While the DC Universe and the wacky world of Looney Tunes couldn't be more different, those two worlds have collided more than once. Impressively, those events have generally proven to be surprisingly well-crafted set of stories featuring the stars of those two properties, with a pitch-perfect balance between self-aware comedy and genuine pathos.
One of the most unlikely meetings in this series of stand-alone specials was Batman/Elmer Fudd, which was even nominated for an Eisner Award, one of the highest honors in comics. Now, we're taking a look back at this special to see what happened when a zany cartoon icon walked down the dark streets of Gotham City in this tale by Tom King and Lee Weeks.
WHEN DC MET LOONEY TUNES
Since both the classic staple of Looney Tunes characters and the denizens of the DC Universe are totally owned by WarnerMedia, DC has long published comics about both sets of characters. But in 2017, DC released a series of crossovers that saw Looney Tunes characters make the leap into the DC Universe. Many of most overtly cartoony aspects of the characters were redesigned for the event, but the overall designs kept much of the same spirit of the original animated versions of the characters.
The success of the line would lead to further specials, as well as a similar crossover with the Hanna-Barbara set of characters like The Flintstones and Dyno-Mutt. However, Tom King and Lee Weeks' Batman/Elmer Fudd one-shot special, "Pway For Me," was the only one to be nominated for an Eisner Award.
Bat-Hunting Season
In the DC Universe, Elmer Fudd is recast as a hired gun who lives in Gotham City. He finds the low-level crook Bugs at Porky's, a bar in the heart of the city. The bar is full of other Gotham inspired versions of the Looney Tunes characters, including a mad man brawler named Taz, an alcoholic who believes himself Marvin the Martian and a slick, poker hustler version of Foghorn Leghorn. Fudd has come to kill him for murdering Gotham socialite Silver St. Cloud, who Elmer was in love with. However, Bugs reveals that he was paid off to kill her, claiming it was her ex-boyfriend Bruce Wayne who had put the hit out on her in the first place.
Elmer sneaks into a Wayne gala event and shoots him down before fleeing. Of course, Wayne survives and quickly hunts down Fudd as Batman, although the hunter proves to be a surprisingly effective opponent. After learning about Bugs framing Wayne, Batman and Fudd return to Porky's and beat everyone there until they reach Bugs. That's when Bugs's partner reveals herself to be Silver St. Cloud. Silver admits that she loved both Bruce and Fudd, but didn't want to be associated with their dangerous nature anymore. Bugs helped her disappear and then staged her apparent death. Silver departs, leaving the three men to sit at the bar and ask Porky to pour them a drink.
THAT'S NOT ALL, FOLKS
What makes this well-recieved story even more interesting is that these elements of the world haven't been eliminated from the DC Universe. In fact, Porky's Bar makes a handful of appearances in Tom King's continuing run on Batman. In Batman #50, Batman finds a judge there who's drunk enough to perform the marriage between Batman and Catwoman and then not remember the event. In Batman Annual #2, a young Batman ends up chasing Catwoman through the bar during an early adventure.
The Batman/Elmer Fudd special even received a spiritual sequel in Batman #67, which pits the superhero against a different Looney Tunes staple.. The issue sees Batman chasing after a mysterious criminal, who runs at full-speed across the rooftops of Gotham City. The two end up tumbling into the Porky's bar again. Even though the DC Universe may be governed by a very different set of rules, things just don't work out for Porky.