The Maximums is a DC Comics team of super heroes parodying Marvel Comics's Ultimates and New Avengers, including the lower-case speech bubbles associated with the Ultimate Universe and the Avengers' battlecry "Avengers Assemble!" to their "Maximums March!" They are based in San Francisco. They were introduced in Superman/Batman #20 (June 2005) as inhabitants of an alternate world. It was eventually revealed they had been created by the Joker and Mr. Mxyzptlk. Origin The Maximums were creations of the Joker and Mr. Mxyzptlk. They imagined a U.S. government sanctioned superhero team from a parallel world. In the middle of a battle with the Axis of Evil, the Maximums encountered Superman and Batman from an alternate timeline, whom they claimed that Skyscraper murdered their Lois Lane. Superman kills Skyscraper and after the ensuing battle with the Maximums, escape via Boom Tube. With mysterious information provided by their fallen comrade, Bowman (who was actually impersonated by the Joker), the Maximums track Superman and Batman to their reality. While Batman and Superman are fighting the Atomic Skull who was stealing a briefcase with radioactive materials in it from Wayne Tech, the Maximums appear, seeking revenge. The Soldier fires a bullet at the Skull, and it passes through Superman's hand and causing the Skull to violently release a large amount of radiation that Superman acts to contain. Although Robot observes Superman's heroic act, Viking will have none of it. Soldier and Monster attempt to subdue Batman when Batzarro intervened, blinding everyone with his "smoke" bombs. Eventually, the Maximums were able to capture Superman and Batman, and returned to their world via Boom Tube. After imprisoning Superman and Batman in Alcatraz prison, the Maximums were underestimated by the heroes who they then easily escaped their prison. Superman fought Viking and Robot, who the latter no longer believed that they murdered Skyscraper, while Batman was attacked and defeated by Wolfen. However, the Bowman/Joker visited Lex Luthor and returned to the Maximums reality and releases the Kryptonite Man into an imprisoned Batman, possessing him. The Kryptonite Man-possessed Batman fought with Superman while the Maximums argued over their fate. Superman used Robot's exterior armor to encase K-Man and force him out of Batman's body. Immediately thereafter, Bizarro and Batzarro appeared and attempted to rescue their idols to safety, but only for Batzarro to be stranded in the Maximums' reality. Both Joker and Mxy then anticipated in having the Maximums