A Sign of Weakness?

I've been reading Archie Meets Batman '66. It's billed as "two iconic comic book characters meet up for the first time in this historic crossover!"

Last year, on my birthday, August 17 (my birthday, in case you were wondering) Senior VP/Executive Editor and DC Comics co-publisher Dan DiDio was quoted on ScreenRant.com as to why there won't be (m)any intercompany crossovers between DC Comics and Marvel.

He said, "It's not that we're mortal enemies - it is competition, if you want the truth. It has to be. As we say, 'the more we compete, the better off you are.' It means that we're trying harder to make our books better so you come to our books rather than Marvel books. That's what the competition is all about. Between the two companies, we still are the industry leaders."

Last March 18th, lrmonline picked up the thread, with a quote from Joe Quesada.

I get it. I can down a whole Roma pizza in one sitting. Those things aren't that big. They're like eight slices. So, what he's saying, I think, unless I have my analogies wrong, is an intercompany crossover is like slicing a Roma pizza and sharing it with my three kids. Rather than having the whole pie myself.

I'm a Bronze Age comic book fan. The Bronze Age started in April 1970, when Dennis O'Neal and Neil Adams brought together Green Lantern and Green Arrow in Green Lantern 85.

Didio's comments, and Quesada's response were in response to the much-hyped DC Versus Marvel series from April and May of 1996. The four-issue series match characters like Aquaman and Namor; The Flash and Quicksilver; Batman and Captain America - characters that seemed similar, with similar powers. The match-up were decided by fan votes. The outcome was that Quesada's Marvel beat Didio's DC. Out of eleven match-ups, Marvel won six:  Elektra over Catwoman, Silver Surfer beat Green Lantern Kyle Raynor, Thor outmatched Captain Marvel, Spider-Man defeated Superboy, Wolverine amazingly beat Lobo and Storm overpowered Wonder Woman. By fan votes.

Nobody wants to come out a loser. Especially when the fans voted Marvel over DC. That's not just a loss, that's the sound of one hand clapping.        

The Marvel Versus DC/DC Versus Marvel Amalgam Comics came at a time when both companies needed one another and needed an intercompany crossover. It wasn't like bringing Superman and Spider-Man together; or, Batman and The Incredible Hulk; or, The Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans. Amalgam wasn't for story, or characters or fans. It was about revenue, and monetizing. The industry was down, and the whole Amalgam thing was a gimmick, like variant covers or foil covers to bolster lagging sales and revenue.

I think this is where my pizza analogy comes in.

I'm enjoying Archie Meets Batman '66. I've read a few other crossovers that were pretty good, too. I'm sure you have, too.

Growing up in the Bronze Age, I enjoyed comic book titles like The Brave and the Bold; DC Comics Presents and Marvel Team-Up. I never read Marvel Two-In-One with The Thing, but I've heard it was a pretty cool title. That book came back this year to lead into the return of the Fantastic Four.

The idea of those team-up books was to take strong characters, like Batman, Superman, Spider-Man and The Thing, and use them to lend a little spotlight to lesser known characters. Characters that fans liked but didn't get to see much of. They weren't strong enough to carry their own comic book title.

Right now, outside of team books - which are basically the same concept, just with a larger number of characters - the only thing resembling a team-up is DC's Super Sons. The offspring of Superman and Batman.

 It's kind of a bummer that a crossover can't be seen as bringing strengths together to make an even bigger strength.

I guess when you see a crossover as a need or a weakness, that's how you're going to see them.

Which is a shame.

This is what I like to see.