Superman and Mary Jane

 

A scene like this could set up quite the divergent timeline.  It would be interesting to watch unfold.

Has anyone checked out Superman and Spider-Man's recent real world crossover, and was it any good?  I'm waiting for these new DC/Marvel crossovers to be collected in digital and then I plan to check them out, but I'd love to hear your opinions.

Superman and Spider-Man have had a history on this blog as well - They were last seen together sporting their black costumes, Superman gathered heroes to find a missing Spidey...  There was a movie of their classic crossover... once they underwent an identity crisis... and once they decided to have a car fight.

Infinity Inc. Vs. The Masters of Evil

 

Filming has completed on Avengers: Doomsday, and the movie is in the editing and special effects stage.  Word is that a first look teaser will be included in front of the next Avatar film, with lots of speculation as to what it will show.  My favorite guess is that the movie may undergo a last minute surprise name change - to Avengers Vs. X-Men!

Manhunter and Shang-Chi

 

It always makes a big difference when comic artists illustrating expert fighters have really done their homework.  When the reader sees a character like Shang-Chi or Iron Fist using actual martial arts moves, it adds a lot to the effectiveness of the scene. Hopefully this issue would contain plenty of such sequences.

All-Star Squadron Vs. Ultron

 

We've all seen Pym Particles being used for time travel by now - so who's to say that Hank Pym's deadliest creation could not get hold of some for some decades-spanning shenanigans? It might be cool to see how the Squadron reacts to the modern villain crashing their timeline.

Squadron Supreme Vs. The Anti-Monitor

 

Something tells me that if there were to be a crisis in the Marvel Multiverse, it would star with the Squadron Supreme's Earth. It would be interesting to see if they would have fared any better against the Anti-Monitor's forces than DC's Crime Syndicate did.

Peacemaker and War Machine

 

This is another cover suggested by Marc Tyler Nobleman, comics historian and Patron of this Blog.  I realized I hadn't used Peacemaker at all on a cover yet, and War Machine seemed like a perfect partner to make for an interesting story.  Thanks, Marc!

The Defenders Vs. Abnegezar, Rath & Ghast and Neron

 

The Defenders seemed to spend as much time or more battling demons and supernatural threats as they did traditional super-villains.  It might be interesting to see how they would fare against the denizens of DC's underworld.

Hawkwoman Vs. Ego: The Living Planet

 

It sounds like we will be getting the Kendra Saunders version of Hawkgirl in Superman: Legacy, played by Isabela Merced.  Still, I hope there will be some reference to Shayera Thal.  Will the reincarnation aspects of her story be told here, or is that something we will have to wait for future appearances to see?  Only time will tell.

The Wasp and The Flash

 

There were many factors that went into the underperformance of The Flash, but the character itself was not one of them.  Let's hope that we don't have a situation like with Hal Jordan, who was taken out of all movie plans for over a decade due to his movie not hitting the mark.  I'm guessing it will take until Justice League: New Frontier is released before we see a new Barry Allen (or Wally West?).

Black Knight and Dawnstar

 

Did you guess the correct Legionnaire to accompany The Black Knight back to his era from yesterday's cover?  Who better to locate an important lost artifact than one of the 31st Century's best trackers? 

Marvel laid the seeds for The Black Knight in Eternals.  Let's hope we won't have to wait years before we see Dan Whitman on the big screen again, so that he can fully embrace his heroic destiny.

Hyperion and The Atom Vs. Brainiac

 

There have been reports of Marvel looking for a leading man type to play the antagonist in the upcoming Thunderbolts movie, an extremely powerful character that they are reportedly considering Ryan Gosling (or someone like him) to portray.  Some have speculated that this is Hyperion, while others think it will be The Sentry.  I think The Sentry is more likely as well.  I'd love to see Hyperion join the MCU - but he would ideally have the rest of the Squadron Supreme with him so that a full on slugfest with The Avengers can go down.

Doom Patrol and The Avengers

 

I'm looking forward to the fourth (and presumably final) season of Doom Patrol on HBO Max, but I am hoping for a little more character development.  The characters all seem to be running in place, still pretty much dealing with the same personal issues that they have been since the first episode.  It can get a bit mopey at times, so I hope this is the season that they all finally come to terms with themselves and become more confident as a team.

Cheetah Vs. The Cheetah

 

I was surprised to see some suggestions for these two Cheetahs to clash, because I didn't really remember the Marvel version.  It's no wonder why, he only made a couple of appearances before being killed off.  The biggest head scratcher about him is that garish costume.  He looks like a cool werewolf, why cover that up in a green and yellow disco outfit?

If you like today's villain battle, then you'll probably like what's in store for STF #3700 - coming tomorrow!

The Sentry and Captain Marvel

 

Thanks to Tom Brennan, a Patron of this Blog, for suggesting this match up! I had been meaning to use the Sentry again, and Captain Marvel is certainly more than a suitable adversary for him.

I am always glad to use artwork by the amazing Jerry Ordway.  I was lucky enough to pick up a couple of pages by him several years back (inks by Mark McKenna and Paul Ryan): 

Star Trek: TNG, The Watcher and Mr. Mxyzptlk

 

I've been getting a kick out of What If? on Disney+.  The animation style took some getting used to, but now I think it's pretty cool.  My favorite episode so far has been the Dr. Strange-centric one.  Jeffrey Wright as The Watcher is so good that I hope he brings the role to live action in a future movie.  I have a feeling we'll be seeing some of the characters and storyline in this show included in upcoming MCU films.

Quasar and Firestorm

 

Who would have thought that the character on this cover most likely to show up in a big budget movie first would be Fin Fang Foom?  At least he has been heavily rumored to be showing up in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.  Hopefully we will see a teaser or trailer before too long and see if there is any confirmation of Foom's involvement.

Firestorm previously faced off against Fin Gang Foom in STF #1447...

Green Arrow Vs. Hawkeye in: Barton's Betrayal!"

 

This marks the tenth time that Green Arrow and Hawkeye have met on the blog - They first met in one of my very earliest STF covers... then they were at odds with a few fellow Avengers along for the tale... Next up they faced off against The Hulk and Solomon Grundy... then it was time to hone their skills... and next they shared an adventure with Black Canary and Mockingbird, then there was a classic adventure from early in their careers... then they battled some robots together... there was the time that Green Arrow tried to steal Hawkeye's ride... and they even appeared in a photo cover for a proposed movie...

Always glad to use a Neal Adams image on this blog.  I was lucky enough to pick up a sketch by him many years ago.  It's very loose, but his signature style still shows through:

Hawkeye in the House of Mystery

 

I saw that Can and Abel have been cast for the upcoming Netflix series, and I an glad that they will be a part of the mix.  DC's most famous horror hosts have entertained readers for years, and it's high time they received a live action treatment!  I'm not familiar with actors Sanjeev Bhaskar and Asim Chaudhry, but I hope they do the roles justice with equal amounts of mystery, darkness, and humor.

This is only Part One of a Two-Part Tale, so make sure you come back tomorrow for the exciting conclusion!

Wonder Woman and Spider-Man in: "Aunt May's Other Life!"

 

Nothing makes my feel my age like the fact that the cinematic Aunt May is now portrayed by someone just a few years older than me.  Don't get me wrong, Marisa Tomei is pleasant to watch, but I'm used to the frail elderly Aunt from the comics.  Rosemary Harris from the first Spider-Man trilogy was like the character had walked right off of the page, still one of the best comic book movie castings ever, in my opinion.

Wonder Woman and Spidey first crossed paths in STF #572...

Spider-Man and Kid Eternity

 With major The returns of both Gwen Stacy and Jor-El in recent years (or at least alternate versions of them), Ben Parker seems like one of the last comic characters that has been allowed to remain deceased.  It makes sense, as the inspiration his death provided to Spider-Man is the central cornerstone for that hero.  Of course, that mentorship role was taken over by Tony Stark in the Marvel movies, with barely a mention of Uncle Ben.  The poor guy just can't get a break.