Beta Ray Bill and Luke Skywalker

 In a battle between Uru Hammer and Lightsaber, who do you think has the advantage?  It would be a cool confrontation so see play out, especially if an artist as dynamic as Walt Simonson were to illustrate it.

Superman and Beta Ray Bill

 

Sure, it's easy to accept a hero from another planet when they have movie star good looks.  What if your savior has a face that only a mother could love?

Beta Ray Bill and Spaceman Spiff

 

An alien warrior wielding an Asgardian hammer is just the type of hero that might spring from the imagination of Calvin, so I can definitely see Beta Ray Bill make an appearance in one of Spaceman Spiff's adventures.  Let's hope they can save the galaxy before the alarm clock rings.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vs. Despero

 

Despero's return in the pages of Justice League really took me by surprise. It had been a few years and I had gotten used to the more humorous take on DC's premiere team - and then comes the Despero arc.  What was once a standard Silver Age alien villain came back in a way that was anything but humorous!  It was a welcome change for me, I was ready for some more serous action - and boy did he deliver!

Firestorm and Beta Ray Bill

 

I've been waiting for Beta Ray Bill to show up in the MCU for a decade, but other than an Easter egg statue, he has yet to be seen.  With the underperformance of Thor: Love and Thunder and Chris Hemsworth's desire to slow down his acting career, who knows when or if we will get another installment?  Hopefully even if Thor himself is out of the picture for a while, BRB can still find a place to appear in the MCU.

Beta Ray Bill and The Metal Men

 

I was laughing to see yesterday's comments lead to a conversation about Beta Ray Bill, knowing that he was scheduled to show up today.  Hey, have you guys been peeking?

Blue Devil and Beta Ray Bill

 

If Nathan Fillion doesn't get his wish to portray Wonder Man or Sasquatch for the MCU, perhaps he should go for another DC Comics character.  I think he'd be a great match for Dan Cassidy, AKA Blue Devil.  HBO Max is preparing movies and shows featuring characters from Justice League Dark, so there's certainly a chance for the trident-wielding hero to show up.

Beta Ray Bill and Adam Strange in: "Jabba's Ransom!"

 

It looks like Adam and Bill have resolved whatever conflict The Grandmaster was trying to engineer in STF #3194... and this is not the end of this adventure - so make sure to come back tomorrow for the exciting conclusion!

I was glad to use an Ivan Reis Adam Strange image for this cover.  Here's an original Superman/Batman page by Reis that I picked up many years ago:

Adam Strange and Beta Ray Bill

 

Thor: Love and Thunder is supposed to start filming this week, and we still have no confirmation on whether Beta Ray Bill will show up.  It seems like a jam packed movie already with Jane Foster, Gorr The God Butcher, Valkyrie and the Guardians of the Galaxy already in the mix, would there even be room?  I imagine he would be a CGI creation, so his inclusion would be easy to keep under wraps.  Maybe we will be pleasantly surprised.

Beta Ray Bill Vs. Mongul

Thor: Love and Thunder seems that it will be a busy move with a lot going in it.  I had been hoping there would be room to fit Beta Ray Bill into the mix, but so far, I have not read anything about his inclusion.  He can't just have a small part, we need to find out how he will come to possess Stormbreaker, which Thor currently wields.  Will we have to hope for a Thor 5 to bring his saga to the big screen?

Doctor Fate and Beta Ray Bill

The arrival of Walt Simonson on Thor was very exciting to read.  In those pre-internet days, the only hint of the big changes to come story-wise and artistically was a small half page promotional ad a month or so before the first issue with the new creative team hit the stands.  And what a way to hit - an amazingly powerful cover of an alien in a Thor-like outfit smashing the classic logo with a hammer of his own!  I knew instantly that the status quo was being shaken up and I had to find out more.

Green Lantern and Beta Ray Bill

I had figured that the third Thor film would be the last one for a while, but with the positive reaction from critics and audiences, as well as the new status quo, I'm thinking another installment is looking more likely.  Beta Ray Bill was teased in Thor: Ragnarok as one of the champion statues on the Grandmasters arena, and now I am ready for a full fledged co-starring role for him.  The work with Hulk and Korg shows that the motion capture technology is definitely there to bring him to life, all it would take is finding an actor with the right voice to portray him.

The Ugly Bunch

Ever since Ban Grimm was transformed into a rock creature but maintained his heart, determination and humor as The Thing, I have always been attracted to non-human looking comic characters.  I think the fact that their appearances are so extreme allows readers of all kinds to somehow identify with them in a way they might not with a standard good-looking superhero. Plus, the just look really cool!

The formation of this team was gradual - Kilowog met Wonder Wart-Hog in STF #511... who then wete joined by Metamorpho and Warlock in the next issue...   Kilowog met Beta Ray Bill in STF #1059... and Death's Head joins them all this very issue!

Beta Ray Bill and Swamp Thing

We have seen numerous characters assume the power of Thor by now, but when Beta Ray Bill first hit the scene, it was still a new and shocking development to see.  And boy, did he really hit the scene, making his debut by smashing his hammer through the logo of Thor #337 - it's no wonder they had to create a brand new logo for issue #338!  It was a great way to introduce a new character, and i have been a fan ever since.

Kilowog and Beta Ray Bill

Now that Marvel has successfully introduced the cosmic side of their cinematic universe, I think that movie audiences are ready to see Beta Ray Bill on the big screen.  I'm not sure what the plot to Thor: Ragnarok will be, but it sounds epic enough that new characters will have to join in on the action.  How cool would it be to see Bill fighting side by side with the God of Thunder?  I bet they would even let him keep his helmet!

Tomar-Re and Beta Ray Bill

I have always gotten a kick out of alien superheroes, an these are two of my absolute favorites.  I have been a fan of Beta Ray Bill ever since he made his logo-destroying debut in the pages of Walt Simonson's Thor run.  Tomar-Re is my second favorite alien Green Lantern (after Chaselon, love that guy) and while the GL movie was somewhat of a misfire, it was very cool to see him up on the big screen.  Hopefully Bill will get his chance in a Thor sequel.

Amethyst and Beta Ray Bill

When you want to read a comic that features plenty of large scale battle scenes, you're really in luck if it is illustrated by Walt Simonson.  He's been impressing me for decades with his ability to make comic panels burst with movement and energy through his signature style.  I am glad that his current work as well as the renewed interest in Thor is bringing his talents to a whole new generation of fans.

Beta Ray Bill Vs. Boba Fett

One of the most interesting pieces of information to come out of Disney's acquisition of the Star Wars franchise is the plans for a solo Boba Fett film.  I wonder what kind of direction they will go for, and how much earlier in his career the story will take place in?  Or will they explain that he somehow survived the Sarlaac Pit and present his continuing adventures? One thing I can probably guarantee - whoever plays hims is going to keep finding reasons to take the helmet off!

Martian Manhunter and Beta Ray Bill

I thought I would do a cover that featured two of my favorite alien heroes.  This one also gave me a chance to do an all-Walt Simonson cover.  Simonson's art is so effective on larger than life characters because he has the ability to convey energy that just leaps off of the page.  His career has lasted decades and he seems to keep getting better and better.  I got a kick out of his cameo during the banquet scene at the end of Thor.  Walt fit right in with the Asgardian elite!

Batman and Beta Ray Bill

Beta Ray Bill has one of the coolest character designs ever. It doesn't seem like it would work, but it does. Walt Simonson did a great job with him and gave him a great introduction - literally smashing on to the scene in that Iconic cover from his first appearance in Thor. I was happy as a reader that despite initial appearances he turned out to be a god guy, and that he stayed on as a supporting character for a while.

One of the nice surprises in the Planet Hulk Direct to DVD Animated flick was that due to rights issues, the Silver Surfer was replaced with Beta Ray Bill. It was very cool to finally see him animated, and his scenes are my favorite part of the movie.