Would a Justice League/Avengers crossover work?

[pharmmajor]

Ever since they did the Marvel/DC crossover series years ago, I've been itching to see it brought to the screen. I think the concept definitely has potential. It would appeal to fans of both super-teams, and there's bound to be great interaction between the counterpart heroes of each universe (i.e. Atom & Henry Pym, Scarlet Witch & Zatanna), as well as the villains (I can very well imagine Lex Luthor and Doctor Doom forging an alliance to conquer both Earths... while planning to stab each other in the back, of course.) Anyone else have thoughts on this?

 

[Wonderwall]

Pass. I dont like crossovers.

 

[Silverstar]

A lot of people would like to see this happen, but it won't. DC and Marvel can't get all of their own characters to appear together in one project, so forget trying to get characters from another company tossed into the mix. With contracts and embargoes and merchandise tie-ins to consider, developing such a project would be nothing short of legal/copyright hell, which is precisely where such an idea would remain buried for all eternity.

 

[pharmmajor]

A lot of people would like to see this happen, but it won't. DC and Marvel can't get all of their own characters to appear together in one project, so forget trying to get characters from another company tossed into the mix. With contracts and embargoes and merchandise tie-ins to consider, developing such a project would be nothing short of legal/copyright hell, which is precisely where such an idea would remain buried for all eternity.

<Sigh> Well, so much for that idea. Damn reality.

Ah well, at the very least, I could try and make it into a fan-fiction. I have a lot of good scenes worked out in my head. How does this sound: the rift between dimensions transports some of the Avengers to Metropolis, where they join Superman in a fight against Metallo. The battle is broadcast on live TV, and Luthor & Mercy are watching the battle.

Mercy: Who are those freaks helping Superman?
Lex: I have no idea.
(The live feed shoots in for a close-up of Moondragon, the bald sorceress from the Avengers)
Lex (smirking): Though I must compliment some of them for their exceptional style...

 

[JAG]

I'd love to see it, but it won't happen.

As for your idea for a fanfiction, Pharmmajor, it sounds like a cool idea. If you ever write it, I'll certainly take a look at it. Would it be taking place in the Timmverse?

 

[Wolf Boy2]

Ever since they did the Marvel/DC crossover series years ago, I've been itching to see it brought to the screen. I think the concept definitely has potential. It would appeal to fans of both super-teams, and there's bound to be great interaction between the counterpart heroes of each universe (i.e. Atom & Henry Pym, Scarlet Witch & Zatanna), as well as the villains (I can very well imagine Lex Luthor and Doctor Doom forging an alliance to conquer both Earths... while planning to stab each other in the back, of course.) Anyone else have thoughts on this?

Well, there's two problems.

1. The JL and the Avengers are basically the SAME THING. Sure, they have different personalities and powers. But in some way or the other they fill each other's roles. Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark fund their respective teams. Zatanna and Scarlett Witch (as you pointed out) are the magic women. Same with Dr. Fate and Dr. Strange. Superman and Captain America. Flash and Spider-Man (assuming this is New Avengers). Rather than bringing anything new to the table, the characters just overlap.

2. Every possible crossover story has been done and archvillian team-ups are the OLDEST cliche. Granted, the DCAU made it work in "World's Finest", but even there Luthor and Joker were just plot devices (the real story was Batman, Superman and Lois Lane). Also, the Joker and Harley are such extreme personalities that they gave us some good bits. But Luthor and Doom are too similar to really be interesting.

Marvel Comics gave us a Transformers/New Avengers crossover last year and it pretty much blew. You could see the plot coming a mile away: Dr. Doom teams up with Megatron (which was out of character for both, really). What did work in the story was Megatron creating a new form of Energon by extracting chemicals from Spider-Man's blood. That would've been a fine motivation and Doom would've never been needed. But, alas, the lazy writers gave a cliche crossover that doesn't really fit either Marvel 616 or IDW Transformers continuity. They could've set it in the elseworlds universe of the original Marvel Transformers (which contained many Marvel heroes), but the presence of Ratchet, who died in the Marvel TF timeline, mooted that out of possibility. So in the end ... we're left with a lame story that is a slap to both properties.

I'd REALLY rather they didn't do this to the Justice Leauge and the Avengers, especially in animation. Spend that animation budget on something that actually works.

 

[Rick Jones]

I can't see that happening. It took decades for even the comic crossover to come to fruition. The makers of an animated project would have to worry about not making members of either team look bad and all of that other miscellaneous stuff. I wonder if something like this would be profitable for either company ?

An Avengers/Squadron Supreme project (if it ever happened) might be the closest thing we ever get to a DC/Marvel crossover.

 

[pharmmajor]

I'd love to see it, but it won't happen.

As for your idea for a fanfiction, Pharmmajor, it sounds like a cool idea. If you ever write it, I'll certainly take a look at it. Would it be taking place in the Timmverse?

Possibly. I haven't thought about which reality it would take place in, but maybe it could fit in the DCAU.

Say JAG, if you have any thoughts about what could be included, I'd enjoy hearing them. One idea I came up with last night was the Joker & Harley joining Arcade in Murderworld. I can just picture Joker ecstatic about watching people die in a fatal theme-park; "It's like I've died and beat up the bouncers to sneak into Heaven!"

 

[Wolf Boy2]

Another problem is the radically different visual styles of DC and Marvel cartoons. Most Marvel cartoons (particularly Ultimate Avengers) have been in a realistic style where DC cartoons have streamlined styles a la Bruce Timm, Glen Murakami, Jeff Matsuda and James Tucker.

 

[Goldstar!]

Not even taking into account how long it would take for a DC/Marvel crossover series to come into being on television, given legalities, character embargoes, and so forth, I personally would have no desire to see such a thing.

First, because, as previously stated, the JL and Avengers characters are basically interchangeable:

Superman = Capt. America
Tony Stark = Bruce Wayne
Vision = Martian Manhunter
Scarlet Witch = Zatanna (etc).

Second, I've personally never cared for crossovers, as most of them are creatively bankrupt and have no real story beyond the novelty of "Hey! It's so-and-so appearing on the same show as such-and-such!"

 

[pharmmajor]

Wolf Boy & Blackstar, I understand your reservations regarding the problems that could arise. I guess I'm focusing on an idealistic version, where the crossover isn't for novelty alone, but has actual depth.

 

[Wonderwall]

Wolf Boy & Blackstar, I understand your reservations regarding the problems that could arise. I guess I'm focusing on an idealistic version, where the crossover isn't for novelty alone, but has actual depth.

That goes against the very nature of a crossover though. They aren't meant for depth because they're just a novelty. Once in awhile crossovers actually have something, but only within their own universe( ie: Batman and Superman ). Marvel/ DC team ups have and never will be anything more than a gimmic.

 

[Wolf Boy2]

DDP and Dreamwave made G.I Joe/Transformers crossover comics that were set in alternate universes where the two franchises had coexisted from the beginning of their stories. The Dreamwave series took place in 1938 and the DDP series (the longer of the two) was set in modern times. For example, instead of Snake-Eyes being disfigured in a helicopter accident in Vietnam, he was disfigured in an encounter with Megatron.

It would be interesting if a crossover comic was made where DC and Marvel were not seperate universes and the JL and Avengers had always been together. Kind of like Amalgam comics, but without merging the characters. Batman and Wolverine would be Batman and Wolverine, not Dark Claw.

 

[Antiyonder]

Definately not at this time. Aren't Marvel and DC still on hostile terms with each other? Last I heard, Bendis wanted to do a Daredevil/Batman team up.

That goes against the very nature of a crossover though. They aren't meant for depth because they're just a novelty. Once in awhile crossovers actually have something, but only within their own universe( ie: Batman and Superman ). Marvel/ DC team ups have and never will be anything more than a gimmic.

Agreed, but regardless, JLA/Avengers did a little more than just pitting the heroes against each other and later teaming up. They went into details about the differences between DC and Marvel (DC Earth having the heroes being respected while Marvel Earth te heroes are sometimes met with bad press. The altering powers aspect such as The Infinity Gauntlet not working in the DCU, the MU lacking a Speed Force, The DCU empowering the Chao Magic of the Scarlet Witch.). Had some good/fun character moments (Red Tornado and Vision share details on friends/family/etc. Guy hitting on Moondragon, Hawkeye joining the JLA to be with Black Canary. The heroes having to give up their carefree Silver Age life to restore the world to it's proper state.)

 

[Caswin]

That goes against the very nature of a crossover though. They aren't meant for depth because they're just a novelty. Once in awhile crossovers actually have something, but only within their own universe( ie: Batman and Superman ). Marvel/ DC team ups have and never will be anything more than a gimmic.

Well, maybe they've had a bad track record in the past, but I have to disagree with the "never will" part. I'm sure that, from one angle or another, there could be a genuinely good story waiting in the League meeting the Avengers. Not that my first instinct isn't to imagine Tygra somehow getting into a fight with Cheetah, but ideally, the novelty factor of whatever happened would only be an added bonus to the core storyline.

 

[Goldstar!]

Wolf Boy & Blackstar, I understand your reservations regarding the problems that could arise. I guess I'm focusing on an idealistic version, where the crossover isn't for novelty alone, but has actual depth.

I haven't seen a crossover yet that wasn't about the novelty. The fact that it's a crossover is a novelty from the get-go.

But please don't take offense. I wasn't trying to shoot down your idea. I'm just not a fan of crossovers, never was, never will be. That's just my opinion, which doesn't carry the weight of an anorexic flea.

 

[pharmmajor]

I haven't seen a crossover yet that wasn't about the novelty. The fact that it's a crossover is a novelty from the get-go.

But please don't take offense. I wasn't trying to shoot down your idea. I'm just not a fan of crossovers, never was, never will be. That's just my opinion, which doesn't carry the weight of an anorexic flea.

I don't take offense, so don't worry about it.

And I must compliment you on your "anorexic flea" comment. Very clever metaphor. Or is it an analogy?...

 

[Toddman]

It would be interesting if a crossover comic was made where DC and Marvel were not seperate universes and the JL and Avengers had always been together. Kind of like Amalgam comics, but without merging the characters. Batman and Wolverine would be Batman and Wolverine, not Dark Claw.

There have been several previously published Marvel/DC comic book crossovers that established the premise that all of the characters existed in the same universe. The original four team-ups (Superman Vs. Spider-Man, Spider-Man/Superman, Batman Vs. The Incredible Hulk, and X-Men/New Teen Titans) used that formula, but I never thought it added any particularly clever aspects to the stories.


Toddman