Thursday, September 14, 2017

Aquaman and Black Bolt



It's too bad that the buzz on The Inhumans TV series has been universally poor. n I love the characters and think that they have great potential, but this whole project seems not to have had the same consideration put into the marvel Movies or Netflix shows.  I will still give it a shot, hopefully my lowered expectations will not be completely justified.

This pairing was a suggestion from Robert E. Jackson, a Patron of this blog.  Thanks, Robert!

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

The Fantastic Four Vs. The Crime Syndicate in: "Crisis at the Baxter Building!"



I'm not sure what to make of plans for a new Fantastic Four movie told from the point of view of Franklin and Valeria Richards.  I can understand the need for a fresh take after the previous cinematic attempts, but is that what fans really want to see?  Rumors of a solo Doctor Doom origin film are equally head scratching.  If they really don't know what to do with the materiel, I wish they would just relinquish control.

It was about time that the FF try and retake the Baxter Building.  The Syndicate took it over back in STF #1851...

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Hercules and OMAC


Thor: Ragnarok is getting great buzz and looks like it will be the most crowd pleasing Thor movie yet.  That's good new because Thor has a nice deep villains roster and with Chris Hemsworth still very much in shape, there's no reason the series should conclude at three.  I would definitely like Hercules to be introduced in the next installment, should there be one.  I always loved the interplay and rivalry between him and the God of Thunder.

Monday, September 11, 2017

Batman and The Walking Dead



I am looking forward to the next season of Walking Dead.  The show has done a great job of building up Negan as an adversary and putting Rick and his crew up against impossible odds, so it will be cool to see how they turn things around, and how many sacrifices will have to made to do so.  Last season admittedly took its time getting everything into position, so I am expecting more action this time around.

Sunday, September 10, 2017

The Flash and Spitfire


The beauty of The Flash's uniform is in its simplicity.  I think that's why the costume  that Ezra Miller will be sporting in Justice League isn't really working for me.  It strikes me as overly complicated, broken down into numerous sections with what looks to be unnecessary wiring criss-crossing all over it.  And of course, no yellow boots, which the Flash TV shows have gotten wrong as well.  I'd rather have seen something sleek like the Spider-Man suit in the Marvel movies.

Saturday, September 9, 2017

Steel and Nova


The big screen may still not be ready for Steel again even though many years have passed since the Shaquille O'Neal led film - but there's no reason he should not show up on TV's Supergirl.  That might be the perfect place to redeem John Henry Irons in the eyes of non comic book fans.  With Cadmus and the DEO, there are plenty of places that he could fit in.

Friday, September 8, 2017

Superman and Rogue


Now that the X-Men films have had a soft reboot, I wonder if we will see a more comics-accurate verion of Rogue sometime down the line.  The Anna Paquin version was kind of a Rogue/Kitty Pride hybrid and didn't have a lot in common with her comic counterpart other than her mutant abilities.  I'd like to see the reformed villain verion of the character that was full of confidence and attitude.  Maybe if the Gambit film ever gets off the ground, she will show up there.

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Hawkman and Ant-Man


I love that Michelle Pfeiffer has been cast in the upcoming Ant-Man and the Wasp as Janet Van Dyne, the original Wasp. After this, Nicole Kidman in the now shooting Aquaman, Tommy Lee Jones in Captain America: The First Avenger and Michael Keaton's excellent turn as The Vulture, I am wondering what other Batman alumnus we can see re-cast in new comic roles.  My vote is for Danny DeVito as M.O.D.O.K. (you know you want it).

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Iron Man and Hardware


I always loved Iron Man's classic gold and red armor, but there was one artist that really put it over the top for me.  Whether he was on full art duties or only as an inker, Bob Layton gave Tony Stark's armor an ultra shiny gloss that really made it look modern and hi-tech to my young eyes.  It was the first time I has seen such effects depicting metallic surfaces, and it helped Iron Man to stand out among other heroes.

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Green Arrow and Wolverine


I get a kick out of reading old Green Arrow tales with his original costume and Speedy as a sidekick.  Still, it's pretty obvious why he needed a revamp to the leather suited bearded Ollie Queen that we know today.  Pretty much all of those plots could have been interchangeable with those that Batman and Robin took part in.  They had some great artwork and fun stories, but other than the archery gimmick, were not very unique. I'm glad the battling bowman eventually found his own voice.

Monday, September 4, 2017

Mice Squad!


After my team covers featuring duck defenders, canine heroes and cat cops, I got some requests for a group of superhero mice as well.  There were actually a lot to choose from  There seem to be more mouse heroes out there than any other type of animal.  Maybe it's the  juxtaposition between such small fragile creatures and a larger than life alter ego that makes it such an appealing concept for creators.

Sunday, September 3, 2017

Apocalypse Vs. Captain Comet


On of my absolute favorite silver age artists was Murphy Anderson.  He had a great eye for composition and I really liked his depictions of nature and animals as well as how he illustrated beautiful women.  I loved him as an inker as well, it was always cool to see his polished work in combination with other artists.

Saturday, September 2, 2017

Tarzan and Rima


As a kid, I thought that Rima was a much popular character than she was, mainly because of her appearances on The Super Friends.  I had a few of her comics as well - and later I found out that other than that short-lived title, she didn't appear much at all.  At any rate, I still fondly remember those tales, mainly due to the amazing artwork of Joe Kubert and Nestor Redondo.

Friday, September 1, 2017

Calvin and Hobbes on Hoth


I'm not sure what to expect from the upcoming Han Solo film.  The studio changed directors halfway through and as a result there have been some major changes, including at least one character being completely written out.  Still, the new director is Ron Howard, who is clearly very talented - plus there was similar behind the scenes turmoil with Rogue One, and I loved how that film turned out.  I have fingers crossed that they can pull this one off as well.

Thursday, August 31, 2017

Wonder Woman and Ms. Marvel in: "Satyr-Day!"



I am intrigued by the 80's setting of the upcoming Captain Marvel film.  It opens up possibilities for some fun Marvel cameos, like the original Ant-Man and Wasp in their prime, Agent Carter and hopefully Mar-Vell.  I think we can probably count on seeing a de-aged Samuel L. Jackson as a younger Nick-Fury.

These two first shared an adventure in STF #1593...

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Dark Phoenix Vs. Martian Manhunter


It's going to be interesting to see the second attempt at telling the Dark Phoenix Saga on the big screen.  Thew addition of Lilandra to the cast indicates that perhaps this one will be a more comics-accurate version of the tale.  Sadly, I have not heard about casting for any of her Imperial Guard so my hopes for a big throwdown with the X-Men will likely not be fulfilled.

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Rose & The Thorn and Spider-Man


Rose and the Thorn is another great concept that I wish would have caught on more with readers.  I love the idea of a dual personality where one half is a crime-fighter, unknown to the other half. It might be cool to see her show up on Arrow, she would fit into that world and could use the exposure to a larger audience..

Monday, August 28, 2017

Martian Manhunter and The Thing


Today marks what would have been Jack Kirby's 100th Birthday.  It is amazing to see how many of the concepts from his fertile imagination are still entertaining people around the world today.  Not only did he rewrite the rules for comic book illustration, inspiring hundreds of careers, the characters that he helped create and design endure and continue to find new fans.  His legacy will last at least another hundred years, I have no doubt. 

Ben Grimm and J'onn J'onzz first crossed paths in a 2011 MTIO issue....

Sunday, August 27, 2017

The Vision Vs. The Terminator


James Cameron has mentioned an interest in making another Terminator trilogy, which would ignore all the films following T2 and still involve Arnold Schwarzenegger.  It sounds interesting, but I kind of wish he had done these films sooner.  I don't really care to see any more of the Avatar world, and that's the franchise that he has been concentrating on lately.

Saturday, August 26, 2017

Hawkgirl and Photon


The Shadow Thief has always been one of my favorite villains.  He struck me as creepy and scary in a good way with his unique power set and appearance.  I first discovered him as a member of The Injustice Gang in Justice League of America, and I soon devoured his adventures as illustrated by the great Joe Kubert in the pages of Hawkman.  Maybe with Nth Metal becoming a major plot point in the DC books thses days, the Hawks and their arch enemy will be back at the forefront once again soon.

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