Writer: ZEB WELLS & MORE
Art: GREG CAPULLO & MORE
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price:$4.99
Reviewed by: Anonymous
Release Date: September 17th, 2025
DEADPOOL & BATMAN by ZEB WELLS & GREG CAPULLO! The crossover you’ve pined for but never thought possible: DEADPOOL and BATMAN cross swords and batarangs as MARVEL and DC unite for the first time in decades! WADE WILSON has been hired for a job in GOTHAM CITY, but will the WORLD’S GREATEST DETECTIVE help him or destroy him?
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THE DISPATCH
From the moment Deadpool crashes through a Gotham window in Marvel/ DC: Deadpool/Batman #1, the promise of chaos and contrast is laid bare. This is a crossover that could’ve gone off the rails, but Zeb Wells and Greg Capullo largely steer it with a confident hand. Is it perfect? No. But it delivers much of what fans have been waiting for — the clash of attitudes, styles, and worldviews — and in many ways, it does so with style.
The issue doesn’t waste time. The inciting why is Deadpool in Gotham? beats happen early, and there’s enough conflict bubbling in each page to keep tension high. That said, some moments feel a little rushed — transitions between scenes sometimes lean heavily on dialogue rather than establishing art cues. It’s more skip-ahead than linger-on. But perhaps that’s necessary: the setup is massive so the pace feels justified.
Because it’s a one-shot with backup stories, the primary Deadpool/Batman tale has to do a lot of heavy lifting. It largely succeeds, though the characterization of both heroes is necessarily somewhat broad — but in ways that work, given one is a fourth-wall-breaking merc, the other a grim detective. The stakes are personal, if not entirely new: the moral conflict is familiar Batman territory, but juxtaposed against Deadpool’s unpredictable moral compass, it gives fresh friction.
Greg Capullo is drawing this main story, and his style is well-matched for a tale that needs grit and spectacle. Panels are cinematic; dramatic silhouettes of Gotham are present; shadows are deep—Capullo leans into Batman’s dark gothic architecture and mood, while also letting the absurdity of Deadpool shine by contrast. The layouts are dynamic: there are splash pages, tight action sequences, close-ups of faces, and wide establishing shots. That variety helps the tone shift properly between menace, humor, and surprise. Occasionally though, a crowded panel zoomed in too much obscures clarity—some of the action gets lost or requires backtracking.
The atmosphere thus balances horror-tinged detective noir with comic absurdity. Batman’s world feels heavy, dangerous. Deadpool’s feels irreverent. The issue tries to, and largely succeeds at, being respectful to both — it doesn’t force one hero into the mold of the other, but lets each be themselves. That said, I did find some tonal whiplash: Deadpool’s jokes are sometimes dampened by the seriousness of the setting, and vice versa. Whether that’s a flaw or a feature may depend on your patience for tonal shifts.
As expected, Wells gives Deadpool a lot of room to crack wise. Some lines land beautifully — ironic, self-aware, mocking the conventions of both Gotham and superhero comics in general. The risk with combining a character like Deadpool with someone like Batman is that you lose the gravitas of the detective in service of the jokes, or you tone down Deadpool too much. Wells mostly avoids both pitfalls: Batman stays grim, terse, methodical; Deadpool remains loud, brash, unpredictable.
Lettering is competent. The fonts distinguish Batman’s more ominous dialogue from Deadpool’s more informal bubbles or off-panel quips. There are some sound-effects that feel a little too large or intrusive, especially during fight scenes, but that’s almost always a balancing act. On the whole, the lettering supports rather than distracts.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Marvel/ DC: Deadpool/Batman #1 delivers what its premise promises: a vivid clash of styles, solid art, smart color work, and strong character voices. It’s not without flaws — occasional lapses in pacing, some expository burden, and a bit of tonal whiplash — but it’s hard not to come away excited. For fans who’ve long wanted Marvel and DC to drop their barriers, this issue provides a worthy first chapter. If you’re into visual contrast, moral showdowns, and the comedic chaos of Deadpool against Gotham’s darkness, you’ll find a lot to like here.