Almost two decades on if you could have another Amalgam Age of Comics, how would you tackle it?

[The Sword is Drawn]

With so many 90s properties getting another airing through the course of Secret Wars, it got me thinking. I think it's *pretty* much guaranteed that the one 90s Universe we wont be seeing getting an appearance will be Earth-9602: The Amalgam Universe.



It's kinda scary to tink about it, but it's almost been 20 years since the DC vs Marvel series, and the Amalgam books hit the stands. The relationship between Marvel and DC comics is qute different to how things were back then. It's much harder to see the likelihood of a Warners owned DC and a Disney owned Marvel doing this kind of thing with their characters.

But screw it. Let's throw caution to the wind, and play a little bit of What If... on this Tuesday afternoon.

If you could create another mashing together of properties from across the way (given the number of new characters created on both sides in the past 20 years) what would you make?

How would you handle it?

What two characters have you always wanted to merge? Maybe they weren't around last time. Or maybe you just thought two properties that were used last time didn't fit.

Now that Marvel own Miracleman, maybe merge him with character that he was always based on Captain 'Shazam' Marvel?

'Miraclemarvel' anybody?

How about Captain Britain meets Knight & Squire in 'Knight-Captain Britain'?

"Death's Head of the Endless"?

Go on. Give it a go!

[JohnLynch]

Not being familiar with the original amalgam universe here's my take. I've gone for thematic combinations (Superman/Captain America) rather than look at which characters are most similar.

Captain American/Superman: Crashing down into Earth in the early 20th century, Kal-El was raised by Jonathan and Martha Rogers. He went on to Metropolis and started fighting those evil people who were preying on the weak. When World War 2 broke out he heard through some contacts of the terrible evils being done by the Nazis. He went over there as a war correspondent and fought against the Axis of Evil as Superman. He befriended an under aged soldier (who lied about his age) called Jason "Bucky" Todd. Bucky presumably died and the Nazis, using kryptonite, took out Superman. In truth he became frozen. In modern day times, explorers find Superman and take him to the Fortress of Solitude and reanimate him. The first of the superheroes, Steve Rogers has ushered in the new heroic age. A man out of time, he champions the pre-Cold War ideals of truth, justice and the American Way.

Jason Todd/Bucky: Once the wartime sidekick of Superman, Jason "Bucky" Todd was taken out by the Red Skull and captured by the Russians. He became the Soviet agent known as the Red Hood. When the Soviet Union fell corrupt officials started hiring out his services to the highest bidder. He finally broke free on one of these missions and slowly broke his conditioning with the reemergence of Superman. He become angers by Superman's apparent lack of remorse at Bucky's death. When he finally confronts Steve, he finds a draft titled 'The Real Hero of World War 2' documenting Bucky's deeds and efforts. He breaks down and stops his plan of revenge.

Batman/Daredevil: The son of boxer Battlin' Murdoch, Bruce Murdoch was blinded in a terrible accident that gave him radar-like vision. When he and his father were heading home after a game, thugs working for the Kingpin of Gotham gunned down Bruce's father, leaving Bruce alive because he couldn't see anything. An old family friend and ex MI6 agent, Alfred Pennyworth, took Bruce in as his ward and helped teach him the skills he would need to carry out his plot of vengeance. He became a lawyer before donning the costume of Batman, in reference to his special vision. As Batman he brings in the criminals, as DA Murdoch he puts them away for good.

Wolverine/Deathstroke: James Wilson was a war criminal who was offered a spot on the Suicide Squad to get a chance to leave jail. His skeleton was bonded with an adamantine alloy. After serving for a few years doing some very questionable acts the Suicide Squad was disbanded. Instead of being killed he escaped, but not before suffering brain damage which removed his memories. He has been a soldier of fortune going by the name Deathstroke ever since.

Lex Luthor/Iron Man: After world war 2 Luthor Industries were involved in examining and backwards engineering the Nazi weapons. This revealed to Lionel Luthor Superman's alien nature. Fearing the motives of Superman and whether more Kryptonians would be returning to invade. And so Luthor industries started stockpiling kryptonite bombs that emitted harmless energies to humans but lethal energies to Kryptonians. When Superman was awakened, Lionel's son, Lex Luthor became Iron Man. When agents of Zod revealed themselves to have infiltrated American society for the past 2 decades in what is called the Secret Invasion, they held a coup and assassinated the president with Zod taking his place. Iron Man launched his entire stockpile of weapons and wiped out thousands of Kryptonians, many of whom were children. With both the Republicans and Democrats decimated in the attack, Iron Man was named president. He claims to be working towards proper elections with all speed. His greatest critic is Steve Rogers.

[JohnLynch]

Here's some more.

Tedd Grant/Namor: Ted Grant, the Sub-Mariner, joined the Justice Society of America shortly before it started fighting the Nazis both locally and abroad. His only special ability as a half-Atlanteanwas to be able to breathe both above and below water, although he was a wonderful boxer. When fellow JSAer Charles Xavier was looking to create a school where youngsters could learn how to defend themselves and fight to defend both humans and mutants, he called on Ted who happily accepted. Those students who wonder why they have to listen to some old boxer quickly learn that Ted's temper hasn't faded with age.

Jay Garrick/Charles Xavier: A co-founding member of a society that sought out people with special abilities, Charles Xavier had super speed. When Steve Rogers announced to the society he was going to Europe to fight the Nazis, Charles donned the costume of the Flash and joined him. Close friends with Erik, the two of them continued the JSA after Superman's death, but had a falling out when Erik's son, Wally, exhibited super speed. The resulting battle crippled Charles and bathed Erik and Namor in the speed force, giving them extended lifespans. When the X-Gene was discovered and mutants began getting rounded up, Charles Xavier founded a school for gifted youngsters. With Superman's return some of them have started donning costumes. Charles called in Grant to lead these youngsters who call themselves X-Men.

Alan Scott/Magneto: Leading up to WW2 Erik ran a successful radio company and joined the JSA where he met Wonder Woman. A mutant, he had the ability to create green constructs with his mind. When the war broke out his parents travelled to Europe to try to help their extended family flee to America. When they didn't return he led the JSA to Europe to free his parents from the concentration camps. After the war Erik and Wonder Woman fell in love and became pregnant. However when the baby exhibited super speed, Erik felt betrayed and attacked his friend, the Flash, crippling him. As the mutant scare continued, Erik used his media company to criticize the government for acting like the Nazis in rounding up mutants. He was brought before the House of Inhuman Activities and was accused of being a mutant sympathizer. Erik revealed himself as the mutant known as the Green Lantern from the JSA. He tore the court apart and broke a number of mutants free from the prison camps and flew off into space. There he founded the Green Lantern Corps (named after himself) and began overthrowing tyrants throughout the galaxy. Learning of the Kryptonians plot he returned to Earth too late to stop the attack. He's organised with Iron Man (who doesn't have an anti-mutant agenda, only an anti-alien one) for his Corps to protect Earth. He's also sought to make amends with Charles and is now a teacher at his school with Ted Grant.

Wonder Woman/Jen Walters: The Amazons of antiquity were at the peak of human physical perfection. A god cursed them, only allowing them to tap into their superhuman reflexes when they turn into a green raging monster. Lies claim they turn green with envy and show their true nature, and that they rape men. At the beginning of the 20th century Wonder Woman left Paradise Island and joined the JSA and attempted to control her anger and be a hero. She fell in love with Erik and had a child named Wally. In the aftermath of Erik's attack on Charles Wonder Woman took her son, Wally, and returned to Paradise Island where they did not age. Eventually Wally wanted to return to the world of men and get in touch with his father's culture and so they left. Wonder Woman has taken on the identity of Jen West, a civil rights lawyer, and with Wally attempts to lead a normalish life.

Wally West/Quicksilver: Wally was abandoned by his father and lived for decades on paradise island. Upon leaving the island he took on the identity of Flash as a dig at his father and has a love/hate relationship with him.

Donna Troy/Scarlet Witch: From an a alternate universe, Donna Troy is the daughter of that universe's Magneto and Wonder Woman. She inherited her mother's abilities (although doesn't need to turn green to use them) and so was happily raised by Erik and her mother on paradise island which became a safe haven for mutants. However when it was attacked by anti-mutant terrorists, she was ripped from her universe and adrift until she was rescued by Wally. The two of them have a strong relationship which borders on the inappropriate with some fearing it has gone too far.

Hawkman & Hawkwoman/Peter Parker & MJ: Peter Parker was a photographer for national geographic in South America when he discovered that he, MJ and someone called Mephisto had been looked in a battle that spanned millennia. They were doomed to constantly reincarnate with Peter and MJ always finding each other and Mephisto always trying to tear them apart. They had been bound in this cycle by a power channelled through the South American Spider God with Peter and MJ it's avatars. They had last found each other as part of the JSA and had been killed by Mephisto only 20 years ago, leaving their daughter an orphan. Peter found MJ and revealed all this to her before they both decided to don their costumes as Spider-Man and Spider-Woman and seek out their lost daughter who is now a grown adult.

[KOSLOX]

Not being familiar with the original amalgam universe here's my take. I've gone for thematic combinations (Superman/Captain America) rather than look at which characters are most similar.

Captain American/Superman: Crashing down into Earth in the early 20th century, Kal-El was raised by Jonathan and Martha Rogers. He went on to Metropolis and started fighting those evil people who were preying on the weak. When World War 2 broke out he heard through some contacts of the terrible evils being done by the Nazis. He went over there as a war correspondent and fought against the Axis of Evil as Superman. He befriended an under aged soldier (who lied about his age) called Jason "Bucky" Todd. Bucky presumably died and the Nazis, using kryptonite, took out Superman. In truth he became frozen. In modern day times, explorers find Superman and take him to the Fortress of Solitude and reanimate him. The first of the superheroes, Steve Rogers has ushered in the new heroic age. A man out of time, he champions the pre-Cold War ideals of truth, justice and the American Way.

Jason Todd/Bucky: Once the wartime sidekick of Superman, Jason "Bucky" Todd was taken out by the Red Skull and captured by the Russians. He became the Soviet agent known as the Red Hood. When the Soviet Union fell corrupt officials started hiring out his services to the highest bidder. He finally broke free on one of these missions and slowly broke his conditioning with the reemergence of Superman. He become angers by Superman's apparent lack of remorse at Bucky's death. When he finally confronts Steve, he finds a draft titled 'The Real Hero of World War 2' documenting Bucky's deeds and efforts. He breaks down and stops his plan of revenge.

Batman/Daredevil: The son of boxer Battlin' Murdoch, Bruce Murdoch was blinded in a terrible accident that gave him radar-like vision. When he and his father were heading home after a game, thugs working for the Kingpin of Gotham gunned down Bruce's father, leaving Bruce alive because he couldn't see anything. An old family friend and ex MI6 agent, Alfred Pennyworth, took Bruce in as his ward and helped teach him the skills he would need to carry out his plot of vengeance. He became a lawyer before donning the costume of Batman, in reference to his special vision. As Batman he brings in the criminals, as DA Murdoch he puts them away for good.

Wolverine/Deathstroke: James Wilson was a war criminal who was offered a spot on the Suicide Squad to get a chance to leave jail. His skeleton was bonded with an adamantine alloy. After serving for a few years doing some very questionable acts the Suicide Squad was disbanded. Instead of being killed he escaped, but not before suffering brain damage which removed his memories. He has been a soldier of fortune going by the name Deathstroke ever since.

Lex Luthor/Iron Man: After world war 2 Luthor Industries were involved in examining and backwards engineering the Nazi weapons. This revealed to Lionel Luthor Superman's alien nature. Fearing the motives of Superman and whether more Kryptonians would be returning to invade. And so Luthor industries started stockpiling kryptonite bombs that emitted harmless energies to humans but lethal energies to Kryptonians. When Superman was awakened, Lionel's son, Lex Luthor became Iron Man. When agents of Zod revealed themselves to have infiltrated American society for the past 2 decades in what is called the Secret Invasion, they held a coup and assassinated the president with Zod taking his place. Iron Man launched his entire stockpile of weapons and wiped out thousands of Kryptonians, many of whom were children. With both the Republicans and Democrats decimated in the attack, Iron Man was named president. He claims to be working towards proper elections with all speed. His greatest critic is Steve Rogers.

I'd merge Batman with Black Panther and have Daredevil merge with Wildcat.

[resipsaloquitur]

In hindsight, you can tel that some of the Amalgamation was a little clunky and maybe done last minute. I mean, some of it, conceptually and in execution, was great. (Dark Claw and Super Soldier worked.) Some of it wasn't. (Bullets & Bracelets felt kind of forced as a WW/Punisher team-up, which is basically what it was. I couldn't realy get into Magneto & The Magntic Men either.) It wasn't all bad, but there was some duplication of characters (I remember seeing at least two versions of Jimmy Olson) which led me to believe that the story wasn't quite as coordinated as it could have been.

Anyway, with Carol Danvers rising in prominence of late, she might make a better merger with Wonder Woman than Storm. Also, I'd hope somebody could come up with a better role for Hulk, since he was relegated to a very small role and merger with Solomon Grundy.

[The Sword is Drawn]

Hulk's a tricky one, granted. But I think that Swamp Thing would have perhaps been a better match, for the feeling of isolation.

"Hulk Thing" maybe?

And I agree on Storm vs Captain Marvel. Definitely in the current climate.

And flippant though I was being in my opening post with merging the Sandman's sister 'Death' with Cyborg Freelance Peacekeeping Agent 'Death's Head', there is a part of me that perversely really wants to SEE that.

Yes?

[The Sword is Drawn]

I'd merge Batman with Black Panther and have Daredevil merge with Wildcat.

But what would you call them?

'Bat-Panther'?

I think you'd definitely have to steer clear of something as clumsy as "The Black Knight".

[KOSLOX]

But what would you call them?

'Bat-Panther'?

I think you'd definitely have to steer clear of something as clumsy as "The Black Knight".

The Dark Panther

[resipsaloquitur]

One thing worth noting is that Amalgam Comics was very much a product of its time, influenced by what was being written and what was popular at both companies. This was 1995 (or 1996? I forget), so DC was just entering into its renaissance and Marvel hadn't quite entered its own yet (that happened around 1997-98). We didn't yet have Morrison's neo-classic JLA or Busiek and Perez' neo-classic Avengers. Looking back, the characters were very much period-driven at the time: Superman had a mullet; Hulk was the "Professor," Spidey was Ben Reilly, the X-Men was Marvel's most prominent team, etc.

Hence, I really think a lot of the pairings--not all, but a lot--were driven by what was popular. Batman and Wolverine were an obvious merger, because it was both companies' bestselling badasses. Spider-Man and Superboy isn't exactly a logical pairing, but Kesel's Superboy was popular enough at the time that it made sense from a marketing standpoint. But let's be honest, Wonder Woman was paired with Storm because the two were the companies' most arguably popular women.

Hence, I think that's why the Justice League and the X-Men were rather awkwardly paired. The X-Men was obviously Marvel's most popular team, but I don't think the JLA of 1995 was quite the sales powerhouse that it would be later in the decade. What we ended up with was this weird team where Rogue was amalgamated with Gypsy, Gambit was combined with Obsidian, Fire with Jean Grey, and Quicksilver with Impulse, because...I don't know why. It was the best that the JLA had to offer, I guess. Weirdly, JLX featured an alternate team called the JLA (the "Judgment League Avengers") which had a more prominent lineup of Super Soldier, Dark Claw, Captain Marvel (yep, a mix of Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel), Angelhawk, and a Giant Man version of Ollie Queen. This was a second weird team of some mutants (Dark Claw and Angelhawk) who had to hunt down other mutants, because reasons. It didn't make a lot of sense.

So I do wonder what a "modern" Amalgam would look like with the modern DC paired against modern Marvel. The X-Men really aren't Marvel's powerhouse team anymore--I'd say the Avengers have either equal billing with them, or top billing. Would we be more likely to get a JLA/Avengers amalgam than a JLA/X-Men one? DC seems to be all Justice League these days, and Marvel heavily Avengers. Would they mix the X-Men with the Titans? Where would the FF fit? How about the Guardians of the Galaxy? What would they do with the fact that Marvel is now big on using a-traditional versions of characters, like Falcon-Cap and She-Thor? I have no idea.

[The Sword is Drawn]

I know what you mean. A lot has changed in times since.

I'm not sure where you'd quite pitch the X-Men as as seperate entity, now. Although I do think that the Justice League Avengers and Justice League X-Men split of the original Amalgam books almost writes itself for moder Marvel.

JLA vs JLX anyone?

I do think that a now that we have a Young Avengers at Marvel (albeit a little on and off) that it would be logical to pair those with the Teen Titans. That's got to be a no brainer. "Young Titans" probably.

Guardians of the Galaxy is a bit trickier. I supposed the equivalent at DC would kind of be the Green Lantern Corps. Not a great fit though. Also a bugger to fit a name to.

Don't forget also, though. Modern DC does also give us access to the Wildstorm properties. Maybe tonally the Guardians would be a better match for Stormwach/The Authority?

[The Sword is Drawn]

The Dark Panther

That could work. And looking at the caped T'Challa in your Avatar? We're practically there for an aesthetic already. I do think it's a better pairing than Wolverine.

[KOSLOX]

Book Titles:

The League of Avengers
The X-Patrol
Challengers of the Fantastic
The Young Titans
The Amazing Bug-Man - Blue Beetle/Spider-Man
The Dark Panther - BP/Datman
Super Patriot - FalCap/Supes
Marvel Woman - Captain Marvel/Wonder Woman
(Fe)Man - Iron Man/Atom

[ImprobableQuestion]

But what would you call them?

'Bat-Panther'?

I think you'd definitely have to steer clear of something as clumsy as "The Black Knight".

black-knight-rises.jpg
Tee Hee.

[ImprobableQuestion]

I've always wanted another Marvel vs DC event, so I already had some non-merged matchups in mind. To add background, I'll chalk up the merges to an "amalgam wave" that permeates both universes.

Aquabolt and Kraakeness:(Black Bolt/Aquaman and Mera/Medusa)
The silent king of Attlantilan and his queen. Aquabolt commands the energy of the sea through the tuning fork on the end of his trident. Kraakeness uses her magic water hair to shield herself. (I was tempted to merge him with Thor).

Super-Spider: (Superman/Spider-Man, or the most marketable character in the world!)
Sent to Earth as a baby to to escape the destruction of Planet Crypsis, Aerop-El discovers that Earth's yellow sun awakens long dormant spider powers in his family! Now it's up to him to protect the world from the half-animal survivors of his race, and hopefully not get chewed out by his boss at the newspaper...

Dr. Wonderful: (Wonder Woman/Dr. Strange)
Arrogant surgeon Diana Strange had everything she thought she ever wanted. Until her private plane crashed down in the seas near Paradise Island. There the mages of Master Hipolyta saved her life, and eventually tought her there ways of magic. With her bracelets to protect her from physical harm and the Eye of Truth to see past any lie, she is well on her way to becoming the most powerful sorceress in the world!

[Agent Z]

Captain Star (Carol Danver/Carol Ferris)

Silk Bat (Cassandra Cain/Cindy Moon)

Space Scarab (Sam Alexander/Jaime Reyes)

Aurora (Monica Rambeau/Kimiyo Hoshi)

Black Siren (Dinah Lance/Theresa Maeve Rourke Cassidy)

Storm Fox (Ororo Munroe/Mari McCabe)

Feline (Selina Kyle/Felicia Hardy)

Dead Eye (Floyd Lawton/Lester)