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 (except for truly public figures like Presidents, of course).

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). Last week was E-Man to Elongated Man. Rob M. got it in just TWO moves, using a connection I was waiting for someone to use again before I revealed it (I kept waiting for someone to go with E-Man and Elongated Man and thankfully Daryl last week finally did). Here is how Rob connected the two...

E-Man and Blue Beetle in Ghost Manor #21

Blue Beetle and Elongated Man in Justice League Europe #32

"What the what?" you might be asking about Ghost Manor #21. You see, in that story one of the most unusual licensed cameos ever occurred. It is a horror story about a photographer ("Death in the Darkroom"). At one point the photographer is covering a parade. In the parade are E-Man, Blue Beetle and Captain Atom. E-Man and Captain Atom use their powers, so it is pretty clear that they are intended to be the real deal. It was such a clever connection by Rob that I figured I'd hold off on posting it until it came up again. And sure enough, it did right here. Awesome.

Rob's challenge is...

Gullivar Jones to Indiana Jones





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)!