Highlights
- Fortnite should expand its collaborations beyond Marvel and DC to include other comic book characters, given the changing landscape of superhero content and the success of recent adaptations.
- While Marvel has had more crossovers with Fortnite, both Marvel and DC have already provided a significant amount of content, so Fortnite should offer something different.
- Fortnite has the opportunity to partner with other comic publishers like Dark Horse Comics and Image Comics, as well as potentially collaborate with characters from the TV series The Boys and Invincible.
While Fortnite has always led with strong superhero representation, it's time that Epic Games opens the door for other comic book characters beyond Marvel and DC to add to its ever-expanding range of player cosmetic items. Given that both Marvel and DC are two of the best-known comic publishers, it was virtually inevitable that Fortnite would have added Outfits, Pickaxes, Gliders, and more cosmetics based on its classic superheroes. But with the entertainment landscape changing for superhero content, Epic Games needs to ensure it adapts along with it by partnering with then-lesser-known comic books and their recent successful adaptations.
Between Fortnite's friendly relationship with Amazon and Spawn creator Todd McFarlane recently claiming the anti-hero will be coming to one of the biggest video games, it seems Epic Games has plenty of opportunities alongside Marvel and DC. However, with Marvel's inconsistency from the acclaim of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse to Secret Invasion's mixed reception to DC struggling with its cinematic universe, Fortnite should capitalize on these opportunities to offer something different with better standing among the fans. So with several new superhero series set to release throughout 2023 and 2024, there's no better time for Fortnite to diversify its comic book collaborations.
Fortnite Has More Than Enough Marvel and DC
Though DC has had a substantial crossover with Fortnite featuring the likes of the Justice League's Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and the Flash. But much like Marvel's own Spider-Man, it's likely unsurprising that most of DC's featured characters are associated with the ever-popular Batman, including the Joker, Catwoman, Harley Quinn, and more. However, while DC was the first of Fortnite's crossovers to feature in-game events with a Gotham-inspired Battle Island location appearing back in Chapter 1, Marvel's collaborations with Epic Games went even further with both in-game content and physically published comic books.
Without a doubt, Marvel currently outpaces DC in the number of characters that have crossed over into Fortnite, with a large portion of these coinciding with Sony's Spider-Verse, the MCU's roster of Avengers, and the X-Men comics. Moreover, an entire season dedicated to Fortnite's Marvel collaboration, many of these cosmetic bundles were linked to the Battle Pass, and Marvel even released its own crossover comics with Fortnite X Marvel: Zero War and Nexus War: Thor. Consequently, Fortnite players could benefit from something different after having had plenty of content from both Marvel and DC so far.
Fortnite Needs a Different Kind of Superhero Crossover
While there has been growing discussion about audiences finally succumbing to superhero fatigue after Marvel's Avengers: Endgame, the recent surge of comic book adaptations from elsewhere suggests that all superheroes needed was a different angle. In particular, the live-action The Boys and the animated Invincible series provided a more realistic but violent perspective on the superhero genre. Coincidentally, as both are tied to Amazon Prime Video with upcoming series respectively, Fortnite is already well-placed to feature The Boys and Invincible crossover cosmetic bundles based on their iconic characters, such as Homelander, Billy Butcher, Invincible, Omni-man, and more.
But outside of Amazon, Fortnite still has other superheroes it could collaborate with. For example, Dark Horse Comics may not be well-known despite film and television adaptations of The Mask, Hellboy, and most recently The Umbrella Academy, whose fourth and final season could be celebrated with a Fortnite crossover featuring iconic characters such as Number Five or A.J. Carmichael. Though if Todd McFarlane was looking beyond Mortal Kombat with his comments from 2023's San Diego Comic-Con, then there may already be a crossover between Image Comics' Spawn and the widely popular Fortnite waiting to be unveiled later this year.
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