# How did Joker recognize Spider-man in the Marvel vs DC #1? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 17, 2002, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364 "2002-08-17T18:05:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2002, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364/21 "2002-08-21T20:47:04Z")
Oooops…I just remembered Lady Lark was the Black Canary archetype. (She even wore fishnets and high heels…not a lot of creativity there, eh?) And I forgot Nuke, who as best as I can tell, was a Firestorm Archetype, and the Blue Eagle (changed his name a few times), who was supposed to be Hawkman. ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2002, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364/22 "2002-08-21T22:21:45Z")
Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t the Squadron Supreme appear in an issue of _The Mighty Thor_ drawn by long-time Superman artist Wayne Boring? ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2002, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364/23 "2002-08-21T22:45:36Z")
I _think_ so. Woulda been around #280 or so. But I think it was just Hyperion Fenris ---
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364/24 "2002-08-22T03:26:21Z")
Odd side question…did Hyperion have a counterpart in the Marvel Universe proper, same as Nighthawk? Oh, and mentioning Thor made me remember a recent issue of Dan Jurgens’ _Thor_ run where he fought the Gladiator, who’s been accused of being a Superman parody. Gladiator even disguised himself as a raven-haired, spectacled newspaper reporter in that issue… ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364/25 "2002-08-22T04:17:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ResIpsaLoquitor \* > Odd side question…did Hyperion have a counterpart in the Marvel Universe proper, same as Nighthawk? Yes. And he appeared first. The original characters were the Squadron Sinister who were Hyperion, Nighthawk, Wizzer and Doctor Spectrum. They first appeared around Avengers #71. The Squadron Supreme didn’t show up for about 10-15 issues.(Avengers #85 or so) Of the four of 'em, “Sinister” Nighthawk reformed and hangs out with the Defenders\*, “Sinister” Hyperion was killed (?) in the Squadron Supreme limited series (in a fight with Supreme Hyperion), Sinister Wizzer changed his name to Speed-Demon and Sinister Doc. Spectrum became a Televangelist…but I think it was part of a plot. And Sinister Spectrum’s gem is sentient while Supreme’s isn’t. > [@](#): > > Oh, and mentioning Thor made me remember a recent issue of Dan Jurgens’ _Thor_ run where he fought the Gladiator, who’s been accused of being a Superman parody. Gladiator even disguised himself as a raven-haired, spectacled newspaper reporter in that issue… \*\* It’s more convoluted than that. Gladiator=OMAC. OMAC=Superman…um…or his descendant (at least in the Great Disaster chronology from the '70s. He’s also Kamandi’s grandfather, IIRC) And there’s the whole Imperial Guard=The Legion of Super-Heroes thing that Cockrum did and about 4(?) years later the Legion fought a super-villain team (who’s name I can’t remember: Legion/League of Super-Assassins?) who were the Fantastic Four and supporting cast (Blok=Thing, Lazon=Human Torch, The gaseous one who’s name I can’t remember=Invisible Girl, Silver Slasher=Silver Surfer, Titania=Thundra, Neutrax=Mr Fantastic) etc. Fenris \*He also had a silly baby-blue costume with a teeny little brown beak-nose. ---
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364/26 "2002-08-22T05:59:33Z")
> [@](#): > > The original characters were the Squadron Sinister who were Hyperion, Nighthawk, Wizzer and Doctor Spectrum. They first appeared around Avengers #71. The Squadron Supreme didn’t show up for about 10-15 issues.(Avengers #85 or so) OK…for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why Hyperion was running around in the realm of the dead in _Universe X_, only to show up alive (albeit suicidal) in the later _Paradise X_. > [@](#): > > And there’s the whole Imperial Guard=The Legion of Super-Heroes thing that Cockrum did and about 4(?) years later the Legion fought a super-villain team (who’s name I can’t remember: Legion/League of Super-Assassins?) who were the Fantastic Four and supporting cast (Blok=Thing, Lazon=Human Torch, The gaseous one who’s name I can’t remember=Invisible Girl, Silver Slasher=Silver Surfer, Titania=Thundra, Neutrax=Mr Fantastic) etc. If I’m not mistaken, John Byrne’s cover to _Superman_ #8 with some of the Legion members was a parody of one of his FF covers. I don’t think many people noticed. ---
**Author:** ![Asylum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@Asylum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asylum)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364/27 "2002-08-22T07:53:28Z")
Here’s another unofficial cross-over (I believe) that was slipped under the radar: a few years back the Savage Dragon had a team up with Destroyer Duck and a certain web-slinger appeared in the book but spent the whole issue in the shadows so you couldn’t be _sure_ of his actual identity. At roughly the same time Marvel published a Spider-Man issue where he teamed up with a certain savage guy and a destroyerish looking duck who coincidentally spent the whole issue in silhouette. Both books had similar action and fight scenes. Did anyone else catch that one? I didn’t pick up the books and it’d be nice if someone could tell which issues this happened in because I don’t remember. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364/28 "2002-08-22T15:16:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ResIpsaLoquitor \* > \*\*Odd side question…did Hyperion have a counterpart in the Marvel Universe proper, same as Nighthawk? > > Oh, and mentioning Thor made me remember a recent issue of Dan Jurgens’ _Thor_ run where he fought the Gladiator, who’s been accused of being a Superman parody. Gladiator even disguised himself as a raven-haired, spectacled newspaper reporter in that issue… \*\* Which reminds me of the time Quasar went to a party with his hair slicked back and wearing glasses. One of his friends thought to himself “Who does he think he’s fooling wearing _glasses_?” ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364/29 "2002-08-22T22:46:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by El Elvis Rojo \* > **Christ, is there a comic out there that HASN’T had a crossover with Aliens, or is it just the DC Universe?** I remember seeing a \* Tarzan vs. Predator\* comic in the supermarket, once. The artwork didn’t look half bad. And _Robocop_ vs. _Terminator_, and _Terminator_ vs. _Aliens_ vs. _Predator_, and a _Witchblade_ vs. _Predator_, for that matter. The possible shared universe boggles the mind. Ranchoth (Not to mention _Superman meets He-Man_, but that was pre-crisis.) ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364/30 "2002-08-22T23:40:05Z")
I can’t imagine any crossover better that this one: [The Punisher Meets Archie](http://members.tripod.com/~MitchellBrown/xover/punisher-archie.html) ---
**Author:** ![Koffing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@Koffing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koffing)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364/31 "2002-08-23T00:19:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fenris \* > \*\* > Gladiator=OMAC. OMAC=Superman…um…or his descendant (at least in the Great Disaster chronology from the '70s. He’s also Kamandi’s grandfather, IIRC) > \*\* Isn’t Gladiator the Mon-El counterpart in the Imperial Guard? ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364/32 "2002-08-23T01:55:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Koffing \* > \*\* > Isn’t Gladiator the Mon-El counterpart in the Imperial Guard? \*\* Nope. Superboy/man. Lookit the triangle ebblem on Gladiator’s chest. It’s supposed to evoke Superboy/man’s “S” shield. Sorta. Fenris ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364/33 "2002-08-23T01:57:23Z")
er…emblem ---
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364/34 "2002-08-23T04:44:20Z")
Now I remember a story where Betty Banner bought the Hulk a giant green fin-helmet. “Hey, great disguise, Betty. ‘Hey look, it’s the Hulk with a fin on his head!’, they’ll say!” Needless to say, this was during the early days of the PAD/Erik Larsen rivalry… ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364/35 "2002-08-23T13:05:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fenris \* > In the 70s, there was a (apparently real) town called Rutland Vermont that (apparently) had a Super-Hero themed Halloween parade. Bunches of '70s books (esp. ones written by Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, Steve Gerber, Steve Englehart) had unofficial Halloween crossovers where some (invariably supernatural) menace would turn the innocent parade-goers dressed up as the other company’s heroes into demonic menaces. This was big from about '72-'77. What you’re describing is almost the exact plot of [_Super Friends_](http://www.supermanhomepage.com/images/comic-covers/Pre-Crisis-Covers/superfriends-covers/superfriends28.jpg) #28, Jan 1980. This comic series, inspired by the cartoons and featuring Wendy & Marvin/The Wondertwins, ran at least 47 issues. That particular issue, #28, was released in time for Hallowe’en of 1979 and featured a bunch of people at a costume party dressed as supervillians who are enchanted by Felix Faust (longtime magic-base DC villian) for some purpose I now forget. The partygoers took on the powers of the villians they were dressed as and were forced to square off agasint the Super Friends. Interestingly, the cover has a major mistake, showing Batman squaring off agasint a pseudo Swamp thing and Aqauman facing a phony Soloman Grundy, when the story had the matchups reversed. And the reason I’m enaging in such a display of blatant geekery is that the splash page of this particular issue showed the pre-enchantment partygoers, one of whom was clearly The Hulk. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364/36 "2002-08-23T13:54:12Z")
Also the plot of JLA 10…um…5?, Avengers 10um7? etc. It was a pretty cool Halloween tradition. Fenris ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364/37 "2002-08-23T13:59:04Z")
Ha! I love google. If you look at [this page](http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Capsule/7801/jla145.html) (and ignore the make-your-eyes-bleed background), you’ll find a note about the history of the Rutland VT Super-Hero halloween parade (and Tom Fagan, the guy who hosted it.) (BTW: It was JLA #103) Fenris ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364/38 "2002-08-23T15:36:31Z")
Just remembered another DC/Marvel “crossover.” At the wedding of Rick and Marlo Jones, Marlo is given a gift by a goth looking chick with extremely pale skin. We only see her from the back but that’s Vertigo’s Death. The gift was a brush, so Marlo had a brush with Death, a terrible visual pun, but hey, it’s PAD. ---
**Author:** ![Doubting\_Robert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e495f1/32.png) [@Doubting\_Robert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doubting_Robert)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364/39 "2002-08-23T17:45:28Z")
In _Adventures of Superman_ #466 or thereabouts, Superman meets four astronauts who are strangely transformed while in space. Their experience is much like the origin of the Fantastic Four, and three of them look a lot like members of the FF. The fourth, instead of being a copy of Reed Richards, has an ability to live inside electronic equipment. Much later, he returns as the character now known as the Cyborg. ---
**Author:** ![New\_Improved\_Scott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f17d59/32.png) [@New\_Improved\_Scott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Improved_Scott)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364/40 "2002-08-23T18:10:25Z")
There are also Two Batman-Spawn crossovers, one by Todd McFarlane published by Image, another by Klaus Johnson by DC. The McFarlane one has borrowed alot from Dark Knight returns in the way Bats’ personality goes, and they have a kick ass fight between them. The other borrowing of teams I can think of are the Authority, published under the Wildstorm banner for DC, which is sort of like the JLA crossed with HBO’s “OZ” prison drama, and there is an issue where they fight an Avengers clone type group. Also, Image hade a mini-series entitles “1963” which was an homage/parody of the old 60’s marvel days written by Alan Moore, with titles like “The Fury” (Spider-man), “The Challangers of the Unknown” (The FF) and others. They also parodied the Marvel Bullpen and letters pages from the 60’s in these issues. there were 6 in all, if I remeber correctly. And there was this one issue, which I cannot recall at all which one, where Peter Parker and Jimmy Olsen are jockying for position for a photo of some event at a press conference, and I think Ben Urich was chatting Lois up there too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-joker-recognize-spider-man-in-the-marvel-vs-dc-1/124364.md?page=3)