Marvel announces a series of team-up one-shots starring writer J. Michael Straczynski

Shall we call these ‘odd-couples’? We can’t think of a better name for the new series of one-shots coming up from J. Michael Straczynski.

Yeah those are some teams alright

So in the land of Marvel Comics, there isn’t much that’s too weird to see print these days. The publisher has firmly embraced the more tongue-in-cheek aspects of comics in recent decades, and that’s a tone that seems like it’s going to extend to an upcoming series of one-shot issues.

Each one of those will play off of a pairing of Marvel heroes (and villains?) that fans have never seen before, and there are some way-out choices in play. But don’t tune out if you prefer your superheroes to be a little more on the serious side, because the name J. Michael Straczynski is also on board.

A legendary comics writer from way back, Straczynski has overseen tales featured in Amazing Spider-Man, Thor, Fantastic Four and way more in his career. So although the names mixed in with these upcoming issues are oddball for sure, they also might be pretty neat.

It all starts in January, with Rocket Raccoon and… Doctor Doom.

Straczynski and Robson kick things off in DOCTOR DOOM & ROCKET RACCOON where Doom does the one thing he never wants to do: ask for a favor! What awaits Rocket in Latveria? Mischief, miscommunication and an emotional journey across space and time in the Mighty Marvel Way! Following that, Volstagg recruits the Sentinel of Liberty in Straczynski and Chang’s CAPTAIN AMERICA & VOLSTAGG. When a war breaks out in the Nine Realms, Volstagg of the Warriors Three turns to the only man skilled enough to end it: Steve Rogers, Captain America!

Marvel Comics press release

Interested? Kind of tough not to be, at least a little anyway. And if you are, then you’ll also want to scroll down and take a look at the complete list of what’s on the way. Oh, we’re going to take a shot in the dark that that’s not Peter Parker in that final listing by the way. Yes, he is on the cover, but a pairing of him and Doc Ock isn’t exactly cutting edge.

• DOCTOR DOOM & ROCKET RACCOON #1
  • Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
  • Art by WILL ROBSON
  • Cover by GARY FRANK
  • Promo Variant Cover by LEINIL FRANCIS YU
  • On Sale 1/22
• CAPTAIN AMERICA & VOLSTAGG #1
  • Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
  • Art by BERNARD CHANG
  • Cover by TERRY DODSON
  • On Sale 2/26
• NICK FURY VS. FIN FANG FOOM #1
  • Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
  • Art by ELENA CASAGRANDE
  • Cover by GARY FRANK
  • On Sale March
• HULK & DOCTOR STRANGE #1
  • Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
  • Art by GERMÁN PERALTA
  • Cover by TERRY DODSON
  • On Sale May
• GHOST RIDER VS. GALACTUS #1
  • Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
  • Art by JUAN FERREYRA
  • Cover by TERRY DODSON
  • On Sale June
• SPIDER-MAN VS. DOCTOR OCTOPUS #1
  • Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
  • Art by PHIL NOTO
  • Cover by TERRY DODSON
  • On Sale June

“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, and it was even more of a blast than I anticipated,” Straczynski explained. “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…go to the edge of time and space with Rocket Raccoon and Doctor Doom…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 more unlikely the pairing, the more eccentric the combo, the more fun it was to see it come to life. I’ve been sitting on news of this series for over a year and I’m so excited to know it will finally be hitting newsstands starting in January.”

Marvel Comics press release