In 1996, Marvel and DC released a crossover series in which, predictably, the fates of both universes hung in the balance and, in an equally surprising development, only Marvel-Earth and DC-Earth's heroes could save them. At one point the two realities fused, resulting in several #1 issues of one-shot comics devoted to combined characters. These ultimate crossover heroes included "Super-Soldier" who combined Superman with Captain America, an amazing Amazon who joined Wonder Woman with the X-Men's Storm, and Lobo the Duck, who amalgamated the space-born psycho with the other-worldly waterfowl.

One wonders where Amalgam Comics might have gone if they'd been allowed to continue running. Would Aquaman have alloyed with Iron Man and become the Anchor? Or would he instead have melded with the Human Torch and fought crime as the Sizzler? Would Selina Kyle and Otto Octavius plundered as Dr. Octopussy? Or (as suggested by Scooter Slemmons), would Giant-Man and the Atom have become... the Amazing Average-Sized Fellow?

Possibly, we now see why each Amalgam was only permitted one issue....