I name two comic book characters. You then have to connect the two using only shared appearances in comic books (official appearances in comics only - no cameos like Terry Austin sneaking Popeye into the background of a panel and no outside comic book appearances, like cartoons and the like). You have to do so using less than six comics total. Covers and pin-ups do not count - only actual appearances in the same comic book story (so it doesn't count if they each appeared in separate stories inside the same anthology). Mythological characters, public domain characters (other than public domain comic book characters, they're free game) and real people (by the way, unless a fake name is used for a real person, like Ronald Raygun or whatever, you can use the person even if they are not officially named in the comic) are unique to their own comic book appearances (so DC's Thor is different than Marvel's Thor, DC's Ronald Reagan is different from Marvel's Ronald Reagan, etc.). But a licensed character is the same in all of their various comic book companies (so the Marvel Red Sonja is the same as the Dynamite Red Sonja) and approved appearances by a real person can go across comic book companies, as well (so, for instance, you can use Marv Wolfman from his Teen Titans appearance to connect with Marv Wolfman in his Fantastic Four appearance - you just can't use modern appearances by Jack Kirby from one company to connect to Jack Kirby appearances from Marvel Comics, since obviously Kirby can no longer give approval for his appearance). Approval tends to be the key.

Every week, whoever connects the two characters in the least amount of turns gets to pick the next week's match (in the event of a tie, the winner is chosen randomly among the people who sent in challenges for next week). Last time was Jack T. Chance to Jack B. Quick. Will V. was the only one who connected the two in four moves. Here is how Will connected the two...

NOTE: Before I begin, let me again request that when you folks send in your answers to please include your suggestion for next week if your answer is chosen. Oh, and it would be nice if you demonstrate that it IS possible to connect your two suggested choices. Thanks!

Jack T Chance appears with Cyborg in *Blackest Night* #1

Cyborg is in *Swamp Thing *#46 -- and so is Alan Moore, in the background.

Alan Moore appears with Promethea in *Promethea *#30

Promethea appears with Jack B Quick in the previous issue, #29.

NOTE #2: This one was obviously a bit tricky. Does this background appearance in Swamp Thing count as an official Alan Moore appearance? I think since the issue was written by Moore, it is pretty safe to call it an approved appearance.

NOTE #3. This one just reminded me of a separate general point. For other people thinking about using comic creators as connectors across two comic book companies, the creators have to have APPROVED of the usage, so therefore, if the comic creator is dead, it is inherently an UNAPPROVED usage for this purpose. So, if, say Jerry Siegel appears in an Image comic, you can't use that connection to connect to Jerry Siegel in a DC comic. You can connect Siegel in a DC Comic to Siegel in another DC comic (as you can with any historical figure), but not across companies. That only counts if the usage was approved. So Alan Moore appearing in an issue of Promethea? Approved usage and can be used to connect across comic book companies. Jack Kirby appearing in an issue of Promethea? Unapproved usage and can't be used to connect across comic book companies (but CAN be used as a DC connection, since Kirby would therefore become a historical figure for the purpose of this game).

Will's challenge is...

Dr. Light (the DC superhero) to Dr. Light (the Mega Man supporting cast member)

E-mail me your answers at bcronin@comicbookresources.com. Do NOT post your answers in the comments section!

Whoever connects the two characters in the least amount of comics gets to pick the connection for next time around (I'll pick a random winner in the event of a tie)!

Remember, only authorized appearances in comic books count (for instance, all the Marvel characters in Savage Dragon/Destroyer Duck do not count)!

NOTE: A reader asked me if a character appears in a comic but as a voice only, does that count? What do you all think? Vote in the comments - I'll accept whatever the majority says.