When it comes to crossovers between characters from different comic book companies, I.e. Marvel and DC, there are many. How the crossover is accomplished can be different per story: Sometimes heroes from one universe jump across realities to another, and other times, heroes of both continuities are presented as occupying the same plain of reality. There have been times when these crossovers have been canon to one or both continuums. DC vs. Marvel and JLA/Avengers were both crossovers of the first type, and both counted. Some crossovers of the second kind seem to count too, as is the case with Batman/Punisher, the events of which were referenced in an issue of the mainstream Batman series. But Batman and Punisher both inhabit totally different universes, right? So how do they meet the way they do here, with no inter-dimensional travel? The best solution, IMO, is that these events occur in a hybrid reality temporarily formed when two universes merge; they soon separate back into their proper forms, though some memories of them persist for a while in the inhabitants afterwards. But it's when we get to JLA/Avengers that problems crop up. This crossover is of the first kind - inter-dimensional travel - and is canon, as it had repurcussions in mainstream DC, but it posits that any merging of two distinct universes results in widespread cataclysm and destruction....none of which was evident during the earlier mergers which must have occurred. So, from an in-story perspective, how to account for this?
I honestly don't think there's a way you can have an in-universe solution that works. You just have to take it as is. Some times it's a crossover between universes, and sometimes they pretend it's the same universe. It really can't be one or the other, yet that's what they did.
My favorite Marvel/DC crossover of all time was Batman & Captain America by John Byrne. I wish there were more of these projects. I have heard that they ended because of sour relationships between Marvel and DC execs. True or false?
What's interesting about the Batman/Captain America crossover is that it was written as a tie-in to Byrne's Superman/ Batman: Generations miniseries. I don't know the specifics, but I too have heard that relations between DC and Marvel have deteriorated to the point that further crossovers are unlikely. Marvel and DC did have some crossovers with Top Cow Productions not too long ago; I believe some of those count too, such as the Devil's Reign crossover with Marvel (which is type 1), and the Batman/Darkness crossover (type 2), the events of which were referenced in The Darkness comic series. And the X-Force/Youngblood crossover was set up in the mainstream Youngblood comic, via a cameo by Mojo.
Oh, if you stopped reading comics in general, right now Keith Giffen is writing Masters of the Universe (ongoing) or Dan Abnet has "just" replaced him, but Keith wrote a 6 issue Masters of the Universe vs. the Justice league which is being followed up by Masters of the Universe vs the DC Universe. http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/05/10/the-justice-league-battle-the-masters-of-the-universe I didn't like either, but I did quit both books early in/on... ymmv.
Couldn't be the same universe, there was no sign of an adult superhero having an inappropriate relationship with a young girl (like in generations).
And does anyone remember that part early on in DC vs Marvel where the Joker recognizes Spidey from Spider-Man/Batman?
Not sure. Was the DC Comics vs Warner brothers cartoons canon? The Flash raced Road runner (Or was it speedy Gonzales?). I don't remember who won.
True. DC execs were angered by some comments that Joe Quesada made (google "Quesada AOL Comics" and you'll see them). Apparently, so long as Quesada remains at Marvel, there won't be another DC/Marvel crossover. But, even if Quesada left, I don't see the business logic of a DC/Marvel crossover, because at the end of the day it would be Time Warner crosspromoting a Disney product and vice-versa.
Has anyone here read Peter David's Fallen Angel/Illyria crossover? Does that have any canon value at all? Incidentally, last night I dreamt I saw a Batman/Conan the Barbarian crossover. Yes, really.
Crossovers with Marvel that did not explicitly reference ID travel took place in alternate universes. IE, they never took place on Earth 1,0,Sigma or New Earth.
That comic was so much better than the TNG vs X-Men (Pat must have been exhausted!) comic and a million times better than the Jan Michael Freedman novel that followed.