Batman Dylan’s Dog Shadow of the Bat is a cross between the DC Universe and the publisher Sergio Bonelli, where both detectives must join forces to fight their enemies: the Joker and Dr. Xabaras.
Warning: This review is about the Italian Batman Dylan Dog – a shade of Pipistrello.
Sergio Bonelli is one of the largest and most famous publishers of comics – fumetti – in Italy, where many Italian authors know themselves and is also the home of great characters such as Tex, Dampier, Julia, Nathan Never, Zagor or. Dylan dog that enjoys a great tradition and great sales in the transalpine country. Also from works like La Divina Congrega, Dante Alighieri forms his own “League of Justice”.
Seeing the characters of the DC Universe with Sergio Bonelli’s publisher was a big story for many of the readers of both publishers, a fantasy utopia destined to remain deep in the dreams of the righteous and in the minds of fans. With no hope of ever seeing the light of day.
Well, the seemingly impossible has finally happened and it was announced in Italy, at Lucca Comics & Games 2019. On that occasion, Issue Zero was presented, paving the way for the first crossover between DC Comics and the two iconic characters and friends. Sergio Bonelli: Batman and Dylan the Dog. In Spain, this crossover was published in May as the main volume: Batman Dylan’s Dog. The shadow of the bat.
Dylan the dog
Dylan – a tribute to the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas – the dog is a comic character created by Tiziano Slavi for Sergio Bonelli’s publishing house in 1986, published in Spain by Aleta Editions, a character in the popular series. The series can be classified as horror and its immediate success in Italy has put it in second place on the publisher’s sales platform after Tex.
Like Sherlock Holmes, Dylann Dog lives on Craven Road – in honor of Wes Craven – at number 7 in London, but instead of the usual Victorian clothes, the main character always wears jeans, a red shirt and a black jacket. Next to him is his accomplice Groucho – an homage to Marx’s brother – Inspector Bloch and his assistant Jenkis, both from Scotland Yard. In the editor, there were cross-overs with collections such as Nathan Neve, Dampier or Martin Myster, among others.
A cross between The Dark Knight and the Nightmare Detective
Roberto Raccioni, the director of the Dylan Dog series, designed an unexpected meeting between heroes, where two opposite characters, like a Gotham detective and a nightmarish detective, confront each other, but in fact have many points. in common. Both are detectives with a dark side that often torments them, in addition, they have to face threats from monsters and ambiguous and cruel characters every day.
Raccioni doesn’t beat around the bush and decides to target the heroes’ enemies Olympus, making the villains their true enemies: Joker and Dr. Xabaras. Effectively using the flashback, the reader knows that they both met before, but their paths cross again… Then, in the story now, a new light appears in the face: a face-to-face meeting between Dr. Xabaras and his son, Dylan.
A dangerous combination requires a quick response
The story follows a fitting alliance between Dylann Dog and Batman, like many other Batman crossovers, as the Joker and Dr. Xabaras must face the greatest danger they ever imagined working together. This association forces the Dark Knight to travel to Nightmare Detective London.
In England’s capital, Batman and Dylann Dog must work side by side, but first they must meet their ally because they must iron out their different views of the nature of evil in order for this alliance to come to fruition and Prince Madness. Criminal clowns do not grow or spread in the metropolis.
The authors
The script for this crossover between Batman and Dylan Dog was written by Roberto Raccioni, head of the Nightmare Investigator – L’investigatore dell’Incubo – at Sergio Bonelli’s publishing house, a man who knows how to adapt the dark knight’s idiosyncratic views. The story of the Italian character, with the main characters of other large collections of other cross experiences.
The sequence used by the Italian writer is not unique, but it allows the readers to understand the main characters if they have not read anything about them before, an interesting story is easy to develop, but it is modern and dynamic with other characters of the DC universe. Have a role like Catwoman, Etrigan or John Constantine as well as Sergio Bonelli. His sly sarcasm and love for the heroes on the other hand elevates the script completely.
The picture of two greats, Werther del Edera and Gigi Cavenago, is the success of this story, following a dynamic and stylized style, perfectly defined in the action sequences and at the same time very expressive and descriptive. Persuasive, especially when it comes to portraying multifaceted and complex characters like the villains, the Joker and Dr. Xabaras. To this we must add Giovanna Nero’s good work with color, fully adapted to the needs of the painting.
This crossover of Guardians of Gotham with other partners from different publishers is an interesting story due to the perspective presented by Roberto Riccioni, which gives us an exploration of the world of Dylann Dog, perfectly adapted to any reader, whether he is a fan of the protagonists or not. The picture is an incentive to enjoy this adventure between two different detectives.
The Dark Knight and the Magic Detective together in one comic! Batman is looking for the Joker, but he doesn’t suspect that the villain has traveled to London to meet the only villain in the company of the deadly croc who can cover for him: Dr. Xabaras.
The intervention of Dylan’s nemesis, the dog, puts an end to Batman’s adventure, and of course, Alfred, Groucho, and Dylan’s new lover are also present: Selina Kyle!
Screenwriter Roberto Reccioni and artist Werther Del Edera Batman/Dylan the Dog: Shadow of the Bat, where the DC Universe meets Sergio Bonelli Editor’s legendary characters.