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

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Snoopy Vs. Enemy Ace



One of the great things about Snoopy was the way Charles Schulz let readers in on his imagination.  We went along for the ride as he envisioned himself as Joe Cool, a prize-winning author, or a crack fighter pilot.  I'm sure that aspect of the Peanuts comic strip was one of the many things that served as an inspiration for future cartoonists like Bill Watterson.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Wonder Woman and Captain America in "Far From The Tree!"



Well, that Superbowl was a big dud, but at least we got to see some cool commercials for upcoming comic book movies.   The one that made the most impression on me is Captain America: The Winter Soldier.  With Black Widow, Nick fury and now the Falcon joining Cap for the adventure, it looks to be more of a follow up to The Avengers than the latest sequel to Iron Man and Thor.  Basing the story on the great Ed Brubaker story line was a wise move, as the film looks to be filled with all the action and intrigue of his comic book run.

Monday, February 3, 2014

Hawk and Dove and Cloak and Dagger



These crime-fighting pairs may have never broken through to the A-list, but I have always been a big fan of both of them.  Hawk and Dove have had several incarnations in the DC Universe and my favorite is still the original Steve Ditko team - I love the idea of brothers who work together despite their differing views and styles.  Cloak and Dagger have such a cool back story and visual that I am surprised that Marvel hasn't announced plans for some sort of live action translation - I think they would be perfect for it, and there's a ton of potential there.

Another Hawk and Dove team met Cloak and Dagger in STF #479...

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Green Lantern Vs. The Green Goblin



I was excited at the casting of Chris Cooper, one of my favorite actors, in the role of Norman Osborne for the Amazing Spider-Man franchise.  From what I can tell though, we will have to wait until at least the third installment before he undergoes the transformation into The Green Goblin.  They do seem to have Harry Osborne showing up as some sort of proto-Goblin character, but the few images that have been released make him look pretty ridiculous.  WIllbem Dafoe and James Franco were fine as the Osbornes, but their costumes never looked right either.  Spider-Man's arch-foe shouldn't be so hard to translate to the big screen, and I wonder why the filmmakers always seem to have such trouble.

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Green Arrow and Ghost Rider



I'm glad I stuck with Arrow on the CW.  Sure, it's still kind of crazy how everyone in the show has model good looks, as happens on most of the shows from that network, but the series has really grown since it began.  The action scenes are great, and Stephen Amell makes a convincing and likable Green Arrow.  Oliver Queen is progressing towards being the full fledged hero from the comics, interacting with lots of characters from the DC Universe.  The last episode had Amanda Waller recruiting The Bronze Tiger for the Suicide Squad, so that has me really looking forward to the future.  I can't wait for The Flash to come on the air to see how the two series will interact.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Batman and Wolverine in "Death in the Danger Room!"



I recently watched The Wolverine, and while not perfect, I felt like it was a major improvement over X-Men Origins: Wolverine.  The role of Yukio is well cast, and I would be happy to see her in future installments. Even in his fifth outing, Hugh Jackman still does not seem bored by the role, and that's a good thing - his devotion helps make up for the fact that he is at least a foot and a half too tall to be playing the character.  I liked the smaller, more personal stakes in the film and all the nods to Chris Claremont and Frank Miller's character-defining mini-series.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

The Huntress and Spider-Woman



Spider-Woman has one of the coolest costumes in comics, and it is no surprise that it has stood the test of time.  I'd love to see it in live action, but I wonder who has the rights?  She has a lot of history with S.H.I.E.L.D. and is a well known Avenger, so one of the sequels to that franchise would be the perfect place to feature her.  Then again, her rights may be considered to be part of the Spider-Man universe, and she may have to appear in a Spidey-related film.  Hopefully whoever has the license to use Jessica Drew on the big screen will find a cool way to showcase her one of these days.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

The Spectre and Dexter



I recently watched the entire series of Dexter on Netflix, and man, did it give me some disturbing dreams. I guess I shouldn't be surprised considering the show is about a serial killer who kills other serial killers! While the series lost its footing a bit during the last couple of seasons, the first five seasons are great and well worth watching.   Michael C. Hall gives an interestingly subtle performance as the title character and the supporting cast, including Jennifer Carpenter as his foul mouthed sister all turn in solid performances as well.  Plus, there a lots of cool guest stars like Jimmy Smits, John Lithgow and Peter Weller to keep things interesting.

Monday, January 27, 2014

Nova and Adam Strange



Adam Strange is finally making his New 52 debut, in the pages of the upcoming Justice League United.  There has only been one picture and a few quotes released, but it sounds like a bit of a departure from the classic DC hero.  The new Strange is described as more of a science geek type who tries to keep up with his love Alanna, who is the real action hero.  Jeff Lemire is a great writer, so I will give him the benefit of the doubt.  Still, Adam Strange as originally conceived is one of the best concepts in comics, and I wonder why there is a need to tamper with it at all.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

The Legion of Super-Heroes and The New Mutants




These two teams have each seen their share of revamps and relaunches, which have taken their toll on both groups.  The Legion seems to get made over every few years and attempts to make them darker and edgier have backfired, in my opinion.  They are currently back in limbo, hopefully their inevitable return will feature a more classic version of the team.  The New Mutants have fared a little better, but still tend to get lost among the glut of X-teams out there, and they have lost a lot of their uniqueness.  Still, I will always have a soft spot for them, especially the members featured in the first two years of the original title.

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Aquaman and Godzilla



The latest casting rumor for the Justice League movie is Josh Holloway as Aquaman.  I loved him as Sawyer in  Lost, and always thought that he would make a good Hawkeye, but I could see him as the sea king as well.  There may be some scheduling conflicts with his new TV series, but with DC's movie plans being postponed almost a year, maybe that won't be an issue anymore.

Friday, January 24, 2014

Sandman and Spider-Man



With all the talk about the huge task of bringing Superman/Batman and The Justice League to the big screen, the equally challenging Sandman adaptation which was announced has been somewhat overshadowed.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt will have a major role,  possibly starring in the title role and also directing the feature.  He is usually involved in quality projects and has established some solid directorial chops to go with his already proven acting skills, so I think he is a great choice to lead the project.  Plus, from the quotes I have read from him, he clearly is a fan of the source material and is well versed in the incredible tapestry created by Neil Gaiman. I'm looking forward to hearing more about the production.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Green Lantern and Thor in: "Everybody Must Get Stoned!"



I have featured these two characters together before, but I wanted to do an all-Gil Kane cover this time out.  Kane was indispensable to both Marvel and DC - helping to design some of DC's premiere Silver Age heroes, and providing dynamic covers and interiors for virtually every Marvel character.  It's hard to imagine what either company's output would have looked like without his contributions.

Monday, January 20, 2014

The Metal Men and Red Sonja



This is another example of a cover where I feature a team up that I would never have thought of, but when I saw how well the images fit together I couldn't resist.  And it really isn't all that far-fetched when you think about it.  The Metal Men had an anything-goes attitude in their original series, and and appearance by a time-lost warrior woman wouldn't have seemed out of place with all the craziness that was going on.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Indiana Jones Vs. The Hulk



There was something so cool about watching Raiders of the Lost Ark for the first time.  I had heard it was action-packed, and it did not disappoint.  In those pre-internet days, there were no big moments that were ruined for me in advance.  I love the availability of information that we enjoy today, but one downside is how hard it can be to avoid spoilers, even when you make an effort to do so.

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Superboy and Ben Reilly



I have warmed up to Superboy over the years.  I liked his introduction during the Death of Superman story line but I wasn't sure if I wanted this character to be existing side by side with Kal-El for too long as I think that too many variant characters tend to dilute the original.  It wasn't until Geoff Johns' take on Connor Kent in his Teen Titans run that I began to appreciate the character again.  I also liked his appearances on the sadly short-lived Young Justice TV series.  I haven't kept up with the character in the New 52 Universe, though.  I still miss the Superboy that was simply a young Clark Kent.  It's too bad that they took that aspect of the character away, it made him unique among superheroes.

Friday, January 17, 2014

Doop and Nibbler / Ch'p and Squirrel Girl



I thought I would throw together some of my favorite lower-profile characters on this cover.  Nibbler started out as a cute pet on Futurama, and was eventually revealed to be one of the most pivotal characters on the show.  Doop, the breakout star from Marvel's X-Statix, looks to be making a small comeback soon.  Squirrel Girl is one of the more inventive and unique Marvel heroines and her appearances are always fun.  Ch'p was a cool GL and I never quite forgave DC for running him over with a truck in Green Lantern: Mosaic.

Bonus points if you can properly translate Doop's speech balloon!

Thursday, January 16, 2014

The Avengers and The Justice League of America in : "Homeless are the Heroes!"




When I was a kid, the big argument was whether The JLA or The Avengers was the cooler team.  Nowadays, folks are having the same conversation, only about the movie adaptations of each group.  I think it is a little crazy to choose sides.  I am just glad to finally be in an age where these huge comic book epics can finally be realized on the big screen.  I will always hope for fidelity to the original material, but in the end it's just cool to finally get to see so many of my favorite characters coming to life, no matter which publisher they are from.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

The Doom Patrol and The Silver Surfer



The Doom Patrol is a title and concept that DC likes to return to and revamp an a regular basis.  In my opinion, the farther that they stray from the classic team, the less it works.  I don't mind when they add extra members, but I prefer the original cast, Cliff, Larry, Rita and the Chief, to be part of the mix.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

The Angel and The Demon



Just the names of these characters suggest an interesting tale, so it would be fun to see them in a comic together.  They have quite different back stories and personalities, and I think that would make for some enjoyable conflict.

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