VENOM versus SPIDER-MAN

The Boneyard Hop! (Marvel)
Where: Amazing Spider-man #347 When: May 1991
Why: David Michelinie How: Erik Larsen

The Story So Far...
When Spider-man's costume was damaged fighting the Secret Wars of Battleworld, he mistakenly chose the wrong repair machine, unleashing an alien symbiote that masqueraded as his new black costume!

Freeing himself from the parasite using its weakness to sound, Spider-man inadvertently created his greatest nemesis when the symbiote bonded with a Peter Parker-hating journalist: Eddie Brock! Sharing the symbiote's knowledge of Parker's secret identity, host and parasite combined to create a deadly Venom!

Using the symbiote's ability to alter his appearance and negate Spider-man's danger sense -- Venom succeeds in luring the web-slinger to the Moleed Labs cryogenic facility. With his mortal nemesis frozen and helpless, Venom transports him to a deserted island so the pair can have their final showdown!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Venom 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: Spider-man 5 (Professor)
Speed: Spider-man 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Draw 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Spider-man 5 (Cat-Like)
Fighting: Draw 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Venom 2 (Projectiles)
Total: Spider-man 29 (Metahuman)

It's finally time to return to one the great comic book rivalries of the modern age! Venom is the distorted reflection of Spider-man, possessing equivalent powers thanks to the alien symbiote originally bonded to Peter Parker!

With a range of additional skills, Venom is arguably Spider-man's superior in physical combat, but that didn't stop the web-slinger winning their only previously featured encounter: an obscure battle from Spider-man Family #2!

The living black costume enhances Eddie Brock's speed and agility, generates webbing and extending tendrils, imitates materials and surfaces, mimics wall-crawling, and increases Brock's natural size and strength to surpass the brute force and endurance of Spider-man!

Venom's superior strength is one of his most obvious offensive advantages. He's used it to overpower Spider-man on countless occasions, and even gone head-to-head with powerhouses like Iron Man [Iron Man #302], Demogoblin [Venom: The Enemy Within #3], and even Superman, in the controversial crossover battles of DC/Marvel: All Access #1!

Fortunately, Spider-man is no stranger to a physical mismatch! With proper motivation he's out thought, and out fought, the likes of: Juggernaut [Amazing Spider-man #230], Rhino [Spider-man: Blue #2], Tombstone [Spectacular Spider-man #142], Scorpion [Spectacular Spider-man #215], Grey Gargoyle [Marvel: Heroes & Legends #1], and even DC's New God Mantis (and Juggernaut), with a little help from Wonder Woman [Unlimited Access #1]!

So what makes Venom more dangerous than all the other heavyweights?

Because of the symbiote's time attached to Peter Parker, it knows all that he knew - and shares it freely with Eddie Brock! There's an obvious tactical edge to knowing how Spider-man fights, but the psychological toll is just as great!

Brock has used his knowledge to prey upon Spidey's vulnerabilities, and torment those closest to him, like his former wife Mary-Jane Watson! At the time of this fight, Venom's personal warfare had arguably put him on the level of the presumed-deceased Green Goblin! A physical and mental double threat!

The symbiote's already managed to trick Spider-man into being cryogenically frozen! The thaw could prove an added problem, along with the unfamiliar arena. This has all the makings of a Venom win, but can you ever rule-out a spectacular Spidey comeback? Let's check it out!

History: Spider-man (1-0-0)
The Tape: Spider-man Ranking: Spider-man (#2)

What Went Down...
Chilled to the bone by cryogenic freezing: Spider-man opens his eyes to find himself sweating in the sun on a deserted island! Venom looms above in a tangle of webbing and palm leaves, waiting for his prey to thaw for the hunt!

Spidey cuts a lesson in the island's history short, webbing Venom's face to buy himself precious seconds to escape! He uses them to flee the open beach for the cover of dense jungle growth, while the symbiote briefly explodes off Eddie Brock's head, clearing the obstruction to its human host's vision!

With no fear of exposing his identity, Peter Parker sips at a cool stream sans mask. He tries to clear his head and prepare for combat when the water stirs!

Two massive, camouflaged arms reach from the water and grab Peter Parker by the throat! The alien symbiote both mimicks its visual surroundings, whilst negating any warning by Spider-man's preternatural spidey sense!

Dragged beneath the water, Spidey struggles to find his footing as a massive fist collides with his face! Spying a sunken tree branch, he desperately shoves the makeshift weapon into Venom's face, then swings for the fences!

The web-slinger makes a break for the surface and escapes the deep pool for the open sprawl of the canopy. Venom is in hot pursuit -- a fact that plagues Peter's mind as he web-swings his way toward an abandoned mining village.

At the settlement edge, Parker uses his fleeting time to improvise a trap and plan to lure Venom to it. Then he remembers: Venom always finds him!

Once again the landscape appears to come alive as the camouflaged symbiote extends from the jungle! It's almost as if the trees themselves are reaching out to attack when that massive fists sends Spider-man staggering!

With no way of knowing when his opponent is coming, Spidey briefly considers his plight is hopeless. He rallies as the tongue-wagging killer rapidly descends upon him, running back in the direction of his trap.

With the sound of a snap - Venom triggers the trap and is snared by the ankle like a rabbit on a rope! Dangling upside down from the trees, he's like a living piñata. Parker rips a door off one of the nearby buildings and hits him!

The wooden door shatters into a cloud of splinters as it collides with Venom's super-humanly strong body! It sends his body swinging, but that's nothing he isn't used to thanks to the symbiote's imitation of Spider-man's abilities. He uses another of the skills to turn the tables, blasting Parker's eyes with web!

Spidey desperately rips at the webbing as Venom frees himself, clearing it just in time to flee once more! The Spider swings from the trees on his web, while the lumbering Venom opts to hoist a nearby jeep and toss it down the path!

The airborne projectile is narrowly avoided by its target, but the momentum of his swinging sends Spidey's twisting body tumbling earthbound! Rather than smash to the ground, the soaring truck falls through the grass -- revealing an abandoned mine! Spider-man crawls by the entrance, detecting a pocket of gas presumably responsible for the disaster that destroyed it.

Venom quickly finds the mineshaft as well, blocking the entrance as he descends upon Parker. The web-slinger has to think fast, pulling the support struts with his web to collapse the entrance under Venom's feet!

Parker keeps one step ahead of his nemesis, leaping out of the mine to swing his way back to the beach. He becomes concerned for web fluid reserves as he notices a shipping boat on the horizon. Before he can chance the waters with spider-strength -- black tendrils explode out of the sand beneath his feet!

The strands of symbiote drag Peter Parker across the beach toward an exposed Eddie Brock. Rather than resist -- Parker shoots webs past Brock and launches himself at speed towards his predator! The diving tackle sends Brock hurtling through the trees back in the direction of the center of the island!

The gambit gives Spidey the chance to go on the run again. He conserves his final web cartridge, hoofing it on foot across a makeshift graveyard, while Eddie Brock takes a break, lighting a campfire to keep warm as night falls.

The Hammer...
I thought we'd be following this battle to its famous conclusion, but it turns out an hour elapses before the final showdown even begins! Comic Book Fight Club rules clearly determine this brings an end to Round 1!

A largely exposed Eddie Brock took a pretty heavy hit before the break, but there's very little to suggest he couldn't continue fighting. He merely chooses to light a campfire and take a breather! That's enough for me to call this one an inconclusive draw!

It reminds me a little of the unexpected pause in Spider-man vs Juggernaut [see also; Round 2], but in this case, Spidey is specifically using the time to prepare for the next encounter.

Who wins an island fight if Spidey has prep time? To be answered when we return to Amazing Spider-man #347 at a later date!

Rather than dwell on what didn't happen in this epic showdown - let's just marvel at the pleasures of the collaborative teaming of David Michelinie and Erik Larsen! A couple of modern greats!

My deepest nostalgia for the pairing goes a little earlier, prior and during the time Spidey got cosmic and took on the likes of Graviton, Magneto [Amazing Spider-man #327], and the magically melded Tri-Sentinel [Amazing #329]!

I particularly appreciate the slightly grittier finish to Erik Larsen's pencils in that period. I think of his '89 work being tighter, with darker blacks, and sharper lines. Some of that might come down to the change from Al Gordon to Randy Emberlin on inks, but it might be artistic choice. That grittiness and weight seemed to return in the early years of Image [Savage Dragon #7].

The eyes and jaw of Venom warp more than I'd probably like. It's a strong, unique visual that compliments these early years when Venom was more readily characterized as a villain, but the sketchy eyes, and ever-extending mandible look too out of control here. I ultimately prefer the aesthetic of the smooth, more rigid Venom that became the model in the years following.more readily characterized as a twisted villain.

Michelinie and Larsen went down some wild roads, but they never strayed too far from a classical core. A big part of the fun of today's featured fight is seeing them take Spider-man out of his classic environment and playing with that.

It's a little silly that the murderous Venom would go this far to catch and release his nemesis, but for the sake of the high-concept of having them duel on a desert island, you've kinda gotta give them the means to deliver the conceit. At a time when third-stringers like Styx and Stone were getting tangled up with the fan favourite rivalry -- I don't think too many would've minded!

The slick black appearance, and toothy drooling maw of Venom sometimes draws comparison to HR Giger's Alien, but there's a little Predator in this story, what with its isolated location, dense vegetation, guerilla warfare, and the exploitation of the symbiote's ability to blend in with its surroundings.

There've been long stretches where the alien symbiote's ability to mimic other materials goes overlooked. Imitating clothing was inherent to the creature's first appearance in Secret Wars! It's a day one play, yet there is something slightly against the grain when Venom turns into things like water, concrete, or even the trunk of a palm tree. It makes sense, copying colour and texture, but it's not something I want to think about too often with this character.

Venom's psychological warfare with Spider-man has always been one of his best qualities as an arch-villain. Spidey can can't trust his sight or his spider-senses and never knows where Venom's coming from! That's enhanced further by the unfamiliar terrain of the island, where there are no tall buildings to swing from!

Taking Spider-man out of Manhattan can be a bad call for some stories, but you know Michelinie and Larsen deliver, getting the most out of the excursion by milking it for its tension. When Parker's inner-monologue starts to doubt his ability to stay ahead of Venom - you're almost believing it! Great stuff!

It all boils down to the chemistry and history between Eddie Brock and Peter Parker. That's going to be one of the biggest challenges facing Sony as they attempt to launch a Spider-Verse of films with Venom - now in theatres! Just one of the inspirations behind today's featured fight!

After you see the movie, get a pure injection of Venom by using the purchase link provided to read this story and others in collected edition! Market symbiosis means you'll be helping Secret Wars on Infinite Earths live at no cost to you!

You can find even more Venom by following relevant links throughout this post, or by diving into the Spider-Verse of the Secret Archive! Every featured fight is indexed by publisher, series, and issue number. Be sure to share your favourite links, and follow on Twitter or Facebook to help find more hosts!

Winner: Inconclusive (Draw)
#2 (--) Spider-man
#17 (--) Venom (Symbiote)
#67 (+1) Venom (Eddie Brock)

DRAGON & NINJA TURTLES versus COMPLETE CARNAGE

(Image)
Where: Savage Dragon #22 When: September 1995
Why: Erik Larsen How: Erik Larsen

The Story So Far...
When a construction worker violated sacred ground, he was destined to become part of a cosmic struggle of good and evil. Transformed into the demon Complete Carnage, he was a being of total evil until finally slain by his pure counterpart Radical and The Ninja Turtles.

Two years later, a new version of Complete Carnage has emerged to wreak havoc on the modern marvels he draws strength from! His existence: the product of scientific experimentation on a severed limb by the Whelan-Freas Research Centre! The product: an even more savage clone!

Radical is forbidden to intervene, forcing The Ninja Turtles to catch the train to Chicago alone. They won't have to look far for an ally in the fight with Complete Carnage, though. Officer Dragon is reporting for duty!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Dragon 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Donatello 5 (Professor)
Speed: Turtles 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Dragon 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Turtles 4 (Gymnastic)
Fighting: Draw 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Turtles 2 (Projectiles)


Just when you thought it was safe to crawl out of the sewers -- we've got an inter-company crossover on our hands!

The Turtles are: Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael & Michaelangelo.

We join the teenaged ninja-ones in the midst of a good old fashioned superhero team-up with none other than Chicago PD's finest: Officer Dragon!

You may remember him from his epic showdown with evil armored arch-nemesis Overlord, way back in Savage Dragon #7! Kinda appropriate, given, when last we left The Turtles on The Comic Book Fight Club, they were taking out their own notorious, evil armored nemesis: The Shredder - in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1!

As if that wasn't enough in common: these heroes are all mutually mean, green and good for your environment -- provided you don't mind a little collateral damage with your thwarting of evil-doers!

The bad guy in question is Complete Carnage: A humble construction worker who violated sacred ground, placing a curse that manifested when he was struck by lightning whilst repairing a concrete wall. The event mutated him into the evil demon Carnage, whose mastery over cement and steel allows him to control both substances, draw strength from them, and even pass through them!

To combat the specialist demon The Turtles usually rely on specialist help - namely Radical, who was struck by the same lightning as the construction worker, and possesses powers of pure good. She was instrumental in destroying Complete Carnage once and for all, by trapping him in a liquefied road.

This particular Complete Carnage is a clone derived from a dismembered arm. Radical was ordered not to intervene by her spiritual guides due to the creature's illegitimate existence. That means The Turtles can only rely on Dragon when the creature goes on a rampage in concrete jungle of Chicago!

Officer Dragon certainly has the muscle to stand toe-to-toe with a jacked up, construction powered demon clone. Power reserves supplied by the cityscape could pose a problem in fighting and/or containing Complete Carnage, but The Turtles are there to supply invaluable tactical knowledge!

The Math: Dragon & The Turtles Ranking: Donatello (#169)

What Went Down...
Police Officer Dragon and The Ninja Turtles tumble into the Chicago streets as a building collapses behind them! Still trapped inside: the hulking demon known as Complete Carnage - alive again after two years through scientific tampering!

Drawing strength from man-made objects of concrete and metal, the creature is super-charged by the bricks and mortar that rain down on him! A giant purple fist punches through the wreckage before the demon explodes free!

Michaelangelo attacks first - leaping into the fray with his nunchaku leading the way! They smash against the bridge of Carnage's nose. The demon returns the favor, swinging a giant purple right hand that clobbers the bashful turtle!

The rest of the brothers aren't far behind - Leonardo leading as they take the fight to the cloned monster. Donatello recognizes extreme differences in the creature cloned from Complete Carnage's arm. This version lacks "the finesse of his predecessor" and shows a greater savagery!

Michaelangelo is pinned beneath the beast as he brothers attack, but the ground soon gives way beneath them - sending all five plummeting into the dark void of the underground sewers below! Reluctantly - The Dragon dives in after them!

Shrouded in darkness, falling uncontrollably - the ninjas strike! Nunchaku smash, blood sprays, a sai stabs into the demon's neck - it lashes out! Raphael is swatted away. Then The Dragon arrives like a piledriver - fist-first into evil!

Raphael tries to use the opening to get another shot in, but is knock away by gigantic limbs. The Dragon is knocked away, too. He takes a straight shot to the nose with a krak! Ninja silhouettes dance all around. Donatello's staff extends like a limb to strike the demon in the side of the head. The demon goes wild!

Flailing limbs and confusion keep Complete Carnage from focusing enough to utilize his power over man's sewer tunnels. The Turtles try to use it to their advantage, but they're in Chicago. Officer Dragon has dibs on this beat!

The two powerhouses collide in the dark! Dragon's powerful fists are hammers of justice, but the collapsing building has kept Complete Carnage strong. He fires a punch that launches The Dragon into the sewer structure. The next one sends him exploding out of the sewer - into Lake Michigan!

The Turtles take charge, whomping on their nemesis' clone while Officer Dragon is forced to swim back to shore. Donatello does some damage with his wooden staff. When Dragon arrives he's soaking wet - and hopping mad! He snatches Complete Carnage from behind and tosses him into the air like a ragdoll!

The heroes watch on, waiting for the rampaging demon-clone to return - but he does not! Little do they realize - another demonic entity is lurking beneath the surface. A creature driven by pure hatred for Dragon: The Fiend - Bonnie Harris!

The Fiend's red hand clutches Complete Carnage by the skull. Bubbles froth into the water as the clone is confronted with its fate. While Carnage searches for breath, The Dragon springs into action from the shoreline, leaping into the lake!

When Dragon arrives - it's already too late. The Fiend has disappeared, leaving only the drowned corpse of the Complete Carnage clone.

Dragon hauls the remains back to the sewer exit, where The Turtles are stunned by the ease of its defeat. Clearly a pale shadow of the original Complete Carnage that caused them so much trouble! Officer Dragon is left to believe it was his actions that led to the death - an act he hoped to avoid.

The Hammer...
It was one helluva superhero team-up, but in the end, it was the surprise influence of a villain that gave us a victory shared by The Fiend & The Dragon! Take nothing away from The Ninja Turtles, though! They'll take away a well earned assist stat you can see in the rankings update at the bottom of this entry.

If you weren't paying attention, you may like it clarified that this is Bonnie Harris as The Fiend - the third incarnation of Dragon's infernal nemesis.

As noted throughout; this incarnation of Complete Carnage is a significantly discounted version of the deadly Ninja Turtles adversary. He was cloned by The Whelan-Freas Research Center in a twist that feels equal parts Terminator 2 and Aliens.

The fact that he was a clone doesn't ease the burden on Dragon as he and the Turtles leave the scene. It's an interesting contrast of morals. Even in 1995, the grim 'n' gritty red clad turtles of the comics aren't too fussed about slaying an enemy. Not that I typically think of Dragon as being one to pull his punches, either.

This the second outing of both independent creations on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths. In both cases, we've talked about the influence of Frank Miller. In the case of Eastman & Laird, I tend to think of the influence as conceptual, and a matter of content. Without the influx of ninja into Daredevil's New York City under early eighties Miller, we may not have four humanoid turtles in 1984 [see; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1].

In the case of Larsen and Savage Dragon, established in print eight years later, it seems to be the artwork of Miller that has the biggest impact. We saw that earlier in the series [Savage Dragon #7], and it's on display in this issue, again.

In both instances, Larsen seems to invoke the Frank Miller of Sin City, casting heroes in blood spattered silhouette in staccato action. You can see the effect in one of the panels featured above - half a page wide, with a grid of eight panels to its right. This goes on throughout the sewer fight - an effective tribute.

In both cases, the creators and their creations are part of a generation drawing direct influence from their predecessors. Once upon a time I would've thought of all concerned as contemporaries, but as we venture through mainstream comics of the 2010s, I'm spending more time thinking about the fractured narrative of generational comics creation, and less on the continuum of the whole.

Perhaps due to the slightly tongue-in-cheek nature of it all, or because of the youth behind their creation, there's an unmistakable sense of "independent comics" about TMNT. The characters have an enthusiasm for the same disjointed logic I remember thinking as a child, yet trying to fight. Irradiate anything and a gimmick is instantly justified. Reverse engineering the creation process from an idea one of the Big Two hasn't stamped their name all over yet. A concrete construction worker mutates, becomes evil, a purple demon, and can move through cement? Sure!

It's the rough sketch impression of comic books I remember existing among the uninitiated for a long time, yet never related to the comics that seemed to inspire it. A weird, toxic mutation rising from the muck of misspent youths ripping through comics long forgotten in front of B-movies on TV. A post-modern accident that gave the culture a whole new wing? What ever it is - I enjoy the enthusiasm and quirkiness it created.

I'm a lot less enthusiastic about the degrees of separation fuelling todays retro franchise fixation, but what can you do? Talk about old comics and the fights that bind them - I guess!

This entry was once again inspired by the theatrical release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (June 3rd). A wonderful excuse to pick out a couple of now-classic Ninja Turtles comics and bring them back to the light. That's all the turtles we've got time for this month, though. If you're reading in the future, you can use labels and links throughout this post to find more, or log in to the Secret Issue Index for a full archive of reviews!

Want to read the comics for yourself? Use Amazon links provided for your convenience [like the one to your right] to check out the full collected editions of the comic reviewed! Next week: The Brexit?! Not quite...

Winners: The Fiend & The Dragon
#174 (new) The Fiend (Bonnie Harris) [+1 kill]
#332 (+443) Dragon
#128 (+41) Donatello [+1 assist]
#129 (+41) Leonardo [+1 assist]
#145 (+140) Raphael [+1 assist]
#146 (+140) Michaelangelo [+1 assist]

THE DRAGON versus OVERLORD

(Image Comics)
Where: Savage Dragon #7 When: January 1994
Why: Erik Larsen How: Erik Larsen

The Story So Far...
Life could've been real tough for a hulking, green, amnesiac man-dragon with nothing but the fin on his head. That is - if it wasn't for the friendship of police Lieutenant Frank Darling. Frank helped The Dragon get a job with his cousin Fred, but he soon saw cop potential in Chicago's newest super-powered resident. When The Dragon refused, Frank organized a visit from some local villains -- getting his cousin killed in the process!

The Dragon may've become a badge carrying member of the police force, but Lt. Darling was still indirectly responsible for his cousin's death - and the criminal underworld knew it! Led by Overlord, The Vicious Circle ran Chicago, and now they had Darling. One word from them - and his career would be over. One word form him - and he'd be dead.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, Lt. Darling did his best to keep his super-human best friend away from The Vicious Circle's operations. When Cyberface - a former associate of Overlord - agreed to testify, the jig was up. With warrant in hand, The Dragon and Frank Darling are coming for Overlord!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Dragon 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Overlord 3 (Street Wise)
Speed: Dragon 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Dragon 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Draw 2 (Average)
Fighting: Draw 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Overlord 5 (Lasers)

What a pleasure it is to welcome two unranked modern legends into The Comic Book Fight Club! One is among independent comics' most recognizable heroes - the other is perhaps his deadliest arch-nemesis! It's a heckuva start for both characters, but the perfect legendary battle to continue celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Secret Wars on Infinite Earths!

If you know one thing and one thing only about The Dragon - it's that he's made a career out of punching the snot out of bad guys!

As a Chicago cop, or member of Special Operations Strikeforce [SOS], he may've shown a range of other skills, but when it comes to the final word - it's usually spoken with two big green fists! So conclusive are these fist-made arguments, not many menaces last long when The Dragon is on their case! It's a major statement about his effectiveness as a fighting hero, but also a major statement about the staying power of Overlord!

The armored leader of The Vicious Circle is the top dog in crime-ridden Chicago! Over time, others have come to bedevil Dragon wearing the Overlord armor, but this incarnation is the original: mob boss Antonio Seghetti.

Seghetti had his associate "Cyberface" Sebastian Kahn build the armor as a response to an emerging class of super-powered opposition. The armor is maxed out on defense and offense - ensuring Overlord can stand up to the toughest superfreaks who might challenge his empire!

It's fair to say today's feature showdown lives on as a premium example of the durability of The Dragon -- an important factor any time he stands against a powerful opponent! Those details will be explored more in the next section of the usual format. For now, we have the classic example of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object!

Dragon's a rampaging powerhouse, but Overlord's a walking fortress! A rough sketch of both characters in stats rewards Overlord for diversity, but you can never count out the big hero! I'm hedging my bets - lets find out who wins!

The Tape: Overlord Ranking: Draw (Not Ranked)

What Went Down...

The Dragon reflects upon the events that have brought him to be standing next to best friend Lt. Frank Darling on an elevator ride to destiny. Their floor: the very top - where armored Chicago crime boss Overlord is waiting to meet them!

Guns drawn, the lawmen do their job. Dragon orders Overlord to face the wall with arms behind his head - no sudden moves. Not in Overlord's town. It's the cops who'd better follow orders and he proves it with a single gesture of his hand and explosive blast of energy!

Dragon's gun explodes into a million tiny pieces. Frank Darling's flesh vaporizes, leaving broken charred bones suspended for a moment as they crumble. There's an officer down and he was The Dragon's best friend. Now it's personal!

The Dragon furiously rushes at Overlord - but his armor isn't just for show. Arrogantly prepared for a physical confrontation, Overlord meets him with a mechanically enhanced body shot. It sends the muscle bound supercop flying!

The Dragon gets airborne again, taking an uppercut to the jaw. Concrete explodes around him - breaking as he falls. Overlord declares himself "the meanest son of a bitch in this town". He might be right. Dragon doesn't care.

"DOOM!" The building thunders as Dragon unleashes his strength on Overlord!

He slams the crime boss into a support column and keeps unloading! His fist pounds into Overlord's body like an unforgiving pile driver! Yes, the fist is definitely the problem - and you don't become leader of The Vicious Circle without being able to solve problems. The Dragon learns it the hard way.

Whatever The Dragon is - it's tough. Only his hand disintegrates when Overlord fires his first gauntlet blast at point blank! When a second shot connects with his mid-section, it leaves a gaping bloody hole - but his body holds up!

A left hook sends the arresting officer flying toward the skyscraper windows! Overlord calls the result as it shatters. "Tomorrow morning they'll find what's left of you and I'll be back to running this town--" A warning to others who might cross Overlord's path, he says. He got one thing wrong: they won't find Dragon tomorrow.

The Dragon's body hurtles through the air, finding the spire of one of the surrounding lower buildings. His body slides down the spike, staining it with his blood. "In your next life, when somebody suggests you leave or face their wrath. Leave."

The Hammer...

Those more readily versed in the usual Marvel/DC fare may have wondered how this battle would factor into our 10th Anniversary celebrations. December is all about bringing untapped, legendary superhero showdowns to Secret Wars on Infinite Earths! Now that you've read the What Went Down recap -- I'm confident you'll understand exactly why this ranks among the modern classics!

The winner, in no uncertain terms, is Overlord. The degree to which he claimed victory is one of the reasons this remains a stand-out from 20+ years of Savage Dragon! It made quite the impact, mythologized by publications like Wizard Magazine. Before I was reading the series - I knew how this issue ended.

There are only 21 "panels" in the issue: it's told entirely in full page. 13 pages focus specifically on the fight in progress, with the only double page spread among them. Overlord dominates in 9. Dragon falls from Overlord's tower in an effective 3 page sequence. He's impaled on the third. The issue ends with a close up of his limp arm - the one that still has a hand - streaming with blood.

The moment of impact is a lasting image [above], and a shocking finish to a thorough ass whooping for the title hero! There are no reassurances here. No comforting copy. "Next Issue: Now What?"

You were entitled to wonder about the future. Heroes were dying in the early 90s, and the Image logo was on and off books with alarming inconsistency. Come back next month to find out what happens, fanboy. If there is a next month! A bold move so early in the life of a new series, at least in isolation...
 

I wasn't reading Savage Dragon at the time. Bad first impressions from other books meant a decade of what could only be called prejudice. Image was the home of unsatisfying, dodgy knock-offs. The publisher of the unwanted crap they sandwiched with a Fantastic Four back issue in the cheap 3-packs.

This, of course, wasn't true of the publisher as a whole. I've never really been one to bemoan Rob Liefeld as an artist, but his abundant creations kept me dismissive of the publisher (and brand) for far longer than was fair. I can't imagine anyone making the same mistake today. I may be an old superhero tragic, but it's clear Image Comics are one of the most dynamic publishers going in 2015. Their modern output could never be mistaken for poor imitations - led by a diverse catalogue of counter programming. Image is the perfect antidote to increasingly insipid, corporate steered IP juggling at the neurotic "Big Two".

During my time away from Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, I specifically came back to Savage Dragon. Modern issues were making a good impression, and fresh eyes allowed me to reconnect with things I love about the early issues.

From a certain perspective, they're pretty standard fare. B-grade characters come and go with little to no sub-text. Visuals, for the most part, take priority over higher ideas. There's clearly no master plan at work, or history to drawn upon. Maybe a mental sketch of an upcoming issue - steering toward a future showdown with a big bad. What you see is mostly what you get. Brutalizing the title hero in his first year may seem like a risky proposition, but it's really just another day at the office, another issue on the rack, a cliff hanger plot to be resolved next issue. Sometimes that's all you really need from a good comic. In 2015, it's a healthy dose of comic book reality that feels sorely missing.

"Uncomplicated" is a word I can't escape when I think about Erik Larsen - the writer, creator and man. His run on Amazing Spider-man -- one of my favourites -- is ancient history. He'll gladly tell you he's living the dream: creating monthly comics based loosely on a childhood creation. I believe him. I admire him. This blunt force perspective has never been a recipe for stagnancy. Larsen is well educated in the art of creating comics, and calls upon a gamut of influences and ideas to always keep it fresh. Just as life has its ups, downs, inconsistency and surprises - so too does over 200 issues of Savage Dragon represent evolving characters and worlds.

Savage Dragon #7 is an interesting example of Larsen's penchant for experimentation. Even in the big, bawdy, pin-up world of early 90s Image, an issue comprised entirely of full page splashes is a big shift! If I'd read it at the time, I might've felt a little ripped off, but years later, I'm in awe of the way it underscores the weight of Overlord as an arch-villain. The same approach was used a couple of years earlier for Superman's final showdown with Doomsday during The Death of Superman event. Both have pros and cons, but overall I think the Savage Dragon example keeps its eye on storytelling a bit better.

Each spread shows good visual consideration - rarely an issue for Larsen. The first page kicks it off with flavor: all recap, riddled with narration boxes on a black void where there would be elevator walls. It's an overhead shot, heavy on shadow and pregnant with expectation. It's an obvious homage to Frank Miller, who was working on Sin City these days, and is a well noted Larsen influence. That Miller twist is common in these early days, gets especially fun when the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show up, but I digress.

 

Frank Darling doesn't make it more than a few pages before he's a vaporizing skeleton. It's the right type of over-the-top lethality for Miller, but I'm reminded of another of the influences Larsen has cited over the years -- Dick Tracy. You might not see it in the pencil rendered figures, or the oh-so nineties villains, but it's there! Tracy's villains are famous for the big impact they made, but few were around for long before they met a grim end. Crooks in The Dragon's town don't tend to stick it out for long, either. The Mafioso behind Overlord's obvious Dr. Doom inspired façade will get his. The fun is waiting to find out when!

Somewhere around the middle of the issue: DOOM! A lettering effect right out of Walt Simonson's early eighties Thor. Is Chris Eliopoulos having making full page comics, too? How could you not?

Larsen is still pushing his books forward, with a Dick Tracy-esque cutthroat timeline that waits for no one - sentimentality be damned! Dragon Jr's the title character now, and Larsen's putting him through the paces just like pop. A bit like the eras of Tracy, I think I prefer the early examples, but it's still good stuff. These early books feel raw, motivated, uncertain, but full of energy and the sharp edge of a pencil with something to prove. I won't ever tell the man I like his old stuff better than his new stuff. He doesn't want to hear it, and it's not strictly true. Because Larsen knows comics, and he's got a twenty year canon all his own, and some accumulated extra stuff that he ain't afraid to use. Don't I know it? Don't I love it!

 

Welcome to The Comic Book Fight Club, Savage Dragon! I'm sure it won't be the last time! I'm certain it won't be the next time, though. Next week we'll continue to celebrate ten years of Secret Wars on Infinite Earths with another legendary superhero showdown, and here's a clue: I made a reference to it in this very post. See you next week!

Winner: Overlord
Stats: Overlord - 1 fatality (Frank Darling).

MAGNETO versus SPIDER-MAN
Cunning Attractions! (Marvel comics)
Where: Amazing Spider-man #327 When: Mid December 1989
Why: David Michelinie How: Erik Larsen

The story so far...
Tired of suffering defeats at the hands of their foes, the sinister arrangement of The Wizard, Magneto, Kingpin and Dr. Doom gather in an effort to orchestrate their combined efforts to guarantee their acts of vengeance.

Exchanging information and responsibility to combat their foes, it is ultimately Magneto here who steps up to the plate after the failure of Trapster and Titania to do the job on their behalf.

Meanwhile, Spider-man is coming to terms with the mysterious powers that have not only augmented his abilities, but given him brand new cosmic strengths that have him defeating opponents with never before seen ease!
Is this a positive new beginning for Spider-man, or will cosmic powers attract deadlier foes? With greater power must come greater responsibility!

Previous Form:
Magneto (#203): Magneto has been somewhat unsuccessful thus far.
Spider-man (#2): Spider-man previously used his cosmic power to defeat the Tri-Sentinel.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Spider-man 5 (Super Strength)
Intelligence: Magneto 5 (Professor)
Speed: Spider-man 4 (Olympic Sprinter)
Stamina: Magneto 6 (Generator)
Agility: Spider-man 5 (Cat-like)
Fighting Ability: Spider-man 3 (Street Wise)
Energy Powers: Magneto 6 (Mass Destruction)

No sooner than we have the X-Men fighting Lizard [X-Men: First Class #2] than we arrive at this massive miss matching of foes: Spider-man vs Magneto!

For the sake of consistency our statistics do not change based on the circumstances of the fight featured, so there are some misleading facts described in the above 'tape.' This fight features a very different Spider-man.

These days Spidey has organic webshooters, so the amount of metal he's carrying around at any given time is pretty minimal. There's no immediate inherent threat there unique to Spider-man, but anywhere in the civilized world Magneto finds an arsenal at his disposal.
That's completely neglecting the master of magnetism's own mutant virtues. Abilities that occasionally fluctuate but include things like controlling the iron traces in human blood in various dastardly ways, and/or firing off magnetic pulses of concussive energy.

As far as I see, neither character really has any definitive edge over the other.
Spider-man's preternatural senses allow him pretty swift movement around situations Magneto could create, while his own attacks are fairly base, and would conversely have limited effect on Magneto.

Even so, I'd generally have to lean toward saying Magneto has Spidey licked.
Spider-man's one of the best heroes you can find in the Marvel universe, but Magneto is Magneto, and as we've seen in various recent features, he's not a mutant to be messed with.

Of course, as I mentioned, this isn't your typical Spidey-fight.
On the record, this one's Magneto's. Off the record, you have to completely reevaluate the situation when you take into consideration the omin-power that has embued the noble Peter Parker with fantastic cosmic powers as he becomes - Captain Universe!

We've seen this Spidey once previously on Secret Earths [Amazing Spider-man #329] where he averted another typically X-threat of a mystically charged Sentinel. You can reference that to get an idea of the kind of power we're talking about.

With the power of Captain Universe, Cosmic Spidey (as he's affectionately known) is capable of all kind of incredible feats!
He can fly, has enhanced human senses as well as having his own precognative spider-senses amped up in sensitivity. He can produce concussive cosmic blasts, and even in the days of the mechanical cartridge-loaded web-shooters, he could cosmically conjure a comparable compound out of apparent nothingness. Unlimited webbing, to the video gaming folks out there!

So, yeah... Magneto's in trouble, however:

The Math: Draw (Meta Class)
The Pick: Magneto

What went down...
It begins down at the docks, where Spidey is testing out his new cosmic powers, which include super strength enough to allow him to life a fully loaded barge at a scrapyard with ease above his head! The scrapped shells of cars prove a worthy measure as Spidey obliterates the steel with his cosmic hand-blasts, but unfortunately the attention warrants a call to the press from a scrapyard worker.

Contemplating Spider-man's role in the war between human and mutant, Magneto makes note that Spider-man may play an unwitting key role in the survival of either species. Which is nice, because so often he gets overlooked.
A TV in the park tips him off to the whereabouts of the web-slinger.

Before the arachnoid hero even knows what's going on, the barge is swept out of his hands, ushering the arrival of the master of magnetism - Magneto!

Magneto descends upon the hero, flinging a barrage of shrapnel and scrap metal at the hero. His spider-senses aid him in the dodging of the onslaught, but his cosmic powers prove to be the real advanage, allowing him to blast it out of the air piece by piece.

Spider-man flings himself at his mutant attacker, but Magneto's forcefield of magnetic aura protect him from the attack. Never the less, the might of the cosmic Spider-man proves enough to rattle even he.

Using their surroundings, Magneto flings a magnetic loading crane like a wrecking ball at the airborne wall-crawler. Spider-man swings around the obstacle with the aid of his familiar webbing, but Magneto amplifies the potency of the crane to the point where the iron in Spider-man's body is attracted.

Stuck between a crane and a hard place, Spider-man struggles as Magneto brings him down at speed toward the ground. Only by his instinctive use of his mysterious cosmic powers is he saved, changing the molecular composition of the crane from hard metals -- to fragile glass!

Magneto then hurls car bodies at the hero, whose preemptive senses again allow him the advantage of avoiding contact. Free from danger, Spidey uses his cosmic supply of webbing to form a giant baseball bat, swatting the airborne cars out of the park!

Feeling somewhat over the unprovoked attacks of supervillains generally not in his jurisdiction, Spidey then sets his offensive on the Magster himself.

Tangoing with one of the most powerful mutants on the planet seems do-able for a moment, but as Magneto attempts to repell the hero's attacks with his magnetic ability, Spider-man's heightened cosmic senses pick something up.

From his airborne vantage point he spies a cruise ship that fell hapless victim to one of Spidey's own homerun knock-outs with his webbing ball bat.

Deciding to abandon the fight to quash the disaster of his worst nightmares, he discovers the ability of flight, as he heads away from the docks toward the ship in peril.

The diversity of Spider-man's new powers tips Magneto off to his status as human, rather than mutant, and decides to abandon his interests.
Although, he does so, not without promise of a future encounter with the web-slinger, and new manipulations at the hands of the master of magnetism...

The hammer...
As Uatu so dramatically proclaims to the left there, it's a draw.
I can't even give it to anyone on points, the conclusion is clear.

Had this one on my pile for quite some time now. It's one of those many fights that, for whatever reason, got overlooked in 2006. Maybe because there was no conclusion, or maybe just because there have been so many other things going on. Nice to finally get it out there!

I've probably mentioned before how great my affection for this period in Spider-man history is. As much as I love Conway and Buscema, I have to willingly submit Michelinie and Larsen as one of my all-time favourite teams on the character. They just seemed to have story after story full of exciting action, great visuals, and a lot of fun that combined the characters and ideals of the original concept, with a fresh perspective.

Even some of the more casual readers visiting us are probably familiar with some of Todd McFarlane's work on Spider-man, which arguably established a whole new way of approaching the anatomy and style of the character, but pound-for-pound I think Erik Larsen took it, and did it even better.
For me, I think it's just Larsen's linework, which is far less crowded than McFarlane's Spider-man work. Here Larsen appears to lack some of what makes his work today so recognisable, and what hinders my enjoyment of McFarlane's stuff, is the overuse of lines, particular on the faces.

McFarlane isn't bad at drawing faces, but there's a quality to them all that makes them instantly recognisable, and slightly... Well, deformed is a misleading description, but perhaps just a little less than real. Which is ironic, I suppose, because what I'm really talking about is the cartooning simplification of what represents reality in comics.

It's not just the visuals that define this fantastic period of Spider-history, though. David Michelinie - where are you now? I think I heard something about Michelinie doing stuff at Marvel again, but the guy seemed to disappear from the radar after a lot of great work for the company, particularly Spider-man.

I couldn't tell you what it is about the formula, because it isn't particularly identifiable, and it won't hit you over the head with how clever it thinks it is like some of the more contemporary takes on 'good writing.' It just seems to accept itself and move very fluidly between fun cameos, fights and character moments.

Key point that come to mind aren't particularly important in the scheme of things, but appearances by Punisher and Graviton and the Tri-Sentinel just stick in my memory as great moments in Spidey's history. Moments we seem to have lost in this decade amidst the all-devouring gelatenous blob that is Civil War, and the inexplicably popular work of Ultimate Spider-man, built on a house of stuttering and disposable issues.

Actually, I was overjoyed recently to pick up an issue of Sensational Spider-man, which didn't even feature the web-slinger, instead handing the spotlight to Black Cat and Puma, two characters familiar in the era we're referring to here.

If any positive can be taken out of contemporary directions for Spider-man, it's that we seem to have well and truly left the over indulgent, poorly considered work of the mid-to-late nineties behind us.
We've gotten past the creative stablizing of the industry in the earliest part of this decade, too. [Alternatively referred to as the Jemas-period. - Matriculant Mike] And now we're heading, it seems, toward a balance between the two, indulging willingly in the efforts of the second and third tier characters again, but perhaps with some wisdom gained by the mistakes of the past.

Hopefully even though we didn't deliver a conclusive battle, you enjoyed this flashback never the less. I know I enjoyed flicking through the pages again.
Actually, y'know, my comic guy of fifteen-or-so years has closed up, but is selling off back issues. I wonder if he has any of these for sale...

The Fight: 3.5 The Issue: 4

SPIDER-MAN versus TRI-SENTINEL
"Power Prey!"
Where: Amazing Spider-man #329 When: February 1990
Why: David Michelinie How: Erik Larsen

The story so far...
Displeased with the failure of his plan to shuffle villains in the Acts of Vengeance storyline, the Norse god of mischief, Loki, leaves the Earth a little something to remember him by.

For believing him dead; Loki magically alters a trio of newly designed Sentinels to merge them into one masterpiece of magic and machine - the Tri-Sentinel!

Lucky for Manhattan, Spider-man has been imbued with the mysterious uni-power thanks to the aptly named Enigma Force. Gaining the cosmic awareness that had been denied to him, Spider-man instantly learns of his foe, and leaps into action to avert nuclear disaster!

Tale of the tape...
You read right, true believers! The Enigma Force chose your friendly neighbourhood Spider-man as it's vehicle of universal justice!

Attempts to get a job writing solicitations aside - I just had to throw in a Captain Universe Spidey appearance when I was looking for his first official entry into Secret Wars on Infinite Earths record.
No doubt I would scoff the concept today, but like many other readers I hold a special place in my heart for this bizarre marriage of every-man and cosmic uber-entity.

Removing mystic meddling from the equation, I think I can fairly conclusively paint a picture where Spidey gets creamed by the three Sentinels until Wolverine and Cyclops show up to save him.
Past results may suggest otherwise, but I would have a difficult time imagining Spider-man applying his particular brand of strengths against the mechanical menace of these mutant hunting machinations.

Strength: 6 (Invincible)
Speed: 5 (Super Speed)
Stamina: 6 (Generator)
Energy Powers: 5 (Lasers)

Where Sentinels are concerned, generally the more pedestrian heroes find their edge in explosive weapons, cutting implements or super strength levels. While Spidey certainly rates highly in many respects, his particular brand of proportionate strength and agility doesn't lend itself to those vulnerabilities.

With the cosmic uni-power the fight evens up substantially.
Not only does he gain the added maneuverability that comes with flight, his spider-strength is also given a considerable boost, along with the ability to fire impressive cosmic energy blasts.

Against ordinary Sentinels, Cosmic Spider-man would no doubt be able to carve through their servos and circuitry with relative ease. However, this is no ordinary Sentinel!

Strength: 5 (Super Strength)
Intelligence: 4 (Tactician)
Stamina: 6 (Generator)
Energy Powers: 5 (Lasers)

Not only were these Sentinels merged by Loki's mystic spite, they were also specially designed for the purpose of tracking Spider-man, who had already begun manifesting the powers of Captain Universe.

Each of the prototype Sentinels, potentially part of the governments secret Nimrod project, was designed with unique abilities. Combined, the Tri-Sentinel is a six barreled living weapon, with lasers, shields, and all kinds of other stingy steel stuff!

If the Sentinel were able to overhwelm his target, and capitalie on Spider-man's relative inexperience with the Uni-Power, it might just have a chance of gaining victory.
However, I think it's a good bet on any day to bet on a cosmic spider. A) Because on paper his powers far outweigh many an opponent. B) Because the very nature of the Uni-Power is to overcome adversity. C) Spidey rarely changes costume without a victory.

What went down...
Cosmic Spidey swoops down from the sky to find the Tri-Sentinel looming over a shoreline Nuclear powerplant. The three headed Sentinel sees him coming and takes defensive action, firing off six seperate hand blasts in unison.
Spidey manages to weave between the blasts, and return fire with his own cosmic beam, but the Sentinel deflects it with an energy shield.

Going a more traditional route, Spider-man decides to try an old trick with a new spin, spinning a mass of webbing around the Sentinel before using his new power to transform it into steel. Alas, even the steel bonds of cosmic webbing were no match for the strength of the Tri-Sentinel.

The Tri-Sentinel strikes back, wildly throwing a flurry of six-fist punches which inadvertently crack one of the adjacent containment towers at the plant.
Spidey does his best to repair the damages, while dealing with the Sentinel's grapple coil attack.
Spider-man is ripped from the tower, but his cosmic power allows him to survive a blast of concussive gas, and snap free of the coils.

Spidey goes on the offensive once more, using his cosmic webbing to filter water from the ocean below and redirect it in a wave at the Tri-Sentinel. The evil machine is well equipped to deal with such a threat, using defensese to freeze the wave and smash it to tiny jagged shards.

Realising the folly of containment, Spider-man attempts a more direct tactic; going for the mechanics of the beast. Tear at the circuits and tubing beneath the hull, though he did, the Tri-Sentinel was unaffected and able to remove the "impending annoyance."

Sebastian Shaw, the man who commissioned the design of the Sentinels, watches on in horror as the Tri-Sentinel reveals a new directive programmed by Loki -- nuclear devestation.

With seconds to spear Shaw reveals his own hidden directive in the machine's logic programming. A command that forces the Sentinel to recognise it's own upgrades as mutant deviations from it's distant predecessors, the Sentinel Mark I models.


Though the Tri-Sentinel did not turn on itself as the individual machines would have - it pauses. Pausing long enough to allow the cosmic Spider-man to pool his enigmatic resources and focus them into a final attack.

When the crackling energy settles disaster is averted, and the Tri-Sentinel is reduced to so much as dust. Exhausted, Spider-man learns that he too was reduced, back to that of a man with the responsibility of proportionate size and strengths of a spider. Nothing more. Nothing less.

The hammer...
Yay! Cosmic Spider-man saves the day, of course.

As I understand it, this was Erik Larsen's first official issue as on-going artist on Amazing Spider-man. This gives an added significance to the issue, because for me, Erike Larsen is probably the Spider-man artist I hold most personally as a favourite.

I think it would be fair to say that if you asked me to think of my definitive Spidey artist I'd filter through the likes of John Romita, Sal Buscema and Mark Bagley - but Larsen is the one that I probably identify most fondly. Not because he was the first artist I read, or even because I'm a dedicated Larsen fan. There was just something special about those issues, and Larsen's rendition of the character.

Visually Spider-man has reverted back to his roots.
These days the eyes are quite small, the webbing is relatively low key, and the movements are probably generally on a more controlled scale. Certainly a far cry from the popular work of Todd McFarlane which introduced the 'spaghetti webbing', and the spine-bending poses that made us question whether Spidey could in fact kiss his own butt. [I think he could.]

What I think is so memorable about Larsen's Spider-man, for me, is that it took those established extremes from McFarlane's work - but tweaked them.
To me, Larsen's characters were asthetically a little cleaner while their proportions and expressions were just a little more grounded in reality.

Overall Larsen had a lot in common with his predecessor, but the minutia of those details made all the difference then, and now.
Certainly the issues don't contain the paced and relatively intelligent storytelling of many of todays writers, but what the stories lack in sophistication, they make up for with big superhero action, and exciting characters!

The Fight: 4 The Issue: 5.5

NEXT: Wolverine versus Lobo!