Top 10 Crossovers

Crossovers happen when two (or more) characters or properties are joined together in one story or project.  And the best kinds are those you don’t expect to happen because they belong to different fictional universes and/or different companies; hence, when it does happen, it’s pretty mindblowing.

Here are my favorites...

Honorable Mention: JUSTICE LEAGUE/TRANSFORMERS

Before we start with the number 10 spot, I want to give an honorable mention to Phil Jimenez’s Justice League/Transformers crossover.  Unfortunately, this comic book project never went further than the two concept artworks above as DC turned down Jimenez’s pitch.  What a bummer.  It would have had Wonder Woman’s invisible jet becoming a Transformer, a Batman-themed Transformer, and – coolest of all – Optimus Prime wielding a Green Lantern ring.  It would have been epic.

10.) THE JIMMY TIMMY POWER HOUR

The Jimmy Timmy Power Hour is a TV special featuring a crossover between The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and The Fairly OddParents.  Both are Nickelodeon shows, but a crossover happening between this two seemed unlikely because the two shows’ respective universes are too different.  One universe deals with science, and the other in magic.  Moreover, the two shows have different animation styles – Jimmy Neutron is computer-generated, and Fairly OddParents is hand-drawn.  But these distinctions wonderfully meshed in bringing about a charming narrative and visuals about Jimmy and Timmy switching places.

This is actually a trilogy now, but I only got to watch the first one.

9.) PHINEAS AND FERB: MISSION MARVEL

Phineas and Ferb, one of the best cartoons of the 21^st century so far, also had a crossover with Star Wars.  That was cool, too, but I liked the team up of these two boy geniuses with Spider-Man, Thor, Iron Man, and Hulk more.  It’s immensely fun; easily my most favorite two-part episode of the show.

8.) WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT?                     

They only made cameos, but it’s only in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? where we get to see Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse together on screen.  Various other classic cartoon characters from Disney and Warner Bros. and other companies also made appearances in this movie.  But seeing Bugs and Mickey was what blew me away back when I saw this movie for the first time.

7.) SUPER SMASH BROS.

I extremely like this game franchise.  I will not pretend that I enjoy playing this game franchise when I’ve never played any Super Smash Bros. game ever.  But I do enjoy watching Youtube videos of replays of other people playing it, especially in tournaments.  I love the premise of this fighting game, which features different characters and motifs from various video game franchises.  It’s a brilliant crossover concept.     

6.) DC VS. MARVEL COMICS and AMALGAM COMICS

 

One of my biggest regrets in life was losing my Marvel vs. DC “tex” (Filipino mini-cards) collection (along with my other “tex” collections).  I loved that crossover back then, and I still have fond memories of it. 

DC vs. Marvel Comics(alternatively known as Marvel Comics vs. DC) was a 90’s limited comic book series that involved duels between Marvel characters and DC characters, of which the winner was to be decided by fan votes.  In the aftermath of this story, a temporary universe was created – the Amalgam Universe – which had characters resulting from mergers between Marvel and DC characters.   My favorite Amalgam characters were Dark Claw (merger of Batman and Wolverine), Spider-Boy (Spider-Man and Superboy), Doctor Strangefate (Doctor Strange and Fate), Iron Lantern (Iron Man and Green Lantern), and Hyena (Sabretooth and the Joker).

Dark Claw vs. Hyena

5.) LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN

I don’t think the lineup is perfect – I think Sherlock Holmes should have been part of it – but I think Alan Moore is a genius for thinking of this: a Victorian superhero team made up of classic Victorian literary characters.  That’s why it’s one of my most favorite superhero teams ever.

4.) LUPIN THE 3RD VS. DETECTIVE CONAN

This crossover came as a delightful surprise to me when I learned about it.  Having anime’s best detective and best thiefmatching wits seems just a product of fan fantasy.  But more than the inherent charm of being a dream matchup/teamup, the two Lupin the 3^rdvs. Detective Conan movies – the first one came out in 2009 and its sequel came out in 2013 – truly give justice, not only to the characters of Lupin and Conan, but to the tones and themes of the two anime properties.

3.) MARVEL VS. CAPCOM

Now, this is a fighting game that I got to play with.  I really loved this franchise as a kid.  I was kind of addicted to it.  It started with X-Men vs. Street Fighter.  Then, other Marvel characters joined the X-Men in Marvel vs. Street Fighter.  Then, other game characters from other Capcom games joined Street Fighter in Marvel vs. Capcom.  And, then, since the source of the pool of characters can’t be expanded anymore, a sequel with additional characters came out instead (Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is the last game of the franchise that I was able to play).  And then another sequel followed.  And then another.  If Super Smash Bros. had never existed, this franchise would have been the ultimate crossover fighting game. 

2.) BATMAN/SPIDER-MAN

 

Batman and Spider-Man are my top two most favorite comic book characters ever.  Thus, I was ecstatic when they crossed-over twice in the 90’s.  First was “Distorted Minds” – which had them teaming up against the Joker and Carnage – and then “New Age Dawning” – which had them teaming up against Ra’s al Ghul and the Kingpin.  Those two comics were really well-written and perfectly depicted how the two characters would have behaved if they existed in the same fictional universe and had to team up.

1.) JLA/AVENGERS

This is not only one of the greatest comic books I’ve ever read but is also the most epic crossover ever.  Kudos to Kurt Busiek (writer) and George Perez (artist) for rising up to the challenge of delivering a thoughtful and exciting story that is rightful for a crossover of this scale.  Not only is this limited series a perfect crossover story between the premier all-star superhero teams from DC and Marvel, but it has also taken upon itself to effectively analyze and contrast the DC and Marvel universes.  In fact, it’s actually as much of a crossover between the two universes (with plenty of cameos) as much as a mere crossover between the Justice League of America and the Avengers.  The convergence of the two universes – which resulted into awesome reality-bending sequences – is part of the central plot of the story.

This convergence is depicted in the cosmic plane as the living embodiments of the Marvel and DC Universes making love with each other.  This resulted to a conception of an "egg" that could hatch into a new "baby universe" someday.  Insane, but awesomely clever.

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Top 10 Fictional Thieves

Stealing is always wrong.  But in the context of fiction, talented and cool thieves appeal to us greatly.  We are won over by their calculated planning, amazing skill sets, graceful athleticism, and inherent charm.  So we root for them and the success of their endeavors.

For this list, it’s not enough for a character to be just identified as a “thief.”  He or she should also have spent significant time being a thief during the run of the story that he or she is in.  Hence, though I like Gambit and Fantomex a lot, they are involved in more “superhero” stuff than actual “thief” stuff.  It’s the same thing with Inception’s Dom Cobb; he’s a unique thief-character because he steals information by infiltrating his targets’ dreams, but the plot of the movie had him implanting ideas instead of doing actual stealing.

So now, unto the list --

10.) THOMAS CROWN

I think 1999 was when I first got interested in heist stories and fictional thieves, thanks to two interesting heist movies that came out that year: Entrapment and The Thomas Crown Affair.  However, I liked the latter’s story and featured thief, Thomas Crown, more.

Bored of his life’s status quo, wealthy financier Thomas Crown successfully stole an expensive painting from a museum in the cover of the confusion of a failed burglary (which he arranged).  He then developed romantic feelings for the insurance investigator that was going after him, Catherine Banning; to show that his love for her was genuine, he conducted a well-planned and well-executed operation full of misdirection that enabled him to return the painting hanging in the museum and to steal another one (a painting that Banning was interested in) amidst a building full of police officers.

9.) BLACK CAT

Some may consider Black Cat as a Marvel rip-off of DC’s Catwoman (who is going to appear later in this list).  But there is enough substance and unique characteristics in this character to make her stand out.  She is functioning as a supervillain now, but for most of her character history, she was more of an anti-heroine that regularly sided with the good guys (especially with Spider-Man, with whom she even had a fling with) even though she’s a career thief.  And that’s what’s I liked most about her character.  She might team up with superheroes when the occasion calls for it, but she is – first and foremost – a thief, and never had any intention of stopping.

8.) ROBIN HOOD

Robin Hood is the embodiment of archery, but he still definitely deserves a spot in this list.  He’s the “Prince of Thieves” after all.  In addition, the popular “steal from the rich, and give to the poor” trope started with him.

7.) FUJIKO MINE

Fujiko constantly uses her allure to con targets.  But she’s not all sex appeal.  She’s a legitimately proficient thief, a daredevil biker, a badass martial artist, and a deadly weapons expert.

Though she isn’t an official part of Lupin’s crew, she has found herself working with them time and time again.  However, once the job is done, Fujiko would usually double-cross Lupin and take sole possession of the benefit that arose from the collaboration.  But Lupin, who is greatly smitten with Fujiko, doesn’t mind at all.

6.) KAITOU KID

I haven’t followed the Magic Kaito anime in which Kaito Karaba a.k.a. Kaitou Kid is the main character.  I only get to encounter him due to his recurring appearances in Detective Conan(this one I followed for years).  But those few appearances – on which he either clashes or allies with Detective Shinichi Kudo/Conan Edogawa – were enough to make me like the character.

Kaito Kuraba is just a normal high school student, but he also keeps a secret alter ego, the magician-thief Kaitou Kid.  He has a genius level intellect (that’s why his match of wits against Shinichi/Conan usually ends in a draw) and has proven to excel in a variety of things.  He loves to show off his skills as a magician, and incorporates magic tricks in his heists as Kaitou Kid.  And just like the number one of this list, he is also a master of disguise.  Moreover, unlike the others in this list, there’s a fan base that roots for Kaitou Kid in his escapades; a crowd of fans often shows up in the place where he is spotted or expected to show up, and they cheer him as he goes after the item he intends to steal while the police attempt to catch him.

5.) OCEAN’S ELEVEN

I greatly enjoyed the Ocean movie trilogy and love Danny Ocean (played by George Clooney) and his crew.  I love how each member has something different to contribute for the job.  I love their chemistry.  And I love how they were able to successfully pull off these awesomely complicated, twist-filled, and very entertaining heists (which only the number 3 of this list was able to match).

4.) CATWOMAN

Catwoman is one of DC’s most iconic characters.  Initially, she was purely portrayed as a Batman supervillain.  However, later on, she would eventually develop into something more of an anti-heroine and even become a member of the New 52 incarnation of the Justice League of America.  She maintains an on-off, love-hate romantic relationship with Batman, and has been one of his most constant allies.  However, despite her alignment with good, her reputation remains that of a proficient thief and continues to dabble with high-end burglary and other underworld-related pursuits.

3.) LEVERAGE CONSULTING & ASSOCIATES

The terrific Leverage TV series featured fiction’s most entertaining ensemble of thieves.  The team is made up of extremely talented criminals – Nathan Ford (“The Mastermind”/”The Brains”), Sophie Devereaux (“The Grifter”), Alec Hardison (“The Hacker”), Parker (“The Thief”), and Eliot Spence (“The Hitter”) – that have decided to band together and use their skills to target powerful and greedy corporations and individuals that oppresses or steals from ordinary people that are unable to defend themselves.  The team carries out elaborate cons on their targets in order to get back what they stole and bring them to justice.

2.) CARMEN SANDIEGO

Carmen is one of my most favorite female fictional characters ever, and playing her games had this deep impact on me that she has become the definitive femme fatale master thief on whom I compare other such kind of characters on.

1.) ARSÈNE LUPIN III

There is no other thief that charmed me most than Lupin the 3rd.  According to the anime’s mythology, Lupin is supposedly the grandson of Arsène Lupin, the popular literary gentleman thief created by French writer Maurice Leblanc.  He is acknowledged in the anime’s universe as the top thief in the world.

Lupin has a goofy and playful demeanor with a weakness for attractive women.  But under an outside appearance that seemingly can’t be taken seriously is an extremely versatile and intelligent individual.  He is a brilliant strategist, a creative schemer, and can think well under pressure.  He is knowledgeable of using and is in possession of a variety of high-tech gadgetries as well as possesses traditional thief skills like pickpocketing and cracking safes.  He is flexible, unpredictable, an adept driver, and can effortlessly think on his feet – which allow him to escape pursuers easily.  Even if caught, he is also a master escape artist, so jails and cuffs won’t hold him for long.  He is a capable close-combatant and shooter when the need arises, but he prefers to run away from trouble rather than engaged in it.  He’s all of these and more, but his most defining characteristic is his ability to flawlessly take on other people’s appearances.   He is as much as a master of disguise as he is a master thief.

He usually works with master samurai Goemon, master gunman Jigen, and femme fatale Fujiko, and together they form a formidable, unstoppable – and delightfully fun – crew. 

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How Is My 2015 TV Watching So Far

Just like last year, I decided to once again rank the TV shows that I’ve watched midway through this year.  This list is exclusively on live-action TV series, so don’t expect any animated series to be in it.  The list is arranged from best to least.

The Flash

From being the number eight in my list for last year’s best shows, its inaugural season’s strong second-half propelled it to the top of my favorites (as of now).  Harrison Wells a.k.a. Eobard Thawne a.k.a. Reverse Flash has been one of the most complex, multi-layered, fascinating villains ever in fiction; Gorilla Grodd was miraculously adapted into live action in a manner that didn’t look cheap; it maintained a strong connection with its parent show Arrow, and significantly contributed in expanding the DC TV universe; and, most importantly, I grew to like all of the characters beyond Grant Gustin’s Barry Allen, Tom Cavanagh’s Harrison Wells, and Jesse L. Martin’s Detective West (I used to like only these three).  This show still succumbs to dumb plot holes, but these are easily forgiven for being continually fun and exciting.

Daredevil

In my opinion, it was only with this show that Marvel was able to take their first real step in challenging DC’s TV dominance.  CLICK HERE for more of my thoughts on Daredevil.

Orphan Black

Orphan Black remains to be an extremely intriguing, fascinating, and smart series; and Tatiana Maslany continues to delight in portraying the different LEDA clones.  However, I’m a bit bummed that the CASTOR clones are taking some screentime away from Tatiana Maslany’s characters.  I think I liked it more when the narrative solely revolves around the lives of the LEDA clones – again, Tatiana Maslanay’s incredible display of versatility in bringing to life different characters and giving them distinctive personalities is the greatest thing about this show in the first place.  Ari Mellen isn’t a bad actor, but the CASTOR clones are just like different shades of the same character – there is no opportunity for Allen to play characters that are unique from each other (or he’s incapable of it).  Nonetheless, this is still the same show that I fell in love with last year, and it’s still pretty much near perfection. 

Arrow

 

Its spin-off, The Flash, has surpassed Arrow already, but I’ll always love this show for being the closest thing to a Batman live-action TV series we can have right now.  Arrow boasts great fight scenes, gritty storytelling, and interesting characters – especially the awesome Felicity Smoak.

iZombie

I’m not familiar with the comics this series is based on, but if the writing is anywhere near the quality of this series, then it’s probably terrific.  This new series has this particular charm, wit, and relatability that gives the show a Veronica Mars-like tone, which is no wonder since Rob Thomas, creator of Veronica Mars, developed this show.  The small screen is full of crime procedural/mystery shows already, but I find iZombie’s approach to the genre – along with its own brand of zombie mythology – fresh and fun.  I also appreciate how its scenes start like a comic panel then transitions into the opening shot of the scene.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

 

I love this show, but I have these high expectations that hasn’t been met yet.  I’m not sure if it’s fair, but I really want my expectation to match the actual.  The current S.H.I.E.L.D. comic book series – which was somewhat based on the TV series – has a better premise and tells better stories.  At the very least, I hope the TV series can match the appeal of the comic book series.  But all that said, it was only somewhere in the second season that I finally get to like Skye, and that has to be a big deal considering how I disliked her during the first season.

Constantine

 

It’s saddening that this series is cancelled (its low ratings can’t bring justice to its provided budget).  Matt Ryan killed as John Constantine, and though the story is limited and tame compared to its source material, it was still very great.  I’m going to miss this show.  If only Constantine can make a deal with or con the First into taking Gothaminstead of Constantine.

The Blacklist

Though season 2 has its good share of thrills and intrigue, it isn’t as thrilling and intriguing as the first season.  In its first season, there were a lot of stuff happening every episode, but amidst the fast pace, it felt that the series has a clear direction on where it’s trying to go, narratively speaking.  But there’s a lack of that in the second season.  However, the drop in the quality of its storytelling is minimal, and it has still been a rewarding show to follow.

Castle

This is currently the longest running ongoing TV series that I’m following and enjoying – and it’s still not yet over.  The finale of season 7 actually felt like a nice wrap up of the series already.  That’s why I was surprised that a season 8 is still coming.  So I hope that this new season will really be able to bring something new and awesome to the series.   I would really hate to see this show become terrible and empty.  I would have preferred for it to end in season 7 – ending in a good position – than suffering from a purposeless, cash-grab new season.  So, keeping my fingers crossed.  Please be good, season 8.

Agent Carter

I liked it, but it didn’t make me go crazy for it.  It merely felt like an expanded Marvel One-Shot short.  CLICK HERE for more of my thoughts on Agent Carter.

12 Monkeys

I thought that this series is going to be bad, but I found it surprisingly enjoyable.  CLICK HERE for more of my thoughts on 12 Monkeys.

The Big Bang Theory

In my opinion, the previous seasons (which I marathoned last year) are funnier than the recent season.  Nonetheless, getting through a 20-minute episode of The Big Bang Theory is never a chore but always a fun time.

Pinocchio

In an attempt to duplicate my experience with I Hear Your Voice, I picked up Pinocchio late last year.  Though it has the same writer and lead actor as I Hear Your Voice, Pinocchio isn’t as good.  Still, it’s entertaining enough to make me watch every episode until its finale early this year.

Elementary

This show continues to fall further down my TV list.  It just can’t match the cleverness of its first season (which made it my favorite TV show back in 2013).  Now, it’s just like another generic crime procedural that has characters that only happen to have the same names with the characters from Sherlock Holmes literature.  I’m still going to watch the episodes of its next season, but not as regularly as before.

Supergirl

The pilot leaked.  I didn’t like it.  Still, I’m going to give this show a chance to prove itself by watching a couple of episodes when it officially starts later this year.  CLICK HERE for more of my thoughts on Supergirl.

Sleepy Hollow

In its first season, this show used to be ridiculous but in a good, entertaining way.  But in season 2, the drop of quality was great.  It became this convoluted, boring mess.  It regained footing in its ending episodes, but by then, it was too late, I no longer have a fondness for it.  A season 3 is coming, and there’s always the chance that it can get better and be as great as before again.  That would be nice, if ever.

So 16 shows in the pool so far, but new series can be picked up later this year, and some of the shows I’m following haven’t even run their respective seasons yet this 2015 – Defiance season 3, True Detective season 2 (coming later this month), Doctor Who series 9, and the Sherlock Christmas special (the show I’m looking forward to the most this year).  The rankings are subject to change, of course, depending on how the second half of the year will turn out for these shows.  Nonetheless, this can serve as a glimpse on how my picks for top 10 TV shows of 2015 will eventually look like.

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Top 10 Fictional Drivers

Simply stated, this is a list of fictional characters that are defined by their time behind the wheel.  It doesn’t necessarily mean that this list is dependent on their driving skills.  They are picked and rank depending on how I find them interesting as wheelmen characters.

10.) NEEDLESS KANE

Needless Kane is the driver of the most popular car from the Twisted Metalgames, Sweet Tooth (which, for a time, I mistook for the name of the driver – and I know I’m not the only one).  He’s simply the Joker (or It’s Pennywise) on wheels.  He derives a demented sense of delight in death, destruction, mayhem, and chaos, hence, bringing those about with his iconic killing ice cream truck.

9.) OVERDRIVE

This B-list Spider-Man supervillain possesses nanites that allow him to have limited technopathy and modify vehicles to his liking.  Hence, he makes a great getaway driver and is sought by crews to be their wheelman during heists.  An amusing aspect of this character, as revealed in the excellent Superior Foes of Spider-Man comic series, is that he really wants to be a superhero but chose to be a supervillain since he thinks the stint will give him the best opportunity to “break in” the superhero community, reasoning out that famous superheroes like Hawkeye, Black Widow, Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver all started out as supervillains first.

8.) FRANK WILLIAM “CHAS” CHANDLER

Chas is probably John Constantine’s closest and most loyal friend.  He is a London cab driver that constantly functions as Constantine’s ride whenever he’s on a case.  Most of the time, Constantine doesn’t really let Chas to be deeply involved on his supernatural escapades, for his own good, thus, he enjoys a survival rate that few of Constantine’s friends have.  However, in the now-cancelled (bummer) TV series, Chas is a more active sidekick for Constantine and has more of a supernatural reason behind his survival rate.  One night, in a club, Constantine put a protection charm on him before they separated.  Later, the club caught fire and Chaz with 47 others were burned.  But because of Constantine’s spell, Chaz absorbed those 47 lives, giving him the ability to die and regenerate 47 times.

7.) ALEX TULLY

After geek god Nathan Fillion was Malcolm Reynolds and before he became Rick Castle, he took on the role of Alex Tully, lead protagonist of the short-lived, unfinished TV series, Drive.  The show focuses on an illegal, cross-country road race of unlikely participants and Alex Tully was one of them.  Because of his past experience as a semi-pro racer and a notorious getaway driver/bank robber, he was coerced into joining the race when his wife was kidnapped.  It’s an intriguing story, but, unfortunately, we’ll never know how it ends since the series was cut off at only 6 episodes.

6.) BO DARVILLE a.k.a. BANDIT

Everybody – the people in the Smokey and the Bandit’s universe as well as the movie’s audience – loves this charismatic and iconic Burt Reynolds-portrayed character.  Already established as a legendary driver and folk hero in the beginning of the story, Bandit would bait the police to chase him so that he can divert the attention away from a beer smuggling operation that he had bet he and his friend, Snowman, can accomplish in record time.  Along the way, with occasional help from truckers that he was constantly in communication with via CB radio, Bandit would constantly outsmart and outrun the police – led by Sheriff Buford T. Justice – to hilarious effect.

5.) RACER X

Racer X is an important recurring character in the classic anime series Speed Racer.  This heroic masked racer/secret agent is actually the estranged older brother of main character, Speed, but though he has nagging suspicions of his real identity throughout the series, it was only near at the end of the series where the truth is fully revealed to him.  Racer X is considered by Speed as a superior racer that he vows to beat, and Racer X vows to look after his younger brother always.  His car’s name is the Shooting Star (number 9).

4.) DOMINIC TORETTO

Dom is the face of The Fast and the Furious franchise as well as its best driver (sorry, Brian).  He always wins in every race (he only loses when he allows himself) and does the craziest, most badass stunts.  He is a strong leader, a religious man, has a moral code, and puts family above anything else.

3.) FRANK MARTIN a.k.a. THE TRANSPORTER

Frank Martin is the titular character of The Transporter movie series and my most favorite Jason Statham role.  He was introduced as an immensely skillful and meticulous driver known as the best wheelman-for-hire there is.  He will transport anything or anyone – no questions asked, and always on time.  He strictly maintains three rules: 1.) “Once the deal is made, it is final”; 2.) “No names”; and 3.) “Never open the package.”  Moreover, he is a former Special Forces operative and can kick butt whenever he is crossed.

2.) SPEED RACER

The titular character of the classic Speed Racer anime drives the iconic Mach 5 – a racing car that has eight special features installed on it, which are activated by buttons labeled A to G on its steering wheel hub and a button H located on a console between the car’s two seats.  Speed is extremely fond of racing and his love for the sport is only rivaled by his love for his family.  His adventures aren’t exclusive in the race track, as he finds himself occasionally dabbling in crime fighting.

1.) WACKY RACERS

I have to admit that this list is built around the participants of Wacky Races, one of the Hanna-Barbera properties that I loved watching as a kid (and re-watching now as an adult).  I have no clear favorites and I enjoy all these quirky racers and their respective outlandish cars as a whole, so all of them – the Slag Brothers (#1 Boulder Mobile), the Gruesome Twosome (#2 Creepy Coupe), Professor Pat Pending (#3 Convert-a-Car), the Red Max (#4 Crimson Haybaler), Penelope Pitstop (#5 Compact Pussycat), Sergeant Blast and Private Meekly (#6 Army Surplus Special), the Ant Hill Mob (#7 Bulletproof Bomb), Lazy Luke and Blubber Bear (#8 Arkansas Chuggabug), Peter Perfect (#9 Turbo Terrific), Ruffus Ruffcut and Sawtooth (#10 Buzzwagon), and Dick Dastardly and Muttley (#00 Mean Machine) – share the top spot.

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