Batman and Captain America (1996)

 

There is a plot afoot in Gotham City in early 1945.  Batman and Robin are on the trail of the Joker and after he escapes, Batman finds some disturbing clues about what the Clown Prince of Crime's plan is.  Cap helps Rock and Easy Company dispose of a War Wheel (I think that is what is is) and gets summoned back to the States.  He and Bucky run into Batman and Robin during a rescue of Robert Oppenheimer.  The big brass suspect a spy on the Manhattan Project.  They think they spy is Bruce Wayne, and Private Rogers is set to watching him.  Steve and Bruce have a quick tussle, and Bruce figures out who he is fighting.  They join forces to stop the Joker, and find out the Red Skull is behind it all.  Big surprise there, right? 

This Elseworlds story is great.  John Byrne obviously loves these characters and has done his due research.  The art is also amazing.  Byrne has come under fire these days for "phoning" his art in, but damn this is great.  The story flows well, and Batman and Cap change partners for a while as well.  And that ending... it is also perfect.  Byrne later references it in one of his Generations series books.  It does bring up a question- Cap is the only Marvel hero present.  Was he fighting Baron Zemo?  If he ends up frozen (and Bucky still dead at this time) who threw his frozen form into the ocean?  It kind of implies that Namor was present.  

The world may never know.  Sure wish more of these crossovers happened.  Especially as fun as this one.  I still want my Invaders/JSA team up.