Marvel/DC Crossovers

We are talking about Marvel and DC crossovers again and this time we have 1 really fun and interactive crossover and one not so great crossover. As a fun reminder that not every comic book storyline is a winner. Crossovers are a fun way to explore new ideas and interesting storylines but sometimes they aren’t actually executed that well and that’s okay.

Green Lantern/Silver Surfer:

Another unexpected matchup from Marvel and DC. Green Lantern and Silver Surfer Unholy Alliances was published in 1995 and written by Ron Marz. This comic centers on Kyle Rayner’s Green Lantern and the Silver Surfer. Now for a lot of these mashups you have to understand that the writing assumes that you understand that these stories are taking place in a universe that contains both Marvel and DC in the same continuity. It simply makes it easier to tell the story to assume that all the characters from either company coexist. I say this now because each character fully interacts with villains from the others universe but the story doesn’t really have an introduction to each other's universe. Like Kyle reluctantly agrees to work with Thanos and we all just accept that they know who each other is.

The first part of this story takes place separately with Kyle on earth and Silver Surfer in space. They are both used by a power hungry god from the opposing universe and quite frankly the title characters do not have a whole lot of interaction time. The gods are the ones that fight each other and as reality resets itself back to normal they realize that the gods used them and they still barely interact. I really think of all the crossovers that we have talked about this one might be the weakest. The idea of Silver Surfer and Green Lantern working together is intriguing but they don’t really actually do that so I think it's kind of a wasted opportunity. That said I like the villains from each company interacting and I’m not sure why they couldn’t title it for the actual drivers of the story.

DC vs Marvel:

In 1996 DC vs Marvel and in the other two issues Marvel vs DC because of course everyone needs equal billing, the two major companies teamed up for a short 4 issue miniseries written by Ron Marz and Peter David. The miniseries pitted the characters from both major companies against each other and the outcome was decided by reader ballots that were distributed in comic book stores ahead of time. The series consisted of 11 battles between Marvel characters and their direct DC counterparts. So Aquaman fought Submariner. Elektra fought Catwoman, Flash and Quicksilver, Robin and Jubilee, Silver Surfer and Green Lantern, Thor and Captain Marvel. The results of these battles were determined by the writers. The rest; Superman and the Hulk, Spiderman and Superboy, Batman and Captain America, Wolverine and Lobo and Storm vs Wonder Woman were all determined by reader votes.

Very rarely do comic book writers take (and ask for) reader input. But that is what makes this mashup so much fun is that it was interactive. It’s also a lot easier to separate from the main universe because of that. It’s just a wacky fun, campy comic like comics should be. I highly recommend this read. It's very fun.

I really think that DC vs Marvel is one of the best company crossovers as it has really everything it needs. It's also the first crossover that truly pits the two companies against each other in any direct way. I feel like that is what a lot of fans wanted from a crossover anyway.