Shadow the Hedgehog Becomes “Batman”

Shadow is already a dark avenger in Sonic the Hedgehog universe, but a new crossover takes things a step further by reimagining the popular character as Batman. Sega has declared 2024 the Year of the Shadow, with the edgy black anti-hero from Sonic the Hedgehog franchise starring in tons of games, campaigns, and other media over the past few months. The festivities will continue for the next month Sonic X Shadow Generationsfollowed by Shadow's big screen debut in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 in December.

At his core, Shadow is a dark, brooding figure haunted by the tragic death of a loved one, which contrasts with the lighter, more light-hearted heroes he often teams up with. The same description could also apply to DC's Batman, and it seems the similarities haven't been lost on Sega as it celebrates its homegrown anti-hero. During this year's Batman Day, Sega released a short animation of Shadow dressed as the Dark Knight, stalking a criminal from the shadows and delivering vigilante justice.

As it turns out, this short segment signaled the start of a larger crossover between the worlds Sonic the Hedgehog and DC Comics, which was confirmed during this week's Sonic Central live stream. Actress Tiffany Smith and Sonic the Hedgehog franchise chief Ivo Gerscovich announced that a new Justice League/Sonic series begins in March 2025. Longtime Sonic Writer Ian Flynn will pen this new series, which will release one issue a month and reimagine Shadow as Batman, his rival Sonic as Flash, Amy Rose as Wonder Woman, Miles “Tails” Prower as Cyborg, Silver the Hedgehog as Green Lantern, and Knuckles the Echidna as Superman.

Shadow and Company will become the Justice League in the New Comic Crossover

This Sonic/The Justice League event will continue until 2026 and includes a series of tie-in merchandise such as toys and clothing. Some of the other Shadow-centric licensed products announced during the Sonic Central livestream include a LEGO set of Super Sonic and Super Shadow's climactic battle against the Biolizard at the end of Sonic Adventure 2a Shadow motorcycle helmet HJC and a Shadow PalVerse Pale figurine.

DC/Sonic crossover might be one of the most unexpected developments to come out of this year's Sonic Central. Ironically, current Sonic actor Roger Craig Smith has voiced Batman in many DC projects, and now it's his rival Shadow's turn to don the mantle of the Dark Knight and strike fear into the hearts of Gotham's criminals starting next year.

Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog is a prolific game series that started life on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. Spanning both 2D and 3D iterations through the generations, Sonic is known for fast-paced movement and interesting platforming mechanics.