SUICIDE SQUAD versus BLACK ADAM

Suicidal Tendencies (DC)
Where: 52 #34 When: February 2007
Why: Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka & Mark Waid How: Keith Giffen, Joe Bennett & Ruy José

The Story So Far...
Black Adam's violent conquest and reign over the nation of Kahndaq has earned the ancient marvel many new enemies.

Though softened by the formation of his own Black Marvel Family; Adam's brutal public execution of would-be eco-terrorist, Terra-Man, has renewed concern and anxiety from modern world powers who do not trust or agree with his unwavering old-world brand of justice.

Amanda Waller spearheads a secret black-ops mission to sanction Black Adam during his visit to the US. Recruiting Adam's former revolutionary ally, Atom Smasher, Waller deploys the Suicide Squad to San Francisco to stage an ambush when the Black Marvels reunite with prospective Teen Titan - Osiris.

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Black Adam 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Black Adam 5 (Super-Human)
Stamina: Black Adam 6 (Generator)
Agility: Black Adam 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Black Adam 7 (Living Weapon)
Energy: Isis 6 (Mass Destruction)
Total: Black Adam 34 (Super)

The Suicide Squad are: Plastique, Electrocutioner, Captain Boomerang, Count Vertigo, Persuader, and Atom Smasher.

A rag tag mix of new recruits and Suicide Squad regulars, but the ace in the hole is Atom Smasher. He has unique insights into their intended targets having left the Justice Society to bring Kobra to justice, and participated in the Kahndaq coup.

The Black Marvel Family are: Black Adam, Isis, Osiris, and Sobek.

Black Adam lends some of his power to Osiris in a similar fashion to Captain Marvel Jr, while Isis gains her super-human strength and influence over the natural world by wielding the magical might of the Amulet of Isis.

When Black Adam left the JSA to conquer Kahndaq he had to go through Captain Marvel, and we've also seen him challenge the likes of Superman, Superboy-Prime, and The Freedom Fighters. The Black Marvel Family is therefore well equipped to defend against most threats -- including the Suicide Squad.

Atom Smasher's familiarity and connection with Black Adam offers some hope for diplomatic resolution, but we don't review a lot of polite conversations!

The armored Persuader has gone mano-a-mano with Superman and might be able to use his Atomic Axe to knock the Marvels around, while Count Vertigo and his powers of disorientation throw them off, and make counter-attack difficult -- tactics that worked when the Squad faced Peacemaker and Major Force.

Captain Boomerang can be relied upon to hit a target if properly equipped, adding bursts of super-speed to his father's old tricks. Plastique and Electrocutioner bring their own firepower, but it remains to be seen if explosions or electricity are enough to rattle the Black Marvels! Let's get into it!

The Tape: Black Marvel Family Ranking: Black Adam (#27)

What Went Down...

Black Adam & Isis meet an ebullient Osiris carrying Sobek over the forest near Titans Tower. Their reunion is soon interrupted by a massive explosion sparked below by Electrocutioner and Plastique -- distraction for Atom Smasher!

The giant-sized Atom Smasher emerges from the forest and snatches Black Adam out of the sky while the other Black Marvels are spilled by the explosion.

The Smasher lives up to his name -- slamming Black Adam into the ground!

Black Adam punches Atom Smasher's hand away, also deflecting the insistence that he should hand himself over to a foreign US government.

Adam gains the space necessary to fly directly at Atom Smasher and deliver a knock-out blow that topples the towering figure, taking out Captain Boomerang in the woods below as his giant head hits the ground.

Adam hovers menacingly over Plastique and Electrocutioner with concern for his protege, but Osiris scrambles to his feet to plead for their lives. They repay his act of mercy with another explosion!

Isis can sense the impact of the fighting on the surrounding trees, but Persuader is unmoved by the environmental impact of his radioactive axe.

Before Isis can rectify the situation -- a sudden wave of disorientation overwhelms her. Count Vertigo makes his presence felt and sends her precious world spinning.

Persuader shoos his Suicide Squad teammate, closing in to deliver a deep gash into Isis' arm with his ultra-sharp Atomic Axe!

Osiris uses his Titans communicator to call for help as Electrocutioner is sent hurtling past him, and Isis receives yet another cut from the Atomic Axe, this time to her face!

The screams of his sister sharpen his focus as Persuader decides to disobey orders and close in for the kill. Osiris ensures the axe-man won't be successful!

The young Marvel launches himself like a flying missile and careens straight through Presuader -- cutting the axe-man's body in two!

Osiris comes to a skidding stop in the mud with Persuader's entrails still hanging from his arm.

Count Vertigo and Sobek watch in stunned disbelief as Osiris realises what has happened and falls to his hands and knees.

A downpour mixes his tears with rain as Isis comes to console him, and Black Adam directs them to a timely exit.

The Hammer...

Another bloody display of what happens when the powers of Shazam are used without caution and restraint. The violent episode pauses the players who are still conscious, allowing the Marvels to leave unopposed.

The graphic conclusion of Osiris flying through Persuader makes it almost feel like DC taking something back from Quality's cult 80s UK Kid Miracleman (aka; Kid Marvelman), but this type of extreme violence was becoming broadly commonplace at the publisher in the mid-2000s.

When Black Adam left the JSA in 2003, we saw him rip the heart from Kobra's chest, beginning a violent march that would also see him casually poke his fingers through Psycho-Pirate's head, and tear Terra-Man in two in 52 #3.

On the surface it's a lot of extreme action, but these were the actions that built a sense of anxiety & distrust about Black Adam in the public and political spheres of the DCU. The entirety of 52 is ratcheting up the tension, offering at least some examination of the consequence of choosing the brutal path.

Violence inevitably begets violence, and things will only get worse for the Black Marvel Family. The erstwhile Sobek will reveal himself as Yurrd, Horseman of Famine, who devours Osiris, and participates in an attack by the new Monster Society which will end with the death of Isis, as well.

This saga of Black Adam's journey from villain, to anti-hero, to anti-villain, and back, made him one of the most dynamic characters to track through the 2000s, and it's no surprise he's taken flight as the next live-action DC movie property. We were already talking about Dwayne Johnson's casting back in 2007!

As time marches on I have mixed feelings about the cult fandom that exploded around Black Adam, and characters like him. It's difficult to imagine redeeming a villain who resorted to the mass murder of millions, especially in these times, and as the 'Superman gone bad' concept becomes increasingly prevalent -- sometimes received without any irony -- it begins to lose its appeal.

Marvel Comics may've attached the mantra of 'with great power must come great responsibility' to Spider-Man, but it's a principle that remains fundamentally at the heart of the super-hero concept, and I appreciate stories like todays as reminders of that important principle, and as cautionary tale.

I also appreciate 52. I find myself reflecting on its effortless episodic flow, and interesting cast of somewhat disparately featured DC characters, and enjoy it all a great deal. Something I haven't found from DC Comics over the last decade.

The appearance of the Suicide Squad may be in service to the Black Adam chapters of 52, but I also enjoy that Osiris' reckless act marries well with the meta of the Squad concept. It was a mild shame to casually wipe a C-grade Superman villain from the board, but Persuader was already something of a legacy villain, so maybe the potential was still there to recover.

Atom Smasher's admission to the team feels like a deft move, as well. A nice way to continue his journey, similar in flourish to Bronze Tiger or Vixen's time with the group. Voluntary service in the name of redemption and doing good.

Once upon a time Black Adam had a similarly brief team-up with the Squad. That might be something interesting to explore sometime in the future. In the meantime, lets commit this one to the record and roll on to future endeavors!

This is officially the 700th fight featured on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths!

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Winner(s): Osiris & Black Adam (w/ Sobek & Isis)
#22 (+5) Black Adam
#218 (new) Osiris [+1 kill]
#494 (+16) Isis [+1 assist]
#654 (+54) Sobek (Yurrd) [+1 assist]
#373 (-167) Atom Smasher
#637 (-85) Plastique
#638 (-84) Captain Boomerang (Owen Mercer)
#971 (new) Electrocutioner (Lester Buchinsky)
#972 (new) Persuader (Cole Parker)
#360 (+9) Count Vertigo [+1 assist]

RENEE MONTOYA versus RICHARD DRAGON

Miracles & Wonders (DC)
Where: 52 #41 When: April 2007 Why: Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka & Mark Waid How: Giuseppe Camuncoli w/ Keith Giffen

The Story So Far...
Pushed to the edge by her investigations into a corrupt cop, and the related murder of Detective Crispus Allen: Renee Montoya quit the Gotham City Police Department only to descend into a drunken downward spiral.

Montoya found new purpose as a hired agent of The Question, travelling the globe to investigate an Intergang conspiracy, all the while unaware she was being groomed to replace the faceless hero once he succumbed to terminal lung cancer.

Montoya's apprenticeship takes her to Nanda Parbat where the master Richard Dragon will prepare her to become The Question. As Vic Sage exits this mortal coil she fights to live up to his legacy, but soon finds she must live up to herself!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Richard Dragon 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Richard Dragon 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Richard Dragon 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Richard Dragon 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Richard Dragon 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Richard Dragon 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Renee Montoya 2 (Projectiles)
Total: Richard Dragon 27 (Metahuman)

Today's battle is all about student and master, but it's also a double debut for The Comic Book Fight Club! We've somehow missed one of Gotham City's finest, and a renowned master of martial arts. Let's get a quick primer for both!

Renee Montoya was a uniform police officer with the GCPD until she was promoted to homicide detective by Commissioner Gordon, and partnered with Harvey Bullock. They served during the No Man's Land saga that left an earthquake ravaged Gotham cut-off from the mainland, and overrun with criminals like Two-Face, who took a unique shine towards the detective.

When Harvey Bullock was promoted, Montoya received a new partner named Crispus Allen, who was eventually murdered by dirty crime scene investigator Jim Corrigan. This triggered a violent slide that eventually led Renee to quit the force and come to the attention of The Question, who initiated her training.

Richard Dragon studied martial arts under the tutelage of legendary Japanese grandmaster: O-Sensei. Mastering multiple disciplines, he eventually joined the Global Organization of Organized Defense, partnered with friend and fellow student, Ben Turner. They travelled the world thwarting international espionage until Turner was brainwashed by the League of Assassins, and Richard retired.

Dragon had previously counseled rival-turned-ally, Lady Shiva, and applied these skills to the training of new fighters. Among his most noteworthy students have been: The Question, Batman, Nightwing, Oracle, and Huntress.

Given Renee Montoya has come to Richard Dragon for training, there's clearly an inherent disparity between their skill levels. Montoya's a street wise cop who can handle herself, but it would undoubtedly be considered an upset if she were able to outfight a master of karate, kung fu, and assorted other styles.

Montoya has travelled to Nanda Parbat to become the new Question, and has already spent some time under the late Vic Sage's guidance. The end goal is a Renee Montoya who is ready to confront criminals with her wits and fists. When she's ready, she should be able to take a sparring session. So... Is she ready?...

The Tape: Renee Montoya Ranking: Draw (Not Ranked)

What Went Down...
Summoned to the cold of an icy cave, Renee Montoya seeks audience with Richard Dragon. She finds her master's visage refracted in the ice, admonishing her for token efforts of dining with monks, and a change of clothes. He strikes!

Montoya defends against his simple fist and retaliates with a craning palm strike. She insists her intentions are to carry on as The Question intended, but Richard Dragon is not convinced.

He blocks a swinging punch as swiftly as her token indulgence, and accuses her of trading the bottle for a gi to deal with feelings of loss and guilt. Martial arts are just another one night stand to lose herself in in the absence of a woman.

The mournful student throws a kick, insisting she isn't denying her grief, but the master catches her ankle and sees beyond the surface. Feeling and accepting the loss are two very different things. Montoya is exposed, allowing Dragon to easily take her off her feet with a sweeping kick. He challenges his student to face herself!

The takedown puts Montoya on the ground and the master literally forces her to confront her own vision in the reflection of the cave's ice, lifting her head!

The student sees herself reflected many times in the ice. She recoils -- pushing away from the reflections and past the released grip of Richard Dragon.

The master watches sternly as Montoya turns to run from the cave, unready for the challenge of confronting all that is inside her.

The Hammer...
Nothing like a little sparring to shatter your confidence! Richard Dragon remains the unsurpassed master as Renee Montoya meets the obstacle of self - and fails.

It might seem a little bit cliché, but you really can't go wrong with a moment of self-doubt on the path of the hero's journey. It's nothing a little time and quiet contemplation won't solve. In fact, it only took a few issues. Such were the needs of 52: a year-long, weekly series that challenged and excited the market with its anthology of long form, weekly episodes.

It was interesting to see the experiment used to depict the post-modern making of a superhero. The world has seen its fair share of origin stories, but rarely are they told so deliberately, showing selection through to apprenticeship.

Renee Montoya was as good a choice as any, having been a hardened Gotham cop who'd seen adventures in print and animation for a good fifteen years. The only obvious drawback was that it essentially meant losing two great characters to gain one that didn't serve either role quite as well.

The Question is just one of those characters who's undeniably cool.

The visual of a faceless man in hat and trench coat is all you really need. Throw in a swirl of smoke, and the gritty atmosphere of a dark, conspiring modern metropolis, and you've got yourself a recipe for intrigue.

Its a little galling that a character inspired by The Question has challenged his place in mainstream pop awareness. Anything Rorschach can do, The Question could arguably do better.

Talk of a Rorschach revival is always a bit silly when The Question is right there, ready and waiting. He's an icon unburdened by the legacy and vision of Watchmen, or the bitter ugliness that lies inherent in Rorschach.

The strength of the visual is such that re-envisioning The Question as Renee Montoya wasn't the worst idea in the world. Contrary to their current status: DC has been home to some of the best examples of legacy hand-overs in superhero comics! Renee Montoya was a better successor to The Question than Walter Kovacs ever was [that's Rorschach's real name, kids]. For whatever reason, it just didn't seem to capture the same mystique that followed the elusive original, or its Denny O'Neil defined adaptation.

Montoya was her own character. It was equally disappointing to lose an identifiable face on the streets of Gotham.

Given enough time, average everyday mortals tend to fall by the wayside in superhero comics. Renee Montoya was a cop you could identity, with a history and character all her own. She was a mortal presence who hadn't quite suffered an irrevocably hideous indignity, or foul end. A rarity for the times!

Honing Renee Montoya's skills so she can survive and thrive in the crime-ridden streets isn't such a bad idea. It's just nice to have a regular human we care about, too. Somebody to fill out the immortal ranks of the GCPD beside the likes of Commissioner Gordon and Harvey Bullock. With hindsight, we can see there was already a Question. Maybe what the world needs is a Renee Montoya, too.

Renee Montoya is currently appearing on screens everywhere in Birds of Prey.

If you'd like to witness her comic book journey to becoming The Question, you can find today's featured sparring (and much more) in 52 Volume 2. Do your shopping via the Amazon link provided and you'll help support the site at no extra cost!

Discover more from the characters mentioned throughout this article by following links throughout this post, or by diving into the ever-expanding Secret Archive! There you'll find an index of links to every featured fight in order of publisher, series, and issue.

If you like Secret Wars on Infinite Earths and wish to contribute more directly you can help support the project via Patreon. You can also get free daily links to topical battles by subscribing via Twitter and Facebook! Be sure to hit like and subscribe on your favourites!

Winner: Richard Dragon
#333 (new) Richard Dragon
#904 (new) Renee Montoya

BLACK ADAM versus AZRAEUZ
Every Hour Wounds, The Last Kills (DC comics)
Where: 52 #45 When: May 2007
Why: Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka & Mark Waid How: Chris Batista, Jamal Igle & Keith Giffen

The story so far...
The nation of Khandaq has endured great hardship since Black Adam's coup of power, but war and unrest is quickly overshadowed as the nation becomes stricken with disease and famine, seemingly without a cause.

The true nature of Khandaq's hardship reveals itself in the form of the new Monster Society, each member representing one of the four fabled horsemen. The group is successful in killing Black Adam's adopted brother and sister, Osiris and Isis, but Adam slaughters all their number, save Death himself.

Having acted in conjunction with the corrupt governments being manipulated by Intergang - a criminal group Black Adam refused to involve himself with - Azraeuz flees to the neighbouring nation of Bialya. Unfortunately for them, Black Adam knows that, and with his family buried, is ready to take a trip...

Previous Form:
Black Adam (#20): Destroyed the other members of the Four Horsemen, and Psycho-Pirate.
Azraeuz (#239): Defeated by Black Adam and Isis in preceding battle.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Draw 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Black Adam 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Black Adam 5 (Super Speed)
Stamina: Black Adam 6 (Generator)
Agility: Black Adam 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting Ability: Black Adam 7 (Born Fighter)
Energy Powers: Black Adam 3 (Explosives)


Because the descriptions used in the tape system are fairly specific, it's generally pretty rare that you see sevens being thrown around. A lot of the guys you associated as having high level strengths are pipped at a six, because the system attempts to account for the uneven effect of cosmic and omnipotent characters.

Being a born fighter is pretty specific. There aren't too many characters ranked to have that honor, but I think we can all agree Black Adam is one of them.
Over the past six months the general message, where Black Adam has been concerned, is that if you get in the way you're straight-up fucked!

While his abilities can be easily wrapped up in a bow and analyzed, he's one of those characters whose statistics are misleading. With the right motivation it's fair to say Black Adam could take on an entire planet, and he just might even win! That's not to say he's ridiculously unbeatable, but there's a fiery temper that sponsors efforts inhuman even to super humans.

Azraeuz isn't easy! From what little we've actually seen of him [52 #44], he clearly has some skill. I mean skill in that condescending way the French guy uses it in Matrix Reloaded, when Neo's just stopped a whole bunch of bullets dead in their tracks. Azraeuz, "Death", has some skill.

Past performance shows Azraeuz is capable of getting the better of Black Adam. With his three buddies and the benefit of surprise, Azraeuz was able to physically dominate Black Adam, and keep him busy while his new girlfriend was getting killed by his fellows. Azraeuz definitely has the power to deal with Black Adam, but if we're going to go on past performance, we also have to recognise that ultimately Black Adam came out on top there.

Likewise, the bare statistics easily favour the Shazam-powered Adam, who exceeds Azraeuz in all areas but the wide-berthed strength, at a six.
So, where are we going with this? Well, that's pretty simple:

The Math: Black Adam (Super Class)
The Pick: Black Adam (Azraeuz is so fucked!...)

What went down...
Black Adam arrives in Bialya, already in a furious rage, as he crashes his way into the building that houses that nation's leaders. There, Adam finds the military and government officials who beg for the aid of their allies, but find themselves abandoned.

Death slaughters some of the men himself, before making an escape while Black Adam interrogates and kills those who have involved themselves in his mess.

Adam quickly dismantles the Bialyan military and moves to the streets, wreaking terrible havok with little regard for the civilians of the country.
Spying an orchid amidst the blood already spilled, Adam's sorrow is reignited, stirring him to retaliate brutally to the advances of the innocents that would protect themselves and their country.

Furiously searching through the carnage for Death, Black Adam notices crows gathering in the darkened, smoke-filled skies. Azraeuz is done hiding.

Azraeuz' strategy of hidnig proves to be more motivated by more than cowardice. With every death Black Adam has inflicted, Azraeuz has been able to feed and grow ever stronger, likewise explaining why he freely turned on his own allies.
With fatalities in the millions, Azraeuz is incredibly powerful!

He swats Black Adam through the air with ease, leaving him to land with a bang in a Bialyan cemetary.

The horseman of death hoists the Shazam powered anti-hero from the ground, and delights in the death of his bride, and the predictability his rage has brought with it.

Azraeuz slices through Adam's chest with his golden scythe, delighting in the sustenance he has provided through the death of the millions of innocents.
With Black Adam down and hurting, Azraeuz then continues his schpiel, demanding the death of Khandaq's ruler.

Black Adam's mighty fist shatters the golden scythe at the neck as he comes thundering down toward him. He plunges the blade deep into Azraeuz' mid-section and makes a grim decree, "I am here to tell you you are death no longer. I am."

Adam wraps his hands around the creature's neck and cries the magic word of the Wizard Shazam; heiling down the mystic lightning that changes him back to his human form of Theo-Adam, and cuts through the villainous horseman without mercy.

Stunned and sizzling, Azraeuz again feels the searing burn of the lightning ambush, as Adam immediatel reverts back to his more common form.

Snatching up a piece of wreckage, Black Adam looms over the struggling and smouldering beast. He confidently demands the total cooperation of the creature in answering his questions in descriptive terms, before driving the chunk of column deep into it's broken wings and back.

"And then, almight "Death" -- I am going to spend the rest of the night slowly ending your life."

The next day on Oolong Island, the assembled scientists responsible for the creation of Azraeuz and his fellows are watching a newscast concerning Black Adam's rampage, only to interrupted by the sounding of the island security. The alarm that tells them -- Black Adam has come for them.

The hammer...
The winner, with several million kills added to his name, Black Adam. For anyone wondering, we will probably continue to track Black Adam's rampage across the DC Universe next month, although, I haven't as yet been able to pick up the four issues of World War III, so we might fall short of the complete story.
If anyone would desperately like to see those covered, hit up the PayPal donations, because I'm strapped!

So, it's convenient that I was behind on updates, because some of the big news hitting the comics/movie world is the hot rumor of interest in Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson playing the role of Captain Marvel in the feature film version of the character's adventures. As I'm sure you're all already thinking, he would of course be far more compelling in the role of the Middle Eastern anti-hero, Black Adam!

Without getting into the whole caucasian/ethnicity debate that comes up with a lot of comic adaptations, there's a few reasons The Rock would be so great as Adam. Visual asthetics aside, he's shown not only that he can play the action tough guy, but as also brought the presence of fighting royalty to The Scorpion King, and played the motivated anti-hero in Doom, complete with a crazed twist.
Likewise, as much as Rock can turn it up, there's a genuine and warm sincerity to his character that suggests to me he might be able to embody some of the finer pathos, and motivated antagonising Black Adam undertakes. While also possessing, as seen in Doom, that necessary evil that the character sometimes exhibits.

I couldn't tell you who I'd rather see playing Captain Marvel, but suffice to say, The Rock is one of the few muscle-men who come to mind who could fit the part, and maybe have a hope of selling it. I don't know what the general consensus is, but I've had at least a couple of people agree.

So, 52 has of course well and truly wrapped up by now, and we're two weeks into the follow-up project, Countdown. I haven't had the money to pick up World War III, so as you can imagine, I'm not reading Countdown right now. It's much the same scenario that struck me earlier in 52's life, but if this experience has been anything to go by, there'll still be plenty to gain later in the run!

I think one of the saddest points coming out of 52 is that Black Adam's powers were wrestled away from him by Captain Marvel, who is now the governing protector of their abilities. Fortunately Countdown has featured an appearance by the character, and DC have solicited an upcoming Black Adam mini-series that will not only detail the time between his defeat in WW3 and Countdown, but also feature artwork by Secret Earths Top Ten artist, Doug Mahnke.
So, it looks like the hits are just going to keep on coming for Black Adam!

Y'know, reflecting on this particular issue and everything Black Adam has been through as a character, having just featured Namor [What if...? #41], I come back to a point I think I've made previously: DC are doing Namor better than Marvel.

Much like Adam, the Sub-Mariner has lost not only a relative; Namorita during the New Warriors/Stamford incident, but also one of his oldest friends - Captain America. The fact that, as far as I know, he is yet to have any kind of reaction to this, is a little disheartening. I've mentioned before that I'm not a fan of the thick-headed angry Namor, but if there was ever grounds for an incursion of the surface world, this is probably the time.

Marvel a really getting dissed pretty hard on this front. Particularly given the Sub-Mariner is one of their few enduring Golden Age properties, predating Black Adam by almost twenty years. It's disappointing that they've let this sacred cow slump so certainly. We might have to compare mini-series later in the year, but on what little we have to go on now, it's not looking good for ol' marine-mook.

Before I get too carried away, we are a week behind right now, so I think I'd best wrap this one up. A lot of big updates coming this way, including a special little something next, so stay tuned!

I saw the movie Crank last week, and like that, this issue of 52 was just stupid-fun. Action packed, vengeful, ridiculous, and over-the-top. Loved it!
The Fight: 7 The Issue: 6

THE MONSTER SOCIETY versus BLACK ADAM
Deaths in the Family (DC comics)
Where: 52 #44 When: May 2007
Why: Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid How: Keith Giffen & Eddy Barrows

The story so far...
Black Adam's nation of Khandaq has been plunged into a plague of darkness, and Adam's young protégé, Osiris, believes his committing a murder with the powers granted to him is what's responsible.

Convinced to give-up his powers, which free him of his condition as a cripple, Osiris is quickly slaughtered by Sobek, a crocodilian creature he rescued from the sinister mad scientist, Dr. Sivana.

Sobek reveals himself to really be Yurrd the Unknown, member of "The Four Ages of Dread Of Apokolips in it's anguished, bloody morning."
The NEW Monster Society, and remaining three horsemen of Khandaq's apocalypse reveal themselves, and launch their sleeping attack on Black Adam.

Previous Form:
Black Adam, Isis, The Four Horsemen: None of these characters have been featured previously on the site.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Black Adam 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Black Adam 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Black Adam 5 (Super Speed)
Stamina: Black Adam 6 (Generator)
Agility: Black Adam 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting Ability: Black Adam 7 (Born Fighter)
Energy Powers: War 6 (Mass Destruction)


Okay, this was a tough one, because the [Four Horsemen] characters, as far as I know, are new to 52, so there isn't a lot of discussion to be had.
Certainly the nature of their powers and the way they are presented paints a fairly clear picture of their capabilities, but the minutia may be lost here.

The tape is deceptive, because while Black Adam's broad strengths paint a fairly encompassing picture, the four Monster Society pawns have a comparable bredth of strengths that simply aren't as potent as Black Adam's.

Each character possesses impressive physical strength. Famine (Yurr) appears to be the only character without a strong, unique twist to the rest of abilities. Rather than possessing any famine themed abilities, he's simply a reptilian with a penchant for eating things, and an insatiable hunger.

In the previous issue he revealed his true nature by devouring Osiris once he had reverted to his crippled form, which brings us to this issue, where the powers granted to Osiris return to Black Adam, and alert him of the danger.

Pestilence (Zorrm) possesses various chemical based attacks, with a backpack/blaster combination, as well as oral means of gas projection. He is potentially the weakest of the group, while also being the most grotesque and subversive.

War (Roggra) is a lumbering mechanical looking creature with various mount weapons, and a distinct theme of modern weaponry. There's a very tanky motiff, there.

Death (Azraeuz) appears somewhere between an angel and an Egyptian Anibus style creature, and as we will ultimately learn, he is capable of drawing dark strength from the deaths of others. [More on that in The Hammer -- Mumbling Mike]

The strength in numbers certainly gives this new Monster Society a leg up on the competition, but Black Adam is truly an impressive character. Arguably more powerful than his cheesy counterpart, Captain Marvel, Teth-Adam (as he's also known) is far more ruthless a character, despite his noble intentions.
He will make no bones about killing in situations of ambiguity, let alone with the onslaught of engineered creatures designed to destroy him.

It should also be noted that he has another young companion, Isis, a slave woman who was offered to him by Intergang, and ultimately proved to be an outspoken and courageous young woman named Adrianna Tomaz, worthy of the power of Isis.

Isis has comparable powers to Adam himself, if a little less potent, but also properties for healing, and limited control or influence over the weather.

As far as caling a winner here, it's hard to deny the numbers advantage possessed by the Four Horsemen. Black Adam is an incredibly compelling and powerful character, and if anyone's going to overcome odds like those, he's probably a good bet. The powers of Shazam may just have the edge here.

The Math: Monster Society (Total) Black Adam (Average)
The Pick: Black Adam w/ Isis

What went down...
Adam and Isis stand confronting Famine, as the remaining members of the Four Horsemen descend upon them. Death is the first to strike, swinging his giant golden scythe into the grip of the SHAZAM powered ruler.

The two mighty beings smash through the balcony roof of the Kahndaqi palace, but despite being on the bottom, Adam has strength enough to throw the larger Death beast off with a thundering right hook.
Famine descends quickly, wrapping his taloned finger tips around Adam's face.
"Let me tell you how I ate Osiris! How his organs popped in my mouth like fresh grapes..."

Osiris, having been snatched up by Pestilence, drops into the palace through the hole left by Adam and Death. She witnesses Teth-Adams firey rage first hand.

Adam takes Famine's snout in his hands, and as a tear makes it's way from the creature's eye, he pulls open it's jaw much farther than it should ever be. Blood sprays, "These are not men, Isis. Sobek said it himself. They are monsters."

War lumbers, as Black Adam points him out as next on the list. However, a hail of bullets interrupts his charge. He's pushed back, taking less damage than his residence, before War blows him off his feet with an explosive.

"I have the power of all the world's soldiers and missiles and bombs. Those are my gods."

Osiris continues her tustle with Pestilence, warned by her preternatural relationship with nature that he is a creature made of little more than virii and bacterium. It was he who brought disease and misery to the people of Kahndaq.

The creature stares through the single red orb on it's forehead, and sprays forth a green mist of goo and ill. Isis springs forth various tendrils of growth to protect her, as she slides clear of the muck.

The paths of the heroes converge. As Adam reels from the gunfire attack of War, Pestilence is throw into the mix by the greenery, before being swept into an isolated tornado along with War.

Isis' blood runs cold as Death returns to face the Black Adam family.
Death's penetrating gaze stuns both. A zealous War snatches Adam and tosses him out of the building, announcing himself the instrument by which Death's decree of doom will be dealt. Adam smashes the head from the statue of his long fallen wife as he comes to a painful halt.

War is on him almost immediately, grinding his head into the ground with the mechanical mess of engineering and metal that poses for a hand.
Adam continues to be tossed and pounded by the creature of War, while Isis finds herself victim to a full blast from Pestilence's mounted gun. Pestilence surrenders her to Death, "I have spread my disease across her and inside her."

Staring down at the stone face of his first wife, Adam is asked the question, "Will you beg for your life as well?"
It serves to inspire his rage. It gives him the strength to plunge his fist deep inside the chest of the robotic monstrosity of War.

It is difficult to say whether they are tears of mourning, or of unbridled hate, but as he rips away at the creature, Adam returns the favour, "Will you? A being who embodies all the war in the world does not impress me."

Blood gushes from Isis' mouth, and tears from her eyes, also, as she fades further and further still from life. Death lifts her by the chin with the tip of his scythe.

Pestilence' grin turns to a scowl.
Black Adam blasts his head off with the shoulder mount cannon taken from War.

Death swings his large scythe, scathing at the side of the Kahndaq ruler. Adam does away with the weapon, and uses his fists to shatter the teeth from Death's skullish head.
It is not enough to stay the beast's attack. He palms Black Adam's head, but still clinging desperately to life, Isis reaches a benevolent hand outward.

She calls to the Earth, asking it to spew forth it's moltenous lava so as to seperate the monster from her husband.
Death is jetted skyward in stream of lava and smoke, choosing to flee from further assault rather than face down the elements themselves further.

Adam cradles his queen in his arms. She confesses a new understanding for the bleakness she had discouraged. In these horseman she understands the great evils and digusting crimes man would commit, and she is angered. She stems Adams' faith in her, and the good she claimed. Dying in his arms, she asks for exactly what Black Adam can provide.

And with that vengeful scorn, lightning descends upon the ruler.
The power of Isis returns to him, and the sky begins to weep.
Black Adam is alone, but not without purpose.

The hammer...
Your winner, despite great loss -- Black Adam.
Hopefully I captured the battle with suitable drama, despite being somewhat tired by Easter festivities, and the general late we find ourselves in. Alas, we move on!

Like a lot of people, I've been well and truly been converted into absolutely loving Black Adam. The obvious aside, the character is regularly compared to Marvel's Namor, and I can't help but feel the character Black Adam has benefitted from, starting really with Geoff Johns and David Goyer's run on JSA, is exactly the kind of thing Marvel hasn't done with their character.

As I mention, the Black Adam reneissance dates back to JSA where he joined the team under the pretenses that he'd changed, but as we saw throughout the issues, he was detaching himself to ultimately form a much more hard-edged team. That progress culminated in the thoroughly awesome Black Reign JSA/Hawkman crossover story, and has really continued ever since.

As we discussed previously [52 #42], I came to the 52 party just as the business was kicking off, so I have a pretty narrow field of reference. Even so, I well and truly jump on the bandwagon toting Black Adam as the best portion of the series.

Perhaps the only concern coming out of this is the future of the character. He's crossed a pretty big line in the issues that follow this one, and that's not generally something you see from DC comics. With promotions for the upcoming World War III featuring the character prominently, you have to wonder...

I'd like to think calmer voices of reason would protect the character from such a fate, and I'd put my money there, but you just never know. It wouldn't be the first time we saw a character built-up, if only to be knocked down.

I am trying to move through here pretty quickly, but I have to draw some attention to one little note. I realise Radiohead is one of those groups depressed teens like to attach to various scenes of pathos or drama, but I have to say, despite the slightly cartoony take on the violence, if I were going to cut this comic into a music video -- Thom Yorke - Analyse.
If you've got the book and the track, I challenge you to have a paced flick through, and fill-in the gaps of motion with your imagination.

Since we're reflecting the times as they are somewhat, you can expect a follow-up to the Black Adam action in the coming months, even though they're not the easiest reviews/summaries to write. I just think the character deserves it.

Actually, also, it's just dawned on me that we've had an awful lot of killing in the last few entries.
To anyone worried we might be turning the competition too far in the direction of a bloodsport, I offer sincere reassurance. Only Wednesday's usual dose of What if? books will be soaked in the blood of your childhood icons. Those, and maybe event books written by Brian Bendis.

All the best, and a belated Happy Easter to all concerned.

The Fight: 5.5 The Issue: 5.5

STEEL versus LEX LUTHOR
Man Ain't Nothing But a Man (DC comics)
Where: 52 #40 When: April 2007
Why: Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka & Mark Waid How: Keith Giffen & Chris Batista

The story so far...
Lex Luthor's everyman project appears to have discovered means of granting normal human beings fantastic powers through the use of an injectable meta-gene therapy.

The only side effects appear to be the development of superpowers, and in the case of John Henry Irons, the armored hero once called Steel, this means literally becoming a man of steel.

When his powers begin to dissipate, Irons realises Luthor's meta-gene not only has finite potential, but also a potential 'off-switch', which leads to the deaths of several experiment subjects. Thus, Irons shrugs off a bitter depression, and dons the Steel armor once more to confront the evil Lex Luthor.

Previous Form:
Steel (#18): Steel has victories over well known supervillains; Plasmus and Metallo.
Lex Luthor: Luthor had a cameo during Batman's battle with the OGRE droid.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Steel 5 (Super Strength)
Intelligence: Lex Luthor 6 (Genius)
Speed: Steel 3 (Trained Athlete)
Stamina: Steel 5 (Marathon Runner)
Agility: Steel 2 (Average Human)
Fighting Ability: Steel 3 (Street Wise)
Energy Powers: Lex Luthor 4 (Arsenal)

The tape paints a pretty clear picture of how we rate Luthor on our scale.
As a guy who's arguably a top-tier DC villain, Luthor rates deceptively low, but regular visitors to the blog will be accustomed to how characters are capable of playing above their weight.

Luthor's speciality is in his intelligence, and that's how he's able to duke it out with the likes of Superman. The only problem with that is that in the bredth of his abilities, there isn't a lot more to pad out his potential in a fight.

Luthor's advantages are in his technology, like the powersuit, which was deemed too irregularly used to effect his strength rating. Likewise, his seemingly endless access to hired minions and other external aids are perhaps his greatest tools in a confrontation with any character, without even getting into something like his masterminding the gathering of The Society.

Steel's a character of great determination and intelligence, but against the likes of Luthor his greatest advantage may come down to brute strength.

Against the likes of Luthor, regardless of what arsenal has been called upon, Steel's potential to be a raging bull would probably be the key to victory, gaining the momentum-based victory.

The Math: Steel (Meta Class)
The Pick: Steel

What went down...
Having fought his way through Everyman and had his armor shattered whilst wearing it, Steel barges his way into Luthor's top story office with the use of his unique sledgehammer.

There, Luthor waits confidently with Natasha Irons, Steel's neice, beaten and well restrained. Her cries of warning are too late, as John Henry walks straight into a Superman style blast of heat vision.

Luthor, only coming to terms with his newly aquired powers, shifts to X-ray vision, gleefully enjoying his new abilities whilst examining his own skeleton.

Steel, unwavering, leaps back at Luthor literally steaming from the previous attack, with the fire sprinklers activating above.

He drives his hammer down atop the skull of the villainous former-President, but it is for moot.
The force of the blow piledrivers Luthor into the very floor, but as Luthor himself exclaims, he feels no pain from the potentially lethal blow.

Thigh-deep in the floor, Luthor wrenches the hammer from Steel's hands with but one of his own, and drives the handle shaft through Steel's exposed mid-section, impaling him on his own weapon.

As Dr. John Henry Irons pulls the hammer from his own gut, Luthor hovers out of his rut, striking his opponent with a fist packing super strength.

He swats Steel with an open backhand, taking delight in sending him through the wall, despite having only barely touched him.

Luthor professes his maniacal plans of world domination to the restrained Natasha Irons, noting the absence of the world's greatest heroes as opportunity to capitalise on the vaccuum of uncoordinated heroes.

To Luthor's surprise and chagrin, Steel again staggers back into the field-- a changed man. Luthor's self-obssession has full restored the man who built the armor, and John Henry Irons is again a man who recognises the value and reason for men who would be called super heroes. Men who fight for something more than themselves.

Luthor compells Steel to give up, "You have four broken ribs and a ruptured appendix. Your small intestine is leaking fecal matter into your bloodstream. Trust me... I have X-ray vision."

Despite his greivous injuries, Steel shows the determination of his namesake, holding his ground.

Luthor flies at the hero, who hurls his hammer seemingly in vain, as Luthor uses his explosive heat vision to blast a hole through the ceiling.
The hammer, as it turns out, actually strikes the mechanical chair which holds Steel's neice hostage. Set free, the female who once donned Steel armor of her own is able to recognise that Luthor's 'failsafe' for disrupting the exo-gene powers was an electrical pulse, and deduces that the atomic power source housed within Steel's hammer could permanently render the powers inert.

On the rooftop, Steel disengages his robotic hand, which explodes around the super-durable neck of Lex Luthor, who is coming to terms with the influx of sound and sights with his new heightened senses.

He doesn't hear Natasha fiddling with her uncle's hammer on the floor below, but he does feel it, as his body comes crashing down, bound once more by the laws enforced by gravity.

With the tables turned, Luthor spouts desperate threats as the fitter, more powerful of the two men declares his moral superiority.

Steel reveals that the everyman gene treatment was toxic, and would have killed Luthor in six months had his neice not nullified it's effect.

With the Teen Titans gathered below, the giant L atop the Lexcorp building comes crashing down to the evacuated ground floor.
Standing mightily atop the building, a triumphant pair of heroes, each barers of the Steel legacy, and victors over a would-be tyrant.

The hammer...
The winner by knockout, with the assist from his neice-- Steel!

Regular readers will know I've been on a kick of more recent comics lately, and I'm pleased to finally be a part of 52. I'm not sure I could have ever pledged my dollar to a year's worth of weekly comics, but I think I picked the right time to pop in for a visit. It sounds like things are wrapping up on a strong note, and certainly when I read the solicitation for what turned out to be nearly an all-Steel issues, I was chuffed!

If you track back to the one or two previous Steel appearances on the blog, you'll discover that he's one of my favourite DC characters, inspite of his relative obscurity. As one of the lead characters in the second-tier push of 52, I'm certainly very pleased with the concept, and the push to bring a guy like this back. I just wish we could be seeing him in active duty in the other One Year Later DC Universe titles.

I picked up four issues of 52, weeks thirty-nine through forty-two, and I've certainly been impressed with the quality of the books. The back-up origin features are a nice touch, particularly with what seems to be an effort to customize the artist to fit the character. #42's Green Arrow feature with Scott McDaniel art is a notable occasion, McDaniel being the current on-going artist on the character.

The art is probably what most sceptics would have been epecting to see suffer under the load of such a heavy schedule, but it looks to me like it's been handled brilliantly. The price of rotating artists seems to be well worth it, with Keith Giffen's direction seemingly giving the series an appropriate throughline. Although, I imagine a great deal of credit has to go to the inking and colouring teams, who although different, seem to be similar enough, perhaps by design, to maintain a consistency that prevents jarring from issue to issue.

It's difficult for me to really say how I feel about the broader scope of the 52 story, having only read the two issues, thus far. I'm certainly the type of reader who has no bones about jumping into the middle of a story, but I could see how it might benefit from a recap page of some sorts. Simple decduction and a willingness to go with the story should be enough to leap in, but is probably a rare trait among modern readers, and they may find themselves uncomfortable.

The anthology style in some of the issues is interesting, and I wonder if it may have made weekly reading a little tedious. Like some popular TV shows, it feels like it's only letting out insignificant movement in the story through dribs and drabs, but certainly it delivers in an issue like forty, which dedicates a great deal of time to wrapping up one of the plots.

One would imagine the combined might of Johns, Morrison, Rucka and Waid would be enough to place the necessary value on each of the stories.
Presumably the involvement of each writer overlaps, even if they tackled their own stories, or moments throughout the saga of 52.*

I'm struggling with what I could really say here that is something you don't already know. It's very much a what-you-see kind of book, and I can't elaborate a great deal. It doesn't excel, but it is strong enough that it's difficult to criticise.

I guess I leave you with the hope that DC isn't over extending itself with the announcement of Countdown, which will run every week for a year, this time rolling down from fifty-two down to one, in reverse order.

I hope post-52 we can see John Henry Irons back in active duty as Steel, and I hope the events of the new Countdown will not affect that.
Speculation has the regularly appearing 'multiverse' theory bobbing back up for Countdown, but I'd like to think DC and the writing team that is steering the cohesive ship are wise enough to recognise the negatives that far outweigh the potential cons.

I've poo-pooed the theory in the past, and I'll continue to do so, but I wonder what Countdown will entail. Certainly the promotional artwork has a lot of people talking, and I wonder if the featured heavy-hitters of the DC universe aren't indicative of a 52 style book that recaps the journies of the major heroes who were deliberately omitted from 52. As opposed to the theory that it represents the segregation of the heroes into their own universes.

Here's hoping!

The Fight: 4 The Issue: 5

* The presumption that the writers crafted an overall outline for the story as a group is the reasoning for each writer being credited for this entire issue, which features only one storyline.