The Thing and Sandman

 

A deceptively simple looking cover - but it took a lot of caption removal and image replacement before I could add Dream in.  Here is a look behind the scenes: 

Superman and Thor in: "The Kryptonian Transfusion!"

 

I haven't had these two together for a while, and I thought it was time to feature them together again.  Superman and Thor have shared other STF adventures:

in Issue #1155, they paid for the sins of their fathers...

in Issue #994, they starred in an all-Kirby classic...

In Issue #949, they battled Amazo and the Taskmaster...

In Issue #155, they were confronted by their fathers...

In Issue #31, they squared off against Mongul...

and they first crossed paths way back in Issue #17.

Iron Man and The Human Bomb

 

Uh oh!  Hopefully this isn't just a one-page comic story.  Tony Stark's armor will protect him, but what about the surrounding city?  The bombastic battle is only sixty cents away!

The Avengers and Kamandi

 

Look, I have the same questions about how Kamandi was able to get the upper hand here that Chronos has.  But that's just what would have made me pick this issue up off of the shelves - just to see what shenanigans that Kang is up to this time around.

Captain America and Steel

Happy Fourth of July to all of the American visitors to this blog!  I will be spending the holiday with some of my family and friends and my beautiful girlfriend by the water, and I hope that everyone else has similar plans to spend time with family and loved ones.

This is a cover that required some prep work involving background clean up, repair and extension.  Here's a look behind the scenes: 

 

Dr. Mid-Nite and Iron Man

 It occurred to me that, despite his technical skill, Tony Stark really shouldn't be performing medical procedures on himself - especially when there are some qualified superhero doctors around.  That might just make for the springboard to an enjoyable story.

Elongated Man and The Falcon

 

Stilt-Man was always a goofy villain, but he did make for some really fun visuals.  It was interesting to see the artistic choices used to depict his action, with some extreme bird-eye and worm's eye views.  He and Elongated man tangled once before on the blog in STF #3897...

Scalphunter and Two-Gun Kid

 

I think the main reason that I have always liked Scalphunter is because of the strong impression that the first story I read featuring him had on me.  It was his appearance in The Brave and the Bold, and the amazing JL Garcia Lopez artwork in that issue blew me away.  I liked when the western heroes would cross over with DC's superheroes.  The above Scalphunter image was taken from when he, Bat Lash, Jonah Hex and Cinnamon showed in a couple of Justice League of America issues, another fun story.

Iron Man and Dynamo

 

I recently watched a couple of episodes of Iron Man from the Marvel Super-Heroes cartoons that first ran in 1966, and I thoroughly enjoyed them. I know the animation was considered crude even for back then, but whatever it lacks is made up by the fact that the artwork from the actual comics was used to bring it to life.  The breakneck pacing of those early comic tales really made them perfect for this Saturday morning format.

The Champions Vs. The Justice League of America

 

For this Anniversary Issue, I thought I would go for a full length free for all featuring two of my favorite teams.  I'm surely not alone in my love for the JLA.  The Champions, in this their first incarnation, never quite hit it big, but I always got a kick out of the oddball line up that they had.  A super-spy, a Demigod, a possessed stuntman and a trio of mutants filled out their ranks, and I enjoyed seeing these disparate heroes find a way to work together. 

Ant-Man & The Wasp Vs. The Legion of Doom

I had seen superhero cartoons before, but nothing prepared me for Challenge of the Super-Friends.  Here not only did the Super-Friends expand their roster, but they also battled The Legion of Doom, an army of DC supervillains, in every hour long episode!  It may seem quaint now, but for 9 year old me it was like a summer blockbuster every Saturday.

Justice Society of America Vs. Kang in: "Chronal Detention!"

 

Presenting part One of a Three-Part Epic!  A blurry image of Kang from early promotional materials for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has made the rounds, and it looks promising.  It's small and he is only seen in a reflection - but it does seem to look like Kang will indeed have the classic appearance from the comics.  I enjoyed Jonathan Majors in the final episode of Loki, and I think he will be even better here.

Make sure you come back tomorrow to see where the story goes in Part Two!

Kang first encountered the JSA in STF #2294...

Shining Knight and Cyclops

 

Continued From yesterday's cover, we now see which X-Man had to return back to the Seven Soldiers of Victory's era.  If there's one member of Xavier's team that deserves better treatment than was received in the Fox movies, it's Scott Summers.  Here's hoping Marvel does him justice once he joins the MCU.

Blue Beetle and Black Widow

 

I'm looking forward to seeing Xolo Mariduena bring the Jaime Reyes Blue Beetle to life in the announced HBO Max movie.  I hope that the legacy aspect of the character is left intact and that we also get to see Ted Kord in there somewhere, perhaps in a mentor role as eventually happened in the comics.  A nod to the original Blue Beetle, Dan Garrett, would just be icing on the cake!

Thank you to Mike Shirley, a Patron of this Blog, for suggesting this team up!

Starman Vs. Iron Man in: "Knight Terrors!"

This marks the third adventure between Starman and Iron Man - They joined Black Widow and Black Canary in STF #2491 and first appeared together in STF #2190... there's something I like about putting these two heroes together.  Maybe it's the juxtaposition of cosmic based abilities and science based weaponry... or maybe just because I think they look cool together.

Starman and Iron Man (W/Black Canary & Black Widow!)

When people ask me my favorite comic of all time, I don't even have to think about it: The Brave and the Bold (1955), which should come as no surprise to those who have followed this blog since the beginning.  It checked all the boxes for me - it prominently featured my favorite artist Jim Aparo and my favorite DC hero, Batman.  Also it was a team-up title which I of course went nuts for.  Before that, it was the try-out comic for many great concepts - The Suicide Squad, Teen Titans and Justice League of America among them. Finally, it presented the return of many a Golden Age hero for new life in the Silver Age like Hawkman, Hourman, Wildcat, Doctor Fate, Green Lantern and the two above. What a series!

Starman and Iron Man first met in STF #2190...

Seven Swordsmen

Back in another life, when I went to acting school, I took a fencing class, and it was an absolute blast.  There were a few offensive and defensive moves to learn, and once I had them down, it was easy to choreograph battles.  We would practice in slow motion until we got it perfect and then switch to real time.  Tons of fun!

Colossus and Steel

I was frustrated how little that Colossus was used in Bryan Singer's X-Men films, so I was glad to hear that he would be featured in Deadpool.  I liked the new more comic-faithful appearance they gave him, but given the title character, I did worry that he would simply be the butt of a lot of jokes at his expense.  He did play the straight man to a degree, but I think that he came off relatively unscathed and it was very cool to see him in action.

And now we are even getting a live action Commander Steel on DC's Legends of Tomorrow?  I never thought I would see the day.

The Wasp and The Atom in "Cruelty of the Cannoneer!"

I enjoyed the season premiere of Legends of Tomorrow, but still wish that the characters were a little closer to their comic counterparts.  The Atom and Firestorm still come off more like low budget versions of Iron Man and the Human Torch, and I was hoping Dinah Lance would take on the Black Canary identity again, now that her sister is gone.  I love that they are introducing the Justice Society, but at first glance they seem quite a bit altered as well, next week will show how faithful they are to their comic roots.  That's just the purist in me though, the series is still a fun watch.

This is the third meeting between these diminutive heroes.  they first mat in STF #216, and then once again in STF #768...

Robotman and Iron Man (Part One)

Only a few promotional images from Captain America: Civil War have surfaced, but I like what I have seen of Iron Man's new armor.  I have enjoyed the various designs that we have seen in the films to date, but I still miss Tony Stark's classic red & gold armor that he wore throughout the bulk of the Silver and early Bronze age.  I have been waiting to see that look onscreen, widow's peak, hip discs and all, and maybe we will one day - but this new look is pretty cool too.

Make Sure you stop by for Part 2 tomorrow!