Written by: (See Credits Below)
Art by (See Credits Below)
Cover Art by John Romita Jr. & Dennis Janke
SUMMARY:
Released in 1998, this 222-page trade paperback consists of four one-shots from 1994-1996: specifically, Batman/Punisher: Lake of Fire; its sequel – Punisher/Batman: Deadly Knights; Silver Surfer/Superman: Pop; and the Golden Age-inspired Captain America & Batman.
Batman/Punisher: Lake of Fire. Writer: Dennis O’Neil; Artists: Barry Kitson & James Pascoe; Colors: Matt Hollingsworth; & Letters: Ken Bruzenak. The new Batman (Jean-Paul Valley) and the Punisher/Frank Castle must tag-team against Jigsaw’s incendiary effort jeopardizing Gotham City’s water supply.
Punisher/Batman: Deadly Knights. Writer: Chuck Dixon; Artists: John Romita Jr. & Klaus Janson; Colors: Christie Scheele; & Letters: Richard Starkings/Comicraft. Weeks later, the Punisher returns to Gotham still in pursuit of an elusive Jigsaw, now in cahoots with the Joker. Awaiting Frank Castle is Bruce Wayne’s original Batman, who has no intention of letting the Punisher run roughshod during a mob uprising.
Silver Surfer/Superman: Pop. Writer: George Pérez; Artists: Ron Lim & Terry Austin; Colors: Tom Smith; & Letters: John Costanza. It’s fun-and-games for the Silver Surfer and the Man of Steel, as two familiar interdimensional imps trade off wreaking havoc on their rival universe’s cosmic hero. Included is a Fantastic Four appearance.
Captain America & Batman. Writer/Artist: John Byrne; & Colors: Patricia Mulvihill. In 1945 wartime Gotham City, Captain America & Bucky join the Dynamic Duo in thwarting the Red Skull and the Joker’s Nazi-related terrorist scheme.
Note: The 1949 segment of Byrne’s first Superman & Batman: Generations (An Imaginary Tale) is a direct, if not acknowledged, sequel to Captain America & Batman. Explaining the Joker’s post-war return, it can be found in either the 1999 Generations mini-series or its subsequent 2000 trade paperback.
REVIEW:
Sporting different styles, the consistently stellar artwork is a welcome asset. However, the stories are a mixed bag. Unless one is a die-hard fan of the Impossible Man and/or Mr. Mxyzptlk, Silver Surfer/Superman: Pop is tough to indulge even once. Still, Superman’s confrontation with the Super-Skrull (or maybe it isn’t) is a minor gem.
As to the two Batman/Punisher tales, aside from heavy doses of mob violence, its weak link is the less-than-compelling Jean-Paul Valley. Unsurprisingly, Bruce Wayne’s Batman deems the Punisher as one more psychopath in Gotham, making their scenes together dynamite, especially as there’s no cop-out alliance between them. It’s a shame that Wayne’s Batman is stuck with a skimpy plot while Valley has the more compelling Lake of Fire. Dumping Valley and inserting the original Batman into Lake of Fire would have made an ideal read.
The real gem, however, is a Golden Age caper finally teaming Captain America & Bucky with Batman & Robin, not to mention the Joker’s for-hire alliance with the Red Skull. Writer-artist John Byrne doesn’t disappoint, as his well-played storyline delivers fun plot twists.
Considering how hard it is to track down these original mid-90’s comics in pristine form, this collection makes good financial sense for fans. In all fairness, with the exception of Captain America & Batman, Crossover Classics II isn’t nearly as inspired as those assembled for the first Crossover Classics. That volume, by the way, has both Superman/Spider-Man team-ups; Batman/Hulk; and the brilliant X-Men/Teen Titans.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
After the table of contents/credits page, a two-page introduction profiles the heroes. A page explains DC & Marvel’s definition of a “crossover.” Chuck Dixon provides a two-page foreword to this project. All four covers are reprinted in a full-page format.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6 Stars
