The Real Story Behind When DC Characters Appeared In Monthly Marvel Comics

3. A Parting Of Ways

JLA Avengers
DC Comics/Wildstorm

Marvel would enter the most tumultuous time in its history with all its characters back in the same universe. Moving from bankruptcy to creative renaissance, from licenced movies to Disney ownership, before ultimately becoming one of the most robust and influential pop culture brands on the face of the Earth.

Rob Liefeld would head back off into the wilderness of independent comics, where he would make numerous failed attempts at re-establishing his universe of characters, before ultimately returning to pencilling duties on titles like X-Force, Teen Titans, Deadpool and G.I Joe. To this day Liefeld has lost none of his controversial reputation.

After parting with both Image and Marvel, Jim Lee would take his formidable creations and invite other more respected and ground-breaking creators to come in and "play with his toys". This era would lead to Alan Moore's run on Wildcats and Ed Brubaker's criminally underrated Grifter mini-series. Despite fans seeing Lee as a creative force, those who knew him knew that the man had much larger ambitions.

Contributor
Contributor

Kevin McHugh is a code-monkey by day and a purveyor of the unpleasant by night. Having had several comics published by Future Quake Press he is now moving into prose. An avid fan of punk rock, cheap horror movies and even cheaper fast-food Kevin can be found pontificating either on Twitter or over at WhatCulture Comics where he is a regular contributor. He lives in Edinburgh with his wife and two daughters.