Monday, December 31, 2018

Mister Miracle and Moon Knight



So, Netflix is cancelling the Marvel Shows, and Marvel has no plans to continue them.  That means they are free to reintroduce the characters, but I am guessing that they will choose to wait a while before doing that.  This situation leaves them with room for more street level heroes.  Shang-Chi is already being prepared for the big screen, and I see no reason why Moon Knight should not be far behind.  Besides, I'm betting that Marvel Studios would love to try and outdo DC and Batman with a MK film featuring their own caped billionaire crime fighter.

Sunday, December 30, 2018

Green Hornet and Green Lantern (Part Two)



Continued from yesterday's cover, we see that there is one thing that can break up this new alliance.  I know that Batman and Catwoman flirted for a long time before tying the knot on Earth Two - but was Alan Scott the first hero to go ahead and marry one of his villains?

Green Hornet met Green Lantern Kyle in STF #844 and Green Lantern Hal in STF #1815...

Saturday, December 29, 2018

Green Hornet and Green Lantern (Part One)



I am happy to see that a lot of JSA members are being cast for DC Streaming Service's upcoming Stargirl series.  I hope they will be major players in the show and not just bit parts in flashbacks.  No word on whether Alan Scott will be on the roster yet - but I am hoping that he will finally make his live action debut. 

This is only the first part of the story. Make sure you stop by tomorrow for the thrilling conclusion!

Friday, December 28, 2018

Robo Force in: "Rise of the Rival Robo Force!"



I've received so many suggestions for additional members to this blog's first team that I decided  to create a story about it! So who would come out on top  in this conflict?

This is Robo Force's sixth appearance on the blog - they battled Magnus: Robot Fighter in STF #2090... they faced off against Brainiac in STF #1850... they almost lost one of their own in STF #1450... they battled Ultron in STF #202 and first became a team back in STF #150...

Thursday, December 27, 2018

Medusa and Mera



I haven't made it out to see Aquaman yet, but I hear that it is a ton of over the top fun and visually spectacular. I'll try to get out to a theater next week because I'm thinking this is a movie that should be seen on a nice big screen.  I wonder if we will see Mera rise in prominence in the comics now that she is a bona fide movie star?

Aquaman first met Black Bolt in STF #1980...

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Ambush Bug and Forbush Man



So where did the name Forbush Man come from anyway?  I have never heard of a Forbush before, was it just a funny sounding name to Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, so they used it?  I do like the gag of a guy using his own last name as part of his supposed secret alter ego.

Thank you to Ivan Schablotski, a patron of this blog,  for suggesting this titanic Irving/Irwin team up!

Tuesday, December 25, 2018

Wonder Woman & Captain America and Power Girl & Power Man



Merry Christmas! I hope you all are spending time today with the ones that you love. I'd like to take this time to say thank you to everyone that makes a point to visit this blog.  I appreciate all of the encouragement and kind words, they keep me motivated.  I enjoy reading the comments section - lots of cool team up ideas, comic trivia and just general silliness going on in there.  Of course a special thank you goes out to all who have gone above and beyond by supporting the blog through a donation or becoming a Patron.  Your help goes a long way and is truly appreciated!  Let's all have a great 2019!

Regular followers will know that WW/Cap and The Power Couple have lots of history on this blog - make sure you check out their other adventures!

Monday, December 24, 2018

Fantastic Four and The Creeper



Who should the Fantastic Four face on the big screen when they finally get a Marvel produced movie of their own.  We still have not seen proper versions of Dr. Doom and Galactus, so I wouldn' mind either of them getting another chance.  Sticking with the origin and bringing in the Mole Man's subterranean world could be very cool with the right director and designs.  My top choice would be a rollicking Negative Zone adventure, complete with Blastaar and Annihilus!

Sunday, December 23, 2018

Thor and Robin



I remember when Batman and Robin was first announced, Patrick Stewart was said to be the frontrunner to play the role of Mr. Freeze.  I loved this casting idea and was really looking forward to it.  At some point, Arnold Schwarzenegger took over the part, and we all know what happened there.  "Ice to see you, Batman!"  I can only imagine how different a tone the film would have had if Stewart had actually been cast.

Saturday, December 22, 2018

New Teen Titans and Femforce



I used to get a kick out of Changeling's personality in the pages of New Teen Titans.  He was written like a true teenager - impetuous, full of energy, cracking corny jokes and girl-crazy.  I especially liked his relationship with Cyborg, something that has sadly been lost since Victor Stone was elevated to JLA status.

Friday, December 21, 2018

Mr. Fantastic Vs. Eclipso



Eclipso is another one of those great DC villains in that he works well as an antagonist for just about any character that you pit him against.  Heck, he even works when he is battling himself, as his Bruce Gordon side tries to hold back the evil that he has within.  I'm surprised that we have not seen a live action version in one form or another yet.

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Mr. Spock and Nightwing



I had heard talk of a solo Nightwing movie being planned, but that seems to have dies down.  Maybe since it looks like DC's streaming service will be bringing the Robin-to-Nightwing transition story to their Titans series, a film would be redundant right now. I'd prefer to see a decent movie featuring Batman training and working with Robin before jumping straight to Dick Grayson's second heroic identity anyway.

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Storm Vs. Red Tornado


We haven't seen much of Red Tornado lately, and I hope that he find a new home soon. I have always enjoyed him as a member of a team - if the Justice League roster is filled, maybe he would fit in with the misfits on The Terrifics.  Or if the Justice Society is poised to return soon, could we see him back with his original group?

Long time followers of this blog will know that Storm is referring to events that took place way back in STF#82...

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Legion of Super-Heroes and Alien Legion



Alien Legion was published by Marvel's Epic line, but I don't think it was part of the Marvel Universe.  I can't think of any time where they met any of the established heroes.  When they first hit the scene, their comics were only sold in specialty shops or by subscription, so I never got a chance to check them out.  I always thought that they looked pretty cool though, especially the leader, Sarigar.

Thank you to Aaron Orson, a Patron of this Blog, for suggesting this meeting of two Legions!

Monday, December 17, 2018

The Flash and The Silver Surfer



I enjoyed this year's CW crossover of Arrow, The Flash and Supergirl - especially seeing John Wesley Shipp back in his Flash costume from the 90's TV series.  It looks so much better than what they have Grant Gustin wearing (or that clunky thing they put on Ezra Miller).  Still, nobody can seem to get the boots right, they have been red in every case.  Don't tell me that yellow/gold boots don't work on screen - Zachary Levi will have them for Shazam! and they look perfect on him!

Sunday, December 16, 2018

Catwoman Vs. Snake-Eyes



The G.I. Joe movies are hardly high art, but they both have some fun action sequences.  I'm not sure whether the franchise is done, though.  I had read rumors of a G.I. Joe/Transformers crossover film, which could be cool, but I don't know if anything ever came of that. Maybe everything hinges on The Rock's busy movie filming schedule.

Saturday, December 15, 2018

Air Wave and Dazzler



Even as a kid, I thought that skates were kind of a silly addition to a superhero costume.  They just seemed impractical - sure you could get around quickly, but then they were stuck on your feet.  A skateboard would make more sense, you can always jump off of that if necessary.  Better yet, get Tony Stark to make you some of those cool retractable skates that he has.

Friday, December 14, 2018

Hawkgirl and Valkyrie



This is a pairing that I am surprised I had not done before.  I think it would make for a cool story.  What is Hawkgirl/Woman's status these days?  We saw a wingless version of Kendra Saunders in the Dark Knights: Metal event, but I am not sure if she is a part of the new Hawkman series that  spun out of that.

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Deathlok Vs. The Terminator



The Terminator is set to have one more theatrical go-round.  Installments in the franchise after T2: Judgment Day have been less and less successful in my eyes, so I'm wondering if the magic can be captured once again.  Still, this latest outing has the involvement of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton and James Cameron, which could finally signal a return to form.  I'll be very interested to see a trailer to get an idea of what the film has in store.

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Deathstroke Vs. Taskmaster (Round Two!)



It looks like we won't be seeing Deathstroke on the big screen again any time soon, despite the post credits sequence  on Justice League.  I wasn't really interested in seeing him as the main guiy in a Batman movie anyway.  Maybe now the character will be freed up for use on Titans for the DC streaming service, where he belongs.

This is the second time these two have faced off on the blog.  They first battled in STF #1536...

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Wildcat and The X-Men



I have mentioned before that classic Brave and The Bold writer and creator of Metamorpho Bob Haney is a huge inspiration for this blog, given his loose way with continuity and love for oddball team ups.  Haney also really liked to use Wildcat in his stories, and I have to confess that I do as wll.  There's something about Ted Grant that really appeals to me, so I hope folks don't mind that he shows up here as often as he does.

Monday, December 10, 2018

Superman and Tintin



With all of the uncertainty concerning the future of Superman in the movies, I am glad we  at least get to see Tyler Hoechlin reprise the role on the currently in progress CW Elseworlds crossover event.  There have also been rumors that a spinoff  Superman CW series featuring Hoechlin is in the planning stages, something I would be all for.

Sunday, December 9, 2018

Batman and Baymax



I enjoyed the CG-animated series Green Lantern and Beware the Batman quite a lot, even if they may not have been huge hits with audiences.  I'd love to see some more DC heroes get the CG animated treatment.  My first choice would be Metal Men.  They are perfect for an animated series, I think they will appeal to young kids and older fans alike.  Plus how cool would they look and move in CG form? Watch Metamorpho's appearance on Beware and you'll be a believer.

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Dick Tracy and Plastic Man



I am glad to see that Dick Tracy is back in the comics, with talented creators like Mike Allred on board to depict his adventures.  Being a digital TPB only guy these days, I will probably wait for a collected edition, but I definitely plan to check it out.  As I mentioned yesterday, Plastic Man has a new home in The Terrifics these days as well.  I was surprised to see he got a costume change (which looks good) for the new series - I wasn't sure he could do that!

Friday, December 7, 2018

Rocket Raccoon and Metamorpho



I recently picked up the first TPB of The Terrifics, and they were some of the funnest comics that I have read in a long time.  I am very happy that Metamorpho has found a new home, he's one of my all time favorite characters.  I'm a fan of Mr. Terrific and Plastic Man as well, and I always thought that Phantom Girl was one of the cooler Legionnaires, so I am intrigued by this new version.  Plus, Tom Strong is back, and interacting with the DCU! There were a few artists on the series.  They are all great, but I really loved Evan "Doc" Shaner's work and I hope he stick around.  His Rex Mason looks perfect!

Thursday, December 6, 2018

Solomon Grundy and Morbius



With the surprise success of Venom, it looks like other Spider-Man spinoff movies will gain some steam.  Morbius with Jared Leto in the title role has been announced, and that may have potential to be cool.  And if it means that Let is to busy to ever reprise his role as The Joker again, I am OK with that as well.

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Red Sonja and Warlord


Red Sonja is one of those characters whose names I mispronounced for way too long, always reading it in my mind with a hard "J".  I have to admit I also got the names of two of my all-time favorite artists wrong for many years - George Perez and Jim Aparo, I had been putting the accent on the wrong syllable for each of them. I'm still trying to figure out how to correctly say the name of the Flash 90's villain Kilg%re.

Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Spider-Man on the Planet of the Apes



I recently watched the original Planet of The Apes again, and it was as fun as I remembered.  Even for someone who can't speak for half of the film, Charlton Heston has a ton of screen presence.  The soundtrack really stood out to me as well, it really sets the tone and I am glad that composers of the new movies used it for inspiration.  The experience took me back to my youth, watching the film in wide-eyed amazement with my brothers.

Monday, December 3, 2018

Animal Man, Man-Thing and Concrete



I like all of these guys for their offbeat natures - Concrete would prefer to be a pacifist despite his powerful new body, Animal Man is conflicted by the very nature of his being a fictional character, and Man-Thing's silent nature always makes his motives tough to figure out.  It might be fun to have them thrown together to face a common enemy.

Sunday, December 2, 2018

Adam Strange and The Fantastic Four



I was glad to learn that Adam Strange would be part of the Krypton show, but a little disappointed that he has not resembled his comic book counterpart very much thus far.  Hopefully in the second season he will grow closer to the Adam we know from the comics.  Even if they don't put him in a costume, he's got to at least get a jetpack, right?

Saturday, December 1, 2018

Wonder Woman Vs. The Phoenix



I'm hoping we will get to see some footage from Wonder Woman 1984 soon.  I look forward to the Patty Jenkins sequel, but I still have a lot of questions.  How will Kristin Wiig portray the Cheetah, and more importantly, what will she look like in cat form? How is Steve Trevor alive and well in the 80's?   And will the film alter the DCEU timeline at all, as rumored, paving the way for a new direction and actors going forward?

Friday, November 30, 2018

Miss Fury and Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.



It will be interesting to see a younger version of Nick Fury in the upcoming Captain Marvel movie.  We've seen him in charge and now we'll get to see him as he is rising up through the ranks of S.H.I.E.L.D.  Will we see how he loses his eye though?

Thank you to Jeffrey Burson for suggesting this team-up!

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Metal Men and Moon Knight



Iron was my favorite Metal Man when I was a kid, mainly because I thought he looked really cool.  A close second was Mercury, though.  I liked his appearance as well - he was pretty distinct facially.  I also got a kick out of his hot temper and snotty attitude, which hid a fierce loyalty to his team.

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

The Avengers and Lex Luthor



So, Jon Cryer will be the next Lex Luthor.  Tha'ts right, Supergirl, known for casting actors from former Superman shows and movies, will be introducing the former Lennie Luthor as the new Lex.    Come on, was Michael Rosenbaum not available? Maybe he will surprise us and show a menacing side in addition to his comedy chops, but I still have my doubts about this casting.  Oh well, he'll still be better than Jesse Eisenberg.

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Aquaman and Ghost Rider



The final trailer for Aquaman has arrived, and while I feel that the promotional material has shown far too much of the movie, I can understand why.  Given the poor critical and financial performance of Justice League and Aquaman's longtime reputation as a "lame" superhero, plus the fact that Jason Mamoa and Amber Heard have never had to anchor a film this big, it is facing an uphill battle to win over audiences.  Still, I have faith in director James Wan.  He delivers amazing action sequences and the shots I have seen look absolutely beautiful.  Let's hope positive word of mouth turns the movie into a Wonder Woman-sized hit for the studio.

Monday, November 26, 2018

The Spectre Vs. The Living Tribunal



For arguably the most powerful character in the Marvel Universe, The Living Tribunal always had an odd design for me.   I never really got the whole "blanket covering multiple faces" look.  I think it may have some kind of literary or historical reference, but I'm not sure.  Sure, Spectre is wearing booties and a speedo, but somehow he makes it work.

This cover comes about as the result of a suggestion by Ken Roskos, a Patron of this Blog.  Thanks, Ken!

Sunday, November 25, 2018

Spider-Man and Robin in: "Summoned by the Spider-Signal!"



Visitors, including Blog Patron Bob Greenwade, seemed to get a kick out of the Spider-Signal from STF #2378, so I felt that it deserved an origin issue of its own.  Spidey and Robin shared a Bronze Age adventure with Batgirl in STF #938, and Spidey met the Tim Drake Robin in STF #838. Don't tell him, but this isn't the first altered Bat-Signal - The Human Torch got his own way back in my B&B: The Lost Issues days...

Saturday, November 24, 2018

Captain Universe Vs. Firestorm



I wondered what the writers and editors were thinking when Firestorm switched to his "elemental form" towards the end of his second DC series.  It was such a departure from what had gone before, from his appearance to his attitude, it  seemed like a completely different hero and comic.  Even the art switch to Tom Mandrake was very jarring and a turnoff to me (although I am a Mandrake fan and love his later collaborations with Firestorm writer John Ostrander).  I thought that the series had solid sales numbers, so I was curious as to why the decision was made to make such a drastic left turn.

Friday, November 23, 2018

Ambush Bug in The Marvel Universe



Maybe even more than the title character herself, I am looking forward to The Skrulls being introduced in Captain Marvel.  They are probably my favorite evil alien race in comics and it will be cool to see what shapeshifting shenanigans they get up to.  I'm wondering if any already established MCU characters will be revealed to have been sleeper Skrulls all along? 

Thursday, November 22, 2018

Superman Vs. Little Lulu



DC and Marvel comics made me a rabid fan of the art form, but it was comics like Little Lulu that taught me to read.  Their simple one to eight page stories with engaging artwork and fun characters were easy enough for a tyke like me to enjoy on my own.  After mastering those, it wasn't hard to graduate to Archie Comics and then the wordy prose of DC and Marvel.

This cover was inspired by a suggestion by Comics' Historian and Patron of this Blog, Marc Tyler Nobleman - Thanks, Marc!

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Gandalf and Elfquest



I always admired the beautiful artwork on Elfquest, but I never got around to checking out the series.  It seemed like such an epic adventure that I would have to read the complete collection to appreciate it all, not a series that I could just jump into the middle of with a random issue.  I heard off an on about an animated adaptation being planned, but nothing ever seemed to come of that.  Hopefully It will get made one of these days.

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Dazzler Vs. Doctor Light



When I was a kid, I considered Doctor Light to be one of the main villains of the DCU.  Like Doctor Doom over at Marvel, he did not seem to be tied to one particular hero or team and indeed was a menace all over the company's roster of titles.  He showed up as an antagonist in many different heroes titles, not to mention taking them on as groups in the pages of Justice League of America or Teen Titans.  Maybe he wasn't able to maintain his standing as an arch villain because he was defeated so often.

Dazzler fought Doctor Light with Green Lantern in STF #2043...

Monday, November 19, 2018

Black Lightning and Jolt



Black Lightning on the CW still continues to entertain.  I was a little bummed when one of my favorite character was seemingly killed off last week, but we have seen no body, so there is still hope. I understand the desire to keep the show separate from all of the other CW DC Comics series, but I hope that in the third year we will see some kind of crossover. 

Sunday, November 18, 2018

The Roustabouts in: "Rule of the Ringmaster"



This is the third appearance of The Roustabouts on this blog.  They were last seen recruiting Deadman in STF #2010, and first appeared in STF #1810. The last time around, more than one commenter thought they should tangle with The Ringmaster, and I had to agree that it was a natural subject for a follow up - so here you go!

Nightwing and Nightcrawler previously tangled with The Ringmaster in STF #28...

Saturday, November 17, 2018

Darth Vader Vs. Green Lantern



In addition to the Marvel shows announced, the Disney streaming service will also be featuring a Star Wars-related series, The Mandalorian.  It is supposed to feature the adventures of a lone fighter pilot in the time frame between the original trilogy and The Force Awakens.  There isn't much to make a judgment about it yet, but Jon Favreau's involvement as writer and producer is certainly a positive sign.  It could be pretty cool.

Friday, November 16, 2018

Calvin Vs. The Hulk



I have recently begun re-reading the complete run of Calvin & Hobbes, and just finished the first collection.  It amazes me how strongly the strip started off - Bill Watterson had his character designs down from the outset, the cast of characters changed very little in appearance over the years.  Plus, Calvin's vivid imagination and perception of his stuffed tiger are firmly established within the first few strips.  No wonder it was such an instant hit with readers.

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Grendel and Deadpool



Will Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool survive the Disney/Marvel/Fox merger?  I can understand the desire to reintroduce and recast the previously Fox-controlled characters for the MCU, but Wade Wilson is a special case, I think.  With his realization that he is a fictional character and ability to break the fourth wall, it might be fun to see him continuing on commenting on the changes to come.

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Hellcat and Vixen



I had been hoping to see Patsy Walker suit up as Hellcat at some point on Netflix' Jessica Jones, since the last season had her gaining powers.  With the cancellations of both Luke Cage and Iron Fist, I am expecting the third season of Jessica Jones to be the last, so they have one more chance.  These shows seem to take their sweet time getting characters into comic-accurate outfits, though - so I am not holding my breath.

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Duck Dodgers and The Jetsons



When The Flintstones were brought to the big screen, I figured that a live action Jetsons movie would follow soon afterwards.  With the recent successes of humorous outer space action films, and the name recognition and nostalgia factor, I think the time is right to start looking at the property again.  Ed Helms for George, Ellie Kemper for Jane and Danny De Vito for Mr. Spacely?

Monday, November 12, 2018

X-Men Vs. The Justice Society in: "Crisis in Westchester!"



When I was a kid, I regarded characters like Kal-L, Jay Garrick, Stephen Strange and Reed Richards as "elder statesmen" in the world of comic heroes because they looked older than their contemporaries due to their distinguished grey/white sideburns.  Well, now my own personal grey sideburns are getting quite prominently, and I feel neither elder not like a statesman!  I feel like the same goofy comics fan just trying to get through life without messing things up.  Where has the time gone?

The JSA and X-Men have met a couple of times before.  They were manipulated by Apocalypse in STF #1675, and first crossed paths in STF #1400...

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