You have to admit that one advantage the comic book medium has over any other is that it can avoid red tape better than most. In the past few years, we’ve received dream crossovers between Batman and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Justice League and Power Rangers, as well as Sonic The Hedgehog and Mega Man. Due to each of those properties’ film, television and video game rights residing at various studios, it seems the realm of comics is the only feasible place for those characters to meet up and that’s not too shabby; as long as someone can draw it, it can become a reality.
Another type of crossover that this medium can achieve is of the variety that transcend time. Sure, Batman and Wonder Woman are obviously both DC properties, but Adam West and Lynda Carter’s respective takes on those iconic characters never had the opportunity to team up. Now, however, thanks to the digital first series Batman ’66 Meets Wonder Woman ’77, we can finally get the best of both worlds.
Series writers Jeff Parker (Batman ’66) and Marc Andreyko (Wonder Woman ’77) recently spoke with Comicosity about this great concept. Interestingly enough, these unique takes on Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince met years before the former donned cape and cowl, to which Parker said the following:
“Well, it was Marc’s idea of Wonder Woman being the inspiration for Batman. It just seemed really neat. She’s really positive, and everything he espouses on the show about wanting villains to change their ways and use their talents for the benefit of the world is very in line with that version of Wonder Woman.”
Andreyko then added:
“Oh yeah. This works really well. We’re not saying that the Batman ’66 always has this origin. It’s really just for this situation. But it works great.
“Because you can’t be the same as your typical version of Batman where he’s scarred by childhood trauma. Why is our version relentlessly positive in the face of that? This sort of answers that in an interesting way.”
Something cool the Batman ’66 series of comics had done in that past was to introduce villains who never appeared on the TV series such as Bane, Killer Croc, and Harley Quinn. This tale is set to include Ra’s al Ghul, which Parker touched on:
“For me, their storyline in the old comics and films is a little darker, but bringing them into this comic book made them more exotic and world-travelers. This is where the deep mythology of the League of Shadows plays out, rather than as darker characters Neal Adams and Denny O’Neil originated.
“We’re looking at them through the prism of the TV show and through the type of story we’re telling. There’s enough dark and gritty Batman-Ra’s ah Ghul stories out there. We wanted to tell one that felt like it would fit into this world.”
The first print issue of Batman ’66 Meets Wonder Woman ’77 arrives in comic shops this Wednesday, January 18.