Note according to Jorge Gutierrez, the creator of the Book of Life and El Tigre. The characters of the show and movie exist in the same world but at different time periods so this isn't really a crossover. Also the Titanium Titan's real name is Tito.
The children of Spain gathered around to watch has Carlos, his wife Mary Beth, and their friend Wallace began to put on a puppet show for them.
"Gather around children." Mary Beth said. "Look at the cathedral and isn't it magnificent?"
"It is." The children agreed.
"It's the largest church in all of Spain and do you see those three statues up there?"
She pointed up to three statues at the bell tower. The first resembled a lovely and angelic woman who was made out of gold and jewels, the second resembled a very jolly man who was surrounded by lit candles and made out of non melting wax, and the third resembled a dark and frightful looking man who was made out of hard metal and stone.
"These three statues are of the the three keepers of the three worlds." Mary Beth said. "La Muerte the keeper of Heaven."
"Candle Maker the keeper of Earth." Wallace said.
"And Xibalba the keeper of Hell." Carlos said.
"Listen to the bells of the Cathedral, aren't they beautiful? But they don't ring by themselves." Mary Beth said.
"They don't?" Wallace asked.
"No silly." She giggled. "Up in the bell tower lives a mysterious person who rings the bells but who is he? What is he? And how did he come to be? So I shall tell the tale."
"It is the tale of a man and a monster." Carlos added. "And when our story ends I will ask you, who is the monster and who is the man?"
"It all began many years ago, there lived two orphan brothers: Rodolfo and Tito. Both boys found a home in the church where they were raised by the archdeacon at the time. However the archdeacon was a proud, self-righteous, corrupt man who believed only certain people were allowed to be given kindness and sanctuary. While Tito believed his words his older brother Rodolfo did not. He believed that everyone deserved kindness and compassion."
...
Once when Rodolfo was ten and Tito was eight, a man in rags came up to them at the stairs of the cathedral. He was dirty, weak, frail, and practically starved to death.
"Excuse me." He said. "Sorry to bother you young men but do any of you have any food you're not planning to eat? I haven't eaten in three days and I'm so hungry."
"I have a leftover half loaf of bread from breakfast this morning." Rodolfo pulled the half loaf of bread from his pocket. "Here you go."
"Oh God bless you boy."
He weakly reached for the bread only to have it be snatched away by the archdeacon.
"I think not!" He said. "Food is not to be given to people like you. Begone you filthy urchin! I will not allow you to taint the house of God!"
He then cruelly kicked the man to the ground and the poor man crawled away.
"Father that man didn't do anything wrong!" Rodolfo protested.
"He was a gypsy boy." He said. "He was filth, trash, a demon in disguise. Not worthy of kindness."
"But father the bible says 'Be ye kind to one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.' Doesn't that mean we must be kind to everyone?"
"Yes but the bible also says that 'Ye must purge the world of evil and turn away those ye see fit.'"
"With all due respect Father that's not in the bible."
"Are you calling me a liar boy?"
"No Father but me and Tito have studied that bible from front to back, each verse is engraved in my mind and that verse is no where in there."
"Rodolfo don't." Tito said.
"Rodolfo I am a man of the church, I know what God would want and he wants that vermin to starve. Now go back inside and finish your lessons."
The boys did as they were ordered.
"Why must you always argue with him?" Tito said.
"Because what he believes is wrong."
"This man has raised us since you were eight and I was five. He's given us a home, we should give him respect."
"Even if what he preaches is not the word of God?"
"He is the archdeacon. He knows what God wants."
"No he doesn't, how can he if he does not understand what God truly wanted his followers do. To show love, compassion, and forgiveness to all. Even our real father who was a drunk and a thief understood that, God bless his soul."
"Rodolfo we do not speak of him."
"Tito I know our father made many mistakes but he still did everything he could to take care of us and he did love us."
"I suppose you're right about that."
"You're right that the archdeacon has done a lot for us since Father's death but I will not turn away someone asking for help."
Years passed and while the brothers were as close as they could be they were very different. Tito spent most of his time at the church, studying to become a judge of ministry and law. Rodolfo on the other hand spent his days out in the city helping poor homeless and hungry people. It didn't matter to him who these people were: Beggars, drunkards, thieves, gypsies, peasants, rich, poor, child, adult, man, woman, He helped all of them if they asked. At first he sheltered them in his house but the archdeacon was getting suspicious so he began hiding them in the cathedral.
"Rodolfo what are you doing?" Tito asked him when he spotted his brother leading a figure in a purple hood into the church.
"Tito thank God! I need your help." He said.
"With what?"
"This." The figure with him removed their hood to reveal a beautiful woman with long dark hair and brown eyes. "Tito this is Maria."
"You! You're that gypsy woman who's always dancing in the street for coins! Rodolfo what is this trash doing here?"
"Now Tito, Maria has done no wrong. She only does what she can to survive but now she's homeless so I've decided to give her shelter here."
"But we can't let her in there."
"Tito the church is welcome to everyone and she is just as God fearing as we are."
"It's true." She said. "I promise you I have committed no sin, all I ask is that you show me compassion just as God shows us everyday."
"Very well." Tito agreed reluctantly.
"Oh God bless you both." She said hurrying inside.
"She's beautiful isn't she?" Rodolfo said his eyes not leaving her til she left.
"She's a gypsy."
"You don't know her Tito, she's kind and honest and good."
"Brother please tell me that you haven't fallen for this gypsy woman."
"And what if I have?"
"You know very well our religion is against this."
"Against what? Love? You know nothing if you think that. I have done no wrong."
As true as his words they meant nothing to his brother and the archdeacon who soon discovered Maria in church.
"Who let this trash in here!?" He shouted.
"I did Father." Rodolfo said.
"How could you? How could you let this woman...This! Gypsy into the house of God?"
"Father she is my wife and you shall not speak to her in such away."
"Rodolfo you married a gypsy? Well if you find her company better than mine than you can leave with her!"
"I've done no wrong sir but if that's what you want I'll leave because I would rather live on the streets with my gypsy wife instead of in a church with a lying priest!"
Tito begged the archdeacon to reconsider but he refused and he watched as his brother and only family left the city with his wife. A year passed and the archdeacon was soon removed from the church for his cruel ways and replaced by a more kind and compassionate man known as Tonio. Around that time Tito had finally become a judge and the head of the law. All seemed well until one night a band of gypsies were sneaking into the city, among them was Maria who was now the mother of a new born son. As she and the other gypsies slipped into the city her child stirred and began to wail, he was becoming hungry.
"Shut it up will you?" One gypsy man said.
"We'll be spotted." Another said.
"Hush little one." She whispered as she cradled the baby to her breast, swaddling him in clothes while trying to nurse him. Suddenly the group was ambushed by soldiers and they all froze in terror as a dark figure on a horse approached them.
"Judge Tito." One gypsy man gasped.
"Arrest these vermin!" He ordered.
The three gypsy men were arrested, one soldier noticed how Maria was desperately trying to hide a bundle from them.
"You there! What are you hiding?!"
He grabbed her the arm and pulled down the hood covering her face. Tito recognized her as soon as he laid eyes on her and his eyes held nothing but hatred and contempt.
"Maria?"
"Hello Tito, it's been a very long time."
"What is that you have there? Stolen goods?"
"No your honor. It's my son, mine and Rodolfo's, his name is Manny."
"Rodolfo? is he here?"
"No...I...I'm sorry but...He's dead."
"What?"
"We were attacked by a thief who carried a dagger, a blow meant for me and our son hit Rodolfo who shielded us. It punctured his heart and he died."
"My brother is dead?"
"I'm so sorry."
"You...You...You did this!"
"What?"
"You! You witch! You bewitched him with your beauty and filled his thoughts with sin! You turned him against me and caused his death!"
"You are mistaken!"
"You she devil! You'll pay for this!"
She held her child close and ran into the city. Tito chased after her on his horse determined not to let the woman who he blamed for his brother's death to escape. As for Maria she was determined to save her child even if it cost her, her life. She spotted the cathedral, realizing it was her and her son's only chance to be saved she fled toward the church.
"Sanctuary!" She screamed banging on the doors. "Please give us sanctuary!"
Tito had finally caught up to her, he sized the bundle in her arms and when she refused to let go he kicked her down causing her to fall onto the solid stone steps of the cathedral breaking her skull, instantly killing her. Tito then took the bundle from the gypsy woman's dead arms. Sensing his mother's presence was no more, the bundle began to cry. Tito pulled back the cloth covering the child's face and gasped to a baby with claws, fangs, tiger ears, a seemingly human face surrounded by fur, and two green eyes.
"By God this child is a monster!" He gasped. "And it you are just as responsible for my brother's death as she was!"
He spotted a nearby well and prepared to drown the innocent baby when a hand stopped his arm.
"Stop!" It was Archdeacon Tonio. "What have you done Tito? You've killed an innocent woman and now you're going to kill an innocent child?"
"That woman was a witch and this child is the spawn of Satan!"
"No she was your brother's wife and that babe is your brother's son and your nephew! Tell me would you honestly kill your nephew? You're own flesh and blood? How can you call yourself a man of God and do that?"
"Very well but what must I do."
"Care for the child."
"What? You're asking me to raise this little beast?"
"You're all he has now and besides you owe to him, after you killed his mother."
"Fine but let him live with you in the church."
"Live here? Where?"
Tito looked up at the bell tower.
"The bell tower. No one could possibly see him if he's kept up there." He looked back at the baby. "Because we are blood I'll let you live but one step out of line and you'll joining your mother in hell."