Captain Marvel and Captain America

When you count all of the Lost B&B and Lost MTIO covers, this marks my 1,000th cover on the blog.  Yikes, when I began fiddling with paint a few years ago to make a Batman and Martian Manhunter team-up, in never expected it to snowball into this!  Well, hopefully I haven't worn out my welcome, because I still have some lost adventures that I want to share...

I have been meaning to do a golden-age meeting of the Captains for a while and I am glad that I finally got to it.  On the surface, these characters may not have a ton in common, but I think that Captain America would appreciate the earnestness of Billy Batson and they could make for an effective fighting pair.  Plus, who wouldn't want to see the Big  Red Cheese lay the smack down on The Red Skull, or Cap knock his shield upside Sivana's bulbous head?

Zatanna and Harry Potter

The Harry Potter films were fun, and I found that I enjoyed the later installments more than the earlier ones, as the kids grew older and the stakes got higher.  Now that the series is finally over though, there is a big hole in Warner Brother's event film schedule and plenty of money must be freed up as well.  I say now is the time for them to dive head forward into their DC Comics archives.  No more of this slow roll out, lets see some of those movies in development hell - Shazam, The Metal Men, JLA Dark - finally get rolling in addition to the build up to a Justice League film!

Justice League of America and Rocket Raccoon

Today's cover image is fitting if you consider the fact that Rocket Raccoon is going to be appearing on the big screen before the JLA get their chance - now, who ever expected that to happen?  I have only seen a bootleg snippet of footage from Guardians of the Galaxy so far, and I still don't know if Marvel will have another hit on their hands yet - but I have to admit that the characters I am most interested in - Rocket and Groot - both look very cool from a design standpoint at least.  The key will be getting the right actor to provide Rocket's voice.  My favorite suggestions so far have been Liam Neeson or Jason Statham - he needs a real tough guy sound to offset his height.

Lex Luthor and Dr. Doom

It seems that the role of Lex Luthor will be a key one in the upcoming Superman/Batman movie, as casting possibilities are already starting to surface.  The two names at the top of the pack both sound very interesting to me:  Mark Strong and Bryan Cranston.  Strong definitely looks the part, and is known for playing arch villains in movies like Kick-Ass, Sherlock Holmes... and Green Lantern.  That last film is a sticking point - will DC want the same actor as Sinestro to play Luthor?  Even though the GL movie was not the success they had hoped,  Strong was one of the best parts of it and it would be a shame to completely close the door on seeing a full-fledged Sinestro return some day.  At 57, some may think Cranston to be a bit old to play Lex Luthor, but I think he is such a great actor that I could overlook that.  Breaking Bad has shown us that he truly knows how to convey intellectual menace and ambition-driven men, so I think he would be amazing in the role.

Green Lantern and War Machine

Well, we've seen Iron Man's ally and fellow armored hero War Machine on the big screen, and I now wonder how long it will be before Green Lantern John Stewart gets his chance.  There was an Easter Egg in the Green Lantern film that hinted at Stewart's existence, but sequel chances are less than slim for that movie.  However, it's under-performance may just cause DC/Warner Brothers to scrap Hal Jordan altogether and use Stewart instead as the GL for an upcoming Justice League film, just as they did (and did very well) in the animated version.  I thought Hal got a raw deal and would like for him to have another silver screen chance, but I would not mind if they went with that option.  I was already a fan of the character, and I really liked what they did with him on JLA/JLU, especially his relationship with Hawkgirl.

Rorschach and The Spirit

These two guys may not have any fancy powers, but they would still be a formidable team.  Their tenacity and knowledge of the city's dark secrets make them a constant thorn in the side for the underworld or anyone who would prey on the innocent.  And they would look damned good dealing out their punishment - the trench coat and fedora motif might not be that practical for crime fighting, but it almost always works very well visually.

Captain Atom and The Human Torch

There are a lot of cool headquarters in comics  Batman has his cave, Superman has his fortress and Doctor Strange has his Sanctum Sanctorum.  Still there was always something I really liked about the Fantastic Four's Baxter Building, mainly because it has been effectively used as a plot point in some of the FF's best stories.  Whether it was launched into outer space, used as a gateway to the negative zone, or being crashed by super villains, it has always been like another character.  I think my favorite tale was during John Byrne's run, where The Trapster is thwarted in his invasion attempt solely by the Building's security system - great stuff!

Super Goof and Dynomutt

I didn't follow too many funny animal type comics when I was growing up, I was all about the superheroes.  Now, when the cartoon characters we also superheroes, that was a different story.  Disney comics were another exception.  Even though the stories skewed a bit young for me, I always had to check them out because of the gorgeous artwork within.

Superman and The Sub-Mariner

I think that a battle between Superman and Prince Namor could be epic.  Sure, I would give Superman the edge... unless Namor was somehow able to lure him into the ocean.  There, he is even more powerful and has all the resources of Atlantis and the undersea world at his command, and Superman could be in for the fight of his life.  Making it a period piece would be even mor fun for me, as I love the golden age versions of these pioneering comicds charaters.

The Demon and Thor

I have yet to see an episode of Game of Thrones, so I wasn't sure what to make of Kenneth Branagh being replaced as director on the sequel to Thor with GoT vet Alan Taylor, but I have to say that I like what I have seen in the trailers that have been released so far.  I thought that then first film was too Earth bound, and that does not seem to be the cast with the second outing. Also, there are indications that Sif will get a larger role, which is good because I loved her portrayal in the original film.  The only fault I saw was the same as has always been for the cinematic Thor - Put your helmet on already!

The Thing Vs. Geo-Force

Here's a team up that I can't believe I never got to when I was doing my lost MTIO run.  Given Geo-Force's abilities to control The Earth's gravitational field and manipulate rock & stone, this could be a very interesting battle.  The thing I always thought was cool about Geo-Force was his relationship with his sister, Terra - the traitorous Teen Titan.  However, once she was killed off, DC never seemed to know what to do with Prince Brion of Markovia.  I have yet to see him appear in the New 52, hopefully he won't be just another victim of the reboot.

Vixen and The Black Panther

I've always liked Vixen, from way back to the days where she was a Superman supporting character with an ugly costume.  She's had to work hard to gain prominence, first as a member of the ill-fated Detroit era Justice League and then of Suicide Squad.  It was with the squad that she really began to flourish, under the pen of John Ostrander, who gave her a bit more depth.  I enjoyed her appearances on Justice League Unlimited as well, they really demonstrated how cool her abilities can be.  I think she was with Justice League International in the New 52, but since that title's cancellation, I am not sure where she's ended up.  Hopefully DC will find a home for her,  she's earned her place alongside the A-listers by now.

Metamorpho and Iron Man

I think that the differences between these characters' power sets would make for an interesting match up. I'm not really sure who I would give the edge to if they went to battle, although I would be rooting for Rex.  I have always had a soft spot for hard-luck heroes, and he is one of the best.

Robin and Ultimate Spider-Man

Little did I know when I made this cover that Damian Wayne would be killed off before I even had a chance to post it.  While I do think that it has been problematic that Batman has had so many sidekicks, I have to admit that I was just warming up to the kid before Grant Morrison decided to permanently close out his story arc... or did he?  Morrison's time on Batman has apparently ended with the revelation of numerous Damian clones, leaving the door for a return quite open, it would seem.

Marvel's Age of Ultron event ended with Galactus showing up in the Ultimate Universe, and some are already suspecting that this will indeed signal the end to that line of comics.  I can see that happening, but if it does I am sure there will be some elements that carry over to the mainstream Marvel Universe.  The top of that list is Miles Morales, I just can't see that character going away no matter what happens to the Ultimate line.

The Tick Vs. Ambush Bug

These guys seem like they were made to appear together. Aside from the similarity in appearance, the stories that they star in are always chock full of commentary and humor regarding the state of the comics industry.  I can imagine that any tale that featured them side by side would just be a ton of fun.  Heck, call in Patrick Warburton and Henry Winkler to reprise the voices and animate the story!  Now that would be a blast!

Hawk & Dove and Cloak & Dagger

I think that these two pairs of street level crime fighters would be fun to toss in a story together.  Dove and Dagger seem to spend as much time battling alongside their partners as they do trying to keep them in check, and that would make for an interesting dynamic.  It would also be a cool looking issue - the costume designs on these teams are both very visually appealing, it's no wonder to me that they have remained relatively the same since the characters were introduced (even though one of the genders may have changed).

Deadman and Mephisto

It's only fitting that I feature Boston Brand today since I just had a great time at the Boston Comic Con.  Getting in was crazy, I don't think they were expecting such a huge crowd and the line took almost two hours to filter through.  It wasn't that bad, all the cool costumes gave me and my brothers plenty to look at.  We had a blast once we got in, highlights for me were talking to a couple of my favorite pros, Phil Jiminez and Lee Weeks.  Just great guys.  I had some nice brief chats with Bill Willingham,  Colleen Doran, Mike Mignola, Aaron Lopestri, and Mark Bagley as well.

The Hobbits and The Hulk

I was a Peter Jackson fan after seeing The Frighteners (a movie that convinced me that The Spectre could work in live action, watch it and you'll see what I mean), and I was very encouraged when I heard he was going to take on the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.  Still, I wasn't prepared for just how lavishly those great books would be recreated.  Sure, there are changes and omissions (I was hoping to see Tom Bombadil), but it was still amazing how much he captured onscreen.  I had my reservations about the much shorter The Hobbit being stretched into three films, but I have to admit to being thoroughly entertained by the first installment and am looking forward to the second. So here's a director who can film an ensemble cast in a film packed with battles, amazing abilities and special effects, all while staying true to the source material, and isn't afraid to stay with a franchise... I think a Justice League movie could be an interesting next move - DC/Warner Brothers, are you listening?

The Brown Hornet, Spaceman Spiff and Marvin the Martian

I was a big Fat Albert and The Cosby Kids fan growing up, I even remember having a Fat Albert lunch box for a while.  I loved Bill Cosby's stand up comedy records and it was cool for me to see his childhood in animated form.  Of course, I thought it was cool when they introduced the show-within-a-show The Brown Hornet, adding a superhero element to the program.  I always thought that he could have had a life beyond the series, but I never saw anything from him after it went away.

The Flash and Iceman / Dr. Fate Vs. The Red Skull

Another two-fer today.  The Flash has gotten a lot of press lately, with reports of a potential movie on the horizon, not to mention an appearance on the WB's Arrow, that is said to be leading to a new Flash TV Show.  I'm not sure whether the television news means that the movie is no longer happening or not, but it would surprise me if Warner Brothers went ahead with two versions.  One good bit of news on the TV front is that the producers are promising a proper costume and they will actually call the character by his name, which is a departure for their superhero adaptations.  I still fondly remember the 90's series and hope that the new iteration does Barry Allen justice.