Vampirella Vs. Buffy The Vampire Slayer

One fun thing that comics offer is the ability to follow the continuing adventures of characters that only had a finite life in TV or movies.  It first started with properties like Star Trek and Star Wars and these days we have comic series presenting new "seasons" of fan favorite shows like Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Smallville.  Even cooler, classic series like Batman '66 and Wonder Woman '77 are getting the treatment.

Red Tornado and ROM in "Sleeper Code!"

I am glad to see that ROM is finally returned to comics with his new home at IDW.  I always thought is was such a shame that he remained in comic book limbo for so long. I like the modern update to his design as well, I'll miss being able to poke fun at his metallic mittens, though.

Red Tornado and ROM first crossed paths in STF #432...

Batman and Spider-Man in "Rigged Rides!"

I just picked up the entire run of Batman: The Brave and the Bold on Blu-Ray and I am having a blast re-visiting the episodes.  The love for DC comics history is very evident, and I keep noticing new references and easter eggs that I missed the first (or second) time around.

Batman and Spider-Man have a bit of history on STF: The Lost Issues...

The Batman/Spidey movie premiered in STF #1014
Spidey and JJJ joined forces against Batman in Issue #937...
They were joined by some Amazing Friends in back in October 2011...
The shared a Golden Age adventure in September 2011...
Spidey wore his black outfit for their  July 2010 meeting...
And here is where they first crossed paths.

This isn't the only time The Spider-Buggy has seen action, either...

Superman and The Rocketeer

Much has been speculated about how Superman will appear once he returns from the dead in Justice League.  Will he have the all black costume from the comics, Will he have a beard?  A mullet?  At any rate, once he ultimately re-dons his classic duds, I hope we see a few changes to reflect the DCEU's proposed less somber tone - brighter colors, an "S" on the cape and a spit curl would be great to see.

Justice League of America Vs. The Dark Phoenix in: "Burn Notice!"

I'm wondering what sort of headquarters the cinematic Justice League will end up having.  I assume it will be a Bruce Wayne-funded establishment - but will  it be hidden in a cave or public in a Hall of Justice?  I'd love to see a satellite, but that would mean introducing teleportation tech to the DCEU... although with Mother Boxes and Boom Tubes in existence, is it really that much of a leap?

The Justice League has faced off against The Dark Phoenix in the past - first in STF #229, and then again in STF #409...

Captain Kirk and Starfire

Kirk has no problem pursuing beautiful alien females, so I figure that he would jump at the opportunity to join forces with Koriand'r.  He  might be in for more than he bargained for though, this is no Orion Slave Girl... the princess from Tamaran in more than capable of taking care of herself.  It would be interesting to see how Kirk relates to her.

The X-Men and Captain Atom

Every few years Captain Atom gets a re-design, but most haven't really worked for me.  My favorite look for him is the one used above.  This was his appearance for his self-titled series once he was integrated into the DC Universe with the rest of the Charlton characters.  It's a nice, simple design - just different enough from The Silver Surfer to give him a unique look.

Supergirl and Kitty Pryde

As much as I enjoyed Supergirl last season, I think this year promises to be even more fun.  Now that she will share the same world as the rest of the CW shows (thanks, I think, to The Flashpoint storyline on The Flash), a whole new world of storytelling possibilities opens up.  I am especially looking forward to the 4-part crossover that will encompass all 4 shows.

Gyro Gearloose, Dynomutt and Inspector Gadget

Inspector Gadget was a little past my cartoon watching prime, but I can understand the appeal that he has.  He definitely reminds me of one of my childhood favorites, Dynomutt.  Changeable robotic limbs and an array of hidden gizmos made the Scooby-esque pooch very appealing to my young eyes, not to mention the fact that he was partnered with the very cool looking Blue Falcon.

The Gargoyle and Green Arrow

I was a fan of The New Defenders, (as the final couple of years of Marvel's first Defenders series was called).  The stories were fun, but what I really liked was the line up - Angel, Ice-Man, Beast, Moondragon, Valkyrie and Gargoyle.  after the series ended, all of the other characters found homes in other team titles except for Isaac Christians, The Gargoyle.  He's made only a handful of small appearances since, and it's too bad because I think he is a great character with a unique perspective.  I'd love to see him featured more prominently somewhere.

Catwoman Vs. Dick Tracy

Catwoman has had many looks over the years and one of my favorites is her very first costume.  She soon switched to more iconic clothing, but there's something about the full head cat mask that I found creepy and appealing as a kid. I guess once Kyle's identity was learned by the police, she didn't feel the need to conceal her face as much anymore.

Batman and Bill Finger

Yesterday may have been Batman Day, but today is Bill Finger Day, commemorating the anniversary of the day that the Dark Knight's co-creator finally got his proper credit from DC Comics.  Thank you to Marc Tyler Nobleman, Patron of this blog and author of Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman for spearheading the efforts to give Finger his due - and for suggesting I find a way to team him up with Batman!

Wolverine Vs. Snake Eyes in "Silent Slice!"

The original Wolverine 4-issue mini-series really wowed me back in the day.  I loved seeing Wolverine finally get a spotlight (boy does that seem like a crazy thing to say now, but back then it was very true), and I was genuinely surprised that he was getting married.  It was the first time I really started to appreciate Frank Miller as an artist as well.  The covers were all great and there was an image of Mariko in the first issue that looked to me like a photograph, it was done so well.  Logan has made literally hundreds of appearances since, but none have stayed with me the way that mini-series has.

These two first crossed blades back in STF #595...

Nightwing Vs. The Kingpin

The Matt Murdock face off with Wilson Fisk in the second season of Netflix' Daredevil was one of my favorite scenes of the series.  Not only was it a nice place to showcase Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio's acting chops, it offered a hint at a potential direction for Season 3... will we be seeing a Born Again-inspired storyline?

Mon-El and Gladiator

Mon-El will be making his live-action debut in the upcoming season of Supergirl.  I am hoping his presence on the show will lead to The Legion of Super-Heroes down the line, but I suspect he will end up being yet another love interest for Kara/Supergirl. I prefer her with Brainiac 5.

Green Lantern and The West Coast Avengers

When The West Coast Avengers first appeared, I thought that it was a great idea.  There were too many members of The Avengers at that time to feature on a single team, so I loves the idea of a second group operating on the other side of the country.  I especially liked the idea of Hawkeye as team leader - he had always claimed that he could do a better job than Cap, so I was glad to see him finally get his chance.  Of course, these days, Marvel has completely overdone the concept, with new Avenger spin-off teams popping up on a regular basis.  It once was a big deal to be granted Avengers membership, now it's hard to think of many Marvel heroes who aren't a part of the team.

Amanda Waller and Nick Fury

Suicide Squad seems to have withstood some harsh reviews and has made over 700 million worldwide, so maybe we will see some sequels after all.  It's the kind of team that can really be changed up from movie to movie, so there are plenty of directions to go in.  I'd like to see Bronze Tiger, Nightshade and Father Craemer show up, three of my favorite characters from the John Ostrander run on the comic series.

Sgt. Rock and War Machine

I'm not sure why Jim Rhodes is getting so dumped on lately.  Not only has he been sidelined in the Marvel films due to the events of Captain America: Civil War, in the comics...

SPOILER alert for those not caught up...



... he has been killed off by Thanos in the Civil War II event!  What did the poor guy do to deserve such treatment?  Is he too close to Iron Man in nature - that can't be it, they keep creating new Iron Man variant characters.  Is his code name no longer considered politically correct?  Like with Bruce Banner, I am hoping this "death" is no permanent, as is the tradition in comics.

Stingray and Aquaman

I am still not sold on Jason Mamoa as Aquaman.  The Justice League footage shown at Comicon was interesting, but Mamoa just doesn't look anything like the character from the comics... not even the hook and beard phase (my least favorite look for Aquaman).  Maybe I just need to see him doing something more heroic instead of simply standing around.  If he rides a giant seahorse in the movie, all will be forgiven!

The Metal Men and Iron Man in "Sheet Metal!"

I tried, mostly in vain, to get my nieces and nephews interested in comics.  I would give them whatever beat up copies or duplicates I had on hand and they gobbled them up but soon moved on to video games and the internet and more modern distractions.  The one title I remember my niece really liking was The Metal Men.  There is something about their simple designs and personalities that really appeal to kids.  I had heard that there was interest in bringing them to the movies and I hope that has not been abandoned - there could be some real potential there.

The Metal Men first crossed paths with Iron Man back in STF #362...