Mash-Up

Superman is still away from Earth on New Krypton, and Bruce Wayne is still dead following Final Crisis.  But the Superman/Batman series still has to publish a monthly book despite their absence, so the stories read like they could fit anywhere in continuity, or nowhere.  At this time, many readers started to assume that this series was no longer canon.  

Superman/Batman #60

Mash-Up part 1

Superman and Batman both find themselves inexplicably in a parallel world that seems familiar and yet has obvious differences.  Everything in this world seems to be a mash-up of two heroes, places, or things on their own world.  The most obvious example of this is the Justice Titans, a team that merges each member of the Justice League with a member of the Titans.  While trying to make sense of their new surroundings, Superman and Batman help the Justice Titans fight Doomstroke, a mash-up of Doomsday and Deathstroke.  The defeated Doomstroke reports back to his boss, Lex Joker.

The artist for this story arc is newcomer Francis Manapul, whose art would be seen soon after this in Adventure Comics, which would tie into what was happening in Superman's other books.

Superman/Batman #61

Mash-Up part 2

Batman deduces that this strange world is really just a dream, but one that he and Superman don't seem to be able to wake up from.  He also suspects that Terranado, a mash-up of Terra and Red Tornado, is a traitor.  She proves Batman right by letting Lex Joker's team of villains into the Justice Titans Tower.  Batman guesses that the power behind this dream world is Doctor Destiny, and they free the two magical heroes who can help them defeat him, Raven and Zatanna.  All the heroes wake up and remember having a nightmare, but only Superman and Batman remember the details.  At Arkham Asylum, Doctor Destiny is kept under sedation, and dreams the name Bruce Kent.

Though this was a short read, it managed to incorporate a lot of characters and history, although it's mostly fan service.  Unfortunately, we don't see this world or these characters again.

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