Cross-over Comics Like? Hate? Love or Loathe?

[MA-Caver]

Was going to originally post this in a thread concerning Batman/Joker but realized that it's a different topic altogether.

Many of us have seen the "cross-overs" that have been published over the last couple of decades. I have several myself, including a huge format Superman/Spiderman cross-over that featured a lot of different characters from both universes fighting and/or working together depending upon which side they're on (good/bad). IMO it's nicely written and has a nice scene of Superman fighting the Hulk and it ended in basically a draw.

I own also the DC/Darkhorse cross-over of Batman vs Predator. The original I just fell in love with as it was the grittiest, bloodiest Batman story I've read in a long time. The sequels were... ok to so-so at best. For a while on the original I was praying that someone in Hollywood would use the book as a sort of quasi-storyboard (like they're doing now with the Walking Dead) as a guide to making the film ... if ever. The story is IMO top-notch and adheres to the rules set in both universes without conflict, i.e. Batman fighting to the death but not actually killing the predator himself (it commits seppuku) but is awarded "victory" by the other predators that interrupted the fight.

Other cross-overs I haven't read or at least read in depth. But what are your favorites if any or if you don't like the idea/concept why?

Something else for geeks/nerds to gnash on for a bit.

 

[Omar B]

I am no fan of crossovers outside of the same company. Remember Fantastic 4/Superman? JLA/Avengers? Things like this do nothing but to hype up both groups of fans and ends up disappointing both. We get DC characters written or drawn by Marvel guys, or vice versa, and it always works out bad. Then there's the who wins question? Like in JLA Vs Avengers ... why do you need the whole JLA? It could have been Superman Versus Avengers or maybe try to make it fair and make it Superman Versus The Entire Marvel Universe.

But still, nothing pissed me off more than having George Perez draw DC characters after he left the company years before. I always hated his art in the first place though. To me, I just cannot see certain guys drawing certain characters. Like John Romita Jr who's great over at Marvel, and he should stay there, because he's pretty ******.

 

[punisher73]

If there was a good storyline that made sense, I wouldn't mind them. When it's just a hype to sell comics...ehh.

You really can't have a DC vs. Marvel comic without pissing someone off from either side. It's better to have them work together towards a goal.

 

[MA-Caver]

If there was a good storyline that made sense, I wouldn't mind them. When it's just a hype to sell comics...ehh.

You really can't have a DC vs. Marvel comic without pissing someone off from either side. It's better to have them work together towards a goal.

Agreed.
The book I have of the Superman/Spiderman combo was drawn out fairly even and both of them worked towards the same goal. Stopping Dr. Doom and The Parasite from their world domination plans. It featured both Wonder Woman and the Hulk as "supporting cast" but no other villains. Granted it was a fairly simplistic plot with a lackadaisical ending as Doom managed to reach the steps of his Latavian embassy thus enacting his so called "diplomatic immunity"... but I wondered... Superman isn't or shouldn't be bound by such things yet I guess he obeys the laws of the land, same as everyone else .

 

[Omar B]

That stinks. Nobody can lose or get his butt totally thrashed. Both camps and varous fans have to still be whole at the end of it so that the status quo can continue in their respective titles. I mean really? Is Spider Man any sort of challenge for Superman. One is a high school nerd slightly mutated, the other a literal god.Superman versus all of Marvel and maybe he might break a sweat after Galactus and Silver Surfer, but he could still top them all in seconds flat.

 

[ATACX GYM]

That stinks. Nobody can lose or get his butt totally thrashed. Both camps and varous fans have to still be whole at the end of it so that the status quo can continue in their respective titles. I mean really? Is Spider Man any sort of challenge for Superman. One is a high school nerd slightly mutated, the other a literal god.Superman versus all of Marvel and maybe he might break a sweat after Galactus and Silver Surfer, but he could still top them all in seconds flat.

Okay I like Superman...but you know what? Didn't DC have him do something preposterously stupid even for a superhero like punch Time or something? Come on. As for Superman mopping the whole Marvel Universe? Ain't this the guy whose weakness is magic and kryptonite? You kiddin me? Dr. Strange would annihilate him while he's a whole universe away. Blue Marvel or Sentry or the Hulk would fight Supes to a stand still easy all by their lonesome. Dormammu--especially old skool Dormammu--would literally kill Superman.Well,fighting Superman is never EASY but...you know what I mean. Professor X would think Supes into oblivion.Thanos when he was rockin his Infinity Gauntlet would decimate Supes,you don't want any part of Adam Warlock rockin his Infinity Armor,and hell...T'Challa or Reed Richards or Tony Stark or Doom or Amadeus Cho or (pick a Marvel genius) could hook Thor or Hercules--who are literally gods of war,unlike the Kryptonian regular dude Supes who got Super via yellow sun rays (or did they retcon that?) when he came to Earth---with some FTL (Faster Than Light) armor and let either or both of these guys TROUNCE Supes because Supes isn't really a skilled fighter...he's just Yellow Sun Ray Boy.

Okay let me step away from all of that mess. I don't wanna get into Marvel vs DC or Superman vs Whoever. Endless debate,that one is.

I like the street level guys and gals. Batman.Nightwing. T'Challa the Black Panther (my favorite). Captain America (my 2nd favorite). Shang Chi,Master of Kung fu. Iron Fist. Red Robin. Cassandra Cain as Batgirl,and that new girl who's Batgirl now has promise.Huntress.Joker.Kingpin. Daredevil. Elektra. Black Widow. Rick Dragon. Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow.Taskmaster. Bullseye. Boomerang. Moon Knight. Punisher. Winter Soldier. Falcon.Hawkeye.Etc. etc. I like these kinds of people best and most. I confess to liking The Avengers too...but I am really powerfully attracted to the non-preposterously superpowered people and the highly skilled highly trained humans are my favorites by far.

 

[MA-Caver]

That stinks. Nobody can lose or get his butt totally thrashed. Both camps and varous fans have to still be whole at the end of it so that the status quo can continue in their respective titles. I mean really? Is Spider Man any sort of challenge for Superman. One is a high school nerd slightly mutated, the other a literal god.Superman versus all of Marvel and maybe he might break a sweat after Galactus and Silver Surfer, but he could still top them all in seconds flat.

Well I don't have the comic with me (in storage) but as I recall they didn't actually fight, there was a brief moment of tension between the two because Supes believed the hype touted by J.J. Jamison for a moment... so did Wonder Woman... once Supes was convinced that Spidey wasn't a baddie they worked together. Interesting side plot that Parker flew to Metropolis to cover the carnage by the Hulk, and was befriended by Olsen and got a temporary job with the Planet at 3X the amount J.J.J. paid him, because White liked the gutsy angles that Parker's camera produced (gee wonder how he managed THAT?).

 

[Omar B]

I really don't worry about Superman's chances against Marvel heroes. You bring up magic, as id he has not beaten more powerful in his own universe. O guys who are really strong like the Hulk who S would simply toss into the sun or leave out in space ... he is human and still needs air as well as gravity to afford him some purcbase. Sentry is no match because of all his mental problems, as well as being his own main villain ... besides, its drawn by Romita when it first came out so boo.As for S doing something crazy like "punch time" as you put it. I don't know, its possible with all these years or an ongoing serial with at this point written by hundreds at this time. Golden age and Silver age comics did have a lot of silly stuff in there, no doubt but they held to the characterization so it worked within the context of the story. No more ridiculous like Gandalf coming back from the "dead."