Saturday, June 15, 2013
Superman Vs. Galactus
I saw Man of Steel last night and I was thoroughly entertained. The cast was top notch and Henry Cavill I felt was perfect in the lead role. Michael Shannon made for a great Zod as well. The Superman/Lois relationship is handled quite differently here, but I didn't mind this slight change to the mythos. The Krypton scenes were amazing and I loved that they borrowed elements from artists like John Byrne for the set and costume design. Superman's two fathers as played by Russell Crowe and Kevin Costner both put their hearts into their roles, and it showed. The effects were amazing, especially the flying scenes. Fans complained that Superman did not actually fight anybody in his last theatrical outing and that certainly is not the case here. If I have a complaint, it's about the scale of destruction in the final hour of the film. Metropolis seems to be pretty much leveled and the death toll must be in the millions, but nobody seems to notice. Clark Kent shows up for work a couple of days later and it's like nothing happened. How is there even a Daily Planet to go to at that point? I'd like to have seen either more evacuation scenes earlier on (so when giant buildings topple it doesn't mean the deaths of thousands) or some scenes of Superman helping with the rebuilding. Still, all in all, I thought it was a blast of a film and if this is truly the kick off to a larger DC movie universe, they are on the right track.
Labels:
DC Comics,
Frank Quitely,
Galactus,
Marvel Comics,
Moebius,
Super-Team Family,
Superman,
Team Up
Friday, June 14, 2013
The Rocketeer and Airboy
Airboy is a classic character that I think would fit right into an adventure will Cliff Secord. They are both pilots who use their tools and skills for fighting crime. Airboy even had some beautiful covers illustrated by Dave Stevens when he was revived by Eclipse Comics. I wonder if Stevens was inspired by the original Airboy tales when he came up with The Rocketeer?
Labels:
Airboy,
Dave Stevens,
Super-Team Family,
Team Up,
The Rocketeer
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Hit Girl Joins The Teen Titans
I had mixed feelings about the first Kick-Ass film. I liked that it was showing what would really happen if someone actually decided to put on a costume and fight crime... but then the movie seemed to break its own rules when Hit Girl showed up. The sight of a little kid beating up grown men, doing back flips and reloading her guns in mid-air was anything but realistic and did not jibe with the vibe that had been set up. I have since watched the movie again and since I was ready for this, I wound up enjoying it a lot more the second time around. I'm not sure what to expect from the sequel, as I did not read the comics adaptation (a bit on the violent side for my tastes), but the brief footage I have seen so far looks interesting - even if they have left reality completely behind at this point.
Labels:
DC Comics,
Frank Quitely,
Hit Girl,
Ricken,
Super-Team Family,
Team Up,
Teen Titans
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Katana and Nightcrawler
I have always been a fan of Katana and I am glad that DC is finally giving her the increased exposure that she has always deserved. Once a C-List character, she is now being featured in her own self titled series, as a member of The Justice League of America, and will be appearing alongside Batman in the upcoming Beware the Batman CGI TV series. I used to enjoy the relationship that she had with Halo in Batman and the Outsiders, and I hope that she will be brought back as well, perhaps in the pages of Katana's series?
Katana has gone through a few looks over the years, and I do like her most recent one. Of course, my favorite will always be her original, as designed by the legendary Jim Aparo.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
The Black Cat and Catwoman (Part Two)
I wrote a few days back about how Ed McGuinness' style translated well to animation. Amanda Conner is another amazing artist with a style that I think would be perfect to animate. It's been a while since DC has announced any of their animated shorts featuring b-listers to go with their full length features, but if they begin that practice again I'd love to see a Power Girl short with Conner-inspired character design.
Labels:
Amanda Conner,
Black Cat,
Catwoman,
DC Comics,
Marvel Comics,
Super-Team Family,
Team Up
Monday, June 10, 2013
The Black Cat and Catwoman (Part One)
I have a feeling that these two would be kindred spirits. They both love the cat theme, skirt the line between good and bad, and know just how to wrap their respective heroes around their fingers. In fact, I don't think that a single issue is enough to contain the fun they would get into if they got together. And so, their tale will continue tomorrow...
Labels:
Black Cat,
Catwoman,
DC Comics,
Marvel Comics,
Super-Team Family,
Team Up
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Batman and The Badger
I don't know a whole lot about The Badger, as I was not a First Comics reader when his stories were originally presented. I had gotten a few requests to include him, so I read up on the character and he seems pretty interesting, what with his fractured psyche and all. He seems to have jumped around a few comics companies with a few relaunches. So I'll put the question out there - for someone who has never read the character before, where's the best place to start?
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Jonah Hex and Spider-Man
Some set photos of the Amazing Spider-Man sequel have revealed Gwen Stacy clad in the very outfit she was wearing when she was tossed off of a bridge by The Green Goblin in the comics. Are they planning to kill her off? I'm thinking the outfit may just be a nod to the fans because I can't believe they would attempt that classic storyline before the Goblin has even been established as a character - this film will already be crowded enough with Electro and The Rhino. So, I fell that Gwen is probably safe... for now. All bets will be off with the third installment!
Friday, June 7, 2013
Superman and Ms. Marvel
There's something about Ed McGuinness' bulky style that has always appealed to me. His characters are larger than life and yet stay relatable due to his skill with body language and facial expressions. I thought that his look worked well in animation when it was emulated for the Superman/Batman: Public Enemies DVD release.
Labels:
DC Comics,
Ed McGuinness,
Marvel Comics,
Ms. Marvel,
Super-Team Family,
Superman,
Team Up
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Spawn Vs. Venom
Todd McFarlane had done some DC work that I was aware of with Infinity Inc. and the Invasion! mini-series, but it wasn't until he exploded on to the Spider-Man titles that I really began to take notice of his work. His experimentation with panel layouts and character design propelled Spidey to new heights and really struck a chord with comic fans in the middle of the 90's boom. I've been impressed with McFarlane's work with various movie and sports related action figures as well. He has really elevated the art form there.
Labels:
Image Comics,
Marvel Comics,
Spawn,
Super-Team Family,
Team Up,
Todd McFarlane,
Venom
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Hawkman and Flash Gordon
Even though I was born a few decades too late, I had always been a big fan of the classic cliffhanger movie serials, and that was my first exposure to Flash Gordon. I later discovered the amazing comic work with art by greats like Alex Raymond and Al Williamson and my interest in the character really grew from there. I have to Imagine that the Hawkmen from the Flash Gordon strip were more than a little instrumental in the evolution of comicdom's most famous winged character.
Labels:
Al Williamson,
DC Comics,
Flash Gordon,
Gray Morrow,
Hawkman,
Super-Team Family,
Team Up
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Batman and Thor in "Taking Back Asgard!"
With carnage the likes of which was produced in issue #416, you just know the heavy hitters would be called in to clean up the mess. And who better to illustrate the tale than Art Adams? I first saw Adams' artwork gracing Marvel and DC titles in the late 80's and his style which merged a cartoonish whimsy with intricate detail was unlike anything I had seen before, and perfect for depicting super-heroic exploits.
Labels:
Art Adams,
Batman,
DC Comics,
Loki,
Marvel Comics,
Super-Team Family,
Team Up,
The Joker,
Thor
Monday, June 3, 2013
Loki and the Joker
These are two arch nemeses that love to sow chaos, but do so in very different manners. Loki is extremely methodical in his plans, carefully manipulating events to suit his evil ends. The Joker on the other hand prefers to throw a grenade of unpredictability into an organized system and bask in the reaction. I can't imagine an alliance between them would end well for any parties involved.
This combination is too explosive for a single issue, and the consequences of this tale will be dealt with on tomorrow's cover...
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Ace and the Dogs of War
I love superheroes and I love dogs, so when the two are combined it really captures my interest. I know I am not the only one who must feel that way because once I started featuring new teams on this blog, an all-pooch crew was one of the more common requests I would get. I think a team like this, once they stopped sniffing each other's butts, would be unstoppable!
Saturday, June 1, 2013
The Legion of Super-Heroes and The Galaxy Trio
I picked up a Birdman DVD and was surprised at what a kick I got out of the back-up cartoons featuring the Galaxy Trio, a team I had all but forgotten from my youth. Vapor Man, Meteor Man and Gravity Girl looked cool and had interesting abilities, and outer space action is always fun. It would be interesting to see a modern take on the property one of these days.
Friday, May 31, 2013
The Thing & The Vigilante / Chaselon & Spider-Man
It's a double dose of team-up action today! I thought I would indulge myself and include a personal favorite character - Chaselon of the Green Lantern Corps. I've said it before and I'll say it again - a sentient diamond with robotic limbs, a power ring and a mohawk is just about the coolest thing ever. Thing/Vigilante is one of the team-ups I never got to during my Lost MTIO run, so I was glad to be able to finally include it here.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Hourman and Zorro
I always had a soft spot for Hourman's costume. While other heroes had fancy outfits with form fitting cowls, Rex Tyler looked like he assembled his suit from items around the house. It looked like something that I would have put together instead of something from another planet or fabricated in a high tech lab. Zorro had a very simple but very effective look - his black mask and cape motif was borrowed by some of the best in the business.
Labels:
DC Comics,
Hourman,
Super-Team Family,
Team Up,
Zorro
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Mars Attacks The Martian Manhunter
These days, audiences and readers are used to three-dimensional villains who reveal shades of gray and deep motivations behind their nefarious deeds. That said, there is something appealing about how gleefully evil the Martians from Mars Attacks have always been. Don't look for a spark of sympathy or a chance at redemption with these guys - they are bad and they love it! They couldn't be further removed from DC's most famous Martian, and that difference in personalities could make for a fun tale.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Justice League of America Vs. Storm
You didn't think that the JLA could summon forth the Dark Phoenix without there being repercussions, did you? The X-Men always stand behind their members so I can imagine steps being taken to take Jean Grey back into the fold and handle matters on their own.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Justice League of America and The Phoenix
I was wondering if Famke Janssen as Jean Grey would be showing up with the rest of the returning original cast for next year's X-Men: Days of Future Past, but it looks like audiences won't have to wait that long to see her. I was surprised to see her show up in the latest Trailer for The Wolverine, and I wonder how big of a role she will have there. I still hope she will show up in X: DoFP as well - if only to allow the time-bending plot line to undo the shoddy treatment she and Cyclops received in X-Men The Last Stand.
The events of this story will have direct ramifications leading to tomorrow's cover, so make sure you check in to see what happens next!
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