THE STF #3000TH ISSUE EXTRAVAGANZA!

It is a simple concept:  What if the Bronze Age DC Comics team-up series Super-Team Family kept running forever... and what if it could use characters from anywhere, not only from DC?  This blog is my answer to that question, and a celebration of the amazing creators and characters that have entertained so many over the years.  And here we are...  Presenting the 3000th issue of STF (cover #3510 in total)!  Thank you to everyone who regularly visits here and lets me know through your kind words, comments and suggestions that you get a kick out of the covers.  A huge thanks goes out to those that have gone the extra mile and made a donation or became Patrons of STF: The Lost Issues - your support has helped this milestone to be reached! Now, let's get to the special features...

AND NOW,  A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR...

YOU GET A RING!  AND YOU GET A RING! AND YOU GET A RING!

 I definitely have some recurring themes on this blog... and the GLC handing out Power Rings like Pez is definitely one of them!  I thought it might be fun to present some of the characters that have wielded the universe's most powerful weapon...

TIME FOR A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT...

OOPS, I DID IT AGAIN!

I try not to give myself too many restrictions while creating covers for this blog, but I do have a few rules:  Don't use images from something that was already an inter-company crossover to begin with, and try not to re-use any character images more than once.  That second one is a rule that I have broken quite a few times as you will see below.  I didn't do it on purpose, sometimes I just forgot that I had already used an image - you have to forgive me, I've done a lot of these.  Anyway, I thought it would be fun to present some of these examples here, it's interesting to see how an image can be used in different ways:

COMING SATURDAYS THIS FALL!

It hasn't been easy keeping up with this blog on a daily basis for the past decade, but I am glad that I have kept with it - your enthusiasm, encouragement, ideas and patronage have helped keep me inspired and motivated and I want to thank you all for joining me on this ride!  Let the march to STF #4000 begin!

Supergirl Vs. Doctor Doom

This cover gives me good feelings because I culled the figure images from two comics that made a big impression on me.  The Doom image is from a splash page for Fantastic Four #126, "The Way It Began!"  I wore it out from listening and reading to it so often.  Supergirl is from the Superman Vs. Shazam! tabloid sized comic, one of the best slugfests ever and still my favorite story featuring those two powerhouses.

Tune in tomorrow  for STF #3000! - I have some extra features I hope you will like:

- Oversized cover featuring two iconic teams clashing for the first time
- And now, a word from our sponsor
- You get a ring!  And you get a ring!  And you get a ring!
- Public Service Announcement
- Oops, I did it again!
- Coming Saturdays this fall!

... all in the spirit of STF: The Lost Issues!  Don't Miss it!

Swamp Thing and Sherlock Holmes

A friend of mine gave me a copy of The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes, and I absolutely devoured it.I had seen the character in some movies, but finally reading the original tales made me a life long fan.  I've made a point to pass on the collection to others.  The stories are all great, but my favorites include the first one, A Study in Scarlet, which introduces Holmes, Watson, LeStrade and the whole setting.  Other standouts include The Solitary Cyclist, The Greek Interpreter and The Red-Headed League.  My Favorite has to be The Musgrave Ritual, there are some really great twists and turns in that one.

X-Men Vs. Solomon Grundy

So far we have seen a couple of fleeting scenes of Solomon Grundy on Stargirl.  He looks really cool, even if you have to freeze frame the screen just to get a look at him.  I am hoping that we will eventually get a proper scene featuring him in all of is undead glory.  I realize the CGI isn't cheap, but if they can do it for King Shark on The Flash, they should be able to do it for this show.

Uncle Scrooge & Super Goof Vs. Thanos

I guess that with all of these characters under the Disney umbrella, this combination could actually happen someday.  The House of Mouse has kept its various properties apart thus far, but who knows what the future holds?  They are on the verge of diving head first into the possibilities of the multiverse after all.  How long before characters from Disney proper, Marvel, Star Wars, The Muppets and more get thrown together in one big adventure?

Wildcat and White Tiger

The latest episode of Stargirl featured Pat Dugan accepting the legacy members of the JSA that Courtney is assembling, but realizing that they are going to need training.  It would appear that Pat himself will be doing the training, but I am still holding out hope that Ted Grant will make an appearance to lend a hand.  I think he was among the defeated JSA members from the first episode - but he's got nine lives, right?

Man-Wolf and Jimmy Olsen

Man-Wolf was a great example of the crazy anything goes attitude that Marvel had in the 70's.  John Jameson went from being the son of a Spider-Man supporting character, to becoming a horror character, and then transformed into a cosmic hero, complete with a detailed George Perez outfit!  I guess sometimes you have to keep throwing a character at different walls and seeing when they stick!

Jimmy crossed paths with another Marvel Wolf in STF #769...

Man-Bat and Doctor Strange

I remember watching the first episode of Batman: The Animated Series, and being thrilled that Man-Bat was featured.  It was a choice that firmly set the show apart from any other Batman project that viewers had seen before.  Here was a villain that had never been seen outside of the comics, in a story presented with seriousness and suspense.  I automatically knew that the show was going to be something special, and indeed, it certainly was.  Now, let's get Man-Bat into the movies!

These two first crossed paths in STF #2883...

Just a week until STF #3000 - I have some extra features I hope you will like:

- Oversized cover featuring two iconic teams clashing for the first time
- And now, a word from our sponsor
- You get a ring!  And you get a ring!  And you get a ring!
- Public Service Announcement
- Oops, I did it again!
- Coming Saturdays this fall!

... all in the spirit of STF: The Lost Issues!

Ka-Zar and B'Wana Beast

B'wana Beast is one of the heroes that Grant Morrison brought back during his run on Animal Man.  Morrison is well known for his talent at writing off-beat and bizarre characters as well as his love for all of the obscure corners of DC's Silver Age, so showcasing this creator of animal hybrids was right up his alley.  Lets hope he doesn't sit on the shelf for decades before another writer takes a crack at him.

Thanks to BigMike20X6 for suggesting the idea of getting these two together!

Aquaman and Fin Fang Foom

There's a lot of speculation as to what will happen with the character of Mera in the Aquaman sequel, given actress Amber Heard's legal troubles.  Some suggest the best move would be to write Aquaman's bride to be out of the script and replace her with Dolphin.  While I wouldn't mind seeing Dolphin, I feel that Mera is too important a character to lose, so I would opt for recasting.  I have heard Emilia Clarke suggested, but I think I have an idea that would work better - Deborah Ann Woll!  She's mentioned it's tough finding work after Daredevil's cancellation, and shares some facial similarity with Heard.  I think it could work.

The Falcon and Nightwing

There was talk of a Nightwing movie for a while, but I haven't heard anything about that in ages.  I think the problem is that Batman in the movies keeps getting re-set.  We never get around to introducing Robin, let alone allowing him to graduate into his second super-heroic identity.  I understand that's been a major plot point of the Titans series on DC's streaming service.  I'll have to check that out one of these days.

JLA & JSA and Agents of Atlas

I had hoped that the introduction of Agent Jimmy Woo in the MCU would lead to the formation of Agents of Atlas down the line.  The character, as played by Randall Park, has been used for comic relief so far though, so I don't know if that will be the case.  Still, I'd like to see either the original team or its newer incarnation eventually show up. 

Green Lantern and Hercules

Rumors are beginning to circulate regarding Hercules' inclusion in the MCU.  I'm not sure where he will show up, though.  I could see him being introduced in The Eternals, but that film seems well underway and I would think that we would have heard about his participation before now.  He would also fit in with Thor: Love and Thunder, but I have my doubts about that too, since the movie already seems to be jam packed with characters.  Wherever he appears, it's bound to be a fun role, hopefully Marvel can find an actor with the right physique and comedy chops to do the Lion of Olympus justice.

Darkwing Duck and Captain Carrot & His Amazing Zoo Crew

I watched the pilot episode of Darkwing Duck on Disney+ and got a kick out of it.  I missed the show when it first aired.  It still surprises me that there has never been an animated version of Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew.  It seems like the perfect property to make that transition.  I was hoping they would show up on Batman: The Brave and the Bold, but they were sadly a no-show.

Captain Atom and The Fantastic Four

The Thing is my favorite Marvel character, and I remember being disappointed to see that he was replaced on the FF with She-Hulk, following Secret Wars.  That changed quickly though, because I thought she fit in very well and her tenure marked one of my favorite runs for the team.  Ben Grimm had his own title at the time so I still got to enjoy his adventures.

Power Man & Iron Fist and Judge Dredd

As super-hero motorcycles go, there are a few that really stand out to me.  Ghost Rider's of course immediately comes to mind, as does Batgirl's ride from the 60's TV show. Judge Dredd's Lawmaster has to be at the top of the list.  Between the huge tires and gleaming eagle shield, it's just as imposing as its operator.

The Spectre and Guardians of the Galaxy

I was saddened to hear that Denny O'Neil passed away this week.  Most associate him with his groundbreaking work on Batman and Green Lantern/Green Arrow, but he wrote for many characters from Marvel and DC (even one crazy issue of the Spectre's first series).  His contributions were many, such as the classic Superman Vs. Muhammad Ali and a long list of characters that he created, including Air Wave, Bronze Tiger, Madame Web, Ra's Al Ghul and Talia, Killraven, Richard Dragon, John Stewart, Lady Deathstrike, Azrael, Leslie Thompkins and on an on.  He will be missed but never forgotten.

Sleepwalker and Sandman in: "Escaping the Dreamscape!"

Wesley Dodds was included among the classic JSAers depicted in the first episode of Stargirl.  I'm not sure how much time will be spent on flashbacks to the past in that show, but it would be nice to showcase him in action at some point.  He has one f the coolest looks of all the Society members and it would be great to see him battling injustice in his prime.

Sleepwalker first met Sandman in STF #1779, and he encountered Sandman of The Endless in STF #1211...

Scarlet Witch, Batgirl and Buffy the Vampire Slayer

I am glad that WandaVision will still be coming to Disney+ this year despite all of the delays in Hollywood.  The teaser I have seen which show the couple in various sitcom-like settings has me intrigued.  Plus we'll finally see the adult Monica Rambeau (and hopefully her super-heroic alter ego), a character I have been looking forward to seeing since the MCU began.  Then there is the rumor of Mephisto appearing, it will be cool to see how the demonic villain is realized.

Green Arrow and Deathlok

Marvel's Agent's of S.H.I.E.L.D. has begun its final season, and while the show has been very hit or miss with me, I will see it through to the end.  I wouldn't mind the MCU ignoring the events of the series, however.  Let them call it another world in the multiverse maybe.  Characters like Deathlok, Graviton and the Absorbing Man are too cool to only get a low-rent TV treatment, and I hope they all get a chance to truly shine on the big screen.

Robin and Ghost Rider in: "Drake's Descent!"

While this is his first meeting with the Tim Drake Robin, Ghost Rider has a bit of history with the original Robin, Dick Grayson - they first crossed paths in STF #1689...  That led to Blaze joining the Teen Titans in STF #828...  His reasons for joining were all about Robin, as seen in STF #1995...   Their rivalry continued until Grayson became Nightwing in STF #149... and they finally became allies as members of the circus-based team, The Roustabouts...

The Guardian and Captain America in: American Outlaw!"

This was another tricky cover to put together - all those shards of glass! It took some time to isolate and position them all, not to mention removing unwanted elements from the original Captain America #222 splash.

Cap and The Guardian have crossed paths before on the blog - they swapped shields in STF #2336, they had a Kirby-Illustrated adventure in STF #790, and they first met one another in STF #69... Cap also met the Manhattan Guardian in STF #2571...

Mickey Mouse and Batman

It's been fun checking out some of the classic cartoon shorts on Disney+.  They must have made an impact on me as a kid because  even though I haven't seen some of them for 45 years or longer, the memories of seeing them for the first time come flooding back when I watch them anew.

Batman last tangled with The Beagle Boys in STF #2901...

Captain Comet and Thor in: Blake and the Behemoth!"

In my mind, Thor is still Don Blake.  I'm not sure why that aspect of the character eventually went away in the comics.  I like when heroes have secret identities, and this was one of the cooler ones.  Plus, the sight of an unassuming surgeon with a permanent limp striking his cane on the ground and transforming into the God of Thunder was always awesome to see.  I miss that.

Captain Comet and Thor were first revealed to be cousins in STF #2292...

Doom Patrol and The Hulk

I liked this version of The Doom Patrol, even if the newer members didn't have as much of a "freak" element to them.  I thought that Joshua Clay, Tempest, was a cool character with an interesting power set.  I don't really remember seeing him anywhere in the DCU after Grant Morrison took over the title.  Was he killed off, de-powered, or just forgotten about?

Shazzan and The Fantastic Four

This is a team up I always hoped I would see.  After all, both properties were a part of Hanna-Barbera's World of Super Adventure, a cartoon anthology that aired when I was a kid. Alas, they only appeared together in the opening credits.  Still, that was enough to get my young mind reeling with the possibilities.

Black Panther Vs. Bane

Much like the concerns about Robert Pattinson's physique for his upcoming role as Batman, here has been some online discussion about Chadwick Boseman's current appearance.  Recent social media posts have shown him to having apparently lost weight and looking quite different than he did as the Black Panther.  Maybe it's for another role, or maybe that's just his normal look between projects.  Given the delays in Hollywood filming there's probably plenty of time to work out and bulk up before shooting on the sequel begins, so I don't think there's much cause for alarm at this point.

Supergirl and The Silver Surfer

If the MCU is indeed building to the introduction of Galactus, they have to bring in The Silver Surfer at some point.  But what is the best way to go about that?  Do we want a stand-alone Silver Surfer movie, telling the story of Norrin Radd's transformation into the Sentinel of the Spaceways?  Or would we like him to show up in another movie?  Since namor seems to be on track to make his MCU debut first, perhaps he can get together with Dr. Strange and the Hulk for a Defenders movie that will center around the Surfer's arrival.

Huntress and Hawkeye in: "Sister... Hacked!"

This is the sixth 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...

And the last time, they ran afoul of gangs in STF #2625...

In fact, I think it's time they get their own label:  Hawkeye/Huntress...

Hellboy and Wonder Woman

Fans got their way with the announcement that the Snyder Cut of Justice League will be completed and presented on HBO Max.  Now there's lots of talk of an Ayer Cut of Suicide Squad, since much of that movie was lost in editing.  It's nice to know that studios pay attention to some of these online movements.  I wonder what it would take to allow Guillermo Del Toro to complete his Hellboy Trilogy, after the poorly received reboot all but killed the franchise.