In the world of comic books, two names cast a very large shadow. Those names are Marvel and DC. Even if someone refuses to partake in their stories, those names are still household names. Marvel currently has a tight hold over the genre because of recent success and making films that are no less than global events. DC still has the nostalgic flare because the characters under their banner are the godfathers of heroes. Each brand has found their own paths and may peak at what the other is doing to ride a wave of momentum. With the amount of lore they have, there is no shortage of content fans can consume. But every once in a while, those paths do cross. And when they do officially, it does make some noise. A new crossover between the brands is right around the corner when Batman and Deadpool are set to meet up. With that matchup, does bring in some more with other characters. This is the first official event like this in some time and it should get fans excited. But the question remains is if this crossover does succeed, should there be more Marvel/DC crossovers?
Back in the day, Marvel and DC did clash. What was so fun about this crossover is that it entertained some of the most logical pairs and fights that fans have had over the years. This was the event that brought those pairings alive. One of the biggest ones, was in fact Superman going up against The Hulk. That was one of the prominent pairings. Another one was Wonder Woman and Storm. With those two arguably being the most famous female superheroes from both houses, it was obvious fans matched them up. Which meant, the writers of the event, would pair them together. Spider-Man would get in the crossover as well. For someone as major popular as him, someone had to pair with him that is on that caliber. The famous shielded S was put up against him in the form of Superboy. The question of who would win in a fight between Batman and Captain America was answered as well. As they exchanged attacks, they realized each other already had the other figured out. Guessing correctly which attack will be thrown, what kind of counter and so. They decided it would be a stalemate. And perhaps the coolest one was Wolverine and Lobo. With the 1990s giving so much attitude, aggressiveness and edge to comic books, Wolverine and Lobo led that charge. Which led them to each other. It was an awesome event until something on another level occurred right after.
Instead of fighting or even partnering up, writers decided to merge two characters together to create a brand-new singular character in the Amalgam universe . Again, just like the match ups, the merges made perfect sense. Being as optimistic and hopeful as they are while dawning the same colors, Captain America and Superman merged into the character Super Solider. The best thing about the character is he dawns a shield in the shape of the logo on Superman’s chest. Spider-Man and Superboy merged to become Spider-Boy. Wonder Woman and Storm merged to create Amazon who combines the powers of Storm and Wonder Woman, making an instant powerhouse. The best ones came with Batman/Wolverine and The Joker/Sabretooth. The Joker and Sabretooth merged into the character Hyena which is just the perfect animal to encompass both of these characters. The hyena still captures of the savage animalistic tendencies as Sabretooth but are known to ‘laugh’ to capture The Joker’s signature trait. Then the face of the hybrid universe is none other than Dark Claw; the hybridization of Batman and Wolverine. The long flowing caped and intimidating look from Batman is draped over the stout, animalistic and clawed frame of Wolverine was the epitome of the universe. So Marvel and DC knew what they had, but decided if it was put together they would create something that will stand the test of time even though it appeared briefly.
But Marvel and DC are coming back for another crossover. In a short time, Batman and Deadpool are going to be fighting and with the pattern these types of events follow, more than likely they would be teaming up against a common threat. Although it may not be the first match that comes to mind when someone thinks of a Marvel and DC pairing, it’s still entertaining. A fight that, to some extent, makes sense. With this crossover, comes some variant covers of other Marvel and DC pairings which will be covers for one-shots. These covers include Daredevil with Green Arrow, Wonder Woman with Captain America, John Constantine and Dr. Strange, and even Absolute Batman and The Punisher. While other obvious pairings missed out, perhaps Marvel and DC are waiting to hear the feedback from Batman/Deadpool to commit to other stories. But for fans that are passionate about both sides, seeing Batman and Deadpool going at it should satisfy the desire to see Marvel and DC come together again. With the type of success both brands have had, the fact that they made time to make this happen, needs to be appreciated. Marvel and DC tend to let each other do their own thing and stay away. They are not above crossovers but with each other, it is rare and difficult. Even though fans do want to Captain America and Superman team up, only time could get that story done. Until Marvel and DC find the next opportunity to make another round of stories, fans would have to settle for Batman/Deadpool.
The itch to see these brands clash is inevitable. These are the biggest and most iconic banners in all of comic books. Speculation of who will win in a fight fuels the rivalry, the competition and the love. Will more Marvel/DC content happen after Batman/Deadpool? It will probably lean toward no. A lot of logistics needed to be moved around and agreed to. And with both franchises going their own paths in all forms of content, this may have just been a quick fix. But, of recent, Marvel and DC have had crossovers with other brands of late. Not a lot but just enough to spot a trend. So hopefully that trend continues into more well timed stories with each other.
