The Masters of the Universe first crossed over with the DC Universe -- well, Superman, at least -- in July 1982's DC Comics Presents #47, which found the Man of Steel teleported to Eternia, where he teams with He-Man to battle Skeletor, and again that same year in a special preview story. Three decades later, it's happening again with DC Universe vs. Masters of the Universe, which kicks off in August.

However, one superhero appears to be getting a head start.

In this week's Masters of the Universe: Origin of Hordak #1, a one-shot of Keith Giffen, Brian L. Keene and Scott Koblish, an awfully familiar Bat-shaped shadow can be seen in one panel falling across the leader of the Evil Horde.

The Dark Knight will be joined in August by his Justice League teammates for a six-issue crossover by Giffen and Dexter Soy that will probably have as long-lasting of an effect on the DC Universe as those previous ones. "It's just a story," Giffen told Comic Book Resources last month. "Maybe Mattel will says it's part of canon. But again, for DC, it's definitely out of continuity. I've been told that point blank. And I'm kind of glad. I'm not arrogant to think: 'Now I get to do Batman right.' Because I hate Batman and he wouldn't be right for me unless he killed somebody."