Marvel and DC just had to nix aPokémonreference from a variant cover of their upcomingBatman/Deadpoolcrossover. Artist Skottie Young’s cover art for the series initially featured a visual shout-out tothe iconic Pokémon franchise, but the publishers have now swapped out that version for one that omits the Pokeball homage.
Young posted on Instagram, highlighting the difference between the two versions of the cover, the first of which features a Pokeball Bat-Signal, while the second has an amalgamation of Deadpool and Batman’s logos.
“Gotta love legal,” the artist stated in the caption of his posts, suggesting that the decision might have been handed down by the legal department at one of the companies involved.
Skottie Young’s “Pokeball Bat-Signal” Cover For “Deadpool/Batman #1” Gets The Axe Prior To The Issue’s Publication
Skottie Young’s originalDeadpool/Batman#1 variant cover features overtly cartoonish versions of both heroes standing on a Gotham rooftop. From the look of it, it seems that Deadpool is trying to be funny, and it’s aggravating Batman. In the background, a modified version of the Bat-Signal shines in the air, with a Pokeball in place ofthe Caped Crusader’s logo.
The updated version, by contrast, features a hybrid ‘Pool-Bat-Signal, with their respective logos split down the middle. It might be more apropos for the issue, but it lacks the fan-favorite reference that made readers eager to get their hands on the variant as a collector’s item. Unfortunately for those eager fans, it has been pulled before the issue’s release.
Young’s “gotta love legal” comment on Instagram suggests that the change came down to a matter of right clearance, though whether Nintendo asked for the reference’s removal, or the legal departments at either Marvel and/or DC called for it to be changed, remains a matter of open speculation among readers.
Skottie Young Cited “Legal” As The Reason His Pokémon For Marvel/DC Is Being Buried
Comic book fans love Easter Eggs, and they adore crossovers between franchises. So, Skottie Young’s inclusion of this visual nod to Pokémon on hisDeadpool/Batman#1 cover naturally got fans excited. It is a shame that the comic will ship without Young’s original vision for the cover, but it is the kind of “safe” move that companies make all the time.
Still, the original version is out there now online, and will join the ranks of fan-favorite “unofficial” and “rejected” comic covers from over the years. Further, the new version of Young’s cover has its own kind of charm, retaining the lighthearted spirit of the original while emphasizing that theodd-couple pairing of Deadpool and Batmandoesn’t need aPokémonsend-up to be exciting.
