7 Times Comic Book Movies Had Crossovers Before Marvel

1. Thor And Daredevil Both Appeared Alongside The Incredible Hulk In Eighties TV Movies

Think The Avengers was the first time that Marvel heroes had shared the screen? Think again. Fans may have been ecstatic to finally get the likes of Hulk and Thor together in live-action back in 2012, but it'd had actually first happened, albeit on the small screen, over two decades earlier.

It can't be overstated how important the Bill Bixby/Lou Ferrigno TV series was in shaping the legacy of the Hulk; it revolutionised the character's origins and introduced the "don't make me angry" line, two things that remain intrinsic to the character to this day. In addition, one of its less influential, but no less ground-breaking, elements was boasting the first live-action Marvel crossover.

Years after the main series run ended, three final TV movies featuring the character were made. The first two were intended to be backdoor pilots for Thor and Daredevil series, with the heroes teaming up with the Green Goliath to take on some suitably eighties TV villains (including a take on the Kingpin).

They're nothing remarkable (shocking, right?), but given where these characters ended up are fascinating all the same. The final movie saw David Banner (oh yeah, Bruce didn't fly with TV execs) die. And he actually stayed dead - something modern day Marvel should take heed from.

Were there any more pre-Marvel, live-action superhero crossovers? Shout out any more down in the comments.