DC vs Marvel Comics # 1

By Mark Rodriguez.

Talk about a blast from the past. I remember reading part of this as a young teen back in the day. For those wondering what would happen if both comic book universes ever clashed... This is as close as we'll get. This is an interesting read, if at least to remember at what place the characters were back in the mid-90's as opposed to how they are now. Thanks to the Bent Wookee comic store I was able to grab all the issues for a cheap price.

This is a 4 part story and while being far from perfect, it's cool for all the cameos alone. One thing to mention are some of the fights were actually decided by reader's votes... So if some of the results seem kinda lame and nonsensical... Well it was the readers fault or the character's own fanbase. As for some others, we just see the characters in 'about to fight' poses or stare downs... but never actually see them come to blows. Like I said.. Far from perfect. Anyways lets dive into the 90s DC and Marvel universe and start with issue 1.

DC VS Marvel Round 1 starts off with a bit of 90's trivia, as we see Ben Reilly coming back to New York as Spider-Man. For those lucky enough not to know, there was a thing called the Clone Saga in most of the 90's in which Peter Parker met a clone named Ben Reilly, and after many twists and turns, there was actually a point in the story where Peter thought HE was the clone and left or whatever, so I guess this is the part of that story where Ben took over as Spider-Man.

To ruin a perfect night of Ben putting his life back together, his spider-sense goes off and he sees a random bum lying up against a huge cardboard box. The box starts to glow and one of beams of light goes through Spider-man's leg. He says he doesn't feel anything strange and then suddenly vanishes.

A random guy walks down the alley and see the bum trying to contain the flashing cardboard box and says 'it's about to begin' and he's glad the guy came over to help him. The guy is confused and doesn't want any part of it.

Spider-Man finds himself in the middle of the rain on the rooftop in the middle of Gotham City, right in front of the Joker. The Joker says Spider-Man changed clothes since the last time they fought but Ben doesn't recognize him (there was a Spider-Man/Batman crossover in which they faced the Joker and Carnage, and apparently Joker is 4th-wall breaking enough to remember). Joker tells Spidey he's in Gotham now and he's ready to blow up the building, but the rain is ruining his fireworks.

Breaking the 4th wall before Deadpool made it cool

Spider-Man wants answers as to what's going on and says he doesn't even know the clown's name. The Joker decided to leave and gives him 'his card' and jumps off the building. Spidey is surprised but Joker has a parachute ready. Spidey looks at the Joker card and wonder's what's going on.

Meanwhile Gambit is charging up a Joker card as he's ready to fight the Juggernaut alongside Wolverine and Storm. Just as Juggernaut is about to punch Wolverine, the mutant vanishes... and then so does he. Jugs sees that he punches the side of the Daily Planet and wonders where he is. He soon gets punched by Superman that tells him he's in the wrong place.

gotta love those classic 90's X-Men costumes

Back at Manhattan the bum has the cardboard box all taped up with.... tape... toilet paper... I can't tell... and mentions how he doesn't want any more characters crossing over. He's surprised the box is still glowing and nothing can hold it back....since you know... tape and toilet paper can perfectly contain a weird glowing interdimensional cardboard box thingie...

Captain America is busy fighting Hydra soldiers when he suddenly vanishes. Wonder Woman saves some people from a collapsing bridge when she also vanishes, before the cops can thank her. Elsewhere, Betty Ross is hanging with the Hulk, who at this time has the mind and total control of Bruce Banner. The Hulk also vanishes. At a beach Superboy is showing off his powers by lifting up two bikini babes (good way to grab some ass) which pisses off his girlfriend Tana... and he also suddenly vanishes. Somewhere in deep space, Lobo is busting up an alien bar when he's suddenly warped away as well.

Superboy, dripping with 90's cheese

At the X-Mansion, Wolverine, Storm and Gambit inform Xavier, Beast and Psylocke about Juggernaut's sudden disappearance. Xavier is saddened that his stepbrother is one of their worst enemies, but Wolverine says to let Juggernaut be someone else's problem. Just then the same mysterious light hits Wolverine, Gambit and Storm and all three vanish. Jean and Cyclops are also confused and wonders what the hell is going on.

Elsewhere, the Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner), Elektra, The Flash, Thor, Aquaman, The Silver Surfer, Captain Marvel, The Sub-Mariner (Namor), Quicksilver, and Catwoman are all disappearing as well.

In the Batcave, Bullseye has Robin (Tim Drake) hostage demanding that Batman tell him where he is and how he got there. Bullseye threatens to cut Robin's eye, but the Boy Wonder elbows him in the throat. Batman tosses a Batarang but even though he's still choking from the hit, Bullseye manages to catch it and throws it back. Batman manages to duck under it and punches Bullseye across the jaw. The villain is surprised Bats is able to 'make him miss' and says he hits even harder than Daredevil before he passes out.

oddly enough.... Bulleye does look like a Batman, or even Flash style rogue....

Robin wonders who this guy is and how he got into the cave. Batman never heard of him and notes that he was just as surprised to be there as they were to see him. Robin then suddenly vanishes. He then appears in the best place a teenage boy can possibly be, in a teenage girl's bedroom. Yep, Robin suddenly appears on Jubilee's bed and she's already liking his sense of fashion.

and thus Tim Drake and Jubilation Lee lost their virginity....

Superman returns to the Daily Bugle disguised as Clark Kent and finds out it is now run by James Jonah Jameson. Lois and Clark are confused as to who is the new guy that took over the Planet and forced out Perry in favor of Jameson. Jimmy Olsen steps in and mentions he's now a TV reporter. Lois also left a photo for Clark to investigate, and he sees Steel fighting the Absorbing Man and wonders where he came from.

Everyone throughout Metropolis are confused as their heroes and villains are gone and replaced by news ones. Throughout the city, the Green Lantern is facing off against the Green Goblin, Bane is trying to punch through Captain America's shield and Daredevil is taking down the Riddler. Elsewhere, Batman faces Venom, Captain Marvel faces Dr. Doom, Punisher and Deathstroke try to shoot each other, Estrigan faces Ghost Rider and Firestorm and Martian Manhunter team up to fight against the Human Torch and The Thing.

Some of the crossover heroes do get along. Hawkman is friends with Archangel, and Supergirl teamed up with She-Hulk to fight crime. Superman was also fighting against Annihilus, and now Clark notices a pic of Spider-Man taking down Man-Bat. Clark doesn't recognize the hero, and just then Lois Lane introduces the one who took that pic, their new photographer, Ben Reilly. Clark says they're very good pictures and maybe together they can figure out what's going on. Ben says whatever is happening feels like something that's bigger and beyond them.

I feel sorry for the poor punks that try to take down Supergirl and She-Hulk with guns...

Out across the universe, the Spectre from the DC Universe and The Living Tribunal from the Marvel Universe also don't understand what is going on. But they both feel that something is terribly wrong. Elsewhere two giant god-like beings point at each other.

Well... this comic wasn't short on cameos, I'll give you that. This is the first issue and despite the crappy way this is all coming together (some sort of mystical glowing cardboard box that a bum is trying to tape up???) it is fun to see all these characters meet up and throw down, though most of them were one panel scenes. I do like the 90's flair with the whole Ben Reilly thing, and Superboy who appeared after the whole Reign of the Supermen storyline in which four different Supermen appeared after the death of the original and readers had to guess which one was the real deal. This is just the beginning so I can't say too much yet since we do have three more issues to go.

The comic also let the readers vote for who would win the fights in issue 3. The DC VS Marvel Preliminary Bouts consisted of Aquaman VS Sub-Mariner, Elektra VS Catwoman, Captain Marvel VS Thor, Jubilee VS Robin, Flash VS Quicksilver and Silver Surfer VS the Green Lantern.

Then there would be the Marvel VS DC heavyweight bouts which would be Superman VS the Hulk, Captain America VS Batman, Lobo VS Wolverine, Storm VS Wonder Woman and Superboy VS Spider-Man.

place your votes! at least you're not killing off someone's sidekick this time

The comic then comes with very brief bios for Superman, The Hulk, Captain America, Batman, Wonder Woman, Storm, Wolverine, Lobo, Superboy and Spider-Man to help people consider their vote. All votes had to be casted by December 31, 1995 and the issue would hit the stores that February of 1996. You could either cut out the ballot from the comic and mail it on, or vote for it online by casting the votes for each individual hero. I didn't even know there was internet in 1995. Man, this takes me back.

I know it all sounds lame and cheesy now, but I can't even imagine how exciting it would have been back at the day to get the chance to cast your votes (basically like saying place your bets) and actually effect the outcomes of the story. Way better and a lot less morbid than that phone hotline to vote for wether or not Jason Todd should have died. I'll be glad to blog on the rest of this story soon.

I do have to say though, as the thought crossed my mind during that scene between Superman and the Juggernaut. Wouldn't Juggernaut be able to beat the crap out of Superman since his powers come from the magical Gem of Cyttorak and Superman's weakness is magic?

For more Marvel VS DC Action... well this isn't the same thing... but last year we did do a video comparing The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises with our thoughts and opinions.