Kia has joined forces with DC Entertainment, publisher of DC Comics, to collaborate on a series of cars that pay tribute to comic-book superheroes. Why, you ask? To raise money for charity, of course. The partnership will produce eight individually customized vehicles, whose design will be overseen by renowned artist and DC Entertainment co-publisher Jim Lee.

Each member of DC Comics' Justice League -- Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg  -- will be matched with a vehicle built to match the character’s “key attributes and character traits." The vehicles will debut at major auto shows and comic conventions across the U.S over the next 10 months, including New York Comic-Con, the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Wonder-Con and San Diego Comic-Con.

The Kia vehicles that will be teamed with a DC superhero include the Optima, Soul, Sorento, Sportage, Rio and Forte, all of which “will wear the iconic colors and marks of the legendary Justice League.” The vehicles will be built by West Coast Customs, Rides magazine, Import Tuner magazine and others. The first will be a Batman-themed Optima.

The project will benefit We Can Be Heroes, which fights hunger in the Horn of Africa and is "inspired by the heroism of the iconic Justice League characters.” Kia said in a press release that “We Can Be Heroes encourages everyday people to join the fight by getting involved and donating to bring help and hope to the people most affected by the hunger crisis.”

Each vehicle will feature a customized piece of Lee's artwork that will be auctioned at the conclusion of the program, with all proceeds going to We Can Be Heroes. The Kia-DC Entertainment partnership will also include -- and conclude with -- an eighth “fully drivable custom car" encompassing all members of the Justice League that will also be auctioned off to raise money for We Can Be Heroes.

"Kia and DC Entertainment are both global brands sharing a youthful and creative mindset, and both serve to inspire and exhilarate their respective fan bases," said a statement by Michael Sprague, Kia’s executive vice president for marketing and communications. "This partnership will allow us to band these two great brands together in an effort to make the world a better place through the We Can Be Heroes campaign. And with Jim Lee's vision combined with the efforts of some of the best customizing shops in the business, it's going to be a lot of fun unveiling these cars around the country."

While we can’t wait to see the result and applaud the cause, it’s still hard to imagine Batman driving a Kia Optima -- no matter how tricked-out.