Image courtesy of Super-Team Family Blog
Recently I was browsing some message board and came across a thread where fans were discussing what kind of crossovers they would like to see if Marvel Comics and DC Comics ever decide to do crossovers again. I was thinking that one I would love to see would be a Batman/Black Panther team-up. Two of my favorite characters together.
The two actually have met briefly, in a short sequence in the 2003 Justice League of America/Avengers crossover series, where we see them join with The Huntress and Black Widow to face a bunch of villains.
I have a logical connection to put them together in a new crossover. I’d have it revealed in the story that back when Bruce Wayne was a young man, traveling the world, learning the skills he would need to eventually become Batman, he made it to Wakanda. He figured out some way to sneak past their defenses and get inside their borders, and when he was caught and brought to King T’Chaka, the king was impressed by the young man’s courage and his tale of wanting to become the best he could be in order to someday avenger the murder of his parents. And so he introduced young Bruce to Prince T’Challa, who was around the same age, and the two of them spent some time training together and became friends before Bruce went off to continue exploring the world.
Years later T’Challa, now the King of Wakanda, arrives in Gotham City for a diplomatic visit with the mayor. The mayor throws a big party with all of Gotham’s political and wealthy elites to welcome him, and Bruce Wayne is, of course invited. At the party, Bruce and T’Challa become reacquainted. And then something happens which causes them to put on their costumes and fight crime together. I don’t know who the villains should be. Maybe Achebe and The Joker? Whatever, that’s for the creative team to decide.
Image courtesy of Super-Team Family Blog
And my dream choices for the creative team are: DWAYNE MCDUFFIE to write, and JOHN ROMITA JR. to draw. McDuffie’s has experience writing Black Panther in comic-books, and writing Batman in various animated features, so I’m sure he would be able to write both characters well together. And I love Romita Jr.’s art. His opening arc on Reginald Hudlin’s Black Panther series was beautiful, and I would love to see him draw Batman again, after that Punisher/Batman: Deadly Knights crossover that he drew years ago.
This comic would really be a dream come true.
iBLOGalot 
Interesting set up you have for these two. Too bad with McDuffie passing but yeah I could definitely see John Romita, Jr drawing this. I like his work. I used to dream of dc/marvel dc crossoovers. I know they already came out with a Batman/Daredevil crossover but before they did that was to me the ultimate match up. As for villian, maybe Ras Al Ghul for intellectual and physical prowess?
LikeLike
Interesting set up for a story you have hear. I would think it would be better if they both don’t know about the other and they start of fighting. Both are master strategists so it would be interesting to see how they can best one another. The they can unite against a common enemy. As for villians, I would suggest Ras Al Ghul on the DC side, can’t think of a name for the Marvel side.
LikeLike
Eh, I think that “heroes mistake each other for villains and fight to a standstill before realize they’re both on the same side and team-up” is a little too cliche for comic-book crossovers. It’s like that almost always happens, including in the crossovers when Batman met Daredevil and Spawn. So I’d want to avoid that here, and just have them already be allies.
Ra’s would be a good villain, being based in Africa, with an international organization. Perhaps he could form an alliance with the Mandarin, who has attacked Wakanda before in the comics? And that’s what brings Batman and Black Panther together.
Of course, looking back on this, just makes me sad again about the death of Dwayne McDuffie (R.I.P.), since he would be unable to write this now. I suppose Reggie Hudlin would be my next choice for writer.
LikeLike