It’s a light week, so it’s a light column. That’s why today’s edition of Comics Disassembled is a look at eight things I liked or didn’t like from the past week of comics rather than the customary ten, with that slate led by the news that DC and Marvel’s recent crossovers doubled in one day.

DC and Marvel, Making It a Habit

Ruh roh.

It seems DC and Marvel have collectively realized something. This whole crossover thing? The one where their characters meet in comics? The one kicked off by Deadpool/Batman before Batman/Deadpool follows this month, with another crossover in Spider-Man/Superman hitting next year? It’s a pretty good way to make money! So, a big question naturally seems to have followed.

Why shouldn’t they just do more of those?

The answer to that question seems to have come back, and it was, “That’s a great idea!” The reason I know this is because both publishers announced and released new crossover comics on their respective digital platforms this week, with The Flash/Fantastic Four (from writer Jeremy Adams and artist Adrián Gutiérrez) hitting DC Universe Infinite and Thor/Shazam! (from writer Al Ewing and artist Jethro Morales) arriving on Marvel Unlimited. Each is part of a subscriber push for those platforms, as they’re free to read thanks to a 30-day free trial code each is offering potential subscribers.

That alone is interesting, but adding another layer to it is that they’re respectively part of the DC GO! and Marvel Infinity Comics efforts, meaning they’re both vertical scroll comics. It’s another way to court readers with exciting crossovers, and it’s at least in theory a whole different cohort of people. It’s a smart move, and it’s apparently not the end of this run of vertical scroll meet-ups between the publisher’s characters. 2026 will bring new crossovers to those platforms, just like 2026 will also bring the aforementioned Superman/Spider-Man.

I imagine everyone involved sees the value in these crossovers, which is why they’re leaning in right now. The big question is the same one you get for literally everything that works in comics, though: At what point will it become overused and not special anymore? Blind bags are going through that right now, and could the Big Two do the same thing with these crossovers? Maybe, but this rate isn’t too bad so far. It just needs to feel like a big deal, and this drop already felt pretty muted compared to the previous ones. We’ll see how it plays out, but it’s a trend to watch for sure.

Bendis Back??? Bendis Back!!!

In the world’s fastest turnaround from “worst kept secret” to “fully known fact,” it seems that writer Brian Michael Bendis is returning to Marvel for the upcoming Avengers #800 and beyond. It all starts with a story from Bendis and artist Mark Bagley in January’s Avengers #34/#800 that’s about the Big Three of the Avengers in Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man doing Avengers things.

But that’s not all! Bendis said in the press release that “This is the first of some truly special Marvel projects that I will be part of in the near future,” which is part of a big year for the writer after several years away from Marvel and superheroes as a whole. I suspect he won’t be the only one returning. I’ve heard of a number of creators who are reorienting on for-hire work like this as a reaction to the current environment from non-licensed work. That’s not to say that is why Bendis made that move. But it’s well-timed with the anniversary hitting and Marvel being in a weird spot. My guess is it will be a boon for everyone involved, as Bendis represents a peak for the publisher in the minds of a lot of readers. That type of faith could generate some goodwill for all involved.

We shall see how it plays out. I’ll be interested to see the other projects Bendis is involved with going forward. I suspect they’ll be less focused on bigger picture books and more on standalone projects where he can cook in the way that Bendis does, but TBD on that front.