Insuperherocomic books, ateam-up is afictional crossover where two or more superheroes or superhero teams who usually do not appear together work together on a shared goal.[1]
The first team-up between characters published in different comics from the same publisher was published in 1940 by theMLJ Comics.Pep Comics #4, byHarry Shorten andIrv Novick, featured a story with theShield, which was continued inTop Notch Comics #5, by Will Harr andEdd Ashe. In that comic, the Shield met theWizard.Timely Comics would follow, with a team-up betweenSub-Mariner andHuman Torch.National Comics Publications took the team-up concept one step further and created theJustice Society of America, the first superhero group, composed of superheroes who starred their own comic books.[2] In international comics, thePhantom teamed up withZigomar in 1939.[3]
The team-up was an importantworldbuilding narrative device, one that allowed for the creation of ashared universe concept.[2]
