Getting a little help from across the pond.
Batman '66 Meets Steed and Mrs. Peel may not be the Batman/Avengers crossover fans have been clamoring for, but it's the one they're getting. It's hard to argue that these two franchises weren't born to cross paths. And much like Batman '66 Meets The Man From UNCLE before it, this series succeeds in giving readers the crossover the TV gods never saw fit to deliver.
The best crossovers are generally those that don't fret the small details or waste much time on setting the stage, and that's very much the philosophy writer Ian Edginton opts for in this first issue. The story opens in classic Batman '66 fashion, with Catwoman and her goons attempting to steal a valuable gemstone and Bruce Wayne and his latest female acquaintance caught in the middle. From there, both batches of costumed heroes enter the fray and the conflict is off and running. No muss, no fuss and no time wasted on dull exposition. Everything you need to know to enjoy the story (which admittedly isn't much) is conveyed in these pages.
Edginton excels at blending the campy tone of the Batman '66 verse with the British mod sensibilities of the classic Avengers TV series. The script is very tongue-in-cheek but also clearly reverential towards the source material. The dialogue is sharp enough that it's impossible not to imagine each actor's respective voice when reading the word balloons. That's not to say that Edginton isn't afraid to play with the usual tropes or attempt things we likely wouldn't have seen on the old shows. For instance, seeing Alfred don the Batsuit in the absence of his master has to be a high point for DC's Batman '66 comics as a whole.
The art style takes a bit of getting used to in the way Matthew Dow Smith's simple, heavy line-work combines with Jordie Bellaire's lush colors. It's an effect that grew on me over the course of the issue, one that suits the retro flavor of both franchises while striving to do something a little different from the norm. That surreal quality doesn't always blend well with the action scenes, but in general it works.
The Verdict
The world never got the Batman '66/Avengers TV crossover it so richly deserved, but at least DC can make up for that omission in comic book form. Even at this early stage, it's clear this new team-up series is combining the best of both franchises for a fun, retro-flavored crossover that any Bat-fan can enjoy.
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