Wonder Woman and Giant-Man

 

This cover is a rare example in which I actually own the original art to one of the components.  I picked this sweet Ron Wilson splash page up almost 20 years ago, and I still look at it daily.

Bugs Bunny Vs. Doctor Doom

 

I'm not sure why I've been receiving requests for a Doom/Bugs match up, but here you go!  I'd love to see this tale animated.  Doom does play a great straight man, so it might be amusing watching him navigate the hijinks that would come his way.

I wanted Bugs in a suit of armor for this cover, so I used a still from the 1949 short Knights Must Fall, directed by Friz Freleng.  I was lucky enough to pick up a sketch by the legendary animator several years back:

Captain Marvel Jr. and Spider-Man

 

I never really understood those weird helmets that the A.I.M. henchmen would wear.  They looked like evil beekeepers and I can't imagine they had great peripheral vision.

Spidey and Freddy first met in STF #1358

I was glad to use an image by Stan lee's brother, Larry Lieber here.  I remember seeking out his few daily panels for the Spider-Man newspaper strip.  Many years back, I picked up an original strip by him:

Dr. Fate Vs. The Red Skull

 

This is definitely a match up that I would like to see, if only to see Fate open up a can of whoopass on the Skull by the end of the tale.

I am glad to use a Red Skull image hereby the very talented Ron Garney.  I was lucky enough to pick up an original page by him several years back:

Indiana Jones and Challengers of the Unknown

 

Challenging the unknown sounds like a good description for the adventures that Indiana Jones gets into, so he would probably fit right in with these adventurers.  Of course, the real unknown is whether he can provide audiences with a thrilling adventure as he enters his 80's.  I guess we will all find out soon enough!

Indiana Jones on this cover is from an image by the very talented Jackson Guice.  I was lucky enough to pick up an original page of his several years back:

Black Panther and Mickey Mouse

 

I haven't had a chance to see Black Panther: Wakanda Forever yet, but I am looking forward to it.  I really liked Shuri and M'Baku from the first film and hope to see them both with larger roles this time around.  I'm still not sold on Namor, we'll see if the writing and performance can overcome the fact that he looks absolutely nothing like the comic book character.

I am very happy to use the work of Fred Hembeck on this cover.  Back in 2008, I commissioned him to recreate one of my all-time favorite covers, and he knocked it out of the park - he even hand drew the logo:

Daredevil and The Flash

 

It's too late to remove Ezra Miller from the already-shot Flash movie, but Warner Bros. will certainly have a new actor in the role of Barry Allen for any new projects.  For the first time I am hearing rumors of a replacement - George McKay.  I only know him from the movie 1917, but he was pretty good in that and certainly looks the role.  If he can pull off a convincing American accent, I'm all for it.  We'll see if this rumor pans out.

I was glad to use a Daredevil image here from the amazing David Mazzuchelli. I was very lucky to be able to pick up a DD sketch by him several years back: 

Wonder Girl and Marvel Boy

 

Once I started this cover, I began to wonder what took me so long. Not only do their names seem to go together, their costumes do as well - it seems like a natural combination.

I'm always happy to use artwork by Irv Novick, an underrated talent that illustrated many of my favorite Silver and Bronze age tales.  I was lucky enough to pick up a couple of original page by him several years ago, one with inks by Dick Giordano, the other by Murphy Anderson:

...and one with inks by Murphy Anderson: 

Swamp Thing and Storm

 

This is not a team-up that I would instantly think of, but when I decided on the hook, the story potential really appealed to me.  It would be interesting to see Ororo enter this new stage in her evolution.

I was happy to use the artwork of the amazing Steve Bissette here.  I was lucky enough to pick up a sketch by him many years ago:

Deathstroke and Black Widow

 

The line up for the Thunderbolts movie has been announced, and with a line up that includes Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, Taskmaster, The Contessa, Winter Soldier, USAgent and Ghost, it feels like it will pretty much be a sequel to Black Widow, with a few other characters thrown in.  I would have preferred Marvel started with the Citizen-V led team of masquerading villains from the comics, but it will be interesting to see what is done with this group.

I am always happy to use artwork by the incredible Mike Mckone.  I was fortunate enough to pick up an original page by him several years back:

Venom and Green Lantern

 

I can still remember reading an issue of The Comic's Buyers' Guide and seeing plans for a new all-black Spider-Man suit.  I didn't think Marvel would stick with such a drastic change for more than an issue or two, but had to admit the new costume as illustrated by Rick Leonardi looked pretty cool.  Little did I realize what it would lead to. To think that Jim Shooter purchased the design off of a fan for a few hundred bucks!

Shaman and Dawnstar

 

For those of you who were wondering why Dawnstar was not a member of Wing Command, well, she's from a different century - but that doesn't mean that she can't visit!  

I used an image of her by the incredibly talented Gary Frank.  I was lucky enough to pick up an original page of his many years back:

Mon-El and Gladiator

 

I thought that this would be a suitable set of match ups as these are a couple of pairs of characters that mirror each other.  When I found similar poses, the concept wrote itself.

Mongul here is by  the incredibly talented Kevin Maguire.  I was lucky enough to pick up a couple of original pages by him several years back, one being a pencils-only page which I really like:

Space Cabbie and Dick Tracy

 

Uh oh, looks like Tracy may just be travelling outside of his jurisdiction! I was glad for the chance to use the artwork of Peter Snejbjerg here.  He impressed me during his run on the 90's Starman series.  I was lucky enough to pick up a couple of pages by him several years back featuring a bunch of different Starmen:

Doctor Strange and Madame Xanadu

 

This cover comes from a suggestion in a recent comments section.  It is definitely a natural combination and I am surprised that I am only getting to it now.  I'm looking forward to seeing Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness tomorrow.  It'll be fun seeing Sam Raimi run free in the MCU.

I was glad to use a Michael Kaluta image of Madame Xanadu here.  I was lucky enough to pick up a sketch by him several years back:

Stars & S.T.R.I.P.E. and Big Guy & Rusty the Boy Robot

 

It sounds like the Arrowverse on the CW is coming to an end.  Batwoman and Legends of Tomorrow have already been cancelled, with Naomi expected to follow and The Flash will conclude after a shortened final season.  Superman and Lois is safe for now and Stargirl's fate has not been mentioned.  I believe the third season has been filming though, so hopefully we will get a solid conclusion to the series.

I am happy to use the art of the incredibly detailed Geoff Darrow here.  I was lucky enough to pick up a matching pair of sketches by him several years back:  

Swamp Thing and Star Trek

 

The crew of the Enterprise has crossed paths with all sorts of incredible beings in their travels - why not an Earth Elemental?  I was glad to use a Swamp Thing image here by the amazing John Totleben.  Several years back, I was lucky enough to pick up this cool crossover sketch by him and Mike Gustovich of comics' two greatest muck monsters:

Ultraman Vs. Venom

 

I thought I would present a take on the crossover that started it all.  I remember seeing ads for Superman Vs. Spider-Man and being fascinated by them.  It was a mythical comic to me as it took about a decade before I would be able to own a copy.

Ultraman here is by Ethan Van Sciver.  I was glad to get a sketch by him several years ago:

Man-Bat Joins The Sinister Six

 

Spider-Man: No Way Home kind of gave us a Sinister Six story but not really.  I guess if you count the mid-credit scene there were six Spidey villains in the mix - or if you count J. Jonah Jameson as a villain.  Still, hopefully one day down the line we'll see a true sinister six adventure on the big screen.  

I was happy to use a Don Newton image of Man-Bat here.  I was lucky enough to pick up an original  Don Newton page many years back:

Hawkman and Captain Britain

 

I was happy to use an image of Hawkman here by the very talented Lee Weeks.  I was able to pick up an original page of his many years back, and even got to thank him for it at a convention years later, he was incredibly nice and got a kick out of the STF Daredevil/Calvin & Hobbes t-shirt I was wearing. I gave him a business card with the Blog's address on it when he asked where I got the shirt from, so who knows?  Maybe he's checking out this entry right now.