Batman travels the world and rests in Benidorm

It's late to our table, but this DC Comics project is well worth your attention.

Batman 'El Mundo' is a collaborative initiative of those that are not usually seen many times in a life cycle, we suppose that due to the difficulty of putting so many people in agreement to carry out a project like this.

In Spain, 'El Mundo' instantly becomes one of those 'essentials' that can't be missing from any shelf just because of its rarity and the witness it entails.

For the first time in the history of the character and also for the first time for our 'National Comic Award', Batman and Paco Roca are part of the same comic and that is cause for celebration.

Batman visits Benidorm. / DC Comics

The Valencian author takes Bruce Wayne to the city of Benidorm, where he has promised that he will take a vacation where only relaxation is possible. A restless Bruce, out of his element, who seems not to be complete without the hustle and bustle of Gotham City, who tries to succumb to the charms that Benidorm has for every American lost on vacation; paella, bathing in the pool with a T-shirt and some fast-food nights (so as not to lose habits).

The pages of 'Closed for vacations' (that's the name of the story), immerse the hero of Gotham in that traditional, smile-making narration that the author has accustomed us to, which brings with it a quick speech, sometimes denying the text and with numerous vignettes.

Paco Roca has packed. / DC Comics

When we finish with Benidorm (which happens soon because there are only ten pages), we begin to browse through the rest of the volume, in search of little gems like the one that Spain has given to the rest of the world.

We found interesting things. Italy and Germany present stories with their own villains, France introduces Catwoman in one of its museums, Japan is taken out of the "manga", a piece that does not lose the basic terms of Japanese drawing and that presents a vigilante Batman in the Edo era and, of course, the torch passes through Korea in the hands of Kim JungGi (& Cía.) with a short action piece that lives more from the name of the artist than from its own merits.

Azarello and Bermejo know what they have to do. / DC Comics

The point of union of all of them will always be in the United States, the base of DC Comics and the cradle of the character, who leaves his destiny for this volume in the hands of Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo, a renowned artistic tandem that has given birth to such important jewels of the universe as “Joker” or “Condemned”. Its history forgets the classic structure of the comic and serves to show off the artistic virtuosity of the illustrator, who turns each page into an unforgettable poster.

I will shield my argument by saying that I am not one of those who sweeps home when there are no merits and I fearlessly repeat that 'Batman: The World' is a must. Paco Roca's story is the best; the most personal, the most daring. Only that story justifies the purchase of the book that, in addition, ECC has launched with its own cover for our country.

A very special gift.

Batman: The World (cover by Paco Roca) / ECC