Friday, April 29, 2016

BLACK PANTHER versus CAPTAIN AMERICA
The Claws of The Panther! (Marvel)
Where:
Tales of Suspense #98 When: February 1968
Why: Stan Lee How: Jack Kirby

The Story So Far...
Upon receiving an urgent summons from the mysterious ruler of Wakanda -- America's Sentinel of Liberty agrees to board a remote controlled Magnaship to speed to the aid of the far off nation!

En route; Captain America finds himself caught in the firing line of an orbital energy weapon! He can only watch helplessly as the beam reduces a mountain to melted slag! At the mercy of operators he really only knows from rumor and reading, Cap must consider the possibility that he's being led into a death trap!

Making clandestine touch down at a base hidden deep within the jungle - Cap goes on the offensive! In no mood to play the fall guy any longer, he seeks an advantage over shadowy figures who charge to greet him. Wave one wasn't any problem, but now he must face the claws of The Black Panther!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Black Panther 5 (Professor)
Speed: Draw 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Captain America 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Black Panther 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Captain America 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Draw 2 (Projectiles)


Can you say famous firsts? Here on The Comic Book Fight Club we approach each fight as though it's the present, referencing archived examples for fights featured for the first time. This here represents the genuine very first time two of Marvel's most famed hand-to-hand combatants met in battle! A classic!

Black Panther is T'Challa: brilliant son of King T'Chaka of the isolated African nation of Wakanda. Rich with natural resources and advanced technologies, Wakanda honors a line of traditions which include guarded neutrality through closed borders. Wakandan traditions also include the trial of the Black Panther. This rite of passage is a royal ceremonial challenge that proves the winner's fitness to lead the nation, reflecting the peak physical and combative skills of the new Black Panther! The winner is enhanced by a rare herb that facilitates a spiritual confrontation with the panther god Bast.

The enhanced peak physical conditioning of T'Challa makes him not at all dissimilar from Captain America! Steve Rogers was a frail patriot so intent on joining the fight against Nazi Germany, he subjected himself to experimental testing! The enhancements of Dr. Abraham Erskine's super-soldier serum bestowed upon him ultimate human potential! Like The Panther, he was trained in armed and unarmed combat, and honed his skills in a theatre of war!

Personally, I tend to think of Black Panther as the more skilled of the two hand-to-hand fighters. WWII era America wasn't exactly a capital for martial arts. So when it comes to technique, I tend to give The Panther the edge. That said, the custom measure of The Haseloff System tries to balance literal definitions with the realities of comic book variables. That's why Cap rates higher on the fighting measure, for his sheer will to barrel through the opposition. Which isn't to say Cap is any kind of slouch, obviously. I just think of Panther as a more refined hand-to-hand fighter in the mould of a supreme martial artist.

This fight has a lot in common with the deadlock of Captain America vs Batman. Again, in that example, Batman's refined, literal martial artistry was underrated against the intangible "warrior" quality of Cap. A fine line of interpretation.
Of course, Black Panther doesn't just fight with innate skill and sense - he also fights with a brilliant mind. His knowledge of science and engineering sometimes plays out in new tricks in his suit, but can't be under estimated for giving him a unique perspective of opponents and environment.

Both characters have shown they can fight well above their weight, as well. In past featured fights we've seen Black Panther match heavyweights: Super-Skrull [Fantastic Four #6] and Dr. Doom [Black Panther #19]. On the flipside, Cap's gone toe-to-toe with the likes of Master Man [Reborn #2] and Iron Man [Captain America Annual #9]!

Separating the two is very difficult. When the fight starts, Cap has already taken out a couple of Wakandan guards. Let's find out how the main event went!


The Tape: Captain America Ranking: Captain America (#7)

What Went Down...
Springing from his remote controlled ship like a blaze of red, white and blue - Captain America goes of the offensive, hoping to avoid an ambush by taking down the shadowy figures who accompany the Black Panther!

The human dynamo springs from his toppled foes and braces for the attack of The Panther himself! With the momentum swinging his way, the super-soldier expects a single blow can finish the conflict, but the swing of his shield misses its intended target!


The Black Panther's legendary reflexes are too fast for the Captain's arrogant physicality, but Wakanda's ruler fights with honor. He prowls out of harms way, dashing between Cap's open stance, and refuses the aid of his soldiers as he rises to topple the American!


Well versed in hand-to-hand grappling, Captain America uses the Panther's own movement against him! With a cinched in hold, Cap tumbles into the roll, using his legs to vault the Black Panther over him!


The manoeuver is enough to pass T'Challa's martial test! Convinced the man he has summoned from afar is indeed the genuine article - he calls off their battle!
With a deadly menace threatening their very existence from above, the heroes must put all thoughts of combat supremacy aside. They get to work.

The Hammer...
It was a fast and furious struggle, but it was also just a test! Both fighters showed intelligence and intensity in their technique, but it was all for a draw!


There's a lot to like in this fight. I think it's a good illustration of the intensity Jack Kirby brings to his figures during this period of Marvel Comics. There's a reality and weight to the characters, but their logical actions are cranked up a notch. Judo mats be damned!

It may or may not surprise you to know today's featured fight essentially takes place over a single page. The limited range of movements makes this somewhat easy to deduce, but I don't know if it gives enough credit to the fluid continuity of their battle. The story clearly never intends to pit the two heroes at odds, but if you came for a fight between them, you got a decent taste in a small space.

Bit of a dick move on Cap's part to just dive out and start fighting anyone who shows up. Hardly the worst example of the 'superhero misunderstanding' cliché, but an entry, none the less. You can put it down to the Tales of Suspense double feature format. Sharing the series with Iron Man means limited pages and a healthy attitude to cramming a lot in!

The fight is also consistent with Black Panther's other early appearances, where he tests himself against international heroes. It built the tone of mystery and seclusion that is ultimately a unique defining trait for the fictional nation of Wakanda. Cap has ultimately been recruited to fight the new Baron Zemo of the time. In a nice example of Marvel continuity, Black Panther joins Cap as a new Avengers recruit right after this. Solid, pull no punches, organic storytelling.

As you'll no doubt have guessed: today's 1968 sparring session was far from the last time Black Panther and Captain America went head-to-head!

Fans in some parts of the world can already see the pair fighting on opposite sides in Captain America: Civil War! Black Panther is drawn into the conflict by the assassination of his father: King T'Chaka, whose interest in superhuman registration is piqued by the death of aid workers during an Avengers mission gone wrong. These tragedies lead him T'Challa to fight alongside Iron Man and the other heroes in favor of registration.

With Black Panther heading back to theatres for a much anticipated solo film in 2018, I'm hopeful we'll be here to talk a whole lot more about his exploits. The reputations of the Panther and Cap as two of Marvel's best hand-to-hand fighters has certainly spawned a few memorable rematches I can think of!

If your hunger for Civil War inspired entries hasn't been satiated - check out Old Comics Wednesday: Captain America for a choice selection of relevant back issues! You can also find hundreds of previous featured fights in the Archive Issued Index and come back next week for another exciting action-packed encounter with Captain America's past!

Winner: Draw
#7 (--) Captain America
#113 (+15) Black Panther

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

OLD COMICS WEDNESDAY: CAPTAIN AMERICA CIVIL WAR!
Friday, May 6th the cinematic Avengers will be split down the middle by a philosophical struggle in Captain America: Civil War! The battlelines may be drawn by a massive Marvel movie ensemble cast, but it mustn't be forgotten that this is the third solo film for Captain America! To help you prepare for Cap throwing his mighty shield, we've got an Old Comics Wednesday selection of some of the classic -- and a few leftfield (or is that Liefeld) -- battles featured on the site!

Hit the covers below to be transported back through wars with: Iron Man, Spider-man, Crossbones, Thor, Loki, Wolverine, Red Skull, Batman, The Destroyer, The Invaders, She-Hulk and more! Plus: Team-ups with classic allies who include some of his opponents, and heroes like: Vision, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, Wasp, Cable, Sub-Mariner, Human Torch and Winter Soldier!

For more on Captain America: Civil War be sure to check out the Hero of the Week and stay tuned for all new battles involving Captain America, Falcon, Iron Man and more!




Monday, April 25, 2016

HERO OF THE WEEK: IRON MAN (Marvel)
Real Name: Tony Stark
First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #39 (March, 1963)
Fight Club Ranking: #3

Featured Fights:
- vs WONG-CHU: Tales of Suspense #39 (Mar 1963)
- vs GHOST RIDER: Avengers #214 (Dec 1981)
- vs DIABLO: Iron Man #159 (Jun 1982)
- vs CAPTAIN AMERICA: Captain America Annual #9 (1990)
- vs WHIRLWIND: Iron Man Annual #11 (1990)
- vs VENOM: Iron Man #302 (Mar 1994)
- vs WAR MACHINE: Iron Man #310 (Nov 1994)
- vs MANDARIN: Iron Man #312 (Jan 1995)
- vs TITANIUM MAN: Iron Man #316 (May 1995)
- vs HULK: Iron Man #2 (Dec 1996)
- vs DESTROYER: Thor #1 (Jul 1998)
- vs INVADERS: New Invaders #0 (Aug 2004)
- vs SHE-HULK: Avengers #501 (Oct 2004)
- vs MALLEN: Iron Man #3 (Mar 2005)
- vs SINISTER TWELVE: Marvel Knights: Spider-man #11 (Apr 2005)
- vs TERRORISTS: Iron Man #5 (Mar 2006)
- vs SECRET AVENGERS: Civil War #3 (Sep 2006)
- vs SKRULLS: New Avengers: Illuminati #1 (Feb 2007)
- vs NOVA/THUNDERBOLTS: Nova #3 (Aug 2007)
- vs SECRET AVENGERS: New Avengers #36 (Jan 2008)
- vs DR. DOOM: Mighty Avengers #10 (May 2008)
- vs SUB-MARINER: Invincible Iron Man #12 (Jun 2009)
- vs CRIMSON DYNAMO: Invincible Iron Man #14 (Aug 2009)

Just when you thought Robert Downey Jr might be the high-priced weak link in a carefully weaved Marvel movie web, Tony Stark aka; Iron Man is announced to feature in the upcoming cinematic reboot: Spider-man: Homecoming.

The Hollywood Reporter delivered the news, confirming Downey's role in entrenching the new Spidey films firmly in the Marvel Universe!

The actor/character marriage continues to provide a valuable core to Marvel's movie world, even as the Iron Man solo franchise appears to be dormant. He next appears as one of the stars of Captain America: Civil War as proponent of a movement to identify and register unsanctioned superheroes.

Cap 3 will unroll an Avengers ensemble cast and pit both halves of the heroic franchise against one another in an approximation of Marvel's 2006 comics event - Civil War. For all intents and purposes it's Iron Man 4 and Avengers 3 all rolled into one, even if the story will be told with sympathy for Captain America and his team.

It's the same superhero dichotomy that existed in the comic, really boiling down to Team Iron Man versus Team Cap. There's a dispute of civil liberty and super-human politics, but the movie appears to take a much softer line, avoiding painting Iron Man in the almost villainous pseudo-fascist role he held for a few years in the comics. Many will see Iron Man as being as justified in his beliefs. A wise choice for a mass audience, but a potential chink in the armor of the hero-v-hero plot that should otherwise be significantly better received, and motivated, than Batman v Superman.

Civil War will be serving a lot of masters and it will be interesting to see how well they serve them all. Iron Man and the Avengers obviously take a portion of real estate, while the movie also brings back Winter Solder [HOTW 04/18/2016], and introduces Black Panther [HOTW 01/18/2016] to movie-going audiences.

As previously noted [HOTW 03/14/2016]; Spider-man also appears on Team Iron Man -- the beginning of Marvel's role in co-producing the web-slinger's big screen adventures alongside long time license holders: Sony. The Iron Man/Spider-man partnership comes right out of the comic, frequently cited by fans and producers as something they felt they 'needed' to have. Peter Parker unmasked in the original series - a major moment that ultimately meant nothing as the threads of the character were rewoven to avoid a lasting change. He flips from Team Iron Man to Team Cap mid-story, but again, it's very arguable how vital the character is. It will be interesting to see what changes lead to Iron Man finding his way into the first Spidey solo film, and how big that role actually is. With this Spidey much younger than that of the comics, it seems Tony Stark may have a far bigger role to play in his formative superhero years.

It's intriguing and exciting to see Marvel's first movie success contributing to the creation of a new generation. The Marvel movie universe seems to have been designed with a future in mind and that future continues to grow as whispers of Phase 4 -- the post-Avengers: Infinity War slate -- draws ever nearer. It would be a shame to take Iron Man completely off the table. I hope he'll be around for years to come, even if it's in a reduced, or background role.

Watching a little of Avengers last night, I was reminded how enjoyable Downey Jr is simply as a presence. That wasn't a movie I particularly enjoyed, but his comfort in the role elevates most scenes he's in. It was always genius casting that was easy to like - even if they never quite capitalized on the meta-text of the actor and character's mutual demons. His ability to inhabit the role was enough. Even in the lacklustre Iron Man 2 - Stark shines. Unlike some, I thought Iron Man 3 was a very enjoyable  sequel and character study that dealt with, and expanded upon, the Avengers movie.

Captain America: Civil War officially opens theatrically May 6th. We're a bit rushed this time, but there'll be a whole lot Captain America - and some more Iron Man - in the coming weeks! Be sure to be back for all the fun!

Friday, April 22, 2016

TEEN TITANS versus BROTHERHOOD OF EVIL MUTANTS
The Greatest Heroes Of All Time (Marvel/DC)
Where:
Unlimited Access #3 When: February 1998
Why: Karl Kesel How: Pat Olliffe

The Story So Far...
Axel Asher was just an ordinary New York University student until a trip down an alleyway turned into a life changing meeting with destiny!

Confronted by a man with a glowing cardboard box - Axel learned the responsibility was his to maintain the balance between two universes as the hero Access! When the two worlds went to war he learnt on the job: first merging the worlds together to stop the warring cosmic brothers that fuelled their fight, then fighting to stop reality as it should be from ceasing to exist!

Access is still trying to keep the worlds apart, but dark forces have begun to tamper with time and space! Thrown between the universes in their different periods, Axel has no choice but to recruit the aid of more crossover heroes! When the Justice League and Avengers go to war, he can only pluck the next generation to come to his aid when The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants strikes!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Juggernaut 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Robin 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Impulse 7 (Lightspeed)
Stamina: Juggernaut 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Toad 5 (Cat-Like)
Fighting: Sabretooth 7 (Born Fighter)
Energy: Scarlet Witch 7 (Cosmic)


The Teen Titans are: Robin, Superboy, Captain Marvel Jr, Impulse & Wonder Girl. They come to the aid of inter-dimensional summoner: Access.

As hard as it is to believe, we've got a couple of debuts coming our way on both side of the fight! For the heroes, this is the first time The Comic Book Fight Club has played host to Impulse and "Wonder Girl" Donna Troy!

They're fighting alongside the Tim Drake and Kon-El versions of Robin and Superboy. Important to note because they'd easily be confused amidst the time travel shenanigans that have brought the Teen Titans into conflict with today's villains...


The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants are: Mastermind, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Toad, Mystique, Blob, Sabretooth & Juggernaut.

The time displaced bad guys begin as the original sixties Brotherhood [see; X-Men #6], but get a serious injection of talent from other eras in the form of Mystique, Blob, Sabretooth, and the decidedly non-mutant, but still quite bad: Juggernaut!

For those keeping score at home, this marks the site debut for both Mystique and Blob! This all spells bad news for the kid heroes who are outnumbered, and arguably overmatched when it comes to experience and firepower, as well!

There isn't a lot of crossover experience between the two teams as they exist here, but what there is, is noteworthy. Three of these characters featured in the DC versus Marvel cosmic event: Robin defeated Jubilee [Marvel versus DC #3], Superboy lost to Spider-man [Marvel versus DC #3], and Quicksilver was defeated by former Titan: The Flash [Marvel versus DC #2]! Juggernaut also found himself flung into the path of Superman in an unofficial bout [DC versus Marvel #1], and later fought Wonder Woman in Unlimited Access #1, plucked from a time period after this fight. Donna Troy was the only Titan to participate in the pre-Crisis 1982 Uncanny X-Men/New Teen Titans crossover.

Juggernaut and Blob are arguably menace enough to occupy an entire team on their own. The unstoppable force and immovable object, respectively. They may be able to call upon the physical strengths of Captain Marvel Jr or Superboy to pin either down, but for the Teen Titans to stand any chance, they're going to want to pull some classic team tactics. Impulse's speed, and/or Robin's agility could be the answer to redirecting Juggernaut's unstoppable charge in the direction of Blob. That's a best case scenario that leaves their powerhouses free to occupy the rest of the villains.

Quicksilver's speed could prove problematic, but Superboy might slow him down with some well timed tactile telekinesis and brute strength. Scarlet Witch poses a serious threat with her hex powers, but in the old days, her timid personality will likely take her out of the fight when her brother's hurt. Toad and Mystique are lightweights matched by Wonder Girl and the team. Sabretooth is cunning, brutal and strong, but even if he gets the drop of the team and takes a hostage, the likes of Impulse or Captain Marvel Jr have it covered.

Mastermind may be the most likely danger working for the Brotherhood. His ability to cloud the young heroes' perception with illusions could very quickly render them vulnerable, or even turn them against each other. All the villains could pose serious threats given the right circumstances, but Mastermind's unassuming appearance and tendency to hang back makes him a big one!

We could come at this a lot of ways, but that's the quick version. It's the Teen Titans who need to fight uphill. Let's just find out how they actually did...

The Tape: Sabretooth Ranking: Robin (#32)

What Went Down...
Having been lured in by an illusion of his girlfriend in peril -- Access has found himself in the super-fast clutches of Quicksilver! Magneto's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants is working for Darkseid and Access knows he needs help if he's to stop their evil plan. With the Avengers and Justice League busy, he uses his power to open a portal between worlds and summon a selection of Teen Titans!

The young heroes recognize peril where they see it - Impulse the first to act to rescue Access from The Brotherhood! Quicksilver takes exception to the brash, "big-footed" speedster, who opts to skip his lesson in humility!


Meanwhile, Toad gets a lesson in the value of theatrics from Robin. The mutant leaps and kicks circles around his foe, boasting the advantage of being homo superior, but is quickly dispatched with a skill toss of a roped batarang. "Listen, if your name doesn't make your enemies fear you, your actions better!"

Superboy tries a more affectionate approach to subdue the Scarlet Witch, but his charm offensive falls on deaf ears. Her hex power on the other hand, falls on a nearby fire hydrant - which blasts the young hero with a well deserved and intense "cold shower"!


Lucky for Superboy, fresh faced Wonder Girl is more than thrilled to be fighting in his presence! She comes to his rescue with a swift uppercut that dispatches the Scarlet Witch before she knows what hit her!

Captain Marvel Jr isn't sure what's happening to him, either, when his arms begin to turn against him in the form of giant serpents! It's all part of the plan of the illusion projecting Mastermind! Unlucky for him, Junior's mastery of the wisdom of Solomon helps him see through the mentalists trick. The strength of Hercules is more than a match for meek Mastermind, who takes a stiff left!

Unfortunately, it's no trick when Juggernaut comes up behind Marvel Jr and pounds him into the ground with two clubbing, unstoppable fists!


It also isn't an illusion when two Superboys confront Wonder Girl! She has no way of knowing the truth as they both plead their case to being the genuine article. At least, not until Sabretooth lurks up behind her with claws drawn and the real Superboy springs into action to stop him!


Superboy succeeds at torpedo driving Sabretooth into a stationary car, but can't be of any assistance as the second Superboy gets the drop on Wonder Girl - delivering a stiff chop to the neck as he transforms into Mystique!

Robin is busy doing his best to slow down the Blob. His martial arts fail to make an impact, serving only to annoy the hulking mountain of mutant mass! Having collected the bundled up Toad, Blob turns him into a living projectile - hurling his unconscious body at a Robin shaped bullseye!


Still stomping around the fight - the Juggernaut sets his sights on Access and Impulse and starts a-rampaging! Access is relying on Impulse to dash them both to safety at the last second -- when suddenly a beam of energy slams the Juggernaut! And a blast of ice sends him unstoppably slipping and stumbling!

Watching from elsewhere: the master of magnetism Magneto curses the arrival of Xavier's merry mutants: The X-Men! Evil Darkseid assures him all is going to plan. The Brotherhood seem to think so as well, Mystique ordering a strategic retreat as a thundering boom tube opens to whisk them from the battlefield.

Professor Xavier telepathically warns the gathering of young heroes of the New Gods' evil he sensed, leaving them to await further instruction in victory.

The Hammer...
An unexpected end to an unexpected crossover! The momentum may have been shifting to the bad guys, but plan or no plan - we're going to call this one a forfeit victory! That means the Teen Titans are the winners with the assist from the X-Men!

Admittedly - this wasn't an easy call to make. There was no decisive finishing blow. Cyclops & Iceman got the last offensive, but they arguably only stalled their target. The Titans were able to take several villains out of the fight during the melee, even if they had their own visual losses as well. The X-Men's arrival ultimately prompted The Brotherhood's retreat, but the X-Men didn't participate enough share in victory.

For those who might be wondering - the X-Men who arrive on the scene are the earliest first class: Cyclops, Iceman, AngelBeast & Marvel Girl. So new - they don't even recognize Juggernaut: who the team first faced way back in 1965's X-Men #12! Those're some bona fide near mint mutants!

As noted in The Tape; the meeting of Titans and X-Men isn't without precedent. The original 1982 crossover was the last collaboration between DC and Marvel for over a decade. It played up the similarities of teen superhero drama that permeated the pages of both popular books. I'm not sure how many people were clamoring for the 90s Teen Titans to meet the 60s X-Men, but I suppose it has a certain charm. It certainly plays to the sixties retro fad that was going on at the time of publication. Not that comics ever need a reason to be nostalgic!

As in a lot of the crossovers of this period, they get away with some fun nods. Wonder Girl quizzes Marvel Girl about the X-Men being "misfit heroes like the old Doom Patrol". A fun jab at an old comparison. Of course, they also kinda did it a couple of years earlier, when the Amalgam mash-ups delivered X-Patrol. I'm not sure X-Force fit the bill quite as well, but it's close enough.

If you've been keeping up with our regular Hero of the Week entries, you know Doom Patrol is a series I've had on my mind [04/11/2016]. I'm hoping we'll get a chance to talk more about them some time soon. Today's feature was a nice chance to delve into another neglected corner of the DCU - the Teen Titans!

Admittedly, I've never been a big fan. Reading the adventures of Robin, Wonder Girl and Kid Flash had its thrills as a small boy, but the melodrama and sidekick angst of iconic Titans never geld with me. Not even as a teen. Kid heroes struck me as disappointingly second-rate as a kid. My peers ain't no Justice League! I'm slowly coming around, though. The idea of bundling existing young heroes together is certainly a good one.

The deviation of Doom Patrol's Changeling to iconic Teen Titan is the kind of living evolution that makes comics great. At least until line-wide reboots erase the chronology. DC's Rebirth is fixing to reinject first and third generation heroes into the New 52 line-up. It's something, I suppose.

The Titans line-up featured here may not be traditional - but it's much easier to appreciate. I've particularly enjoyed watching Captain Marvel Jr climb the site ranks. Glad to have Impulse on the record, as well. I wasn't sure on first look, but he's often struck me as a better junior alternate to the Flash than latter day versions of Kid Flash. Giving the Teens their own identity and mythology always helps. Especially when it isn't soaked in self-serious sobbing and lame rejects.

If you noticed me ducking references to Wonder Girl, it's largely because I'm a little sketchy on what was going on with Donna Troy during the short 'n' nerdy years. Undoing that predicament in the years that followed - a good idea. With any luck we'll get a chance to explore all of these characters at a later point.

Sadly, we won't be adventuring further into the realm of big league comics crossovers! This feature concludes our April celebration of the 20th Anniversary of Marvel versus DC and the 10th of our original feature(s). Fear not, though! There are still plenty of weird and wonderful combinations I'm sure we'll dig up in the future! You can also dig through the back issues via our Secret Archive Index, character tags and links, or by hitting up our recent retrospective in Old Comics Wednesday: DC versus Marvel!

Coming soon: We turn our attentions to heroic battles of another kind! Be here next week when we witness one of the first ever showdowns between two of Marvel's greatest hand-to-hand combatants of all time! See you then!

Winners: Teen Titans (w/ X-Men)
#25 (+7) Robin
#59 (+40) Captain Marvel Jr
#100 (+195) Superboy
#280 (new) Wonder Girl (Donna Troy)
#281 (new) Impulse
#38 (+1) Beast [+1 Assist]
#61 (-1) Angel [+1 Assist]
#64 (-1) Cyclops [+1 Assist]
#103 (-1) Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) [+1 Assist]
#109 (-1) Ice Man [+1 Assist]
#343 (-15) Scarlet Witch
#349 (-9) Juggernaut
#774 (new) Blob
#775 (new) Mystique
#786 (-243) Mastermind
#805 (-21) Toad
#808 (-11) Sabretooth
#813 (-8) Quicksilver

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

OLD COMICS WEDNESDAY: FLASHBACK - 1996!
This April; Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has been celebrating the 20th Anniversary of DC versus Marvel/Marvel versus DC! The landmark crossover brought comics' two biggest companies together in one of the biggest events of the decade! There was plenty else going on in the turbulent time of 1996, though.

This Old Comics Wednesday we're travelling twenty years back in time to sample a slice of '96 through the comics previously featured on the site! By hitting the covers below you'll be thrown back to nineties knock-outs involving: Wolverine, Sabretooth, Venom, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm, Gambit, Jubilee, Bishop, Superman, Fantastic FourSub-Mariner, Steel, Hellboy, Captain Marvel, Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, Thor and even more!

This cavalcade of mid-nineties heroes are participating in landmark stories of the time, including: Kingdom Come, Onslaught, Heroes Reborn, and of course DC versus Marvel! There's still one more classic crossover battle to feature this month, so be here Friday for even more!