THE CONTEST: FIRESTORM versus SHE-HULK

It had to happen! The Grandmaster has watched the Secret Wars on Infinite Earths for many years and now he comes with a challenge: I must select 12 heroes & villains from the DC Universe to do battle against his Champions of the Marvel Universe! Grandmaster's team competed in the first Contest of Champions and set an allowance of 5000pts based on fixed Fight Club Rankings. Each battle will be decided by you in fantasy fight polls held on Twitter, Facebook and Patreon!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: She-Hulk 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: She-Hulk 3 (Straight A)
Speed: She-Hulk 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: She-Hulk 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Firestorm 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: She-Hulk 4 (Trained)
Energy: Firestorm 6 (Mass Destruction)
Total: Firestorm 24 (Champion)

The scores are tied as we head into the final four and The Grandmaster is making his move!  He has a 949pt spending advantage after relying on unranked characters in many of the earlier rounds, including the last. Now he's dropping a whopping 808pts on a powerhouse player with plenty of topical appeal!

She-Hulk brings considerable raw power to the fight: possessing similarly gamma irradiated muscle to her famous cousin The Hulk!

For a long time she was distinguished by her ability to transform at will, while also retaining the intellect of her law practicing alter-ego, Jennifer Walters. That helped her outwit and outfight Champion of the Universe in the now-classic boxing rematch seen in She-Hulk #8!

"Shulkie" was always double-tough, but these days she's looking even more like her brawny cousin -- with a bigger punch to boot! Of course, with great gamma power comes a volatile mental state, which has forced the likes of Iron Man to stop her savage rampages in battles like Avengers #501.

In today's battle I'm going to propose it doesn't matter which version of She-Hulk shows up!

I'm planning to turn her gamma strength into a weakness by calling upon a criminally under-valued hero who's only going to cost me 29pts: Firestorm!

The Nuclear Man in question is Ronnie Raymond, whose exploits on the site have been limited to battles with Brimstone in Legends #1 and #2. In those cases he shared the Firestorm Matrix with Professor Martin Stein, whose mentoring made Ronnie Raymond a formidable hero able to exploit his abilities to fire energy blasts, and transmute matter on a molecular level!

Traditionally Firestorm cannot use his transmutation powers on organic life, but he certainly can safely siphon off radiation -- which I'm proposing is the perfect skill to sap She-Hulk of her super-strength. He might weaken her enough to deliver a finishing blast, or even trigger her transformation back to an easily detained Jennifer Walters!

The Verdict...
It was another battle of two very different opponents who create an ambitious and complex chemical equation. I thought I'd found a clever way to solve it with the nuclear powers of Firestorm, but my argument didn't really come into play as opinions developed over the course of a wildly swinging vote.

Michael Wagner was one of the initial swell of voters who went with She-Hulk, citing recent developments in comics to speak succinctly to the unshakeable endurance of gamma-irradiated heroes: "Hulks are Immortal".

Nazar Talk Comics saw a complicated match-up, but ultimately came down in favour of She-Hulk as well: "Ahh this is really complicated. I don't think Firestorm has any chance if we take into account the Bryne feats/powers. She-Hulk would one shot." He added "Ronnie definitely has the speed thing covered, he does however lack the right power to defeat her. Although he could incapacitate her in something where she won't be able to fight back. That is quite possible too."

The Man in the Tan Jacket was an early supporter for Firestorm, going further with his speed, aerial agility, and transmutational powers: "Firestorm would win this with relative ease. While She-Hulk is stronger and tougher, Firestorm is way faster and can fly; Shulkie would never lay a finger on him. One transmutation turning the air around She-Hulk into either mercury or iron oxide, and she's K.O.'ed."

Firestorm Fan didn't need convincing, seeing a similar conclusion with range playing a major factor: "She-Hulk is a great character, but Firestorm can attack from a distance with Molecule Man like powers. Firestorm’s got this."

Lester Medina Lopez looked to the recent Doomsday Clock series to put Firestorm's potential power into perspective: "Even Dr. Manhattan said he was one of the most powerful characters in DC."

A late influx of Firestorm votes flipped the Twitter result mid-way, buoying Firestorm to a strong 62.5% win. Technical problems continue to prevent the creation of Facebook polls.

That means Round 9 goes to Secret Wars on Infinite Earths!

We'll be back for Round 10 sometime soon! Keep your eyes on The Contest for the latest fantasy fights and previous results. Be sure to visit Twitter, Facebook, and Patreon for even more updates & polling options. You can also weigh-in on this result, or share your thoughts right here in the comments.

Winner: Firestorm
The Grandmaster: - 4 (2051pts)
Secret Wars on Infinite Earths: - 5 (1888pts)

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HERO OF THE WEEK: FIRESTORM (DC)
Real Name: Ronnie Raymond
First Appearance: Firestorm #1 (March, 1978)
Fight Club Ranking: #886

Featured Fights:
- vs BRIMSTONE: Legends #1 (Nov 1986)
- vs BRIMSTONE: Legends #2 (Dec 1986)

What a weekend! Narrowing it down to just one Hero of the Week has not been an easy task!

We had announcement trailers for Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 3 and Mortal Kombat 11 at The Game Awards on Friday! The first official trailers for Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame, and Spider-Man: Far From Home, (the latter, albeit, only witnessed by those attending a Brazilian Comic-Con)! There was also last night's broadcast of the first part of the hotly anticipated CW Three-Part Elseworlds crossover featuring previously discussed HOTW The Flash!

With all of these incredible multimedia heavyweights throwing haymakers from the hip -- what ultimately piqued my interest? It turned out it was something from comics! More specifically: Firestorm - The Nuclear Man, who had a major moment in this week's Doomsday Clock! Read on if you don't mind spoilers!

The highlight came in last week's Doomsday Clock #8, where Firestorm became embroiled in the "Supermen Theory", which supposes hostile military conspiracy is responsible for the high density population of super-powered individuals in the United States.

Newsarama documented the key events - most notably Firestorm's pursuit of Pozhar - which resulted in the accidental transmutation of everyone in Moscow's Red Square into glass. This unusual event, along with Superman's attempt to pacify Russia, has apparently brought them to the brink of war.

The political thriller has obvious overtones reminiscent of Watchmen, functioning quite openly as a controversial pseudo-sequel and crossover, but the eighties reference also seems to extend to the pre-New 52 DC Universe, where Firestorm and Pozhar were significant players, emerging together out of the American/Russian tensions that played a major role in late-eighties, post-Crisis DC Comics.

The more DC Comics can evoke the spirit of better days, the more interested I'm certainly going to be. We've been looking back at the period more often on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, including two noteworthy episodes in this year's featured fights, from Suicide Squad #6 and Suicide Squad #43.

There's still a twinkle of hope that the entire exercise of Doomsday Clock, and its largely unnecessary exploitation of the Watchmen brand, might at last be walking back the damage done with Flashpoint and The New 52. At the very least, it's bringing the Golden Age heroes and the Justice Society of America back into the picture, which is welcome.

Whatever the end goal is: I got a real kick out of Firestorm being back in the spotlight, mixing it up with old enemies (and friends), and having a heroic moment as he reached into the matrix of his powers to restore human beings who were turned into glass.

Yes, I also enjoyed the People's Hero of Russia callously shattering those same people as they and military tanks rushed to attack a Superman desperate to protect the very lives they were ending. Somehow that just didn't seem in the spirit of Hero of the Week. Maybe if Stalnoivolk shows up, eh?

If you like late-eighties DC Comics, be sure to check out the 2018 Feature Fight Recap and vote for those Suicide Squad battles I mentioned. The Top 20 fights of Season 2018 will be crowned this month. All you have to do is click those links as many times as you like to register a hit for the respective battle! Vote for as many fights as you like - as often as you like!

<< Hero of the Week 12/17: Black Manta      [Home]     Hero of the Week 12/03: Daredevil >>

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA versus BRIMSTONE

Breach of Faith! (DC)
Where: Legends #2 When: December 1986
Why: John Ostrander & Len Wein How: John Byrne

The Story So Far...
From distant planet Apokolips, the New God Darkseid and his minion Desaad curse the heroes of the world known as Earth. Their designs for destruction have been thwarted one too many times by the meddlesome mortals. Thus, they plan Operation: Humiliation to destroy them in body, mind and spirit!

Born from a techno-seed planted in a nuclear reactor, Brimstone is a burning goliath on the frontlines of the attack! He decries the heroes as false gods with a gospel of Darkseid, declaring himself a fallen angel to cleanse the sinners. His march of destruction laying waste to New York, Firestorm and Cosmic Boy!

Fortunately for Firestorm, he knows a team of heroes who can help him even the odds against the towering inferno! Thus, the Justice League of America enters the fray to try to stop the monster before he burns the town!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Brimstone 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Elongated Man 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Steel 5 (Super-Human)
Stamina: Brimstone 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Martian Manhunter 7 (Unlimited)
Fighting: Gypsy 4 (Training)
Energy: Firestorm 6 (Mass Destruction)


The Justice League of America are: Martian Manhunter, Elongated Man, Vibe, Vixen, Steel and Gypsy, with Firestorm and Cosmic Boy.

You may know this JLA arrangement by reputation as the short-lived, infamous Detroit era team. They're an eclectic mix of classic membership, cast-offs, and unusual new characters. They're held together by the leadership of Martian Manhunter, who inherited the role from Aquaman after he stepped down.

They've been summoned to today's feature fight by Firestorm, who we saw hit a big flaming wall when he took on Brimstone just an issue earlier, in Legends #1! They gather around time displaced hero of the 30th century, Cosmic Boy, who also tried to put a stop to Brimstone's warpath in the last issue. Just who is this walking, talking towering inferno that's giving everybody so much trouble?

Brimstone is a weapon on the front line of Darkseid's Operation: Humiliation - designed to defeat and discredit the mightiest mortals of Earth! He was born from a techno-seed in the heart of a nuclear reactor, exploding in size to stand equal to the skyscrapers of New York City. He is sentient plasma, commanding super-human strength, intense heat, and flame manipulation.

For a team whose primary heavy hitter is the Martian Manhunter -- a giant flaming monster is a definite cause for concern! Even at his most valiant, the Superman scale powerhouse is all but eliminated from offensive consideration by his fire weakness. We saw burning church curtains freeze him in his tracks in DC: The New Frontier #2, a contrast to his disguised participation in an early fight with Doomsday [Superman #74]!

Elongated Man, Vixen, and Gypsy are also pretty much out of their depth. It would take an inventive combination strategy to make use of their individual powers of elongation, animal mimicry, and projections.

Steel (Henry Heywood III) -- not to be confused with armored hero John Henry Irons -- may be able to withstand Brimstone's heat, and exert enough physical strength to move the beast. Likewise, the sonic shockwaves projected by Vibe could effect some physical motion. Combined with the nuclear powers of Firestorm and magnetic field manipulation of Cosmic Boy - they have a good shot to attack Brimstone. Can they possibly beat him, though? That's what we're about to find out!

The Math: Martian Manhunter Ranking: Martian Manhunter (#29)

What Went Down...
Abandoned vehicles litter an empty Manhattan street. Standing over these tokens of human insignificance - the burning giant: Brimstone! He cries out the manifesto of a fallen angel - a false prophet sent by Darkseid to "cleanse" the world of sinners, graven idols and false gods. Lies to discredit Earth's heroes!

Incensed by the burning behemoth's challenge, the Martian Manhunter leaps into the air to meet it head-on! Ordinarily his natural gifts of strength and power would afford him a rash attack, but his actions are without thought! Elongated Man desperately tries to warn him - Brimstone is his very weakness personified!

The warning reaches Martian Manhunter just in time. He pulls back from his airborne attack at the last minute! A near miss for a man vulnerable to fire!

Vibe steps up to take advantage of the long range application of his "vibratory powers". He sends a powerful shockwave directly at the feet of the giant!

The blast knocks the giant off balance! He tumbles backward into the buildings surrounding -- making Vibe the first man to knock Brimstone off his feet!

Undeterred, the creature spews his villainous gospel. Forging a sword of pure flaming plasma, he lashes out at a nearby skyscraper!

The demolished building becomes a curtain of debris descending upon the assembled Justice League. Martian Manhunter goes on the offensive, to use his phenomenal strength to smash through the threat and defend his team.

Cosmic Boy begins to affect a magnetic field of some kind. Firestorm tries to mount a defense, as well. It's all for naught. There's simply too much building!

The skyscraper tumbles down directly upon the League. Burying them alive!

The Hammer...
Another battle, another victory for the blazing behemoth: Brimstone! Can anyone hope to stop his self-righteous rampage? Another grouping will make an attempt when we venture into the dirty deeds of the Suicide Squad - next week!

The curbed villainy of the Squad's should provide smooth transition from the month of July. By virtue of coincidence, it's been the bad guys winning all month in our featured fights. The theme of DC's past Rebirths has meant revisiting stories dedicated to breaking down heroes in order to rebuild them. In the case of Legends, we see here the effective deconstruction of the Detroit era Justice League. Not quite the last hurrah, but the transition.

Things would actually get much worse for this JLA in their final starring issues of Justice League of America. An attack by Professor Ivo's androids whittles the Detroit League to its final standing members: Martian Manhunter & Vixen. They fight, in particular, to avenge the death of Steel. Their loyalties are then divided.

As Legends and "Operation: Humiliation" unfolds over six issues, a new Justice League will begin to form itself - the iconic "Justice League International". Not before Amanda Waller will assemble her first collection of leashed villains and rogues as Task Force X, aka; The Suicide Squad. That's where Vixen finds herself, while the Martian continues on as the soul of the JLA. A position sorely lacking from first impressions of the cinematic Justice League.

These ties between the fledgling DC cinematic universe of 2016, and the post-Crisis "Rebirth" seen in Legends are interesting to compare and contrast.

In design and detail, the movies based on DC Comics have seemed eagre to run from their comic book sources. Even as the boldest and brightest of the culture rises to the top, Hollywood's reluctance to fully embrace four-colour superheroes has snaked its way throughout.

Marvel can be given more credit for turning red and gold armor into superhero chic, but even they've been guilty of shying away from their own colour and imagination. DC have just had a knack for going much further, turning their heroes into detestable funhouse mirror reflections of classic characters. A path they carried into print in the dour New 52 -- a line-wide shift to suit the comics to their adaptations. A creative cultural downward spiral.

The Legends mini-series isn't really strong enough to escape the shadow of the comics it spawned. The slapstick superhero fusion of the Justice League launched by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis and Kevin Maguire is iconic to this day. The shadowy inter-personal drama and intrigue of John Ostrander's Suicide Squad -- inarguably responsible for launching and defining a phenomenon. Even so, the foundation of world building and arrangement Legends provides is in many ways a perfect road map for today's franchised cinematic landscape.

Unique, independently constructed visions of each film property is an appealing conceptual difference for DC, even if its returned severe disappointment, so far. An intricate tapestry isn't what we need more of -- but some Legends-like planning might have helped. Rather than perpetuating the ink stain of Man of Steel, Dawn of Justice might've been better served laying the groundwork for both the Justice League and the Suicide Squad. A very different film, with an end goal to pit the two teams against each other, rather than the rumored stepping stone of Steppenwulf before a presumed New Gods offensive.

We haven't actually explored much of the Legends mini-series at all, but for an example of how it builds to the two super-teams, you might like to flash back to another featured fight from Legends #1: Flash vs Deadshot. The early skirmish puts Deadshot in incarceration, to be recruited later on for the Suicide Squad. A sequence of introduction and construction the movies could've benefitted from.

Of course, I'm assuming that Legends wasn't an inspiration behind DC's initial films. The similarities found, more likely a presumed happy accident massaged by convergent evolution. Multi-picture franchises are just a fact of the box office thanks to the esteemed competition. The studio: ripe with old, stalled projects to benefit from the new world order. Justice League is an old goal that almost happened in the mid-2000s under George Miller and a plot inspired by Infinite Crisis (and Project OMAC). Suicide Squad: a mutation of rumored pitches like David Goyer's Supermax - a movie about Green Arrow imprisoned with villains.

I'm sure we'll be talking a lot more about these topics in August. Stay tuned for Friday Night Fights, and the inevitable walk through Hero of the Week.

In the mean time, we say hello to the Detroit Justice League for the first time on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths -- and good bye, as they face disbanding after the events of the featured issue!

If you'd like to get ahead of the game and see the story in its full context, you can check out the collected edition via Amazon purchase link provided! You can also rummage through the back issues of past features in the Issue Index Archive to uncover more! Both go a little way to helping keep the site going!

Winner: Brimstone
#92 (+197) Brimstone
#30 (-1) Martian Manhunter
#291 (-174) Elongated Man
#341 (-11) Vixen
#793 (new) Vibe
#794 (new) Cosmic Boy
#795 (new) Gypsy
#796 (new) Steel (Henry Heywood III)
#806 (-14) Firestorm

FIRESTORM versus BRIMSTONE

Once Upon A Time...! (DC)
Where: Legends #1 When: November 1986
Why: John Ostrander & Len Wein How: John Byrne

The Story So Far...
No one could have believed the universe was saved from certain extinction less than a year ago. On Earth, life carries on as it always has - its people blissfully unaware that their reality has been remade to contain an entire multiverse of good and evil!

Across the gulf of space, the evil New Gods of Apokolips ponder the fortunes of a humanity protected by super-human defenders. While the dread lord Darkseid surveys his kingdom of misery, vile Desaad draws plans against the meddlesome heroes!

On the other side of the universe: The Hudson Nuclear Facility manned by STAR Labs is to be the birthing place of a new evil! The first strike in Darkseid's Operation: Humiliation is a techno-seed that will cleanse the world of heroes with the fire of Brimstone! Professor Martin Stein cannot believe the madness his designs have brought forth. Reaching out to Vandemeer University he summons a champion to confront the evil: Firestorm, The Nuclear Man!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Brimstone 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Martin Stein 5 (Professor)
Speed: Firestorm 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Brimstone 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Firestorm 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Draw 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Draw 6 (Mass Destruction)


Another classic hero joins the ranks of the Secret Wars on Infinite Earths as we explore life after the biggest rebirth of the DC Universe!

Firestorm is the uncanny fusion between high school student Ronnie Raymond and Nobel Prize winning physicist: Professor Martin Stein! Combining to become an incredible "nuclear man", they are Raymond's piloting physical presence, supported by the internalized voice of brilliant scientist, Stein.

Stein's scientific knowledge is invaluable in guiding Ronnie Raymond to exploit Firestorm's powers over atomic and subatomic composition to their fullest. With the right knowhow Firestorm can manipulate and reassemble particles to transmute inorganic matter, pass through it, or effect destruction. On a base level he can also use his powers to: fly, enhance his own strength, project energy blasts, absorb and manipulate radiation, and generate heat.

Although this is the first time we'll see the original in action, we have witnessed the fury of Firestorm through another possessor of the Firestorm Matrix! Jason Rusch helped defend Earth during the Sinestro Corps War [Green Lantern #25], and more memorably faced down the Injustice League in a fight that included: thwarting Lex Luthor's attempt on Superman's life, and battling classic nemesis Killer Frost in a fight of fire and ice [Justice League of America #15].

Fighting with fire is something Brimstone knows all about! Birthed from a techno-seed planted at the heart of a nuclear generator: he is an avenging giant sent from the dominion of Darkseid to destroy Earth's greatest heroes!

Brimstone is the first shot fired in Operation: Humiliation -- a plot to rid the Earth of its so-called "false gods" by physically and philosophically undermining them! Brimstone is a burning false prophet whose words assault their legend, while he uses intense heat, flame, super strength, and gigantic size to incinerate and destroy any who would dare stand against him!

Given Brimstone's birth occurs directly in front of Professor Martin Stein, you can be sure Firestorm is the first hero on the scene! This means no existing intel on the threat, but some encouraging basic presumptions.

A nuclear borne, fire wielding threat is right in Firestorm's wheelhouse! Will he be the hero to snuff the Apokolips monster's flame? Let's find out!

What Went Down...
Feeling a familiar molecular twinge; university student Ronnie Raymond knows his lazy day is about to be rudely interrupted! Summoned from the warmth of a relaxing shower, he's thrown into the fire by a spectacular transformation that places him hovering above the New York skyline!

Exploding from the Hudson Nuclear Facility below him, Firestorm witnesses the flaming giant: Brimstone! Clued in by the disembodied voice of Professor Stein, the Nuclear Man springs into action -- firing nuclear energy to cut the burning behemoth down to size!

Firestorm is stunned to find his powers cannot manipulate the towering inferno - unable to effect change upon living organics! The young hero learns his lesson the hard way as Brimstone notices his flying presence and judges him harshly.

Before he can act - Firestorm finds five giant fingers closing around him!

The phenomenal speed of the giant's clutch catches Firestorm by surprise! Were it not for his quick thinking, he surely would've been incinerated by the beast's intense heat. Instead, he is protected by an encasement of fire retardant asbestos created last minute from the air surrounding him!

The defensive manoeuvre is cold comfort as Brimstone tosses the helpless hero into the building below!

Firestorm crawls from the wreckage with the bitter realization that Brimstone is out of his league! Lucky for him - he knows exactly which League to call!

The Hammer...
It's a harsh induction for a classic hero as Brimstone walks away the victor! Not necessarily the outcome you'd expect, but a result that makes a good deal of sense when you know the full context.

This was the first appearance of Brimstone, who was conceived as a villain for the six issue Legends mini-series.

Brimstone isn't the only menace to emerge over the course of the story, but he provides an immediate threat, taking down Firestorm in the first fight of the series -- a strong start to establish a new villain!

Legends deals indirectly with the consequences of Crisis on Infinite Earths, launching a sprawling adventure into the new status quo. It tells a story of heroes fighting disparate threats, while the minions of Darkseid plot a multi-pronged central attack. In the past, we've seen some of the other skirmishes from this first issue: Flash vs Deadshot, and Captain Marvel vs Macro-Man. Both are significant in their own ways, the latter for inducting "The Big Red Cheese" into the core DC Universe with confronting results.

The media blitz by "Gordon G. Godfrey" (aka; Glorious Godfrey) is one of the particularly memorable moments from "Operation: Humiliation". He works to turn public opinion aggressively against the very super-heroes protecting them. It's the modern weapon of politicized scaremongering harnessed in the arsenal of evil Darkseid. It's a concept of perverting human perception through fear that seems as topical as ever thirty years later.

The story also plays with themes of totalitarian registration seen concurrently in 1986's Watchmen, X-Men before that, and many stories since, albeit in simplistic terms that are only concerned with sympathy for the good guys.

Legends may not be the most significant follow-up to Crisis '85, but it has its place, creating the circumstances around which two modern teams assembled: A refreshed Justice League of America, and the covert operated Suicide Squad!

The Suicide Squad march on theatres this August, before the Justice League take centre stage in a 2017 follow-up to this year's controversial blockbuster: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. As in Legends; it seems the League will come together to fight the minions of Darkseid -- something they also did in the comics of 2011's hard New 52 reboot! It remains to be seen how deeply Suicide Squad will tie in with bigger DC movie plans.

DC Comics certainly have grand plans, currently in the process of yet another "Rebirth". This time they're working to repair some of the damage caused by the aggressive New 52 relaunch. We've already discussed the reintroduction of elements in recent entries into Hero of the Week [Dr. Manhattan, Flash]. Throughout the month of July we'll be coming at it from the other angle, venturing back through some of the other Rebirths DC has published in its recent, and once again convoluted past.

For a prequel to the July theme, you might like to flash back to last week's feature fight from Crisis on Infinite Earths #2! You can also find many more entries by browsing the alphabetical file of the Issue Index Archive, or by following links throughout this post, or the labels below.

We'll be revisiting Legends sometime in the future. You can get the full story by using the Amazon purchase link embedded for your convenience! Doing so helps keep the fights infinite with no additional cost!

Next week: Somebody gets Reborn!

Winner: Brimstone
#288 (new) Brimstone
#792 (new) Firestorm (Ronnie Raymond)
#490 (new) Professor Martin Stein [+1 assist]