The Freedom Fighters Vs. The Avengers (100-Page Giant!)

 

Looks like we have another full-issue throwdown on our hands!  Let's hope they can sort out their differences and all get together for a slam bang finale in the last 10 pages!  Here are some closer looks at the stories included in this Anniversary Issue:

Phalanx of Phantoms

 

Marc Tyler Nobleman, a Patron of this blog, suggested I have the Phantom Stranger meet The Phantom of  The Opera, and that concept just started snowballing!  With a team this large, I couldn't fit all of the artists used in the labels.  This cover features illustrations by Ross Andru, Jaime Hernandez, Andy Smith, Peter Snejberg, Steve Mitchell, Herb Trimpe and Paul Becton.

The Fantastic Four and Four Famous Co-Stars

 

It was fun coming up with a DC Comics analogue of the Fantastic Four.  What better issue to feature them in than in than STF #4444? This seems like the kind of tale that might have shown up in a FF Annual back in the 70's or 80's.

Phantom Lady and The Phantom

It was fun looking for art to use on this cover.  George Wilson and Matt Baker really did some amazing work on The Phantom and Phantom Lady, respectively.  I love Wilson's realistic yet dynamic painting style and Baker really knew how to illustrate beautiful women and made great use of panel layout.

The Freedom Fighters and The Invaders

You have to love a big sprawling superhero wartime story.  Unfortunately, judging by the solicitations,  it looks like the new Earth Two series from DC will be taking place during current times, severing the JSA from the backdrop of World War II once and for all.  While I can understand the desire to modernize their line, I think they are letting go of a big part of the appeal of the Goden Age characters.  I always enjoy seeing superhero period pieces and even when those characters are brought into present day, it's cool to see how they interact with others, given their sensibilities from a bygone era.

Batman and Phantom Lady (Retro)

There's been a lot of discussion lately regarding superheroines' costumes, what with DC redesigning a lot of their characters outfits in order to show less skin.  While I understand the desire to make the costumes more utilitarian and believable (not to mention easier to translate into live action), female superheroes in skimpy outfits is hardly anything new.  The original Phantom Lady was using her sex appeal and scantily clad looks decades before the likes of Witchblade and the White Queen hit the scene.  I guess nothing stopped a crook in his tracks like a little leg or cleavage showing, and that gave her a couple of extra seconds to leap into action and lay the smack down!

The Thing and The Freedom Fighters

I was sorry to see that the latest Freedom Fighters series was cancelled in under a year. I was enjoying it and hoped it would have found a larger audience. Maybe this is a team best served by a series of mini-series, rather than an ongoing title. I'd love to see some adventures of the original Freedom Fighters as well, there a precious few tales of them while they were in their fighting prime. It's another reason that a DCU series set in the WWII era would be nice, so we could see adventures of the various members of the Freedom Fighters as well as the All-Star Squadron and JSA during their heyday.