Bulletman and The Human Torch

 

When I was a kid I thought that Bulletman had a much higher profile than he actually did.  I mean, he had his own action figure after all!  Alas, I only got to see him in action in a few Shazam-related guest appearances over the years.  I still thought he was pretty cool, though, and always got a kick out it when he would indeed show up in a story.

Wonder Woman and The Human Torch

 

DC is taking their time announcing any details for a third Wonder Woman film.  Despite the critical and commercial underperformance of the sequel, I figured that Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot would be able to finish out a trilogy with the character.  Still Warner Bros. seems to be in a state of flux right now with the Discovery merger and no previously announced projects are considered to be 100% safe.  Hopefully we will get some clarity on Wonder Woman's cinematic future in the coming weeks.

Toro and Robin

 

If memory serves, one of the reasons Dick Grayson chose Robin as his superhero handle was in honor of the legendary tales of Robin Hood.  I wonder then, why he wasn't given a bow and arrow to use?  Green Arrow would not be created for another year at least, so it would have still been a novel idea.  Maybe they just  didn't want kids to emulate the young hero by trying out the weapons themselves?  Batarangs were harder to come by I suppose.

Robin previously met Toro as part of the Young Allies in STF #197, and a very early Lost Brave and the Bold cover... 

Mary Marvel and Captain America

 

The Shazam! sequel should start production soon and, like most comic book movies these days, it looks to be a jam packed affair.  Besides Billy, there is now a whole family of super-powered heroes to deal with and there has been talk of more villains in addition to the Sivana/Mr. Mind team.  Rumors persist of Superman making a proper appearance this time around as well.  With all of that going on, will there be room for The Shazam character that I really want to show up - Mr. Tawky Tawny?

Human Torch and Hourman

 

Like many, I was surprised at the return of The Red Skull in the last two Avengers movies, as I had heard that Hugo Weaving did not want to return to the character.  It turns out that it wasn't Weaving at all, but Ross Marquand seamlessly stepping into the role.  It's no wonder that he was so convincing, from interviews I have seen with him from his work on The Walking Dead, Marquand is a gifted impressionist. Add in the talents of the make-up and CGI artists, and the transformation was complete.

The Human Torch joins The Super Friends

If indeed Namor is about to be introduced in one of Marvel's upcoming planned movies, other possibilities will soon open up as well.  A solo Sub-Mariner film could delve into the character past and include some of his WWII era allies and foes.  Even if Chris Evans is out of the picture which dampens my hope for a true Invaders team, there's no reason that the Jim Hammond Human Torch cant show up.  He and Namor have plenty of non-Invaders history in the comics and the MCU Torch was established in a cameo in the first Captain America.

Captain Marvel Jr. and Bucky

I am looking forward to Falcon and The Winter Soldier on Disney+, but the title begs one big question.  Why would Bucky Barnes want to continue going by the Winter Soldier code name?  Wasn't that given to him by the people who manipulated him into being a mindless mercenary for years?  I'd think he would never want to be called that again.  We'll see if that point is addressed in the new show.

Captain America and The Atom

He might not have had the greatest costume or much in the way of powers, but I always had a soft spot for the original Atom, Al Pratt.  What can I say, he was a short redhead - for some reason I identified with him.  I always liked that despite being one of the less powerful members of the Justice Society of America, he never hesitated to rush into battle.  I also really enjoyed his depiction in the Len Strazewski/Mike Parobeck JSA series from the 90's, as a cantankerous senior citizen still willing to fight.

The Human Torch and Sandman

I think it's time for DC to consider a period piece for their next streaming show.  My choice would be the original Sandman.  The great 90's series Sandman Mystery Theater was a favorite of mine and with its story arcs would be the perfect template for such a show.  It could be very cool if they stick close to the source material.

The Invaders and Sgt. Rock in: "A Timely Intervention"

Now that Marvel has access to all of its characters for future movies, most of the talk has been about new versions of The X-Men and Fantastic Four appearing on the big screen.  While I'd like to see those as well, another property that they can finally give audiences is The Invaders.  Even if Captain America is taken off the table after Avengers: Endgame, there's no reason that we can't see an adventure out of his past with Namor and the original Human Torch.

Sgt. Rock first met the Invaders in STF #1348...

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!

7 Soldiers of Victory and The Human Torch

When people talk about accessibility of comics, sometimes I don't think they give kids enough credt for being able to figure things out.  One of the very first comic stories I read as a kid - and one that got me hooked was Justice League of America #100-102, which featured the JLA, JSA and Seven Soldiers of Victory in one big adventure.  Even Metamorpho came along for the ride!  I wasn't put off by so many characters I hadn't seen before - indeed, I was dazzled by them and wanted to find out more.

Starman and The Human Torch in : "The Brotherhood of Tut!"

Jack Burnley is one of my absolute favorite artists of the Golden Age.  His work on Detective Comics, Adventure Comics, World's Finest and other titles really showcased the heroes of the day in their best light.  He had a strong sense of anatomy and also knew how to capture the spirit of a scene whether it be action packed, noirish or whimsical. His interiors impressed me as much as his amazing covers.

These two first crossed paths in STF #228...

Batgirl and Miss Fury

Well, Jena Malone's character that was cut from the theatrical release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice has finally been revealed, and it was not Barbara Gordon and many had speculated, but Jenet Klyburn.  If I remember my comics, Jenet Klyburn had strong ties to S.T.A.R. Laboratories, so that could be an interesting angle for future films.  Still, this leaves Batgirl available.. where will she show up?  Aflleck's Batman is older with a new willingness to work with allies, so she could appear in a future Bat-film.  My preference would be to bring her to the Supergirl TV series - I'd love to see the World's Finest heroines in action together.

Dr. Fate and The Human Torch

The repercussions of HYDRA's activities were still being felt in Captain America: Civil War, which I watched Friday night.  The film, which is more like Avengers 3, was a ton of fun but there was so much packed into it I think it will take another viewing to absorb it all.  The opening sequence was fantastic, showing Cap's new team working together.  Newcomers Black Panther and Spider-Man (one seamlessly woven into the plot, one somewhat shoehorned in) were a blast to watch and once again The Falcon stole the show for me, now with even cooler moves and Redwing along for the ride.  I wish Ant-Man had been given more to do, but I liked his role in the airport battle.  It was nice to see Vision and Scarlet Witch sharing time together as well.  I still feel like Captain America: Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy are the Marvel movies to beat, but this one ranks high due to so many cool moments even if the story wasn't as strong.

Dr. Fate originally met the Torch in an adventure with the Invaders back in STF #1298 ...

Batman and The Black Terror

I am a sucker for retro-looking robots.  Sure, we have modern movies focusing on high tech AI like Ex Machina - but give me the old school designs like in the cover above any day.  It's one of the reasons I love watching Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow - the movie itself is pretty good, but the designs of the robots, vehicles and machines are awesome to look at.

The Invaders and Doctor Fate

The core three Invaders make up almost the perfect team for me.  They represent man, machine and mutant and can protect land, air and water with the perspectives of a soldier, rebel and outcast.  A lot of different types of stories can be told by featuring those three.

Captain Marvel and The Invaders

With the dismal box-office performance of Fantastic Four, fans are once again hoping the rights will return to Marvel Studios.  I am hopeful as well, but for another reason - Namor and the original Torch would be available to join Captain  America in an Invaders film.  Marvel has proven adept at presenting period piece comic movies and that would have the potential to be a great one!

Superman and The Black Terror

The Black Terror is one of those Golden Age characters that I never got around to reading - but I was always intrigued by his cool looking costume.  I must not be the only one because now that the character is in the public domain, many a comic publishing company has featured him in their stories. I checked him out in the Dynamite series, Project Superpowers by Jim Kreuger and Alex Ross and he was pretty cool there.

Superman and The Human Torch

I appreciated the nod to the original Human Torch in Captain America: The First Avenger - you can see his robotic body encased in glass at the World's Fair - but it might have made for a cool moment to have him actually show up.  The producers teased an Invaders appearance but that was not to be.  Maybe a newspaper headline featuring Cap and two "mysterious allies" could have been featured during one of the montage sequences.  It might be that the Namor and Torch movie rights are tied up with the Fantastic Four though, and the one second glimpse of Jim Hammond was all they could get away with.