Major Spoilers Podcast #1145: Crossovers Everywhere & Batman vs. The Demon

This week, we review Hector Plasm: Hunt the Bigfoot #1 (Image), Fantastic Four/Gargoyles #1 (Marvel), and War Wolf #1 (Mad Cave)—then dive into the great publisher crossover boom and our dream team-ups. In TPB Corner, we time-hop through Batman & Etrigan team-ups (Brave & the Bold #109, Detective Comics #603, and Batman #544–546) to see what still sings (and what doesn’t).

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 REVIEWS

STEPHEN
HECTOR PLASM: HUNT THE BIGFOOT #1
Writer: Benito Cereno
Artist: Derek Hunter, Spencer Holt
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: October 15, 2025
Itinerant ghost-hunter Hector Plasm has faced all sorts of unquiet spirits in his travels, but a series of murders in a Pacific Northwest town leads him to confront a creature more solid than usual: BIGFOOT! Can Hector track down a beast that doesn’t want to be found, clear his own name, AND save a struggling local business at the same time?
[rating:2.5/5]

MATTHEW
FANTASTIC FOUR/GARGOYLES (2025) ONE-SHOT
Writer: Greg Weisman
Artist: Enid Balam
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $5.99
Release Date: October 15, 2025
MARVEL'S FIRST FAMILY UNITES WITH THE MANHATTAN CLAN IN THIS EXCITING CROSSOVER! GARGOYLES creator and acclaimed Marvel writer Greg Weisman brings the Gargoyles to the Baxter Building alongside star artist Enid Balám! Danger strikes when the super villain Diablo learns stone gargoyles may hold the secret to eternal life…but the Gargoyles aren't about to let him leech the blood of his own! Fortunately, they've got the help of expert Diablo-bashers - the Fantastic Four! Plus: Tony Stark and David Xanatos compare facial hair, Marvel's own Gargoyle, Isaac Christians, bonds with his new kin, and more! You won't want to miss this collision of beloved universes!
[rating:3.5/5]

RODRIGO
WAR WOLF #1
Writer: Steve Orlando
Artist: Marco Perugini
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: October 22
After he fends off an alien invasion, Thomas Bruin goes from a nobody security guard to Earth’s greatest hero! He’s got a supercharged launchpad and no ceiling. Bruin rises from celebrity to congress, then to the head of the planet’s first orbital security force. He’s married into one of the country’s most powerful political families, he’s surfing a wave of endorsements, and he’s the very symbol of human resilience. So why is Bruin nervous? Because only he knows his great victory is a lie. When the aliens return to Earth, stronger than ever, Bruin has no choice but to be the hero he’s fooled the whole world into thinking he is…or die trying.
[rating: 2.5/5]

DISCUSSION

BATMAN AND ETRIGAN
Etrigan first appeared in The Demon #1 (September 1972) and was created by Jack Kirby. He created him at the behest of DC, who saw it as likely to be more commercially successful than the Fourth World and cancelled New Gods and Forever People to facilitate work on the new title. According to Evanier, Kirby had no interest in horror comics, but created Mark Etrigan in response to DC's demand for a horror character. Kirby was annoyed that Etrigan's popularity forced him to abandon the Fourth World titles before he was done with them.

Etrigan returned for a four-issue miniseries in 1987, written and illustrated by Matt Wagner. Alan Grant followed this with an Etrigan feature in Action Comics Weekly #636-641 and a second ongoing title in 1990. The 1990 series lasted 58 issues, two Annuals and one #0 issue. Garth Ennis took over the title beginning with issue #40. Ennis' run included the first appearance of his character Hitman. This series was followed by a miniseries, Driven Out. Following this, John Byrne's Blood of the Demon lasted 17 issues, and ignored much of the continuity that took place after Kirby's initial run.

While his first monthly comic book series was short-lived, and his second was canceled after five years, Etrigan remains a popular supporting character with occasional additional miniseries. Series in which Etrigan has appeared include Alan Moore's Swamp Thing, Neil Gaiman's The Sandman, Kevin Smith's Green Arrow and Batman: The Widening Gyre, Garth Ennis's Hitman, and Cosmic Odyssey by Jim Starlin and Mike Mignola.

CLOSE
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