The startling truth behind Scottie Young’s changes on his DEADPOOL/BATMAN #1 cover

Eisner Award-winning creator Scottie Young posted on social media that his previously released cover for Deadpool/Batman #1 will need to be changed before its release. “Spot the difference. Gotta love legal! Deadpool/Batman # 1 on comic shop shelves everywhere September 24!” posted Young on August 11. 

Young is unclear as to why or who requested the change to the Batsignal in the background, but the most likely reason is that a DC lawyer requested a logo that is half Deadpool and half Batman. As one commenter mentioned: “Gotta give them both equal billing! Ridiculousness that goes all the way back to Superman and Spider-Man having to be the same size on the first Marvel/DC crossover!” replied frandiggz to Young’s post about the change. 

It would match the Insignia Mashup variant of Deadpool/Batman #1, so that would make sense.

Marvel / DC: Deadpool / Batman #1 Insignia Mashup Variant

The original cover looked a lot like Deadpool’s logo: 

Despite this being the most logical reason, it was reported by ScreenRant and elsewhere  that the reason for the change was due to the cover being a “Pokémon homage.” 

“Marvel and DC just had to nix a Pokémon reference from a variant cover of their upcoming Batman/Deadpool crossover. Artist Skottie Young’s cover art for the series initially featured a visual shout-out to the iconic Pokémon franchise.”

Deadpool/Batman Loses Pokémon Signal Over Legal Concerns

But that doesn’t seem likely. 

…Wait a minute

Could it be?

MY GOD!

Young later dispelled that rumor when commenting on the original post: “Pokémon had nothing to do with it. And this is where we’re saying ‘gotta love legal’ because they made the gag a bit better. Win-win”

Marvel will publish Deadpool/Batman #1 on September 24, and DC will publish Batman/Deadpool sometime in November. These two books are part of a larger crossover first teased at ComicsPro ’25 and later confirmed at SDCC ’25. And whenever Marvel and DC crossover…legal scrutiny is at Defcon 1, and equal representation is of the utmost importance. Gotta catch ’em all! 

There will also be backup stories in Deadpool/ Batman #1 as previously reported here at The Beat:

Besides the main crossover between the Merc with a Mouth and the Caped Crusader in the written by Zeb Wells and drawn by Greg Capullo, the Deadpool/Batman one-shot will feature backup stories including Daredevil and Green Arrow by Kevin Smith and Adam Kubert, Jeff The Land Shark and Krypto by Kelly Thompson and Gurihiru, Captain America and Wonder Woman by Chip Zdarsky and Terry Dodson, Rocket Raccoon and Green Lantern by Al Ewing and Dike Ruan, and Wolverine (Old Man Logan) and Batman (The Dark Knight Returns) by Frank Miller.

(With thanks to Avery Kaplan and Ollie Kaplan for additional detective work.)