Story Arcs Laced With Spite

Comics don’t always keep it classy. Rivalries leak into the panels, and suddenly, it’s a roast disguised as a plot twist. Every now and then, DC and Marvel toss little grenades into each other’s stories just to stir things up. These are 20 eyebrow-raising moments that prove even superheroes enjoy throwing a little shade now and again.

1. Not Brand Echh (1967)

Marvel’s satirical comic “Not Brand Echh” ripped into DC with gags so bold they made even seasoned fans blink. Featuring twisted takes like “Stuporman” and “Gnatman,” it doubled as brand warfare and reader entertainment. You couldn’t look away.

2. The New Teen Titans series

The New Teen Titans series mirrors X-Men’s dramatic beats. It has Raven’s arc showing apparent influence from Jean Grey’s Phoenix Saga with suspicious accuracy. It’s apparent influence masked in vibrant pencils and subtle panel layout.

3. Squadron Supreme (1985)

Marvel built the Squadron Supreme as Justice League knockoffs, where each member blatantly echoes a DC archetype. But they weren’t cheap copies; they were warped reflections. The story critiqued DC’s clean-cut morality with a grim, realistic tone that demanded your attention.

4. JLA/Avengers (2003 Crossover)

Every page in JLA/Avengers teems with tension, from Batman stalemating Captain America to Superman lifting Thor’s hammer. These were a calculated parade of superiority contests. Readers couldn’t help but keep score, could you?

5. She-Hulk (Vol. 2) #5

She-Hulk’s fourth-wall commentary often critiqued industry norms, possibly including DC’s conservative style, though specific references in Vol. 2 #5 are unconfirmed. Her snark-packed cultural critique. That issue didn’t pull punches.

6. Ambush Bug Stocking Stuffer Special (1986)

DC’s Ambush Bug went full meta in this holiday one-shot, shredding Marvel’s Secret Wars by calling it “Secret Spuds.” The jabs flew fast—parodies of over-merchandising, contrived plots, and hollow stakes. Think of it as a roast in comic strip form.

7. Doom Patrol (Vol. 2)

Grant Morrison’s Doom Patrol (Vol. 2) leaned into X-Men parallels but spun them into chaotic surrealism, implying DC’s unique originality. The narrative leaned into X-Men parallels but spun them into chaotic, surrealism. You couldn’t ignore the implication: Marvel may have imitated, but DC out-weirded them with flair.

8. Multiversity: Pax Americana (2015)

Morrison’s Pax Americana weaponized structure. Its recursive, symmetrical narrative becomes a dense allegory, possibly challenging how superheroes frame time and truth. It’s less homage, more scalpel, slicing through commercial myth-making with metafictional rage.

9. The Invaders #14–15 (1977)

Marvel parodied DC’s Freedom Fighters with the Crusaders in The Invaders #14–15 (1977), over-the-top patriots dripping with Silver Age corn. The tone was mocking, and the execution was brutal. Each panel was a wink to fans who noticed how DC sometimes leaned hard into simplistic nationalism.

10. Fantastic Four Roast (1982)

Marvel’s FF Roast issue poked at everyone, including DC legends. They went into Superman jokes and also made Wonder Woman jabs. It was chaotic, colorful, and cooked with affection that burned just hot enough to leave a hilarious scar.

11. Plastic Man Specials

Plastic Man often ribbed Mr. Fantastic without saying a word. He does so by being elastic and far more outrageous. Unlike Marvel’s scientist-turned-stretchy, DC’s original brought absurdity. If you ever thought Reed Richards needed a sense of humor, Plastic Man preemptively agreed.

12. The Terrifics (2018)

DC dropped The Terrifics as a not-so-subtle jab at Marvel’s Fantastic Four hiatus. Stretchy leader? Check. Cosmic adventure? Yep. Quirky team? Absolutely. It was clever revenge: while Marvel dragged their feet, DC delivered the family-fueled, science-heavy antics fans craved.

13. Supreme (By Alan Moore)

Alan Moore retooled Rob Liefeld’s Supreme as a meta-commentary on Superman. Using Silver Age tropes with modern grit, Moore examined the flaws and rigid ideals in DC’s poster boy. Every issue quietly echoed: “This is what your Superman could’ve been.”

14. Marvels (1994)

Alex Ross and Kurt Busiek crafted Marvels as a photojournalist’s dream. Behind that lens was a sly shot at DC’s godlike detachment. These heroes bled, broke down, and felt real. You saw what a world with consequences looked like—and DC’s lacked it.

15. Final Crisis: Superman Beyond 3D

Superman Beyond explored DC’s multiverse in a metafictional war of philosophical worldviews, potentially contrasting other publishers’ approaches. It turned competition into literal world-building, folding the entire comic multiverse into a war of philosophical worldviews.

16. The Authority (Wildstorm)

DC’s Wildstorm imprint launched The Authority with laser focus: mock Marvel’s Boy Scout values. This team tore through moral dilemmas and left politeness behind. They solved problems—fast, dirty, and loud. Here, you were meant to flinch.

17. Spider-Ham (1983 debut)

Yes, Spider-Ham made you laugh. But when you look closer, his universe also parodies DC’s Batman with Bat-Bat, a vigilante rodent, winking at readers with Marvel’s humor. It practically screamed, “Too many capes!” With a wink and a snort, Marvel told readers: “We know. We see it too.”

18. Stan Lee’s Just Imagine... Batman

When Stan Lee reimagined Batman as a streetwise Black martial artist, it wasn’t subtle. The point was that DC’s classic Bruce Wayne lacked a real-world edge. Stan challenged sacred cows, wrapped them in leather, and made you rethink legacy through a Marvel lens.

19. X-Statix (2002)

X-Statix torched everything, especially superhero PR culture. Marvel’s media-obsessed mutants were loud critiques of fame-chasing—DC included. You watched heroes beg for headlines and die for Twitter-length attention. In an era of image-first branding, X-Statix felt like a full-body slap.

20. Marvel Team-Up #74 (1978)

Spider-Man teamed up with the Not Ready for Prime Time Players—yes, SNL—and still found time to roast the Justice League. One punchline claimed they’d bore the audience. When Marvel makes fun of DC in live comedy, that’s next-level shade.