Friday, November 12, 2010
The Thing and Aquaman
Aquaman seems to finally be coming out from under the "lame" status that has been unfairly cast upon him since he appearances in Super Friends. After years of writers trying to make him cooler with dramatic alterations (hook hand, teenage version, mystical version), DC has finally gotten him back to his classic look and attitude. I have been enjoying his appearances in Brightest Day quite a bit. Also, with popular appearances on Smallville and Batman: The Brave and the Bold, the character is staying in the public eye. He looks to be making appearances in the upcoming Young Justice cartoon as well.
I was always drawn to Aquaman for the art most of all. Nick Cardy, Ramona Fradon and Jim Aparo all really shone on his adventures. I loved their depictions of Atlantis and the whole undersea world, just beautiful stuff.
Labels:
Aquaman,
DC Comics,
George Perez,
Marvel Comics,
Marvel Two-In-One,
Team Up,
The Thing
Thursday, November 11, 2010
The Thing and Animal Man
This is a match up that I would really like to see, because I get the feeling that Buddy Baker and Ben Grimm would get along well. Despite all of the crazy and fascinating things that these characters have seen and experienced, there are still just regular guy's at heart. I think Animal Man would fit right in at one of The Thing's famous poker nights.
Animal Man has been out of the spotlight since his last mini series. Hopefully DC will rectify that soon, he's a character that I love to follow and I will give any title prominently featuring him a try.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
The Thing and Ambush Bug
I have to give Warner Animation credit that between the Justice League Unlimited and Batman: The Brave and the Bold cartoons, they have been able to bring an amazing number of their characters to the small screen. Ambush Bug is really a noticeable exception, though. With his simple design and irreverent meta attitude, he would be perfect for the cartoon treatment. Hopefully we will get one someday down the line!
Labels:
Ambush Bug,
DC Comics,
Keith Giffen,
Marvel Comics,
Marvel Two-In-One,
Team Up,
The Thing
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
The Thing and Adam Strange
Now that DC seems to really be pushing their characters for TV and film, I think it is time for Adam Strange to get his shot at the big screen. It really is such a great set-up: Earth man discovers a beam that temporarily transports him across space to an alien world where he finds love and becomes a hero, only to have the beam wear off at the worst possible moments forcing him to try and locate another and return in time to save the day. I think it has all the elements so make a big time blockbuster or even a series.
Adam Strange was out of the spotlight for a bit but in the past few years he has returned in a number mini-series, specials and team books. I even like his current look, just the right amount of updating on the classic costume. I am glad that he and a few of their other space-themed properties have been dusted off to appear in new adventures.
Monday, November 8, 2010
The Thing and Batman
I think the above cover says it all. As of today, The Brave and the Bold: The Lost Issues becomes Marvel Two-In-One: The Lost Issues! That's right, The great Ben Grimm will be taking on hosting duties for the next few months, while Bruce Wayne will take a much deserved breather. This does not mean that I am done with B&B covers by any means... I will still create new ones when inspiration strikes and they will eventually be posted on this blog. But for the immediate future, I hope you all enjoy the MTIO covers!
Labels:
Batman,
DC Comics,
Kevin Nowlan,
Marvel Comics,
Marvel Two-In-One,
Team Up,
The Thing
Friday, November 5, 2010
Batman and Wonder Man
I have always had a soft spot for Simon Williams. I liked that he was an aspiring actor, as I was at one point. For Simon, the superhero thing has often been a secondary focus and he can be a somewhat reluctant hero at times - but he always steps up when he is needed. I especially enjoy his adventures when he is paired with The Beast - those two were like the Booster Gold and Blue Beetle of the Marvel Universe (indeed, well before Blue&Gold were matched up!) I'd love to see Marvel do more with them. Simon's short lived self titled series was pretty fun as well.
And now for a MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT:
When I return on Monday, this blog is undergoing a transformation of sorts. What exactly that will be, I cannot say for now, but my post on November 8 should make everything clear. I will try to have it up by 5PM EST... See you then!
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Jim Aparo,
Marvel Comics,
Team Up,
Wonder Man
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Batman and Wolverine
Out of all of the Marvel/DC crossovers, I can't believe this one has not happened yet. Yes, I know there were those two Dark Claw comics that sprang out of the Amalgam concept from DC Vs Marvel, and presented a smooshed up version of the two heroes - but I am talking about a true team-up between Logan and Bruce Wayne. I mean, put halfway decent creators on the title and it would be like printing money. Hopefully if the companies enter more cooperative times, we will finally see this pairing one day.
Wolverine is undoubtedly a great character, but the overexposure got to such a degree that I stopped caring about his adventures as a whole a few years back. The fact that he is a member of the Avengers now is just so silly to me. With him hanging out with so much of the Marvel Universe, it takes away so much of the danger and mystery that made him appealing in the first place.
I like Hugh Jackson's portrayal of Logan for the most part, even though he cries a little too much and is way too tall. The films he has appeared in have been a mixed bag, my least favorite being the solo Wolverine film. I have much higher hopes for the sequel though, given the director (Darren Aronofsky) and the fact that it looks as though it will follow the storyiline of the original Claremont/Miller Wolverine mini-series.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Batman and Werewolf By Night
OK, I almost didn't post this one due to the low quality. It is another very early one and even though I found some poses that went together well, I couldn't find a big enough version of the Batman image I wanted to use. I blew up a smaller version and this was the result. Oh well, live and learn. I never made that mistake again and I feel like in the interest of honesty and completion, I should even post my dud covers. I will promise that this is the last of the early examples, so going forward the technique should be a lot better.
Of all the classic monster movies, the werewolf ones were always my favorite, so I was glad to see Marvel try out their own spin on the concept. Even better was the fact that they were not shy about teaming him up with their superhero characters, I always got a kick out of the blending of the two genres.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Batman and War Machine
I always liked the character of Jim Rhodes, especially the time he spent in the Iron Man armor, substituting for Tony Stark. When Stark returned to the role, it was good to see Rhodey continue on as War Machine. I wasn't that crazy about the armor, though - I felt it looked too bulky and that he was always in danger of tipping over from the weight of the shoulder cannon. Well, I have to rethink that initial opinion because I thought the War Machine armor looked very cool in Iron Man 2. That movie was not as good as the first and had a few plot holes, but Don Cheadle really sold the Jim Rhodes character. I hope to see more of him in the third installment.
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Iron Man,
James Rhodes,
Marvel Comics,
Rhodey,
Team Up,
War Machine
Monday, November 1, 2010
Batman and Vampirella
A day late for Halloween, I know. I can still remember my first glimpse of Vampirella as a very young lad. It was an ad for monster-themed model kits by Revell or Aurora or one of those toy makers. It depicted the various kits you could order - the line up was something like Frankenstein, Dracula, The Creature from the Black Lagoon... and Vampirella. I knew those other guys, but who was the lady with the scandalously cut one-piece and the pet bat? I was instantly intrigued. Little did I know at the time that that model ad was probably the most chaste depiction of Vampirella ever printed!
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Team Up,
Vampirella
Friday, October 29, 2010
Batman and Valkyrie
What can I say, I love characters with winged horses. I have enjoyed Valkyrie as a character since reading of her exploits in The Defenders. I think she has a great look, marrying the medieval and superhero styles together. I am glad that most writers have been able to portray her as incredibly noble and extremely strong without her coming off as bitchy, which sometimes happens with tough female characters. She fit in well with the group and had interesting relationships with the various members such as Hellcat and the Hulk. I am glad to see that she is starring in a comic again, Secret Avengers. I have read decent reviews of this title and plan to pick it up when it hits TPB. It'll be nice to see Val in action again.
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Jim Aparo,
Marvel Comics,
Valkyrie
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Batman and Ultra, the Multi-Alien
Here's one of the first batch of covers, right when I started taking requests. Two of the most obscure characters asked for were Ultra, the Multi-Alien and Mopee, and this was the result. I confess to knowing very little about Ultra, other than that he is kind of cool looking - I don't remember ever reading one of the few stories he appeared in. I smiled when I saw him make a cameo appearance on Cartoon Network's Batman: The Brave and the Bold Starro two-parter.
Mopee I think made only one appearance in an issue of The Flash. It was explained that he, a magical imp, in fact was responsible for the Flash's powers and the idea was universally found to be ridiculous by readers and creators alike... and so Mopee was never referred to again. I'm thinking that was for the best.
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Jim Aparo,
Mopee,
Team Up,
Ultra the Multi-Alien
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Batman and Transformers
I was a little to old to get into the Transformers cartoons when they first aired. I was aware of them but I was more of a Shogun Warriors or Micronauts kind of guy. So I did not start to learn anything about the characters until the first Michael Bay film. That movie was loud and preposterous, but I must admit that I found it to be big, goofy fun for the most part. Unfortunately the sequel is a bloated mess, In my opinion. Way too long and filled with some of the unfunniest "humor" I have seen in any movie. If you must watch this, just fast forward to the robot battle parts. Hopefully lessons were learned and the third installment will be more watchable.
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
David White,
DC Comics,
Optimus Prime,
Team Up,
Transformers
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Batman and Tor
Without a doubt, my favorite comic published last year was Joe Kubert's 6-issue Tor mini-series. It is amazing that after so many decades in the business, Kubert is still showing everyone how it is done. He hasn't missed a step and in my estimation is in fact better than he has ever been, and that's saying something. I loved these primal adventures of a time long gone by so much that I immediately ordered the three hardcover collections of Kubert's earlier Tor work. Those were great as well, especially since they span many years and you can see Kubert's art style change throughout. He also provides a lot of insightful commentary and discusses an animated Tor that never came to be. What a missed opportunity, that is something that I would have loved to have seen. I highly recommend these books as well as last year's series (now collected) to any lover of action or beautiful comic art, you will not be disappointed.
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Joe Kubert,
Team Up,
Tor
Monday, October 25, 2010
Batman and The Black Knight
I enjoy characters that are a mix of the old and new, and the Black Knight is a good example of this. I always thought that he had a great design, especially his helmet. Another cool thing about Dane Whitman is the fact that he gets around on a winged horse - that always makes for an impressive visual. Over the years, some writers have chosen to update The Black Knight to make him more modern in appearance - trading in the cape for a leather jacket, the ebony blade for an energy sword, and Strider the flying horse for an atomic steed. I did not really care for these changes, as I prefer the classic look. I have lost track of this character and do not know what he has been up to lately - hopefully he is back to his traditional garb.
Labels:
Batman,
Black Knight,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Marvel Comics,
Matt Wagner,
Team Up
Friday, October 22, 2010
Batman and Tom Strong
I enjoyed Alan Moore's line of ABC Comics for DC and the standouts in my opinion were Promethea, Top 10 and the flagship character, Tom Strong. Moore amalgamated parts from Superman, Batman, Doc Savage, Reed Richards, Tarzan and more to create this character with which he could tell stories in a wide variety of genres. These tales were appealing to me in that they felt timeless and were purely about all the fun that the comics medium has to offer without getting bogged down in a grim and gritty tone, which had pervaded the industry since Moore's own Watchmen was published. It's only fitting that Moore himself created a line of comics to counter the dark attitude that had seeped into so many titles. It also did not hurt that the series had beautiful art by Chris Sprouse, Art Adams, Jerry Ordway and others. I did not follow the title after Moore left the writing duties. Hopefully the writers who followed were able to maintain the quality.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Batman and Tommy Tomorrow
Here's another early effort, this time a request from a friend who is a big Tommy Tomorrow fan. Tommy is one of those space faring DC heroes that were popular in the 60's. He has made sporadic appearances here and there, although these days his time travelling efforts are probably overshadowed by those of Booster Gold and Rip Hunter. Still, DC has been able to find new stories to tell with Adam Strange and Captain Comet, so perhaps a Tommy Tomorrow revival will happen one day.
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Jim Aparo,
Team Up,
Tommy Tomorrow
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Batman and Tintin
I was a huge fan of the Tintin books as a kid. I think we had the entire series and I read them through a bunch of times. I absolutely loved the detail that Herge would put into his artwork with his crisp illustration style. He was also a master of body language and facial expressions, which served him well in his action sequences and humorous moments.
I remember catching some animated Tintin adaptations a few years back and they looked pretty good - I'll have to seek them out again. Tintin is headed to the big screen soon in a series of films, being brought to audiences by Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson and starring Jamie Bell in the title role. I have read that the film will utilize motion capture technology, so it will be interesting to see what the final project looks like.
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Herge,
JL Garcia Lopez,
Team Up,
Tintin
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Batman and Thor
I was lucky to find two snowstorm images that I could combine here. I miss Thor's classic look, the armored sleeves in his latest version don't really work for me. I can understand why Marvel made the change though, as they were probably anticipating the need for a more film friendly costume. Unless you are Arnold or Sly, it is very hard to make bare arms look big on screen, as we saw with the unfortunate Hawkman costume on last season's Smallville. Still, I wish they would go back to the classic look for the comics.
I am really looking forward to the film, I love Branagh as a director and the footage I have seen so far looks very promising. My one concern is the fact that we have barely seen the helmet. We know it's in there, the prop was at Comicon and we see the back of it briefly in the teaser... but nowhere else. I hope they feature Thor in full costume, helmet and all, for plenty of screen time.
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Jim Aparo,
John Romita Jr,
Marvel Comics,
Team Up,
Thor
Monday, October 18, 2010
Batman and The X-Men
This was actually the first attempt at an X-Men cover, as I did the "All-New" X-Men cover a bit later. As much as I liked the international team introduced in Giant-Size X-Men #1, the original group is a great team in their own right. I love the Lee/Kirby issues and seeing Neal Adams' more modern (at the time) take really blew my mind.
I was excited to hear the news that the next X-movie would be titled X-Men: First Class, and had hoped that is would be informed by the comic series of the same title, exploring the early days of Cyclops, Beast, Angel, Marvel Girl and Iceman. Alas, the film will instead be a prequel to the existing film series, which has played so fast and loose with continuity and character ages that such a film cannot me made. It might still be fun and I like that they are making it a period piece, but I think I would have preferred to see a complete reboot instead.
Labels:
Batman,
Beast,
Brave and the Bold,
cyclops,
DC Comics,
Iceman,
Jim Aparo,
magneto,
Marvel Comics,
Neal Adams,
Team Up,
X-Men
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