Booster Gold and Kang

Time travel in comics and films can be a tricky thing.  Each time it is presented as a story element, the laws of time travelling are slightly different.  The key is in setting down ground rules for your story and then sticking to them.  The Characters presented on this cover are some examples of where the plot device has been used effectively, for action, humor or both.  One can only imagine what kind of trouble they would stir up if they all shared an adventure together.

Captain America Vs. Deathstroke The Terminator

I think this would be a pretty evenly matched battle.  Both are adept at their weapons of choice and well versed in multiple fighting techniques.  Cap is at the peak of human perfection with the Super Soldier Serum running through his veins, but Slade Wilson has the strength of ten men, enhanced reflexes and a healing factor.  That may give Deathstroke a slight fighting edge, but with Cap being the far better strategist and having that never give up attitude, I would still give him the eventual win.

The Atom Vs. The Punisher

I'm not sure what is going on with The Atom at DC these days, but it's been years since the character has been given a fair shake.  Things began to go downhill with the Identity Crisis mini-series where Ray Palmer's  ex-wife was revealed to be a murdering psycho.  Palmer went into hiding after that and a new younger, hipper Atom - Ryan Choi - was introduced. Just as Choi was gaining some popularity, he was killed off.  Palmer returned just in time for one more big DC event, The Blackest Night, and  not long after DC revamped their entire line with the New 52.  Ray Palmer has popped up out of uniform, but from solicitation images it looked as though Choi would be back as The Atom... but apparently there seems to be an even newer Atom in the Justice League titles, this one a female.  It's all very strange and it makes it hard to invest in a character when DC keeps switching identities on us.

Band of Critters

Sometimes you have to take a break from all the angst and fisticuffs that comics usually offer and just kick back with good friends. good times and good music.  That's what today's cover is all about. Not only is this a group of some of the most likable characters, they all have an affinity for playing musical instruments.  I think it would definitely be cool to see them joining together in a jam session.

Savage Dragon Vs. Daredevil

This week the news hit that Marvel has finally regained the film rights to Daredevil.  I am eager to see where they go with the property.  They could go with a cinematic reboot, or perhaps a TV series - Daredevil and most of his rogues are street level enough to pull off on a television budget.  Whatever route they choose, it will be interesting to see who lands in the role of Matt Murdock.  My choice is still Joel Edgertion from Zero Dark Thirty and Warrior.

Darkseid Vs. The Avengers

Darkseid always seemed like he was a Marvel  villain to me.  Maybe it was because he was created by Jack Kirby, or that he had multiple superhero rivalries rather than be content to have a single super-heroic  arch foe, or perhaps it's because the first place he made a real impression on me was the X-Men Vs. The New Teen Titans one shot.  Whatever the reason, he is one villain that I think would fit right in with the Marvel Universe, and it would be fun to see what he would do when put up against their greatest heroes.

Ghost Rider and Evel Knievel in: "Hell on Wheels!"

This was one of my favorite offbeat pairings back in issue #74, so I thought I would give them another go 'round.  The last time I had a painted cover, so for this one I went for a more traditional Bronze Age comic vibe.  I used to love playing with the Evel Knievel wind-up stunt cycle (the ad from which this Knievel image came) when I was a kid - how cool would a Ghost Rider version of that toy have been?

Green Lantern Vs. Thor

Ah, Thor battling with his helmet on and Green Lantern looking like a hero and not a disco dancer, two things I am still waiting to see on the big screen.  Thor: The Dark World looks to be fun, but I don't think his iconic helmet will even get the 5 second cameo it had in the first one, a decision that just annoys me.  After the failure of Green Lantern, a sequel is highly unlikely and we will probably have to wait for a JLA movie to see GL again - which might not even be Hal Jordan.  Hopefully they will have revamped his costume then, with a properly shaped mask and much less dependence on pulsating, glowing lines.

Captain Marvel and Marvelman

I'm still waiting to see what Marvel is going to do now that they have the rights to Marvelman/Miracleman.  I have still never read the acclaimed Alan Moore issues and hopefully reasonably priced reprints will be available soon.  Will the character be integrated into the Marvel Universe?  There was some speculation that that would happen at the end of the current Age of Ultron series, but that has been since denied (although Angela, formerly of Image's Spawn, will be making her Marvel debut there).  Whatever they decide, it is going to be a big event, and I can't wait to see what creators will be involved.

Firestorm and Iron Man

Well, Summer is almost upon us and that means that it's time for all the big splashy blockbuster movies to start coming out.  At one point in my life I would be most looking forward to the latest project by Arnold Schwarzenegger or Stephen Spielberg to get the most band for my movie buck.  These days, it's all about the Superheroes.  Kick-Ass, Thor, Wolverine, Superman and the Star Trek gang are all back for another outing and it looks to be an interesting movie season.  Of  course Iron Man 3 will be kicking off the whole shebang and that looks to be one of the more guaranteed hits.  I had my reservations about the second installment, but part 3 looks to me like the franchise is back on track!  Now let's get Tony in the suit depicted above for Iron Man 4!

Green Lantern and Captain America

A lot has been reported abut diversity or lack thereof in comic characters for companies in the past few years.  Publishers have made an attempt to broaden their lines by adding characters of different races, religions and sexual preferences and that's a good thing.  I think that there has been a step backwards in other aspects, though.  With Amanda Waller being made over to be fit and athletic, we have less of a diversity in body types.  Then there's heroes like Alan Scott, Jay Garrick, and the rest of the JSA - They have all been re-imagined as characters in their 20's-30's.  The fact that DC had a crew of older heroes to serve as mentors and elder statesmen was one thing that made them unique, and now the diversity in age has almost all been washed away.  I guess they thought that de-aging would make the characters more relatable, but I never had a problem reading and enjoying their tales, even when I was a little kid.

Superman and Dr. Manhattan

Just as with some of my Marvel/Star Wars covers, this is a pairing that does not seem as far fetched as it once would have.  DC countered the criticism of creating prequels for Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen by wisely stacking the deck with some of the very best creators working in comics today. If you are going to attempt such a controversial product, that's the way to do it.

Adam Strange and Doctor Strange

One of the cool things for me on this project is to present undiscovered family relations.  Maybe it's because I come from a big family with lots of siblings. I know I have always liked movies and shows that focus on relationships between brothers and sisters.  Whatever the reason, I think that the concept lends itself to interesting story ideas, and here is another fraternal pairing that I think could be a lot of fun.

Speed Racer and The Incredible Hulk

The Wachowskis' body of film work is hit and miss as far as their plots and scripts go, but one thing that can always be counted on is amazing visuals.  Speed Racer is no exception.  While the plot is a little wonky and some of the humor falls flat, the movie is very cool to look at.  The set and costume design, coupled with the wildly inventive racing sequences make for a film that looks like no other, and on that level it is worth checking out.

Plastic Man and The Irredeemable Ant-Man

Stories of redemption can be very powerful, and it's always interesting when a character tries to make the transition from bad to good.  Eel O'Brien and Eric O'Grady are two such characters.  They also both have an offbeat sense of humor that give their adventures a fun spin.  It would be cool to see these two interact, given their similarities.

The Shadow and Spider-Man

My first memory of The Shadow was listening some old radio dramas that he was featured in. Seeing him pop up in a Batman comic was great, one of the first crossovers I ever saw. The Shadow has found a new home recently with Dynamite Entertainment, and it's cool to me that one of pulp fiction's greatest characters is being presented in new adventures.  Even cooler is that he is starring alongside The Green Hornet, Zorro, The Spider and more pulp heroes in Masks, an 8-issue mini series.  That sounds right up my alley and I plan to check it out in trade.

Animal Man Vs. Kraven The Hunter

It's good to see that Animal Man finding an audience again in the New 52.  I loved the earlier series as written  by Grant Morrison, but after he left the title, DC didn't seem to know what to do with Buddy Baker.  I can't say that I am a huge fan of Animal Man's new costume design, but I am glad he is back in his own comic.

Challengers of the Unknown Vs. Fin Fang Foom

The Challengers were known to go up against lots of giant creatures, so it's only fitting that they should cross paths with comicdom's greatest dragon!  Dragons wearing speedos are just the kind of unknown that the team would be drawn to, and you know the ensuing battle would be epic.

Amethyst and Xena

It's cool to see that DC is giving Amethyst another shot these days, between her appearances in the comics and as part of the DCU animated Shorts. She is just the type of character that has been sitting around for years with unfulfilled potential.  Hopefully she can strike a chord with audiences and continue to build her fan base.

Whenever I read an article about how hard it is to come up with a movie or TV show based on Wonder Woman, I have to scratch my head.  Didn't these people ever watch Xena: Warrior Princess?  With a few adjustments, that showed that a live action WW could easily work!

The Demon and The X-Men

The X-Men as a franchise has grown more and more convoluted over the years. It was really a revelation for me to go back and read the original run again.  Those stories are a blast to read since they lack the weight of decades of continuity.  Stan Lee and Jack Kirby laid down a great foundation that is still being built upon today.  I haven't read any of the latest X-Men series, where they original first class members have been brought to the present day, but it sounds like a cool idea.  Hopefully, writer Brian Michael Bendis is able to capture some of the magic from the early days of the title.

The Metal Men and Iron Man

I loved the first Iron Man film but was a bit underwhelmed by the sequel, which seemed to cover a lot of the same ground as far as character arcs and action scenes.  The trailer for Iron Man 3 looks fantastic though, and I am back on board.  I of course love the bit at the end where Tony Stark calls in his "boys" and we see multiple Iron Man suits speeding to the rescue.  I paused the screen to see which armors I could recognize and it looks to be an amazing scene.  My one quibble was the lack of any armor that resembled the classic look that Tony sported for decades - red & gold with hip-disks and a widow's peak.  For a whole generation of fans, that is the Iron Man Suit and it deserves an appearance!

Doc Savage and the Winter Soldier

What a crazy five years or so it has been for Bucky Barnes.  He went from being one of the few Marvel Characters to stay dead, to being found alive as The Winter Soldier.  Shortly after, Captain America was killed off and he assumed the title.  When Cap returned (he got better), Bucky was killed again at the climax of a line-wide event (he got better, too).  Now he is in his own self-titled series and his saga will be the basis for the next Captain America film, which just began shooting.  Not bad for a character that was pushing daisies just a few years back!

Black Lightning and Storm

Cully Hamner's interpretation of Black Lightning is the best the character has ever looked, in my opinion. I was hoping they would have stayed closer to his design when Jefferson Pierce was reintroduced into the New 52, but that was not meant to be.  Still, with characters like Power Girl and Zatanna returining to more classic outfits, maybe there is hope.  Storm has recently changed back to an old style with the return of the mohawk that she first sported in the 80's.  Her appearance works for me both ways, so it's nice to have a little change of pace for a while.

Superman and Supreme

Superman was the first hero and probably still the most recognizable, so it is no surprise that every comic company seems to want their own analogue of the Man of Steel. It's all in the execution, though, and while some Superman knock-offs come and go, others have been able to star in some memorable stories of their own.  Alan Moore's run on Supreme is a great tribute to Superman throughout the ages, just bursting with cool ideas.  I also quite liked Kurt Busiek's Samaritan tales, and I am glad that he and the rest of the Astro City gang will be returning via DC's Vertigo imprint.

Martian Manhunter Vs. The Cookie Monster

When J.M. DeMatteis and Keith Giffen took over the reins of Justice League, they gave us a team unlike any league we had seen before.  Humor was served in equal doses with superhero action, and it was a refreshing change from the grim and gritty trend that had been dominating the comics scene at the time.  One little character bit that they added which I really liked was The Martian Manhunter's love of "Choco" cookies.  It was a fun way to inject some humor and personality into a hero that is known to be quiet and stoic.  Not everyone could be the wise crackers that Blue Beetle and Mister Miracle were, after all.

Deadman In The Marvel Universe

As crazy as it sounds, there are currently two live action projects in development featuring Deadman.  The first is a series for the CW by the creators of Supernatural, but I haven't heard anything on that in quite some time so I don't know if it is still moving forward.  There's an even more intriguing movie project by Guillermo Del Toro which would adapt the classic Swamp Thing  Heaven and Hell epic by Alan Moore which featured Constantine, The Spectre, The Demon, and yes - Boston Brand himself.  Will either of these live-action Deadmen actually come to pass?  You never know with Hollywood development Hell, but I hope at least one of them comes to fruition.

Spider-Man and Darth Vader

it will come as no surprise to readers of this blog that I am a fan of lost tales and untold stories.  So the announcement of Dark Horse Comics' upcoming adaptation of The Star Wars, George Lucas' rough-draft original screenplay, has me very intrigued.  The story involves Jedi Annaikin Starkiller, a six-foot tall lizard-like alien Han Solo and General Luke Skywalker and is apparently quite different from what we saw up on the screen in 1977. I had heard rumors about this early draft for years and it will be cool to finally see it realized. This 8-issue series was announced on April Fool's day, but apparently it is the real deal (It was also announced at WonderCon the day before).

The Rocketeer and The Bulleteer

I enjoyed the Seven Soldiers event from DC a few years back.  Grant Morrison's series of mini-series which introduced and re-imagined several characters and was filled with interesting concepts and plot twists (and a few dashes of incomprehension - it was by Morrison, after all).  One of the titles I liked the most was The Bulleteer, which I thought was a cool update on one of the great classic super-heroes.  Some of the Seven Soldiers have found homes on the New 52 DCU, and I hope The Bulleteer will find a place to shine, figuratively and literally.  I think she has shown up in the background a couple of times, but what she really needs is a permanent home - Birds of Prey perhaps?

Mister Miracle and The Black Panther

It looks lik DC is finally re-introducing the Fourth World characters that they had killed off a few years back.  First, Orion started showing up in Wonder Woman, and now Mister Miracle and Big Barda look to be making their return in Earth 2, of all places.  I will say that the New 52 costume for Scott Free looks great, one of the few new designs that is an improvement over the original (and I am a fan of that one as well).  It will be interesting to find out what writer James Robinson has in store for the world's greatest escape artist.

Solar: Man of the Atom and Radioactive Man

Even if you aren't a huge Simpsons fan, it is definitely worth checking out the various Radioactive Man comics from Bongo if you love comic books.  The Simpsons has always been a comic friendly show, but the Radioactive Man comics are where the passion for the medium really comes out.  They are chock full of references to classic characters, story lines, quotes and artistic styles from the comic books we all grew up loving.  They are pretty darn funny as well!  It's clear that the creators of these stories are huge fans of the genre.

This issue marks the end of an era for The Lost Issues.  This will be the final cover created with MS Paint.  Beginning tomorrow, all covers will be created with Photoshop.  April 4 will mark the Three Year point for The Lost Issues and with over 850 covers, I am glad that I got the opportunity to show some of what was possible with a relatively simple program like Paint, even if many of the early attempts were pretty rough.  It's time to move forward though, and Photoshop has rejuvenated me.  I will caution against expecting any immediate leap in quality though - tomorrow's cover was literally created the day I downloaded PS.  So please be patient as I go through my growing pains while learning the bells and whistles of this cool new tool.

As always, thanks for following and hopefully the best is yet to come!