Yesterday I was talking about how I didn’t understand the need to keep adding MASK to the Transformers universe, as what I like about both franchises don’t mesh well for me, and MASK kind of gets weakened if they’re ripping off Cybertronian tech in the same universe. In truth, what makes a good crossover is subjective. My friend really liked the Voltron/Robotech crossover while I thought it was unnecessary and were two completely different forms of science fiction. The Sonic/DC comics crossover sounds interesting to me, as does Godzilla in the DC universe (part of what’s becoming a trend of shoving Godzilla everywhere, like his recent return to the Marvel Universe…can’t wait for the inevitable Smurfs crossover), but Sonic versus Godzilla simply because IDW has both licenses is not something I need in my life. And yet it’s coming.
WordPress lets me promote on Tumblr still because they own Tumblr (and I still want them and X-Twitter to get along again so I don’t have to keep manually promoting the latest BW and Clutter Reports article over there), and somebody accused me of being “so freaking whiny about everything”. Apparently he/she/whoknowsontheinternetin2026 hasn’t read the reviews of stuff I like, but it gave me a topic that I can do quickly because all the snow this week has been a time suck. Otherwise this would have made for a good buffer article.
So, since the internet loves a list and I need something quick and easy, here are five comic book crossovers that I honestly enjoy. These are crossovers I felt really went together, gave me a great story, and I wouldn’t mind a sequel. A couple of them actually have sequels. These are not ranked by anything. They’re five random crossovers that very much enjoyed and recommend to fans of both properties.
“Show off. I can only afford a spidey signal on my belt buckle.”
Spider-Man & Batman
Two of these stories exist that I’m aware of. Yes, I could go over some honorable mentions. JLA/Avengers may be the best crossover of the two properties. The whole DC Vs. Marvel event gave us Access and the Amalgam Universe. Superman and Spider-Man had the first ever crossovers. However, Spider-Man & Batman, the first pairing of the Dark Knight and the Arachknight (yes, the 1990s tried to make that happen–and thankfully failed), is a smaller scale version of JLA/Avengers in that they do the same thing right, comparing the heroes of the two universes.
You can read my full review on it, but here’s the short version: A scientist comes up with a chip that can control psychotic mental urges and as a test decides to go full blast with the Joker and Cletus Kasady. What she doesn’t count on is the Carnage symbiote frying Cletus’s chip, and the loon being a Joker fanboy. Don’t meet your heroes? Also, don’t meet your villains, as Joker is unimpressed with the serial killer, while Batman comes to New York to check in on things. In typical-of-the-time Batman fashion, he doesn’t think he needs to work with anyone, but Peter quickly wins him over. The narration also gives us parallels between Peter and Bruce. Peter may be poor and Bruce only had Alfred, but comparing the two lives and their semi-shared origin story of a common crook killing a beloved parental figure is fascinating. Watching the Joker/Carnage team-up fall apart as the Batman/Spider-Man partnership grows to a sequel (which is also good but not good enough to get a deep dive review out of me) with Ra’s Al Ghul and the Kingpin. There’s a reason I asked for this team-up to happen again now that DC and Marvel are getting along again.
There were a bunch of other DC and Marvel crossovers I could have chose, but I only wanted one from this pairing because there were so many. I love JLA/Avengers but this is still my favorite crossover between DC and Marvel heroes. Until we get Iron Man/Steel.
“I’ve seen our live-action movies. We’re both in trouble.”
G.I. Joe Vs The Transformers
Four miniseries featuring the two Hasbro properties. What’s that? In the other article I said we didn’t need these two teaming up as well? My biggest problem was the lack of any lasting impact in a crossover set in both of the main continuities run by Marvel at the time. In the 2000s, Dreamwave had the Transformers license and Devil’s Due, a studio tied to Image, had G.I. Joe. Dreamwave tried a crossover on their end and the end result was seriously lacking. The sequel was cut short because Dreamwave was cut short thanks to Pat Lee’s robbing his own company blind and not paying the creators poor fiscal management, but did seem to be a step up. Neither was set in their regular continuity but in a unique one where the Transformers woke up during World War II while Cobra stood in for the Nazis. It’s not worth tracking down.
Devil’s Due, however, did their own continuity, again not set in their Joe universe, and since they didn’t commit financial suicide managed to get four miniseries out of it. The first had Cobra finding the downed arc and turning the Transformers into his vehicles. Only two Autobots they didn’t find managed to escape and join the newly formed anti-terrorist military force G.I. Joe to stop them. In the sequel, an attempt by Cobra to invade Cybertron instead created a time portal, with the Joes and Cobra having to team up to bring the time-displaced Transformers back. It also gave us the greatest G.I. Joe character nobody talks about: Percy the Viper!
Percy is us.
Why is Percy not given more attention? The hell is wrong with Joe fans? JUSTICE FOR PERCY!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, back on track. The third story lacks Percy but gives us a mechanical take on Serpentor…WHO KILLS OFF BUMBLEBEE!!!!!! At least this was to show off the new threat instead of prove they aren’t the “kiddie” Transformers like Skybound did. He even gets a memorial, while Hawk is exposed to the Matrix and given visions of threats in the final miniseries. It has to be the finale. Where do you go after a Cobra-La/Unicron team-up with this series? It was a great way to end things. The only thing that would be better would be Bumblebee returning as Goldbug, reuniting with Arcee, and kicking bot. We also got John Colton as a nod to the Joe’s “Adventure Team” period. And since it exists outside of the regular continuities, they got away with a lot that made sense, was fun, was a good homage to the legacy of both franchises, and was just a lot of fun. If you can find these four miniseries and are a fan of one or both lines, get them!
Sonic The Hedgehog & Mega Man
You want to see how you combine two franchises simply because you have both licenses? Archie Comics can tell you. In a story bouncing back and forth between Archie’s Mega Man comic and Sonic Universe, the two true blues join forces when Dr. Wily and Dr. Robotnik learn of each other’s dimensions and decide to join forces (and see who successfully betrays who first). We get robotic versions of the heroes, the usual fight-then-teamup nonsense, a lot of action, and admittedly an editing that told me it was time to leave the Sonic title for good. Those issues are already around for review if you want to look them up. (I have a search bar on this page. You might have to scroll back up.)
There’s not much else for me to say. It’s a good team-up by the robot fighting heroes. It also is admittedly in continuity with both comics at the time, though it ended the current Archie one thanks to Ken Penders, so the right crossover can be done correctly. You know, in case Marvel and Skybound want to contact me about making the Star Wars Transformers toys into a comic miniseries. I have a lot of good ideas on that one, but until they give me money I’ll stick to the Transformers Universe backstory I’m creating.
Iron Man & X-O Manowar: Heavy Metal
This one admittedly came at a bad time. Tony was the alternate universe teen version because normal Tony went crazy until he returned from the Heroes Reborn universe. It was also based on a really terrible crossover video game by Acclaim, who opted to go with the original Aric X-O instead of Donovan from their “Acclaim Comics/Valiant Heroes” line. Frankly, most of my crossovers are DC/Marvel characters or either DC or Marvel teaming with something else and I didn’t want to repeat a title. Otherwise I wouldn’t list this one as it’s not the worst but it’s not the best. The first and final issues are reviewed, as X-O and Iron Man’s enemies seek pieces of their individual power sources, the “rock of reality” in the Valiant universe, and the Cosmic Cube in the Marvel universe, which this stories tries to tell us is the same thing. I like the ideas and it works better in execution than I’m reviewing it. Just don’t play the game. It’s really that bad, at least on PC.
Battle Of The Planets/Thundercats
Okay, you really need to make sure you get this one right. WildStorm had Thundercats/Battle Of The Planets, and like most of the WildStorm comics was not very good. This one was one of the worse, as there’s a good story buried in nostalgia hate of a level I don’t usually see off the internet. It was not canon to WildStorm’s Thundercats comic, which also wasn’t very good outside of the first miniseries. It’s not Thundercats: Dogs Of War level bad, but it’s still the typical disappointment that WildStorm’s take on the Thunderian heroes of Third Earth tended to dish out.
No, you want the Top Cow production, Battle Of The Planets/Thundercats, also distributed by Image like the Devil’s Due Joe/Transformers series. Actually, you want the Top Cow Battle Of The Planets run period. While it comes off as simply Gatchaman with the BOTP names, the original series was so very good, the spin-off miniseries were mostly good, and this crossover was excellent. Written by the BOTP writer, it’s actually canon to his story, again proving it can be done with the right titles and mindset, and tech they gain in the series is vital to taking part in this mission. To curb Zoltar’s ego, the Luminous One sends him to Third Earth to capture a new power source. G-Force follows, and after the annoyingly obligatory fight, they team up with the Thundercats to rescue Wilykit (giving Keyop a “save the beautiful maiden” subplot–stop yelling about “furries”, she was my Thundercrush as a kid, too–and worked better than Cheetara and Jason in that other thing) and cut Zoltar and his new Mutant allies from their power source…which is Mumm-Ra. It goes as well as you’d expect when he learns what’s happened to him.
Most of the other crossovers I’ve reviewed are the DC/Marvel ones but I didn’t want to do more than one for each character or team. Comic crossovers are easier than other media. If you can get the licensees to go along with it, and Hasbro is determined it needs a share universe for toys that aren’t even in proper scale with each other, the right franchises can make for good crossovers. I’m just not into every crossover idea. Sure, Archie with the Punisher or Harley Quinn is fun and I remember My Little Pony mashing with Transformers since the old webseries, but for serious crossovers, I have criteria. In this case even I don’t know for certain what all the rules are. Putting them together only because you can is a crapshoot. It’s been done but not everything goes together, at least for me.
What are some of your favorite crossovers? I’d do one for out of comics but there are so few, and I don’t count the various Law & Order shows doing crossovers, while I don’t know enough video game crossovers and the only one I’ve played is the Marvel Vs. Capcom franchise. I could follow up with other media crossovers I’d like to see, but this is just an excuse to stay on schedule and try to do something fun this week. Curious what your tastes are and how many of you like my choices?
Also, Marvel? Skybound? That Star Wars/Transformers offer is still open. I have a whole plot for a graphic novel or miniseries on the back burner.
BW Media Spotlight 