The Forbidden Planet International Blog Log

We all know that traditional superhero comics are struggling to bring in new readers to the genre, but DC seems to be determined to bring in a new audience by crossing over one of their most famous series, Batman, with the incredibly popular (although goodness knows why) reality music TV programmes like X-Factor and Pop Idol. Details are still scarce but it it seems the love him or hate him figure of Simon Cowell will make a cameo in the comics in a story which sees the musical judges holding auditions in Gotham City, which are crashed by the Joker who demands a place in front of the cameras for a duet with Harley Quinn: will the famously acerbic (and often downright rude) Cowell dare to speak his mind to the psychotic Clown Prince of Crime? Marvel must be kicking themselves for not thinking on a similar crossover between X-Factor the show and their comics of the same name… More as we get it.

(industry insiders, riffing on recent event in the Batman’s world following his apparent death, are already dubbing the music/comics crossover “Battle of the Cowell” and a chance to have a brief period of humour after some relentlessly grim reading for Bat-fans in recent months)