Popeye Vs. Cap'n Crunch

My parents had us kids on a strict diet when we were growing up - no additives or preservatives, no artificial flavors, no sugar (hey, there were seven of us, I can't blame them).  Our cereal was usually something along the lines of shredded wheat or Kix.  So, when I would go to a friends house and they had the cereals I saw on TV like Cap'n Crunch it was a real treat for me.  I don't have much of a sweet tooth these days but every once in a while I'll get a box of Peanut Butter Crunch just because it was denied to me as a child.

Thanks to comics historian and Patron of this blog, Marc Tyler Nobleman for suggesting this inspired team up!

Mr. Spock and Magnus: Robot Fighter

Some people first discovered Star Trek through the original TV show, and some through the movies.  My first memory is playing with the action figures.  I remember my dad bringing some home and giving them tome and my brothers.  I got Mr. Spock and thought he was pretty darn cool.  It was only later that I saw some reruns of the original series.  One of the first movies I remember renting at the advent of VHS recorders was Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and that movie truly cemented my fan status.

The Prowler and Batman

I really loved the depiction of The Prowler in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.  From his design, to the way he moved, to Mahershala Ali's vocal performance, he was a standout character in a movie full of scene-stealers.  Hopefully we will see Donald Glover's Aaron Davis suit up as the Prowler in a live action Spidey flick one of these days.

The Phantom Stranger and Iron Man

This is a good example of a cover that was a bit trickier to accomplish than may look at first glance.  One might think that all that needed to be done was to add in an image of Iron Man on top of the Phantom Stranger splash.  As you can see below, I used the splash page from DC Comics Presents #72, which had a lot of captions and text that needed to be removed and replaced with background elements first.  Sometimes even the simple looking covers can be a challenge to create.

Justice Society of America and Thor

Some have expressed disappointment that DC's trinity will not be a part of the JSA when it returns DC continuity, as it will be the post-Crisis version that existed on the same Earth as the JLA, just in an earlier decade.  Batman and Superman weren't heavily involved in the original All-Star Comics series, so I can live with that, even though I like them on the team.  Wonder Woman on the other hand was in a lot of adventures so I hope they find a way to include her.  John Byrne's solution of having Hyppolita as the WW of the JSA worked for me, so I hope that will be the case again. 

The Hulk and Shazam! (The TV Movie Adaptation!)

This is a TV crossover that would have knocked my socks off when I was a kid.  Despite the limited production values of each show, I took the adventures of these characters very seriously.  It sounds like a sequel to Shazam! will start shooting soon, despite the first film only being a modest hit.  That's a good thing, because I am eager to see where the story goes, especially with the alliance that was set up in the post-credits scene.

These two share a more traditional comic adventure in STF #2098...

Sgt. Fury and Blackhawk

Blackhawk is another one of those DCEU projects that was announced, and seemingly forgotten.  None other than legendary director Stephen Spielberg was named as director, which got me very interested... and then nothing.  I haven't heard a peep about this movie since that initial announcement, I hope that it is still on.

Cyborg and The Vision

I'm wondering how it is that Paul Bettany will be returning as The Vision in the upcoming Disney+ series Wanda/Vision. Will he be rebuilt in Wakanda, magically restored by The Scarlet Witch, or only appear in flashback scenes?  Whatever the reason, it will be good to see him back in action, as his heroic career was cut way too short in the MCU.

Doc Savage and Buffy Vs. Aliens

I thought I would go for a three-way crossover this time, with action stars from different decades.  An alien queen is nothing to trifle with, but I think that the combined skills of the Man of Bronze and Vampire Slayer could put up a decent fight.  It would be cool to see at least, either in print or live action.

Huntress and Hawkeye in: "Night of the Dragon!"

This is the fifth appearance on the blog featuring these heroic siblings.

They first appeared together in STF #505...

Next, they had a twisted family reunion in STF #1387... 

which continued into the next issue, STF #1388...

Then they visited their parents in STF #1877...

Martian Manhunter and The Inhumans

With Spider-Man: Far From Home introducing the concept of the multiverse to the MCU, they now have a loophole for any do-overs they may want to do.  I can see them eventually explaining that the Marvel TV Shows on ABC and Netflix featured adventures from a different version of Earth than we have seen in the movies.  That leaves them clear to have a second chance on presenting characters like The Inhumans or Deathlok should they ever want to bring them to the big screen.

Insect Queen and Deadpool

It's rumored that Marvel will wait a while before introducing the X-Men to the MCU, probably at least five years.  Where does that put Deadpool, though?  They seem to have an interest in continuing with Ryan Reynolds in the role, but can you bring the character into the fold before introducing mutants in general?  Will they give him a nice long rest as well?

Dial "H" For Hero Vs. Taskmaster

The Taskmaster is a character that I would love to see show up in the MCU at some point.  His costume, which looks cool in the comics, might per pretty hard to pull off in live action, though.  Dian "H" For Hero, has always been a fun concept, might be a good candidate for a TV series, no matter which wielder of the H Dial is used.  There's a lot of storytelling potential there.

Green Lantern and The Avengers in: "Grundy's Guardian!"

Writer Scott Snyder is bringing Alan Scott and the rest of the original members of the Justice Society back to mainstream DC continuity in the upcoming Justice League: Doom War arc.  It looks as though they will be a version of the team in their prime, as the story will feature characters from different time periods coming together.  There are strong hints that an ongoing series will follow, that will be set during this early days of comics' first superhero team.  Their return has been a long time coming and I have enjoyed Snyder's work on other titles, so I am looking forward to what he has planned.

Legion of Super-Pets and Tintin

I got a kick out of the fact that Krypto went through the effort of having a secret identity back in the Bronze Age.  In addition to removing his cape and collar, he would create brown spots on his fur with Pa Kent's wood stain - just in case anyone might see a white pooch and realize that he is the dog of steel!  Well, I suppose he couldn't just put on a pair of glasses!

The Punisher and The Creeper

This is a match up that I would like to see. These two, with their disparate personalities, would definitely clash in a way that would be fun to watch.  The Creeper is hard to kill with his unpredictable fighting style and healing factor, but The Punisher is not one to give up easily when he sets his sights on a target.  I'm not sure who would come out on top, but it would be n enjoyable battle to watch unfold.

Sub-Mariner and Starman

I read this week that the original Justice Society will at last be making their return to comics as part of an upcoming Justice League story, and its about time.  They are about to get some exposure on DC's streaming service as well, as supporting characters in the Stargirl series.  It will be interesting to see Joel McHale's interpretation of Starman.   Let's just hope that the series doesn't get a cancellation announcement after only its first episode, Like Swamp Thing!

Photon and Jesse Quick

Apologies to Rick Springfield and Paul Williams...

The main thing I really want from a Captain Marvel sequel is Monica Rambeau gaining her powers to become Photon.  Well, that's the name I use for her on this blog, they are just as likely to go with Spectrum.  Frankly, I liked it when Rambeau went by Captain Marvel, and I don't think she should have given up the title.  Whatever they call her, I hope the seeds that were planted with young Monica in the first film will blossom into the full hero we know from the comics.

Ant-Man and Doll Man in: "A Tiny Little Trance!"

One of my favorite Easter eggs in Avengers: Endgame was the glimpse of the original Ant-Man helmet in the lab of Hank Pym.  I loved the brief flashbacks with Pym in super hero mode in the two Ant-Man movies, and it would be great to see another with him using his first helmet and costume.  Maybe that's something we will get to see in a third installment or even in The Fantastic Four's Marvel debut, which at this early stage is rumored to be a period piece.

These two first crossed paths in STF #907...

Predator Vs. Worf

Predator is one of those movie franchises like Jurassic Park that keeps on continuing, even though no sequel ever seems to match the quality of the first installment.  There's something about that first outing that makes it very re-watchable.  The macho man cast, the simple yet effective plot, and those amazing one liners put it in the action movie hall of fame for me.

Deathstroke Vs. Daredevil in: "The Trial of Joseph Wilson!"

Even though the last episode of Netflix' Daredevil wrapped things up well, it's still too bad that the show has gone away, given the tease of a fully formed Bullseye at the end.  I did miss seeing Matt Murdock in the red costume, which never happened in Season Three, and definitely wanted more of that as well.  Like the X-Men, I guess we'll just have to give DD's world a rest for a few years, and then see what Marvel decides to do with it around Phase Six or so.

These two last tangled in STF #2377...

Nova and The Flash

Nova is heavily rumored to be joining the MCU as part of the studio's Phase Four plans.  This should be fairly easy to do as all the groundwork for the Nova Corps has already been laid.  I do hope they tweak the Nova costume a bit from what we have seen in Guardians of the Galaxy, the helmets looked slightly clunky there.  Knowing Marvel, I'm sure he'll get one of those magical helmets everyone seems to have that can appear and disappear with a light touch to the neck. Wouldn't want to obscure the face of their leading man too long!

The Inferior Five Vs. Galactus

I don't think that any comic fan was satisfied with the Galactus that we were given in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (except maybe the producers of Green Lantern, who made the same villainous cloud mistake with Parallax). I guess the silver lining is that a true representation of the World Devourer will not seem like a re-tread if Marvel ever wants to explore that story line again, once the Fantastic Four is brought into the MCU.

Thank you to Bob Greenwade, a Patron of this blog, for suggesting this lopsided match up!

Blue Beetle Vs. The Beetle

The Beetle was another Marvel villain that I grew to really like in the pages of  Thunderbolts.  I liked his transition to Mach-1 and the effect that pretending to be a hero had on him.  Like some of his teammates, he was able to find there was a heroic nature within him after all.  I's love to see that story told in the movies one of these days.  Another memory of The Beetle is when he showed up on one of Marvel's cartoons (Iron Man I think) and had a strong Liverpudlian accent! That gave me a good laugh.

Joker's Wild in: "Knock Knock, Who's Dead?"

I'm not sure what to make of the upcoming Joaquin Phoenix Joker movie.  It looks like a well made period character piece, but I don't know how much it will actually remind me of The Joker from the comics.  Like Wolverine, the Clown Prince of Crime is a character that works better without a definitive origin story.  I'm not sure if I want to be asked to identify or sympathize with a crazed murderer.  I'm also not sure about Phoenix' look in the role, with applied on makeup that doesn't really match what we know from the villain's classic appearance.  I guess if this is going to be more of an Elseworlds-type tale they can take some liberties.

Joker's Wild first appeared way back in STF #224...

Hawkman and Captain America "In the Clutches of the Living Mountain!"

I always got a kick out of "giant hand holding the hero" covers for some reason.  It was a common motif during the Bronze Age of comics that I grew up with and made for a striking visual, whether the hand in question was clutching a single hero or entire team.

Hawkman and Cap first met back in STF #757...

Power Man and Power Girl in: "Shattered Soulmate!"

Luke Cage's Netflix show may have been cancelled, but there is a lot of of his story left to tell.  The seeds for the formation of Heroes for Hire with Iron Fist were planted but that never materialized.  He had a fling with Jessica Jones, but in the comics it led to marriage and a child.  Then of course, there's his transition from neighborhood protector to an Avenger.  Once Marvel can use him in the MCU, they'll have plenty of material to mine.

This marks the 8th appearance of The Power Couple on this blog...

Sub-Mariner and The Phantom

It certainly seems that I am not alone in wanting Namor to come to the MCU.  A quick mention of "undersea explosions" in Avengers: Endgame has led many excited reviewers to speculate that the groundwork for Sub-Mariner has already been laid.  Alas, the Russo Brothers have stated that there was no hidden meaning in that dialogue.  Still, it shows how much interest there is to bringing the Avenging Son to life, hopefully Marvel is taking notice.

Man-Bat Vs. The Lizard

Man-Bat remains for me the Batman family character that I most want to show up in the new Robert Pattinson led movie.  With five rumored villains, surely there is room for him.  If he can't be included in the mix, then maybe he could be included as part of the roster for the long in development Justice League Dark movie, as he has been a member of that team in the comics.  Special effects technology is finally at a place where Kirk Langstrom's bestial alter ego can finally be done justice, so I hope he finds a live action home soon.

Thor Vs. Black Adam

Shazam! was a fun movie but not a huge hit at the box office, so I wonder what that will mean for the long discussed Black Adam solo film.  Will DC rethink things, or hope that The Rock can come in and turn around a movie franchise, as he has done a few times before?  I think they would have been better off having him in the first film, apparently it could have used his box office clout.