The event we’d been waiting for since 1983. Who knew we’d see both universes in one huge event (see DC VERSUS MARVEL) before we’d see their two biggest teams together in one story! Originally, under Gerry Conway, Roy Thomas and George Pérez, the Justice League of America and the Avengers would face both the Lord of Time and Kang the Conqueror in a time-travel tale. But editorial disputes led to the project being closed down. The 21 pages Pérez had drawn went unused, the planned Uncanny X-Men/New Teen Titans sequel was cancelled and we wouldn’t see a Marvel/DC event again until Batman’s run-in with the Punisher in 1994 (see DEADLY KNIGHTS).
Cut to 2000 and Kurt Busiek and Mark Waid had begun planning an in-series crossover that would take place in the JLA and Avengers’ own respective titles. Instead, after more wrangling, Busiek and was given the green light to write the four-issue stand-alone event, with George Pérez returning to tackle his dream project.
While many choose to consider the event as separate to mainstream DC and Marvel continuity, the story is referenced in DC’s lengthy Trinity series and plays into the JLA’s SYNDICATE RULES story arc (both written by Busiek – see the Fallout section below). It’s also referred to in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe produced by Marvel Comics. With that, I consider the versions of the characters in this series to be the Earth-616 Avengers and the New Earth Justice League. You can see how this fits on the crossover timeline with our MARVEL VS DC COMICS READING ORDER.
SCROLL DOWN to the bottom for the KEY COLLECTED EDITIONS for this event!
Crossover: Due to the alternate titling of the series, it technically falls under the ‘crossover’ category.
Must Reads: Story arcs marked with a ✔are must-read stories from this time period, along with any key related stories and often-forgotten tales that are worth a read.
Previous events that directly impact this story:
- DC VERSUS MARVEL – First clash of the mainstream Marvel and DC universes
Want to keep it simple? Here’s the chronological reading order without story descriptions, or spoilers:
- JLA/Avengers #1
- Avengers/JLA #2
- JLA/Avengers #3
- Avengers/JLA #4
| Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| JLA/Avengers #1 The ancient an immensely powerful Krona destroys Arkon & Thundra’s home planet, Polemachus (Earth-10081), then wipes out Qward (Antimatter Universe) along with the Crime Syndicate of Amerika. He then approaches the Grandmaster of Earth-616. On New Earth, in Keystone City, the Justice League of America narrowly defeat the rampaging Terminus of Earth-616. The Spectre teleports him back to his reality. Grandmaster appears to the JLA and advices them to locate 12 items – six from each universe – to help heal the barrier between their realities. The Avengers of Earth-616 see off Starro the Conqueror with the Scarlet Witch’s chaos magic. A few Justice League members jump over to Earth-616 and retrieve the Ultimate Nullifier from Monster Island. The Avengers try to take it from them, but the JLA are transported back to New Earth. Metron of the New Gods appears to the Avengers and gives them a Mother Box to help them find the 12 items. They jump to New Earth and are faced with the JLA. Thor hurls Mjolnir at Superman. Elsewhere, the Atom learns the Grandmaster is manipulating both teams in a game with Krona… |
| Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| Avengers/JLA #2 Krona has agreed to a game with the Grandmaster in exchange for the identity of the one being who survived the Big Bang. Now, the Avengers and JLA clash. Batman and Captain America are too well-matched and agree to look into who’s manipulating them, instead, while the two teams race for the remaining items across their two Earths. The Avengers obtain Kyle Rayner’s Green Lantern Power Battery, the Medusa Mask, the Casket of Ancient Winters, the Spear of Destiny and the Wand of Watoomb. The JLA get the Orb of Ra, the Evil Eye, the Bell of Uthool, the Silver Wheel of Nyorlath, the Red Jar of Calythos and the Eternity Book. Finally, the two teams retrieve the Infinity Gauntlet (which doesn’t function outside its own universe) from Darkseid, with the Flash claiming the prize. Then the fight for the final item takes place in the Savage Land where Batman grabs the Cosmic Cube and tries to use it to end the threat, but it joins the other items and marks the Grandmaster’s triumph. Krona refuses to accept this and learns the being he wants is Galactus! Krona summons him, but Grandmaster uses the power of the 12 items to twist reality… |
| JLA/Avengers #3 Eternity and Kismet kiss, signalling the merging of two universes. Reality keeps shifting as the Avengers and Justice League line-ups change, with Hawkeye as a member of the JLA at one point. The two teams repeatedly find themselves on opposing Earths at different points in their history in the blink of an eye, but barely sense something is very wrong. The Phantom Stranger leads them to the battered Grandmaster who reveals Krona’s plan to merge their two worlds and cause a new Big Bang. The Grandmaster dies showing them how their worlds are meant to be. The Avengers and JLA agree to fight Krona together… |
| Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| Avengers/JLA #4 Eternity and Kismet are prisoners of Krona who risks the end of both universes just to learn the secrets of creation. Superman elects Captain America to lead the Avengers and Justice League into Krona’s stronghold – built from Galactus’ remains – to save both universes and restore their correct respective timelines. Cap asks Superman to carry his shield. Krona brings in ‘villains’ from both worlds to occupy them. Ultimately, after Superman uses Mjolnir to smash through Krona’s defences, Flash distracts him while Hawkeye uses a TNT arrow on the orb containing the 12 artefacts. The chronal typhoon frees Eternity and Kismet, but rips Krona apart. The universes are restored, along with those who fell. Metron and the Grandmaster discover a Cosmic Egg which may one day hatch a new universe… |
See how this event fits into both the wider Marvel and DC Universes with these reading orders:
- MARVEL VS DC, 1976-Present – The Battle of Two Universes
| Must Reads | Issue & Fallout | Event/Crossover |
| Aquaman #1 (2003) Aquaman’s hook/mechanical hand is replaced with a magic hand made of water, gifted to him by the Lady of the Lake. | ||
| Avengers #71 (2003) Wasp and Yellowjacket are revealed to have rekindled their relationship. | ||
| ✔ | Thanos #2 (2004) Galactus resurrection following the restoration of the universe is confirmed when Thanos and Adam Warlock find him preparing to consume New Rigel-3. | |
| ✔ | Amazing Spider-Man #503 (2004) The Grandmaster proves himself difficult to kill, when he’s shown – very much alive and healed – sensing Morwen’s presence on Earth. | |
| ✔ | JLA #107-111 (2004-2005) The Justice League retain the Cosmic Egg for study in their Watchtower headquarters, leading to a clash with the resurrected Crime Syndicate; Metron sets up a means for the Egg to be monitored and grown without interruption. | SYNDICATE RULES |
| Green Lantern: Rebirth #5 (2005) Hal Jordan becomes the Green Lantern again. | GREEN LANTERN: REBIRTH | |
| Batman #641 (2005) The Red Hood unmasks in front of Batman, revealing Jason Todd to be alive again. | ||
| ✔ | Hulk: Raging Thunder #1 (2008) It’s confirmed that the Thundra we know from Earth-712 is still alive when she seeks out the Hulk as a mate. | |
| Final Crisis #2-3 (2008) Barry Allen returns from the dead as the Flash. | FINAL CRISIS | |
| ✔ | Trinity #7-8 (2008) The Cosmic Egg shows signs of hatching and falls into Despero’s hands. | |
| ✔ | Trinity #17-18 (2008) Krona breaks free from the Cosmic Egg, enabling Morgaine le Fey, Enigma and Despero to use it to reshape reality. | |
| Blackest Night #8 (2010) Following his resurrection as one of the Black Lantern Corps, Aquaman is restored to full life with his hand once again intact. | BLACKEST NIGHT | |
| Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #1-9 (2010-2012) Wiccan and Speed of the Young Avengers are confirmed as the Scarlet Witch’s resurrected children. | THE CHILDREN’S CRUSADE THE HEROIC AGE | |
| ✔ | Amazing Spider-Man #658 (2011) Arkon returns (proving the Earth-616 version to be very much alive), fighting alongside the Future Foundation. | FUTURE FOUNDATION |
| Deadpool/Batman #1 (2025) Deadpool jumps from Earth-616 to DC’s Prime Earth, meeting the next incarnation (or arguably the same) of Batman. | THE DEAD OF KNIGHT |
| Collected Edition Title | Includes… |
| JLA/Avengers | JLA/Avengers #1, 3 Avengers/JLA #2, 4 |
| JLA/Avengers Collector’s Edition Slipcase | JLA/Avengers #1, 3 Avengers/JLA #2, 4 |
Reading Order © Omniverse Comics Guide 2023
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