In the sprawling universes of DC and Marvel, filled with cosmic threats, ancient gods, and multiversal calamities, you’d think nothing could surprise seasoned comic readers anymore. However, one little-known twist hidden in the pages of a 1990s comic might just do that.
In the comic, Superman and the Fantastic Four share the exact same villain. No, this isn’t some fan theory; it’s an actual, published event. One of DC’s most chaotic characters, Mr. Mxyzptlk, briefly transformed into Marvel’s Impossible Man in Superman #50.
DC’s Mxyzptlk And Marvel’s Impossible Man Are Two Sides Of The Same Coin
Both Superman and the Fantastic Four are known for facing some of the most unique adversaries in comic history. While Superman contends with the magical imp Mr. Mxyzptlk, the Fantastic Four have had their fair share of headaches with the cosmic court jester known as Impossible Man. Both characters are less about destruction and more about chaos. They are unpredictable, powerful, and endlessly mischievous.
Related: James Gunn Has A Whole New Storyline For Superman’s “Glasses” Disguise
Mxyzptlk hails from the Fifth Dimension and frequently torments Superman with reality-warping pranks. He’s not evil in the traditional sense, but his antics can bring Metropolis to a standstill. His only real weakness? Being tricked into saying his name backward, which sends him back to his home dimension. On the other side of the comic book aisle, Impossible Man is a shape-shifting nuisance from the planet Poppup.
With a cartoonish sense of humor and reality-bending abilities, he often appears to test the patience of the Fantastic Four, especially Reed Richards. He doesn’t attack out of malice but rather seeks attention. It’s no wonder readers did a double-take when ‘Superman #50’ featured a moment where Mxyzptlk, in the middle of a dimension-hopping caper, forgot to change his form and turned into Impossible Man.
Why Marvel And DC Never Made It Official
Despite the clever nod, Marvel and DC never explored the Mxyzptlk/Impossible Man connection again. Given the popularity of both characters and the obvious similarities in their powers and personalities, it seems like a missed opportunity. But as always, there’s a behind-the-scenes reason for this silence: corporate ownership and legal red tape.
In case you missed it: David Corenswet Shares Weird Struggles Of Becoming DCU’s New ‘Superman’
Each character is the intellectual property of its respective publisher, and officially tying them together would require a level of collaboration that both companies rarely reach. Back in the 1990s, crossovers were more common with The Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans, Batman vs. Hulk, and of course, Superman vs. Spider-Man gave fans dreams they never thought possible.
However, those glory days faded after the early 2000s, and Marvel and DC all but stopped playing together. Still, comic fans are nothing if not hopeful. And 2025 might be the perfect moment to revisit this peculiar connection. For one, James Gunn’s Superman is set to release this July. On the Marvel side, ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’ is also on the horizon, marking the First Family’s entry into the MCU proper. So, with Superman and the Fantastic Four once again at the center of fan buzz, why not bring back the most unexpected connection they’ve ever had?
