History Main / CrossThrough

** The Excelis saga from Big Finish, in which three Doctors visit the planet Artaris at different points in its history: the Fifth (and Franchise/IrisWildthyme) in its DungAges (''Excelis Dawns''); the Sixth in a {{Steampunk}} and spiritualism period (''Excelis Rising'') and the Seventh when it's become a futuristic {{Dystopia}} (''Excelis Decays''). And then Franchise/BerniceSummerfield and Iris visit AfterTheEnd (''Professor Bernice Summerfield and the Plague Herds of Excelis'').

** Followed up by ''Worlds of Creator/BigFinish'', which does the same thing for series with less direct ''Doctor Who'' connections[[note]]''Tales from the Vault'' is the only series in ''WODW'' that doesn't star a character from the TV series (and even it co-stars Captain Yates); by contrast ''none'' of the characters in ''WOBF'' actually appeared in the series.[[/note]]: ''Franchise/BerniceSummerfield'', ''Franchise/IrisWildthyme'', ''Graceless'', ''Vienna'', ''AudioPlay/TheConfessionsOfDorianGray'' and ''Franchise/SherlockHolmes''. (The latter two are loosely tied to ''Doctor Who'' via the Bernice Summerfield audio ''Shades of Gray'' and WordOfGod saying it's the same Sherlock Holmes from the ''Literature/DoctorWhoNewAdventures''.)

* From 2020 to 2022, the {{Series/Arrowverse}} has [[Series/{{Arrow}} John Diggle]] popping up in episodes of ''[[Series/TheFlash2014 The Flash]]'', ''[[Series/Supergirl2015 Supergirl]]'', and ''Series/{{Batwoman}}'' as he tries to decide what to do with the [[ComicBook/GreenLantern Mysterious Glowing Box]] he received in the ''Arrow'' finale.

* One of the earliest examples is ''Franchise/TheDCU'' ComicBook/{{Zatanna}} origin storyline collected in the ''ComicBook/ZatannasSearch'' trade paperback, told through ''ComicBook/{{Hawkman}}'' (Vol 1) #4, ''ComicBook/TheAtom'' (Vol 1) #19, ''Franchise/GreenLantern'' (Vol 2) #42 and ''ComicBook/DetectiveComics'' (Vol 1) #355.

* The ''ComicBook/New52'' storyline ''The Black Diamond Probability'' follows the Heart of Darkness (Eclipso's black PowerCrystal) through ''ComicBook/DemonKnights'', ''[[ComicBook/JonahHex All-Star Western]]'', ''Team 7'' and ''ComicBook/{{Catwoman}}'' before concluding in ''[[ComicBook/AmethystPrincessOfGemworld Sword of Sorcery]]''.

* ''ComicBook/NightOfTheOwls'', a [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Bat-family]] storyline launching just after the New 52. The idea is that a cadre of rich, influential people have been ruling Gotham ever since its creation. Batman draws their attention by stopping an assassination, finding them, beating their assassin, and escaping from their clutches. In response, they raise an army of quasi-immortal, near super-powered assassins to strike at Batman and ''everyone'' associated with him. Every single Bat-family book faces off against a different assassin during the event, and even ''[[ComicBook/JonahHex All-Star Western]]'' had Jonah Hex encounter the Court to tie-in to the event.
* Creator/GrantMorrison's ''ComicBook/SevenSoldiers'' was this; with seven heroes all individually fighting the same threat. This was in fact enforced by the bad guys, who targetted seven-member enemy teams; if the heroes were to succeed they ''couldn't'' meet each other.

* ''ComicBook/TheFinalDaysOfSuperman'' was told through ''ComicBook/ActionComics'' Vol 2, ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' Vol 3, ''Batman/Superman'' Vol 1 and ''Superman/Wonder Woman''. The latter two can still be enjoyed as "Superman's last adventure with these characters" stories and don't really advance the plot of the crossover aside from Superman keeping his friends apprised of the situation.
%% * ''ComicBook/RedDaughterOfKrypton'' followed ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'s journey as a Red Lantern through the ''ComicBook/Supergirl2011'', ''Franchise/GreenLantern'' Vol 5 and ''ComicBook/RedLanterns'' books.

* ''ComicBook/TheFallOfTheMutants'' storyline in the ''ComicBook/XMen'' comics of 1987. The three titles involved don't directly cross into each other (The ComicBook/NewMutants were the only ones who even knew what the other two teams were up to). Instead, the books are a crossover in the thematic sense of loss and rebuilding: the X-Men's deaths and resurrection, Angel from ''ComicBook/XFactor'' becoming Archangel, the New Mutants losing one of their own and becoming full superheroes, and the subsequent formation of ComicBook/{{Excalibur}}.

* ''ComicBook/ActsOfVengeance'' in 1989-90, where ComicBook/{{Loki}}, who after all these years is still bitter for being responsible for the creation of Franchise/TheAvengers, has the world's top bad guys band together to pit heroes against villains they haven't faced before. In almost every title published at the time, the heroes face their respective unfamiliar opponents off without any thoughts that a cabal had set up their confrontations, and there are no plot developments for the Cross Through except for certain members of the cabal gettin dispatched or caught or just plain leaving, just to explain why they're missing or where they are in the finale. Said finale happened in just one regular-sized issue of ''[[ComicBook/WestCoastAvengers Avengers West Coast]]'' where Thor just declares out of the blue that Loki is the mastermind. The Avengers let a captured cabal member make his escape so the two teams can follow him to Loki's hideout, make their attack (making the remaining collaborators flee and go back to their own regular businesses), and [[CurbStompBattle quickly dispatch]] Loki, all of these happenings serving just as an interlude between the set up and the cliffhanger for the title's next story-arc! Cross Through to the end!

* One issue of the ''ComicBook/TheAvengers'' storyline ''ComicBook/TheCelestialMadonnaSaga'' is given over to the original Thanos storyline from ''Captain Marvel'', and ''Captain America''[='=]s then-current storylines, also written by Engelhart, affect his status quo in this story.

* River City Wrestling and The American Pro Wrestling Alliance technically housed members of Wrestling/{{TNA}} {{power stable}} Wrestling/AcesAndEights but as the group's primary goal was "[[AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs takeover TNA]]", this was mostly incidental rather than some important development. There were some murmurings of visiting other chapters for recruitment on Impact but this had no noticeable effect on anyone else. Ring Warriors actually did mention Wes Brisco's Aces & Eights involvement, [[SomebodyElsesProblem but didn't actually care beyond "hey look, he's on another TV show!".]]

** The Excelis saga from Big Finish, in which three Doctors visit the planet Artaris at different points in its history: the Fifth (and Franchise/IrisWildthyme) in its DungAges (''Excelis Rises''); the Sixth in a {{Steampunk}} and spiritualism period (''Excelis Rises'') and the Seventh when it's become a futuristic {{Dystopia}} (''Excelis Decays''). And then Franchise/BerniceSummerfield and Iris visit AfterTheEnd (''Professor Bernice Summerfield and the Plague Herds of Excelis'').

** The ''Worlds of Doctor Who'' storyline in from Big Finish is a Cross Through between the spin-offs. starting in VictorianLondon with ''Jago & Lightfoot'', then continuing into TheSixties with ''Intrusion Countermeasures'', arriving in the PresentDay with the ''Companion Chronicles'' subseries ''Tales from the Vault'' (UNIT) and finishing with a crossover between the Sixth Doctor and the ''Gallifrey'' audios.

** 2012: ''Infestation 2'', this one starring [[Creator/HPLovecraft the Elder Gods]] in place of Zombies, and ''Transformers: Hearts of Steel'' (A Victorian era SteamPunk {{Elseworld}}), ''ComicBook/{{Teenage Mutant NinjaTurtles|IDW}}'' and the ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' TabletopGame/{{Eberron}} campaign in place of the main IDW ''Transformers'' continuity, ''Star Trek'' and ''Ghostbusters'' (''CVO'' and ''G.I. Joe'' return for a second round).

* The ''ComicBook/New52'' storyline ''The Black Diamond Probability'' follows the Heart of Darkness (Eclipso's black PowerCrystal) through ''Comicbook/DemonKnights'', ''[[ComicBook/JonahHex All-Star Western]]'', ''Team 7'' and ''Comicbook/{{Catwoman}}'' before concluding in ''[[Comicbook/AmethystPrincessOfGemworld Sword of Sorcery]]''.

* ''ComicBook/TheFallOfTheMutants'' storyline in the ''ComicBook/XMen'' comics of 1987. The three titles involved don't directly cross into each other (The ComicBook/NewMutants were the only ones who even knew what the other two teams were up to). Instead, the books are a crossover in the thematic sense of loss and rebuilding: the X-Men's deaths and resurrection, Angel from ''ComicBook/XFactor'' becoming Archangel, the New Mutants losing one of their own and becoming full superheroes, and the subsequent formation of Comicbook/{{Excalibur}}.

* In 2012, Marvel ran a ''ComicBook/ClanDestine'' story by Alan Davis through the ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'', ''ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}'' and ''Comicbook/{{Wolverine}}'' annuals.

* ''Comicbook/TwoThousandAD'':

** 2011: ''Infestation'', in which an attempt by IDW's own ''Covert Vampiric Operations'' to contain an interdimensional breach of {{hive mind}}ed zombies from the ''Comicbook/ZombiesVsRobots'' universe goes awry, [[EverythingsDeaderWithZombies allowing the zombies to infest]] ''ComicBook/TheTransformersIDW'', the Franchise/StarTrekExpandedUniverse (circa the [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries original series]]), ''ComicBook/GIJoeIDW'', ''Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}}'' and ''[[ComicBook/PocketGod Pocket God Comics]]'', attempting to bolster their strength by assimilating each world's powers. Also qualifies as a CrisisCrossover for ''some'' of the series involved, with the ''Transformers'' segment heralding the return of Galvatron to the IDW continuity following his rebirth in the ''ComicBook/TheTransformersAllHailMegatron'' codas (which is later explored OnceMoreWithClarity in the ''Heart of Darkness'' miniseries) and having a Transformer be PutOnABus ([[TheBusCameBack which would come back]] in later Crisis Crossover ''ComicBook/TheTransformersDarkCybertron''), the ''Ghostbusters'' segment serving as the launching point for [[ComicBook/{{Ghostbusters}} the ongoing comic]] and ''CVO'' seeing a major status quo change at the end. On the other hand, ''G.I. Joe'' is a BottleEpisode in a top-secret isolated setting known only by very few Cobra operatives, ''Star Trek'' is never referenced again in ''Star Trek'' comic continuity and ''Pocket God Comics'' is, being a post-event gag comic and as per the closing issue of the event, non-canon to ''the Cross Though itself''.

* The "Dawn of X" storyline in ''ComicBook/MegaManArchieComics'', which involves the ''Videogame/MegaManClassic'' and ''Videogame/MegaManX'' characters dealing with the same threat in two different time periods (for the unaware, X is the future of Classic). Interaction between the two casts only happen in the Short Circuits segments.

* ''FanFic/ShatteredSkiesTheMorningLights'' starts as a cross-through for the main characters of the [[Franchise/SailorMoon five]] [[Manga/CardcaptorSakura primary]] [[Anime/PrettyCure magical]] [[Franchise/LyricalNanoha girl]] [[Franchise/MadokaMagica universes]], all under attack by different forces of the same group of enemies. In later chapters, it becomes a more conventional CrossOver via the characters meeting at an InnBetweenTheWorlds.

** Similarly, there's a storyline about Infinity Stones starting in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'', crossing through ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'', ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld'', ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'', ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'', ''Film/{{Doctor Strange|2016}}'', and ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'', before culminating in ''Film/AvengersEndgame''.

* From 2020 to 2022, the {{Series/Arrowverse}} has [[Series/{{Arrow}} John Diggle]] popping up in episodes of ''[[Series/TheFlash2014 The Flash]]'', ''[[Series/Supergirl2015 Supergirl]]'', and ''Series/{{Batwoman}}'' as he tries to decide what to do with the [[Comicbook/GreenLantern Mysterious Glowing Box]] he received in the ''Arrow'' finale.

* One issue of the ''ComicBook/TheAvengers'' storyline ''ComicBook/TheCelestialMadonnaSaga'' is given over to the original Thanos storyline from ''Captain Marvel'', and ''Captain America'''s then-current storylines, also written by Engelhart, affect his status quo in this story.

** ''Millennium Falcon'' is one of these, following the ''Falcon'''s history through the Clone Wars up to Han's ownership of it..

* On November 3, 1994, NBC did another one entitled "Blackout Thursday", this time incorporating ''Series/MadAboutYou'', ''Series/{{Friends}}'', and ''Madman of the People''[[note]]''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'' was supposed to be part of the cross-through as well, but Jerry Seinfeld refused to take part[[/note]]. It started with ''Mad About You'''s Jamie Buchanan accidentally causing a blackout affecting the whole of New York, with the subsequent ''Friends'' and ''Madman of the People'' episodes taking place during that same blackout.

* During ''Series/PortCharles'' run (1997-2003), the Nurses Ball would start on ''PC'', then pick up on ''Series/GeneralHospital'' (''PC'''s parent show) and vice versa. Although this was a problem for markets that aired ''PC'' after ''GH'' or didn't air it at all.

* January 13, 2023 saw an hour-long ''Franchise/SpongeBobSquarePants'' event called "The Tidal Zone", which brings back the eponymous FramingDevice from "No Pictures Please" and "The Night Patty". This time, the event affects not just [[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants the original show]], but '''WesternAnimation/KampKoral'' and ''WesternAnimation/ThePatrickStarShow'' as well. During the first of these episodes, "Shrinking Stars", [=GrandPat=] engages in some RoadRunnerVsCoyote antics against his shrunken family until he falls through Patrick's time door, setting up his cameo appearances in "Welcome to Binary Bottom" and "The Switch Glitch". The night closed out with the double feature of "You're Going to Pay...Phone" and "A Skin Wrinkle in Time", the latter serving as an epilogue to [=GrandPat=]'s adventure.

** 2011: ''Infestation'', in which an attempt by IDW's own ''Covert Vampiric Operations'' to contain an interdimensional breach of {{hive mind}}ed zombies from the ''Zombies vs. Robots'' universe goes awry, allowing the zombies to infest ''ComicBook/TheTransformersIDW'', the Franchise/StarTrekExpandedUniverse (circa the [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries original series]]), ''ComicBook/GIJoeIDW'', ''Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}}'' and ''[[ComicBook/PocketGod Pocket God Comics]]'', attempting to bolster their strength by assimilating each world's powers. Also qualifies as a CrisisCrossover for ''some'' of the series involved, with the ''Transformers'' segment heralding the return of Galvatron to the IDW continuity following his rebirth in the ''ComicBook/TheTransformersAllHailMegatron'' codas (which is later explored OnceMoreWithClarity in the ''Heart of Darkness'' miniseries) and having a Transformer be PutOnABus ([[TheBusCameBack which would come back]] in later Crisis Crossover ''ComicBook/TheTransformersDarkCybertron''), the ''Ghostbusters'' segment serving as the launching point for [[ComicBook/{{Ghostbusters}} the ongoing comic]] and ''CVO'' seeing a major status quo change at the end. On the other hand, ''G.I. Joe'' is a BottleEpisode in a top-secret isolated setting known only by very few Cobra operatives, ''Star Trek'' is never referenced again in ''Star Trek'' comic continuity and ''Pocket God Comics'' is, being a post-event gag comic and as per the closing issue of the event, non-canon to ''the Cross Though itself''.

* From 2020 to 2022, the {{Series/Arrowverse}} has [[Series/{{Arrow}} John Diggle]] popping up in episodes of ''[[Series/TheFlash2014 The Flash]]'', ''[[Series/Supergirl2015 Supergirl]]'', ''Series/{{Batwoman}}'', and ''Series/SupermanAndLois'' as he tries to decide what to do with the [[Comicbook/GreenLantern Mysterious Glowing Box]] he received in the ''Arrow'' finale.

* The {{Series/Arrowverse}} is set to do this with [[Series/{{Arrow}} John Diggle]] popping up in episodes of ''[[Series/TheFlash2014 The Flash]]'', ''[[Series/Supergirl2015 Supergirl]]'', ''Series/{{Batwoman}}'', and ''Series/SupermanAndLois''.

* ''The Fall of the Mutants'' storyline in the ''ComicBook/XMen'' comics of 1987. The three titles involved don't directly cross into each other (The ComicBook/NewMutants were the only ones who even knew what the other two teams were up to). Instead, the books are a crossover in the thematic sense of loss and rebuilding: the X-Men's deaths and resurrection, Angel from ''ComicBook/XFactor'' becoming Archangel, the New Mutants losing one of their own and becoming full superheroes, and the subsequent formation of Comicbook/{{Excalibur}}.

* ''Acts of Vengeance'' in 1989-90, where ComicBook/{{Loki}}, who after all these years is still bitter for being responsible for the creation of Franchise/TheAvengers, has the world's top bad guys band together to pit heroes against villains they haven't faced before. In almost every title published at the time, the heroes face their respective unfamiliar opponents off without any thoughts that a cabal had set up their confrontations, and there are no plot developments for the Cross Through except for certain members of the cabal gettin dispatched or caught or just plain leaving, just to explain why they're missing or where they are in the finale. Said finale happened in just one regular-sized issue of ''[[ComicBook/WestCoastAvengers Avengers West Coast]]'' where Thor just declares out of the blue that Loki is the mastermind. The Avengers let a captured cabal member make his escape so the two teams can follow him to Loki's hideout, make their attack (making the remaining collaborators flee and go back to their own regular businesses), and [[CurbStompBattle quickly dispatch]] Loki, all of these happenings serving just as an interlude between the set up and the cliffhanger for the title's next story-arc! Cross Through to the end!

* The theme of ''ComicBook/OriginalSin'' was that of {{Dark Secret}}s being revealed to every major hero, mostly ones that had been kept by the Watcher; so most tie-ins ignored the Watcher part and instead featured their heroes dealing with their secret. The X-Men and the ComicBook/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy had no ties to the Watcher, as the secrets they coincidentally discovered at the same time came from other sources.
* One issue of the ''Franchise/TheAvengers'' storyline ''ComicBook/TheCelestialMadonnaSaga'' is given over to the original Thanos storyline from ''Captain Marvel'', and ''Captain America'''s then-current storylines, also written by Engelhart, affect his status quo in this story.

** ''Millennium Falcon'' is one of these, following the ''Falcon'''s history through the Clone Wars up to Han's ownership of it.
* Creator/StephenKing did this with his ''Literature/TheDarkTower'' series. One of the realities the characters cross through is that of ''Literature/TheStand''.