The team-up is one of the oldest traditions of superhero comics. An uncountable number of stories are based around heroes and villains joining forces against a common enemy. The most memorable of these stories involve unlikely, if not unthinkable team-ups. To that end, a series of one-shots by writer J. Michael Straczynski will tell tales of Marvel Comics‘ most unlikely duos, starting with Doctor Doom and Rocket Raccoon.
Fun was the watchword for Straczynski in crafting this particular collection of comics. “I like to go where the fun is, and the idea of putting together Marvel characters who had either never been paired before, or only minimally, seemed like it would be a ton of fun.”
Indeed, Straczynski said that writing these stories “was even more of a blast than I anticipated.”
The first one-shot, scheduled for release in January, will find the ruler of Latveria seeking out Rocket Raccoon for a favor. This is not something Doctor Doom does lightly or easily, and Rocket isn’t happy about it either. This leads to “mischief, miscommunication and an emotional journey across space and time.”
Marvel’s Unlikely Team-Ups Outlined
The stories will be set at various points in Marvel continuity. Comparable stories include Jonathan Hickman and Sanford Greene’s Doom and Chip Zdarsky and Daniel Acuña’s Avengers: Twilight. This will offer both new fans and established readers a chance to enjoy these one-shots.
“The more unlikely the pairing, the more eccentric the combo, the more fun it was to see it come to life,” proclaims Straczynski. “For the first time we could see the original Nick Fury in China along with the Flying Tigers taking on a newly awakened Fin Fang Foom. See the Ghost Rider slugging it out with none other than Galactus. Aunt May caught in the midst of a supernatural battle alongside Agatha Harkness.”
The full line-up of Marvel Team-Ups includes:
- Doctor Doom & Rocket Raccoon, with art by Will Robson
- Captain America & Volstagg, with art by Bernard Chang
- Nick Fury vs. Fin Fang Foom, with art by Elena Casagrande
- Hulk & Doctor Strange/Aunt May & Agatha Harkness, with art by German Peralta
- Ghost Rider vs. Galactus, with art by Juan Ferreyra
- Spider-Man vs. Doctor Octopus, with art by Phil Noto.
Doctor Doom & Rocket Raccoon #1 arrives in comic shops everywhere on January 22, 2025.
