A figure draped in shadows stands before the Enchantress, the Asgardian sorceress. "Amora, how nice of you to accept my invitation." The Enchantress moves closer to our mysterious villain. She is obviously trying to seduce him. "Don't bother with the games."

A few minutes pass, minutes that lead to a smile breaking out across Amora's fair face."I shall help thee in thy plan. Superman shall be like putty in my hands." Amora laughs as she leaves the room.

Our mysterious villain laughs as she leaves the room. "My plan can't fail. My revenge shall be complete. Today is the day Superman becomes a murderer."

Meanwhile at the Daily Bugle:

"How in blazes do they continue to get these pictures of Superman!! How come we never get any pictures of Superman!? " J. Jonah Jameson throws the Daily Planet onto his desk, his face red with rage.

Outside his office comes one of our heroes, Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man. "Oh no, I better hightail it out of here before he sees me." Peter turns around to leave, but he isn't quick enough.

"Parker!! This isn't a social club! Do you have pictures or did you just come to see my pretty face?" J. Jonah Jameson removes the cigar from his mouth and blows smoke into Peter's face.

"I've got some pictures of Spider-Man stopping Captain Cold." Our young photographer takes out the pictures and shows them to Jameson.

"These aren't bad, Parker. I'll give you a little for these, but I've got to ask why you never get any pictures of Superman? He's a hero. This Spider-Man is a menace to society."

"Now you remember our deal, no questions or no pictures." Parker made the always-jovial Jameson promise not to ask any questions about how he gets his pictures.

"Alright, alright. But get me some pictures of Superman. The Planet's circulation goes up everytime they get a picture of him. Oooh! I hate the Planet!" Jameson stares off into space for a few seconds before continuing. "Well until you find a way to track down Superman, I want you to cover the movie set of `Arak Vs. Arkon'."

Parker leaves with a tidy sum of cash for the pictures, but he's still not pleased with Jameson. "He likes Superman, but he hates Spider-Man! What did I ever do to deserve his animosity?" Our young hero heads out of the Bugle's office. "Maybe the whole day won't be a bust if I get to meet one of the actors."

Over at the Daily Planet:

"He scooped me again! I can't believe it! Smallville scooped me again!" Lois Lane is screaming at the top of her lungs. "How'd you do it? Tell me how you keep getting these stories with Superman!"

Clark Kent shrugs his shoulders and says "Just luck I guess." He smiles at Lois while he thinks to himself, "It's easy to get a story on Superman when you're Superman."

"Listen here, Clark! I'm going to get the next Superman story and then I'll get that Spider-Man interview I've been working on."

"Lois, what happened to the last Spider-Man interview you set up?" Clark holds back a chuckle.

"You know darn well what happened!" Lois pokes Clark in the chest. "Spider-Man won't talk to reporters. The only time I had a chance to chat with him was when he saved me from the Lizard. Once I started to ask him questions, he dropped me off and swung away. Not a word came out of his mouth. He didn't even make any jokes like he does when he fights."

Clark Kent starts typing again. A big grin crosses his face. "Maybe I'll have to get the scoop on Spider-Man. That would really get her goat." Clark starts to chuckle.

All of a sudden a figure runs by Kent's desk. "I'm sorry, chief. I'll try to get..."

"Olson, don't call me chief!! If you can't get pictures of Spider-Man I'll find someone who can. That guy at the Bugle doesn't have any trouble getting pictures of him. The Bugle's circulation jumps everytime they get a picture of Spider-Man! So get out there and get me some pictures of Spider-Man!"

"I'll do my best boss." Jimmy Olson runs out of the room as fast as he can.

The Movie Set for `Arak Vs. Arkon':

Peter Parker moves to the front of the crowd in order to obtain the best pictures possible for the Daily Bugle. "Oh no! I just remembered I have a date with Mary Jane in an hour. Hopefully this press conference will be over by then." Little does our unlucky hero know that the length of the press conference will be the least of his worries.

A skinny man walks to the podium and taps the microphone. "Hello ladies and gentlemen of the press. I'd like to thank you all for coming. We are excited about shooting this movie in the city that never sleeps. Before I begin, I regret to inform you that Simon Williams, the man who is playing Arkon, has been called away on Avengers' business. The other stars are all here to answer your questions. " The journalists in the crowd start to ask questions. Peter thinks to himself "They're asking too many questions. At this rate I won't be out of here by 5. MJ is gonna kill me."

In the sky above New York City:

"I'm glad I was able to get away from Lois so that I could stop that bank robbery. I know the police could've handled it, but why let them risk their lives when there's no need." Superman is flying towards the Daily Planet when he notices a green clad female on a rooftop. "The Enchantress? That's never a good sign." The people on the street below seem to be lusting after each other. Unfortunately, no two people seem to be attracted to each other.

Superman lands on the rooftop behind the Enchantress. "Amora, what are you up to now?"

The Enchantress swirls around "Superman! Thou hast surprised me."

"Good. Now whatever you're doing, stop it."

"Bah! The mortal fools below no longer amuse me." Amora snaps her fingers and the men and women below stop in their tracks. They shake their heads, exchange some uncomfortable apologies and run off. "There, that's done. Now wouldst thou reward me for my good behavior?" Amora walks up to Superman and wraps her arms around him.

"Amora, I don't know how Thor handles you, but I've no intention of falling for your feminine wiles. Now let go."

The Enchantress pouts and lets go of Superman but plants a kiss on his lips. "That's for being such a good and noble man. We shall meet again and hopefully thou willst not wish to avoid my 'feminine wiles.'" With a smile she disappears.

Superman smiles. "I'm glad I don't have to deal with her too often. Her magic could do a number on me." Little does Superman suspect that she has already cast a spell upon our hero from Krypton. His mental abilities have been dulled. What evil plot could require such a thing?

Back at the Movie Set:

"We are currently running a little over budget. However, we've been able to cut some production costs so we should be in good shape by the time we finish shooting the scenes here in New York." Peter Parker takes a few pictures of the props on the stage. He thinks to himself "This guy is using every cliché in the book."

Some of the suits from the movie start to move. "This ought to be good. I can get some neat pictures if they are going to show us their special effects." As the suits start to move, Peter's Spider Sense goes off. "Uh-oh! This wasn't meant to happen." Peter Parker runs out of the crowd and looks for a place to change.

On the stage, the skinny man continues answering questions from reporters, oblivious to the robotic suits behind him. One of the suits grabs his arm. "Don't bother me now!" He turns to face one of his subordinates, but finds a four-armed robot grabbing his shoulder. "Help!!!"

"Here I come to save the day!!" Spider-Man swings onto the stage and knocks the robot's arm away from the movie's PR man. "I take it you didn't plan for this thing to move. Or are you scared of four-armed aliens from Arkon's planet?" The PR man is too stunned to respond to Spider-Man's quip. The other people on the stage, the actors and the director, run off the stage.

A fog starts to roll over the stage. "Oh no! I should've known. Mysterio!"

"Very observant, Web-Slinger! Today is the day you die." Mysterio slides through the thick fog he has created. "My robots will deal with you while I make sure this movie never happens."

The gas that Mysterio has released disorients our pal Spidey. "How am I going to fight these robots if my Spider Sense is on the fritz?" he thinks to himself. A robot's fist slams into the side of his head. "Ouch! That hurt!" Spider-Man swings wildly into the fog connecting with the midsection of the four-armed robot. He notices a robot of the Weather Wizard approaching him on the left and a robotic Blue Devil runs in from the right.

Near the Daily Planet:

Superman is on his way back to the Daily Planet so that he can change back into Clark Kent. "I don't want to be late for Lois. We had dinner plans for 5 o'clock."

A cry for help reaches Superman's ears. "Hopefully this won't take long. I'd hate to keep Lois waiting. " Superman flies towards the scream for help."

Over at the Daily Bugle:

"Lex, I'm telling you that Spider-Man is a menace! He's a glory hound out for his own gain!" J. Jonah Jameson is pacing back and forth behind his desk. "I know that you..."

"Mr. Jameson! Mr. Jameson!" Foswell, the crime reporter for the Daily Bugle runs into Jameson's office.

"This better be important, Foswell! I'm meeting with Lex Luthor! You know, the guy who owns the Bugle!"

"It is, sir. There's a report coming in that Spider-Man is wrecking the movie set for `Arak Vs. Arkon'."

"Are you sure?" Jameson smiles like a kid in a candy store.

"Three calls all said the same thing."

"Then what are you doing in my office!? Get down there!! Get down there now!!" Foswell runs out of Jameson's office. "This is it. I can feel it. I've finally got Spider-Man where I want him."

Lex Luthor smiles and thinks to himself "Why can't something like this happen to Superman? I bought this paper to put a negative spin on superheroes. Once I saw Jameson's editorials about Spider-Man I knew I could use this paper. Unfortunately, the fool seems to respect Superman. I'll have to find a way to change that."

"You know what's even better?" Jameson asks no one in particular as he continues his little rant. "Parker's there getting photos. He'll have photos of Spider-Man's downfall! I knew I was right!! I knew it!!"

Meanwhile, somewhere in New York:

A thin man with a walking stick notices Amora on a rooftop. "I wonder why the Enchantress is so interested in that movie set? I bet Thor could find out." Donald Blake turns into an alley and hits his walking stick against the ground.

BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!

Where once stood the fragile Donald Blake, now stands the Mighty Thor, the God of Thunder.

On the rooftop, the Enchantress watches Spider-Man fight Mysterio's robots. "All is going according to plan. Soon Superman will be here. Then the fun shall begin."

"And what fun is that, woman?!" Thor lands on the roof besides the Enchantress.

"Thor! How... What..."

"I'll ask thee questions. Now answer!" Thor grabs the Enchantress by the arms.

"I like it when you get rough." She places her hands on his sides and tries to get closer to Thor.

"Enow! Thy trickery is well known in Asgard. Thou shalt not befuddle me with thy wicked ways. Now answer me, what is thy evil plan?"

A Restaurant in Manhattan:

"If Peter isn't here in a few minutes he'll be late again. Well, Mary Jane, you know he's never on time, why do you get upset when he's late?" Mary Jane is talking to herself. "Peter Parker, if you're late this time, you're going to hear it from me."

"Excuse me. Did you say Peter Parker? The photographer?" Lois Lane asks from the table behind Mary Jane.

"Yeah. How do you know him?"

"Well, I don't know him personally, but I'm a reporter for the Daily Planet so I know all about his Spider-Man pictures. How does he get those?" Lois sits down next to Mary Jane Watson.

"I'm not really sure. The few times I've been with Peter when he takes the pictures, he leaves me to get a better shot. My guess is that it's pure luck."

"If you don't mind, I'd like to talk to you until my date shows up. He tends to be late just like your friend Parker." Lois smiles. Mary Jane smiles back. Lois thinks to herself "Lois, you better look into this Parker kid a little deeper. He may be the key to the Spider-Man interview."

Back at the Movie Set:

Spider-Man dodges a blow from the Weather Wizard robot. "I wish my Spider Sense would work. I'm barely able to dodge some of their blows and these things hit hard. To make matters worse, they can't tire out like I can." A web flies from his hands and wraps around the Weather Wizard robot. With a backflip and a leg sweep the Blue Devil robot is dispatched. "Hey, that wasn't so bad! Hey, Mysterio, you should teach your robots how to defend simple wrestling moves! You do get tv reception in that globe?"

"You have not come close to finishing off my robots." Mysterio wonders what's taking Superman so long. He should have been here by now. "Amora, you better not have deceived me."

Spider-Man inches closer and closer to Mysterio. From out of the fog an Orion robot leaps at Spider-Man. "Ouch!" The robot tackles Spider-Man and pins him to the ground. "Darn it! I wish my Spider Sense was working. I could've avoided that clumsy tackle with both feet tied behind my back." The robot begins to pummel our pinned hero. "That's it! Mysterio, you're mine." With a violent push, Spider-Man throws the robot into the air. "Batter's up!" Spider-Man lands a two fisted punch to the robot as it falls back towards the ground. One more robot is disabled.

Mysterio spots Superman approaching. "Spider-Man, you have defeated my other robots, but you'll never defeat my greatest creation! The Superman robot!" Spider-Man looks up to see Superman flying down. His Spider Sense isn't working so he can't tell if it is the real Superman. Mysterio yells "My robot attack!"

Superman hears the words "My robot attack!" and believes that Spider-Man is a robot. The spell that the Enchantress placed on him has stopped him from thinking straight. He lands on the stage. Spider-Man, disoriented by the gas, leaps at Superman. "Oof!" Spider-Man bounces off the Man of Steel. "I don't think this is a robot" Spidey thinks to himself.

"Mysterio, this robot won't even slow me down." Superman grabs Spider-Man. Mysterio smiles under his mask and then yells in mock panic. "No! No! You can't ruin 2 months' worth of work! That robot was going to be my big payday!"

"Sorry chump! Say good bye to your prized robot!" Superman throws Spider-Man into the air as hard as he can.

"I'm no roboooooooooooooooooooo" Spider-Man flies through the air knowing any attempts to stop his flight will get him killed. Superman threw him too hard for him to use his webbing without killing himself. "I had to attack Superman. What was I thinking? But why didn't he notice I wasn't a robot? Did Mysterio's gas affect him too?"

On the Nearby Rooftop:

"Hath Superman gone mad? He hath attempted to kill Spider-Man! So this was thy plan foul wench!" Thor rears back Mjolnir and throw his hammer with all his might. The hammer flies towards the hurtling Spider-Man. "Spider-Man, grab hold of my hammer so that thy life may yet be saved!"

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Spider-Man reaches out at Thor's hammer as it flies past him, but he misses it. "Webbing, don't fail me now!" Strands of webbing strike out at the hammer and attach themselves to the handle of the Mjolnir. Thor's hammer returns to its owner with a passenger, safe and sound.

"Thanks, Goldilocks. I was done for if not for you."

"Thou art still full of jokes even though thou was at death's door? Thou art full of courage, mortal."

"Thanks. I think." Spider-Man is still shaking from the near-death experience, but he doesn't want to let on how scared he was.

"Now, Superman. Thou hast tried to commit murder. For that base deed, thou must face justice!" Thor holds his hammer above his head and lets out a battle cry.

Superman looks up at Thor. "So the robots work together, do they? I didn't think Mysterio's robots were that advanced."

Mysterio yells. "Don't just stand there robots! Attack him!"

Next Issue: Mysterio Vs. Spider-Man, Thor Vs. Superman, and our mystery villain is revealed.

Note to the Readers: I hope you enjoyed the first issue. I wanted to give a little info about the series itself. The stories in this series will be based on a world where the Marvel and DC characters both exist. The Marvel characters will be closer to their 70's versions and the DC characters will be Pre-Crisis. So there are Earth's 1 and 2. The superteams will have some mixing of heroes from each universe. Simple examples would be Captain America in the JLA and Batman in the Avengers. I'll occasionally throw in a line about past events to show how things were different in this world. One more thing, there will be a few instances where a character is closer to their current form then their 70's or Pre-Crisis version. For example, Lex Luthor is a businessman on this world. While I like the Luthor who ran around in a prison suit, I think it makes more sense for him to be as he is in today's Superman comics.

The second storyline I want to do is the Hulk on Bizarro World. I don't think I need to say much more about that one. The next storyline will be a JLA-JSA-Avengers-Invaders crossover. It'll be written like the old DC comics where the teams will break up into smaller groups to face different challenges.

So please let me know what you think of my stories and I hope you enjoy them.

Mark Beaulieu

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