In the classic style of DC Comics’ Elseworlds imprint, The Dark Knight’s reality is altered to fit a theme that is outside the box and grips you with a unique hook. But he’s not stalking the streets of Victorian London, he hasn’t swapped bodies with The Man of Steel, nor is he an undead creature of the night. In Immortal Legend Batman, The Caped Crusader is reimagined as a Tokusatsu hero in the vein of Toei’s Kamen Rider. A stylish, new costume. A Henshin (or transformation). He even has named special moves. But perhaps the best part of this book is that despite the trappings of a Japanese superhero, this still feels like the Batman we know and love.
Immortal Legend Batman is set in a distant future, sci-fi painted version of Gotham (as well as some surrounding planets/moons). Gone is the grimy, gothic architecture of Batman of yore, and in its stead is Star Wars-esque Space Western landscapes. Within this first issue, it’s unclear really what “Gotham” is, as we only see its outer rims. Batman is reconceptualized as an Immortal Legend (one of three introduced in this debut) which acts as legacy mantle past down throughout the years. Batman’s foes in this series (at least thus far) are called shadows, monsters from the void. On the surface, this setup sounds totally and tonally out of left field for Batman. In a lot of ways, it is. However, I think you will find there is more than meets the eye here.
©DC Comics
This fresh take on Batman is crafted by an impressive team of comic creators, with both writers having plenty of shared experience with both Batman and tokusatsu heroes. Kyle Higgins has not only written his fair share of Batman universe books (Batman: Gates of Gotham and Batman Beyond just to name a couple) but he’s also very well known in the toku space for penning Marvel’s Ultraman miniseries (Rise of Ultraman, Trials of Ultraman, The Mystery of Ultraseven, and Ultraman X Avengers), working on Boom Studios’ Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers line, and creating his own tokusatsu-inspired universe with Radiant Black and the Massive-verse that spawned from it. Mat Groom, the co-author of this tome, is no slouch in the space either. This book is in a long line of collaborations with Higgins, including the aforementioned Marvel Ultraman and Power Rangers books.
Right away, you can tell this dynamic duo of writers knows exactly what they’re doing. Higgins and Groom simultaneously juggle the tropes that make Batman what he is and the flavors of tokusatsu brilliantly. Batman has a crazy new suit, one that very much invokes Kamen Rider but still is unmistakably Batman. He battles otherworldly creatures called Shadows (think about the typical monster of the week from virtually any Japanese hero show). He has a transformation, uttering the phrase “Become the Night!” and striking a henshin pose. His dive kick finishing maneuver, “The Bat Press,” is straight out of Kamen Rider’s playbook. But on the flipside, Batman is still chasing and interrogating crooks. He’s investigating crime scenes and tracking down serial killers. Fear is his ultimate ally and is used to disarm his enemies. It is so Batman it hurts.
I was so surprised and pleased with how this book was crafted. It is the perfect balance of classic DC shenangians we know mixed with the over-the-top battles and abilities we expect from Tokusatsu. Higgins and Groom weave a story that leaves you with just as many questions as you have answers, and that’s what you want in a comic. You want something that has you begging for the next issue to release. Without going in to spoilers, the writers take us on an incredible journey in just this first issue alone. Major revelations, mysteries, and solid exposition are dispersed in between pulse pounding chase sequences, and one heck of a showdown. I would imagine if you slathered an episode of Batman: The Animated Series on one slice of bread, and Kamen Rider Black on the other, the delicious sandwich you’re left with would be exactly like this.
©DC Comics
As with all comics, however, this is a team effort and the team doesn’t begin and end with the writers. You need good art to convey your story. This is a visual medium after all. Much like we have a dynamic duo of writers, we also have a duo of artists AND a duo of colorists on this book. Artist Erica D’Urso has worked for most of the top comic companies in the United States, but perhaps most relevant to this book is the work on (you guessed it) Boom Studios’ Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers line of comics. Credits also include the Massisve-verse and Batman & Robin: Year One. Dan Mora was also an integral part of the Power Rangers books, but has been on TOO many DC Comics to name here. Needless to say, he knows Batman. Continuing the reunion of talent from the Massisve-verse and Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, colorist Igor Monti is very familiar with the vibe they’re going for, and he’s done his share of DC books as well. Colorist Tamra Bonvillain is much the same, a lot of DC books including World’s Finest and Absolute Batman.
I say all of that because one, everyone deserves to be recognized for their work on this breathtaking book (more on that in a bit) and two, because you can tell this was a labor of love. All the creators on this book have either worked together directly or they are linked by the characters they’ve brought to life. This feels like a magnum opus. The art on this book is simply incredible. When Batman isn’t on panel, the nighttime world of Avoca is given a subtle depression. An intentional lifelessness to convey that space age trappings of another world (or in this case, a moon?) The vibrant colors seen during the day have retreated and we are left with a landscape that feels hollow (and I mean that as a positive).
It’s so important to a Batman comic that the world around the titular hero feels desolate despite life thriving, like being alone in a room full of people. So, when Batman does make his presence felt, he leaps from the page. His costume pummels you with brightness and boldness. All of his movements are wonderfully rendered, a combination of grace and a feral inhibition to grab his target. I don’t even know where to begin with the final battle of the issue either, it is a smorgasbord of eye candy. Every panel has meaning, every punch or kick or beam is felt. It’s truly a master class in modern comic crafting.
I can’t leave out the letterer, Becca Carey, either. She adapts her style for each character, giving them a distinct manner of speaking. Her choice of onomatopoeia is also so fun and adds so much to the artwork. It reminds me of a sleeker, more modern Batman ’66. Everything means something in this book; no space is wasted.
I love Batman. The Caped Crusader is one of my oldest loves, a perennial hook in my heart. The problem is, I haven’t loved a lot of Batman comics in recent years. This one is different (both literally and meta textually). This story has something I’ve seemingly missed in Batman comics for a while now, FUN. This story is still dark, Batman is broody, but it doesn’t prevent itself from being mired in melancholy. This is an absolute love letter to Batman, as much as it is an absolute love letter to tokusatsu. If you love Batman, give this book a shot. If you love Kamen Rider, or Sentai/Power Rangers, give this book a try. I don’t throw out a perfect score lightly, especially on my first review for Kaiju United, but after reading this multiple times and reflecting through writing, I must. This is one of my favorite comics of the year. Do yourself a favor… Become the Night!
Overall Score: 10/10
Immortal Legend Batman honors the iconic Caped Crusader’s themes of justice and perseverance, blending it seamlessly with the vibrant and exciting style of tokusatsu henshin heroes such as Kamen Rider.
