In the 70s and 80s, DC and Marvel paired up their heroes with the two Superman/Spider-Man books, Batman and the Hulk and the X-Men/Teen Titans special. After the disastrous attempt at Justice League/Avengers, the crossovers continued but on DC's side it was still Superman and Batman being spotlighted (except for a Green Lantern/Silver Surfer book, IIRC). In the 70s the only four DC heroes to keep their books were the Man of Steel, the Darknight Detective, Wonder Woman and ......the Flash!
In the early days of the hero pairing in Brave & Bold, the Flash appeared the most before Batman took over the title, meeting the Atom, J'onn J'onzz, the Doom Patrol, the Spectre and the Caped Crusader. In his own title, he mentored Kid Flash, befriended Green Lantern and the Elongated Man and teamed with his inspiration, the Golden Age Flash. Also there were his races with Superman. The Scarlet Speedster was a team-up kind of guy!
Yet he never got his DC/Marvel tabliod size showcase. He was popular but did not have a TV show or movie to back him up. Thus he lost that race. But what if he didn't and he did meet a Marvel hero, which one would it be?
IMHO, it would not have been Iron Man (I can't see Barry and Tony as compatible, Hal and Tony, maybe), Daredevil (way too much red!), Quicksilver (everyone would know the outcome of this slaughter race!) or the Hulk (who does not play well with others, though he could never lay a hand on Barry!).
As for possibilities I got:
- Spider-Man: Marvel's team-up master. He and Flash have great enemies so if the Rogues and the Sinister Six joined forces or better yet, fought each other (another thread maybe), that would be a draw. Then you have the super-hero who's really a cop having to work with a super-hero that's wanted by the police! A lot of ways to go here!
- Captain America: the fanboy meets the ultimate Golden Age hero. If young Barry collected Flash Comics, why not Captain America Comics? Perhaps they could oppose Vandal Savage and the Red Skull, throw in the Falcon and the Elongated Man and you got a story!
- Black Panther: One line--Gorilla City (taken over by Grodd) declares war on Wakanda (influenced by the Man-Ape or Killmonger)! Nuff Said!
- Nova: what if Marvel continued to push the Human Rocket (after guest-starring in Amazing Spider-Man #170 and featured in Marvel Two-In-One Annual #3) by having the faith to put in a tabloid team-up? He was drawn by Carmine Infantino as well. In fact they introduced the Comet as a Flash tribute! They could take on the Sphinx and Reverse Flash!
- Thor: this is the one that seems to most likely. The Thunder God was popular but not at Spidey/Hulk levels. He and the Flash were founding members of their respective teams. Doctor Don Blake could get involved in a case that Barry Allen is working on. Loki could encounter Abra Kadabra and not understand his "magic". They could battle the Absorbing Man and Doctor Alchemy. Zarkko the Tomorrow Man and Mazdan! OK not that last one! Can the Flash vibrate into Asgard? And how would Thor feel about a hero whose power allows him to run away real fast?
Those are my picks Comments? Picks? Options?
Replies
I always saw Wonder Woman as the next popular DC hero in line after Superman and Batman - if you look how DC heroes are merchandised she seems up there with the main two, followed by the Flash and Green Lantern - and a WW/Thor team up seems an obvious choice.
However, in spite of "way to much red" I'd really have liked to have seen the Flash meet Daredevil.
Yep, it'd be WW-Thor (gods) and GL-Iron Man (footloose guys with really big weapons and no powers).
The Flash would probably team up with Captain America based on popularity. DD seems too street-level for a guy like Flash.
The one big Marvel title we're overlooking is FF. Maybe The Flash would team up with Johnny and Ben in Strange Tales. I'm sure it would live up to that billing.
Needless to say, Hawkman would team up with Hank Pym.
-- MSA