Two icons. One goal. Maximum chaos.
I love crossover art for the same reason I love watching two toddlers reach for the same toy: it’s instantly understandable,
quietly hilarious, and somehow reveals everyone’s true personality in under three seconds.
This series is a simple creative challenge I set for myself: pick two famous characters from different worlds, then trap them in
a single moment where they both want the exact same thing. Not “kind of similar” or “vaguely aligned.” I mean the same prize, the
same objective, the same last slice of glory. The result is part fan art, part personality test, part “please don’t make me choose.”
Below are my nine illustrations, along with the thinking behind each pairing (because yes, my drawings come with receipts…
emotional receipts).
Why “Both Want The Same Thing” Illustrations Work So Well
It’s instant storytelling
Great illustration is a frozen scene that still feels alive. When two characters want the same thing, you get conflict, comedy,
and motivation all at onceno long backstory required.
It’s a cheat code for character design contrast
A brooding vigilante next to a bright-eyed do-gooder? A fancy princess next to a storm-tossed traveler? The visual contrast makes
everything pop, and you can exaggerate silhouettes, expressions, and body language without feeling forced.
It’s a surprisingly good creative prompt
If you’re stuck, try this format: Character A + Character B + One Shared Want. It’s a character mashup generator that
practically draws the punchline for you.
My 9 Illustrations (And the One Thing They’re Fighting Over)
1) Batman + Spider-Man They Both Want Safer Streets
The shared want: A city where innocent people can walk home without needing a dramatic soundtrack.
In this illustration, Batman is perched on a gothic gargoyle while Spider-Man hangs upside down from a streetlightboth staring at
the same “Crime Map” like it personally offended them. Their body language says everything: Batman is all rigid focus, while Spidey’s
like, “Okay, but what if we also leave a friendly note?”
The fun here is that they’re both classic “protect the city” heroes, but their vibes couldn’t be more different. Batman looks like
he was born in a rainstorm. Spider-Man looks like he’d apologize to the rainstorm for dripping on it.
2) Wonder Woman + Captain America They Both Want Peace (But They Brought Shields Anyway)
The shared want: A world that chooses justice and peace over fear and cruelty.
I drew them holding the same “Peace Accord” scroll as if it’s a priceless artifact. Their expressions are calm, but their stances
are readybecause both of them are idealists who also understand that ideals sometimes need backup.
This is one of my favorite “shared mission” pairings: two symbols of what people hope power can look like. It’s less about
winning a fight and more about protecting a principle.
3) Mr. Krabs + Scrooge McDuck They Both Want That Last Shiny Coin
The shared want: Money. Specifically, the money that is currently not in their pocket/vault.
The scene: a single gold coin rolls across the floor in slow motion. Mr. Krabs is mid-sprint (claws out), while Scrooge McDuck dives
like he’s auditioning for a very financially motivated action movie. The background is intentionally blank, because when these two
spot currency, nothing else exists. Not time. Not space. Not friendship.
It’s funny because it’s exaggerated, but it’s also weirdly believable. Their entire brand is “If it glitters, it’s mine.” And to be
fair, if I had a vault of gold coins, I’d also develop a coin-based sixth sense.
4) Garfield + Cookie Monster They Both Want the Last Comfort Snack
The shared want: The final plate of “emotional support carbs.”
I illustrated a tiny kitchen table with one last tray in the center: half cookie crumbs, half lasagna corner piecelike the universe
itself is taunting them. Garfield is giving the tray a slow, unimpressed stare (the stare of a cat who believes hunger is a personal
insult). Cookie Monster is vibrating with joy and focus, hands reaching like a blue blur.
The comedy is in the contrast: Garfield wants food like a bored emperor. Cookie Monster wants food like a lovable hurricane. Same goal,
wildly different energy.
5) Cinderella + Dorothy They Both Want to Get Home (Preferably Before Anything Weird Happens)
The shared want: A safe trip home, on time, with minimal magical consequences.
This one is pure fairytale panic. I drew Cinderella clutching her skirt with one hand and Dorothy clutching her basket with the other,
both staring at the same getaway option: a “pumpkin carriage” parked beside a swirling wind funnel like it’s just another rideshare.
They’re from very different stories, but they share that urgent, time-sensitive feeling of “I need to go home right now.” Cinderella’s
countdown is literal. Dorothy’s is emotional. Either way, nobody is staying for the afterparty.
6) SpongeBob + Spider-Man They Both Want a Gold Star for “Helping”
The shared want: Recognition for doing the right thing (even if the right thing is exhausting).
I pictured them in front of a corkboard labeled “Good Deeds,” both reaching for the same shiny gold star sticker. SpongeBob looks
thrilled like this is the greatest moment of his career (which, to him, it is). Spider-Man looks proud… but also slightly concerned
that he’s competing with a sponge for employee-of-the-month energy.
This is a softer kind of “want.” It’s not greed; it’s validation. The shared desire here is to be usefuland to hear someone say,
“Hey, nice job.”
7) Darth Vader + Batman They Both Want the Most Dramatic Entrance
The shared want: Maximum intimidation with minimum effort. Capes are doing heavy lifting.
In my drawing, they’re standing in front of a mirror like two goth legends about to attend the same “Brooding, But Make It Fashion”
event. Batman is adjusting his cowl. Vader is standing perfectly still (because that’s how you win at intimidation).
The shared want isn’t “defeat the enemy” hereit’s the moment. The entrance. The theatrical silhouette. The kind of arrival
that makes everyone in the room silently agree to behave.
8) Sherlock Holmes + Batman They Both Want the Truth (And They’re Not Leaving Until They Get It)
The shared want: The solution. The explanation. The “Aha!” that makes the whole mess click.
I drew them leaning over the same evidence board: strings, notes, sketches, a few highlighted clues, and one sticky note that simply
says, “Stop being dramatic,” which neither of them wrote. Sherlock is studying footprints and handwriting details. Batman is analyzing
patterns like he’s trying to out-think the universe.
These two are from different centuries of storytelling, but they share that relentless detective energy: the belief that the truth is
there, and it’s their job to drag it into the light.
9) Dorothy + Frodo They Both Want to Finish the Quest and Get Back to Normal
The shared want: “Please let my life be regular again.”
For this illustration, I put them on the same winding road, staring at a signpost that might as well read:
“Difficult Journey This Way.” Dorothy’s clutching her shoes like a lifeline. Frodo’s holding his burden with the exhausted
determination of someone who didn’t ask for any of this and still showed up anyway.
The shared want is the most human one of all: to endure the weirdness, do what needs doing, and make it home. It’s not flashy.
It’s not funny in a loud way. But it’s powerfuland that’s why it belongs in the set.
What These Pairings Reveal About Pop Culture (And About Us)
When you boil a character down to “what they want,” you’re basically holding their story’s steering wheel. That’s why these crossover
illustrations feel so satisfying: the “want” is the universal language of storytelling. It’s the engine behind heroes, villains,
goofballs, geniuses, and snack-obsessed icons alike.
And once you notice it, you’ll see this pattern everywhere: the same motivations repeating across genresjustice, home, peace,
comfort, recognition, controljust wearing different costumes. Sometimes literal costumes. Sometimes very expensive capes.
Extra: My Personal Experience Making This “Same Want” Illustration Series (Extended)
The first thing I learned while making these “both want the same thing” pieces is that the goal has to be painfully specific.
“They both want happiness” sounds nice, but it doesn’t draw nicely. “They both want the last gold coin rolling across the floor”?
Now you’ve got motion, tension, facial expressions, and a reason for hands to reach in the same direction. Specific wants create
automatic composition.
The second lesson was about visual hierarchy. When two characters are competing for one prize, the prize can’t be
an afterthought. I started treating the “thing” like a third character: it needs contrast, lighting, and placement that makes the
viewer’s eyes land there immediately. In the coin illustration, the coin is basically the sun. In the snack illustration, the plate
is the center of the universe. If the “thing” isn’t clear, the joke collapses.
I also got pickier about silhouettes than usual. Crossovers work best when you can recognize the characters even as
simplified shapes. Batman’s profile is iconic. Spider-Man’s pose language is instantly readable. Even Garfield, who can be drawn as
a loaf with eyebrows, has a silhouette that screams “I’m judging you.” When I started thumbnails, I tested them by zooming way out:
if I couldn’t tell who was who, I adjusted the pose before worrying about details.
Another surprising challenge was tone matching. Some characters live in a heightened, cartoony reality, while others
exist in a more grounded or dramatic world. If you mix tones without intention, the scene can feel offlike two actors from different
movies wandered onto the wrong set. My fix was to create a neutral “stage” where both characters could exist comfortably: simple
backgrounds, strong expressions, and props that bridge the worlds (a corkboard, a road, a table, a spotlight). When the environment
is consistent, the crossover feels more believable.
The most fun part, though, was discovering how much personality lives in the reach. Two characters can want the same
thing, but the way they reach for it tells you everything. Cookie Monster reaches like joy has a jet engine. Garfield reaches like
he’s doing you a favor by participating. Wonder Woman and Captain America reach with steady confidence, like the goal matters more
than the competition. Those differences are what make the illustrations rewatchablepeople look twice because the body language is
doing extra storytelling.
Finally, I learned that this prompt is basically a creativity treadmill: once you do a few, your brain starts generating ideas
nonstop. You’ll watch a movie, see a character obsess over something, and immediately think, “Who else wants that?” It turns pop
culture into a giant, playful art reference library. And honestly, that’s the best partthese mashups made me pay closer attention
to what characters actually care about, which made me appreciate the writing behind them even more.
If you’re an artist looking for a reliable drawing prompt, I can’t recommend this one enough. Pick two iconic characters. Decide one
shared want. Then draw the moment right before someone says, “Heyare you going to finish that?” It’s storytelling, comedy, and
character design practice all rolled into one.
Conclusion
These nine illustrations started as a simple challenge, but they turned into a reminder of why famous characters stick with us:
they want things we understand. Safety. Peace. Home. Comfort. Recognition. Even money and cookies, if we’re being honest about our
“rough week” priorities.
And when two icons want the same thing at the same time? That’s where the magic happensbecause suddenly the story writes itself,
and all you have to do is draw the moment before the inevitable chaos.