The Thing & The Vigilante / Chaselon & Spider-Man

It's a double dose of team-up action today!  I thought I would indulge myself and include a personal favorite character - Chaselon of the Green Lantern Corps.  I've said it before and I'll say it again - a sentient diamond with robotic limbs, a power ring and a mohawk is just about the coolest thing ever.  Thing/Vigilante is one of the team-ups I never got to during my Lost MTIO run, so I was glad to be able to finally include it here.

Hourman and Zorro

I always had a soft spot for Hourman's costume.  While other heroes had fancy outfits with form fitting cowls,  Rex Tyler looked like he assembled his suit from items around the house.  It looked like something that I would have put together instead of something from another planet or fabricated in a high tech lab.  Zorro had  a very simple but very effective look - his black mask and cape motif was borrowed by some of the best in the business.

Mars Attacks The Martian Manhunter

These days, audiences and readers are used to three-dimensional villains who reveal shades of gray and deep motivations behind their nefarious deeds.  That said, there is something appealing about how gleefully evil the Martians from Mars Attacks have always been.  Don't look for a spark of sympathy or a chance at redemption with these guys - they are bad and they love it!  They couldn't be further removed from DC's most famous Martian, and that difference in personalities could make for a fun tale.

Justice League of America Vs. Storm

You didn't think that the JLA could summon forth the Dark Phoenix without there being repercussions, did you?  The X-Men always stand behind their members so I can imagine steps being taken to take Jean Grey back into the fold and handle matters on their own.

Justice League of America and The Phoenix

I was wondering if Famke Janssen as  Jean Grey would be showing up with the rest of the returning original cast for next year's X-Men: Days of Future Past, but it looks like audiences won't have to wait that long to see her.  I was surprised to see her show up in the latest Trailer for The Wolverine, and I wonder how big of a role she will have there.  I still hope she will show up in X: DoFP as well - if only to allow the time-bending plot line to undo the shoddy treatment she and Cyclops received in X-Men The Last Stand.

The events of this story will have direct ramifications leading to tomorrow's cover, so make sure you check in to see what happens next!

The Star-Spangled Kid and Captain America

It's fitting that this cover falls on Memorial Day Weekend, when we take the time out to remember the brave men and women who fight for freedom around the world.  I appreciate their service and my thanks goes out to any member of the military, past or present, who may be reading this blog - you are the true superheroes!

Doctor Fate and Doctor Who

Tom Baker has always been my favorite Doctor, as he was the one I was first introduced to.  I have watched the current Doctor Who series and I really liked the performances that Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant gave in the role as well.  Matt Smith is enjoyable, but what really piqued my interest was the climax of this past season which featured (don't read further if you want to avoid spoilers)... the introduction of a new Doctor played by John Hurt!  Now I don't know if this will be for a one-off story or the new status quo, but it definitely has me looking forward to the next season.

Beta Ray Bill Vs. Boba Fett

One of the most interesting pieces of information to come out of Disney's acquisition of the Star Wars franchise is the plans for a solo Boba Fett film.  I wonder what kind of direction they will go for, and how much earlier in his career the story will take place in?  Or will they explain that he somehow survived the Sarlaac Pit and present his continuing adventures? One thing I can probably guarantee - whoever plays hims is going to keep finding reasons to take the helmet off!

Doctor Spectrum Joins The Green Lantern Corps

Geoff Johns is about to wrap up his time as writer of Green Lantern after several years, and it is pretty impressive to look back and see what he has done with the franchise during his tenure.  Among the highlights of his run were the revival and redemption of Hal Jordan, the revitalization of most of the GL rogues gallery, two of DC's best crossovers ever (Sinestro Corps War and Blackest Night) and the introduction of dozens of new characters from Simon Baz to the Red, Blue, Orange and White Lanterns.  Sure, some of the rainbow-lantern corps shenanigans got a little repetitive and the movie adaptation wasn't the home run I was hoping for, but for the most part Johns was the best thing to happen to the Green Lantern franchise in decades.  I look forward to his future endeavors and  hope that the new creative teams will be able to keep the Corps flying high!

Thanos and Death

Well, Thanos has made the leap to the big screen with the teaser during the end credits of The Avengers, and we know now that it is only a matter of time before he returns to appear in a full feature.  But what of Death?  I had been hearing of a film project starring the DC/Vertigo star for years with names like Winona Ryder for the lead role, but those plans seem to have gone away.  I still think there is a very cool film to be made there - possibly an adaptation of the excellent Death: The High Cost of Living mini-series.  Hopefully, that's a project that will find its way beck to the forefront one of these days.

The Shadow and The Spirit

Here are a couple of pulp characters that have not had an easy time making the transition to live action.  The Spirit was an artistic triumph on the printed page by Will Eisner, but trying to recapture the inventive visuals on the big screen resulted in a campy bomb.  The Shadow was not nearly as big a misstep, but it certainly had it's cheesy moments and could have done the character a lot more justice.  I would have preferred something a little more moody, as my introduction to Lamont Cranston's alter ego was from listening to the classic radio dramas that he was featured in.

Batman and the Outsiders Join The Secret Wars

I had some hope that an ongoing Katana series was going to lead to the introduction of The Outsiders into the New 52, but it doesn't look like that is in the cards just yet.  I really loved the original line up of the team as presented by co-creators Mike W. Barr and Jim Aparo and it would be great to see them all together again.

Marvel's Secret Wars was a cool comic to read, as we were seeing all of Marvel's biog characters in one sweeping story.  These days, Marvel has so many team books and the lines between Avenger, X-Man and solo hero have been blurred so much that seeing all their characters interacting is hardly unique any more.  It's going to be hard to recapture some of that earlier magic.

Superboy and Iceman

I was glad to see Shawn Ashmore  added to the list of returning actors for X-Men: Days of Future Past.  I liked his performance as Iceman in the original trilogy, but by the end of the third film, we only got to see him fully "ice up" for a few seconds.  Let's hope that we see a lot more of him in complete head to toe ice action this time around!

JLA and The Champions / Superman and the FF / JSA and The Hulk

Another hundred milestone deserves another 100-Page Giant! Nick Cardy was far and away my favorite DC cover artist and he really got a chance to show his skills on the various over-sized comics.  Cardy would present multiple adventures on a single cover, sometimes having to sell a story with a two-square inch image... and he always pulled it off!  I remember seeing ads for some of those comics and promising myself I would track them down.  It was always a great feeling when I finally got hold of one of those issues and discovered the stories within.

Sgt. Rock and Sgt. Fury

I already had Sgt. Rock pair up with Nick Fury from his S.H.I.E.L.D. era, but this is the meeting that I would really like to see.  I can imagine them freeing their respective companies and the final act being a huge free for all against the forces of H.Y.D.R.A. and The Iron Major... all culminating in an arm wrestling match between  Bulldozer and Dum Dum Dugan. Now that's a comic that will put hair on your chest!

Silver Surfer Vs. Darth Vader

Continuing from yesterday's tale, we have a story that also hearkens back to STF #40, in which Vader met Galactus.  Who says this isn't the swingin' Super-Team age of cohesive continuity?

I think one of the biggest challenges for JJ Abrams' new Star Wars installment will be to find a villain as iconic as Darth Vader. It's going to be hard to top that voice, appearance and air of mystery.  Even though he wasn't a comic book character, he was pretty much like a super-villain from the comics for me - he had a costume complete with helmet, gloves and cape, powers and even a secret identity.  No wonder I was so fascinated by him as a kid.

Starfire and The Silver Surfer

The Lost Issues has already established a few romances (Wonder Woman and Captain America, Power Man and Power Girl), and I thought I would try for one more.  Starfire is passionate enough that I could see her getting through the Surfer's protective surface and into his heart, plus she could freely span the spaceways with him.  Of course this is a comic book, where marriages seldom go smoothly, so romance will be quickly replaced with action.  In fact this story leads right into tomorrows cover...

Justice League of America And D-Man

Not everyone who decides to become a superhero would really be cut out for it, so D-Man (or Demolition Man) was a nice change.  Here was a guy who clearly aspired to be part of the big leagues, but was always in their shadow.  Unfortunately, what began as a fun character eventually took a dark turn.  D-Man was shown to be more and more unstable, eventually joining the Revengers, being manipulated into become the new Scourge, and finally killed off.  Kind of a depressing end to a character that could have been enjoyable to follow.

Batman and Nite Owl

Doctor Manhattan and Rorschach may have had flashier roles, but my favorite character from Watchmen has always been Nite Owl.  Alan Moore created an everyman hero whose insecurities and past-his-prime physique made his return to crime fighting even more compelling.  I also liked the look of his lair and gadgets as designed by Dave Gibbons - his Owl Ship is very cool, inside and out.

Jonah Hex Vs. Man-Thing

There are plenty of cowboy characters in comics, but one has always risen to the top for me, and that's Jonah Hex.  Part of it was his cool disfigured look and cranky attitude that made him stand apart from more traditional western stars.  Then there was the fact that Hex fit in better with the overall DC Universe, as he was no stranger to time travel or the occasional guest appearance in a superhero title.  Finally, he is a character that seems to bring out the best in artists, and always seemed to have very exciting, eye-catching covers.  That was true back in the day with masters like Nick Cardy and JL Garcia Lopez, and today we have modern greats like Darwyn Cooke and Jordi Bernet to carry on the tradition.

Green Arrow and Han Solo

It's going to be very interesting to see what is in store for Han Solo and Chewbacca in the upcoming Star Wars Episode 7.  It should be cool to see Harrison Ford inhabit the role again, and I have confidence that Director JJ Abrams and writer Michael Arndt will do the character justice.  The producers have announced a young Han Solo spin-off film as well, and that's going to be a tough film to make.  Will they be able to find an actor who can pull off the role that Ford originated?  Comparisons will be inevitable and it's going to be tough to get audiences to accept a new face behind the character.

Scalphunter and The Lone Ranger

I was glad to hear that there was going to be a new Lone Ranger film coming out because I have fond memories of watching the TV show reruns when I was a kid, and the last film adaptation did not do the character justice, in my opinion.  I've seen the trailer for the new movie and I'm not quite sure what to make of it.  The casting of Johnny Depp as Tonto just isn't working for me and the over the top action and silly humor seemed out of place as well.  It might end up being a fun cowboy film, but I think I'll still be waiting for that perfect Lone Ranger movie.

Zatanna Vs. Wolverine

I was pretty disappointed by X-Men Origins: Wolverine it was a mess of a film with mutant guest stars thrown in at random and a pretty thin plot line.  I had high hopes when I heard that visionary director Darren Aranofsky was going to be helming the second solo Wolverine film, but he later dropped out.  James Mangold took over the reins and now I am not sure what to expect.  The good news is that The Wolverine appears to be based on the classic mini-series by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller.  The trailer didn't knock my socks off, but it didn't have anything that looked off to me either.  I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised, and we will finally see the Wolverine film we were hoping for the last time out.

The Spectre Vs. Scooby Doo

Is there any cartoon property that has had as many incarnations as Scooby Doo?  I remember being a fan when I was a kid, I even had a Scooby Doo lunchbox.  The fact that Scooby and the gang would meet with characters like Batman or the Harlem Globetrotters added to my admiration of the show - even back then I loved crossovers.  The live action movies seemed to kick the property into high gear again, and new series and animated movies have been popping up on a regular basis. Not bad for a bunch of hippies and their dog!

Wonder Woman and The Black Cat

I've been wanting to do a retro style Wonder Woman cover for a while now and I finally settled on a suitable co-star.  DC's New 52 initiative has met with mixed reactions among fans, but one character that really seems to have benefited is Wonder Woman.  Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang have created one of the most unique superhero titles in their line-up and it is nice to see comic's premier super-heroine looking so good.

Vibe and Dazzler

I made this cover as a goof on a couple of characters that had the unfortunate timing to try and capitalize on dance crazes just as those fads were ending.  Little did I know that before I had a chance to post this, Vibe would actually be revived and given his own ongoing title!  I think that's pretty cool, because I have always been of the opinion that any character can be a success if given the right angle.  Hopefully, he will meet with more success this time out.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Blade

I have to admit that I have never seen an episode of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer.  I remember thinking that it would be an ill-fated attempt to adapt a movie that wasn't all that great to begin with.  By the time I started hearing a lot of positive buzz on the program, they were already well into the series, and I didn't think I could catch up.  Since then I have become a big Joss Whedon fan, and with the advent of Netflix and other streaming video services, it's now easy to finally check out shows that I missed the first time around.  I think it is time I put Buffy on the queue and finally see what all the fuss was about.

Follow Super-Team The Lost Issues! On Twitter

I have finally decided to take the plunge and join Twitter.  You can follow me @RossPearsall on Twitter, or just click on the link on the top left of this page.  Spread the word!

Also, another request... I notice that from time to time TinyPic (the site I use to upload images here) sometimes arbitrarily deletes a picture.  I spent a couple of hours the other day fixing broken links, it's frustrating.  So, if you ever go to check out a cover on this blog and the link is not working, please let me know and I will try and have it corrected right away.  Thanks, and thanks for visiting the Lost Issues!

Blue Beetle and Iron Man

Well, the summer movie season has officially kicked off in style with Iron Man 3.  I found the movie to be a big improvement over the second installment, although the first is still my favorite in the trilogy.  I really enjoyed the dialogue and the way the film focused on Tony Stark this time around, who has had to share screen time with lots of other colorful characters in his last two film outings.  The action was very inventive as well, with three major sequences and a lot of cool new gadgets.  Guy Pearce and Ben Kingsley seemed to be having a great time in their villainous roles, and they provided some of the more surprising moments. Supporting characters Happy Hogan and Pepper Potts get a little more to do this time around, and  Jon Favreau and Gwyneth Paltrow give solid performances.  The movie is not perfect - it has a slow first half hour of build up and just not enough of Iron Man in costume.  I figured with the head's up display view of the helmet, it wouldn't be an issue, but the movie finds a way to keep Tony out of the suit for much of the running time.  I wish that Rhodey had been a little better utilized as well, Don Cheadle does a lot with what he is given, but the character comes out looking like a bit of a chump. Still, those are small nitpicks and should not dissuade you from checking out Marvel's latest cinematic outing.  It's very interesting where they leave the characters and I am intrigued to see where they go next.

Calvin and Hobbes and Devil Dinosaur

One of the great things about Calvin and Hobbes was Bill Watterson's ability to illustrate the world of Calvin's imagination.  He depicted dinosaurs, alien worlds and homicidal snowmen in such a convincing way that you couldn't blame Calvin for wanting to get lost in them.  I imagine that he and Hobbes would be quite intrigued by the idea of a giant red T-Rex.

The New Teen Titans Vs. The Defenders

I'm not sure who I would pick in a battle between these two groups.  The Defenders have more experience and raw power, but the Titans work together as a team much better than they do.  If the Titans were able to use the Defenders' dysfunction against them, they might just have a fighting chance to take the day.  Whoever came out on top, it would be a blast to read about!

The Flash Vs. Judge Dredd

Information and speculation on the Justice League movie continues to trickle out.  The latest word is that Zach Snyder is set to helm, depending on reception of his Man of Steel.  The first casting rumor has surfaced as well - for the Flash.  Charlie Hunnam is apparently being used in concept art for the film as the scarlet speedster.  I think he is a solid actor, I enjoy his performance as Jax in Sons of Anarchy and he is about to headline a huge action movie with Pacific Rim.  I'd rather see a solo Flash film prior to the Justice League, but wherever the character appears first, Hunnam isn't a bad choice.