DC and Marvel Announce First Crossover Collection in Two Decades, 'The Cosmic Kiss Caper'

If you walked into a comic shop anytime in the last twenty years and asked for a book where Batman meets a Marvel character, the clerk would have pointed you to the dusty, expensive back-issue bins. The corporate walls between Disney-owned Marvel and Warner Bros. Discovery-owned DC had grown too high, and the era of the inter-company crossover was widely considered dead.

For an entire generation of readers, the idea of these titans sharing a page was a legal impossibility, a relic of the 1990s when the industry was desperate for sales. But the ice has officially broken, and the two publishers are proving that their renewed partnership is more than just a fleeting stunt.

Arriving on September 8, 2026, DC/Marvel: The Cosmic Kiss Caper & Other Stories will be the first major print collection of crossover material from the two publishers in over two decades. The 224-page volume, published and distributed by DC Comics, gathers the recent wave of blockbuster team-ups that began hitting shelves and digital platforms over the past year.

It represents a monumental logistical and legal achievement, navigating the complex rights management of two massive entertainment conglomerates to produce a single, unified physical product. For fans who have been following the individual releases, the collection offers a permanent home for stories that have dominated the cultural conversation in the comic book community.[1][2]

Headlining the hardcover are the two marquee events that kicked off this new era of collaboration, both of which shattered sales expectations upon their initial release. Grant Morrison and Dan Mora’s mind-bending Batman/Deadpool brings chaos and calculation together as Gotham’s Dark Knight attempts to wrangle Marvel’s Merc with a Mouth.

Alongside it is Mark Waid and Jorge Jiménez’s Superman/Spider-Man, a story that sees Clark Kent and Peter Parker chasing the same journalistic scoop. Their investigation forces them to unearth a joint conspiracy orchestrated by Brainiac and Doctor Octopus, a narrative that seamlessly blends the distinct tones of Metropolis and New York City while honoring the legacy of both iconic heroes.[1]

Beyond the heavy hitters, the collection serves as a vital physical rescue mission for stories that previously existed only on screens. It includes the first-ever print editions of two vertical-scroll digital comics: The Flash/Fantastic Four by Jeremy Adams and Adrian Gutierrez, and the vampire-hunting romp Supergirl/Blade by CRC Payne and Mikel Janín.

These digital-first titles originally launched simultaneously on the DC Universe Infinite and Marvel Unlimited apps, designed specifically for smartphone reading to capture a younger, mobile-first audience. By bringing them into print, DC and Marvel are ensuring these stories aren't lost to the ephemeral nature of digital subscription platforms, where licensing agreements can sometimes lead to content disappearing without warning.[1][2][4][7]

The book is further padded out with a series of short tales that read like a fan-fiction wish list brought to life by top-tier industry talent. Readers will see Lois Lane teaming up with Mary Jane Watson in a story penned by Tom King and drawn by Jim Lee, exploring the unique dynamic between the two most famous journalists in superhero comics.

Other unexpected pairings include Power Girl meeting the Punisher courtesy of Gail Simone and Belén Ortega, and Nightwing crossing paths with Wolverine in a gritty tale by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo. Additional shorts feature Jimmy Olsen and Carnage, as well as Superboy and Spider-Man 2099, showcasing the sheer breadth of the shared sandbox.[1]

How did this happen after a twenty-year drought? The mechanism for this reunion was built on mutual anniversary synergy and a pragmatic understanding of the modern publishing market. The initiative was originally timed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the historic 1976 Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man treasury edition, which set the template for inter-company crossovers.

What started as a modest plan to reprint legacy titles quickly snowballed into a full-fledged creative exchange. Both publishers realized that they could mutually benefit from the massive sales spikes these events generate, setting aside corporate rivalry to capitalize on a shared legacy that spans generations of readers.[3][5]

Crossovers work because they tap into the fundamental 'what if' engine of comic book fandom, answering playground debates with official, beautifully illustrated narratives. In an era where single-issue sales can be volatile, the Deadpool/Batman one-shot went back to press multiple times, proving that the appetite for cross-company spectacle remains ravenous.

By bundling these hits into a $29.99 hardcover and a $19.99 paperback, DC and Marvel are ensuring these stories have a long tail in the lucrative bookstore market. This pricing strategy makes the collection accessible to casual fans browsing a Barnes & Noble, while the premium hardcover appeals directly to the hardcore collectors who frequent direct-market comic shops.[2][3]

The publication of The Cosmic Kiss Caper isn't just a victory lap for the two publishers; it serves as a proof of concept for future collaborations. With both publishers confirming that their digital crossover initiative will continue with new installments later in the year, the success of this physical collection could pave the way for even more ambitious joint ventures.

Industry observers are already speculating about the possibility of a new Amalgam Universe or a massive, line-wide crossover event. For now, fans can finally place a modern Marvel/DC team-up on their bookshelves without having to hunt down a vintage relic, celebrating a moment when the comic industry put storytelling ahead of corporate borders.[6][7]