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Last Updated on
Monday, July 01, 2002
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Amalgam
Synopsis
| Review
| Titles |
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"Aw, fer cryin' out loud! When there's a universe to
save, you can't stop for exposition!" |
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ISSUES: |
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4 issues, monthly, 1996. |
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WRITER(S): |
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Ron Marz, Peter David. |
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ARTIST(S): |
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Dan Jurgens, Claudio Castellini, Josef Rubenstein,
Paul Neary. |
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MAJOR HEROES: |
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Superman, Hulk, Wonder Woman, Storm, Spider-Man,
Superboy, Jubilee, Robin, Lobo, Wolverine, Batman, Captain
America, Aquaman, Sub-Mariner, Quicksilver, Flash, Thor, Captain
Marvel, Catwoman, Elektra, Green Lantern, Silver Surfer. |
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MAJOR VILLAINS: |
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None, although Joker, Juggernaut, Bullseye,
Killer Croc, Darkseid, Thanos, Bane, Kingpin, and the Mole Man
make guest appearances. |
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SUPPORTING CAST: |
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Axel Asher (a.k.a. Access), DC's Spectre,
Marvel's Living Tribunal, the "brothers"
(representations of the two universes -- DC's and Marvel's -- in
question). |
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THE PLOT: |
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Two universes, suddenly aware of each other's
existence, realize that only one can survive. The champions of
each universe are selected to battle for their universes' right
to survive. |
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TRIVIA: |
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Fans were allowed to choose the winner for five
of the matches by mailing or emailing in their votes. |
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RECOMMENDED READING: |
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None, but the original Superman/Spiderman and
Batman/Hulk crossovers are a fun read. The Green Lantern/ Silver
Surfer book, Unholy Alliances, serves as a prequel to the
whole setup, but it isn't required reading. |
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OTHER SITES: |
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Handbook
of the Amalgam Universe
Amalgam
'97
The
Comics Page
Amalgam
Comics Reference Page |
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 THE PLOT FOR THIS SERIES isn't exactly Crime
and Punishment: universes collide, and all our favorite heroes are
forced to fight each other or die. It seems that there are two separate and distinct universes in
existence; one is home to the DC heroes, and the other is home to the
Marvel heroes. But "due to recent cosmos-shaking events that tore
the fabric of the universe and redefined reality," the barrier
between these two "brothers" breaks down. Deciding that they
cannot co-exist, the universes choose their champions for a series of
one-on-one matches. Whichever universe loses the most matches will cease
to exist -- giving the heroes a good incentive to put up a good fight.
And just to keep things fair, heroes are paired with their counterparts:
Superman vs. the Hulk, Sub-Mariner vs. Aquaman, etc.
While they battle, young Axel Asher meets a homeless person in an
alley who tells him that they are both "keepers of the
gateway," given the ability to cross universes in order to keep
those universes separate. At one point, they fail in their task, and the
Marvel and DC heroes are merged in an "amalgam" universe, one
in which composite heroes are formed by the meshing of two or more
heroes ("Super-Soldier," for example, combines the histories
and abilities of Superman and Captain America). Eventually, the two "brothers" work out their differences,
and all the heroes are returned to their proper places. Axel, now known
as Access, takes on his chosen role as the guardian of the gateway
between the two universes.
"Superman vs. the mole men.
This should be a short fight."
-- The Hulk, commenting on the possible outcome of a fight
between DC's Superman and Marvel's Mole Man and his army. Superman
vs. the Mole Men was the name of a Superman movie in the 1950s.
WHEN I FIRST SAW THIS SERIES at the bookshop, I
had two reactions. The part of me that remembered reading comics with a
flashlight under my bed covers when I was 10 said just one thing:
"Cool!" But the part of me that's a little older and wiser
thought that, once again, the Big Two had found a way to suck even more
money out of my pocket -- with "suck" being the operative
word. But let's face it: what self-respecting comic fan can resist a book
that promises a slugfest between Superman and the Hulk? And hell, while
we're at it, here are 20 more heroes! And you get to choose the winners!
With an offer like that, abstract ideas like "plot" and
"theme" are obviously nowhere to be seen. Nope, Marvel and DC
are here to give us exactly what we want to see -- our favorite heroes
duking it out for no other reason than to figure out who's the best.
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"The involved collaboration uniting the Marvel and DC
superheroes is inevitably contrived and cosmically scaled, yet
is still superior to previous crossovers. A great series if
you're 14."
- The Slings and Arrows Comic Guide
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But you know something? As much as I was prepared to hate it, I
didn't. There are just enough light moments (the romance between Robin
and Jubilee, Peter Parker asking an engaged Lois Lane out on a date) to
give the fight scenes a break, and yeah, I admit I got a kick out of
watching my favorite heroes fight it out. I won't ruin it by telling you who wins each fight, but something has
to be said about the Wolverine-Lobo match, in which Wolverine beats Lobo
in a knock-'em-down brawl. Wolverine beats Lobo? I know
we're dealing with universes where a radioactive spider can give you
cool powers, but can we at least try to inject some realism here?
Of all the matches in the series, this one was just a little too much to
believe. No small surprise that this fight was one in which readers
could vote for the winner -- but that's democracy for you.
 The art's pretty good, and there are more good moments than bad, but
the sketchy setup hurts the series, Access is a waste of space, and
there's not much suspense in figuring out the outcome (it's not as if
one of the companies will stop publishing if its heroes lose the
contest). But what the hey. Reading Marvel vs. DC -- or DC vs.
Marvel -- is like watching the big summer blockbuster movies. You
know where the story will end up, but what a ride while you get there. |
| Titles |
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Amalgam Comics (April, 1996) |
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Amazon: Reared on the island of Themiscyra,
weather-wielding mutant Ororo Munroe battles the very
gods of legend she has been taught to worship! By John
Byrne and Terry Austin.
Amalgam of: Storm (M) and Wonder Woman
(DC)
Assassins: Dare and Catsai -- two of Amalgam's
deadliest femmes females -- must negotiate the
deathtraps of Arkham Tower to assassinate the mayor! By
D.G. Chichester and Scott McDaniel.
Amalgam of: Elektra (M) and Catwoman (DC)
Bruce Wayne, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Driven by
the murder of his parents, a grim multibillionaire
focuses his rage by forging Amalgam's premier espionage
strike force! Now Wayne and his agents have to save the
East Coast from the depredations of the Green Skull! By
Chuck Dixon and Cary Nord.
Amalgam of: Nick Fury (M) and Batman (DC)
Bullets & Bracelets: Years ago, an unlikely
romantic interlude between Trevor Castle and Diana of
Themiscyra produced a child. Now this punishing man and
wonderful woman must reunite once more to save their son
from Thanoseid! By John Ostrander, Gary Frank, and Cam
Smith.
Amalgam of: The Punisher (M) and Wonder
Woman (DC)
Doctor Strangefate: Amalgam's Supreme Lord of
Order, Dr. Strangefate, will do everything to preserve
the Amalgam Universe -- even kill the strange new hero
Access! By Ron Marz, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, and Kevin
Nowlan. (Note: This is the only Amalgam crossover
featuring Access and referring to events in Marvel
vs. DC.)
Amalgam of: Dr. Strange (M) and Dr. Fate
(DC)
JLX: They're outlaws hated by the world
they've sworn to protect -- and hounded by the avenging
heroes of the JLA. Even if they survive the awesome
assault of Amalgam's mightiest heroes, they must still
face the discovery that a member of their squad is not
what he appears to be! By Mark Waid, Gerard Jones,
Howard Porter, and John Dell.
Amalgam of: X-Men (M) and Justice League
of America (DC)
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Legend of the Dark Claw: The adamantium-clawed
nocturnal predator of New Gotham is joined by Sparrow,
his spunky protégée, in his war against the feral and
psychotic Hyena! By Larry Hama, Jim Balent, and Ray
McCarthy.
Amalgam of: Wolverine (M) and Batman (DC)
Magneto and the Magnetic Men: Erik Magnus
watched in horror as his comrades were slaughtered. Now
utilizing the technology that his mutant-hating brother
used to create the Sentinels, Magnus constructs five
robots, each formed from a different metal, to protect
his fellow Homo superiors. By Mark Waid, Gerard
Jones, Jeff Matsuda, and Art Thibert.
Amalgam of: Magneto (M) and the Metal Men
(DC)
Speed Demon: Blaze Allen teams up with his
nephew Wally in a race against time and Hell itself to
snatch the soul of the Green Goblin. If they fail, the
Night Spectre wins the keys to the nether-realm! By
Howard Mackie, James Felder, Salvador Larrocca, and Al
Milgrom.
Amalgam of: Ghost Rider (M), Flash and the
Demon (DC)
Spider-Boy: He's the world-famous web-slinging
superstar, he can stick to walls, and his crash pad is
the Baxter Building -- not bad for a teenaged punk! Now
two obstacles loom in the path of the Amazing Arachkid
-- Bizarnage and King Lizard! By Karl Kesel and Mike
Wieringo.
Amalgam of: Spider-Man (M) and Superboy
(DC)
Super-Soldier: Transformed by an experimental
infusion of alien DNA, a mere mortal became the greatest
fighting machine of World War II. Revived in modern
times, the living legend must battle the Green Skull and
Hydra while defending truth, justice, and the American
way. By Mark Waid and Dave Gibbons.
Amalgam of: Captain America (M) and
Superman (DC)
X-Patrol: Ferro-Man! Elasi-Girl! Dial H.U.S.K.!
Niles Cable! Shatterstarfire! Beastling! Six outsiders
unite for the first time to face the dreaded despot
known as Doctor Doomsday! By Karl Kesel, Barbard Kesel,
Roger Cruz, and Jon Holdredge.
Amalgam of: X-Force (M) and Doom Patrol
(DC)
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Amalgam Comics (June, 1997) |
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Bat-Thing: When a scientist mutates into a
creature part human and part bat, the world can only
call him... Bat-Thing! Human no longer, the hideous
being seeks revenge on the motorcycle gang responsible
for his cursed existence! By Larry Hama, Joe Damaggio,
and Bill Sienkiewicz.
Amalgam of: Man-Thing (M) and Man-Bat (DC)
Challengers of the Fantastic: Sue
"Ace" Storm: fearless agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.!
Reed "Prof" Richards: dynamic science genius!
Johnny "Red" Storm: daredevil youth! Ben
"Rocky" Grimm: two-fisted U.S. senator!
They're four frankly fearless people who seek out and
defy mind-blowing menaces in mysterious places. But can
even they stand against the coming of Galactiac? By Karl
Kesel, Tom Grummett, and Al Vey.
Amalgam of: Fantastic Four (M) and
Challengers of the Unknown (DC)
The Dark Claw Adventures: Based on the hit TV
show Dark Claw: The Animated Series! A deadly
assassin called Lady Talia is loose in New Gotham! And
she's after the man who killed her father, Ra's A-Pocalypse
-- namely, Logan! By Ty Templeton and Rick Burchett.
Amalgam of: Wolverine (M) and Batman (DC)
The Exciting X-Patrol: Niles Cable, Elasi-Girl,
Ferro Man, Beastling, and Dial H.U.S.K.! They're back --
and they must face Brother Brood in a battle to the
death! And if they survive, can they endure the trials
of the Brood Pit? By Barbara Kesel and Bryan Hitch.
Amalgam of: X-Force (M) and Doom Patrol
(DC)
Generation Hex: Ride back into the Wild West
days of the Amalgam Universe and how the disfigured
renegade Jono Hex assembled the world's first band of
metamutant gunslingers: Skinhunter, Madame Banshee, and
the mysterious Retribution -- all out for vengeance
against a town called Humanity. By Peter Milligan, Adam
Pollina, and Mark Morales.
Amalgam of: Generation X (M) and Jonah Hex
(DC)
Iron Lantern: Empowered by OA, the Living
Planet, Hal Stark wears the life-sustaining armor of
Iron Lantern! But can the Armored Emerald Gladiator save
Stark Aircraft from the colossal Great White, the hatred
of Madame Sapphire, and the world-shattering power of
Madarinestro? By Kurt Busiek, Paul Smith, and Al
Williamson.
Amalgam of: Iron Man (M) and Green Lantern
(DC)
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JLX Unleashed: Decimated by the Armageddon
Agenda, the JLX lies at the mercy of the Hellfire League
of Injustice when they summon the brimstone-born Fin
Fang Flame! By Christopher Priest, Oscar Jimenez, and
Hannibal Rodriguez.
Amalgam of: X-Men (M) and Justice League
of America (DC)
Lobo the Duck: The Main Mallard is after the
criminal mastermind responsible for the destruction of
Manhattan and the deaths of the greatest Amalgam heroes!
And not even his girlfriend Bevarlene can ease the
mighty duck's troubled mind -- especially when the
Lunatik-Bug bounces into the act. By Alan Grant, Val
Semeiks, and Ray Kryssing.
Amalgam of: Howard the Duck (M) and Lobo
(DC)
Magnetic Men Featuring Magneto: Just as the
refurbished Magnetic Men attempt to join human society,
they must go up against the lethal Sinister Society and
a slew of new evil robots. By Tom Peyer, Barry Kitson
and Dan Panosian.
Amalgam of: Magneto (M) and the Metal Men
(DC)
Spider-Boy Team-Up: Spider-Boy is saved from
certain doom by another spider-powered teen who could be
Spider-Boy 2099! Using the Time Cube, the heroic duo
travel back to the future to meet the Legion of Galactic
Guardians. By Karl Kesel, Roger Stern, Jo Ladronn, and
Juan Vlesco.
Amalgam of: Spider-Man and the Guardians
of the Galaxy (M) and Superboy and the Legion of
Super-Heroes (DC)
Super-Soldier, Man of War: Return to the
Golden Age of Amalgam as the world's greatest human
fighting machine joins forces with Sgt. Rock and the
Howling Commandos! But can even their combined might
overcome the maniacal Major Zemo's deadly War Wheel?
Guest-starring the All-Star Winners Society! By Mark
Waid, Dave Gibbons, and Jimmy Palmiotti.
Amalgam of: Captain America and the
Howling Commandos (M) and Superman and Sgt. Rock (DC)
Thorion of the New Asgods: Between the realms
of New Asgard and Apokolips, Thorion battles his hated
brother L'Ok D'Saad, while the fate of the galaxy itself
hangs in the balance! But L'Ok has a secret weapon: the
all-powerful Mother Lobe. And waiting in the shadows:
Thanoseid! By Keith Giffen and John Romita, Jr.
Amalgam of: Thor (M) and the New Gods (DC)
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| Spinoffs and Related Titles |
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All Access
(4 issues, 1996 - 1997)
Issue 1: Spider-Man, Superman, Venom
Issue 2: Robin, Jubilee, Two-Face
Issue 3: Batman, Dr. Strange
Issue 4: JLA vs. X-Men
Unlimited Access
(4 issues, 1997 - 1998)
Issue 1: Spider-Man, Green Lantern, Hulk
Issue 2: X-Men, Legion of Super-Heroes
Issue 3: Avengers, Justice League
Issue 4: Amalgam heroes, Darkseid, Magneto
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One-Shots and Special Editions
Superman/Spider-Man (1978)
DC Special Series #27 (Batman/Hulk, 1981)
Teen Titans/X-Men (1983)
Punisher/Batman: Lake of Fire (1994)
Green Lantern/Silver Surfer: Unholy Alliances (1995)
Darkseid vs. Galactus: The Hunger (1995)
Spider-Man/Batman (1995)
Daredevil/Batman (1996)
Batman/Captain America (1996)
Superman/Silver Surfer (1996)
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