Showing posts with label DC Comics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DC Comics. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

The Thing and The Goon



I have to admit that I haven't yet had a chance to try out The Goon, but I kept getting requests for this team-up so I thought I would give it a try. Reading up on The Goon, it does seem like a series that I would enjoy quite a bit. I really enjoy the artwork by Eric Powell, as I have been a fan of his contributions to Marvel and DC. I also liked the teaser for a possible Goon film, the animation looked great and the characters seem like they stepped right out of the comics. Hopefully, plans for that film will come to fruition, because it looks like a ton of fun.

Monday, May 16, 2011

The Thing and The Golden Age Batman



When I decided to make an Annual cover, I felt it was only fitting to go back to Batman, the original host of these pages. The Batman: The Brave and the Bold animated series has rekindled my interest in the classic Batman stories from the 40's and 50's. Sure they could be corny sometimes, but the sheer inventiveness they exhibit easily makes up for that. It's a testament to the strength of the core Batman concept that the character can be interpreted so many different ways, and have each interpretation be as enjoyable as they are.

Friday, May 13, 2011

The Thing and The Freedom Fighters



I was sorry to see that the latest Freedom Fighters series was cancelled in under a year. I was enjoying it and hoped it would have found a larger audience. Maybe this is a team best served by a series of mini-series, rather than an ongoing title. I'd love to see some adventures of the original Freedom Fighters as well, there a precious few tales of them while they were in their fighting prime. It's another reason that a DCU series set in the WWII era would be nice, so we could see adventures of the various members of the Freedom Fighters as well as the All-Star Squadron and JSA during their heyday.

The Thing and The Flash (Wally West)



While I was upset that Barry Allen was killed off in Crisis on Infinite Earths, I could not complain with Wally West as his replacement. Instead of a new or recently introduced character as often happens when a hero's identity is passed, the mantle was taken on by someone worthy who had been there all along. Wally had kind of been overshadowed by his New Teen Titans teammates, and here was a chance for him to really shine. While I wasn't crazy abut his characterization in the early issues of his self-titled series, Mark Waid and Geoff Johns later picked up those threads and gave Wally a great arc. He became one of the most well fleshed out characters in the DCU as well as a very fun part of the Justice League animated series. I am happy that Barry Allen is back, but I worry about what this means for Wally, as he has faded from the spotlight in the past few years. Hopefully the reality altering Flashpoint series that has just begun will result in a more prominent role for him going forward.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

The Thing and The Flash (Jay Garrick)



I am very glad that DC has resisted the urge to try and update Jay Garrick's costume. It's got such a great retro vibe and makes him stand out amongst other heroes. Garrick holds a special place in the DCU as he and Barry Allen were the first characters to introduce the multiple-Earths concept in the classic "Flash of Two Worlds" story. When I first read that tale, the part that blew my young mind was that the original Flash from the soon-to-be-named Earth Two existed as a comic character on Earth One. His printed adventures even inspired Barry to take up the name when he gained his speed powers. That was about the coolest thing ever to me. I also had a tabloid sized reproduction of the Golden Age Flash Comics #1, featuring Garrick's first appearance. It was a great look into the rich history of comics, and made me want to learn more about the early days of the genre.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

The Thing and The Flash (Barry Allen)



When Barry Allen died in Crisis on Infinite Earths, I was bummed out because I though that the character did not get a fair shake. His title was saddled with the incredibly long "Trial of the Flash" storyline that ultimately led to the cancellation of his series. Perhaps he was considered damaged goods and that was why he was put up on the chopping block. I have to admit that the death was handled well, as he went out very heroically and it spawned many memorable storylines in its wake. A lot of people grumbled when he was brought back a couple of years ago, but I though that the time was right. Decades had passed so it wasn't the kind of instant resurrection that many heroes seem to get. Also, Allen's identity as a police scientist was now very much in vogue with the popularity of the various CSI television shows. Plus, he is one of the few comic book characters who is himself a comic book fan, so you just gotta root for the guy - he's one of us! His profile looks to really take off with DC's Flashpoint event and a movie in the very early planning stages. It took a while, but Barry is back where he belongs as one of DC's Big Five again.

Monday, May 9, 2011

The Thing and the Female Furies



Here's another cool group of characters from the inventive mind of Jack Kirby. I always liked their designs, they look like a cross between pro female wrestlers and a hit squad. Lashina is my favorite of the bunch, Kirby gave her a look and attitude that is a perfect blend of sexuality and menace. They've been relegated to comics limbo recently with the rest of the Fourth World characters, but I am sure it is only a matter of time before they return.

Friday, May 6, 2011

The Thing and The Fat Fury



OK, I have to admit that I have never read an issue of Herbie, so when I began to get requests for a Fat Fury team-up, I just didn't think it was going to happen. It wasn't until I was reading up on the character that I struck onto a concept that might work. I must say that one of the things I like about creating this blog is that it has caused me to check out a lot of comic book history that I never would have otherwise. Hopefully through my covers I have gotten a few folks to seek out some characters that they are not as familiar with as well.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

The Thing and The Doom Patrol



While I have followed the Doom Patrol through their various series, I had not read more than a couple of of their original adventures until recently. I picked up the two DC Showcase volumes featuring their first series and I was very glad that I did. Arnold Drake had a great imagination and I really dig the Bruno Premiani artwork. That's one thing I like about DC's Showcase volumes as well as Marvel's Essentials - the black and white artwork really lets the reader appreciate the art, which was often muddied up by early coloring techniques.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

The Thing and The Demon



The Demon is another great example of the huge impact Kirby had on DC Comics during his time there. He combined the transforming man archetype with sorcery and history to come up with a character unlike any other in the DCU. It's a testament to Kirby's sense of design that The Demon has maintained his original look in the decades since his creation while so many other characters have undergone major overhauls. He's always a fun element to add to stories because of his relationship with his human host Jason Blood, as well as his ever-shifting loyalties to the denizens of the underworld.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

The Thing and The Crimson Avenger



I first became aware of The Crimson Avenger when he appeared as a member of The Seven Soldiers of Victory when they were brought back in the pages of Justice League of America. I enjoyed him well enough, he struck me as a traditional Batman-type spandex hero. It wasn't until the back-up feature in DC Comics Presents, "Whatever Happened To... The Crimson Avenger?", that I really became a fan. That story of self-sacrifice made me want to seek out other adventures of his, of which there were precious few. When Crisis on Infinite Earths took Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman out of DC's golden age continuity, The Crimson Avenger suddenly became recognized as their first costumed hero, and they began to print some stories featuring him in his early, suit-and domino mask days. DC doesn't do many period pieces these day, but I'd love if they would print some new tales starring Lee Travis in his heydey.

Monday, May 2, 2011

The Thing and Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes)



I was among the many Ted Kord fans that was not happy when the Blue Beetle was killed off to kick off a DC Comics crossover. Despite that, I decided to give his replacement, Jaime Reyes, a chance and I have to admit that I do like the character quite a bit. I really loved the look of the new Beetle armor that Cully Hamner designed - it really makes him stand out among the rest of their heroes - and Jaime was written with an appealing personality. I even got a kick out of his appearances on the Batman: The Brave and the Bold cartoon (not so much the recent Smallville appearance - the armor was way too clunky). This new Blue Beetle is definitely a welcome new presence in the DCU. That said, there was no reason he could not have been introduced while still keeping Ted Kord alive as well!

Friday, April 29, 2011

The Thing and The Creeper



The Creeper is one of those 70's creations that I have always liked. I get a kick out of the garish look that Steve Ditko gave him as well as his identity as a somewhat smarmy TV show host. I thought that was a nice angle for a secret identity, as it is a great springboard for a variety of stories. The Creeper has had several shots at his own series, and I always try them out - but none seem to last very long. Hopefully a creative team will come up with a version that clicks, because I think he is too cool a character to be relegated to occasional guest star status.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

The Thing and Robotman



I figure that Robotman and The Thing would definitely be on a first-name basis with each other. These are two heroes that have a lot in common. Both are rough and tumble regular joes who get transformed into powerful new forms and are considered the heart of their respective teams despite their inhuman visage. They even have similar speech patterns and color schemes! Yup, Cliff Steele is another certain member at Ben Grimm's poker table.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

The Thing and The Challengers of the Unknown



Here's another all-Kirby cover. The Challengers of the Unknown have one of the cooler names ever given to a comic book team. The concept of a group of adventurers who feel they are living on borrowed time facing off against fantastical hidden menaces is pure fun. I like that they are among the handful of characters that kept the heroic spirit alive between the disappearance of the golden age heroes and the emergence of the silver age. I think that Ben Grimm would fit in well with the Challengers crew, even if he had never been transformed by cosmic rays.

Friday, April 22, 2011

The Thing and The Authority




I really loved the first couple of years of The Authority. I don't think I had ever seen comics told in such a widescreen, cinematic style before. The concepts were huge and the artists were fantastic. The first few runs on that series made for a very tough act to follow and while I have given most of the Authority relaunches a try, nothing has really come close to the original stories by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch and then Mark Millar and Frank Quitely.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

The Thing and The Atom



A pretty simple cover this time around. It probably could have used a caption or a word balloon but I liked the simplicity of the image and didn't want to clutter it up with one of my bad puns! The Atom has always been one of my favorites. I used to get excited when he would show up on an episode of Super Friends. He is just now coming into his own again after years of being bogged down in depressing storylines and being replaced by a "younger, hipper" version. I liked how he was utilized on the animated JLU series and the minor tweaks they gave to his costume. They kept the iconic Gil Kane design, but made the fabric shiny and gave him all white, Batman-type eyes. I thought it gave him a more modern look and would like to see it used in the comics.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

The Thing and The All-Star Squadron



Having been a huge fan of the Justice Society, I was very happy when All-Star Squadron first debuted. Finally, here was an Earth-Two series where all the characters were in their prime! I loved that it gave a spotlight for lesser known characters like Johnny Quick, Robtman and The Shining Knight, and that it featured a more serious version of Plastic Man than the one I had seen before. Add to that gorgeous artwork by Jerry Ordway and covers by Joe Kubert, and you had a comic that always made it to the top of my stack. Writer Roy Thomas could sometimes get a bit wordy and bogged down by continuity minutia but his vast knowledge of the title's expansive cast more than made up for those minor quibbles. This series was clearly a labor of love for him. It's a shame that All-Star Squadron could not last after the ramifications of Crisis on Infinite Earths and I hope someday we will see a new take on the concept.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

The Thing and Terra



The whole Judas Contract Saga from New Teen Titans was one of the great comic book reading experiences of my youth. The rise and fall of Terra made for some excellent cliffhangers and dramatic moments. Marv Wolfman and George Perez were truly at the top of their form - and that's saying something! I can only imagine how the twists and turns in that storyline would be spoiled in todays day of internet coverage. I know the animated Teen Titans featured a version of this storyline during one of their seasons, but that was changed quite a bit from the comics. I'd like to see DC devote one of its direct to video animated films to the saga, with a much more faithful adaptation. I'm betting that DC doesn't want to create market confusion with its currently running Young Justice series, so it will probably be a while before we see any DTVs starring the 80's Teen Titans.

Friday, April 15, 2011

The Thing and Swamp Thing



It looks like Swamp Thing is about to get a little more focus as he was only recently reintroduced to the mainstream DC Universe, after having been confined to the Vertigo Imprint for many years. I for one thing this has been long overdue. I'm not sure what was accomplished by separating the Vertigo characters from the rest of the DCU, and I think a strong argument can be made that the best Swamp Thing stories were told before he became for "mature readers only". I tried out the Vertigo Swamp Thing titles a bunch of times, but they never grabbed me the way the Len Wein or Alan Moore tales did. Now, don't get me wrong - I don't want to see Swamp Thing join the Teen Titans or anything, it's just good that he is finally once again an active and important member of the DCU.

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