20-06-23 | DC Comics and Sergio Bonelli Editore team-up for an incredible crossover, as Batman meets Italy’s foremost paranormal investigator: Dylan Dog. Collaborations between competitive publishers are rare. Which makes this joined venture between American and Italian companies downright unique. L’ombra del Pipistrello, or Shadow of the Bat, will be available in Italy next week, followed by an American release soon after.
One might think this series is an opportunity for Dylan Dog to reach a wider audience. In actual fact Sergio Bonelli Editore currently prints more Italian Dylan Dog comics than DC Comics does English Batman titles. Dylan, therefore, will set the tone. A humbling experience for the Dark Knight, who is top billed but effectively guest starring in this epic Italian series by writer Roberto Recchioni and illustrated by Werther Dell’Edera and Gigi Cavenago.
Shadow of the Bat features the Joker, Catwoman and Killer Croc among others. Also teased is the presence of John Constantine. These characters fit the world of Dylan Dog like a glove, who has been investigating gothic horrors since the 1980s. This crossover was first announced in 2019, when a special prequel issue was released. It took four years for the full series to see the light of day and it looks like it’s been worth the wait.