MARVEL WOMAN & THE FALLEN versus GREEN GOBLIN & MAN-SPIDER

Goblins in the Night (Marvel)
Where: Mutant X #5 When: February 1999
Why: Howard Mackie How: Tom Raney

The Story So Far...
Panic fills the streets of Manhattan as an army of goblin creatures spread terror at the command of The Green Goblin! Just another nasty surprise from the alternate reality that has become Havok's new home!

In truth they are merely genetically-engineered frauds -- but Norman Osborn's gang war has brought the fear of dark magic back to a world that thought the nightmare hand ended long ago!

All things occult & mystical were locked away in response to this world's harrowing "Strange Debacle", but now a once complacent populous renews unwanted attention that threatens the dark secrets of The Goblin Queen! While Madelyne Pryor fights in the streets as The Six's Marvel Woman, she plots a far darker response to this incursion upon her demonic domain!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Spider-Man 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: Green Goblin 5 (Professor)
Speed: Spider-Man 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Spider-Man 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Spider-Man 5 (Cat-Like)
Fighting: Angel 4 (Trained)
Energy: Madelyne Pryor 5 (Lasers)
Total: Spider-Man 29 (Metahuman)

Marvel Woman and The Fallen might not sound familiar by those names, but you should recognize them as Madelyne Pryor and Warren Worthington III!

In the mainline Marvel Universe they're an ill-fated clone of Jean Grey, and original X-Man, Angel, but in the alternate reality of Mutant X -- also known as Earth-1298 -- they're sinister members of Earth's premier super-team: The Six!

True to the original: Madelyne Pryor was created by Mister Sinister to give birth to the ultimate mutant by procreating with the Summers line. In the world of Mutant X there was no Cyclops (on Earth), so her affair with Alex "Havok" Summers led to marriage, a son, and the reformation of X-Factor as The Six.

Madelyne possesses latent psychic & telekinetic abilities similar to Jean Grey's, but her true power comes from a deal with a demon that granted her command of dark magics and all that lurks in the shadows as The Goblin Queen.

That influence includes holding sway over The Fallen, who is the irrevocably dark-spirited transformation of Angel: a bat-winged horseman of death more terrifying than the Archangel created by Apocalypse in the main Marvel Universe.

Having more than just a bad attitude and merciless vindictive streak, this pale-skinned incarnation of Warren Worthington III can also breathe fire, and has talon-like finger tips capable of ripping through flesh.

This all spells bad news for Norman Osborn, whose persona as the Green Goblin has gone so far as to create a legion of genetically-engineered goblin-like creatures who do his bidding in his efforts to seize control of New York City's criminal underground. The creatures specifically prey upon this world's fear of all things magic -- outlawed and eradicated after "The Strange Debacle".

He remains a nemesis of the six-armed Man-Spider, who is this world's clone-saddled Peter Parker, possessing all the usual skills you would expect of Spider-Man, albeit with the six arms he shed shortly after growing them.

Man-Spider enters the battle presuming the heroic Six are in lockstep, but you and I know that's not the case. His history with Norman Osborn won't make them bosom buddies any time soon, but can they turn the tables on Goblin Queen and The Fallen? We know the players. I guess we should find out what happened!

The Tape: Green Goblin & Man-Spider Ranking: Angel (#50)

What Went Down...

Entering the darkened Bugle, The Goblin Queen can sense that the charlatan Green Goblin is somewhere in the building. She orders her minion The Fallen to find "the false one" -- but a volley of pumpkin bombs finds him instead!

The Green Goblin rides his glider around the cavernous ceiling, mocking Madlyne Pryor for her apparent whole-hearted belief in the supernatural hocus pocus he merely appropriated for the creation of his criminal persona.

Osborn rides his glider toward The Goblin Queen with a razor bat in his hand, undeterred by her accusation that his genetically engineered facsimiles have brought undue attention to the real underworld denizens she controls.

Before the dueling Goblin leaders can meet -- two strands of web snag the bat!

Man-Spider descends between them, ensnaring Green Goblin with three more strands of webbing slung from his many extra limbs!

A web-swinging kick takes Norman Osborn clean off his board -- with a two-fisted double-punch delivered on landing to keep the Green Goblin down.

Man-Spider webs the crafty villain's hands together and vows to out him to J Jonah Jameson and The Daily Bugle press, but this only seems to incite a glowing fury in Madelyne Pryor.

The web-slinger is completely baffled as she lets out a shrieking cry and begins to glow with green energy. He assures her everything is under control, but the Man-Spider has no idea how wrong he is.

Quick consultation with The Green Goblin does little to dissuade the Man-Spider's confidence in his ability to handle the situation -- even as Osborn pleads for his life: "Fool! Can't you see it? She is insane. There is murder in her eyes. Now unbind me, so I might have a fighting chance."

The Goblin Queen orders the spider to stand aside so she can execute the "false goblin". When Man-Spider tries to talk her down, reminding her that they're the good guys, she renders her resignation with a blast of supernatural energy!

A stunned Man-Spider is staggered physically and mentally by the attack.

Osborn continues to plead for his release, while The Goblin Queen recounts the world's severe rejection of all things arcane and mystic since "The Strange Debacle", and the complacency that had built up in her favour -- until the Green Goblin's theatrics renewed the populace's fear.

She sneers at Man-Spider's assertion that nobody will die this night as Green Goblin continues to plead for his life.

Man-Spider attempts to use his webs to hold The Goblin Queen to account, but The Fallen seers them with his spewing flame -- and slashes his talons across the hero's chest!

The room fills with eerie green supernatural light as The Goblin Queen's magic whisks the injure Man-Spider and Green Goblin from the ground and levitates them in the middle of the room.

She peels away The Green Goblin's mask, to expose the true face of Norman Osborn for execution. Then she conjures two glowing green pincer claws.

The Brute arrives upon the horrifying scene just in time to witness The Green Goblin and Man-Spider beheaded by his teammate.

He lets out a horrified objection as the bodies fall to the ground -- and Madlyne Pryor's descent into demonic darkness is completed.

The Hammer...

A grim turn of events as the heroes of the Mutant X universe show their true colours away from prying eyes. The rest of the world will continue to believe Madelyne Pryor and The Fallen are heroes, parlaying their guilt to the child-like Brute, who takes the rap for the double-murder after a brief skirmish & chase.

Not quite the introduction to Mutant X I expected for the site, but a tantalizing one as Marvel announce Madelyne Pryor & Archangel's entry into the Dark X-Men, and we gear up for more multiversal web-slinging in Across The Spider-Verse.

If I'm honest: I'm actually incredibly soured by cinema's cheap and simplistic ringing out of the "multiverse" concept, seemingly facilitated by the last decade of comics using the concept for haphazard, flimsy thrills.

The relative instability of a mainline reality has dramatically diminished the appeal of alternate universes. It seems like just getting one version right has become challenge enough, let alone polluting the waters with disproportionately sincere entries into stories like Secret Empire, or the brand-tainting 2015 Secret Wars.

All of that said: there was a time when exploring the multiverse held great appeal, and it's a lot more fun talking about the ones worth remembering than the ones that turn my stomach!

Of course, a lot of comic book fans have some story about reading their way through illness or injury, and a fat stack of Mutant X issues was exactly what got me through a pretty grim stomach-turning health scare in 2001. That, and a live performance by Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros on Letterman. Good stuff!

I already had a handful of issues from the first couple of years of Mutant X. Its fabled place in my personal history came at a time of otherwise downturn in comic book reading. Other interests were taking hold, and maybe the comics of the turn of the millennium weren't so great. Then again, maybe they were.

You might relate the intrigue of Mutant X to the earlier Age of Apocalypse, but that's only seeing it for the X-Men focused alternate reality it presented.

I might try to compare Mutant X to the universe-hopping of Exiles with its team of central characters and broader scope, but that's wrong as well.

Mutant X was an on-going series starring Havok. Ostensibly the continuation and relaunch of X-Factor, which had already undergone three distinct eras, and ended in 1998 with X-Factor #149 and Havok's apparent death. A cliffhanger resolved one Twlight Zone twist later when he finds himself inside the body of an Alex Summers living his best life as father of li'l Scotty, and leader of the universally beloved super-team The Six in a world that doesn't fear or hate mutants.

Like the world of a classic issue of What If...?, Mutant X is filled with dark and morose twists, none more evident than the members of The Six themselves:

There's seemingly no Jean Grey in this reality, instead finding Madelyne Pryor continuing her tenure as an ill fitted replacement. Angel was transformed into a more vile and evil creature by Apocalypse; Henry McCoy continued experimenting on himself until he devolved into a green, hoofed Brute; Storm never recovered from Dracula's bite, becoming the vampiric Bloodstorm; and Ice Man never regained control of his powers after tampering by Loki.

A big part of the appeal of the series then becomes discovering how this altered version of the Marvel Universe has affected other characters, doubling the fun with interesting guest villains and heroes both.

A lot of examples trade on iconic stories and moments from Marvel history, and in the case of the murdered Man-Spider -- he not only retains the six-armed mutation famous from Amazing Spider-Man #101, but also turns out to be the spider-clone when the real Man-Spider testifies at the trial for his murder!

The whole episode, "goblin clones" included, appears to trade on the still recent Clone Saga, death of Ben Reilly, and return of Norman Osborn, who'd been presumed dead since famously being impaled on his own glider in 1973's Amazing Spider-Man #122. An ailment he recovered from to return to print in 1996.

With rare exception we file character "divergents" (alternate reality versions) under the main character, so for that reason we'll infer the deceased Man-Spider is tantamount to original Spider-Clone, Ben Reilly. Despite his significant differences we'll also put The Fallen under the Angel tag, even though this Warren Worthington III makes for one of the most compelling variants of the series.

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Winners: Goblin Queen & The Fallen
#204 (new) Madelyne Pryor [+2 kills]
#39 (+11) Angel (The Fallen)
#75 (-7) Scarlet Spider (Man-Spider)
#1050 (-12) Green Goblin (Norman Osborn)

HOBGOBLIN versus MOON KNIGHT

Half Life (Marvel)
Where: Marc Spector: Moon Knight #32 When: November 1991 Why: JM DeMatteis & Howard Mackie How: Ron Garney

The Story So Far...
Before he became the avenging fist of Khonshu: Marc Spector lived the life of a soldier of fortune. In that career he made the acquaintance of Jason Macendale - the mercenary who would assume the identity of Hobgoblin.

In his pursuit for greater powers, Jason Macendale sought a deal with the demon N'Astirh. For his hubris he was infused with a demonic entity that greatly enhanced him, but also slowly began to assume control of his body. Now Macendale is helpless as the demon seeks vengeance against sinners starting with a list of mercenaries that has led him to the palatial estate of Marc Spector - Moon Knight!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Demogoblin 4 (Enhanced)
Intelligence: Moon Knight 3 (Straight A)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Draw 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Draw 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Moon Knight 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: Demogoblin 4 (Arsenal)
Total: Draw 24 (Champion)

The name on the marquee says Hobgoblin, but Jason Macendale is now a mere passenger in his own body! The mercenary sought super-human powers from the demon N'Astirh and got more than he bargained for. Now his torturous possession is nearing its end as the Demogoblin begins to assume control!

This is the first time we've seen Demogoblin still bound to a mortal host. Soon after this battle he'll tear himself free from Macendale's body, embarking on a twisted quest with his own hellish equivalents of the Hobgoblin's arsenal.

Super-natural strength, a flaming glider, and occult pumpkin bombs make Demogoblin a formidable threat, but he hasn't always fared very well against adequately prepared opponents. We've seen Demogoblin fatally skewered on the end of Blade's sword during Ghost Rider #40. He was also out-muscled by the tactical tag team of Venom & Morbius in Venom: The Enemy Within #3.

Venom's victory was partly secured by exposing a subservient goblin horde to daylight. An interesting tactic, but not one that would do a whole lot of good for a man whose strength increases under the moon's light!

Before becoming Moon Knight: Marc Spector was a freelance mercenary. When his employer Raul Bushman left him for dead in the Egyptian desert, he was placed at the feet of an idol of Khonshu. There, the lunar deity chose him to become its avenger for justice by night.

Moon Knight is a highly skilled hand-to-hand combatant with an arsenal of silver weapons and high-tech vehicles. He's used these tools to combat supernatural threats and human mercenaries. At times, his methods can become quite brutal, as we saw when he dominated Taskmaster in Moon Knight (Vol.5) #6.

Moon Knight's methods and mindset can sometimes be erratic, but he definitely has the skills, tools, and propensity to take on a threat like Demogoblin. Here he has the benefit of home turf, but will that be enough? Let's find out!

The Tape: Draw Ranking: Moon Knight (#343)

What Went Down...
The sound of an explosion thundering through his estate interrupts a fleeting kiss between Marc Spector and Marlene Alraune. It is the signal of an intruder on the premises, who glides eerily through a gaping hole in the structure.

The Hobgoblin beckons to his target as his goblin-glider carries him through the manor on a night wind. If he notices the cloaked figure lurking behind him in the moonlight -- he is too slow to act. Moon Knight strikes!

A leaping fly kick connects with Hobgoblin's spine and knocks him off the glider!

The demonic goblin rolls to a knee and spitefully taunts his opponent's effortful tactics. Moon Knight answers his wicked tongue by tossing a boomerang straight at his sneering face!

Moon Knight clutches Hobgoblin by the throat and throws him against a nearby wall! For just a second the ghastly goblin's face reverts to that of the human mercenary Jason Macendale. He utters a strained cry for help -- enough for Moon Knight to loosen his grip and let his attacker drop hunched to the ground.

Macendale has the wherewithal to explain his demonic alter-ego's ultimate plan: to kill both of them and all their fellow mercenaries.

With his head in his hands, Macendale begs his former colleague to stop the demon hurting him again. A plea Moon Knight answers with a compassionate pledge to fix it all. He cannot see Macendale's fear turn to a demonic grin.

In control again, the demonic Hobgoblin spins around and unleashes a stinger blast from his finger! It sends the unprepared Moon Knight reeling back!

With the hero's white garb still smoldering, Hobgoblin looms with a razor-bat drawn and intent to kill! For the sin of being a mercenary he will seek to cut Moon Knight down once and for all!

The Hammer...
What a terrible time for a cliffhanger! Hobgoblin clearly has the upper hand as Marc Spector: Moon Knight #32 comes to a close, but to find out exactly how the battle concludes -- we'd need to continue to the next issue!

Per Secret Wars on Infinite Earths rules: we draw a line at the end of the issue. Occasionally conclusions can still be drawn from the information available, but in this instance, we're left with inconclusive data when the bell rings on Round 1.

The pair have been too evenly matched to call Hobgoblin's sudden reversal of fortune a true victory. This determination is partly influenced by the knowledge the battle directly continues. We'll return to see more from issue #33 at some point in the future. In the mean time, let us simply savor the anticipation and enjoyment that comes from one of Moon Knight's more intriguing rivalries!

Moon Knight may've borrowed from the Batman model of brooding caped crusader, but when it comes to villains, his bench isn't anywhere near as deep.

It's always nice when natural connective tissue can be used to expand the world and scope of two characters. Jason Macendale's history as a mercenary was well established during his reign as a Spider-Man villain. Why not acknowledge a professional past between he and former-mercenary Marc Spector?

The gimmick suited a concept that would come to define the Demogoblin once it separated from his human host. His righteous crusade against sinners meant a quick tour hunting mercenaries was a natural way for Moon Knight and Jason Macendale to meet and illuminate their secret past.

Making the meeting all the sweeter is Moon Knight's real publication history. He made his first appearance hunting The Werewolf in Werewolf By Night #32 and has remained connected with the realm of supernatural ever since. Macendale's demonic possession provides an extra tasty wrinkle to an already fun pairing.

It's for this reason I prefer when we aren't asked to question whether Khonshu is the figment of a disturbed mind. For some reason the 2000s seemed to place tremendous weight on fracturing the psyche of Marc Spector between different personalities.

I suppose it was a way to better differentiate the character from the strained, but unimpeachable perspective of Batman. I'm more inclined to think confirming Moon Knight's roots with the supernatural better service that goal. He's more interesting when he truly has ties with, and reasons to revisit that space.

I've been wanting to get back to Moon Knight for quite some time, but truth be told, what really brought me here was Hobgoblin. I've been on a real Jason Macendale kick lately! Hopefully some of those classic stories can find their way here sometime in the future.

It's always been tough to rate Macendale over the original Hobgoblin: Roderick Kingsley. The latter Hobgoblin's tenure lasted roughly the same amount of time as the first, but he was always slightly in the shadow of the original. A copy of a copy, having found the identity that Kingsley repurposed from Norman Osborn.

As much as I think the two goblins, (Hob & Demo), enhance Moon Knight's world, I think Moon Knight does something to improve Macendale, too. Between his demonic possession and hard mercenary past -- which included time as Jack O'Lantern -- he's actually a pretty decent villain. A shame Marvel scrapped him.

That's about all for now. If you'd like to find more from the characters discussed in this post be sure to explore links! It's a great way to discover exciting and new parts of comics! You can also dive into the Secret Archive for a complete index of every featured fight in order of publisher, series, and issue!

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Winner: Inconclusive (Draw)
#331 (+12) Moon Knight
#897 (+9) Demogoblin
#564 (new) Hobgoblin (Jason Macendale) [+1 assist]

SPIDER-MAN versus MYSTERIO

Media Blizzard Part 3 of 3: Unplugged (Marvel)
Where: Spider-Man #65 When: February 1996 Why: Howard Mackie How: John Romita Jr & Tom Morgan

The Story So Far...
MysteryVision is the hottest name in must-see TV, earning unprecedented ratings as the fastest-growing network to hit New York City cable providers!

The critics can't seem to stand it, but that hasn't stopped viewers of all ages beating a path to tune-in to its lineup of highly unusual programming! So, what's the secret to broadcaster Randolph Hines' success?..

Spider-Man discovers a stolen DIT chip is behind MysteryVision after finding its inventor mesmerized by his television! Professor Ramirez's highly advanced "Digital Imagery Transmission" technology can convert thought into broadcast, replacing an entire production team with one man's vision!

An unannounced trip to the dilapidated theatre housing MysteryVision's offices soon reveals the mastermind behind it all: Mysterio has at last found his medium and is reaping success through subliminal manipulation! The new Spider-Man must meet his old foe head-on if he's to free the minds of NYC!

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

Time for another showdown between classic arch-rivals, right? Not exactly...

As the mugshot above shows: This isn't your father's Spider-Man -- even though we were all being led to believe he was at the dawn of 1996.

The infamous "Clone Saga" switched the real Peter Parker with his prodigal duplicate, who had apparently survived their seemingly lethal meeting in 1975's Amazing Spider-Man #149!

Created by the notorious Jackal; the Spider-Clone was an exact genetic copy of a matured Peter Parker, possessing of all his unique abilities and memories up to that point. This allowed both to believe the clone had replaced the original, leading the self-christened Ben Reilly to eventually become a new Spider-Man.

When it came time to throw down with Spidey's classic foes, the clone recalls intimate details of their earliest history, such as the first battle with Mysterio in Amazing Spider-Man #13, and later victory in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #4!

In truth, the Spider-Clone's adventures only began with his reemergence in 1994. He relearned the ropes (or webs) after taking up the responsibility of his powers as the Scarlet Spider. During this time he even developed some new tricks, such as his trademark "impact webbing" - pellets that ensnare a target.

Mysterio may not be a complete unknown to the replacement Spider-Man, but that doesn't mean he lacks the element of surprise!

As seen in his debut, Mysterio isn't just a master of visual effects. He also has the means to suppress Spider-Man's greatest weapon against them: his spider-sense! He was even able to diminish the heightened sense of the sightless Daredevil leading up to their dramatic showdown in Daredevil #7!

In today's featured battle, Spidey has already removed augmented reality lenses Mysterio secretly fixed to his mask. He's banged up from fighting gangs he thought were hideous monsters, and dealing with iced-up web-shooters. Is that enough to throw him off his game? Let's find out!

The Tape: Spider-Man Ranking: Spider-Man (#94)

What Went Down...
Through a cold winter's blizzard, Spider-Man swings a determined path against a bitter night wind. His guide is a tracing device created by Professor Ramirez: inventor of the stolen DIT chip that powers Mysterio's MysteryVision broadcast!

The villain watches his ratings skyrocket as an audience of huddled New York masses is held in total thrall by subliminal signals. Only security systems divert his attention as a closed circuit feed provides images of the web-slinger's arrival.

With the transmitter at last upon him: Spider-Man prepares to free the people -- when suddenly the snow covered city tower is replaced with an arid desert and a looming dragon!

Spidey leaps clear as the gigantic beast plunges its head for a deadly bite!

He reminds himself Mysterio's illusions can't really hurt him as the dragon rises back up and its mouth begins to fill with flame. He's only half right...

The disoriented wall-crawler is sent hurtling from the inner city high rise as a massive blast of electric energy strikes him!

Replacing the dragon illusion is Mysterio, wielding the high-voltage charge of gauntlets attached to an upgraded power suit. He vows to protect his "privately owned property" by any means necessary.

The airborne hero uses a web-line to pull himself back into orbit of the rooftop and challenge Mysterio's glib defense of the transmitter. He's greeted with another blast of electric energy, but this time he vaults over it -- into snakes!

The tangled mass of snapping serpents is unsettling - and even causes pain -- but Spider-Man remains determined to shrug off the illusion!

He fights his way through the distraction, reaching the transmitter tower to rip away its exterior covering like mere aluminum foil! His focus leaves him totally vulnerable to intense fire as Mysterio attempts to protect the device!

Fast weaving of a web-shield provides some insulation from the devastating electric jolts, but leaves Spidey pinned to the transmitter's side with few options for defending himself and completing his objective to destroy the DIT chip!

Mysterio powers up the charge to deliver one all mighty finishing blow, giving Spider-Man the chance to formulate one high-stakes play. He waits until the very last moment and leaps clear, leaving the deadly bolt to strike the tower!

The transmitter explodes, but Spider-Man is still on the case -- leaping to rescue Mysterio from the shockwave and collapsing roof!

The pair spill into the building below where employs scramble to make sense of the drama. Assuming the guise of MysterVision President once more, Mysterio attempts to have Spider-Man arrested, but with the DIT chip destroyed and back-up generators maintaining the broadcast, everyone's eyes are opened to the truth. The ratings begin to plummet as the nightmare finally ends.

The Hammer...
Chalk one up for Ben Reilly! The erstwhile "new" Spider-Man had a prelude battle in Sensational Spider-Man #0, but passed his first real test in the new webs by defeating classic foe Mysterio in today's featured third act finale!

It took a couple of years of convolution to get here, but the premise was fairly simple: 1975's Spider-clone had unknowingly switched places with the real Peter Parker, leading "Ben Reilly" to "return" as the one true Spider-Man in '96.

This ultimate twist in the controversial "Clone Saga" completely redefined twenty-years of publication history, but for those willing to stick with the dramatic rethink, it promised a reinvigorated take on the classic formula.

In his new life, Ben Reilly had already found a supporting cast working at The Daily Grind café. They captured some of the classic spirit of the Daily Bugle bullpen, while also providing easy access to the city (for heroics), and a relevant workplace in the age of Friends, Seinfeld, and the rise of the foamy latte.

Reilly met a customer turned love interest, Jessica Carradine, who put a moody 90s twist on the old dual identity dynamic. She soon turned out to be a photographer obsessed with proving Spider-Man framed & killed her father -- who was the burglar that shot Uncle Ben. It was never going to work, but it started out with a lot of promise and probably could've lasted longer.

This new status quo was anchored with the launch of Sensational Spider-Man. It was a new title Ben Reilly could call his own, while also starring in continued runs of classic series (Amazing, etc). The new book demanded a classic villain to go with the classic mantle. As Scarlet Spider, Reilly had already had run-ins with the likes of Venom and Alistair Smythe. All things considered, it was a fine time to dust off Mysterio, who was a little worse for wear after previous episodes.

The three-part Media Blizzard kicked off in Sensational Spider-Man #1, imbued with the philosophy of combining classic and modern. Mysterio was up to his old tricks, but got a new design to go with new tricks.

It seemed inevitable that someone would try to subvert Mysterio's famous "fish bowl". The new design buried it in a thick fog of green smoke that only implied the dome - never showed it clearly. His now black bodysuit was covered with copious buckled belts for some reason, too. I guess that was some kind of hangover from the early nineties, and came back into vogue right around this time in anime & manga, too. Somebody in the Spider-offices obviously liked it. Hobgoblin would get the same design treatment not long after this.

The plot to use television to enthrall the masses wasn't a bad one, but the story lacked a unique twist or commentary. Anyone who'd seen Batman Forever a year or so prior would've found the brainwashed masses staring at their TV sets pretty familiar. It's a tried & true idea, but a perfunctory one, really just using an available Lee/Ditko villain to lend heft to the introduction of the world.

With the ills of brainwashing thwarted, the story concludes with a whimpering critique of Mysterio's unconventional programming: "In the end, Mysterio, I think it was really simple... Your shows were just no good."

We're never shown much of what MysteryVision actually is. Spider-Man's street fights are involved, and there's a big skull-adorned killer reindeer and elf out to cause trouble. Otherwise it's mostly green-tinted static and promos. In my mind's eye, I guess I filled in the blanks as something like MTV's Liquid Television. It reads like the moral is to never challenge conventional programming and in 2019 that's an especially unattractive proposition.

Despite its lack of aspiration, the story does play with some interesting twists on the Mysterio MO. Quentin Beck as a smarmy, villainous TV executive was a fun take. Something about his goateed design as Randolph Hines reminds me of Wes Craven, but his violent Christmas programming is much more like Bill Murray in Scrooged, if his prickly programming had artistic pretentions.

The real edge is in the way Mysterio's illusions are filtered through the concept of practical technology. MysteryVision is in the process of developing virtual reality and special "3D broadcasts" when Spider-Man infiltrates their offices. He dons a prototype VR helmet at the behest of Hines and unwittingly applies vision-obscuring lenses over his mask that edit his reality. These days we know this technique as "augmented reality", but back then it was pretty nifty.

This is also one of the earliest stories I remember dealing with the eyes on Spider-Man's mask as lenses. It became live-action standard with Sam Raimi's Spider-Man in 2002, but the comics often depicted them as cloth.

Virtual reality was by no means a new idea, for Mysterio or in general, but it was on the cusp of taking off in new ways with the theatrical explosion of The Matrix in '99. It seemed like this should've been the foundation of a strong push into the new millennium for Mysterio, but as we know, the revamp didn't last. He'd have a run-in with Daredevil later this year, and deliver his grand opus leading to his untimely demise in Daredevil (Vol.2) #7, shortly after.

As for Ben Reilly, he wasn't long for this world, either. If it was ever intended to permanently switch the two Peter Parkers - cooler heads prevailed. Ben Reilly was killed by a resurrected Norman Osborn at the end of 1996. A fitting end to a controversial few years in Spider-Man's long and web-tangled history.

At the time, I was intrigued by the radical shift in reality, and fresh sensibility of the new Spider-Man. It was a first of its kind concept, and a fun time for casually reading comics. I wouldn't want to go back to it, though.

Indeed, I haven't had much desire to revisit any of the Clone Saga prior to this moment. With so many half-hearted stunts and multi-year replacements in the last few years of Marvel Comics, the concept has been well and truly worn out, if it was ever a good one to begin with. Maybe we'll explore more some time.

If you really want to experience more of the Ben Reilly saga you can find today's featured fight, and some of the issues referenced, in Spider-Man: Ben Reilly Omnibus Vol. 1. Use purchase links provided and Amazon will support the site at no cost to you! Don't see them? Disable blocking add-ons to go see them right here!

You can also find more superhero smackdown and discussion by following links throughout this post, or diving into the Issue Index for a full archive! Follow on Twitter and Facebook for daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day, and be sure to like, share, and subscribe the best ones!

Winner: Spider-Man
#64 (+30) Spider-Man (Ben Reilly)
#393 (-10) Mysterio

VENOM versus GHOST RIDER

Spirits of Venom Part 4 of 4: Last Rites (Marvel)
Where: Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance #6 When: January 1993 Why: Howard Mackie How: Adam Kubert

The Story So Far...
Supernatural forces conspire in the night as New York City plays host to a bizarre gathering of occult entities! While Spider-man scrambles to protect Hobgoblin from the evil Demogoblin and Doppelganger -- the progeny of Deathwatch prepares for his resurrection below, drawing Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze, and Venom!

The forces of darkness threaten to consume the heroes when they converge in the underground of Manhattan's sewers. Against overwhelming odds, the heroes prevail over endless hordes of Deathspawn, but when Venom's hatred for Spider-man gets the better of him, Ghost Rider steps into the line of fire!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Venom 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: Draw 2 (Average)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Ghost Rider 6 (Generator)
Agility: Venom 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Draw 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Ghost Rider 5 (Lasers)
Total: Ghost Rider 25 (Champion)

You only need to look at the character mugshots above to see the elephant in the room! Venom has two well known weaknesses - and one of them is fire!

Ghost Rider may have a burning skull for a head, but that's no ordinary flame! When Danny Ketch touched a gas cap sigil on a mystic motorcycle, he was transformed into a demonic spirit of vengeance! Among his occult arsenal of infernal powers is hellfire, which scorches the soul, but not necessarily the flesh!

Hellfire has sometimes been described as being cold upon contact, which is a simple distinction from the burning that usually sends the Venom symbiote into pained frenzy! We saw Venom go relatively unbothered by hellfire when he went up against Demogoblin in Venom: The Enemy Within #3.

If fire isn't going to send Venom running, then we can at least expect this to be a pretty even fight! We're giving Venom a slight strength advantage, as Danny Ketch was often shown to be a little weaker in practice than Johnny Blaze was.

Blaze isn't irrelevant in this encounter! The previous spirit of vengeance, now stripped of his powers save for a hellfire shotgun, is in the midst of partnering with the new Ghost Rider. He's still in the vicinity, as the trio were, until this point, part of a team-up against the deathspawn cult of Deathwatch!

Symbiote tendrils and Ghost Rider's chain roughly cancel each other out, but in close quarters, could give Venom a slight edge. If he tries to pull the rider in, however, he runs the risk of gazing into the abyss of the penance stare!

Venom is two entities in one: Eddie Brock and the alien symbiote. It's unclear how the penance stare would interact with their unique dual psyche, or if it would even matter. Venom has done terrible things, but he acts in accordance with the twisted morality of a self-proclaimed lethal protector. The symbiote found Brock praying in a church, and penance may not be something he fears!

Dan Ketch's stare proved powerful enough to overwhelm Johnny Blaze, when he served the angel Zadkiel many years after this, in Ghost Rider #29! Will it be a factor? Halloween's coming up quick! Let's see what went down!

The Tape: Ghost Rider Ranking: Venom (#67)

What Went Down...
Halted from pursuing his bitter vendetta with Spider-man; Venom turns his hatred toward the binding chains of Ghost Rider! For allowing Spider-man to escape, the spirit of vengeance who was briefly Venom's ally has earned death!

Venom leaps at Ghost Rider, extending a massive alien-enhanced arm as he does. His fist only narrowly misses its target, smashing through the sewer wall immediately behind Ghost Rider's flaming skull!

The Rider attempts to talk reason into Venom, reminding him of the true threat of Deathwatch's deathspawn, but the mutual hatred shared by Eddie Brock and his alien costume will allow nothing else! So intense is their hatred for Spider-man that they dare question the demon spirit's grasp of true vengeance!

Venom clamps his massive teeth around Ghost Rider's wrist and swings his head around to toss him across the sewer!

The throw separates Ghost Rider from his mystic chain. Venom picks it up and launches himself at the struggling spirit, flexing mighty muscle driven by a mad, misdirected lust for revenge against Spider-man!

Ghost Rider finds his back to the ground as Venom bares down over him, pulling the chain ever tighter around his neck! Venom makes a crazed vow to use his own weapon to rip his head off, if Ghost Rider insists on getting in his way.

With his head still in tact, Ghost Rider glares up at his opponent and invites him to meet the searing gaze of his penance stare!

Fire streams from Ghost Rider's eye sockets and licks at the alien costume's wide white eyes! The flame engulfs Venom as the demon challenges him to face the very pain and suffering he has inflicted upon others!

Venom is surprised to find the fire doesn't burn, but he is never the less wracked with pain! He snares and grunts, but his isn't the only discomfort! The fire begins to burn more intensely as Ghost Rider realizes Venom's alien costume is a living sentient entity! A factor that causes an unknown reaction!

An explosion of hellfire breaks the penance stare - throwing the two combatants in opposite directions!

Flames flicker across the battlefield, but only one combatant lies motionless: Ghost Rider! Venom rises to continue his misguided grudge against the demon of vengeance, but a shotgun barrel pressing against his head warrants a stay of execution. Johnny Blaze arrives just in time to stop the finishing blow!

The Hammer...
So, what have we learned today?..

Apparently if Ghost Rider tries to use the penance stare on Venom: it causes some kind of explosive feedback-loop that spares symbiote & host the full effect!

Why exactly is that? There doesn't seem to be any explanation offered here, but it might have had something to do with the alien's vast cosmic experience prior to being brought to Earth.

Two decades later, the symbiote was described as having "too much sin" in Thunderbolts (Vol.2) #23, when Johnny Blaze tried to use the penance stare on Agent Venom. The end result was similar, shorting out the Rider's powers.

Being too guilty for penance is a slightly ridiculous way of framing the unusual exception, but perhaps there's a more satisfying way of looking at it...

Spirits of Vengeance are derived from the realms of Heaven & Hell. Their penance stare weaponizes the esoteric power of an individual's sins.

High-ranking devils and demons are also frequently seen to draw their power from evil & sin. If Ghost Rider is an agent of these higher demons (or angels), unable to dominate them, it stands to reason within the internal logic of the mythology, that there is a threshold for sin being greater than Ghost Rider's ability to utilize it.

This all presumes the Venom symbiote has a staggering history of evil, which may be more difficult to accept, particularly with expansions and revisions to the symbiote backstory. Personally, I think some ambiguity is for best, so I'm happy not to go too deep into the world of "Klyntar". Not yet, at least.

It's fun to think about the chemistry of how unique characters interact, but I'm not sure this much handwringing is really necessary. Spirits of Venom is liquid 1993, crossing over two of Marvel's most visual characters, in the hands of one of their emerging popular artists. It's all about spectacle!

Adam Kubert shows moments of brilliance, leading with a full page POV from the back of Venom's throat on Page 1! You can see part of the image included above, sans credits. It's a great way to exploit Venom's ever-gaping mouth and makes for an awesome open!

Things get a little sketchy from there as the action, initiated by the end of Web of Spider-man #96, gets going, but it soon delivers another great moment. The fire pouring out of Ghost Rider and enveloping Venom [also pictured above] is an example of the really exciting, inventive layouts Kubert cranked out here!

Inker Bill Reinhold and colorist Greg Wright deserve a lot of credit for adding to the look of the issue! A lot of these early nineties Midnight Sons superhero-horror series had a similar look. It's a mistake to think of them as dark. Actually, they frequently had vivid colours and bright light reference! These were the supernatural glows that created the dark shadows people remember.

I really love the glowing purples and greens, and the way they pop against dark blues, greys, and blacks. The stories themselves could get pretty dodgy, but the finished artwork, particularly in the first couple of years, always seemed to have a high gloss that evoked a signature style and standard of quality.

All the interiors arguably pale compared to the Spirits of Venom Part 4 cover by Kubert and Ken Steacy! The image [page top] of an upside down Venom holding Ghost Rider's flaming skull in a chain was recreated in different mediums throughout the early nineties. I particularly recall a brighter version used in the first series of Marvel Flair trading cards - memorable for the thickness of their cardstock, and premium price. It sure helped mythologize the crossover!

Spirits of Venom plays up supernatural plotlines of Jason Macendale and the excised Demogoblin, creating a fairly natural crossover between the third string Spider-man series and secondary Ghost Rider title. It all feels a little gratuitous, but the concerns and motivations of the lead characters are actually pretty well represented. Even if its four issues of everyone raging incoherently through the sewers against each other, generic demons, and low rent villains.

The four-issue "event" really pales in comparison to Maximum Carnage from the same year, but it's an interesting artefact of its time, and I imagine we'll be back to pick apart some of the other conflicts that unfolded. As noted: Johnny Blaze stepped in to follow-up simmering tensions between he and Venom.

If you'd like to follow-up on more Spirits of Venom, or other stories, dive into the Secret Archive for a full index of featured fights organized by publisher, series, and issue number!

You can also find more battles by following links throughout this post, or following Secret Wars on Infinite Earths on Twitter and Facebook! Sharing and liking your favourite fights is a great way to support the site! October is Halloween, so stay tuned for more horrors!

Winner: Venom
#16 (+1) Venom (Symbiote)
#42 (+25) Venom (Eddie Brock)
#362 (-44) Ghost Rider (Dan Ketch)

GHOST RIDER versus BLADE
Dead Man's Tale (Marvel)
Where: Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance #13 When: August 1993 Why: Howard Mackie How: Adam Kubert

The Story So Far...
When Blade receives a mysterious black envelope containing a page from the Darkhold book of magic, he unleashes a spell, once read, that embues him with the powers of a demogorge. So begins Blade's rampage on all things supernatural and occult.

Attracted like a moth to flame, Blade's powers to perceive and gravitate toward the supernatural only becomes greater as he absorbs the powers of all he kills. Hannibal King, John Blaze, Demogoblin, Werewolf by Night, Modred, Victoria Montesi, and Michael Morbius all contribute to Blade's amassing powers in their death.

Hellbent on the eradication of all things supernatural, Blade finally marches on the greatest source of mystic power in New York - Dr. Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum; home to the Darkhold! With time and opportunity fast running out, Ghost Rider must join the Nighstalkers and bring an end to the demogorge.

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Ghost Rider 4 (Enhanced)
Intelligence: Blade 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Ghost Rider 6 (Generator)
Agility: Blade 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting Ability: Blade 5 (Martial Arts)
Energy Power: Ghost Rider 5 (Lasers)


- When a man and his girlfriend are attacked by gangsters, they unknowingly seek refuge in a scraplot containing a rare artifact. Upon touching the mystic symbol on a motorcycle's tank cap, Dan Ketch is transformed into the flaming spirit of vengeance, inheriting the curse of the hellborne Ghost Rider!

Like Johnny Blaze before him; Ketch's demon grants him fantastic powers that may be used in the pursuit of righteous vengeance. Powers that include; super strength, durability, speed, control over the hellcycle, hellfire, mystic chains, and the penance stare; capable of rendering a dark soul inert by forcing them to relive the wrongs they have commited on others.

- In a whorehouse in London, a child was born into the world, destined for greatness. When the vampire Deacon Frost was to feast on the woman in labour, he inadvertently passed along certain enzymes that would eventually grant Eric Roberts the strengths of a vampire, with none of their weaknesses. Thus the young boy grows into legend; the Daywalker -- Blade!

Blade lives up to his name, highly skilled with various forms of weaponry and munitions. A dedicated vampire hunter, Blade is skilled in the martial arts, and a thorough tactician with an arsenal of weapons that compliment his acquired enhanced strength, speed, senses, durability and reflexes.

Additional: Having taken a page of the Darkhold, Blade has become possessed by the power of the Demogorge. His ability to sense the supernatural is enhanced, and he now absorbs the powers of the mystics he kills. It was while possessed by the Demogorge that Blade had a runin with Ghost Rider and Frank Drake in a previous entry in the Infinite Wars [Ghost Rider #40].
Aided by Demogoblin, Blade was able to fend off the heroes, to later overcome Ghost Rider alone. The intervention of Frank Drake saved Ghost Rider.

History: Draw (0-0-1)
The Math: Blade Ranking: Blade (#177)

What Went Down...
Having effortlessly penetrated the powerful spells cast by Earth's Sorceror Supreme, Dr. Strange; Blade enters the Sanctum Sanctorum, only to find the good doctor absent. His growing awareness of the supernatural draws Blade deeper into the Sanctum where he discovers the only weapon capable of reversing his devolution into darkness - the Darkhold!

The second Blade removes the book from it's pedestal, powerful spells launch it through the building toward the night sky and an interdimensional portal designed to protect the book in Strange's absence. With the luxury of time working against them, Ghost Rider aids Blade in ahcoring the book to the Earth with the use of his mystic chains. The protection of the book allows Blade to finally turn his attentions to the elusive spirit of vengeance.

Ghost Rider's vengeful charge is abruptly ended, as Blade draws the shotgun weapon once held by John Blaze. The mystic gun spews hellfire through Ghost Rider's body, inflicting maximum damage as Blade lordes his powers.

Blade summons a mighty wind with the elemental powers of Modred, using them to hold the Nightstalkers back from the Darkhold, while he draws his own close-quarters weapons to finish Ghost Rider off.

Engulfed in flame, Blade impales the Ghost Rider with his namesake, feeling no resistance from the powerful demon. He pulls his foe in twain, before driving a blade through the sprit of vengeance's flaming skull! So begins the transfer...

Unfortunately for Blade, he fails to anticipate the nature of the Ghost Rider's power. Absorbing the hellacious abilities of the spirit of vengeance comes at a startling cost as the penance stare is turned inward, forcing Blade to relive the many murders committed in his recent past as a demogorge.

The searing pain of his penance distracts Blade enough to stem the winds he'd summoned to prevent access to the Darkhold. Louise Hastings, of the Redeemers, springs quickly into action, reading from the book so as to resurrect those killed, and return their powers to them from Blade. So ends the Midnight Massacre...

The Hammer...
Despite having his ungodly powers stripped, I think it's safe to say a bitter victory goes to Blade! Despite being killed by the powered-up slayer, Ghost Rider is among those resurrected by the Darkhold spell.

In a month supposedly dedicated to Iron Man, you might be wondering what brought on this unlikely Midnight Sons feature.
It was recent discussion on the Marvel.com message boards that posed the question of whether or not Blade could, or already had, defeated Ghost Rider as his Wikipedia entry claimed. Since contextually absent or poorly described events from Wikipedia style entries are exactly what the Infinite Wars intends to elaborate upon, it seemed like a great opportunity to contribute!

Top 25 Devils/Mystics#1 Dhalsim (Capcom)
#2 Dr. Doom (Marvel)
#3 Zatanna (DC)
#4 The Demon (DC)
#5 Ghost Rider (Marvel)
#6 Morbius (Marvel)
#7 Hellcat (Marvel)
#8 The Spectre (DC)
#9 Dr. Strange (Marvel)
#10 Blazing Skull (Marvel)
#11 Mephisto (Marvel)
#12 Phantom Stranger (DC)
#13 Dr. Fate (DC)
#14 Deadman (DC)
#15 Dr. Occult (DC)
#16 The Hood (Marvel)
#17 Hellboy (Dark Horse)
#18 Jin Kazama (Namco)
#19 Dr. Fate (DC)
#20 Lyta (DC)
#21 Blade (Marvel)
#22 Captain Marvel (DC)
#23 Scarlet Witch (Marvel)
#24 Scorpion (Midway)
#25 Ghost Rider (Marvel)The gang was able to find their way to the Infinite Wars for the previous throwdown between these characters [Ghost Rider #40], where only the intervention of Frank Drake prevented a recorded loss. For the purposes of that discussion [BBS: Blade nearly won a fight against Ghost Rider?] you might argue that Blade did indeed defeat Ghost Rider in that issue, but it's here that the lethal victory described on Wikipedia occurs.

Unfortunately I can't elaborate much further than this encounter, but it's nice to be able to accomodate Infinite Wars readers even that far. If you're a member of the Marvel.com boards, be sure to let the lads know new information has emerged!

Last time we featured these characters, the recurring subject of Marvel's struggle to find a lasting treatment in comics for the characters was a hot topic. Speculation that the recently relaunched Blade and Ghost Rider titles were destined for cancellation proves, at this point, to be half true.

The Guggenheim/Chaykin Blade series fizzled to an end with issue twelve. Working against the title were painfully obvious factors like Chaykin's decidedly unattractive pencil work, inconsequential guest appearances, and uninvolving storylines. Like so many post-movie comics, this quite deliberately butted against the slick, modern urbana of the Stephen Norrington success, opting instead for an experience apparently unintentionally eighties-style in it's presentation and palette.

Despite steering gleefully toward it's seventies origins, Ghost Rider has fared much better. Stale story telling kept me away from early issues of the title, but while not terribly interested, I have to at least applaud the precedent for recent stories pandering to a grindhouse quality of horror.
The detached nature of buzz-writer Jason Aaron's take on the character is about to collide with more familiar topics. Fans can look forward to recognisable features such as, the hellfire shotgun, and former-Ghost Rider, Dan Ketch!

I couldn't possibly deny the affection I have for these nineties stories.
Though not typically looked upon with admiration, they represent a type of storytelling that allowed these characters to fill a very specific niche, while representing the Marvel Universe mentality of characters operating and clashing within a certain space. Though fond of the strong visual of this character, I can't say I've ever had a particular affection for the western/horror vibe of a desert wandering Ghost Rider.

I hope this coming return of Ketch (and the gun feature in our review) will offer more than just a familiar skull-face. I hope very much this can be the beginning of stories not necessarily designed to establish a universe, but to at least build on some of the recent traditions of these characters. Though not of a terribly high standard, I did get a thrill seeing Morbius in the illfated Blade series.

It's those characters, often identified for their supporting roles, that I enjoy seeing in this larger context. The versimilitude of Doppelganger, Demogoblin, Blade, Ghost Rider, Morbius, Dr. Strange, and various other occult heroes, all mingling in the same section, fills me with a comic book sensical joy.

Keep an eye on weekly shipping list updates for more on upcoming Ghost Rider, but in the mean time, I leave you with the promise of updates to come! Be sure also to stay tuned for the Monthly Punch-Up on the first of the month!

The Fight: 4.5 The Issue: 5

Alas, to the best of my knowledge, Midnight Massacre is not available in collected format. You can find plenty of other exciting reads, starring Ghost Rider and other, in the Infinite Wars Amazonian Gift Shoppe! Amazon has a wide range of Marvel titles, and every time you use purchase links from the Infinite Wars, you help sponsor future entries! While you're splashing around the cash, also be sure to take full advantage of the recent $1.99 price reduction on Mike Haseloff's The Kirby Martin Inquest! Available online; the series introduces the White Ghost, a vigilante seeking justice in an urban environment!