Legion of Super-Pets and Tintin

I got a kick out of the fact that Krypto went through the effort of having a secret identity back in the Bronze Age.  In addition to removing his cape and collar, he would create brown spots on his fur with Pa Kent's wood stain - just in case anyone might see a white pooch and realize that he is the dog of steel!  Well, I suppose he couldn't just put on a pair of glasses!

The Punisher and The Creeper

This is a match up that I would like to see. These two, with their disparate personalities, would definitely clash in a way that would be fun to watch.  The Creeper is hard to kill with his unpredictable fighting style and healing factor, but The Punisher is not one to give up easily when he sets his sights on a target.  I'm not sure who would come out on top, but it would be n enjoyable battle to watch unfold.

Sub-Mariner and Starman

I read this week that the original Justice Society will at last be making their return to comics as part of an upcoming Justice League story, and its about time.  They are about to get some exposure on DC's streaming service as well, as supporting characters in the Stargirl series.  It will be interesting to see Joel McHale's interpretation of Starman.   Let's just hope that the series doesn't get a cancellation announcement after only its first episode, Like Swamp Thing!

Photon and Jesse Quick

Apologies to Rick Springfield and Paul Williams...

The main thing I really want from a Captain Marvel sequel is Monica Rambeau gaining her powers to become Photon.  Well, that's the name I use for her on this blog, they are just as likely to go with Spectrum.  Frankly, I liked it when Rambeau went by Captain Marvel, and I don't think she should have given up the title.  Whatever they call her, I hope the seeds that were planted with young Monica in the first film will blossom into the full hero we know from the comics.

Ant-Man and Doll Man in: "A Tiny Little Trance!"

One of my favorite Easter eggs in Avengers: Endgame was the glimpse of the original Ant-Man helmet in the lab of Hank Pym.  I loved the brief flashbacks with Pym in super hero mode in the two Ant-Man movies, and it would be great to see another with him using his first helmet and costume.  Maybe that's something we will get to see in a third installment or even in The Fantastic Four's Marvel debut, which at this early stage is rumored to be a period piece.

These two first crossed paths in STF #907...

Predator Vs. Worf

Predator is one of those movie franchises like Jurassic Park that keeps on continuing, even though no sequel ever seems to match the quality of the first installment.  There's something about that first outing that makes it very re-watchable.  The macho man cast, the simple yet effective plot, and those amazing one liners put it in the action movie hall of fame for me.

Deathstroke Vs. Daredevil in: "The Trial of Joseph Wilson!"

Even though the last episode of Netflix' Daredevil wrapped things up well, it's still too bad that the show has gone away, given the tease of a fully formed Bullseye at the end.  I did miss seeing Matt Murdock in the red costume, which never happened in Season Three, and definitely wanted more of that as well.  Like the X-Men, I guess we'll just have to give DD's world a rest for a few years, and then see what Marvel decides to do with it around Phase Six or so.

These two last tangled in STF #2377...

Nova and The Flash

Nova is heavily rumored to be joining the MCU as part of the studio's Phase Four plans.  This should be fairly easy to do as all the groundwork for the Nova Corps has already been laid.  I do hope they tweak the Nova costume a bit from what we have seen in Guardians of the Galaxy, the helmets looked slightly clunky there.  Knowing Marvel, I'm sure he'll get one of those magical helmets everyone seems to have that can appear and disappear with a light touch to the neck. Wouldn't want to obscure the face of their leading man too long!

The Inferior Five Vs. Galactus

I don't think that any comic fan was satisfied with the Galactus that we were given in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (except maybe the producers of Green Lantern, who made the same villainous cloud mistake with Parallax). I guess the silver lining is that a true representation of the World Devourer will not seem like a re-tread if Marvel ever wants to explore that story line again, once the Fantastic Four is brought into the MCU.

Thank you to Bob Greenwade, a Patron of this blog, for suggesting this lopsided match up!

Blue Beetle Vs. The Beetle

The Beetle was another Marvel villain that I grew to really like in the pages of  Thunderbolts.  I liked his transition to Mach-1 and the effect that pretending to be a hero had on him.  Like some of his teammates, he was able to find there was a heroic nature within him after all.  I's love to see that story told in the movies one of these days.  Another memory of The Beetle is when he showed up on one of Marvel's cartoons (Iron Man I think) and had a strong Liverpudlian accent! That gave me a good laugh.

Joker's Wild in: "Knock Knock, Who's Dead?"

I'm not sure what to make of the upcoming Joaquin Phoenix Joker movie.  It looks like a well made period character piece, but I don't know how much it will actually remind me of The Joker from the comics.  Like Wolverine, the Clown Prince of Crime is a character that works better without a definitive origin story.  I'm not sure if I want to be asked to identify or sympathize with a crazed murderer.  I'm also not sure about Phoenix' look in the role, with applied on makeup that doesn't really match what we know from the villain's classic appearance.  I guess if this is going to be more of an Elseworlds-type tale they can take some liberties.

Joker's Wild first appeared way back in STF #224...

Hawkman and Captain America "In the Clutches of the Living Mountain!"

I always got a kick out of "giant hand holding the hero" covers for some reason.  It was a common motif during the Bronze Age of comics that I grew up with and made for a striking visual, whether the hand in question was clutching a single hero or entire team.

Hawkman and Cap first met back in STF #757...

Power Man and Power Girl in: "Shattered Soulmate!"

Luke Cage's Netflix show may have been cancelled, but there is a lot of of his story left to tell.  The seeds for the formation of Heroes for Hire with Iron Fist were planted but that never materialized.  He had a fling with Jessica Jones, but in the comics it led to marriage and a child.  Then of course, there's his transition from neighborhood protector to an Avenger.  Once Marvel can use him in the MCU, they'll have plenty of material to mine.

This marks the 8th appearance of The Power Couple on this blog...

Sub-Mariner and The Phantom

It certainly seems that I am not alone in wanting Namor to come to the MCU.  A quick mention of "undersea explosions" in Avengers: Endgame has led many excited reviewers to speculate that the groundwork for Sub-Mariner has already been laid.  Alas, the Russo Brothers have stated that there was no hidden meaning in that dialogue.  Still, it shows how much interest there is to bringing the Avenging Son to life, hopefully Marvel is taking notice.

Man-Bat Vs. The Lizard

Man-Bat remains for me the Batman family character that I most want to show up in the new Robert Pattinson led movie.  With five rumored villains, surely there is room for him.  If he can't be included in the mix, then maybe he could be included as part of the roster for the long in development Justice League Dark movie, as he has been a member of that team in the comics.  Special effects technology is finally at a place where Kirk Langstrom's bestial alter ego can finally be done justice, so I hope he finds a live action home soon.

Thor Vs. Black Adam

Shazam! was a fun movie but not a huge hit at the box office, so I wonder what that will mean for the long discussed Black Adam solo film.  Will DC rethink things, or hope that The Rock can come in and turn around a movie franchise, as he has done a few times before?  I think they would have been better off having him in the first film, apparently it could have used his box office clout.

Guardians of the Galaxy and Green Lantern

The Hulks took multiple attempts to get right in live action.  The same is true with The Punisher and Daredevil, and even the Fantastic Four will eventually get another shot.  This makes it all the more frustrating that we haven't heard any news about a new Green Lantern or Green Lantern Corps movie for so long.  I think plenty of time has passed since the Ryan Reynolds GL movie and general audiences would be willing to give another iteration of the ring slinger a chance.  I suppose taking their time to get a quality production together is important though, after what happened with Hellboy, so DC's probably treading very carefully.  Hopefully we will hear of some momentum on the project soon.

Uncle Scrooge and The Phantom Stranger

Regular visitors to this blog know that Jim Aparo is my all time favorite artist (I'd say Joe Kubert is the best, but Aparo is my favorite).  In addition to his amazing interior work, I was always struck by his covers.  He really shined on DC's mystery titles.  His moody visuals and strong use of light and shadow really made the covers for Adventure Comics featuring The Spectre, Phantom Stranger and spookier Batman or Phantom stories really stand out on the racks.

The Badger and Spider-Man

The Spider-Man: Far From Home trailer got fans buzzing with Mysterio claiming that he was a hero from another dimension, introducing the multiverse to the MCU.  This is Mysterio, though, so I am not taking anything I saw in that trailer at face value. Who knows if that's even the real Nick Fury in there - could be just an illusion or maybe even The Chameleon in disguise.  I'm expecting a lot of misdirects in the story and I am looking forward to Jake Gyllenhaal's portrayal of the central villain.

Robin and Moon Knight

The agreement not to use any characters form the Netflix shows in the MCU for a couple of years takes a lot of Marvel's street level characters off the table for now.  Moon Knight never made it to Netflix, despite some discussions, so he is fair game however.  Besides, I'm betting Marvel would love to outdo Batman with their own eccentric tortured billionaire that spends his nights as a costumed vigilante.  Let's hope they bring him to the big screen at some point.

Moon Knight first met Robin (along with Batgirl) in STF #1432...