Wonder Woman and The X-Men

Colossus is featured in the current superhero blockbuster Deadpool and Wonder Woman will be making her long awaited movie debut very soon in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.  Cyclops, Storm and Nightcrawler will all see new actors taking on their roles in this Summer's X-Men: Apocalypse.  It's a good time to be a comic book movie fan.  When I was a kid I knew it would be decades before special effects ever got to the point where superhero films would be an accepted genre and the idea of waiting so long bummed me out because I figured that I would be too old to enjoy them.  I am happy to say that not only has that day finally arrived, but I still get the same kick out of seeing my favorite characters on the big screen that I did watching Christopher Reeve back in my youth.

Cobra Crew

I'm not sure what it is about cobras that make them so desirable to furnish a villainous theme around, but it sure seems to happen a lot. I can't imagine a group like this would last for very long before their egos got in the way and they started turning on each other.

Amazing Man Vs. Absorbing Man

I loved when Amazing Man was introduced in the pages of All-Star Squadron. I always thought that The Absorbing Man had one of the coolest power sets and it was great to see a hero with similar abilities.  There have been a couple of attempts to revive the character in modern times with new versions, but they haven't really stuck.  Hopefully that won't dissuade writers from trying again because I think that Will Everett still has a lot of untapped potential.

Supergirl and Ms. Marvel in "D-Day for the Danvers Duo!"

Supergirl is a mixed bag as a TV series.  The teenage angst and romantic subplots do nothing for me and come off a bit formulaic.  They have a guy who acts and looks like Jimmy Olsen who is actually the son of the Toyman, and a hunky confident heartthrob that is named Jimmy Olsen and sometimes has a camera but is otherwise nothing like the comic character, which makes no sense to me. Still, when I want to give up on the show, they give me some cool Martian Manhunter action, or feature a DCU character like Red Tornado or Reactron to keep my interested.  The effects on the show are respectable for a TV budget, and the Melissa Benoist does a fine job with the title role. I will say I am definitely looking forward to the crossover with The Flash.

The Danvers Twins have shared a few adventures together before on the blog:

The were at odds in Issue #763...

They played a trick on the world in Issue #520...

...and they were first revealed to be sisters way back in Issue #152

Sgt. Rock and The Rocketeer (Part Two)

I was always disappointed that The Rocketeer was not a hit upon its original theatrical release.  Not only is it still one of the best comic adaptations which still holds up decades later, it had one of the greatest movie posters out there.  The art deco style image that they used was very striking and I thought it served as a great introduction to the characters for mainstream audiences unaware of Dave Stevens' amazing comics. I remember looking around for a poster version at the time.

Sgt. Rock and The Rocketeer (Part One)

Sgt, Rock is among the DC Heroes rumored to be making an appearance in upcoming episodes of DC's Legends of Tomorrow series, which has me intrigued.  I wasn't sure of what I thought of the time travel premise of the show at first, but if it means that we will be able to see DC characters from different eras that are unlikely to show up anywhere else, then I am all for it!  Bring on Scalphunter, The Demon and Brainiac 5!

Make sure you stop by tomorrow for part two of this thrilling tale!

Admiral Ackbar and Doctor Who

I was so looking forward to seeing Luke, Han and Leia return in Star Wars: The Force Awakens that I didn't even think about some of the more minor characters from the original trilogy that might make an appearance.  When Admiral Ackbar showed up, so did a huge smile across my face.  Who didn't love this guy?  I've always wondered how many of those bug-eyed fish sold at pet shops during Star Wars' heydey because of their resemblance to the good Admiral.

Wildcat and The Fox

It sounds like DC has listened to some of it's older fans and certain elements of the DCU will be returning with the upcoming Rebirth event, including the classic Justice Society members.  The new title is still going to be called Earth 2 though, so I have a feeling the original JSA'ers are going to somehow be woven in with the New 52 versions, rather than getting a spotlight all to themselves.  Whatever happens, it will be good to see characters like Ted Grant have a place to call home once again.

Richie Rich and Uncle Scrooge

I get suggestions for team ups all the time, from the obvious to the obscure.  That said, I am amazed that nobody ever suggested this one to me though, it seems like a natural.  When looking for images to create a cover with, I came up with a few options and couldn't decide which I liked best - so I used them all!

Johnny Quick and Quicksilver

The Flash TV show isn't shy about bringing in new speedsters and this whole season revolves around Earth-2, so I am holding out hope for a Johnny Quick appearance one of these days.  Even Jesse Chambers has been a character on the show recently, so the groundwork has already been laid.  I was a fan of Johnny's even before All-Star Squadron due to the reprints I read - I always thought his costume was cool, loved the short sleeves.

Metamorpho Vs. Thor in: "If I Had a Hammer!"

This is a follow up story to a tale I presented way back in an earlier MS Paint cover...

I am happy to see that Metamorpho is making a return to the DCU.  The new anthology comic, Legends of Tomorrow will be featuring everybody's favorite freak of 1000 forms as well as stories starring Firestorm, The Metal Men and Sugar and Spike. Aaron Lopresti is writing and illustrating Rex's new adventures, and I really like how he tweaked his appearance to make it a bit more modern while still very much based on Ramona Fradon's original design.

Nightwing and The Fantastic Four

Now that plans for the Titans TV series have been scrapped, I am curious as to where Dck Grayson will eventually show up in DC's movie plans.  I am assuming that Jason Todd is the "dead Robin" of Superman v Batman: Dawn of Justice, and indeed there are rumors that a Ben Affleck-directed Batman film would revolve around the Red Hood saga, so there is potential for Nightwing to show up there.  Then there are the rumors of the Cyborg movie being changed to a full Titans film, which is another natural place for Grayson to appear.  Maybe the question is where he will appear first.

Green Arrow Vs. The Green Goblin

I am glad that the most recent episode of Arrow has put the whole Ra's Al Ghul subplot to bed.  It made an some interesting diversion, but I would like for the show to be a little more focused on Green Arrow instead of making him a Batman stand in.  Even Felicity has become "Overwatch", a wheelchair bound tech expert organizing the team, pretty much Oracle in everything but name.

The Hulk Vs. Hawkman

I was disappointed to see Hawkman killed off on DC's Legends of Tomorrow so quickly, but I guess I should not have been so surprised given how little of him was discussed in the promotional materials.  Still, the reincarnation aspect of the Hawks has been well established by now on the show, so they can always pluck another Carter Hall from the timeline eventually.  Let's hope if Hawkman returns, it's with a redesigned helmet.

Sandman and Daredevil

The hype for season 2 of Netflix' Daredevil is building, with the official trailer about to drop any moment now.  Most superhero series tend to have a shaky start, sometimes taking a whole season before finding their footing,  Daredevil was an exception to that rule in my opinion, it hit the ground running with quality output from episode one and never looked back.  That leaves me very excited for what's next and I hope they can keep up the pace with the new characters (Elektra, The Punisher) that they are adding to the roster.

The Punisher and Manhunter

It is fitting that The Punisher will be making his Marvel Studios debut in season 2 of netflix' Daredevil.  Like the man without fear, Frank Castle was considered a bad risk due to an earlier cinematic misfire (or three).  Marvel did a masterful job of reintroducing DD, and I have confidence that they and actor Jon Bernthal will finally give fans the Punisher they have been waiting for.

Nexus and Booster Gold

The one major complaint I hear about DC films is that there is not enough humor in them.  For me, it depends on the story and character.  Marvel's movies have had plenty of humor, some has worked well (Guardians of the Galaxy), and some of it has been a distraction (Thor: The Dark World).   I'm thinking DC has a real opportunity with the announced Blue Beetle/Booster Gold film to be able to really stretch their comedic muscles.  They are a great funny buddy team in the comics and I think if cast well, they will be a blast to watch on the big screen.

Justice Society and the X-Men (And More!)

It may be hard for new readers to fathom, but when I was a kid, the best value in comics was to be had in the form of dollar comics.  Whether they were 100-Page Giants, Annuals or Anthology Series, spending 100 pennies on a single comic meant that I was going to get a real bang for my buck. A single issue could provide a whole afternoon worth of entertainment.

Batman and the Outsiders Vs. Galactus

It has been great seeing Katana on Arrow as well as in trailers for the upcoming Suicide Squad.  I really hope she makes it through that movie alive though, because even more than the Justice League, Batman and the Outsiders is the comic team I really want to see on the big screen one day.  Black Lightning, Metamorpho, Halo and Geo-Force would look great on the big screen alongside their teammates.

Coming tomorrow: STF #1400!

Spider-Man Vs. The Rogues

It's interesting that Captain Cold and Heatwave have made the leap from recurring villains on The Flash to regular characters on Legends of Tomorrow.  I can understand their inclusion, as it adds to the mix of personalities and lends conflict to the core team.  Wentworth Miller's overacting and chewing the scenery as Cold is almost at Jada Pinkett-Smith/Fish Mooney levels though, and he is a bit hard to take sometimes.

Man-Bat Enters the Tomb of Dracula

I was always creeped out by the concept of Dracula and Nosferatu when I was a kid.  The idea of an immortal creature that could transform into animals and prowled the night in search of victims to bite was suitably scary to me.  These days, when I think of vampires, my mind goes to too many movies featuring societies filled with overly primped effete bloodsuckers brooding and falling in love.  It seems that something has been lost with this new generation of the undead.

Batgirl and She-Hulk

Will Barbara Gordon show up in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice?  Actress and former collaborator with Zack Snyder Jena Malone has a mystery role in the film that many have speculated to be none other than the daughter of Jim Gordon.  She's not a bad choice for the role, but with so much else going on in the film I wonder how much time there will be fore setting up seeds for a future Batgirl.

Iron Man and The Original Robotman

One of the great things about Roy Thomas' All-Star Squadron was that he not only included the Justice Society characters, but also many other Golden Age heroes that I had only seen in a few back-up reprint stories.  I always wanted to see more of Johnny Quick and the original Robotman, and finally they were appearing in new adventures.

Iron Man and the Cliff Steele Robotman appeared on this blog together not long ago in a two-part tale...

Moon Knight and The Spectre

Moon Knight is a property that should be on the short list of future Netflix series for Marvel.  He's another street level hero that firs right in with the Daredevil, Luke Cage iron Fist and Jessica Jones.  Plus his split personality will make for some very interesting story lines as well as plenty for a gifted actor to work with.  Really, the toughest part would be translating the white costume to a workable live action version.

Batman and The Original Black Cat

Batman has always had feelings for Catwoman, but her criminal ways keep coming between them.  Perhaps a heroine with a cat motif would have been more suitable as the Caped Crusader's love interest.  How different his history might have been if Linda Turner had been operating in Gotham.

Firestorm Vs. The Green Goblin

I always saw Firestorm as filling in a void at DC when he was introduced.  Here was a teenage character with no ties to any previously existing hero with his own title.  He reminded me of Spider-Man in that way.  Given that and the Gerry Conway connection, I think that this would be a fun match up to see.

Iron Fist and Rai

Mike Colter, Netflix' Luke Cage, let it slip that Iron Fist has been cast for the character's self titled show.  I had read that there was some trouble as far as getting the series up and running, so it is good to hear that it seems to be getting on track.  The friendship between Luke Cage and Danny Rand is one of my favorites in comics and it is going to be great to see that explored on screen.

Justice League of America and The Avengers in: "Banished and Betrayed!"

Continued from yesterday's cover, it's time to let the whole teams in on the action.  Both of these groups have gone through numerous roster changes over the years, but I never get tired of reading stories that feature their original line ups, or at least those members that joined within the first couple of years.

The JLA and Avengers have crossed paths before on the Blog... Once in the League's first headquarters and once in my first 100-Page Giant...

Aquaman and Giant-Man

I am really curious to see how Giant Man will be realized on screen, hopefully in the recently announced Ant-Man and The Wasp movie.  Sure, we have seen giant sized characters in the movies before, but just as with the innovative shrinking visuals we saw in the first film, I am confident that Marvel will give us a new spin on what it's like to be huge.

This story continues in tomorrow's issue, so be sure to come back!