5 New Hero Mash-Ups DC and Marvel Should Include in a New Amalgam Comics Series

In the late 1990s, DC and Marvel launched one of the boldest and most innovative crossover events in their short history of superhero inter-universe comic book collaborations. Unlike previous team-ups, this effort aimed to forge deeper connections between the heroes of both universes. To achieve this, the two mainstream comic titans created Amalgam Comics — a joint publishing imprint that presented itself as a faux independent entity, seemingly separate from DC and Marvel oversight. However, the real excitement surrounding the project wasn’t about its pseudo-corporate structure. What truly mattered were the stories Amalgam published, which carried canonical consequences within both the DC and Marvel multiverses.

The genius of Amalgam Comics lies in its twist on the traditional superhero team-up formula. Normally, this involves a hero or team from one universe meeting and collaborating with their counterparts from another reality to defeat a common threat. Afterward, the heroes return to their respective home universes. However, Amalgam Comics didn’t feature a crossover in the typical sense. Instead, it presented two distinct realities within the DC and Marvel multiverses: Earth-1996 in the DC multiverse and Earth-9602 in the Marvel multiverse. The collaborative aspect emerged from the fact that the heroes and villains within these two distinct realities are combinations of characters from both DC and Marvel Comics.

With characters like Dark Claw, Amazon, and Justice League X-Men, the original Amalgam Comics publications of the 1990s produced some of the most iconic mashups in comic book history. These crossovers weren’t just creative “haymakers”; they also made sense, blending the best of DC and Marvel in ways that thrilled fans. Unfortunately, after the Amalgam Comics imprint was discontinued in 1997, no further comics were produced. But now, with DC and Marvel set to collaborate again this year — their first major partnership in two decades — hopes for Amalgam Comics’ return are higher than ever. In anticipation, here’s our wish list of hero mashups we’d love to see in a revival of Earth-1996 and Earth-9602.

1) Stargirl/Spider-Girl

Much has changed in the DC and Marvel Comics universes since the 1990s — most notably, the rise of a younger generation of heroes. Unlike their predecessors from the Golden, Silver, and Bronze Ages of comics, these new heroes approach their roles with greater flexibility. For them, being a superhero is just one part of a life that also includes being students or young professionals. They are also more emotionally complex, navigating the same struggles many young people face — identity issues, self-doubt, and the challenge of surviving in a technologically advanced and morally ambiguous world. No potential Amalgam Comics mashup reflects the changes in both superhero universes more than one involving Courtney Whitmore’s Stargirl and May “Mayday” Parker’s Spider-Girl.

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Indeed, outside of being about the same age, they have a number of complementary characteristics that, when combined, would create an even more compelling next-generation hero. The combination of Spider-Girl’s “spider-sense” and proportionate strength of a spider with Stargirl’s Cosmic Converter Belt and Cosmic Staff would make her an awfully hard opponent to beat, and many opponents would probably take her for granted, to their detriment. Moreover, mindset-wise, their buoyantly resilient nature should help make the new hero, one of the most grounded – albeit one who loves to talk smack – heroes of their community. Indeed, a Stargirl/Spider-Girl mashup demonstrates how the sum of powers, personalities, and legacies can add up to more than the parts separately.

2) Alfred Pennyworth/Edwin Jarvis

One of the open secrets of the DC and Marvel universes is just how vital support staff are to the missions — and lives — of many prominent heroes. Whether it’s ensuring their clients eat well and get proper rest, or providing tactical assistance when no one else can, these behind-the-scenes figures play an essential, if often underappreciated, role in the superhero community. Two of the most iconic examples are Bruce Wayne’s loyal butler, Alfred Pennyworth, and the Avengers’ steadfast head butler, Edwin Jarvis. Both serve not only as caretakers but also as confidants, strategists, and emotional anchors to their respective heroes. Creating an Amalgam Comics mashup of Alfred and Jarvis would be a fitting tribute to the often thankless work these characters do, offering a powerful reminder that even the strongest heroes need someone to lean on.

A combined character, however, wouldn’t just improve the home economics of Wayne Manor and Avengers Mansion. Alfred and Jarvis also bring a wealth of experience beyond their hospitality expertise. Imagine Alfred’s dry wit, background in espionage, medical knowledge, and surprising combat skills merged with Jarvis’s grace under pressure and experience as the Avengers’ de facto Chief Operating Officer. This fusion would create the ultimate “wizard behind the curtain” — a key team player who shuns the recognition many heroes crave, yet whose absence could seal the world’s fate.

3) Black Canary/Elektra

One of the key strengths of the best mashups in the original Amalgam Comics lineup was how they blended shared characteristics with clashing philosophies. Few new hero combinations illustrate that vibe better than a fusion of Dinah Lance’s Black Canary and Elektra Natchios — two of the most formidable figures in the DC-Marvel continuum. While both are women with unparalleled hand-to-hand combat skills and a wealth of experience, they bring sharply contrasting perspectives and areas of expertise. Fusing their attributes would make a combination of their attribute sing with lethal authority.

The combined combat skills of Black Canary and Elektra should make any opponent think thrice before challenging them. Nobody doubts Elektra’s “kill/death” ratio, and after her recent defeat of Lady Shiva, everyone knows what Black Canary can do in a fight. What makes this combined character truly interesting is her moral compass. Black Canary is a principled fighter who uses her talents in the name of justice, especially when the system fails to deliver it. Conversely, while Elektra is not evil, she is neither an icon of goodness. However, she is extremely pragmatic. The likely outcome is a must-see, unique hero who probably operates outside the limitations of the law but still fights for a greater ideal or principle.

4) The Question (Renee Montoya)/Misty Knight

There’s an old adage in criminal justice: “Most crime is local.” While the Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four are celebrated for their prime-time battles against world-consuming titans and sentient, serial-killing robots, most superheroes spend their time fighting low-level criminals who prey on everyday people. It’s a gritty, thankless job with little reward, other than the knowledge that they’ve fought the good fight. But this kind of street-level storytelling is exactly what DC and Marvel should explore more deeply in a new Amalgam Comics series. It’s the “spice of life” that underpins all compelling criminal drama, which is what superhero comics are all about. And if they did, few heroes from either universe would be better suited for the spotlight than Renee Montoya’s The Question and Misty Knight.

Sometimes doubling up on a good thing can lead to something even better—and that’s exactly what a Montoya-Knight mashup would deliver. As former cops who cut their teeth in some of their cities’ most crime-ridden precincts, both women understand the evil that lurks in the hearts of criminals — and how deeply police corruption can sustain it. Combining Misty Knight’s bionic arm and no-nonsense attitude with Renee Montoya’s gritty determination and tendency to operate from the shadows would result in a private investigator and street-level hero unlike any other. Add in their respective ties to the superhero community, and you’d have a uniquely positioned character with one foot in the world of capes and the other in the alleys they often overlook. It would also provide a fresh, hard-hitting perspective on low-level crimefighting in a world dominated by gods, aliens, and billionaires in armor.

5) Atom (Ray Palmer) /Acroyear

Although both operate on a small scale, their impact far exceeds their size, making the Atom and Micronauts team member Acroyear an odd yet intriguing pair. At first glance, the Atom’s cool rationality and Acroyear’s fiery emotion seem incompatible, like oil and water. But a closer look at their histories, goals, and methods reveals a surprising synergy — one strong enough to fuel a compelling Amalgam Comics series. The true strength of an Atom–Acroyear mashup lies not just in opposites attracting, but in how those contrasts can merge into something greater than the sum of its parts.

Although a founding member of the Justice League, the Atom has never been a traditional front-line hero. His skill set has always lent itself more to special ops and covert missions. Likewise, his world-class intellect has proven invaluable in planning, analysis, and problem-solving. By contrast, Acroyear was quite literally the tip of the Micronauts’ spear. As the team’s only true warrior, he served as their emotional core and battlefield commander. Combining the two would create a complete hero — one equally comfortable navigating both micro and macro arenas. Smart and logical, yet driven by a warrior’s heart, mind, and combat expertise. Who wouldn’t fear someone capable of shrinking, moving unseen with lightning speed behind enemy lines, then enlarging into a fully armored juggernaut?