The Flash and The Hulk

The New season of The Flash is continuing to entertain me. I love how unapologetic the show is about its comic book roots.  Sure, there are a lot of melodrama and romantic entanglements thrown in, but just when I start to roll my eyes, something awesome happens like King Shark suddenly appearing and attacking The Flash in a scene that looks like it was ripped from a comic book page!  I am looking forward to the return of Grodd and some more Jay Garrick action in future episodes.

Batman and Nighthawk in "How to Swindle a Billionaire!"

A new Nighthawk ongoing series has been announced from Marvel.  I'm not sure which Nighthawk it will be but my suspicions are that it will revolve around the Nighthawk that belongs to The Squadron Supreme.  I hope I am wrong though, because it would be nice to see Kyle Richmond getting the spotlight after being a supporting character for decades.

These two teamed up once before in an early B&B MS Paint cover...

...and this isn't the first time Batman has let a pretty face distract him from his mission... it's happened with Dazzler and Little Annie Fanny as well...

The Unknown Soldier and Iron Man

Upon repeat viewings of Avengers: Age of Ultron, it's clear that Tony Stark's ego is the true villain of the movie.  He acts pretty reckless throughout and it will be interesting to see where the Russo Brothers take the character in Captain America: Civil War.  If they are taking sides, right now it is hard to root for Iron Man, hopefully he will be redeemed a little by the movie's end.

Code: Red

Red headed males in comics have had a tough time, often being killed off or reintroduced as a non-redhead.  Aside from Daredevil, it seems like no one is safe!  Fortunately Red haired women seem to have fared a bit better, and there were plenty to choose from for this team.

Aquaman and Namorita

As much of a bomb Waterworld turned out to be, I remember a few moments that stood out to me.  Watching Kevin Costner speed-swim or come leaping out of the water made me think that with a few years of technical advancements, an Aquaman or Sub-Mariner film could be pulled off.  Well, decades have passed and nobody has tried it yet.  DC's upcoming Aquaman film will be the first to attempt an undersea superhero and if they can pull it off, it will be unlike any action picture before it.

Blue Beetle Vs.The Sinister Six

Even though five movies have been made there is still a lot of untapped potential for Spider-Man now that he is joining the Marvel cinematic universe.  Mysterio, Kraven and The Vulture  have yet to be used, and the Sinister Six as a whole was talked about but never realized onscreen.  It will be interesting to see which nemesis will be the first to face of with Tom Holland's web-slinger.

Dick Tracy Vs. The Shadow

When I was a kid, my older brother Gregg liked the Dick Tracy newspaper strip and  decided to collect them.  He got a spiral notebook and each day cut out the latest installment of Chester Gould's comic strip.  In those days before collected editions of comic were commonplace, it was great to be able to read entire adventures in one sitting, and that notebook made me a fan of Dick Tracy ever since.

Martian Manhunter and Thor in "Battle for the Bifrost!"

Between DC's film and TV slate, nearly every Justice League member has found a live action home in the next few years... except for The Martian Manhunter.  It's too bad that a founding member is getting left out of all the fun.  I assume that he will eventually show up somewhere, but I don't get the hesitation to use him.  He is a pretty unique character and I loved his characterization in DC's animated properties - there's no reason he can't be a success in live action as well.

These two shared a Silver Age adventure back in STF #936

Harley Quinn and Deadpool

Deadpool was on my radar, but it took a while for me to become a fan.  What did it for me was not a comic book appearance, but the Deadpool video game.  It was a blast to play and made great use of the character's humor and tendency to break the fourth wall.  I watched the teaser for the upcoming movie, and they seem to have struck the perfect tone for Deadpool - not to mention a costume that for once looks like it leapt right off the comics page.

Sandman and Spider-Man in "Secrets of a Slumbering Spider"

Call me crazy, but I am really hoping to see Spider-Man's armpit webs when he makes his Marvel movie debut.  Sure, they are a little weird and don't seem to serve any useful purpose - but I always thought they were kind of cool.  Besides, they need some way to clearly differentiate int from the previous cinematic costumes.

Jocasta and Magnus: Robot Fighter

I'm not sure why I have always liked Jocasta.  Maybe it is because she is from my favorite era of the Avengers, or that she has ties to Ultron (my favorite villain of theirs), or maybe just because she has a really cool design.  At any rate, I always enjoy when she makes an appearance in a story.

These two shared an adventure once before, with Machine Man along for the ride...

Plastic Man and The Silver Surfer

I have always enjoyed Mike Allred's take on various characters and his recent work on Silver Surfer is no exception.  The outer space backdrop to the series really plays well with his talent for creative designs and page layouts. His art on the comic is modern yet evocative of Kirby.  I think he would do a great job on a Plastic Man series as well - I hope he gets the chance one of these days.

The Black Cat and Jimmy Olsen

Jimmy Olsen is set to be a character in the upcoming Supergirl series, but from descriptions, it sounds like he will not be the awkward redhead we know from the comics.  Come to think of it, in all of his various live action movie and television depictions, Jimmy has never been accurately portrayed as having red hair. Just another example of DC's anti-ginger bias, I tell you!

Speedy Vs. The Hulk

I am liking that Marvel's movies are becoming more and more like the comics in that any character can pop up in another's story.    First it was announced that Captain America: Civil War would be a Cap/Iron Man match up (not to mention appearances by a small army of other Marvel movie heroes, old and new), and now comes word that Thor: Ragnarok will also be starring The Hulk as well as the God of Thunder.  I like the interaction between the two characters and it is going to be cool to see that fleshed out further.

Man-Bat and Ghost Rider

I remember watching Super Friends and the Filmation Batman cartoons as a kid, it was cool to see one of my favorite superheroes on the screen, but I always wanted more.  As I grew older and was exposed to some more adult cartoons from Japan end elsewhere, I wondered why a Batman cartoon could not be produced  with those sensibilities.  Finally, Batman: The Animated Series was announced and it sounded like just what I had been waiting for.  Boy was I right.  I can still clearly remember watching the premiere episode, "On Leather Wings".  Not only did it show a Batman miles closer to the comics than any other attempt, it featured Man-Bat, a character that never would have shown up on earlier incarnations.  I was hooked, and that first episode still remains a favorite.

Wildcat and The Avengers

I remember thinking Wildcat was cool when I was young, but he didn't seem to fit in sometimes.  He was basically a really good boxer amongst heroes of incredible power in the JSA.  I am glad that he later found his niche as a mentor and trainer to many younger crimefighters.  It gives him added depth and a unique place among DC's pantheon of heroes.

Green Lantern Corps Vs. Dark Phoenix

The one thing we know about DC's plan to bring back Green Lantern on the big screen is that he will appear in a movie titled Green Lantern Corps.  That's a good sign though, because it clears the way for other Earthbound GL's to appear in addition to Hal Jordan (who deserves another chance).  Let's hope that the always awesome Chaselon gets  more screen time too. I can't get enough of that mohawked sentient diamond.

The Doom Patrol and The X-Men in "Calling Out Caulder!"

These two teams of societal outcasts using their abilities for good under the direction of wheelchair-bound leaders seem like naturals to spend a story together.  Despite the similarities, the Patrol see their powers as a curse while the X-Men are proud of their mutant traits - which could make for some interesting conflict.

These two teams met once before on the blog in an early MS Paint attempt....

Power Man and Iron Fist Vs. Darth Vader

Presenting the conclusion to the Three-Part Epic!

More rumors are floating about Netflix having trouble adapting Iron Fist.  I am hoping that this is just unfounded speculation because much more difficult Marvel characters have been successfully brought to live action.  Besides, if you are going to give us Luke Cage, you can't hold out on Danny Rand.  Power Man and Iron Fist are one of comics' greatest teams and the promise of seeing them in action together was one of the most appealing aspects of the original Netflix plan.

Iron Fist and C3PO

Continued from yesterday's cover, we now see what Luke Cage's partner has been up to...

I am hearing great reviews for the pilot of Jessica Jones and Luke Cage continues to impress with its casting decisions, so I hope that Netflix can keep the streak going with Iron Fist.  There have been rumors of difficulty in adapting the character, but if those are true I am sure it isn't anything that can't be overcome.

Make sure to stop in tomorrow for the exciting conclusion to this three-part saga!