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:

Starman and Nova

 

The only thing creepier than giant aliens are giant alien insects! Thanks to Kent Brockman of The Simpsons for the inspiration for this cover.

Hawkwoman and Wasp

 

Hawkgirl was the only character that didn't really work for me in the new Superman movie.  I didn't mind Isabela Merced in the role, but she just seemed like a normal girl with wings, rather than a reincarnated warrior with ties to an alien culture.  Perhaps the character herself is not aware of her origins yet, and that side will be explored in future appearances.  Also, wasn't the movie supposed to be about Superman inspiring his fellow heroes?  She didn't seem very inspired when she straight up murdered one of the bad guys, and I thought that moment undermined the theme of the film.

The Defenders and The Spectre

 

These guys are all heroes, but they've all done some shady stuff as well.  Not many heroes would give them pause, but being stared down by the Spectre has got to be an exception!

The Human Torch and Batgirl

 

Sometimes there was a cover on the racks that had so much going on that it practically dared you to try an resist picking it up.  Needless to say I had to at least flip through.  The above scenario is just the kind of image that would have had me hooked.

Metal Men and The Guardians of the Galaxy

 

James Gunn seems to gravitate towards teams of oddball characters, so I think that  The Metal Men are definite candidates for inclusion in his DCU.  You could make a Pixar-style animated movie with them or even a live action film with todays special effects.  I hope they show up somewhere.

Doom Patrol and The Defenders in: "It's All in the Timing!"

 

I definitely think that these two teams go well together.  The Doom Patrol and The Defenders previously met in STF #3588.  The Patrol has also separately run into the Hulk in STF #2976 and Namor in STF #4344.  

Challengers of the Unknown and Rocket Raccoon

 

The Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy may be completed, but I hope that sometime down the line we see the team again.  I liked seeing Rocket Raccoon take his leadership role, and it would be cool to see him calling the shots on a mission.

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: 

John Wick Vs. Cobra Commander

 

OK, admittedly this story may only take 2 comic panels to tell, but I still feel like it would make for a satisfying read!  John Wick 5 is reportedly in development, although I'm not sure how that works given the end of the last film.  Perhaps his appearance in Ballerina (which I have not seen yet) explains it?

Wolverine and OMAC

 

Logan could also be described as a one man army corps, so this is a pairing that I think could work well.  Now that I see them side by side, it makes me wonder - did Jack Kirby ever draw Wolverine for Marvel?  I can't think of a time he did, let me know if I am forgetting an issue.

Spider-Woman and The Fly

 

Spiders and flies may not usually work well together, but these two may be an exception.  I do think that their costumes look pretty good side by side.

Iron Man and Captain Marvel (Vs. Black Adam and Radio-Active Man!)

 

Stories in which heroes swap villains have always appealed to me.  Acts of Vengeance remains one of my favorite Marvel crossovers.  I thought that I would go that route for this cover.  Iron Man and Captain Marvel previously met in STF #4588 and shared an adventure with The Avengers in STF #259 and the Avengers and Marvel Family in STF #1518...

Coming tomorrow: STF #4700!

Vixen and Valkyrie

 

This would be a different issue, with both heroines adapting to situations outside their usual worlds.  One of the great things about having characters with well defined personalities is the fun a writer can have by taking them out of their comfort zones.

Skyrocket and Captain America

 

It's a shame that DC Comics has such a cool character in Skyrocket, and nothing is done with her.  The company definitely needs more female heroes that aren't tied to a per-existing male hero, and she is an excellent example of that.  I hope her creator, Kurt Busiek, or some other writer finds a way to properly utilize this hidden gem.

Black Goliath and Aquaman

 

Black Goliath's costume screams 70's superhero fashion.  Most of the choices would seem crazy today, But I always kind of liked it.  I enjoyed how he kind of seemed to be daring his opponents to punch him in the gut, that showed confidence!

7 Soldiers of Victory and The Defenders

 

Uh oh! Mr. Universe is back for his 4th appearance and he looks more powerful than ever!  Let's hope the combined might of these two super-teams is enough to put him down for good!

Ms. Marvel and Supergirl in: "The Doomsday/Destroyer War!"

 

For the 17th Appearance of The Danvers Twins on this blog, I thought that I would put them up against two of the toughest bruisers in comics. I'm thinking that and action packed issue like this one would have to include some epic splash pages and at least one double page spread.

Justice League of America Vs. Marvel Villains

 

For this Anniversary Issues, I thought I would go for a full issue throwdown between DC's brightest and Marvel's most vile.  You see the match ups here - do the world's greatest super-heroes stand a chance?

Steel and Captain America

 

This is another team up that I feel has been long overdue.  I can see these two working very well together. I just cut the cord, so I will have to wait to watch the final episodes of Superman and Lois when they show up on Max, but I am hoping for at least one more big action sequence from Steel.