I asked a while back about a possible X-Men/Spider-Man crossover as part of Dawn of X, and one user remarked that sometimes he has trouble remembering that Spider-Man and X-Men exist in the same universe due to how they're presented.

Both are cash-cows starring outcasts heroes, both have a multitude of titles at any given time, and are huge and well-defined corners of their own. Of course, there's overlap -- Spider-Man and X-Men have had many adventures together, but they're two franchises that can be described as rare "S-Rank" properties -- they can hold a franchise all by themselves without factoring in the wide universe, at least for a long time.

At the same time, I can get where it's coming from. Comparing these two sides of Marvel, and it just feels different. Spider-Man villains are very different from X-Men villains. Their stories may feature the outcast underdog hero aspect, but the way they go about it is night and day. Spider-Man is mainly focused on an individual, though there are many other heroes in this corner they tend to be supporting of Peter or are in their own spin-off books. X-Men is focused on a large ensemble of characters and worldbuilding elements.

There is of course the matter of theme. Spider-Man focuses on mundane issues that counterbalance the superhero action, while X-Men is social commentary on real world racism and homophobia presented through mutants. Spider-Man is more of a lighthearted comedy that reserves its more serious stuff for special occasions. X-Men is often darker and more dramatic than the rest of the MU.

Yeah, they do exist in the same world, but I do get a different "feel" that I can't quite describe when I read a Spider-book versus an X-book.

Would you say this is the strength of the shared universe, that it can house so many distinct sub-setting? Or would you say this is a fault, that two very different settings exist in the same world? Do you feel they're very different from each other at all?

Discuss.