Now this is more like it
Important Note: Read my review of DC vs Marvel first. This is meant to be a comparative analysis between the two stories. I feel this is how to properly do a major crossover between Marvel and DC and how it succeeds where DC vs Marvel fails. We start off with whole planets from both universes being consumed by this shadow like creature. The Grandmaster senses it's presence and intercepts it. It is revealed to be the Green Lantern villain Krona, the mad Guardian. Here's were we get our first improvement over Marvel vs DC, an actual villain who presents a big enough threat to warrant a crossover of this magnitude. Meanwhile the JLA is fighting a Marvel villain who I don't recognize and the Avengers are fighting Starro, both reasoning that their opponents are from another world. It becomes apparent that there is an inter-dimensional crisis going on and the two teams investigate. Flash travels to Marvel earth and is attacked by an angry mob who mistake him for a mutant. We also see our first example of how the heroes are effected by the different world, something DC vs Marvel did not do. There is no speed force in the Marvel universe so therefore Flash's powers don't work there. The Grandmaster appears on the JLA satellite and says that the barriers of the worlds have been weakened and neither world will survive the strain. In order to prevent it from happening, they must gather several powerful items from both worlds, including Green Lantern's power battery and the Cosmic Cube. Meanwhile, Metron confronts the Avengers with the same information. The two teams enter the opposite universes and are both appauled by what they see. The Justice league feel the Avengers have failed to inspire confidence from the people and feel that their world is a mess. The Avengers are angered by the fact that the heroes of the DCU appear to be idolized to the point where it almost seems like their being worshiped. Once again something that DC vs Marvel failed to do, address the fundamental differences between the worlds The two teams meet for the first time and immediately are at each other's throats. They fight each other in a rage. The only two who realize that there's something else going on are Batman and Captain America. We soon learn that all of this is a game between Krona and the Grandmaster as part of the Grandmaster's plan to buy the two worlds some time. Various Avengers and Leaguers fight all over the world for the power items. This includes a very nice scene of Darkseid holding the infinity gauntlet only to learn that it does not function in the DCU. Meanwhile, Krona's business in the Marvel universe is revealed, he seeks to discover the secrets of how the universe began and to do that, he needs to find the one being who was alive before the Big Bang, Galactus. With the help of the Fantastic Four, Cap and Batman learn that, in accordance with the Grandmaster's bet, if the Avengers win the scavenger hunt, Krona will be taken to Galactus where he will force Galactus to reveal his secrets in a confrontation that could rip the universe apart. There is one power item left and the two teams battle for it. Captain America makes sure the League wins and Krona loses the bet. Naturally, Krona is a sore loser and forces the Grandmaster to summon Galactus. Krona uses his immense power to nearly destroy Galactus. Fortunately, the Grandmaster uses the power items in combination to trap Krona but at the cost of damaging both realities. Now the two teams believe that they've known each other for years and team up on a regular basis. What's more, previously dead heroes like Hal Jordan and Barry Allen are brought back to life. Reality is constantly shifting, and the only two who realize something is wrong are Cap and Superman who attack each other and cause a big enough shift to slightly restore everyone's memory. Krona manages to escape and cause mass chaos. The JLA and the Avengers must unite to restore the rightful order, but first they must be shown some of the things that have been wiped from their memory. Things like Hal becoming Paralax, Iron Man becoming an Alcoholic, and Superman's death. The teams prepare to face Krona while Barry and Hal talk about how when reality is restored they won't be part of it. It's a really well done scene which highlights how big the stakes are. The two teams storm Krona's fortress which was constructed from the corpse of Galactus and fight an unending army of villains from both worlds. This fight is what epic is made of. Everyone fighting, various team members from different era's coming and going as reality continues to break down. In the midst of the fight Superman is briefly granted the ability to wield Thor's Hammer and uses it to smash the door to Krona's Room. Krona, now augmented with Galactus like armor, easily wipes out most of the heroes. However, Flash and Hawkeye, previously believed to have been killed, return and destroy Krona's power source. Reality begins to rebuild itself and everyone's memory is fully restored. Superman tries to return Thor's Hammer only to find he cannot lift it. Thor says that Odin rarely allows others to lift it, but for a short while it was indeed in worthy hands. Though DC vs Marvel would have us believe that just about anyone could lift that Hammer with no problem. They return to their respective universes each having gained a mutual respect for one another.
What Works:
This is how you do a Marvel/DC crossover properly. Most of what I think was good was mentioned in the review but there are also some nice details that are added that I really like. I like Green Arrow's rivalry with Hawkeye. I like the banter between Wonder Woman and Hercules. I like how Cap sympathizes with Batman about the loss of a partner. It's little details like that that make this comic work. I'll say it again that the final fight scene is truly the stuff of legends.
What Doesn't:
There's not much, this is a really good story. Superman's hatred of the Avengers and Cap's hatred of the JLA may seem a bit out of character but it still works to highlight the differences between these two worlds.
Overall:
5/5
I highly recommend this story. It's a strong story for fans of both teams. I have enjoyed this comparison between two Marvel/DC crossovers. Such crossovers can work with the wright writing, and this one certainly has that
