The Thing and Sandman

 

A deceptively simple looking cover - but it took a lot of caption removal and image replacement before I could add Dream in.  Here is a look behind the scenes: 

The Super Visors

 

This team comes directly from the comment section of this blog, right down to the name.  I forget actually who was discussing it, but I wrote down the idea for a team of visor-wearing heroes and it it was so silly that it stuck with me.  I finally decided to tackle it..

Justice League of America Vs. The Super-Adaptoid

 

I had to remove The Avengers as well as some other items before I could add in the JLA on this cover.  Here's a look at the behind the scenes progress: 

The Creeper and Venom

 

If you are wondering why The Creeper has it out for Norman Osborn, he's held a grudge ever since they clashed in STF #1674.  He also face off against another Symbiote, Carnage, in STF #4507.

Black Panther and Jonny Quest

 

For a brief moment, the classic Jonny Quest cartoons showed up on HBO Max.  I only got about five episodes in before they were pulled off of the service.  Hopefully they will return or show up somewhere else that I can check out the rest.  It was great seeing them again after all these years.

The Atom and The Defenders

 

Can the world's greatest non-team subdue a dwarf star-infused hero out of control?  And just what happened to Ray Palmer anyway?  The answers are only sixty cents away!

Hyperion Vs. Black Adam

 

Battles between Superman and Captain Marvel have always been entertaining, so I figured that a clash between a pair of their dark reflections would be fun to see as well. If anything it would be even more brutal - but who would come out as the victor?

Liberty Belle and Union Jack

 

I always liked reading about these two wartime heroes, even if they never quite hit the A-list. They look great too - Union Jack's has a vary cool outfit and Libby Lawrence wears her jodhpurs well. 

Superman and Thor in: "The Kryptonian Transfusion!"

 

I haven't had these two together for a while, and I thought it was time to feature them together again.  Superman and Thor have shared other STF adventures:

in Issue #1155, they paid for the sins of their fathers...

in Issue #994, they starred in an all-Kirby classic...

In Issue #949, they battled Amazo and the Taskmaster...

In Issue #155, they were confronted by their fathers...

In Issue #31, they squared off against Mongul...

and they first crossed paths way back in Issue #17.

Spider-Woman and The Shadow

 

Jessica Drew has become entangled in mysteries regarding her origins before.  Perhaps The Shadow could help her uncover some long-hidden truths.

Justice Society of America Vs. Apocalypse

 

This bad guy has been around for centuries, who's to say he wouldn't have vexed the JSA at some point?  Definitely fodder for an oversized issue!

Brainiac Vs. Thanos

 

I think that this would make for an epic match up.  I can see them trying to out maneuver each other with some dramatic results.  Who do you think would win this war?

Calvin and Hobbes meet The Demon

Sure, Calvin could have a dark side, but his heart was always in the right place.  Let's hope that Etrigan keeps an eye on him.

 

Green Lantern and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

 

The Green Lantern Corps is truly an interplanetary organization, so why not have E.T. join their ranks?  A ring would certainly ensure that he would not get stranded again, at least!

Mr. T and Chaselon

 These two have been allies ever since they joined forces in Task Force T back in STF #1082, and I thought it was time to give them a solo adventure - complete with a ring for Mr. T.   Who will be given a Green Lantern ring next?  You can find out right here tomorrow!

The Flash and Mr. Fantastic

 

I haven't seen the new FF movie yet, but I hear that Pedro Pascal is pretty good as Reed despite the mustache and limited stretching scenes. I was worried about the casting, so that's good to hear.

This cover required some decluttering and background replacement.  Here is a look at the behind the scenes progress: 

Red Tornado and Aunt May

 Poor May Parker is always being written as a frail aunt in distress, it's time she get the chance to be the hero of the story.  Who better to join her in such an adventure than Ma Hunkel?

Hercules and Cyborg

 

Hercules was introduced in an MCU post credits scene, but when will we see him again?  There has been talk of a 5th Thor film, but I don't know if that is definite yet.  The next two Avengers movies are supposed to be jam packed with heroes, perhaps he will make an appearance in one of them.

Batman Vs. The Creature from the Black Lagoon

 

The Creature from the Black Lagoon truly had an excellent costume design. It looked great in and out of the water and certainly gave me the chills as a kid.  Batman's movie serial costume wasn't as much of a success.  It looks ok here, but most of the time one or both of his ears was pointing in the wrong direction!  

The Spectre and The Vision

Thugs and gangsters never stood much of a chance against these two ultra powerful heroes.  It will take a mystical threat to challenge their combined forces.

 

Manhunter and Shang-Chi

 

It always makes a big difference when comic artists illustrating expert fighters have really done their homework.  When the reader sees a character like Shang-Chi or Iron Fist using actual martial arts moves, it adds a lot to the effectiveness of the scene. Hopefully this issue would contain plenty of such sequences.

Betty and The Beast

 

It looks like Archie Andrews has met his match. Maybe a well-timed Sentinel attack will distract the competition.

Nightwing and Puck

 

Nightwing previously faced off against The Ringmaster with The Roustabouts in STF #2410, and with Nightcrawler way back in STF #68...

Scarlet Witch and The Metal Men

 

They would probably be wise to follow Wanda here.  She's proven herself a close friend to a Synthezoid, why not a team of robots on the run? 

John Wick Vs. Cobra Commander

 

OK, admittedly this story may only take 2 comic panels to tell, but I still feel like it would make for a satisfying read!  John Wick 5 is reportedly in development, although I'm not sure how that works given the end of the last film.  Perhaps his appearance in Ballerina (which I have not seen yet) explains it?

Thunderbolts and Plastic Man

 

Yes, Eel O'Brien also has a past working outside the law, but would this team made up of former members of the Masters of Evil tolerate his humor and antics? I'm not quite sure about that, but I bet it would make for an interesting read.

Mr. Terrific and Storm

 

I saw and quite enjoyed the new Superman movie.  I liked how it truly embraced its comic book roots, it felt like reading a Silver or Bronze age issue.  I wasn't crazy about the major change to Superman's Kryptonian origin, though.  Mr. Terrific was definitely a standout.  Edi Gathegi's performance was great and his actions scenes were a blast to watch.  Definite spinoff material there!

Two-Face and She-Hulk

 

Between their duality and legal background, this feels like a natural combination.  I can only imagine what Harvey Dent's plan is with this newfound power. 

Two-Face encountered Jennifer Walters' cousin Bruce Banner in STF #4280...

Swamp Thing and Shaman

 

Looks like a somewhat metaphysical issue.  That's ok, those those can make way for some lavishly illustrated tales.  I just wonder who it is that these two are trying to contact.

Sgt. Fury and Wonder Woman

 

I'm betting that Fury and his Commandos would have welcomed some back up as powerful as Wonder Woman on their missions.  I know that I would have certainly welcomed reading about it!

Hellboy and Gargoyles

 

There was talk of a live action Gargoyles movie a few years ago, but I haven't heard much about it since the projects announcement.  It appears to still be in development, so hopefully we will hear about some forward momentum soon.  If done right, it could be a very cool film.  Thanks to Mike Shirley, a Patron of this Blog, for suggesting this team up!

Iron Man and Robocop

 

Robocop was the closest thing we had to an Iron Man movie until the real thing came along a couple of decades later, so this seems like a natural combination to me.  Watching these two in action side by side would make for a fun summertime flick.

Doctor Mid-Nite and The Hulk

 Can it be?  Does Dr. Mid-Nite really have what it takes to cure Bruce Banner's condition?  And even if he does, are any of his instruments strong enough to work on the big green guy?  The answers are only sixty cents away!

Nova and Stargirl

 

He's back and badder than ever!  That's right - Earth STF's greatest menace, Mr. Universe, returns for his 11th appearance to vex a couple of young heroes.  Let's hope that they have better luck than the rest in putting this guy away for good!

Robotman and Giant-Man

 

I guess I have read so many groan inducing puns in the comments section of this blog, that it's starting to rub off on me, because the one above even makes me wince.  Still, It does seem to be the kind of thing that Cliff Steele might say, and it would definitely be cool to see him working alongside Hank Pym.

Spider-Man and Black Canary

 

This is another example of a cover that required a bunch of de-cluttering before I could add in any new elements. Here's a look at the behind the scenes progress: 

 

Angel and The New Teen Titans

 

You would think that the Titans would welcome a wealthy benefactor like Warren Worthington into their ranks, but it looks like drama has followed.  Just what could have happened to get Kori so worked up?

Worf Vs. Wolverine

 

Yes, Chronos has one of the most garish costumes out there.  I'm not sure which era the time villain has visited in which those striped leggings are in fashion.  Still, his mask at least has always looked cool to me and even creeped me out a little as a kid.

Hyperion and Martian Manhunter

 

I wonder if Ed McGuiness was a fan of the Masters of the Universe toy line.  I ask that because the muscular figures that he illustrates definitely remind me of the look of He-Man and his crew.  That's not a complaint - McGuiness's artistic skill and knowledge of anatomy allows him to effectively present his exaggerated style, which works well for superhero stories.

Sub-Mariner and Captain Marvel Jr.

 

The Golden Age Namor wasn't a big fan of working with other heroes, but when the mission was crushing Captain Nazi and his minions, I am sure he would make an exception.  

Thor and The All-Star Squadron

 

It will be interesting to see what kind of role Thor will play in the next Avengers movies, seeing as he is the last remaining of the founding members (I'm not counting The Hulk, who is just green Mark Ruffalo now).  The real question is, will the God of Thunder survive the experience?

Miss America and Star-Spangled Kid & Stripesy

 

Happy Fourth of July to those who celebrate the holiday!  Whether you do or not, I hope that your day and weekend is filled with family, friends and nice weather!

How you can help support STF: The Lost Issues!

It is time once again for my once a year reminder about how you can help keep the blog going - while it is a labor of love for me, it remains a one-man operation and can be quite time consuming to keep up on a daily basis after 15 years, trying to maintain or improve the quality. 

The blog will of course always be free - and ad-free, but if you would like to help support it, there are a couple of ways to do so - by by making a one time contribution by clicking on the "Donate" button at the bottom of this page, or by becoming a Patron at Patreon.  While I welcome and take suggestions from anyone, Patrons of course will get special consideration in that regard.

I truly appreciate everyone who takes the time to check out my covers, and those who participate in the comments sections, whether on the blog itself, the Facebook Fan Page or my X feed.  I always enjoy hearing feedback and I read every message with amusement, appreciation and interest. I may not respond to every idea for a future cover, but I see them all and keep a list of every one that I feel has potential. you'll never know when a team up you suggested a year or so earlier might suddenly show up.

It should be a fun year ahead.  STF #4900 will hit in a couple months, and then the march toward STF #5,000 will begin!  I never would have made it this far without the support and encouragement that I have received over the years. Thank you all for stopping by for your daily dose of team up fun!

The Quarrymen in: "Rock and Rule!"

 

I'm surprised that it took me until the fourth appearance of The Quarrymen to pit them against Terrax.  It seems like a natural confrontation, and I am betting that this former herald of Galactus will give them a run for their money.

Man-Bat Vs. The Abomination in: "We, Who Were Men Once..."

 

We've already seen the abomination a few times in live action, now it's time to get Man-Bat on the big screen.  He may be too out there for Matt Reeves grounded take on Batman, but James Gunn's more fanciful DCU seems like the perfect place for Kirk Langstrom's bestial alter ego to show up.

These two first faced off in STF #4491...

Roger Rabbit and Batman

 

Who Framed Roger Rabbit was a thrill for me back in the day, watching cartoon characters from different companies crossing over with each other.  The only thing missing was a superhero appearance.  Sure it was too soon for Batman The Animated Series, but surely Max Fleischer's Superman could have done a fly by?

Godzilla Vs. Chemo

 

Both of these big bruisers came about as the result of scientific tampering.  It's only natural that they would clash if the crossed paths.  Woe be to anyone who is unfortunate enough to get between them!