Closing out this week, with another edition of Fantasy Team-Up.
Today, I'm pairing two well-known superheroes with the same last name, Adam Strange and Dr. Strange, even though they couldn't be farthest from each other in terms of powers(Adam Strange has none) and genre; Adam's clearly a sci-fi guy, while the good doctor's a master mystic mage.
Stil, despite the major thematic differences between the two, they do share some similarities:
-They're both educated scholars; Adam studied Archaeology, while Stephen studied Medicine. I don't remeber if Adam ever got a doctorate in his field of study, but he had to have to in order to do all that diging and exploring ancient ruins like he used to. And we all know Doc Strange isn't just called that because it sounds good.
-Both were extremely influential upon their debut; Adam Strange helped usher in the then new wave of sci-fi pulp heroes in the 50's, while Dr. Strange helped revolutionize the comics' industry in the 60's, both with Marvel Comics, and with the artisitic and innovative inspiration of artist Steve Ditko.
-Both seem to be dedicated to only one love interest even after all these years: Adam has Alanna; Stephen had Clea(although she hasn't shown up in a long while, she seemed to be his main love interest for years with no other woman successfully taking her place).
-Both represent a different breed of hero/superhero for their respective eras.
-Both aren't really typical regular superheroes; Adam's mainly a non-powered champion/explorer/space cop for his adopted planet Rann, while Dr. Strange primary duty is to safeguard all of his Earth's reality from mystic invaders.
So while initially a pairing between these two would seem weird and out of place, I think given the right in-story reasoning and explanation, I don't see why these two guys couldn't team up and have an adventure. After all, hasn't that been the premise for successful team-up books in the past like Marvel Team-Up and The Brave and the Bold? Teaming up two or characters that wouldn't normally have anything to do with each other since they normally inhabit diferent genres and social circles?
Happens all the time, especially in the real world.
So what could and would, cause these two guys with the same last name but totally different thematic heroes to team-up?
I could toss a possible scenario or two in there to see how it'd work.
1). Since Adam Strange has to wait a certain amount of time and be a specific spot when the Zeta Beam show up to transport him back to the planet Rann, then have the beam malfunction, with Adam being stuck in between dimensions, which someone gets back to Doc Strange to help since someone or something tampered with the beam, causing Adam Strange to get stuck like he did.
Maybe Baron Mordo did it in hopes of traveling to Rann to conquer it with magic since it has such a science-driven planetary community.
2). Or maybe these weird and ancient evil sorcerrors from a past mystical age in Rann have returned to take their revenge and reclaim what they think is there's. Adam needs mystical help, and somehow knows to call Dr. Strange? Idk, but it sounds plausible enough.
And you definitely have to get a joke/reference to their sharing the same last name out of way. Just have to.
Candidates for a possible creative team?
Writers:
-JMS
-Mark Waid
-Nick Spencer/Kieron Gillen
-Kurt Busiek
-Roger Stern
Artists:
- Jesus Saiz (I loved his B&B run with JMS several years back)
-Darwyn Cooke/Dave Bullock( In place of Ditko who'd I have submit a page or a cover only)
-Paul Smith
-Alan Davis
- Pascal Ferry( He drew a previous 2005 Adam Strange mini that's worth reading)
What do you folks think? Would it work? Would it be a worthwhile story to read?
Let me know what you think in the comments' section.
Hope you guys and gals have a very good weekend......I'm outta' here.
2 comments:
Nice - I've never thought of those two as a team up, but it sounds great! The first pic of the good Doc is crazy. where is his other leg :)
If this crosover was ever to happen, Dormammu would have to follow strange too - or Mephisto. Having either bring Hell to Zenn La would be crazy cool. Add in a few flying renegade thangarians and that's my tale sorted.
My artist would be either the Kuberts - having them return to Adam Strange would be cool, or Mike Deodato Jr who was batshyte awesome at having Strange take on the Avengers, and again go cosmic and team with the Punisher.
Writer hmmm, I go with Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning do to their cosmic stint reviving the Guardians of the Galaxy or Keith Giffen, who wrote the amazing Annihilation mini for Marvel.
Glad you stopped by Dan. I like your story idea myself. Mephisto, Dormammu, Nightmare, or anyone of his usual suspects would work within the confines of a huge team-up story.
I thought about the Kurberts intially too, especially since Adam worked on a Adam Strange mini himself years ago.
Deodato Jr too would draw a beautiful story. JH Williams too now that I think about it would be pretty damn mind-blowingly sweet to look at.
I'll agree with those writer choices too. DnA are the unofficial kings of comic sci-fi in my book, especially when handling obscure space heroes like the Guardians.
Loved the suggestions mate. Glad you digged this week's choices. Sometimes seemingly random or weird combos work out.
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