Spider-Man showed up in a TRANSFORMERS comic, circa 80s. Or was it the Transformers in a SPIDER-MAN comic? Anyway, I accepted it for what it was - and found it pretty cool at the time. Yet I do remember some people saying things like, "Why hadn't there been mention of giant robots in the Marvel Universe previously?"

WTF?!

Are we privy to a hero's EVERY moment? Maybe, off-panel, the likes of General Ross, Jonah Jameson and others have mentioned giant robots - but we didn't see it (just like we don't see them taking a bath or using the toilet). 

Spider-Man teamed with the Transformers. Enough said! Why analyze it?

I was most disappointed to learn that the Superman/Spider-Man team-ups took place on Earth-63485238477 or whatever the designation is. What a pedantic and anal policy by the comic book companies. There was NO problem with the Man of Steel and the web-slinger existing on the same earth, so why create boring designations? Other than the most obsessed comic book archaeologist, who on earth would designate earths with different numbers?

Just let things be. I had no problem with Superman showing up on Eternia (an issue of DC COMICS PRESENTS). Godzilla showing up to battle Marvel characters is fine. I see NO NEED for all these bizarre earth designations. 

I like the idea that Spider-Man, the one who Lee/Ditko created, is just one. It's quite silly when I am later told by someone, "Oh, you do know that the Spider-Man who teamed with the Transformers is a different web-slinger from Earth-899282-Kiss-My-Ass.

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That was a question, one of many, that never crossed my mind, Eric.

I loved the shared earth concept of the early DC/Marvel crossovers. It didn't create any pedantic problems in my mind. After those crossovers, I never wondered where Superman was when Galactus returned - or anything like that.

Same with Spider-Man/Transformers. I never wondered to myself, 'Well, where the hell were the Autobots when their adopted planet was being threatened by Kang or Galactus.'

I just accepted each comic on its own merits.

I think fandom has complicated things. I lost the will to live, about 20 years ago, when someone I know, who was in "archaeologist mode", was talking to me about earths and asking how this earth and that earth slotted in with continuity.

Just enjoy the books for what they are. This isn't a science project. We're not sitting a mathematics exam where we must get the answers right. Just enjoy a book on its own merits - and if the Autobots show up in Latveria or Bruce Banner gets a job at S.T.A.R. Labs - just enjoy it! Have fun. When webs heralded the arrival of Spider-Man in a Transformers comic, the only word that came to my mind was "GREAT!". Working out continuity or wondering what earth it was taking place on was absolutely NOT on my mind!

"So, my answer to my own subject heading question is: Yes, CRISIS ruined things.  Is there any way to cure that "We can reboot anything we want--consequences be damned!" mindset that is so pervasive now?"

Unfortunately, I don't see this happening.    

The problem is they seem determined to make whatever continuity they keep work in real time, and there is just no way to do that.  

For example: Superman is supposed to be around 29-30 (although that may have changed now that he has a son), and be the first superhero of this generation, but that affects everything else.

Two problems are created:

1.  You are forced to cram more and more history into a roughly seven year period of time, which ultimately becomes impossible because other characters age and progress- Dick Grayson and Wally West being the best examples.

2.  As you keep moving Superman's debut forward in time, you become more and more distant from the golden age.  Therefore, it becomes less and less likely that any JLA/JSA team-ups occurred absent time travel, and more and more difficult to explain the "legacy" characters that are so important to DC.  We're now more than 60 years past the time when the JSA was forced into retirement, so it would be absurd at this point for their kids (who would now also be elderly) to pick up the torch and begin having adventures as Infinity Inc.  In ten more years it will be almost impossible for Barry Allen to ever have met Jay Garrick.  

As these problems become evident, the only apparent solution (for a continuity slave) is a reboot.  

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I thought that might be a breach of the rules too. I just don't want to break this list's rules.