As aforementioned, among the crossovers, the upcoming classic DC vs. Marvel Omnibus is the second collaboration by DC and Marvel in two decades on Aug 6, 2024.
Now, in this IV part of the crossover saga, let us look into some of the big collaborations of DC & Marvel that had the Green Lantern/Silver Surfer crossover acting as a prelude and a few more.
- The four-issue DC/Marvel All Access event ran from Dec 1996 to Feb 1997. Young Axel Asher—Access—who acts as the living key to the door between the DC and Marvel Universes, believes the crossover crisis is over. But he realizes he is wrong when metahumans and mutants appear in the wrong universes. Access must do something fast or it will be Amalgam once again.
These four issues were not collected into a TPB.
2. The four-issue DC/Marvel Unlimited Access, the sequel to All Access ran from Dec 1997 to Mar 1998. Axel Asher—Access—finds out that he can do much more than travel between the two dimensions. He can travel in time of both realities and this could change everything!
Like its predecessor, even these were not collected into a TPB.
3. Now, one of the biggest of the crossovers where the world’s greatest superheroes faced off against the Earth’s mightiest heroes. Running from g from Sept 2003 to March 2004, JLA/Avengers rocked the DC/Marvel extremely as Krona and Grandmaster decided to play a game using the characters from both the universe pit against each other. The heroes from both dimensions must stand together to save the two universes from the most immense threat they have encountered ever. The aftermath of this event was explored in DCU’s 2008 arc ‘Trinity’ removing any doubt of having it as a canon or not. They were collected in a TPB.
4. But, before that, there were Amalgam-related graphic novels. The first wave of the Amalgam universe came into form after the 3rd issue of DC versus Marvel Comics. It was released by both houses. The Amalgam Age: DC Collection (Jan 1996) includes:
–Amazon #1
–Assassins #1
–Doctor StrangeFate #1
–JLX #1
–Legends of the Dark Claw #1
–Super-Soldier #1,
5. The second wave happened and a new amalgamation of the two universes started The Return to the Amalgam Age of Comics (This happened without any specific crossover event like before). Now, this was released by both the housing giants. Return of the Amalgam: The DC Comics Collection (Dec 1997) collects:
–Bat-Thing #1
–Dark Claw Adventures #1
–Generation Hex #1
–JLX Unleashed #1
–Lobo the Duck #1
–Super-Soldier: Man of War #1,
The original Amalgalm Universe is also known as Earth 9602 and also known as Earth-1996, or Earth-962, or Earth 496, as per the Marvel Encyclopedia # Fantastic Four and Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Alternate Universes 2005 #1.
Meanwhile, within the DC Multiverse, the Amalgam Universe was identified as Earth-496 as per The Essential Wonder Woman Encyclopedia, and as per Dark Crisis: Big Bang #1.
Now, the classic DC vs. Marvel, and the Age of Amalgam, Return to Age of Amalgam, All Access, and Unlimited Access are collected altogether in DC Versus Marvel Omnibus and DC Versus Marvel Amalgam Omnibus, respectively.
DC Versus Marvel Omnibus is a companion volume to DC/Marvel: The Amalgam Age Omnibus.
6. Kong on the Planet of Apes (Nov 2017-Apr 2018), is set after the original Planet of the Apes (1968). It has the last remaining Kong brought to the Ape City and seeing what the apes have done or are doing to the humans and humanity, Kong decides to fight. And together all 6 issues are collected into TPB.
7. Speaking of the Planet of the Apes, maybe it’s time, some other monkey business that played out is brought to light. Check out, Green Lantern/Planet of the Apes (Feb 2017-Jul 2017) is a story concealed in a future alternate Earth now ruled by the apes, and together they are collected into TPB.
Crossover is fun be they the ones between the universes, be they glued to the main timeline or not they are always fun to read! We’ll look into some more of the fantastic crossovers as the end of this article nears. Stay tuned for the next part of this mega Crossover saga after a week and till then look which one among these you want/have in your Pandora!
Pic Credits: Jim Lee/DC/Marvel/Amalgam/Boom Studios
