The Amalgam Age of Comics

daily-superheroes: http://daily-superheroes.tumblr.com/ This...

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:29:09 -0400

http://daily-superheroes.tumblr.com/

This is one of mine. It’s cool that you found it though. For more check out amalgamage.tumblr.com :)

Bullets and Bracelets was a TV series based on the Amalgam...

Sun, 26 Aug 2012 23:38:00 -0400

Bullets and Bracelets was a TV series based on the Amalgam Comics series of the same name. It ran on the NBABC Network between 1979 and 1984. The series chronicled the adventures of Diana Prince, an exiled Amazon Warrior, and Trevor Castle, a bloodthirsty vigilante obsessed with vengeance. It starred Lynda Carter and Dolph Lundgren in the lead roles. The first series was set in World War II and followed the two main characters’ efforts to hunt down and kill Nazi spies and saboteurs. At the beginning of season two the pair are shown being magically transported through time and from then on they brought their brand of swift and bloody justice to the modern day crooks of New York City. Despite being a huge ratings success the show was eventually cancelled due to growing concerns over its violent content.

In 1979 Pattel Brothers released a new toy marketed as...

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 21:39:16 -0400

In 1979 Pattel Brothers released a new toy marketed as ‘Romsworth The Space Butler’. Pattel Brothers gambled that this radically new different type of space adventurer would capture the hearts of young children who had grown tired of playing with action figures based on more traditional action heroes such as explorers, superheroes and soldiers.

The gamble didn’t pay off. The Romsworth toy sold abysmally and Pattel Brothers almost went bust.

But the story of Romsworth does not end there. To build interest in the toy, Patell Brothers licensed the character to Amalgam Comics which created a comic book featuring Romsworth. The comic expanded on the premise that Romsworth was an alien, cyborg butler and gave him an origin, personality, set of supporting characters and villains, as well as interaction within the Amalgam Universe. Romsworth’s series ran for 75 issues and even after its cancellation the character remained popular with fans and eventually found a home within the Dark Claw franchise. In Sleuth Comics #572 (1987) continuity was retconned and it was established that Romsworth had come to Earth just in time to save Logan “Dark Claw” Wayne from the Weapon X project.

ROMSWORTH THE BUTLER has served Dark Claw faithfully ever since!

Alfred Pennyworth is drawn by Eric Shanower and is from Who’s Who in the DC Universe #3 (1990). Rom is drawn by Steve Leialoha and P. Craig Russell and is from Rom:Space Knight #65 (1985).

Judge Dan Dredd is the strongest Judge in Cactus City One! His...

Tue, 29 May 2012 18:42:52 -0400

Judge Dan Dredd is the strongest Judge in Cactus City One! His mighty strength is surpassed only by his dedication to the Law. Dan delivers instant justice to anyone who breaks the Law, and anyone who gets in between him and his Cow Pies!

HE IS DESPERATE DREDD!

This Amalgam of 2000AD’s Judge Dredd and the Dandy’s Desperate Dan was drawn by me, as was Dennis the Menace’s corpse.

I found the background pattern here, and the Dredd font here.

The only known image of J.D. Quidio, Vice President and...

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 22:42:27 -0400

The only known image of J.D. Quidio, Vice President and Executive Editor of Amalgam Comics. He is notorious among fans for his controversial decision to reboot the Amalgam Universe and retcon away Spider-Boy’s marriage!

Rob Liefeld’s MausI made myself feel a little sad with...

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:44:16 -0400

Rob Liefeld’s Maus

I made myself feel a little sad with this one. :(

The two men are from Kirkman and Liefeld’s The Infinte (2011) and are drawn by Rob Liefeld. The two mice and the Hitler Cat are of course from Art Spiegelman’s superb Maus.

Seriously, everyone should read Maus!

Doctor Adam Strange was a brilliant surgeon who was involved in...

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 19:40:00 -0400

Doctor Adam Strange was a brilliant surgeon who was involved in a car accident that severely damaged the nerves in his hands, ending his surgical career. Desperate for a way to cure himself Adam turned to magic. After attempting the forbidden Zeta Spell Adam found himself transported to the magical dimension of Rann where he became a student of the Ancient Sorcerer Sardath. Adam soon fell in love with Sardath’s beautiful daughter, Cleanna, but also made an enemy of Sardath’s other student, Kanjar Mordo. Bitter and jealous of his rival, Mordo cursed Adam and made his body reject the mystical energies of the Zeta Spell! Adam found he could return to Rann but could only remain for short periods before the Zeta Spell wore off again.

And so DOCTOR ADAM STRANGE finds himself a man of two worlds! An ordinary mortal on our Earth he may be, but when the mystical dimensions align correctly he returns to Rann where he is a champion, a SORCERER SUPREME!

Adam Strange is from Who’s Who in the DC Universe #6 (1990) and is by Andy Kubert. Doctor Strange’s cape is from a pin up by Steve Ditko and from Doctor Strangefate #1 (1996). The mystical dimension in the background is by Steve Ditko and is from Strange Tales #138 (1965)

When circus aerialist Richard Parker witnessed the murder of his...

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:48:37 -0400

When circus aerialist Richard Parker witnessed the murder of his parents he felt he would never be able to bring the killer, crimelord Osborn Zucco, to justice. That is until he was bitten by a radioactive spider! Richard’s natural acrobatic abilities were enhanced a hundredfold and he gained the uncanny ability to cling to walls and sense when danger is near. Now Richard seeks to avenge his parent’s death, opposing injustice wherever he finds it as The Amazing Spiderwing!

I preferred the name Spiderwing to Nightweb, so there :P. Many thanks to fellow blogger Jason Todd for his suggestion of a Spider-Man/Nightwing mash-up.

The original Nightwing image is by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez and originally featured in Who’s Who in The DC Universe #14 (1990).

When Tenzil Kastle of the planet Bismoll journeys with his...

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:47:06 -0400

When Tenzil Kastle of the planet Bismoll journeys with his family from the 30th Century to present day Earth, his Time Machine lands right in the middle of a Gang War! With his family killed in the crossfire and his Time Machine destroyed, Tenzil finds himself stranded and alone. Using all the deadly skills he picked up fighting Skrulls for the United Planets and his natural ability to eat matter in all forms, Tenzil wages a one man war on the criminal scum that ruined his life. He is the Masticator!

Okay, so the Masticator’s a very silly name but he’s a mash-up of the Punisher and Matter-Eater Lad, what were you expecting, poetry?

The original image of the Punisher is from the cover of Punisher: War Journal #1 (1988) by Carl Potts.

When billionaire media mogul Clark Stark is wounded by criminals...

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:46:04 -0400

When billionaire media mogul Clark Stark is wounded by criminals in a botched kidnapping, he is forced to don a mysterious suit of armour from an alien world in order to save his life. Now he fights such villains as Lex Laser, Meltallo and Titaniac in a never ending battle for truth, justice and the American way. Clark Stark is the Invincible Man of Iron.

The Iron Man image is from the cover of Iron Man #47 by Gil Kane and Vince Colletta. The rest is cobbled together from Superman #233 (1971) by Neal Adams and an image by Jon Bogdanove from Adventures of Superman #500 (1993).

Richard Namor was an actor who discovered his true identity as...

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:45:06 -0400

Richard Namor was an actor who discovered his true identity as the lost Prince of Atlantis on the fateful night that his daughter was abducted! His continuing quest to find his missing daughter takes him both above and below the waves. On land he uses his talents as an actor to impersonate an old lady, causing his foes to underestimate him, a mistake that costs them dearly. While in the depths of the oceans, Namor casts off his skirt and make-up and combats evil using the amazing aquatic abilities that are his birthright! He is MADAM MARINER!

A short explanation of why Madam Fatal is awesome can be found here.

The original image of Namor is from Sub-Mariner #35 (1954). I’m afraid I don’t know the artist but if you know please feel free to leave a comment and I’ll update the post.

Raised a prince of the royal family of the planet Coluria, Dr....

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:44:04 -0400

Raised a prince of the royal family of the planet Coluria, Dr. Vril Von Dox always believed he would follow in the footsteps of his father, the evil titanium clad computer tyrant Titaniac. That is until the fateful day he decided to free Coluria from his father’s evil clutches. In order to complete his quest Dox formed the Lawless Extra-GuerillaInterstellar Operatives Network, or L.E.G.I.O.N. But is Dr. Dox truly seeking to free his people, or is L.E.G.I.O.N. just a means of gaining more power than even that of Titaniac? Will Dr. Dox be the Universe’s saviour, or its conqueror?

Many thanks to fellow blogger X-Man75 for suggesting this latest home made Photoshop mash-up in the style of DC and Marvel’s Amalgam Comics. Mixing two of comics’ most arrogant characters together was a great idea on X-Man’s part. Also, since Lobo is an associate of Vril Dox, I got to include one of my favourite original bonafide Amalgam characters, Lobo the Duck.

The original image of Dr Doom is from Secret Wars #10 (1985) by Mike Zeck. Vril Dox’s face is from R.E.B.E.L.S #12 (2010) and is byGeraldo Borges.

Wade Tyler was the most inept mercenary the world had ever seen....

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:42:17 -0400

Wade Tyler was the most inept mercenary the world had ever seen. That was until the day he stole the formula required to make Miraclo X. When Wade takes a Miraclo X pill he gains super strength, speed and agility as well as an accelerated healing factor. There are however, certain drawbacks. Wade was left horribly disfigured by the drug and the powers granted by the drug only last one hour at a time. Worst of all, for that hour Wade is totally insane. Now Wade is one of the top mercenaries in the world, but at the price of becoming a slave to Miraclo X and it’s hour of power. He is DEADHOUR!

The original Hourman image is by Tim Sale and originally featured inWho’s Who in The DC Universe #5 (1990).

Jack Banner was a skilled research scientist on the verge of...

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:41:22 -0400

Jack Banner was a skilled research scientist on the verge of financial ruin. Desperate for money and terrified of losing his fiancee Betty, Jack turned to certain foreign interests for help. Jack was sent to steal the experimental gamma nerve gas he’d been working on for the government. Despite a last second change of heart, he was caught in the act and a stray bullet fired by an overzealous guard gave Jack a face full of the gas. Now, whenever Jack laughs a horrible transformation occurs and the gentle scientist is transformed into a monstrous, giggling psychopath! What’s the Big Joke? Jack Banner is the Big Joke, and there’s nothing funny about that.

The original Joker image is by Brian Bolland and originally featured inWho’s Who in The DC Universe #13 (1990). The Hulk image is by Javier Pulido and is from The Incredible Hulk #474 (1999).

Howard Constantine was a only a dabbler in the occult on...

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:40:41 -0400

Howard Constantine was a only a dabbler in the occult on Duckworld until the day a deal with the demon Nergal went horribly wrong. Howard was sent through the Nexus of Realities and stranded on Earth. He now searches for a way home, using his occult knowledge to stay one step ahead of the agents of Hell. He is Howard Constantine, Hellduck, trapped in a supernatural world he never made!

The original John Constantine image is by Will Simpson and originally featured in Who’s Who in The DC Universe #15 (1990). Howard the Duck is by Ty Templeton and Juan Bobillo and is from Howard the Duck #1 (2007). Both characters have been made into crappy films.

Oliver Murdock was a human rights lawyer who threatened to...

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:39:44 -0400

Oliver Murdock was a human rights lawyer who threatened to expose an evil corporation’s illegal dumping of toxic waste on a deserted island. Assassins working for the corporation blinded Oliver with that same toxic waste and left him on the island to die! The stranded man soon found that the toxic waste had taken his sight but heightened his remaining senses beyond normal human ability. He made himself a bow and found that his new abilities enabled him to shoot an arrow with superhuman accuracy! He was able to survive long enough to be rescued and returned to New Star City ready to begin a one man war against the corporate greed and corruption that robbed him of his sight. He is DEVILBOW!

Devilbow has made more than a few enemies over the years. Enemies such as The Clock Kingpin, “Bullseye” Drakon and Merlyn Hyde. Luckily he’s also gained a few allies; the reformed assassin Shadoktra, best friend Foggy Harper and fellow superhero, The Widowed Canary.

This amalgamation was kindly suggested by Rick. The original Green Arrow image is by Mike Grell and originally featured in Who’s Who in The DC Universe #14 (1990).

When Janet Dibny was murdered by super-villains her husband Hank...

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:38:46 -0400

When Janet Dibny was murdered by super-villains her husband Hank Dibny, the Elongated Ant, stopped at nothing to track down her killers. Tragically Hank’s final confrontation with the super-powered murderers resulted in the destruction of several city blocks, including an elementary school. Shortly after this catastrophe the Superhuman Registration Act was passed and all heroes were required by law to surrender their secret identities to the government. Many refused and, led by Super Soldier, formed an underground resistance. S.H.E.I.L.D was torn from the grasp of rogue agent Bruce Wayne and placed under the control of Iron Lantern. The Emerald Avenger now found himself with the unpleasant task of leading the heroes who agreed to register in a war against Super Soldier’s resistance. And so, the Identity War began and the Amalgam Universe was never the same again…

This was my first effort to feature genuine characters from the actual Amalgam Comics event. They are Super Soldier, Iron Lantern, Spider-Boy, Amazon, Speed Demon, Dark Claw, The Human Lantern, Ben “Rocky” Grimm AKA The Four Armed Thing, Reed “Prof” Richards and Sue “Ace” Storm. It’s cobbled together from Michael Turner’s variant cover for Civil War #1, Mike Wieringo, Karl Kesel and Gary Martin’s work from Spider-Boy #1, Salvador Larocca and Al Milgrom’s art from Speed Demon #1 and Dave Gibbon’s cover for The Amalgam Age of Comics: The DC Collection. Super Soldier’s toupee is from Michael Turner’s cover for Identity Crisis #1.

Way back in 1940, “Eel” Rogers was a member of a...

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:37:32 -0400

Way back in 1940, “Eel” Rogers was a member of a criminal gang hired to steal an experimental serum from a government lab. While escaping with the serum Eel discovered the gang had been hired by Nazi spies! Unwilling to betray his country, Eel attempted to return the serum. His gang responded by riddling him with bullets! Eel was doused with the serum during the barrage and left to die. When he awoke he found that the serum had healed his wounds and granted him extraordinary powers. Eel found that he could stretch his body to amazing lengths and into incredible shapes. He went on to use his powers to fight the Nazi menace as THE PLASTIC PATRIOT!

Thanks once again to Rick who suggested this latest Amalgamation.

This cover was originally Police Comics #37 (1944) by Jack Cole.

I thought I’d try a different kind of Amalgam. What if DC...

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:36:33 -0400

I thought I’d try a different kind of Amalgam. What if DC Comics’Blackest Night event had spilled over into the Marvel Universe? I figured Daredevil would get offered a Green Lantern ring, being the Man Without Fear and all. But who would get offered the Blue Ring of Hope, the Red Ring of Rage, the Violet Ring of Love, The Indigo Ring of Compassion, The Orange Ring of Greed or the Yellow Ring of Fear? What dead Marvel characters would return as Black Lanterns? What do you think?

The Daredevil image is from Daredevil: Father #3 (2005) by Joe Quesada.

Thanks once again for all the Amalgam suggestions. I asked in...

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:35:31 -0400

Thanks once again for all the Amalgam suggestions. I asked in my last post who would get what Power Ring if DC’s Blackest Night event spilled over into the Marvel Universe. There were lots of great ideas and one of my favourites was strangespanner’s suggestion that Iron Man’s deceased arch-foe, Obadiah Stane return as a Black Lantern.

The cover and image of Stane is from Iron Man #200 and is by Mark Bright.

Keep your suggestions for Blackest Night/Marvel crossovers (or indeed any kind of Amalgams) coming and I’ll see if what I can do.

Also, what Marvel event could spill over into the DC Universe?