100% critical imaginative and prescient of Batman and Gotham City, one through which Elmer Fudd is forged as a tragic killer not not like Marv from Sin City. The speech obstacle remains to be there, however the character is pure fury and pathos.
Writer Tom King and artist Lee Weeks wind up wringing an enormous quantity of emotion and depth out of this unhappy and wistful but nonetheless hilarious crossover. They’re an incredible staff after they work with Batman alone (as evidenced by their recurring collaboration on DC’s 2016 Batman collection), however someway the addition of Elmer Fudd takes every thing up a notch.
Buy Batman by Tom King and Lee Weeks on Amazon.
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For extra Batman enjoyable, take a look at the highest 10 Batman costumes of all time and the highest 27 Batman comics and graphic novels.
Jesse is a mild-mannered workers author for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your mental thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.
