Steven Bates of Bookery Fantasy in Fairborn, Ohio saw our coverage of the Daredevil/Batman crossover that didn't happen (see 'Top Cow Announces DC Crossovers') and sends us his thoughts:

Rivalries can be good things.  Look at the progress made in the computer industry as a result of the competition between Steve Jobs and Bill Gates.  Would either have been as motivated to excel if they hadn't been nipping at each other's tails?  What of the 'late night TV talk show wars' following Johnny Carson's retirement?  Would TV be as interesting without Letterman's race to outstrip Leno?  And, if the box office results are any indication, Aliens vs. Predator (AVP) is at least as entertaining for fans as Freddy vs. Jason (though not as bloody as Letterman vs. Leno).

Not all rivalries are as healthy (or profitable).  Take Jeffrey Katzenberg, still bitter over his experience at Disney.  While Dreamworks has been successful enough at the box office and on DVD, critically the animation studio has never garnered the respect (such as it is) reserved for the House of Mouse.  Katzenberg's pictures often run parallel to Disney & Pixar projects (Antz and A Bug's Life, Shark Tale and Finding Nemo), or milk Disney traditions for laughs, like the Shrek films.

Marvel and DC have maintained a rivalry for four decades, sometimes friendly, most times not.  There have been parodies (Not Brand Ecch and Inferior Five), parallels (Doom Patrol and X-Men, Challengers Of The Unknown and Fantastic Four), pilfering (Squadron Supreme and 'Heroes of Angor'), and joint projects (Amalgam, JLA/Avengers).  As the powers-that-be at Marvel underwent multiple metamorphoses, DC remained relatively stable, but cooperation and conflict between the rivals fluctuated with the seasons.  The on-again, off-again nature of their relationship is almost soap operatic.

So it should come as no surprise the DC has scuttled a dream project like Daredevil/Batman.  Fans have long felt that this was THE match-up they most wanted to see, the crossover of all crossovers, and one written by Brian Michael Bendis would almost certainly be a phenomenal bestseller.  DC's decision to not work and play well with others (admittedly, the result of Marvel's pugnacious attitude) hurts not only the fans and retailers, but their own bottom line.  Sales of such a crossover would rival (there's that word again) Batman's best-selling 'Hush' storyline, or the much-vaunted Daredevil: Father, and outstrip most of the specials produced for either of the characters.  This just on name appeal; team Bendis with an artist the caliber of Jim Lee or John Cassady or David Finch and there's no telling how fast copies would fly off the shelf.

I understand pride, and can appreciate DC's indignation at Marvel's mistreatment of them on a public relations level.  But I also understand business.  Ditching a potentially best-selling comic book project like Daredevil/Batman over a few comments made on the playground doesn't make fiscal sense.  You'd have to be blind or have bats in your belfry not to see that.