It happens to be a golden age of crossovers at the moment, as we’ve seen any number of characters and franchises collide in unexpected ways over the past year. That’s included everything from an epic showdown between the DC Universe, Godzilla, and Kong to the delightful reunion of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, just to name a few. Then there’s Immortal Legend Batman, and while this series isn’t a crossover at all, there’s definitely some Power Rangers and Tokusatsu in its DNA. The result is a Batman story that feels as grand and vivid as it is unpredictable, and it’s just as awesome as it sounds.
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The ability to harness that Toku and DC energy and channel it in creative ways is a hallmark of the creative team, as Immortal Legend Batman features the talents of Kyle Higgins (Shattered Grid, Radiant Black), Mat Groom (Mighty Morphin, Inferno Girl Red), Erica D’Urso (Inferno Girl Red, Power Rangers Prime), Dan Mora (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Superman), Igor Monti (Radiant Black, Inferno Girl Red), Tamra Bonvillain (Justice League Unlimited, Batman/Superman: World’s Finest), and Becca Carey (Absolute Superman/ Radiant Red). It’s a creative team that fundamentally understands how to move the needle and create uniquely immersive worlds, and that is unmistakably present throughout the series’ debut issue.
The issue throws you knee-deep into this unfamiliar world, moving at a frenetic pace as you attempt to latch onto the familiar elements along the way. It helps that D’Urso, Monti, Bonvillain, and Carey hit the ground running with a stylish and insanely cool chase sequence that effortlessly pulls you in, especially with an early twist that shifts your perceptions of what this issue is actually about and who you are following.
Higgins and Groom then shake things up even further, bringing old west elements and a murder mystery into the mix, with the reader continuously questioning not only what is actually happening in the bigger picture but who they can trust in the midst of it all. That leads to a thrilling showdown that truly embraces those Toku and Power Rangers hallmarks, as the set pieces swirl with big pops of color and movement that leap off the page and feel bigger than life. We’ve even got shout-outs of signature moves right in the thick of it, and all Batman was missing was a random blue and yellow explosion popping off behind him as he posed.
If that sounds awesome, it absolutely is, but it doesn’t end there. While the first story sets the overall vibe and tone, the second story sets about creating a world to go with it, and this is where the hooks truly dig in. In a matter of 6 pages, the team reveals a number of important ideas and concepts, including how this world came to be and the role its heroes play in it. That said, there are some great curveballs thrown in as to who those heroes are and the legacy they are taking part in, and there are any number of key threads that I will be impatiently waiting to see followed up on in future issues.
Then there’s a wild twist at the end that changes up your perspective on a key character and how the story will revolve around them moving forward, once again shaking up any preconceived notions of what this series will ultimately be. That’s a hallmark of the Massive-Verse, Power Rangers, and Superman as well, so it shouldn’t really be a surprise that it works so well here as well. If you’re looking for something that captures the imagination and mixes in concepts from some of your favorite franchises, look no further than Immortal Legend Batman.
Rating: 5 out of 5
What did you think of Immortal Legend Batman #1? Let us know in the comments.
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