Doctor Fate and Conan

 

I was more a fan of traditional superhero fare than I was of sword and sandals epics like Conan.  Still, his stories seemed to attract some of the greatest artists in the industry.  That was enough for me to want to check out an adventure here and there. John Buscema and others truly created some gorgeous artwork when contributing to the genre.

Batman Vs. The Green Goblin in: "Breaking the Vow!"

 

Norman Osborne enjoys going after a hero mentally as well as physically, so I can see him pulling out all the stops to mess with Brice Wayne's head.  Batman first faced off against The Green Goblin on an MS Paint B&B cover way back in 2011...

Fantastic Four and Amanda Waller

 

This is an example of where I had an image to use, but the printing quality on it was low. In those cases, I have to "recolor" through use of the clone stamp tool.  It can be time consuming, but it is a necessary step for a cohesive cover.  Wouldn't you know it, for this particular splash page, I did find a nice crisp clear image of it just a couple of days after I had completed the cover!  I could have saved myself a lot of time if I had found that sooner!  Here's a look at the behind the scenes progress:

Captain Marvel and Firestorm (Vs. Mr. Universe!)

 

It looks like STF's arch-villain Mr. Universe is back for his 6th appearance - and this time he's gone after a couple of heavy hitters! Mar-Vell first met Firestorm in STF #2747...

There was a lot of tweaking required with this cover - Here's a look at the behind the scenes progress:

Elongated Man and Stingray

I loved when some of my favorite C-list heroes got the spotlight, so a team up like this that featured two of them would have jumped right off of the racks for me.  Let's hear it for the unsung heroes of our youth!

Blackhawk and Indiana Jones

 

The Blackhawks are a DC team that I was not expecting to ever show up in live action.  The Sgt. Rock movie plans seem to me very much underway, however.  I've been hoping that such a project would include other classic DC Comics war stars.  Maybe those heroic pilots have a chance of appearing after all.

Swamp Thing and The Lizard

 

I can see Dr. Curt Connors building a base of operations smack dab in the middle of Swamp Thing's stomping grounds, and that would be enough of a set up to get a fun story rolling.  

X-Factor Vs. The Outsiders

 

This is the First time that The Outsiders have met X-Factor, but as the X-Men, these groups have a bit of history on the blog - The Outsiders first tried to tame The Phoenix in STF #3454 and first met her in STF #112, and the one hero able to withstand The Phoenix Force was revealed in STF #2526... The X-Men came to The Outsiders assistance in STF #2595... and both teams had an adventure at The Statue of Liberty in STF #2675...

Kolchak the Night Stalker Vs. Mephisto

 

Kolchak has faced off against all kinds of paranormal creatures, but he may have finally met his match this time around.  Let's hope his years of investigation have prepared him to deal with such an epic encounter.

Ghost Rider Vs. Skeletor (Round Two!)

 

These two first clashed in STF #2959, and I thought that is would be fun to revisit this rivalry. I'm not sure what I think about Jared Leto as Skeletor in the upcoming Masters of the Universe movie. He is a talented actor, but I did not care for his take on The Joker.  Hopefully his interpretation of this villain is more well received.

The Phoenix in The DC Universe

 It looks like The Phoenix is on much better terms with the Justice League, as they have a bit of history on the blog.  She descended upon the JLA Satellite in STF #1791, and was resurrected by them in STF #409.  She also attacked the JLA in STF #1626 and they certainly weren't saying "Bwa-ha-ha" in STF #229.  She even gave them a hard time as innocent young Jean Grey back in STF #699...

Hawkgirl and Red Sonja

 I see this issue as 22 pages of nonstop action.  Both of these heroes are warriors that any army would be glad to have on their side.  The question is, who called them in to action?

Jack of Hearts and Starman

 

These two space-faring heroes my not be as well known as some others, but I always enjoyed their appearances. They have two examples of awesome costumes as well, one simple yet effective, the other complex but cool in its own way.

The Spectre and The Hulk

 

When you have simultaneously ticked off both The Spectre and The Hulk, you know that you have really messed up.  I'd like to see just who has gotten themselves in that predicament and how the vengeance of these heroes plays out.

Dick Tracy Vs. The Sinister Six

 

As cool as Dick Tracy's rogues gallery was, most of his villains did not live past their first adventure with the classic cop hero.  It's only natural that he would need to seek out new challenges once he worked through his personal roster of adversaries.  But how would he fare against the enhanced abilities of a half-dozen of Spider-Man's biggest foes?

Mademoiselle Marie and Captain Britain

 

I'm always glad to get the chance to use Captain Britain in his original costume.  I remember the first time I became aware of the hero in a two-part tale in the pages of Marvel Team Up.  I liked the idea of international heroes, it opened up a whole new world of story possibilities.

Hela and The Black Racer

 

Hela has been one of the best realized villains in the MCU, and I have heard that she may make a return in one of the upcoming Avengers films.  Just rumors and speculation at this point, but if Marvel truly wants to bring some characters back to life, the involvement of the Goddess of the Dead could assist in that endeavor.

Superman Vs. The Red Skull

 

The promotional materials for the new Superman movie should be ramping up soon with the release date getting closer.  I am looking forward to seeing a full trailer, but who am I kidding, I'm already sold by the teaser (and honestly, they had me at Metamorpho) - maybe I should skip it to avoid spoilers?  Who am I kidding again, I know I won't be able to resist watching!

Green Lantern and Luke Skywalker

 

These two seem to be cut from the same cloth in many ways. They both loved the thrill of fast paced action even before they came into possession of some of the most powerful weapons in the galaxy. I think they would fight together well.

Batman Beyond and Space Ghost

 

This is a cartoon special that I would love to see.  These heroes have two simple yet amazing costume designs that are perfect for animation, and it would be glorious to see them together.  The Space Ghost appearance on Batman: The Brave and the Bold is one of the highlights of that series.