The Flash and The Whizzer

I used this pairing as a back-up story on a previous cover, and I wanted to give them their own issue.  I really miss the classic Jay Garrick in the current DCU.  The new young version  the pages of Earth-2 just isn't the same for me.  I liked the elder statesmen role that he provided, along with Ted Grant and Alan Scott.  Plus, he's got a winged helmet, and I like winged helmets!

Thor and Steel

John Henry Irons was my favorite thing to come out of the Death of Superman event.  Here was a character inspired by the Man of Steel without being a simple copy of him with a gender or age change.  I'm not sure what he is up to in the New 52, but I hope he finds a place to shine. It would be cool to see him compare red capes and hammers with Thor one day.  I imagine this would be one of those fake-out covers, where the story would end with Thor and Odin presenting Steel with an Uru hammer to call his own.

Iron Fist and Robin

I was glad when I heard that Power Man and Iron Fist were going to be a part of  the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon, but upon checking the show out, they aren't quite the characters we know from the comics.  Sure, the powers are there, but these are youthified versions of the Heroes for Hire to go along with the show's overall attempt at attracting a younger-skewing demographic.  It's a fun little show for what it is, but it really makes me hope for a more accurate depiction of Danny Rand and Luke Cage on the big or small screens.

Tim Drake has shown up in Young Justice, which has done a much better job of presenting the characters from the comics... and of course that show just got cancelled, along with Green Lantern! It's really a shame because I was enjoying both but The Cartoon Network's erratic episode scheduling never gave them a fair chance to build an audience.

Justice Society of America and Captain America

Out of all of Marvel's Characters, I think that Captain America would work the best in the DC Universe.  I don't know if it is his wartime origins or his unashamedly heroic personality, but he seems like he would be just as effective at leading the JLA or JSA as he does the Avengers or the Invaders.  It's probably his ability to see the best in others, and inspire them to bring it out. Whatever the reason, it would be interesting to see how he would interact with comicdom's first ever superhero team.

Wonder Woman and Asterix

I didn't have too much exposure to Asterix as a kid, but when I finally saw some of his adventures, they impressed me as much as the Tintin books I loved so much.  Like Tintin, these were lavishly illustrated, long stories with much better printing and paper than I was used to with the comics of the day.  In a time before graphic novels, glossy paper and computer coloring, they really stood out.

The Huntress and Spider-Man

The Huntress has had various costumes over the years, and the one I used for this cover is my favorite.  I never understood the design she wore during her time with the Birds of Prey that for some reason had a hole cut out to expose her midriff.  I mean, maybe she wanted to show off her rock hard abs, but leaving your gut unprotected seems like an odd choice for someone who goes up against armed criminals so often.  I liked when she went with the above design, as it is functional and mixes the looks of her parents, Batman and Catwoman.

The Spectre and Doctor Who

Tom Baker is still my favorite incarnation of Doctor who, although I quite liked the Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant versions as well.  I'm not sure what it is about the latest Doctor, Matt Smith, but he just misses the mark for me.  I recently watched the newest Christmas Special, and by the end I was hoping for another regeneration, but it looks like Smith will be staying in the role a bit longer.  It's not a deal breaker for me, because the show is still filled with a ton of imagination and Dr. Who has one of the best rogues galleries outside of comics.

Has the Spectre appeared in the New 52 yet?  I don't think I have heard anything yet, but I am sure that it is only a matter of time. When he does show up, it will be interesting to see what his appearance will look like and who his host will be.  Let's hope he will be goatee-free this time around.

Deadman and Doctor Strange

Deadman has always been one of my favorite characters and I am very glad to see the increased exposure that he has gotten in the past few years.  I even read that a Deadman TV series is in development, which could be very cool.  The only thing is that the series is in development by the CW Network - and judging by Arrow and Smallville, they seem to like stripping away most of the superhero aspects which makes their shows feel like watered-down versions of the source material to me.  So, I think it's doubtful that we will see anything close to Boston Brand's classic appearance.  I think not using it would be foolish, because he has a perfect reason to appear in that outfit (it's the circus performance costume he was killed in).

Ambush Bug Vs. Deadpool

I think that both of these characters serve an important function for the DC and Marvel comics lines. More than just humorous characters, they are very meta and can comment directly on what's going on in the comic book world they operate in. The fact that they seem to know they are comic book characters allows them to react to the various fads and cliches that the genre goes through.  As seriously as we fans want our hobby to be taken, there is certainly plenty to parody, and it's good that we have guys like these to help us laugh at ourselves.

Blue Beetle and Spider-Man in "Bugjacked!"

I teamed Spider-Man with the Dan Garrett Blue Beetle before, but this is the pairing that I would really like to see.  I still miss Ted Kord in the DCU, and I don't see any reason that he and Jaime Reyes can't operate at the same time.  Of course, even Peter Parker has been killed off and replaced these days (in two separate universes, no less!), so Ted Kord is in good company.  The clear difference is that we all know that Parker will be back one way or another by the time his next film is out, but Kord's fate seems a lot more permanent.    Hopefully, he will have a chance to return sometime down the line.

Animal Man and Ant-Man

Of all of the Marvel films on the horizon, the one I am most curious about is Edgar Wright's Ant-Man film.  Wright is mostly known for his comedies, but he insists this film will not be a parody.  I hear there was some impressive test footage shot as a proof of concept and I hope that is released on the web soon so that we could get an idea of what Wright has in mind.  Will frequent collaborator Simon Pegg be playing Hank Pym?  Will The Wasp be involved? Hopefully we will learn some of these answers soon.

The Watcher and Star Wars

It's going to be very interesting to see what happens with the Star Wars franchise now that it is under Disney's management.  I have heard talk of new comics. cartoons and TV shows, but what I am really looking forward to is Episode VII.  Mark Hamill is a well known comic book fan and has contributed to the genre over the years through his work as the voice of The Joker and other characters as well as comic book based appearances on shows like The Flash and a great episode of Amazing Stories.  Hamill even Directed and starred in 2004's mockumentary Comic Book: The Movie.  It will be great to see him involved in such a high profile project again when the new film comes out.

FX and The Thing

The Mini-Series FX was a very cool achievement.  John Byrne mentioned that he was willing to create full-comic commissions, and Wayne Osborne went ahead and collaborated with him for a full six issue mini-series.  It's a great read that combines modern sensibilities with a Bronze Age comic vibe, and I highly recommend checking it out.  I have had some interaction with Wayne, and he is one of the nicest guys around and a big time comics fan. It's great to see a fellow enthusiast able to follow through on his dream the way he did.   There was a follow up graphic novel, FX: The Lost Land with art by Uko Smith.  Hopefully we will see more in the future.

Wonder Woman and She-Hulk

I was worried that She-Hulk would get lost in the shuffle of the multiple Hulks running around Marvel these days, so it is good to see that she has found a new home in the revamped FF series.  With Ant-Man Scott Lang and Medusa on the team as well and Mike Allred on art chores, I am very curious to check the title out.  Wonder Woman appears to be one of the success stories of the New 52, and I have been impressed with what I have seen so far.  Cliff Chiang is really making an impression on the character and in my opinion she is looking better than she has in years.

And now for a Special Announcement:  Beginning immediately, Super-Team Family: The Lost Issues will be updated on weekends as well as on weekdays!  That's a new cover seven days a week until further notice, so make sure you stop by every day for the latest lost issue!

Killer Croc Vs. The Lizard

The Amazing Spider-Man had a few moments, but for the most part it was a big miss for me.  The origin stuff   felt redundant, but I knew that would be the case going in.  I was really looking forward to seeing the Lizard, and unfortunately that's where the movie really falls apart.  The  look just did not work for me, I really wish they had stuck to the lab coat and jeans from the comics.  Rhys Ifans is a fine actor, but his voice in Lizard form was completely off for the character... he could have at least emphasized the "S" sounds!  And don't get me started on the Lizard's master plan... he wants to transform other people into lizards - and then what?  I can't say I have much confidence that Electro with be any more faithful to the comics in the sequel.

Stay tuned tomorrow for a special announcement from Super-Team Family: The Lost Issues!

Green Lantern and The Fantastic Four

I was always creeped out in a good way by Starro the Conqueror.  That giant eye hovering in the sky was even cool than Galactus to me.  The visual of the mini-Starros mind-controlling the populace by wrapping themselves around the heads of their victims is a great one.  I have to wonder if the guys who designed the Xenomorph face-huggers in Alien were inspired by some old JLA issues.  I understand that Darkseid will be the villain in the upcoming Justice League film, and that should be cool - but part of me wishes they would have stuck with the League's actual first villain.

Superman and The Human Torch

I appreciated the nod to the original Human Torch in Captain America: The First Avenger - you can see his robotic body encased in glass at the World's Fair - but it might have made for a cool moment to have him actually show up.  The producers teased an Invaders appearance but that was not to be.  Maybe a newspaper headline featuring Cap and two "mysterious allies" could have been featured during one of the montage sequences.  It might be that the Namor and Torch movie rights are tied up with the Fantastic Four though, and the one second glimpse of Jim Hammond was all they could get away with.

Beavis & Butt-Head and The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers

I got  some laughs out of Beavis and Butt-Head whn they first appeared, so I checked out their recent revival out of curiosity.  I must admit that I found myself laughing out loud quite a bit, and I think I enjoyed the new episodes more than the original ones.  I'm hoping that another season is in the works.

I remember seeing underground comix for the first time and them making quite an impression on me.  I was still young enough that the sex and drug humor went right over my head for the most part, but just the fact that it showed a broader diversity of artistic styles and subject matter than what I was used to really opened up my eyes as to what illustrated storytelling could be.  I think we could definitely use some subversive heroes like the Freak Brothers these days.

Rorschach and The Avengers

When the Before Watchmen titles were announced by DC, I was as wary as most fans were.  Watchmen is a modern classic, and nobody wanted to see it tarnished for a quick cash grabbing event.  I decided to trade/digital wait on these and see what the reviews and previews were like before determining which of the titles to pick up.  DC fortunately stacked the deck with many of my favorite creators currently working in comics like Darwyn Cooke, Amanda Conner and the Kuberts.  Everything I have seen and read looks to be very well done, and I will definitely be checking out most if not all of the titles.

Transformers and The Iron Giant

Just when I thought Michael Bay had said all he wanted to about Transformers, it seems that he is going to continue the franchise, now to be headed by Mark Wahlberg.  I liked the first film as a big splashy summer pic, but the two sequels seemed overly long and redundant, hampered by juvenile humor.  Still, they made a bajillion bucks so it shouldn't be too surprising that a fourth installment is in the works.  Will Bay finally give us the darker, edgier film he has been promising, or will he stick with the formula that has been raking in the bucks?  I guess we will have to wait to seem some footage to make a judgment.

Cloak & Dagger and Boba Fett

I have wanted to feature the very cool artwork of Skottie Young on here for some time, but he has such a signature style that it is hard to mesh it with the work of other illustrators.  I have admired his work for quite some time, his scratchy style gives everything a sense of life and movement.  He seems to be at home with a wide range of subject types, be they magical, horrific or whimsical.  Hopefully we will see a lot more from him in the future.

Justice Society of America and The Invaders

This team up is one of the most frequent requests that I have received, and one that I have personally wanted to see since I was a kid.   I love the World War II setting for comics because it recalls the early formative days of the genre.  All-Star Comics and then All-Star Squadron  were favorites of mine and the yearly JLA/JSA team-ups were awesome to me in a time where huge gatherings of superheroes were still few and far between.  The Invaders had such a great core line-up with Captain America, Namor and the Human Torch, that I was always drawn to their appearances.  Having Roy Thomas as a prominent writer of both teams gave me hope that we would maybe one day see an actual crossover between the two, but sadly it just wasn't to be.

Batman Beyond and Spider-Man 2099

As crazy as some of the match ups on this blog are, I do try to maintain some kind of internal continuity.  This cover is actually a sequel to one of my lost Brave and the Bold covers, which I posted way back on October 3, 2011.  That issue had Spider-Man 2099 warning the present day Batman of a corrupt Terry McGinnis.  For some reason, that set up always rattled around in my head and I wanted to make a follow-up.

Igoo, Concrete and Blok

I think that this would be a fun group in that despite their outward appearances, they all have very distinct personalities.  Igoo is the strong silent type, while Concrete would be more likely to use eloquence over brute force.  Blok brings in the youthful attitude and future perspective, while The Thing is the everyman that would unite the team together.  Between these four, I can see all sorts of possibilities for adventure.

Wonder Woman and Archie

Enjoying comics takes a definite willing suspension of disbelief.  Heroes from another planet, chemical exposure leading to super-powers, glasses concealing an identity - I accepted it all.  But sometimes Archie Comics truly strained credibility.  I, like Archie, was an awkward redhead in high school - and that's where the similarity ended.  There were definitely no hot babes fighting for my attention.  I don't know what he was doing that I wasn't!

Rose & The Thorn and Moon Knight

I always loved the concept of DC's Rose and The Thorn, and I think it is too bad that she never reached a wider audience.  I remember reading of her adventures in Lois Lane and I would always check out her appearances, which were unfortunately very few and far between - she was relegated to a few guest appearances and team-ups over the years.  The last I saw of the character was a mini-series by Gail Simone and an appearance in Birds of Prey a few years back.  DC seems to be looking for more strong female characters, so I hope they give her another chance in the New 52.

Firestorm Vs. The Hulk

I tried to keep the text deliberately ambiguous here, so fans of either character can imagine their guy in the protagonist role.  I am a fan of both, so it is tough for me to decide who I would give the edge to here.  Firestorm is very powerful and resourceful but the Hulk would probably just get angrier and angrier at "flame-head's" stunts.   All I know is that it would be a fun battle to watch and that property damage would be substantial.