Showing posts with label Marvel Comics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marvel Comics. Show all posts
Friday, December 30, 2011
Green Lantern and the Avengers
The Marvel Studios produced films have been pretty successful so far, so I am really looking forward to The Avengers, the film everything has been leading up to. Joss Whedon is a great choice for director as he has had success writing for comics as well as handling ensemble pieces on film. Sure there will be costume changes I would like to make and some other tweaks, but the fact that all these characters will on the big screen sharing an adventure together tells me I won't have too much to complain about.
I wish Green Lantern had fared better at the box office. There was a lot to like about the film, but it was ultimately done in by a weak script, shoddy editing and a lackluster villain in Hector Hammond. Warner Brothers has announced a sequel - but they said that for Superman Returns, too, so that may just be studio posturing. I would like to see another attempt made utilizing lessons learned from the first outing, because I still think there is great potential in the franchise.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Aquaman and The Sub Mariner (Part Two)
I wonder which of these two characters will be the first to get their own big screen film? I've heard Namor bandied about as a potential future Marvel flick and Aquaman was famously brought to fictional cinema in Entourage as well as guest shots on Smallville and an unsuccessful TV pilot. A big budget picture for an underwater superhero would face a lot of hurdles. Underwater shoots are incredibly expensive and there's also the question of how to have the characters speak beneath the depths - easily handled in a comic but a lot tougher to make work in live action. Both characters have famous looks that have their own challenges to pull off - making Aquaman's togs look cool and finding someone who can both act and look good in nothing but swim trunks and ankle wings. It's a lot to overcome, but if done with care we could have a superhero movie unlike any other. I'm betting we see one of them as a co-star in a team flick before a solo outing though.
Labels:
Aquaman,
DC Comics,
Marvel Comics,
Namor,
Nick Cardy,
Sub-Mariner,
Super-Team Family,
Team Up
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Aquaman and The Sub-Mariner (Part One)
I am very glad the Beard and Harpoon Hand days are finally over for Aquaman. I always saw those changes as an attempt to darken the character and make him closer to Marvel's premier ocean hero, and they never really worked for me. Fortunately, that phase is past and Aquaman is not only back to his classic look, but starring in two hit series from the new DC Reboot. It's nice to see him finally getting the respect he deserves.
As the cover indicates, this is a continued story... tune in for part two tomorrow!
Labels:
Aquaman,
DC Comics,
Jim Aparo,
John Byrne,
Marvel Comics,
Namor,
Sub-Mariner,
Super-Team Family,
Team Up
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Justice League of America Vs. The Hulk
The JLA has a wide variety of character types - street level heroes, champions from other worlds, detectives, scientists and space cops. What they have never really had on their team is a loose cannon character, like The Hulk. Sure, Green Arrow could be stubborn, but he never really got that out of control. It would have been interesting to see how old jade jaws would have fit in among some of the more straight laced members of the Justice League. Something tells me they wouldn't leave him alone for monitor duty! It won't be too long before everyone gets to see The Hulk in a team situation, when The Avengers hits the big screen. I trust that Joss Whedon will utilize him well.
Monday, December 26, 2011
The Creeper and Spider-Man
Welcome to the first issue of Super-Team Family: The Lost Issues! I was trying to think of what to do for my follow up to B&B and MTIO, and this felt like the next natural progression. Super-Team Family was a short lived DC series in the 70's which presented a combination of reprints and new material featuring superhero teams and team-ups. They would have the old stand-by's like Superman and Batman, but then they would have an interesting team-up like Wildcat and The Creeper or The Flash and The New Gods. It was those offbeat team-ups that appealed to me the most, and they served as a huge inspiration for this blog.
The Original STF ran only 15 issues, but the Lost Issues will run considerably longer. I have many, many covers ready to go and I am making more all the time, so buckle up! You will notice a few differences in this series from the other two titles that I took on. First off, the cover says it all - going forward, there will be no fixed host of the series and any issue can feature anybody teaming with anybody. The random numbering is gone and STF will be presented sequentially. Also gone is posting in any kind of alphabetical order, so you'll never have an inkling of what is coming up next. The wide open aspect of this new title has opened up a world of possibilities and I plan to have fun with it!
I decided to kick off the series with a meeting of my two favorite Steve Ditko characters. Of course, I was halfway through with it when I realized that I had used a Jack Kirby Spider-Man figure - oops! Oh well, at least the headshot on the wanted poster is by Ditko!
I hope everyone who has enjoyed this blog so far will like the new direction!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Batman and Wolverine (Retro)
It's too bad that Darren Aronofsky dropped out of the Wolverine sequel. I was not a big fan of the first film, which kind of meandered through a very thin plot, but Aronofsky's involvement in the second had me hopeful for a more stylish thoughtful flick. There is still hope though - the movie is reportedly based on Wolverine's first solo mini-series by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller (which is what they should have done the first time). That tale truly cemented the character's iconic status and should make for a markedly different film from the rest of Logan's cinematic outings. Interviews with Hugh Jackman indicate a willingness to really try and capture the feel of those issues, and I hope he succeeds at that.
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Herb Trimpe,
Marvel Comics,
Team Up,
Wolverine
Monday, December 19, 2011
Batman and Warlock
Marvel's cosmic line has been in the spotlight again in the past few years, due to the talents of writers like Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning. This is a good thing because they have such a strong stable of space-faring characters - The Inhumans, The Guardians of the Galaxy, The Annihilators, and of course, Warlock. I have liked Adam Warlock ever since I stumbled onto an issue of his self titled series as a kid. The Jim Starlin artwork on that gave it a sleek, modern look that set it apart from most comics of the day. Hopefully, fans of the new cosmic stories will seek out his earlier adventures.
The Countdown to the All-New Lost Issues Title has begun! 7 days left until the big change on December 26th... stay tuned!
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Jim Starlin,
Marvel Comics,
Neal Adams,
Team Up,
Thanos,
Warlock
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Batman and Union Jack
I've always liked the look of Union Jack. I first encountered the character during the classic run of Captain America by Roger Stern and John Byrne. He seemed cool to me so I checked out his adventures as part of the Invaders as well. Comic characters with costumes based off of a flag motif are pretty common, but I think that Union Jack's is the most successful. It is at once patriotic, intimidating and utilitarian.
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
John Cassiday,
Marvel Comics,
Team Up,
Union Jack
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Batman and Two-Gun Kid
My first exposure to Two Gun Kid was when he traveled to the present in the pages of The Avengers. I liked his friendship with Hawkeye and I always enjoy man-out-of-time stories. I thought he had returned to the old west at some point but he showed up in the pages of Dan Slott's She-Hulk series a few years back so I guess he never made it back home. Y'know, I made this cover some time after I had done the Rawhide Kid cover and I just noticed that both have Batman being shot by his co-stars... he just does not get along with Marvel cowboys!
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Ernie Chan,
Jack Kirby,
Marvel Comics,
Team Up,
Two-Gun Kid
Batman and Tigra
I have been a fan of Tigra since her original appearances as The Cat, to her fully felinte transformation and then her time as an Avenger. She is currently being featured in Avengers Academy. I get a kick out of the fact that she is still rocking the bikini... I don't ever remember any of my teachers dressing like that!
I was glad that this pairing finally gave me a chance to do an all Bruce Timm cover. He has a great grasp of body language and the ability to distill a character down to a simple streamlined iconic look.
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
Bruce Timm,
DC Comics,
Marvel Comics,
Team Up,
Tigra
Friday, December 9, 2011
Batman and Thor (Retro)
Well, I have seen the Thor film a few times now and for me it is a mixed bag. The casting was great and I really enjoyed the performances, particularly by Tom Hiddleston as Loki. OK, maybe they should have gotten a fatter actor for Volstagg! Asgard looked great and the battle with the Ice Giants was suitably epic. My problems with the movie are that Thor spends way too much time depowered and out of costume... and even when he wears the costume it is without the helmet save for five seconds at the beginning. And the helmet looks great, there's no reason not to have it on in battle (a trend that looks to be continued in the Avengers). The battle with the Destroyer and final battle with Loki both seemed a bit abrupt as well. Still, Thor is one of the tougher characters to pull of on film and Kenneth Branagh did an admirable job. He is not returning for the sequel and the replacement director has already left the project so the next installment is currently up in the air. Hey, Marvel - give Peter Jackson a call!
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Jack Kirby,
Marvel Comics,
Team Up,
Thor
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Batman and The Young Allies (Retro)
Long before the likes of the New Mutants or even the Teen Titans, the Young Allies blazed the trail for future teenage superhero groups. Indeed they were Marvel's first ongoing team book. Bucky, Toro and a plucky group of kids helped foil plots by the Red Skull and real world Axis Leaders. With a renewed interest in Bucky these days due to his high profile return as the Winter Soldier as well as his recent cinematic exposure, I hope to see some new tales of this WWII super group hit the stands.
Labels:
Batman,
Bob Kane,
Brave and the Bold,
Bucky,
DC Comics,
Marvel Comics,
Team Up,
Toro,
Young Allies
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Batman and The X-Men (Retro)
Well, I've had Batman in retro adventures with each of the individual members, I guess it's time for him to meet the merry mutants as a whole. Now, here's the First Class I was really hoping to see on the big screen. Alas, with the X-films wonky continuity, it seems as though only a full franchise reboot will allow for that to happen. It was great at least to finally see the traditional yellow and navy blue outfits on screen at last, proving they could look cool regardless of any comments made in earlier films.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Batman and The West Coast Avengers
I was a big fan of the first West Coast Avengers mini-series and the ongoing series that followed it. The Avengers had included a lot of cool members over the years and the idea of a second team operating concurrently would allow more characters to be showcased. Little did I realize what a trend that would start! Now not only are certain characters diluted by multiple versions of them running around, entire teams have their own variants. There are multiple versions of the Avengers, X-Men and the Justice League operating simultaneously and it's getting pretty crowded out there. It used to be an honor to join the Avengers or the JLA... now it makes a character more unique if they've never been a member!
Labels:
Batman,
DC Comics,
Hawkeye,
Iron Man,
Jim Aparo,
Marvel Comics,
Mockingbird,
Team Up,
Tigra,
West Coast Avengers,
Wonder Man
Friday, December 2, 2011
Batman and The Vision and The Scarlet Witch
I have featured each of these characters before, but wanted to use them together because I always enjoyed them as a couple. Sure, a romance between a mutant and a synthezoid was a little freaky, but that's what made their relationship so compelling. Unfortunately, both characters have been through the wringer for the past few decades, with The Scarlet Witch growing increasingly more unstable and The Vision receiving personality wipes and new bodies. Their romance was one of the first casualties of all of this tampering. I think it is time to get them both back to a more stable, iconic place and see if there is any of that old magic left. I'm just sentimental enough to think that these two crazy kids could still make it work after all of these years.
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Marvel Comics,
Scarlet Witch,
Team Up,
The Vision
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Batman and the Thunderbolts
Thunderbolts is one of Marvel's best concepts in the past few decades. The original run by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley came out at a time when comics were all about gimmicks - lots of foil covers and variant issues to drum up interest. The Thunderbolts had the best gimmick of all though, a great plot twist at the end of the first issue which gave the series a unique hook. Having villains disguised as heroes led to a lot of fascinating character arcs, as each member of the team reacted differently to their newfound hero status. Some embraced the new outlook and tried to stay on the path of the truly heroic, while others relished in the deceit and grew even more devious. It was a great exploration of some characters that had been around in comics for many years, and it gave them all some real depth. Busiek and Bagley proved once again that every character has growth potential when placed in interesting enough circumstances.
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Mark Bagley,
Marvel Comics,
Thunderbolts
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Batman and The Thing (Retro)
It was fun to go back to a Thing cover again... this actually makes my fourth pairing with these two (sixth if you count Fantastic Four covers). They are my two favorite characters from their respective companies so I really dig the idea of them sharing adventures together. How I would have loved to see Jim Aparo illustrate The Thing in B&B, or John Buscema give us a Marvel version of the team up in MTIO... Such wishes filled my head as a child and the untapped possibilities they suggest are the basis for this blog.
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Marvel Comics,
Paste Pot Pete,
Riddler,
Team Up,
The Thing,
Trapster
Monday, November 28, 2011
Batman and The Super-Skrull
It was a fun moment at the end of Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer when Johnny Storm temporarily gained the powers of the entire team. It was clearly a nod to one of the Fantastic Four's coolest villains, the Super Skrull. That was a nice tease but what I as a fan really would have preferred was a full out adventure with the actual Super Skrull. I had the same feeling when watching Ang Lee's Hulk - Lee made the strange decision to combine the Hulk's abusive father with classic villains Zzzax and The Absorbing Man. I would have much rather had a solo appearance by one of those villains rather than the odd mashup we got. There's still hope for future movies, though. With a FF film reboot on the horizon as well as rumored Skrull involvement in the Avengers film, maybe there's a chance we'll finally see the Super Skrull on the big screen one day.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Batman and The Sub-Mariner (Retro)
Namor has been getting around a lot lately. Already a current or former member of The Invaders, The Defenders, The Avengers and The Illuminati, he has most recently been hanging out with The X-Men. Boy, for a supposedly anti-social character, he sure joins a lot of teams! I guess it was only a matter of time, given his status as Marvel's first official mutant. I don't mind seeing the Sub-Mariner in a team setting - it's fun to watch him interact with other characters with his no-nonsense attitude.
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Jack Kirby,
Marvel Comics,
Namor,
Sub-Mariner,
Team Up,
Ty Templeton
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Batman and The Sinister Six
It will be interesting to see a new take on the Spider-Man film franchise, but part of me was hoping that the new films would continue in the previous movie's continuity. That way we could have Spider-Man 4 with Kraven hunting the Lizard and Spidey in the middle, then a Spider-Man 5 with Mysterio and/or Electro as the villains... all setting the stage for Spider-Man: Sinister Six!, where the foes from each movie unite to finally try an take the web-slinger down for good. It would be a crowded film but so cool to see one of my favorite Annuals come to life. Ah well, perhaps it is never meant to be, but we still have the comics and the animated adaptations of the Sercret Six to enjoy.
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