The Thing and Flash Gordon

I was only familiar with Flash Gordon through the cheesy 80's film, so I did not pay much attention to the property. Years later I picked up a copy of the old movie cliffhanger serial featuring Flash and I thought it was a ton of fun. It was when I finally read the incredible stories illustrated by Alex Raymond that I truly became a fan, though. The stories are endlessly imaginative and fast moving, and the art just has to be seen to believed. It's really some of the most beautiful comic work I have ever seen and when you compare it to most other comic work from the same era, it's even more amazing. Flash Gordon brought out the best in his illustrators, and there is also some amazing work from Al Williamson, Reed Crandall (whose art I used for this cover) and others. I have heard that there is yet another film adaptation on the horizon and I hope they go back to those Raymond tales for inspiration.

The Thing and Catwoman

I was really hoping that Christopher Nolan would be using Catwoman in the upcoming The Dark Knight Rises film, since Bruce Wayne's love interest in the series is no longer. Catwoman would fit right in with the world he has created and I would love to see his take on the character. While he has not revealed who the villain(s) will be yet, there have been casting calls for a new female lead. My suspicion is that he will probably go for Talia instead, as the stink of the Halle Berry Catwoman film has still not completely washed away in filmgoers' minds and the character is a bit tarnished from it. I have also heard Julie Madison, Sarah Essen, Renee Montoya ans Silver St. Cloud mentioned as possible characters in the film, so maybe there will not be a female villain at all. Hopefully we will get some more concrete info on plot and casting soon.

The Thing and Green Arrow & Black Canary

Oliver Queen and Dinah Lance are my favorite couple in comics, I always liked that they were created independently from one another in the Golden Age and years later, their Silver Age counterparts found love. Unfortunately, editors and writers just don't seem to want them to stay happy for long. They keep getting split up due to Ollie's infidelity or the fact that he died (it's comics, he got better). I was glad to see DC finally have them resolve their issues and get married, but that certainly didn't last long. These days they are running around in separate titles once again and I am not sure of their marital status. I'm sure they will find each other again and hopefully it will be more lasting the next time around.

The Thing and Green Arrow

Time for another Kirby/Kirby cover. I was just getting into comics as Oliver Queen was undergoing his makeover from Batman-inspired gimmick hero to socially conscious leather wearing bearded rebel. Having Neal Adams illustrate that B&B issue gave the change a high level of legitimacy, and suddenly he had more personality than the rest of the JLA combined. It was fun seeing him bump heads with Green Lantern or Hawkman and flirt with Black Canary. His interactions made the other heroes more interesting as well.

I have enjoyed Green Arrow filling the Batman/Bruce Wayne role on Smallville as Clark Kent's non-powered superhero confidant and I am glad that the character's profile has risen as a result of his inclusion in the series. I quite enjoyed the DC Animated Short featuring Green arrow and I hope that we will more of him on the big and small screen.

The Thing and G.I. Robot

I think I have only actually read a couple of stories featuring G.I. Robot. I still had to include him in this project because he always has such a cool look to him. He has one of my favorite cameo appearances on the Batman: The Brave and the Bold animated series. For some reason I always love robotic characters, even emotionless ones. Writers tend to tell stories that touch on the nature of humanity when using these mechanical characters, and those appeal to me.

The Thing and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Stepping out of the alphabetical listings to present a Seasonal cover. I always was amazed by the Rankin-Bass Christmas Specials when I was a kid, I found the stop motion animation fascinating. Rudolph especially is one I can watch over and over and it never gets old.

Yes, I know that The Thing is Jewish, but that's never stopped him from participating in Christmas or even wearing a Santa suit for Marvel's holiday specials! I am very thankful for all the regular viewers of this blog and I wish each an every one of you a wonderful holiday season, close by the ones you love!

The Thing and Ghostbusters

Now this was a great movie! I just watched it again recently and was amazed at how well it held up after all these years. Some of the effects are a little dodgy but the jokes are as funny as ever. I have been reading about the starts and stops regarding a Ghostbusters 3 for the past few years. If this finally happens, I really hope that they do it right. Even if it was a "passing of the mantle" type film, I would still want to see the entire original cast reunited.

This is another team-up that just makes sense to me as the Ghostbusters also operate out of NYC. I can see Ben taking them on a trip to the Negative Zone or Agatha Harkness' place.

The Thing and Firestorm

I really dug Firestorm when he first hit the scene. He was one of the first all new superheroes created after I started actively collecting comics and it was exciting to get on the ground floor for once. The idea of two people operating as one hero was quite cool to me, and his appeal didn't end there. He was a teenage hero that wasn't a sidekick, a rarity for DC at the time, and he had a truly cool look and unique powers. I was happy when he joined the JLA and always got a kick out of it when he would flirt with Power Girl during the JLA/JSA crossovers. His solo series by Gerry Conway and Pat Broderick was a favorite as well, I think I had a couple of letters printed in the first few issues.

Unfortunately after a couple of years into that series, Firestorm started to flounder a bit in my opinion, with major changes to the look of the character as well as the the men who made up his two halves. DC had finally gotten the character back to where I liked him when they killed him off. I wasn't happy about the death of Ronnie Raymond, but I have to admit I did like the Jason Rusch version that replaced him. Now Ronnie is back and sharing the Firestorm matrix with Jason, a set up that that I quite like so far. I have been enjoying Firestorm's arc in Brightest Day and hope there is much more to come.

The Thing and Enemy Ace

Enemy Ace was another title that I did not pay very much attention to until I started looking around for Joe Kubert illustrated stories that I had not read yet. I picked up the Showcase collections and was drawn right into the stories. Very cool wartime drama that is markedly different from the stories I had been reading that featured Sgt. Rock, The Haunted Tank or The Unknown Soldier. With Ben Grimm's piloting experience, I think this would be an interesting combo.

The Thing and Elongated Man

I am a huge Ralph Dibny fan and I really hate that he has gotten the short end of the stick for so long. It all started with Plastic Man getting selected instead of him for Grant Morrison's JLA series due to a perceived higher profile. I never liked that decision, Plastic Man never really fit in there and I always felt that he stole the spot. One of the great things about Ralph was his relationship with his wife, Sue Dibny. When DC unleashed all sorts of terrible things on her and ultimately killed her, it did not sit well with me at all. The Dibny's were supposed to be two of DC's lighter characters and this all just felt so wrong. I thought maybe it would propel Ralph into the spotlight, but his big storyline in 52 was mostly him moping around until he was eventually killed off as well. All would have been forgiven if he and Sue were two of the heroes brought back at the end of the Blackest Night mini series, but they were not included. There is still a White Lantern ring floating around out there, so I really hope they are revived by the time the Brightest Day mini ends.

The Thing and Doomsday

Yes, Doomsday was the product of a huge publicity stunt, but I thought he was a welcome addition to Superman's rogues gallery. He just doesn't have enough villains that can stand up to him for any amount of time in a physical battle, without his first being weakend by Kryptonite or something. Even big guys like Mongul or Darseid usually operate behind the scenes. So, it was nice to see Superman finally get to let loose and not hold back for once. I was suprised how much I liked the whole Death of Superman storyline, especially the year that followed with the four different Superman candidates. It was very well done - unfortunately it spawned way too many sprawling epics that were more often than not bloated with filler.

I understand that DC is bringing back Doomsday in some fashion soon. It should be interesting to check out, especially if Dan Jurgens is involved. I always liked his work on the character.

The Thing and Doctor Who

A lot of friends rave about the current and recent incarnation of Doctor Who, though I must confess I have not seen an episode since Tom Baker held the title role. I remember it was on PBS just before dinner everyday when I was growing up. Despite the low budget, I used to really get a kick out of the stories, especially when Leela and K-9 were included. Tom Baker was the biggest draw though, he had such an funny personality on that program. I never seem to get the BBC so I haven't been able to follow the later Doctors, but it seems like the character is more popular than ever. I hope their special effects budgets are a little bigger these days!

The Thing and Black Adam

I have really liked the increased attention on Black Adam in the past decade. He has truly developed as a character. Starting as your basic "dark reflection of the hero" bad guy, he has shown a great range of emotion and motivation through the pen of Geoff Johns and other writers. While definitely still a villain, he has many shades of grey and his own version of morality that always make him an interesting element to insert into a storyline. I also quite like that he is no longer considered strictly a Shazam Family enemy anymore, and can just as likely show up to vex The JSA, Superman or any number of other characters. He has even built up an intriguing family of his own, with the addition of interesting characters Isis and Osiris. It really is one of the best examples of how a character can be looked at from a slightly different angle, and produce some new and fantastic story possibilities.

I really hope the often mentioned Shazam! film will finally get off the ground, because the casting of Duane Johnson as Black Adam would be perfect, and he has expressed interest in the role.

The Thing and Doctor Fate

Doctor Fate has one of the coolest helmets in comics. I could not wait for the JLA/JSA team-ups as a kid so I could see this cool magical guy from Earth-Two in action. He was all the more intriguing to me since he did not have an Earth-1 counterpart. The character seems to have had some starts and stops lately, with multiple hosts under the mask and a new direction cut short due to the death of Steve Gerber. Hopefully he will find some stability and we as readers can see some more classic Doctor Fate tales in the future.

I really loved Doctor Fate's appearance last year on Smallville. I felt that they got the costume right on and I loved being able to hear the voice of Nabut in Kent Nelson's head, advising him. it's one of Smalville's most successful comic to screen translations, in my opinion. Hopefully we will see him again before the end of the final season.

The Thing and Captain Atom

I was introduced to Captain Atom when he was brought over with the other Charlton heroes in Crisis on Infinite Earths. I followed him through his solo series and membership in the JLI was bummed when the rumor spread that he was going to be the character who turned evil in the Armageddon 2001 series. When word got out, the mystery villain was changed to Hawk - which bothered me as well, because I liked him as well. Oh well, they are both back and on the right side of the law these day. In comics, if you wait long enough, everything comes around again.

It looks like some interesting things have been happening with Captain Atom lately in the Justice League: Generation Lost series. I had been waiting to hear some reviews before deciding to get this in trade, maybe I'll have to check it out. How about the Ditko version? Is that worth reading and are there collections out?

The Thing and Deathstroke, The Terminator

Deathstroke is one of the cooler villains in the DCU. I really loved his original appearances in New Teen Titans especially the whole Judas Contract saga. I must say that I wasn't crazy about him becoming somewhat of an anti-hero in his own title though. That's a trend that never seems to work with me in comics, whether its with Deathstroke, Magneto, Venom and so forth. Sometimes a villain's reformation can be handled well, but it never rings true with the really despicable types. Fortunately, Deathstroke seems to have returned to his throughly villainous roots, and that's just how I prefer him.

The Thing and Death

I remember discussing how Death and the rest of the Sandman related characters had fallen off of the map since the flagship title ended when I posted my Batman/Death cover. Well since then, Death has finally made another appearance - in Action Comics of all places! I for one am glad that the embargo on Vertigo characters crossing over into the standard DCU has finally been lifted after so many years. I think that restriction just limited the characters as a whole. Swamp Thing especially has never appealed to me in his Vertigo titles nearly as much as when he was firmly rooted (rooted - heh) in the mainstream DC continuity. I am hoping he returns in an ongoing series soon, and I hope that Death and company will make appearances a bit more often in the coming years.

The Thing and Deadman

Deadman is one of those characters that I will pretty much follow through any title he appears in. I have always loved his look and his unique perspective on things. I am very happy that his profile has risen so much in recent years, with his apperances on the animated JLU and Batman: The Brave and Bold shows and a prominent role in the Blackest Night and Brightest Day series. Another reason to love Deadman is the great artists that have illustradted his adventures - Adams, Aparo, Garcia-Lopez... he really brought out the best in them. I wasn't crazy about the Kelley Jones emaciated version, but I have to admit it was an interesting spin on the look.

Deadman is another property that I feel could be easily developed for television. It's tailor made for a Quantum Leap-type show. They would probably discard his trapeze uniform and mask though, which would be too bad, because it looks so cool!

The Thing and Darkseid

Darkseid is arguably the premier villain of the DCU. While characters like Luthor or the Joker have more popularity and mainstream recognition, Darkseid serves more as a line-wide threat than they do. He can back up that reputation, too - Kirby went beyond even Dr. Doom and Darkseid not only has a country under his dominion, but an entire planet! His great setting and menacing visual make him ideal for animation, and indeed he has shown up on many of DC's animated series and direct to video movies. He is also the main villain behind the final season of Smallville. Thus far they have only shown him in a quick effects shot at the end of the premier episode. Hopefully when he is revealed in full, he will maintain his impressive appearance from the comics..

The Thing and Cyborg

I was interested to hear of a potential Raven series in the works for the CW Network. I am sure this is yet another attempt to cash in on the Twilight audience, but it is nice to see DC thinking about using it's characters in different iterations. Of the New Teen Titans, I think Cyborg could make for a cool solo TV series. The effects shouldn't be too tough to pull off and it could be kept relatively street level for a TV budget. Who knows, if Raven gets off the ground and is a hit they will pull in related guest stars from the comics like Smallville has and they will fin a place for Vic Stone. I haven't heard if he will appear on the new Young Justice animated series or not, but I hope so, as I really like the look of that show.

The Thing and Concrete

As soon as I decided to do some MTIO covers, this team-up was a no-brainer. It would make a fun story too, because the two characters could not be more different beyond the initial visual impression.

I had heard good thing's about Paul Chadwick's Concrete for a long time, so I picked up a copy of Concrete: The Complete Short Stories, and was absolutely floored. The artwork was beautiful, especially when depicting what Concrete sees with his enhanced vision. The stories were all very thought provoking, too. I must have read that whole TPB in one sitting, and I soon acquired all of Concrete's other appearances. I haven't seen a new mini-series in a couple of years though - I really hope that another is forthcoming soon. Concrete is one of those comics that I like to give to my non-comic reading friends to try.

The Thing and Booster Gold

Booster Gold is a character that has really been reinvented well in the past several years. I didn't really pay much attention to him when his self titled series first hit, other than guest appearances here and there. When he joined the JLA and formed a friendship with Blue Beetle, his personality really started to come through. Still he was often seen as a buffoon or a lightweight. I am so glad that Geoff Johns, Dan Jurgens and others chose to not just have him settle for that status, ad gave him the great new role of protecting the timeline. It opens up so many story possibilities and gives him a crucial part in the DCU. Best of all, since he has to do his work in relative secret, most other characters still see him as the "old" Booster - which means we don't have to stop seeing his more humorous side. His current series is lots of fun and serves as an example of how all most b-list heroes need is a coat of polish and a new spin every now and then.

The Thing and Blue Devil

I was a fan of the Blue Devil series when it first hit. It was the type of title that we don't see enough of these days - a character that existed within regular continuity that didn't take itself quite as seriously as the rest of the line. Blue Devil's stories were about action, magic, and most of all, fun! I thought the slick art of Paris Cullins set the perfect tone for the title.

Blue Devil has maintained a presence in the DCU through his memberships in JLA and Shadowpact. While I am glad he is still out there, I do feel that something has been lost along the way. He has been made a lot edgier in appearance and personality, and most of the whimsy of the character is gone. While he is still interesting to read about, I feel that this tonal shift makes him a little less unique - there are plenty of big strong tough guys around already.

The Thing and Blue Beetle

Here's another guy who would fit right in at Ben's poker table. Ted is still deceased in the comics but is one of the harder working dead guys in the business what with flashbacks, time travel stories and his appearance on Batman: The Brave and the Bold. It's nice to see him getting some post-death visibility, but hopefully DC will bring him back for real one of these days.

Apparently, the new Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes) will be making an upcoming appearance on Smallville this season. That will be interesting to see, I hope it is handled well. I did see some supposed test footage that was floating around, but that may be from a separately proposed project.

The Thing and Blackhawk

I was aware of Blackhawk from their guest appearances in more superhero themed magazines, but it wasn't until the co-feature in Action Comics Weekly that I began to follow the characters. I liked the personality that Howard Chaykin gave to Janos Prohaska and really enjoyed the sleek art of Rick Burchett on that series.

With its international flavor and wartime action, this is another property that could find success on the big screen, if handled cleverly enough. I could see it working as a period piece or even updated for the present day.

The Thing and Black Lightning

I still think it is a crime that Black Lightning was not used on The Super Friends and they instead decided to feature the copycat Black Vulcan. I think that if they had gone with the real deal then Jefferson Pierce could have really hit the big time as far as public awareness goes. I have enjoyed this character throughout the years, beginning with his original series by Tony Isabella. I also quite liked Isabella's second run on the character with the great moody pencils by Eddie Newell. Black Lightning was utilized well in the Outsiders and even though it was cool that he finally got his shot as a member of the JLA, I am glad to see him back with his first team. I encourage fans of the character to seek out the recent mini-series Black Lightning: Year One, by Jen Van Mateer and Cully Hamner. It was my favorite of the recent "Year One" titles and Hamner really knocked it our of the park with the art. I'd love to see him work on the character again.

The Thing and Birds of Prey

I think it's only fitting that Ben meets the Birds on Thanksgiving! I hope you all have had a wonderful day filled with turkey, family and football!

I think The Birds of Prey is one of the best concepts that DC has come up with in years. I have truly enjoyed their adventures, which have had solid tales by Gail Simone and Chuck Dixon that strike a great balance between action and characterization. It's another team book that serves as a worthy home for characters that might not be able to generate the sales for a solo title. I love the fact that Lady Blackhawk has found a new lease on life there, for instance. The addition of Hawk and Dove in the most recent series is a very welcome one, as well. The art can be a bit too cheesecake for my taste at times, but don't let that put you off the title - it's always been very dependable.

The Thing and Big Guy & Rusty, The Boy Robot

I think that Geoff Darrow is one of the most amazing artists ever to work in comics. It's a shame that he doesn't do more work, but maybe not all that surprising since the art he provides is so incredibly meticulous and detailed. I could stare at his pages from Big Guy or Hard Boiled for hours. There was a short lived cartoon series featuring Big Guy and Rusty several years back. I was very cool to see Darrow's creations in motion, even in simplified form. I know that Darrow does a lot of film concept work, but I hope he returns with a new comic book project one of these days - I know I would definitely be first in line for it!

The Thing and Big Barda

One of the reasons that I wanted to use Thing as the new host of this cover project was that I wanted to see if I could do some Kirby/Kirby mash-ups using some of his creations from his time at DC. Here is the first one, I have a few more all-Kirby covers waiting in the wings as well.

I was happy to see Big Barda get a lot of screen time in the recent Superman/Batman: Apocalypse animated feature. Smallville is having a Darkseid-centric season this year, so maybe she will pop up there too. The Fourth World characters seem to still be in limbo at DC for the time being, but it's only a matter of time before they are dusted off and utilized again. Hopefully when that happens, Barda and Scott Free will be front and center.

The Thing and Back to the Future

The caption I used on the Batman Beyond cover got me thinking of whether I could make a cover utilizing BTTF and this is what I came up with. I loved the film when it was first released, I still remember my brother driving me and my friends to go see it. I am even a fan of the sequels (although they missed reaching the heights of the first installment by not including Crispin Glover's character). I'm thinking Ben could introduce Doc Brown to Reed Richards and by combining Doom's time platform with the DeLorean, epic adventures would ensue!

The Thing and Batman Beyond

I would really love to see a Batman Beyond feature film. I have a feeling that Christopher Nolan is going to be saying goodbye to Batman after The Dark Knight Rises, so BB would be a good film to follow it up with. I already have the perfect casting in mind for Bruce Wayne: Clint Eastwood. All they would have to do is adapt the first few episodes of the animated series and you have cinema gold, right there.

It's nice to see the world of Batman Beyond enduring through the character's new ongoing self titled solo series. DC has been smart about taking what works well in their properties' TV and film efforts and weaving them into the comic continuity. Terry McGuiness, Harley Quinn and most recently Chloe Sullivan have all made the leap, and I am sure we will see more in the future.

The Thing and The Outsiders

Well, it looks like Ben settled into his new role! As I wrote yesterday, I am glad to see the the full team is finally back in action in the current Outsiders title. This is especially true for Halo and Katana. There are still far too few women heroes that aren't simply female versions of pre-existing male characters. It was a shame that Gabrielle and Tatsu were neglected for so many years. I hope their stock continues to rise. It was very fun to see the Outsiders team in action on a recent episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Toobad it was just for the opening pre-credits segment, it really made me want more!

The Thing and Batman and The Outsiders

I remember being very disappointed when I first found out that The Brave and the Bold was being cancelled with issue #200 and creators Mike W. Barr and Jim Aparo would be moving on to a new team series. B&B was my favorite series ever and it should be clear by now that it was quite missed once it was gone. I still loved Aparo though and would follow him anywhere, so after reading the preview story from the final issue of B&B, I gladly began to follow the new series. I loved it, first of all, it included Metamorpho and Black Lightning, two of my favorite DC characters that I felt had been woefully under-used up to that point. I also liked all three new characters, Geo-Force, Katana and especially Halo. Barr infused them all with interesting personalities that bounced off of Batman in different ways.

The Outsiders I don't think ever really fully rebounded since Batman first left the team. There have been a few re-imaginings, but I am glad that the most recent version is very close to the original team. I quite like the addition of The Creeper, I think he fits right in. Hopefully, now that Batman is back and more opening to work with partners, he will fight alongside his former allies once again.

By the way, this story is continued... Part Two is coming tomorrow!

The Thing and Batgirl

When people talk about which comic costumes have been best translated to screen, they always seem to overlook Yvonne Craig's excellent Batgirl outfit from the 60's Batman series. Not only did it look exactly like the comic version, I don't think anyone has looked as good in a superhero costume since.

I am torn on the whole Barbara Gordon issue. I really don't like what Alan Moore did to the character in The Killing Joke, but I must say that her re-emergence as Oracle has been one of the coolest character arcs in all of comics and makes for a very unique hero. There are so few superheroes with disabilities that it would be a shame now to magically heal her, which DC has resisted thus far. That said, the Batgirls that have replaced her haven't really captured my attention. I really liked the idea of Commissioner Gordon's daughter as Batman's partner. I'm not sure there's any way to have it both ways other than feature Babs Batgirl in "untold stories" from time to time.

The Thing and Army of Darkness

I've never been a huge fan of gory horror films, so I never sought out the Evil Dead films when they were first released. Finally, a friend sat me down and had me watch Evil Dead 2. It was absolutely nothing like I had expected it to be. I thought it was great! I loved the inventiveness of the action and crazy camera shots. It made me a true Sam Raimi fan. Plus, Bruce Campbell as Ash really put 150% into his performance and earned his coolness pedigree right there.

I think Ben Grimm would enjoy battling the undead with Ash. They are both unimpressed and unafraid when faced with creatures that would make most of us head for the hills, and they both like to get off a few choice one-liners as they kick butt.

The Thing and Aquaman

Aquaman seems to finally be coming out from under the "lame" status that has been unfairly cast upon him since he appearances in Super Friends. After years of writers trying to make him cooler with dramatic alterations (hook hand, teenage version, mystical version), DC has finally gotten him back to his classic look and attitude. I have been enjoying his appearances in Brightest Day quite a bit. Also, with popular appearances on Smallville and Batman: The Brave and the Bold, the character is staying in the public eye. He looks to be making appearances in the upcoming Young Justice cartoon as well.

I was always drawn to Aquaman for the art most of all. Nick Cardy, Ramona Fradon and Jim Aparo all really shone on his adventures. I loved their depictions of Atlantis and the whole undersea world, just beautiful stuff.

The Thing and Animal Man

This is a match up that I would really like to see, because I get the feeling that Buddy Baker and Ben Grimm would get along well. Despite all of the crazy and fascinating things that these characters have seen and experienced, there are still just regular guy's at heart. I think Animal Man would fit right in at one of The Thing's famous poker nights.

Animal Man has been out of the spotlight since his last mini series. Hopefully DC will rectify that soon, he's a character that I love to follow and I will give any title prominently featuring him a try.

The Thing and Ambush Bug

I have to give Warner Animation credit that between the Justice League Unlimited and Batman: The Brave and the Bold cartoons, they have been able to bring an amazing number of their characters to the small screen. Ambush Bug is really a noticeable exception, though. With his simple design and irreverent meta attitude, he would be perfect for the cartoon treatment. Hopefully we will get one someday down the line!

The Thing and Adam Strange

Now that DC seems to really be pushing their characters for TV and film, I think it is time for Adam Strange to get his shot at the big screen. It really is such a great set-up: Earth man discovers a beam that temporarily transports him across space to an alien world where he finds love and becomes a hero, only to have the beam wear off at the worst possible moments forcing him to try and locate another and return in time to save the day. I think it has all the elements so make a big time blockbuster or even a series.

Adam Strange was out of the spotlight for a bit but in the past few years he has returned in a number mini-series, specials and team books. I even like his current look, just the right amount of updating on the classic costume. I am glad that he and a few of their other space-themed properties have been dusted off to appear in new adventures.

The Thing and Batman

I think the above cover says it all. As of today, The Brave and the Bold: The Lost Issues becomes Marvel Two-In-One: The Lost Issues! That's right, The great Ben Grimm will be taking on hosting duties for the next few months, while Bruce Wayne will take a much deserved breather. This does not mean that I am done with B&B covers by any means... I will still create new ones when inspiration strikes and they will eventually be posted on this blog. But for the immediate future, I hope you all enjoy the MTIO covers!

Batman and Wonder Man

I have always had a soft spot for Simon Williams. I liked that he was an aspiring actor, as I was at one point. For Simon, the superhero thing has often been a secondary focus and he can be a somewhat reluctant hero at times - but he always steps up when he is needed. I especially enjoy his adventures when he is paired with The Beast - those two were like the Booster Gold and Blue Beetle of the Marvel Universe (indeed, well before Blue&Gold were matched up!) I'd love to see Marvel do more with them. Simon's short lived self titled series was pretty fun as well.

And now for a MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT:

When I return on Monday, this blog is undergoing a transformation of sorts. What exactly that will be, I cannot say for now, but my post on November 8 should make everything clear. I will try to have it up by 5PM EST... See you then!

Batman and Wolverine

Out of all of the Marvel/DC crossovers, I can't believe this one has not happened yet. Yes, I know there were those two Dark Claw comics that sprang out of the Amalgam concept from DC Vs Marvel, and presented a smooshed up version of the two heroes - but I am talking about a true team-up between Logan and Bruce Wayne. I mean, put halfway decent creators on the title and it would be like printing money. Hopefully if the companies enter more cooperative times, we will finally see this pairing one day.

Wolverine is undoubtedly a great character, but the overexposure got to such a degree that I stopped caring about his adventures as a whole a few years back. The fact that he is a member of the Avengers now is just so silly to me. With him hanging out with so much of the Marvel Universe, it takes away so much of the danger and mystery that made him appealing in the first place.

I like Hugh Jackson's portrayal of Logan for the most part, even though he cries a little too much and is way too tall. The films he has appeared in have been a mixed bag, my least favorite being the solo Wolverine film. I have much higher hopes for the sequel though, given the director (Darren Aronofsky) and the fact that it looks as though it will follow the storyiline of the original Claremont/Miller Wolverine mini-series.

Batman and Werewolf By Night

OK, I almost didn't post this one due to the low quality. It is another very early one and even though I found some poses that went together well, I couldn't find a big enough version of the Batman image I wanted to use. I blew up a smaller version and this was the result. Oh well, live and learn. I never made that mistake again and I feel like in the interest of honesty and completion, I should even post my dud covers. I will promise that this is the last of the early examples, so going forward the technique should be a lot better.

Of all the classic monster movies, the werewolf ones were always my favorite, so I was glad to see Marvel try out their own spin on the concept. Even better was the fact that they were not shy about teaming him up with their superhero characters, I always got a kick out of the blending of the two genres.

Batman and War Machine

I always liked the character of Jim Rhodes, especially the time he spent in the Iron Man armor, substituting for Tony Stark. When Stark returned to the role, it was good to see Rhodey continue on as War Machine. I wasn't that crazy about the armor, though - I felt it looked too bulky and that he was always in danger of tipping over from the weight of the shoulder cannon. Well, I have to rethink that initial opinion because I thought the War Machine armor looked very cool in Iron Man 2. That movie was not as good as the first and had a few plot holes, but Don Cheadle really sold the Jim Rhodes character. I hope to see more of him in the third installment.

Batman and Vampirella

A day late for Halloween, I know. I can still remember my first glimpse of Vampirella as a very young lad. It was an ad for monster-themed model kits by Revell or Aurora or one of those toy makers. It depicted the various kits you could order - the line up was something like Frankenstein, Dracula, The Creature from the Black Lagoon... and Vampirella. I knew those other guys, but who was the lady with the scandalously cut one-piece and the pet bat? I was instantly intrigued. Little did I know at the time that that model ad was probably the most chaste depiction of Vampirella ever printed!

Batman and Valkyrie

What can I say, I love characters with winged horses. I have enjoyed Valkyrie as a character since reading of her exploits in The Defenders. I think she has a great look, marrying the medieval and superhero styles together. I am glad that most writers have been able to portray her as incredibly noble and extremely strong without her coming off as bitchy, which sometimes happens with tough female characters. She fit in well with the group and had interesting relationships with the various members such as Hellcat and the Hulk. I am glad to see that she is starring in a comic again, Secret Avengers. I have read decent reviews of this title and plan to pick it up when it hits TPB. It'll be nice to see Val in action again.

Batman and Ultra, the Multi-Alien

Here's one of the first batch of covers, right when I started taking requests. Two of the most obscure characters asked for were Ultra, the Multi-Alien and Mopee, and this was the result. I confess to knowing very little about Ultra, other than that he is kind of cool looking - I don't remember ever reading one of the few stories he appeared in. I smiled when I saw him make a cameo appearance on Cartoon Network's Batman: The Brave and the Bold Starro two-parter.

Mopee I think made only one appearance in an issue of The Flash. It was explained that he, a magical imp, in fact was responsible for the Flash's powers and the idea was universally found to be ridiculous by readers and creators alike... and so Mopee was never referred to again. I'm thinking that was for the best.

Batman and Transformers

I was a little to old to get into the Transformers cartoons when they first aired. I was aware of them but I was more of a Shogun Warriors or Micronauts kind of guy. So I did not start to learn anything about the characters until the first Michael Bay film. That movie was loud and preposterous, but I must admit that I found it to be big, goofy fun for the most part. Unfortunately the sequel is a bloated mess, In my opinion. Way too long and filled with some of the unfunniest "humor" I have seen in any movie. If you must watch this, just fast forward to the robot battle parts. Hopefully lessons were learned and the third installment will be more watchable.

Batman and Tor

Without a doubt, my favorite comic published last year was Joe Kubert's 6-issue Tor mini-series. It is amazing that after so many decades in the business, Kubert is still showing everyone how it is done. He hasn't missed a step and in my estimation is in fact better than he has ever been, and that's saying something. I loved these primal adventures of a time long gone by so much that I immediately ordered the three hardcover collections of Kubert's earlier Tor work. Those were great as well, especially since they span many years and you can see Kubert's art style change throughout. He also provides a lot of insightful commentary and discusses an animated Tor that never came to be. What a missed opportunity, that is something that I would have loved to have seen. I highly recommend these books as well as last year's series (now collected) to any lover of action or beautiful comic art, you will not be disappointed.

Batman and The Black Knight

I enjoy characters that are a mix of the old and new, and the Black Knight is a good example of this. I always thought that he had a great design, especially his helmet. Another cool thing about Dane Whitman is the fact that he gets around on a winged horse - that always makes for an impressive visual. Over the years, some writers have chosen to update The Black Knight to make him more modern in appearance - trading in the cape for a leather jacket, the ebony blade for an energy sword, and Strider the flying horse for an atomic steed. I did not really care for these changes, as I prefer the classic look. I have lost track of this character and do not know what he has been up to lately - hopefully he is back to his traditional garb.