Secret Wars on Infinite Earths: The Comic Book Fight Club

ATLANTIS versus AVENGERS
A Not-So-Beautiful Mind (Marvel comics)
Where: Marvel Adventures: The Avengers #9 When: March 2007
Why: Jeff Parker How: Juan Santacruz

The story so far...
MODOK and the villainous group of criminal scientists called AIM have defeated and captured the Avengers, and attempted to perform horrible experiments on them.
Though there was a terrible explosion, the Avengers emerge as distorted reimaginings of their former selves, recreated in MODOK's own image!

Returning to the world as the MODvengers, they approach protecting New York City with an entirely new slant. With their intelligence, arrogance and cranial capacity all upgraded, they are more than ready to meet the challenges of villains head-on with a jaded and cynical superiority.

It would seem a most inopportune moment, then, for Lord Krang and Attuma to lead the hordes of the Atlantean military into an invasion of the surface world.

Previous Form:
The Avengers [#2]: The Avengers were previously unsuccessful against MODOK & AIM.
Lord Krang & Attuma: The Atlantean warriors have not yet been featured.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Giganto 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Iron Man 5 (Professor)
Speed: Spider-man 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Wolverine 6 (Generator)
Agility: Spider-man 5 (Cat-Like)
Fighting Ability: Captain America 6 (Warrior)
Energy Powers: Iron Man 5 (Lasers)


As we continue our way through the villains of Marvel Ultimate Alliance, I have to admit to getting a little slack here. We should be featuring Byrrah, but as far as I know I don't really have much in the way of Byrrah, so I'm moving on to the next Atlantean on the list, Lord Krang. Thing is, I overlooked a far superior Lord Krang appearance in favour of mucking around more with MODOK. Sorry.

Lord Krang, like the whale monster Giganto, really only makes a cameo apperance. Krang at least has the benefit of some lines and a prominent position, but otherwise he's pretty insignificant in the issue. In fact, he's been coloured wrong to look caucasian, instead of a healthy Atlantean-blue.

Attuma (pictured left of the tape stats) is looking a radiant grey, with his big helmet thingy in full view. So, how does that affect his chances at victory?

Y'know, you've got the entire Atlantean military, giant robotic crabs, and crazy big monsters like Giganto and creature I'm unfamiliar with, like Tri-Gorr.
I don't know if I can really break this one down in the way I usually would, so let's just say this entire army really would give the Avengers a run for their money, but because we're in Marvel Adventures land, long-term storytelling isn't really an option. So, expect swift subsiding of your Atlantean invaders.

Because the stats do not take the nameless Atlantean soldiers into account, or even the nameless soldiers, the math may be uncharacteristically inaccurate.
For integrity's sake, I'm going to compensate that with my pick, even though we all know exactly how this is going down. Yeesh...

The Math: The Avengers
The Pick: Atlantis (Even though we know they lose...)

What went down...
Emerging from the rubble of the AIM underground science facility, Iron Man's gauntlet pings with the alert of a "pathetic official" rings through the smokey air. The suited female Governer cries for aid in saving Boston, which has come under attack from Atlantis. If you read anything before this point, you probably know that already...

At that point the Governer's computer is destroyed by a blast from Attuma's trident staff, prompting the American soldiers to call a retreat, much to the joy of the Atlanteans, who seem to have a penchant for thinking America is the only surface land on the face of the planet...

At that moment the giant eel creature Tri-Gorr suffers a zapping blow!

Attuma shows deep concern for the creature's well being, turning only to witness a counterstrike being waged by the hovering heads of the MODvengers!

Storm fries a quartet of airborne jellyfish looking creatures, while Iron Man, Wolverine, Spider-man, Captain America and Giant-Girl all use their newly aquired mindblasts to fire upon the crowd of Atlanteans.

In the background, the hovering Hulk dukes it out with the giant whale creature, Giganto!

As the Atlantean Invasion forces find themselves struggling against the unrelenting aggression of the MODvengers, Attuma summons a potential equalizer in the giant Rommbu creature. A humanoid amphibian not unlike the creature from the Black Lagoon, in some superficial respects...

With enhanced brain power, comes enhanced responsibility, but Spidoc cares little for concepts as trivial as these!

His Spidey-senses prove to be multiplied, warning him of the impending danger before Attuma even orders it! With the use of his MODOK inspired mental capabilities, he easily overpowers the sea creature's simple mind, and turns him against his masters!

Rommbu turns and strikes the mechanoid crab Attuma rides with pride, spilling both he and the less involved Lord Krang!

Attuma foolishly verbalizes his dismay, that a mere seven bulbous headed surface dwellers could over power the entire Atlantean military force.

Irondoc's giant ears prick up at the affirmation that it is their entire force.
Woldoc (Wolverine) and Gi-doc (Giant-Girl) are each on the same page, extrapolating the notation to recognise Atlantis is completely without it's defense force, as well.

With a creepy grin, Giant-Girl exclaims, "Vulnerable for Conquest."

[The C in the Marvel Adventures "MODOC", and subsequently this variation on the Avengers characters, all with -doc added, stands for Conquest. - Marvellous Mike]

Attuma can only watch on, objecting to the invasion of his homeworld by the disinterested MODveners who file off in unison toward the waters of the dock.
"What... no! You can't... You can't invade my home!"


The hammer...
By playing it through the eyes of MODOK, the Avengers pick up the shared victory on this particular occasion. Who woulda ever thunk it?
The Avengers invading Atlantis? It's so brilliant it just might work!

Even though I'm still behind it's nice to finally be able to wrap up one of the biggest months in Secret Earths history! With the milestones of hitting 10k and 100 featured fights, we've seen a lot recently! Having already reviewed this very issue for fight #100, I have to admit I'm a little bit lost for words.

At the end of this fight Iron Man notes to a slightly horrified press that he has calculated that The Leader has figured out how to escape from his prison cell by this time. So, for those who are like me and maybe feel one of the great setbacks of the Adventures books is content, think again, friend!
We've still got a whole other fight to feature, still!

Might take a break from this issue, though, as we head toward what will officially be regarded as the Attuma feature, even though he was front and center, here.

Having employed the use of a new stat counter, I see there's been some traffic coming in from Google via searches for Marvel Ultimate Alliance. Hopefully gamers are getting something out of these Monday features, even if it isn't quite what they were originally searching for. Yeah, about that... Sorry guys, I can't tell you where the Daredevil dolls are, because I don't remember. Just be thorough when you're playing through a level, and explore a little -- including headquarters!

Wow, I got a bit sidetracked there... I guess that's what the late-end-of-the-month will do to you! We've still got plenty of Marvel Ultimate Alliance action coming at you, and if I remember to, you'll hear more about that and more in the Monthly Punch-Up in "tomorrow"'s post.

The Fight: 3 The Issue: 5

NEXT WEEK: Attuma faces the fury of the Sub-mariner! Imperius Rex!