Batman & Spider-Man: New Age Dawning

[cyberghostface]

This is actually the second time Batman and Spider-Man met, but this one stands on its own. It's a great story and a lot of it probably has to do with J.M. DeMatteis whose proven in the past that he knows how to handle both Spider-Man and Batman. it's a shame that there haven't been any more Batman/Spider-Man stories after this as I feel that there's a lot of potential.

Disclaimer: the original one-shot was about 51 pages.

Long story short, Ra's al Ghul wants to do business with the Kingpin, so you know both Spidey and Bats have an interest in what's going on.







Kingpin turns down Ra's (who is acting through his daughter Talia) offer because he doesn't want to be involved with a terrorist organization. Vanessa Fisk, his wife, soon becomes sick.







Ra's plan is to start an earthquake that will sink Manhattan Island, the first of many natural disasters that will strike the globe. In the chaos, Ra's will emerge to offer an solitude and redemption to the world. Kingpin scoffs at her offer and tells her that any act against New York will be considered by him to be an act of war. Before she leaves, she tells Fisk that Ra's can cure his wife's cancer.

Later, concerned about his wife's wellbeing, the Kingpin decides to accept Ra's offer.





Ra's tells Fisk that they are petty annoyances beneath them, and has some of his thugs deal with them while they go on to more pressing matters. By the time Spider-Man and Batman are done, Kingpin and Ra's have escaped.







Spider-Man is knocked out in the ensuing avalanche and Batman brings him to the safety of a nearby cave.

Ra's tells Fisk that when the world is his, he will need men of like minds to administer his judgements. He tells Fisk that if he becomes his disciple, the world will be his.



Kingpin accepts his offer.







Ra's accuses Batman of getting to Talia through him, but she had nothing to do with it.





Batman offers to bring Talia back with him, but she tells him that she is by his father's side because she chooses to be.

Back in New York, Kingpin is able to elude the law by giving interpol information on Ra's. When the hideout is found, however, Ra's and Talia are missing.

Comments

[riddler13]

Well, if Spider-Man would just shut up while climbing, maybe an avalanche wouldn't occur?

I like this story. And especially Kingpin's and Ra's' bonding fight and ensuing dialogue.

[crinos]

Yeah that was a great scene.

Kingpin: You'r the one who made my wife sick? WHAT KIND OF MONSTER WOULD DO THAT?

Ras: You would.

Kingpin:....Yeah okay good point.

And of course it turns out Kingpin was hustling Ras the whole time. Fisk really is one of my all time favorite villains.

[agharta75]

And Ra's: "You beat me fairly. So I'll let you live."

Both the villains in character.

[oakie620]

Oh wow. I still have this comic, and looking back on it tugs at my heartstrings. If it isn't my favorite crossover, it remains a strong contender.

Something I always appreciated is how the story is set in a shared universe. It doesn't try to justify itself with dimensional rifts, vibrational frequencies or cosmic macguffins, and is all the better for it.

The characterization is also a strong point. Batman and Spider-Man bounce off of each other surprisingly well, and we get insight on each important character and what makes them tick.

[beeyo]

Y'know What? Peter is an honorary Robin. He's just so good at it. I need an 80 page comic of Dick, Jason, Tim, Damian and Peter busting Bruce's chops while they sit on a gargoyle on a stake-out.

Someone write that dialogue for me, quick.

[joetuss]

Dick/Tim, and Peter would become BFF's on sight.

[deathcrist2000]

Should I just post a quick Peter/Dick "one night stand that leads to a more committed relationship" fic? Because we all know that's how a meeting between the two will end.

[joetuss]

Uh, no thanks. I kind of just imagine them being bros.

[bradygirl_12]

In the first panel in which he appears, Ra's has a Simon Stagg thing going there. Maybe he put Staggsy onto the Orb of Ra that transformed Rex Mason into Metamorpho. ;)

[lbd_nytetrayn]

Out of continuity, I would assume? Wouldn't think they'd settle Vanessa's illness in such a manner.

Did they ever cure her? Or did she die?

[cyberghostface]

Talia dropped it off and they give it to Kingpin at the end.

[lbd_nytetrayn]

Aye, so you're saying that counts in the ongoing Marvel continuity?

[cyberghostface]

Idk but it seems to operate under the pretense that the two are in the same universe so probably not.

[obsidianwolf]

It is usually best to simply assume all the crossovers are isolated unless they reference each other or are referenced elsewhere in the companies main titles. DC tends to reference the crossover meta plots more than Marvel though. Access appeared in Green Lantern after Marvel VS DC And the whole cosmic egg from JLA avengers showing up.

[starwolf_oakley]

Is Ra's al Ghul the first "enviromental" villain? I know Poison Ivy came first, but she didn't go "eco-terrorist" until the 1980s.