In January 2004, DC Comics published a one-shot crossover comic between ThunderCats (1985) and Superman.
Superman, the defender of Earth, meets the toughest 'Cats in a special Crisis Crossover event! While trying to stop Mumm-Ra's minions, the Mutants, from retrieving a magical stone equal in power to the Eye of Thundera, the ThunderCats are hurled into an alternate dimension, downtown Metropolis!
While searching for the Mutants, the 'Cats accidentally cause confusion and chaos all over town. It isn't long before the Man of Steel himself steps in to put a stop to thier antics. Can the Man of Steel withstand a blow from the most powerful sword in just about any universe? Will the ThunderCats be able to get back home alive?
Tropes appearing in the comic:
- Animation Bump: The 2004-cats get a minor facelift for the comic.
- Badass Boast: Mumm-Ra will do this in any dimension.Mumm-Ra: I will claim my quarry smeared in your blood!!!Superman: You can try!!
- Back-to-Back Badasses: Superman and Lion-O work well together in the final battle against Mumm-Ra.
- Big "NO!": Mumm-Ra lets one out after Lion-O sends him tumbling back into a portal to Third Earth.
- Bloodier and Gorier: A downplayed case, while there is little to blood during their fight. Superman manages to physically overpower the ThunderCats, even badly beating Panthro. Something that rarely ever happened in the original ThunderCats cartoon.
- The Chessmaster: Mr. Mxyzptlk, who conspires with Mumm-Ra. Only to reveal later that he'd been playing Mumm-Ra the entire time.
- Conflict Ball: The main reason for Superman and the 'Cats fighting each other is incredibly contrived. Though it's justified in due to a combination of poor communication on the ThunderCats part. Along with the Mutants possessing the power of Invisibility, framing the heroes for various crimes.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Superman vs. The ThunderCats (other than Lion-O): Superman wins.
- Excuse Plot: How could Superman and Lion-O ever team up battle Mumm-Ra? Through the use of magical dimension-hopping MacGuffins, of course.
- Let's You and Him Fight: As usual in these types of crossovers, Superman ends up mistaking the ThunderCats for bad guys and fighting them until the misunderstanding is cleared up.
- Multiversal Conqueror: Mumm-Ra planned on becoming one, but needless to say he ended up pretty disappointed after Lion-O and Superman worked together to put a stop to his plans.
- Overshadowed by Awesome: Poor Panthro; he really didn't stand a chance against old Supes.
- Power Crystal: The magical stone Mxyzptlk gives Mumm-Ra in order to cross dimensions.
- Quirky Miniboss Squad: The Mutants, the more things change the more they stay the same.
- Unusually Uninteresting Sight: Subverted when the 'Cats land in the universe of Superman, they walk around Metropolis like they're a common sight. Almost blissfully unaware of how things work on Superman's Earth. They are very surprised by everything around them as would be expected; they even comment on the smell of all things.
- Villain Team-Up: Mumm-Ra and Lantana Lin/Mister Mxyzptlk.
- Your Magic's No Good Here: Averted, the Sword of Omens (and by extension, the Eye of Thundera) works normally in Superman's universe. Though its vast power is still no match for the Man of Steel.
