"Realities ... Blending As One!": Film Texts and Intertexts in the Star Trek/X-Men Crossover Comics‪.‬

The 1998 Star Trek/X-Men crossover comic published by Marvel/Paramount highlights an interesting shift in comic book/film adaptation. This shift moves beyond simple film adaptation, where comic heroes are picked from the page and thrust onto the movie screen, to include popular TV series, films based on TV, and the comic book version of the movie. In this article I wish to address the evolving relationship between two popular media products, Star Trek and X-Men. Specifically, how the combination of the two in a special issue comic published a year before X-Men (2000) contributed to a merging of texts and intertextuality; brought together elements common to both franchises creating a unique market for both audiences; and finally, how this market was channelled through the characters of Captain Picard and Professor X (both played by Patrick Stewart). After examining the move toward intertextuality from pure adaptation seen in this comic book adventure, I explore how the teaming-up of famous characters from both franchises produces a common ground for fans and thereby creates a new market for the industry to promote. For example, the crew of Star Trek: The Next Generation teams up with a team from X-Men and, within this, individual, like-minded characters pair up: Worf and Wolverine, Riker and Banshee, Data and Colossus, etc. By cross-marketing these characters, both Marvel and Paramount are able to 'borrow' audiences and increase their own market for their products. The comic book also served as an introduction to a Star Trek/X-Men novel that was sold alongside other Star Trek and comic novels.