Justice League of Amerca Vs. Thanos in "Clutches of Defeat!"

Thanos is set to make a major cinematic impact with the just announced Avengers: Infinity War Part I and  Avengers: Infinity War Part II.  The rumor is that the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron will have the team disband, and a new team will assemble for the next Avengers film.  I am guessing that the team will consist of  Black Widow, Hawkeye, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Vision, Ant-Man and perhaps newcomers Falcon, Black Panther and Captain Marvel - and will end with a cliffhanger in which the big guns (Hulk, Thor, Cap, Iron Man) return to join the battle against the Mad Titan... maybe they'll even throw in a few Guardians of the Galaxy for good measure.  Whatever they decide to do, it sounds like it is going to be huge!

The Invaders Vs. Darkseid

One of the most frustrating things about the rights to Namor, Captain America and the Human Torch belonging to different film studios is that it eliminates the chances for The Invaders to appear on the big screen.  I got a kick out of the Howling Comandos appearance in Cap's first movie, but the tease of briefly seeing a Torch android during the World's Fair scene really made me want to see the classic WWII team in action.

Ghost Rider and Jonah Hex

Ghost Rider and Jonah Hex are a couple of venerable comic stars who have had their reputations tarnished by sub-par theatrical appearances.  It will probably be a while before we see either of them in a live action format again.  Hopefully it will not be forever though, they are cool characters who deserve a proper treatment.

Wonder Woman Vs. Red Sonja in "Boss Battle!"

With Wonder Woman getting a solo movie only a few months after Justice League hits the theaters, the search for a director is on.  The latest rumor is that DC/Warner Brothers is seeking to have a female director helm the picture.  I think that would be cool, and give the film a unique perspective among other superhero movies.  I just hope that in addition to being female, the director they go with is a big Wonder Woman fan as well.

Kermit the Frog and Throg

I was born at the perfect time for The Muppet Show.  I grew up with Kermit on Sesame Street and as I outgrew that he branched off into his own entertainment show.  I loved it and remember thinking it was cool that my Dad liked the humor on it just as much as I did.  The first three seasons were released on DVD and I truly enjoyed re-watching all of the old episodes, they brought back so many memories and still made me laugh.  For some reason the rest of the series has never been released.  I can't imagine sales on the first three seasons could have been that bad, so I wonder why.  With the M Muppets returning to the movies, I figured I would hear something about more DVD/Blu-Ray releases, but nothing yet.

Green Arrow Vs. Robocop

This is a match up I would like to see.  Both of these guys want to clean up the city but Oliver Queen has never responded well to authority figures and Robocop has no tolerance for law breakers of any kind, so there would definitely be plenty of friction between the two.

Green Lantern and Alpha Flight

I loved the first couple of years of the original Alpha Flight series.  John Byrne was at the top of his game and I was already a fan of the characters from their appearances in X-Men and Marvel Two-In-One.  Then there was the shake up on the team at the end of their first twelve issues which was completely unexpected.  Attempts to revive the team have never quite captured the same magic for me.

Shogun Warriors and ROM

I never did have a ROM action figure growing up, but my brothers and I definitely had some Shogun Warriors, and I fondly remember them. I used to love how they had spring loaded action which you could use to shoot off their fists, we would have some fun battles.  They weren't as sturdily designed as my Micronauts toys, but they made up for it with their impressive size. God times, good times.

The Huntress and The Black Widow in "The Unkindest Cut!"

I was unsure whether Scarlett Johanssen's Black Widow would have the clout to carry her own film, but I have to admit that I have liked the character more with each appearance that she has made.  I think a Black Widow-centric movie could work pretty well, especially if she could have some cool supporting heroes along for the ride.  Who knows if Johanssen will be available though, as it is rumored that she is close to signing on as the lead in  the Ghost in the Shell adaptation.

The Thing and The Creature Commandos

This is a team up that I have been wanting to do ever since my MTIO days, so I am glad to finally get around to it.   The Creature Commandos were a crazy concept, but that was part of their charm.  I think that Ben Grimm would fit right in with these guys, and it would be a blast to read about them sharing a mission together.

Black Knight and The Demon

Etrigan is another character that I really hope will show up on Constantine, which begins this week.  With so many shows featuring people transforming into vampires, werewolves and other creatures on a regular basis, I think audiences are ready for Jason Blood to make the leap to live action.

The Coven

With Constantine set to premiere this week, Scarlet Witch joining the cinematic Avengers and Doctor Strange about to be cast, magical super-heroics are poised to become the next big thing.  It will be interesting to see how each characters abilities are manifested onscreen, as special effects can really give their incantations and spells an extra visual kick.  I just hope that the magic portrayed follows some sort of set of rules, and isn't used simply as anything-goes deus ex machina plot devices.

Green Lantern & Green Arrow Vs. The Hulk

I was interested to see that the Green Lantern movie on DC/Warner Brothers recently released slate of upcoming films was described as a reboot.   I figured that they might go with John Stewart if they wanted to distance themselves from the Ryan Reynolds film, but it looks like maybe Hal Jordan will get another chance after all.  The reboot is set for several years away though, and a lot can change in that time.  I'll wait for a casting announcement to see which GL will be featured in the cinematic Justice League.

The Flash and The Shadow

I have enjoyed The Shadow's appearance in various comic books, and I like the Alec Baldwin movie version, even if it is a bit cheesy in retrospect.  For me, though, The Shadow made the biggest impact with his classic radio series.  I remember my father would bring cassette tapes with The Shadow, Mystery Theater and X Minus One on camping trips and I would listen to them in my sleeping bag.  Those were a lot of fun and always got my imagination going.

Superman and Captain America

A little while ago, I was musing whether the next Captain America movie would be subtitled Civil War and with the announcement that Robert Downey Jr. has joined the cast, that may just become a reality.  It seems a little soon to be getting into the whole Civil War story line and the cast of characters involved is bound to be different from the comics. That said, I was very happy with how the Winter Soldier story was condensed and adapted, so I have faith in the filmmakers and look forward to the sequel.

Ragman and Daredevil in "From Rags to Stitches!"

The first images of Netflix Daredevil series have surfaced, and while some have compared the all-black outfit with no eye-holes to the costume worn in the cheesy Trial of the Incredible Hulk 80's TV Special, closer inspection reveals it to be inspired by the outfit worn by Matt Murdock in Frank Miller's Man Without Fear mini-series.  I am taking that as a good sign and I am sure  there will be a more traditional DD look eventually.

Batman and Darkwing Duck

Three episodes in, and I am enjoying Gotham.  To my surprise, Oswald Cobblepot is the most interesting character so far.  The actors playing Gordon, Bullock, Alfred and Bruce all play their parts well, and the production values are very good for a television series.  Some of the character ages seem to be off and Jada Pinkett chews the scenery a bit much, but those aren't huge drawbacks.  I'll be sticking with the show.

Steel and War Machine

Has enough time passed for John Henry Irons to get another chance at live action?  I don't know, that Shaq Steel movie is a tough hurdle to overcome.  Perhaps he could appear as a supporting character in then upcoming Supergirl TV series.

Zorro and The Lone Ranger (Part Two)

I don't think that the influence these two characters had on superheroes and comic books in general can be underestimated.  Heroic characters have been around since the dawn of literature, but here were a couple that played up a dual identity angle complete with a masked alias.  That added an extra element of mystery and tension to their exploits that was integrated into the heroes of the Golden and Silver Age of comics.

Zorro and The Lone Ranger (Part One)

I am surprised that I have never seen a real crossover between these two heroes.  Maybe there is one out there that I am not aware of.  They seem like a natural match, and I think that the time periods would work out.  Anyway, it would be cool to see them share and adventure - stay tuned for part two tomorrow!

Green Lantern and Man-Thing

There have been nods to Hal Jordan in the CW's Arrow, and I would love to see him show up there or on The Flash.  Many have speculated that the Justice League film will feayture John Stewart rather than Hal due to the lackluster performance of the Green Lantern movie.  If that preoves to be the case I see no reason whay Hal could not join with the TV JLA that they are assembling  - Green Arrow, Flash, Black Canary, Firestorm, and The Atom are already a part of that world, so why not?

Green Arrow and Hawkeye in "Target Practice!"

Arrow had it's season premiere yesterday and it looks to be a fun season.  The flashback sequences have changed from the island and we were introduced to the future Katana.  In the present day scenes, the future Atom showed up as well.  Watching Oliver and Roy work as a functional team was nice to see at last as well.  Between Arrow, Gotham and The Flash, DC has got some great TV programming right now.  Hopefully Constantine will continue the trend.

Wonder Woman and Captain America in "History... Repeated!"

I recently re-watched Captain America: The Winter Soldier and I am glad to see that it can stand up to repeated viewings. It is good news that the directorial team will be returning for the third installment, because they really seemed to have the right sensibility for the character.  The only information that I have heard about the next film is that a title has been chosen and it is supposed to blow comic fans away - what will it be, I wonder?  Captain America: Civil War?  The Death Of Captain America?  Captain America: Rebirth? Only time will tell.

Martian Manhunter and The Human Torch "In the Clutches of Kang!"

I know that the Avengers movies are all leading towards Thanos, and that's fun to anticipate.  Still, the one Avengers villain that I would love to see (after Ultron, already getting my wish there) is Kang.  The time-travelling aspect to this foe means that they could introduce all kinds of heroes into the mix.  The success of X-Men: Days of Future Past shows that audiences are ready for time spanning superhero epics, so let's make it happen, Marvel!

Ant-Man and Doll Man

The Marvel movie I am most curious about right now is Ant-Man.  It just seems like it could go either way - It seems like there will be changes from the characters we know in the comics and the departures of the original director and some actors as well have given me my doubts.  On the other hand, I love the cast that has been assembled and I am sure the shrinking effects will be a lot of fun.  I am still remaining cautiously optimistic on this one, hopefully we will get to see some actual footage soon.

Metal Men and Transformers in "Prime Directive"

I caught Transformers: Age of Extinction on video the other day, going in with low expectations.  Even so, this movie was a disappointment.  It was overly long and the usually reliable Mark Wahlberg was not enough to distinguish the plot form any of the other Transformers movies for me - it's all one big jumble at this point.  I am still cringing at the scene where Wahlberg stops in the middle of a robot battle to enjoy a cold Bud Light from a crashed Bud Light delivery truck - just shameless.

Kamandi and Rima

I remember noting that Rima was one of the few heroines able to make the leap from comics to animation with her appearances on The Super Friends.  I always thought that would bring her new levels of popularity, but I don't remember seeing her anywhere for decades after that.  It's too bad, her short-lived comic was beautifully illustrated by the likes of Nestor Redondo and Joe Kubert.

Captain America Vs. Enemy Ace

One of the great things about Captain America is that he is a character that works equally well in two time periods.  His wartime adventures are exciting and truly bring out the soldier aspect of the hero.  His present day stories are expand upon those early adventures and show how a man out of time reacts to the struggles of the current era. I loved Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but I would not have minded another adventure set in World War II.  The good news is we will still get a taste of that with the upcoming Agent Carter TV series.

Superman and The Black Terror

The Black Terror is one of those Golden Age characters that I never got around to reading - but I was always intrigued by his cool looking costume.  I must not be the only one because now that the character is in the public domain, many a comic publishing company has featured him in their stories. I checked him out in the Dynamite series, Project Superpowers by Jim Kreuger and Alex Ross and he was pretty cool there.

Calvin & Hobbes and Tintin (Part Two)

Tintin and Calvin and Hobbes are two of the most re-readable characters for me.  Herge and Bill Watterson filled their adventures with such imagination and gorgeous artwork that there is always something new to discover.  I am glad that their works are kept in print so that new generations can be inspired by their creations.

Calvin & Hobbes and Tintin (Part One)

This pairing was a request of my beautiful niece Malena, who just turned 10.  She was already a big Calvin and Hobbes fan and is now reading the Tintin stories that I loved when I was her age. Of course, a team-up this epic in nature cannot be contained within a single issue, so stay tuned for the thrilling conclusion tomorrow!