Nothing can make a fan’s heart flutter more than a good intercompany crossover. Especially if it’s between the "Big Two" in comics, Marvel and DC. Crossovers between the two universes can finally settle age-old debates of "who would win?"
However, the crossovers have to balance a very fine line between staying true to each character, meeting fan expectations, and providing a compelling story. Marvel and DC have a long history of periodic collaborations with each other, and together, they've produced some of the best crossover epics out there.
Updated on July 31, 2022 by Scoot Allan: Fans finally got to see Marvel and DC characters appear in a movie together, hyping up dreams of cinematic crossovers between the two companies. While the unofficial crossover occurred in the surprisingly multiversal Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers movie, fans were still talking about the potential of a new meeting between Marvel and DC. Thankfully, there were quite a few examples of intercompany comic matchups between popular characters that fans can still check out to fulfill their DC/Marvel crossover dreams.
15 Punisher/Batman: Deadly Knights Was The First Matchup Between Frank Castle And Bruce Wayne
The Dark Knight had a couple of encounters with The Punisher, but it wasn't always the same man behind the cowl. Batman and Punisher: Lake of Fire featured a deadly meeting between the Punisher and Jean-Paul Valley/Azrael's violent version of Batman. Punisher/Batman: Deadly Knights later served as the first meeting between Bruce Wayne's Batman and Frank Castle.
Chuck Dixon and John Romita Jr. brought Punisher back to Gotham City on the hunt for Jigsaw. The Marvel villain had reunited temporarily with the Joker while Batman and the Punisher engaged in the usual battle with each other before working together. The creative team really sold this one-shot with an action-packed story, although it wasn't as fondly remembered by some fans.
14 Green Lantern/Silver Surfer: Unholy Alliances United Marvel And DC's Cosmic Defenders
Kyle Rayner took over as the last Green Lantern in the '90s, following Hal Jordan's dark turn as Parallax. Both characters returned to work with Marvel's Sentinel of the Spaceways in Ron Marz and Darryl Banks' Green Lantern/Silver Surfer: Unholy Alliances.
Marvel and DC's cosmic defenders united to stop the combined threat of Cyborg Superman, Thanos, and Parallax. The villains manipulated Green Lantern and Silver Surfer into fighting each other, but they soon came together. The cosmic epic stayed true to both characters but heavily focused on the current Green Lantern mythology, which felt a little one-sided.
13 Batman/Daredevil: King Of New York Brought The Man Without Fear To The Dark Knight's City
Alan Grant and Eduardo Barreto partnered for the second team-up between the Dark Knight and the Man Without Fear in Batman/Daredevil: King of New York. The Kingpin traveled to Gotham City as the titular "King of New York" to ally himself with Ra's al Ghul and the Scarecrow. Daredevil followed and encountered Gotham City staples like Catwoman and Scarecrow.
The crossover worked very well, given Batman and Daredevil's similarities. They had a familiarity with each other after they first met in Daredevil/Batman: Eye for an Eye which made them a better crime-fighting team in the sequel. The one-shot also included Scarecrow dosing Daredevil with the powerful fear gas Kingpin and Ra's al Ghul hoped to spread across Gotham City.
12 Fans Got To Decide On A Few Of The Victors in The Marvel Vs. DC Crossover
Marvel and DC treated '90s fans with a winner-take-all bout between the heroes of each universe. The stakes couldn’t be higher as each reality fought for its survival. The series presented dream match-ups for fans like Hulk vs. Superman and Captain America vs. Batman. However, others felt lopsided, like Spider-Man vs. Superboy and Wonder Woman vs. Storm.
A fan vote held before the series release determined some outcomes for the various match-ups. This produced some highly questionable and controversial wins, like an off-panel victory for Wolverine when he faced Lobo. However, fans finally got to see their favorite characters in one place.
11 The Amalgam Comics Universe Combined Popular Heroes From Marvel And DC
The Amalgam comic line spun out of the events from the DC vs. Marvel crossover series. Several mini-series melded elements of one or more characters from both Marvel and DC into new heroes and villains. The Amalgam universe proved an interesting experiment that creatively depicted characters with decades of history.
Characters like Superman and Captain America became the aptly named Super-Soldier. More audacious pairings included Wolverine and Batman as Dark Claw or the trifecta combination of The Flash, Ghost Rider and Etrigan the Demon known as Speed Demon. These were just a few Amalgam characters fans wanted to see again in the DC Multiverse.
10 The Incredible Hulk vs. Superman Attempted To Settle A Long-Running Debate
Perhaps the most classic debate among comic book fans everywhere concerned which powerful hero would emerge victorious in a fight. Superman and Hulk had met in crossovers before, but never in an issue devoted solely to the matchup. 1991's The Incredible Hulk vs. Superman featured tremendous battles between the two titular characters.
The actual battle took place in both characters' pasts, as they dealt with manipulations from Lex Luthor and General Thunderbolt Ross. A few different battles and victories showcased both heroes' powers. Ultimately, the one-shot became a fun homage to the Silver Age and the visual style comics had in the '60s.
9 Batman & Spider-Man: New Age Dawning Deepened The Relationship Between The Two Heroes
New Age Dawning was actually the second team-up between the popular heroes, Spider-Man and Batman. The two joined forces against the Kingpin and Ra’s Al Ghul, who were negotiating to import a mysterious substance to New York with help from Ra's al Ghul's daughter, Talia.
The plot thickened when Talia offered Fisk a cure for his wife’s cancer to ensure his cooperation. The series featured unforgettable moments like Spider-Man piggybacking Batman while they climbed up a glacier. This crossover not only accurately highlighted the heroes’ relationship but also that of the villains.
8 Marvel And DC's Most Powerful Cosmic Beings Went To War In Galactus vs. Darkseid: The Hunger
Most Marvel/DC crossovers focused on two popular heroes, but one of their best offerings starred two of their biggest and most powerful cosmic threats. Galactus vs. Darkseid: The Hunger featured strong appearances from both Silver Surfer and Orion as well. The one-shot centered upon Darkseid’s attempt to stop Galactus from consuming the planet Apokolips.
Creator John Byrne proved there aren't many cosmic beings more powerful than Galactus. The series was visually stunning and reminded fans of Jack Kirby’s early experiments with the Fourth World. Although the series suffered somewhat from excessive exposition and a penchant for melodrama, it remained a great depicting of two legendary baddies in true villainous form.
7 John Byrne United The Heroes' Golden Age Versions In Batman & Captain America
Batman & Captain America is a supremely enjoyable read and a wonderful love letter to the Golden Age of comics. John Byrne's '40s set one-shot follows the classic tropes by having Batman and Captain America greet each other with open arms. The more common trope in the modern age would see the heroes beat each other’s brains in before realizing they’re on the same side.
Even a chance battle between Steve Rogers and Bruce Wayne quickly diffused once they realized each other’s secret identities. Highlights of the series included a friendly rivalry between Robin and Bucky, as well as a patriotic Joker refusing to work with a Nazi Red Skull.
6 The Threat Of Galactus And Cyborg Superman United Superman With The Fantastic Four
1999's Superman/Fantastic Four one-shot by Dan Jurgens and Art Thibert paired two of Marvel and DC's oldest heroes together against cosmic threats like Galactus and Cyborg Superman. When the Man of Steel learned of Galactus' possible involvement in Krypton's destruction, he sought the Fantastic Four's aid to uncover the truth.
Dan Jurgens effectively captured all the characters' essence with a clear passion for both Superman and the Fantastic Four. Fans fondly remembered the one-shot for the cooperative relationship between the Man of Steel and Marvel's First Family. Superman's brief run as one of Galactus' most powerful Heralds remained an unforgettable moment.
5 Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man Was The First Big Crossover Between Marvel And DC
The first big crossover between Marvel and DC's marquee stars appeared in 1976’s Superman vs. Spider-Man. The one-shot special was every comic book fan’s wildest dream come true. It featured the obligatory superheroes fight scene as Lex Luthor dowsed Spider-Man with red sun radiation to even the odds with a pre-Crisis Superman.
Sticking very close to Silver Age sensibilities in its narrative, the issue saw Luthor and Doctor Octopus team up to threaten the Earth. However, Doc Ock turned on Luthor and joined the heroes once he realized the devastating scope of Luthor’s plan. Superman vs. Spider-Man became a historic matchup that's definitely worth the read for its exploration of comics at the time.
4 Spider-Man/Batman's First Meeting Featured The Deadly Duo Of Carnage And The Joker
J.M. DeMatteis and Mark Bagley brought Spider-Man to Batman's territory for the first time when one of his deadliest enemies headed to Gotham City for an experimental new treatment. Carnage met The Joker in the same experiment to create docile patients using implanted technology. Carnage's symbiote freed Cletus Kasady and The Joker from the implants.
Batman and Spider-Man didn't initially get along, but they quickly found the value in working together to stop a massacre. Carnage and The Joker didn't work as well together, which made it easier for the new dynamic duo to stop the powerful villains. Spider-Man's humor worked well with Batman's lack of his own, making this crossover a hit with fans.
3 JLA/Avengers Brought The Two Iconic Teams Together For A Few Unforgettable Moments
The seeds of the JLA/Avengers crossover go as far back as the late ‘70s. Unfortunately, editorial disputes and politics kept it from being produced and released until the mid-2000s. JLA/Avengers became the last of Marvel and DC’s collaborations to date. It followed the earlier template of '96’s Marvel vs. DC by having the two teams square off for the fate of their respective universes.
The Justice League and the Avengers collected powerful artifacts like the Spear of Destiny and the Infinity Gauntlet to save their worlds. A few classic fan-favorite matchups took place, which included an epic fight between Superman and Thor. The series also featured the unforgettable moment when Superman proved worthy of Thor's hammer Mjolnir.
2 Superman And Spider-Man Improved On Their First Encounter With New Villains And Epic Battles
1981’s Superman and Spider-Man featured the second team-up between the popular heroes. The new one-shot improved on an already solid precursor in several ways, and it eschewed the mandatory fight between the heroes that had already taken place. This led to new healthy respect between the heroes that resulted in their mutual commitment to the partnership.
Superman and Spider-Man also improved on the villains by having Doctor Doom try to eliminate Superman alongside the Parasite. The one-shot featured epic fights between Superman and the Hulk and Spider-Man and Wonder Woman. This gave readers double the character crossovers in one unforgettable issue.
1 The Uncanny X-Men And The Teen Titans Combined To Take On The United Force Of Darkseid And Dark Phoenix
Fans widely considered The Uncanny X-Men and The Teen Titans one of the best Marvel and DC comic crossovers. The one-shot's release in 1982 came at a time of incredible popularity for both teams. Chris Claremont and Walt Simonson painted a stunning story about Darkseid as he sought the power of the Dark Phoenix to attain limitless power.
The series boasts some epic cross-character interaction and fun matchups that see Wolverine get the drop on Deathstroke while Kitty Pryde and Beast Boy develop teenage crushes on each other. The crossover effortlessly fit into each team's current storylines, giving fans a unique matchup that was hard to beat by other crossover specials.