As we discussed crossovers in the last part, and as mentioned earlier, the classic DC vs. Marvel Omnibus is the second collaboration by DC and Marvel in two decades. It is stated to be out on Aug 6, 2024, with the first one being a 4-issue JLA/Avengers (Sept 2003 to Mar 2004) though it happened canonically compared to the Crossoververse stories.
But, before we share about the clash of the world’s greatest superheroes with the Earth’s mightiest heroes, let us look at some enticing details about the minute mentions/cameo/huge collaborations of heroes of both universes and with other universes and also a supposedly Crossoververse one.
Let’s start with the clash of the titans:
- The 4-issue DC versus Marvel Comics(Feb 1996 to May 1996) event is a crossover where polls were conducted as plots were plotted as per the votes. In this two brothers compete against each other using the characters from each one’s universe. The first phase of Amalgam Comics arrived after the Marvel Comics versus DC #3. The four spectacular issues of DC versus Marvel are collected into TPB.
2. I just started with this part with clash of the titans, but before that, two crossovers fall in line with the main timeline. First, Batman and Punisher: Lake of Fire (Jun 1994). Batman (Jean-Paul Valley) and the Punisher take on Jigsaw and the Joker. This takes place during the Batman: Knightfall arc.
3. The Punisher crosses the path with the Bat once again in Punisher and Batman: Deadly Knights (A sequel to the Lake of Fire) (Oct 1994) involving the Joker and Jigsaw.
But, this Batman is Bruce Wayne who reclaimed the mantle after the Knightfall arc and the Punisher notes that this isn’t the Batman he met earlier. This is faintly referenced in Nightwing #44 (1996) in a conversation between Dick and Barbera. Both the Punisher episodes are collected in the crossover omnibus with the next crossover.
4. This again is a mainstream crossover albeit it is being collected in the crossover omnibus with other Earth-7642 tales or fun ones. Green Lantern/Silver Surfer (Feb 1996) is a story in which the artistic green lantern or green lantern 2614.4 joins hands with Silver Surfer to fight Thanos and Parallax in remaking the realities. A twisting cliffhanger backs this up as a mainstream happening.
5. There’s also Superman/Wonder Woman/Thor: For A Thousand Years… in Action Comics #761 (2000) that was also published as JLA #9’s second story. In this, Thor takes the help of Wonder Woman and Superman to fight off an Asgardian doom that lasts for centuries.
6. Hulk, Darkness, Doctor Strange, Ghost Rider, and Witchblade (Sara Pezzini) meet in the Unholy Union #1 (Jul 2007), which acted as a collaboration between Marvel and Top Cow (Image) before the universe-shattering event in Top Cow Comics, First Born.
7. In Star Trek/Green Lantern: Spectrum War (Jul 2015-Dec 2015), Hal Jordan from an alternate universe along with surviving lanterns Atrocitus, Carol, Saint Walker, Larfleeze, and Sinestro escapes into another reality from Nekron. They take the help of U.S.S. Enterprise and other lanterns to defeat Nekron from destroying the universe. All six issues are collected into TPB.
8. In Star Trek/Green Lantern: Stranger Worlds (Dec 2016-May 2017), the six-issue sequel to Spectrum War. This Hal Jordan takes the help of the U.S.S. Enterprise and other Green Lanterns to try to stop Khan, who has obtained a red ring, and Sinestro. Just then James Kirk gets a power ring. Together all six issues are collected into TPB.
9. Harley & Ivy Meet Betty & Veronica(Oct 2017-Mar 2018) is a six-part limited series. It seems more like a Crossoververse tale, as Gotham and Riverdale exist in the same line. Harley and Ivy accidentally switch bodies with Veronica and Betty. As Harley and Ivy try to save a swamp in Riverdale from destruction, the Riverdale best friends try to save themselves from GCPD and criminals, and together all six issues are collected intoTPB.
10. Speaking of Archie Comics, there was a one-shot crossover with Marvel, The Punisher Meets Archie (Aug 1994). It started as a joke and didn’t do that better. It was missing to produce the synergy required.
According to the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, this happens in the mainstream Marvel Universe.
11. In Action Comics #998 (Feb 2018) of Action Comics: Booster Shot, which followed the status quo-shattering events of ‘Superman Reborn’. Booster Gold mockingly calls Skeets Alfred to which Skeets objects and to which Booster responds saying, “Not like I can call you Jarvis. Whole other timeline.”
12. In Lockjaw #4 (May 2018), there’s a glimpse of two characters who look like Superman and Wonder Woman of the New 52 as Lockjaw jumps realities. But the panel read the Earth’s name as ‘Redacted’ which fuels the guessing minds that what has been obscured.
13. Superman and Wonder Woman’s cameo in Thor: The Worthy #1 (Dec 2019) as Thor (Jane Foster) tries to find her worthiness to hold Mjolnir like the Thor before her who had lost the worthiness during the Marvel event, Original Sin.
14. And then recently in the DC’s Rebirth timeline, Doomsday Clock #12 (Dec 2019) of the Watchmen infused-event Doomsday Clock, Dr. Manhattan mentions the beginning of “The Secret Crisis” as Superman finds himself brawling with Thor and Hulk who appears stronger than Doomsday. The initiation of the Watchmen universe characters in DCU shook the very core as Dr. Manhattan manipulates the time in DCU.
15. The recent one that shook the DC verse majorly with the arrival of Titans in the seven-issue Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong (Oct 2023 to May 2024). The gigantic monsters of Monsterverse appear on DCU’s Earth causing utter chaos infused with sheer havoc, and together all seven issues are collected into TPB which will be out on July 19, 2024.
As mentioned in the starting post, there’re many crossovers. So far we have seen only the tip of an iceberg. We shall share some more enticing ones. Collaborations of the houses always have more creativity flowing. In the next part, after 2 weeks, let’s see how looniest some collaborations can be in the crossover saga’s third part!
So, as you wait, tell us in the comments below, which of these above ones you have or would love to have?
Pic Credits: DC/Marvel/Top Cow/Archie/IDW/Legendary Comics
