Thursday, January 5, 2012
Blue Beetle and The Beast
A lot of team ups I present here will be with characters that seem to have a natural connection... but a lot will also feature teams that I just think would be cool to see. This is one of those. It isn't too far out of left field though, I can see Hank McCoy and Ted Kord commiserating on some scientific breakthrough together, when a villain attacks and action ensues. This cover also features these characters in my favorite incarnations. The new Blue Beetle is an entertaining character in his own right, I just wish we didn't have to get rid of his predecessor in order to make room. The Beast is back on an Avengers team, which I like - but he still has that weird Beauty and the Beast/Kittycat look that he developed during the Grant Morrison era ox the X-men titles. I really wish he would go back to his cooler Bronze Age look.
Labels:
Beast,
Blue Beetle,
DC Comics,
Marvel Comics,
Super-Team Family,
Team Up
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Deadman and Hellboy
I'm always glad to include more Mike Mignola artwork on the blog. I think this would be a fun pairing because the two characters have similar personalities and are at home in a paranormal setting.
I heard rumors of a Deadman TV series months ago, I hope that is still on track. Deadman is a great concept for an ongoing show and I hope he retains his look from the comics instead of just grafting his abilities onto the latest hunk of the moment and going for the Twilight crowd.
They are a bit hokey, but I enjoy both of the Hellboy films quite a bit. I think plans for a third installment have been cancelled due to finances and busy schedules unfortunately. Still, there are the Hellboy animated movies, Blood & Iron and Sword of Storms. They have the cast from the movie providing voices and are very well done, I highly recommend them.
Labels:
Dark Horse Comics,
DC Comics,
Deadman,
Hellboy,
Mike Mignola,
Super-Team Family,
Team Up
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Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Dr. Mid-Nite and Daredevil
This is the kind of match up that I really wanted to do when I decided to make the switch to Super-Team Family. Sure, I love the classic match-ups like Aquaman and Namor, but it's the more off-beat team ups that always appealed to me. Matt Murdock and Charles McNider together in one tale would make for a fun story, I think. I have heard great things about Daredevil's most current series and definitely plan to pick it up. Dr. Mid-Nite's fate is uncertain until DC relaunches a Justice Society title... hopefully it won't be too long before that happens.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Swamp Thing and Man-Thing
I've always dug characters that can cross over genres and these two swamp monsters certainly fit the bill. One issue could be a full on horror tale with a supernatural tinge and then then next issue Batman or Spider-Man would show up. I enjoyed Swamp thing as a kid and then was blown away like everyone when Alan Moore took over the title - but I have to admit I found Man-Thing to be the scarier of the two characters. The creepy nonhuman design and the fact that he would burn anyone, good or evil, if they showed too much fear sent chills down my young spine. Swamp Thing is enjoying better sales than he has had in years with the DC Reboot, and Man-Thing has been starring with the Thunderbolts lately. It's good to see the big guys still performing strong!
Friday, December 30, 2011
Green Lantern and the Avengers
The Marvel Studios produced films have been pretty successful so far, so I am really looking forward to The Avengers, the film everything has been leading up to. Joss Whedon is a great choice for director as he has had success writing for comics as well as handling ensemble pieces on film. Sure there will be costume changes I would like to make and some other tweaks, but the fact that all these characters will on the big screen sharing an adventure together tells me I won't have too much to complain about.
I wish Green Lantern had fared better at the box office. There was a lot to like about the film, but it was ultimately done in by a weak script, shoddy editing and a lackluster villain in Hector Hammond. Warner Brothers has announced a sequel - but they said that for Superman Returns, too, so that may just be studio posturing. I would like to see another attempt made utilizing lessons learned from the first outing, because I still think there is great potential in the franchise.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Aquaman and The Sub Mariner (Part Two)
I wonder which of these two characters will be the first to get their own big screen film? I've heard Namor bandied about as a potential future Marvel flick and Aquaman was famously brought to fictional cinema in Entourage as well as guest shots on Smallville and an unsuccessful TV pilot. A big budget picture for an underwater superhero would face a lot of hurdles. Underwater shoots are incredibly expensive and there's also the question of how to have the characters speak beneath the depths - easily handled in a comic but a lot tougher to make work in live action. Both characters have famous looks that have their own challenges to pull off - making Aquaman's togs look cool and finding someone who can both act and look good in nothing but swim trunks and ankle wings. It's a lot to overcome, but if done with care we could have a superhero movie unlike any other. I'm betting we see one of them as a co-star in a team flick before a solo outing though.
Labels:
Aquaman,
DC Comics,
Marvel Comics,
Namor,
Nick Cardy,
Sub-Mariner,
Super-Team Family,
Team Up
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Aquaman and The Sub-Mariner (Part One)
I am very glad the Beard and Harpoon Hand days are finally over for Aquaman. I always saw those changes as an attempt to darken the character and make him closer to Marvel's premier ocean hero, and they never really worked for me. Fortunately, that phase is past and Aquaman is not only back to his classic look, but starring in two hit series from the new DC Reboot. It's nice to see him finally getting the respect he deserves.
As the cover indicates, this is a continued story... tune in for part two tomorrow!
Labels:
Aquaman,
DC Comics,
Jim Aparo,
John Byrne,
Marvel Comics,
Namor,
Sub-Mariner,
Super-Team Family,
Team Up
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
The Lost Issues on Near-Mint Radio - Now on Podcast!
In case you missed it, my interview on Near-Mint Radio regarding The Lost Issues is now up at the Non-Productive Network's Podcast site, which can be found here:
I call in to the progam at 30 minutes in. It was a fun time and they have a great group of people over at NPN.
I call in to the progam at 30 minutes in. It was a fun time and they have a great group of people over at NPN.
Labels:
Interviews
Justice League of America Vs. The Hulk
The JLA has a wide variety of character types - street level heroes, champions from other worlds, detectives, scientists and space cops. What they have never really had on their team is a loose cannon character, like The Hulk. Sure, Green Arrow could be stubborn, but he never really got that out of control. It would have been interesting to see how old jade jaws would have fit in among some of the more straight laced members of the Justice League. Something tells me they wouldn't leave him alone for monitor duty! It won't be too long before everyone gets to see The Hulk in a team situation, when The Avengers hits the big screen. I trust that Joss Whedon will utilize him well.
Monday, December 26, 2011
The Creeper and Spider-Man
Welcome to the first issue of Super-Team Family: The Lost Issues! I was trying to think of what to do for my follow up to B&B and MTIO, and this felt like the next natural progression. Super-Team Family was a short lived DC series in the 70's which presented a combination of reprints and new material featuring superhero teams and team-ups. They would have the old stand-by's like Superman and Batman, but then they would have an interesting team-up like Wildcat and The Creeper or The Flash and The New Gods. It was those offbeat team-ups that appealed to me the most, and they served as a huge inspiration for this blog.
The Original STF ran only 15 issues, but the Lost Issues will run considerably longer. I have many, many covers ready to go and I am making more all the time, so buckle up! You will notice a few differences in this series from the other two titles that I took on. First off, the cover says it all - going forward, there will be no fixed host of the series and any issue can feature anybody teaming with anybody. The random numbering is gone and STF will be presented sequentially. Also gone is posting in any kind of alphabetical order, so you'll never have an inkling of what is coming up next. The wide open aspect of this new title has opened up a world of possibilities and I plan to have fun with it!
I decided to kick off the series with a meeting of my two favorite Steve Ditko characters. Of course, I was halfway through with it when I realized that I had used a Jack Kirby Spider-Man figure - oops! Oh well, at least the headshot on the wanted poster is by Ditko!
I hope everyone who has enjoyed this blog so far will like the new direction!
Friday, December 23, 2011
Batman and The Grinch
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all of the Lost Issues readers! I truly appreciate everyone who makes the time to stop in and check out the covers and I wish you a great holiday season close by the ones you love. The blog grew in popularity last year and hopefully will continue to do so in 2012. I was glad to ge a chance to use the Grinch here, star of perhaps the greatest Christmas cartoon ever. You really can't go wrong with the combination of Doctor Seuss, Chuck Jones and Boris Karloff!
Make sure you come back Monday for the ALL-NEW Lost Issues! Be here on the ground floor of a bold new era!
Labels:
Ace the Bat-Hound,
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
Christmas,
DC Comics,
Grinch,
Steve Rude,
Team Up
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Batman and Zorro
Given the strong connections between these two characters, it's surprising that we have never seen them meet up. In the days before comic book film adaptations were a commonplace occurance, heroes like Tarzan, Robin Hood, The Lone Ranger and Zorro were the closest thing to superheroes in the movies, and I would watch anything that featured them. I enjoyed the Antonio Banderas Zorro movies as they reminded me of some of those earlier swashbuckling films. It's been a while though, so I wouldn't mind a new take on Zorro to hit the big or small screen soon.
Well, folks - that's the end of the alphabet! I have one more B&B Cover for tomorrow and that's it for B&B... where to from here? Make sure you tune in on Monday, December 26th for the debut of the all-new Lost Issues Title!
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Marshall Rogers,
Team Up,
Zorro
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Batman and Xena, Warrior Princess
I remember getting a kick out of watching Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, and my favorite episodes were always the ones in which Lucy Lawless would guest star as Xena. I was of course very glad then when Xena got her own spin-off series. Sure the show could be corny and campy at times, but the beautiful New Zealand setting as well as the strength of its main actress kept me watching throughout the entire series run. One thing the show proved to me is that there is no reason a live action Wonder Woman could not be successful again. There have been a few projects featuring the Amazon princess that have had trouble getting off the ground in the past few years... perhaps they could have been well served by looking to Xena for inspiration.
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Team Up,
Xena
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Batman and Wolverine (Retro)
It's too bad that Darren Aronofsky dropped out of the Wolverine sequel. I was not a big fan of the first film, which kind of meandered through a very thin plot, but Aronofsky's involvement in the second had me hopeful for a more stylish thoughtful flick. There is still hope though - the movie is reportedly based on Wolverine's first solo mini-series by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller (which is what they should have done the first time). That tale truly cemented the character's iconic status and should make for a markedly different film from the rest of Logan's cinematic outings. Interviews with Hugh Jackman indicate a willingness to really try and capture the feel of those issues, and I hope he succeeds at that.
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Herb Trimpe,
Marvel Comics,
Team Up,
Wolverine
Monday, December 19, 2011
Batman and Warlock
Marvel's cosmic line has been in the spotlight again in the past few years, due to the talents of writers like Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning. This is a good thing because they have such a strong stable of space-faring characters - The Inhumans, The Guardians of the Galaxy, The Annihilators, and of course, Warlock. I have liked Adam Warlock ever since I stumbled onto an issue of his self titled series as a kid. The Jim Starlin artwork on that gave it a sleek, modern look that set it apart from most comics of the day. Hopefully, fans of the new cosmic stories will seek out his earlier adventures.
The Countdown to the All-New Lost Issues Title has begun! 7 days left until the big change on December 26th... stay tuned!
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Jim Starlin,
Marvel Comics,
Neal Adams,
Team Up,
Thanos,
Warlock
Friday, December 16, 2011
Batman and Usagi Yojimbo
This cover fulfills a request from a friend. I have to confess that I have yet to read an issue of Usagi Yojimbo. It was years before I realized he had a scar on his forehead and wasn't just always cocking his eyebrow. I remember seeing Usagi Yojimbo when it first came out and thinking it was just another TMNT type parody comic. From what I have heard and seen since, that first impression could not be more incorrect. It seems to have stood the test of time and developed into quite an epic saga. So, where is a good place to start for folks like me who have never read the character before?
Labels:
Batman,
Cully Hamner,
DC Comics,
Stan Sakai,
Team Up,
Usagi Yojimbo
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Batman and Union Jack
I've always liked the look of Union Jack. I first encountered the character during the classic run of Captain America by Roger Stern and John Byrne. He seemed cool to me so I checked out his adventures as part of the Invaders as well. Comic characters with costumes based off of a flag motif are pretty common, but I think that Union Jack's is the most successful. It is at once patriotic, intimidating and utilitarian.
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
John Cassiday,
Marvel Comics,
Team Up,
Union Jack
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Batman and David Dunn: Unbreakable
M. Night Shyamalan has taken some flack for his more recent output, but I still admire his work on the first few films that he directed. I remember seeing Unbreakable and the first thing that appeared on the screen was some text describing comic book collecting... I knew then that I was going to like the movie! I liked the slow, deliberate pace of the film and the real world angle it gave to the superhero genre. I don't think the film was a huge commercial success (at least in relation to The Sixth Sense) and that's too bad. Shyalaman has stated that he saw the story of David Dunn as a trilogy, and I would have loved to have seen another installment.
Labels:
Alex Ross,
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
David Dunn,
DC Comics,
Team Up,
Unbreakable
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Batman and Two-Gun Kid
My first exposure to Two Gun Kid was when he traveled to the present in the pages of The Avengers. I liked his friendship with Hawkeye and I always enjoy man-out-of-time stories. I thought he had returned to the old west at some point but he showed up in the pages of Dan Slott's She-Hulk series a few years back so I guess he never made it back home. Y'know, I made this cover some time after I had done the Rawhide Kid cover and I just noticed that both have Batman being shot by his co-stars... he just does not get along with Marvel cowboys!
Labels:
Batman,
Brave and the Bold,
DC Comics,
Ernie Chan,
Jack Kirby,
Marvel Comics,
Team Up,
Two-Gun Kid
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