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

Monday, August 8, 2011

Batman and Cyclops



Cyclops has been my favorite member of the X-Men since I was a kid.  He looked cool and had a simple but unique power, which also gave him a bit of pathos.  I think he is an interesting character and prefer when he is written as the solid leader that he is rather than a straight man for Wolverine or pining over lost loves.  I really disliked how he was unceremoniously killed off in X-Men 3: The Last Stand and was hoping to see him given more justice in X-Men: First Class.  Alas, that movie was a prequel and not a reboot as I had hoped, so no Cyclops this time around.  It did well, maybe he will appear in the inevitable follow up.

Friday, August 5, 2011

Batman and Captain Marvel (Retro)



Captain Marvel is nowhere to be seen so far in the DC Reboot.  I know DC wants to get a Captain Marvel film up and running, so I'll be surprised if he is off the solicitation list for too long.  Hopefully when he returns he will be back to the traits that made him so popular in his early years. The tendency to try and make every character darker and more realistic especially hasn't worked on the Marvel Family.  Their stories should be about action, fun and imagination and able to be enjoyed by all ages.   I mean, one of Captain Marvel's greatest enemies is a caterpillar! That kind of thing is awesome to me and it loses something when a writer tries to make it grim and gritty or attempts to over-explain it.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Batman and Captain America (Retro)



This is the first of what will be many retro covers.  I had fun with the handful that I did on the last go 'round with B&B so I decided to make some more.  I hope you all like them.

Captain America was the best of the superhero films for me this summer.  I thought that Chris Evans made a great Steve Rogers, it had a nice love story and the action scenes were right out of a comic book.  The easter eggs for other Marvel films were worked in far less clumsily than they have been in past films.  I loved seeing The Human Torch android make a cameo at the Stark Expo.  It was acted well across the board - Tommy Lee Jones and Stanley Tucci especially seemed to be enjoying their roles.  I really look forward to a sequel and, of course, The Avengers!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Batman and Captain America (Bucky Barnes)



I was pretty surprised when Marvel decided to bring back Bucky Barnes, I thought he was one hero that could be counted on to stay dead.  I have to admit, his return was handled very well though and it was interesting to see him step into the shoes of the presumed dead Steve Rogers.  Of course, Bucky has just been killed again in Marvel's Fear Itself event, so as to get the original Captain America back in his traditional fighting uniform.  There are many untold stories from Bucky's time as The Winter Soldier though, so I guess we could still see tales from that era.  And who knows, maybe that will be part of the inevitable Captain America movie sequel?

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Batman and Boba Fett



I'll never forget going to see The Empire Strikes Back for the first time.  Mostly because my brother Eric stopped me as I was walking out the door to say, "Oh yeah, one thing before you go - Darth Vader is Luke's father!"... Grrrr, I haven't let him forget that!  Fortunately that wasn't enough to hurt my enjoyment of the film, one of the best sequels ever made.  A big part of what made it great was all the cool new characters.  Yoda, Lando, Jabba, and of course Boba Fett were all welcome additions to the cast and expanded the story in fun ways.  Boba Fett with his flight pack, hidden face and bounty on the coolest member of the rebellion was the one that intrigued me the most, so I was definitely looking for more of him when the third part of the trilogy was released.  Unfortunately, I think Lucas squandered his potential a bit by having him go out like such a punk in the Sarlaac pit.  I think the filmmakers must have realized this misstep as they did give Boba and his father Jango pivotal roles in the Prequels, but it took a couple of decades before he got his due!

Monday, August 1, 2011

Batman and Black Goliath



I always liked the character of Bill Foster from the days when he was a recurring character in Marvel-Two-In-One.  His solo title was short lived, but I had always hoped he would be given another shot once he took on the Giant Man moniker.  Unfortunately he was killed off unceremoniously in Marvel's Civil War event.  It seems every time there is one of these big events a character I like is killed for shock value, a trend that I am not a fan of.  I see lots of potential in characters like Foster, The Wasp, Elongated Man  and many others who have been treated like cannon fodder.  If the companies don't know what to do with these characters, fine... but I wish they would just let them lie in limbo for a while rather than taking them out of the game completely.

Friday, July 29, 2011

Batman and Battle of the Planets



I have to say that I have never seen an episode of Battle of the Planets or Gatchaman, but I have a friend who is very into the property, so I thought I would give a cover featuring them a shot. So I will put the question out there... what is the difference between Gatchaman and BotP?  It looks like there is a ton of material covering them - where is the best place for someone new to the characters to start?

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Batman and Adam West



That's right, Batman is back to claim his mantle as the host of this blog!  I have 100 covers to post so there will be  plenty of Bat-goodness until I move on to the next title... and that's not the only change - I hope everyone noticed that there is now Lost Issues App available for Android or any type of phone or tablet,  It's free, just go here to get it:

http://www.noticeorange.com/r/TheBraveandtheBoldTheLostIssues

You just have to love Adam West.  Here's a guy who has a great sense of humor about and respect for his place in comics history.  While some actors have tried to distance themselves from their connection to superhero and genre roles, West has embraced it and you have to appreciate that, regardless of your opinion of the 60's series.  His Batman show is a hoot to watch now with the campy dialogue and the guest stars hamming it up as villains... but when I was a kid I viewed it in a completely different light.  I took it as a straight action show, and loved how colorful it was with so many characters from the comics coming to life.  The only thing it was missing for me was Two-Face!  I think that ability to appeal to viewers on different levels must have played a big role in its success.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

The Thing and Zatanna



I was very glad to see Zatanna finally get her own ongoing series in the past couple of years, she is a character that has long since earned it...  I enjoyed it quite a bit which was not a surprise with Paul Dini on writing chores.  It looks like the series did not survive the DC reboot, but Zatanna will be showing up in Justice League Dark.  Hopefully  the writer Peter Milligan will let her shine there.  I'm not so sure about the new look that she has been given.  The top hat and fishnets look is a classic and I'd prefer if they had stayed closer to that style.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

The Thing and Young Justice



I really hope that The Cartoon Network brings back Young Justice soon.  I was really impressed by the writing and animation on this series, and just when it was getting really interesting, it was yanked off of the schedule.  It really killed the momentum of the show.  They did the same thing with Batman: The Brave and the Bold, I am still waiting for them to air the final batch of episodes there.  I also think that DC is missing a bet by not having the animated series line up more with their upcoming Teen Titans ongoing comic book series.  The comic looks to have a different roster, and the characters that are the same have very different looks and in Robin and Kid Flash's case different secret identities.  Seems to me like a lost opportunity to create some synergy.  At any rate, I truly enjoy the show and hope that it returns to have a nice long run.

Monday, July 25, 2011

The Thing and Wonder Woman



I just watched a bit of the Wonder Woman pilot that was recently not picked up to go to series.  Woof, was that a bullet dodged!  Wonder Woman is one of those properties that has had a lot of difficulty in being adapted to TV and film, and it kind of puzzles me as to what the problem is.  One part Xena, one part Superman, with a dash of Captain America thrown in and there you go!  Another thing about Wonder Woman that nobody seems to agree on is the outfit - long pants, short pants, skirt... eagle or double W symbol, many stars or a couple of big stars, everyone has a different opinion.  I am of the mind that she is a character that should not be tied down to one look.  I like the traditional garb, but feel that she should have a variety of outfits for different climates and conditions.  Some should be more ceremonial in nature and some more suited for battle. Hopefully hollywood will finally work out the bugs one day and we can finally see a big screen interpretation worthy  of comics most recognizable super-heroine.

Friday, July 22, 2011

The Thing and Wildcat



I enjoyed Wildcat as a member of the Justice Society, but where I really began to dig him was in the Bob Haney written issues of The Brave and the Bold.  Sure, Wildcat was not supposed to exist on the same Earth as Batman, but Haney never let that kind of thing get in the way of a good story!  That attitude was a big inspiration for this blog. I like the fact that Wildcat became to be known as a trainer of other heroes, with characters such as Black Canary, Catwoman, and even Batman receiving some tutelage from him.  He maintained that status with the return of the JSA and it helped him to stand out among other heroes.   Ted Grant is now MIA along with the rest of the JSA characters as a result of the DCU reboot, here's hoping that he won't be missing for long.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

The Thing and Tiny Titans



Or the Teeny Tiny Titans, to be exact!  Tiny Titans is one of the hidden Gems of DC's current output.  I liked the promotional materials, so I picked up the first issue on a whim.  I was instantly hooked.  It's one of the few comics that can always be counted on to make me laugh out loud with each issue.  The character designs and humor are perfect for kids and the DCU in-jokes are plentiful, which give long time fans a lot to enjoy as well.  I'm not sure which of any of DC's kid's line will survive post reboot, but I hope this title doesn't go anywhere.  It's the best superhero themed children's comic I have ever seen and it would be a shame for it to go away.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

The Thing and The Warlord



I didn't know too much about The Warlord other than the fact that he seemed to be DC's version of Ka-Zar.  I enjoyed his appearances on Justice League Unlimited however, and I should really give his stories a shot, I think.  They also sport some very nice artwork by Mike Grell, an underrated artist if there ever was one.

Friday, July 8, 2011

The Thing and The Vigilante



I thought that The Vigilante was the best character to spin out of Marv Wolfman and George Perez's New Teen Titans.  I loved his simplified look and tough as nails personality and I felt he made a good foil for Dick Grayson.  It's too bad that he did not catch on more with the comics audience, perhaps he was seen as a Punisher knock off?  At any rate, after the Adrian Chase version took his own life, the concept never really rebounded.  I will say that I did give the recent Vigilante series that sprung out of the pages of Nightwing a shot and found it to be pretty enjoyable.  I don't think it sold very well though, and that's a shame.  Perhaps he can fin a home as a supporting character in the new Nightwing series.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

The Thing and The Unknown Soldier



The Unknown Soldier is one of those wart titles that I was immediately drawn to because of the brilliant artwork by Joe Kubert. I picked up the DC Showcase volume and enjoyed it immensely. Not only did I enjoy the illustrations, but the stories were very exciting. The concept of the Unknown Soldier is such that he could be placed in many kinds of wartime tales. Plus he was a master of disguise which gives him a bit of a traditional comic book hero vibe. Any fan of Sgt. Rock, Sgt. Fury, or just war stories in general should definitely check this out.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

The Thing and The Teen Titans



I was a big fan of Nick Cardy's cover work for DC comics. Like Gil Kane for Marvel, his covers were always exciting and really made me want to read the comic, whether it was a superhero, western or horror title. I wish he had done more interior work though - which is why the original Teen Titans series has always been a favorite of mine. It is pretty fun to go back and reread those issues today. The art is still just as beautiful, but the dialogue is crazy! The ultra hip lingo that the Titans use is so over the top... I don't remember teenagers talking that way even back then! Then again, it wasn't written by teenagers, so that may answer the question!

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

The Thing and The Super Friends



Yknow, when I was listening and reading all of the negative reaction to the Green Lantern film (a movie I liked a lot more than most - the action, performances and overall look made up for a less than inspired script for me), I was thinking about how spoiled we comic fans are nowadays when it comes to seeing our favorite superheroes in other media. When I was a kid getting up early in the morning to watch an episode of Super Friends that was in it's third re-run, I never dreamed of a day when so many comic characters would be translated into film and television properties. If I'd had a peek 35 years into my future to see what was in store, I think my little head would have exploded with excitement. Now, in an age when we have so many comic book movies and shows to choose from, we tend to focus on what they got wrong rather than how cool it is that these things got made at all. back in the 70's when Super Friends was the only game in town, it was a different story. I was never bothered by the fact that they were rarely called The Justice League or that nobody ever threw a punch, I was just thrilled that the guys from the comics were on my TV, in full motion! When they added more characters in later years, I loved it even more... and of course my favorite seasons were the ones where they had multiple stories per episode - Full team, Zan & Jayna adventure, Safety tips or magic tricks, and then best of all a team up between a Super Friend regular and a special guest star! It was like reading one of those 100-page comics with all the various features. I of course loved the Legion of Doom years, even though the episodes were somewhat repetitive in nature, it was just too cool to see so many comic characters in one big story. Sure the series looks very quaint and dated now, but I am glad I was at the right age to appreciate it because for most of the heroes featured on it, it would be decades before we got to see them animated again.

Monday, June 27, 2011

The Thing and The Spectre



Jim Aparo is my favorite comic artist and while I love his work on Brave and the Bold, Aquaman, Batman and the Outsiders and Phantom Stranger, the place where he made the strongest and most lasting impression on me was his Spectre run with Michael Fleischer in Adventure Comics. I loved these morality plays where the ghostly guardian meted out horrific and ironic punishments to evildoers. Aparo's moody art with superb use of shadow and panel composition made these stories unlike anything I had ever seen before. I was very happy with The Spectre animated short that DC released as a bonus feature on their direct to DVD films a while back. The fact that they decided to give it a 70's vibe with the setting really put it over the top for me. It's one of my favorite things to come out of DC Animation, and that's saying a lot.

A lot of people cite the 90's as an era of shoddy work and excesses in comics, but there were some definite bright spots. One is the Spectre series by John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake, truly a sensational comic. The first twelve issues are among the best comics I have ever read and they were able to maintain the quality throughout the rest of the run.

I have mixed opinions on the Crispus Allen version of the Spectre. While I thought he was a good selection as a new host, I have to say that none of the stories featuring him really hit the mark with me and the Spectre with a goatee just looked wrong, no matter which artist illustrated it.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

The Thing and The Seven Soldiers of Victory



I first discovered the Seven Soldiers of Victory with their Silver Age reintroduction in the Pages of Justice League of America. I fondly remember that storyline because it also featured the JSA who and Metamorpho helping the JLA to find the time-lost SSOV. I had never seen so many characters together in one story, it really blew my young mind. As with the JSA, I would love to see some new stories featuring tales of the Seven Soldiers of Victory while they were still in their prime. The last time I saw them in action was the pages of All-Star Squadron, and that was decades ago. Grant Morrison recently revamped the Seven Soldiers concept, and that had some nice moments - but give me the original crew any day!

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