Summary
- Batman & Captain America is a delightful throwback that pays tribute to a bygone moment in comic history, showcasing the two heroes teaming up at the height of World War II.
- DC vs. Marvel/Marvel vs. DC allowed fans to determine the outcome of matches between the heroes of each universe, creating an immersive experience that blended the two worlds.
- Incredible Hulk vs. Superman is a fun, non-canonical story that explores the hypothetical encounter between the Jade Giant and the Man of Steel, showcasing their respective powers and abilities.
As two of the biggest titans in the comic book industry, Marvel and DC have enjoyed a healthy competition over the years. But even they have been able to put their differences aside from time to time and allow their heroes and villains to mingle and give fans some very unique stories.
There’s been a number of crossovers between the Big Two over the years, but only a handful can be considered some of the best. Read on to discover ten of the best crossovers between the DC and Marvel Universes ever created.
10 Batman & Captain America
In a story fit for the Golden Age of Comics, Batman & Captain America is set in the ‘40s and sees the two heroes team up at the height of World War II. The one-shot is a delightful throwback that shows Captain America at their best. Just two heroes teaming up to save the world.
It also sees the Joker revealing that even he has standards when his newest partner, the Red Skull, turns out to be a Nazi. Out of all the Marvel/DC crossovers, Batman & Captain America serves as a fun tribute to a bygone moment in comic history.
9 DC vs. Marvel/Marvel vs. DC
Fans finally had some say in an official match-up between Marvel and DC’s heroes. The event features two cosmic beings known as the Brothers (stand-ins for the Big Two’s universes) becoming aware of one another and attempting to gain supremacy over the other. This forces the heroes of each world into an all-out brawl with each other.
Readers were able to determine the outcome of several matches such as Batman trouncing Captain America or Storm beating Wonder Woman. It was a unique experience that not only blended the two worlds, but served as an immersive experience for fans.
8 Incredible Hulk vs. Superman
The Jade Giant versus the Man of Steel. It’s a fight that fans of Marvel and DC have always wondered who would win, and they got the opportunity with Incredible Hulk vs. Superman. Told through a series of flashbacks, fans get to see a hypothetical encounter between the two comic book icons. And don’t just expect an all-out slugfest.
The Hulk adapts to Superman’s powers and manages to pull out a few impressive moves that even keeps the Kryptonian hero on his toes. Incredible Hulk vs. Superman is a fun, non-canonical story that sees these two powerful heroes bring the best out of each other.
7 Batman/Daredevil: King of New York
Fans have pointed out that there’s a number of similarities between Batman and Daredevil and the resemblance between the two was never more apparent than in Batman/Daredevil: King of New York. Not only do the Dark Knight and the Man Without Fear team-up, fans see Wilson Fisk forge an alliance with Ra’s al Ghul and Scarecrow in an effort to seize control of Gotham City.
As two tortured heroes fight to save the souls of their respective cities, Matt and Bruce play off each other well, and their adventure is a rewarding one for fans of both brooding fighters.
6 Spider-Man and Batman: Disordered Minds
Speaking of crossovers involving Bruce Wayne, another Marvel figurehead crossed paths with Batman when a terrifying team-up emerged. Spider-Man and Batman: Disordered Minds sees Batman’s nemesis, the Joker, teaming up with the most murderous rogue Peter Parker’s ever faced; Carnage. The two homicidal maniacs are subject to an experiment designed to restore sanity to the two psychopaths.
However, bringing Carnage and the Joker starts a war between the two that can only be solved by Spider-Man and Batman joining forces to stop their bloodthirsty foes from destroying Gotham City for good. This story is worth it alone for the Joker and Carnage scenes alone.
5 Amalgam Comics
Though it’s technically an extension of the DC vs. Marvel event, Amalgam Comics is an unbelievably creative experience unto itself. With the Brother Universes tearing themselves apart, the Spectre and the Living Tribunal compromise by fusing the two worlds, creating a universe filled with combined heroes and villains. Instead of Wolverine and Batman, there’s Darkclaw.
Instead of Iron Man and Green Lantern, there’s Iron Lantern. 24 titles were published under the Amalgam Comics banner until the two universes were separated at the end of main crossover series. While the Amalgam universe has yet to return, it remains a milestone moment in both publisher’s histories.
4 Punisher and Batman: Deadly Knights
The Punisher has had his issues with several Avengers, but his conflict with Batman may be his greatest conflict. Punisher and Batman: Deadly Knights sees Frank Castle making his way to Gotham and bring his bloody crusade to Bruce Wayne’s doorstep. With Punisher taking it upon himself to rid the criminal elements of Gotham and Batman determined to bring Frank down, this one-shot is the definition of the unstoppable force meeting an immovable object.
Not to mention it features a fantastic scene when Joker unfortunately realizes that the Punisher doesn’t play the same games as Batman.
3 Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man
One can’t talk about crossovers between Marvel and DC without discussing Superman and Spider-Man’s very first adventure. Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man was the first intercompany crossover between the Big Two and indeed featured a fight between the two powerhouses. Lex Luthor and Doctor Octopus team up for an evil plan created by Luthor to steal billions from the government.
Though the two heroes are manipulated the two into a battle, they manage to defeat their enemies and walk away with a mutual respect for one another. A basic team-up story, but one that opened the doors for more adventures between Marvel and DC characters.
2 The Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans
Lauded as one of the best crossover comics of all time, The Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans was the first and only team-up for the titular crews. Determined to break through the Source Wall, the powerful Apokoliptian despot Darkseid seeks out the powers of the Phoenix Force to help him expand his rule.
Darkseid’s mission alerts both the X-Men and the Teen Titans who work together to stop him. It’s a powerful tale that respects both properties and gives every fan-favorite a chance to shine. A sequel to the series was in the works at one point, but unfortunately, plans fell through.
1 JLA/Avengers
Fans of either Marvel or DC owe it to themselves to read Kurt Busiek and George Pérez’s JLA/Avengers. Despite being held up with editorial disputes for years, the series was beloved by comic book fans for its epic storyline, creative match-ups, and moments that honor decades of comic book history. The series features the heroes of both universes fighting on a large scale, collecting some of the most powerful relics in their worlds, all as Krona and Grandmaster manipulate the two worlds. JLA/Avengers was the last official DC and Marvel crossover, but it ends with an action packed story any comic fan will love with.
Marvel and DC crossovers may be a thing of the past, but these ten stories prove that there were some amazing stories to come out of the publisher’s many experiments.