An Epic Justice League x Avengers Crossover Fell Apart Last Minute, But It Still Left a Mark on DC

[[{“value”:”

While the Justice League
and the Avengers
have crossed paths a few times throughout comic book history, one adventure never actually made it to print. The original Justice League/Avengers crossover planned in the 1980s ultimately fell apart, but a close look at 2003’s JLA/Avengers reveals that the story did take place—just not in the way anyone expected.

Crafted by the legendary creative team of Kurt Busiek and George Pérez, JLA/Avengers saw both universes collide in an epic, once-in-a-lifetime story. At one point during the crossover, the Marvel and DC universes merge to fend off the multiversal threat of Krona.

In this newly combined reality, the Justice League and Avengers coexist as separate super-teams, each with a history as rich and complex as in their original universes. Readers are given glimpses of their past adventures in this reality, including one involving a mysterious egg created by Kang and the Lord of Time—an adventure that bears a striking resemblance to the lost Justice League/Avengers crossover.

The Justice League/Avengers’ Lost Battle Actually Happened

Both Teams Fought Kang & the Lord of Time

Internal conflicts prevented the original Justice League/Avengers crossover from materializing, but for years, it remained the stuff of legend among comic book fans. Pérez had even begun illustrating the project before it was officially canceled. The original plot centered on both teams being manipulated by Kang and the Lord of Time into retrieving powerful artifacts. Though the story was never published, its inclusion in JLA/Avengers retroactively makes it part of official continuity, preserving its place in comic book history.

The brief flashback panel depicting the Justice League and Avengers battling Kang and the Lord of Time is more than just a fun Easter Egg for longtime fans—it canonizes an otherwise lost story. Unlike many intercompany crossovers that exist outside continuity, JLA/Avengers directly influenced later DC storylines. JLA #107-114 explored the aftermath of Krona’s actions during the crossover, which later played a role in the Trinity weekly series. In this way, the original Justice League/Avengers crossover became an official part of both companies’ legacies, even though it was never published in its intended form.

What Makes JLA/Avengers Such a Special Crossover

JLA/Avengers Stands as One of the Last Major Crossovers Between Marvel and DC

Crossovers between Marvel and DC were fairly common in the 1990s, culminating in the Amalgam Comics initiative, which fused heroes from both publishers into hybrids like Spider-Boy (Spider-Man and Superboy) and Dark Claw (Batman and Wolverine). However, rising tensions between the companies in the 2000s made such collaborations increasingly rare, with JLA/Avengers standing as the last major crossover between Marvel and DC to date. While fans can still hope for future team-ups, they can take solace in knowing that the original, unrealized Justice League/Avengers crossover has, in a way, become part of official continuity—ensuring its legacy endures.

“}]] The lost JL/Avengers crossover actually happened.  Read More