MIRROR MASTER & KILLER FROST versus GREEN ARROW & BLACK LIGHTNING

Heading into the Light Part Two: Cold Reflections (DC)
Where: Green Arrow #55 When: December 2005
Why: Judd Winick How: Ron Garney

The Story So Far...
Doctor Light has recovered his erased memories and is out to reestablish himself as a villainous force to be reckoned with! After failing to defeat his adversaries in the Teen Titans he's set his sights on ruining the life of Green Arrow and he has the resources of The Society to make it happen!

Green Arrow and Black Lightning are working to resolve the predicament, but when Dr. Kimiyo Hoshi is hospitalized, they find themselves ambushed by the second stage of Light's scheme: Mirror Master and Killer Frost!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Killer Frost 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Killer Frost 5 (Professor)
Speed: Black Lightning 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Black Lightning 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Green Arrow 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Green Arrow 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: Black Lightning 5 (Lasers)
Total: Draw 24 (Champion)

Mirror Master and Killer Frost might seem like an unusual team-up, but they've been recruited by Doctor Light through his affiliation with The Society. The secret cabal is an organized union of super-villains working together for mutual goals.

This is the Evan McCulloch incarnation of Mirror Master: a mercenary who was given Sam Scudder's old gear by the FBI to work covert operations. He quickly turned on the feds and went mercenary, becoming a regular foe for The Flash.

His predecessor's advanced technology grants access to a mirror dimension he can travel through using any reflective surface. Mirror Master can also trap people in breakable mirrors, and create convincing illusions and duplicates of himself.

Killer Frost is identified in this issue as Dr. Crystal Frost, but all accounts before and since confirm her earlier death. It's much more likely that this is Dr. Louise Lincoln, who recreated the accident that transformed Dr. Frost, as a means of avenging her death as the second Killer Frost.

We saw her employ her heat absorption and ice powers while battling Kyle Rayner in Green Lantern #127. She was taken down by Wonder Woman during a clash with the Injustice League in Justice League of America #13.

We saw Mirror Master combine his powers with Doctor Light to take down The League of Titans in Final Crisis #1. Killer Frost's ice should create interesting potential for collaboration with his mirror powers.

Green Arrow and Black Lightning are more experienced fighting partners and will need to use that to their tactical advantage.

GA's arrows have taken down everyone from the gimmick wielding Penguin in Justice League of America #135, to the supreme fighter Deathstroke in Green Arrow #62. Black Lightning's electrical charge will prove valuable in evening the score against super-powers, but there is a question over whether or not he can za Killer Frost -- or will generate the type of heat she likes to consume.

The Tape: Green Arrow & Black Lightning Ranking: Green Arrow (#20)

What Went Down...

Green Arrow takes a knee and draws an arrow in the direction of the freshly made hole in the side of Kimiyo Hoshi's hospital room. Her bandaged body lies helpless on the ground courtesy of Killer Frost and Mirror Master's explosive entrance!

Crawling on hands and knees, Black Lightning shakes off the impact and answers GA's request to clear the room. He unleashes an electric blast that launches the villains into the night sky -- sending them hurtling across the city!

Killer Frost crash lands hard into the street some six blocks away, but Mirror Master walks away without a scratch. She can hardly believe his luck when an arrow stakes itself into the ground at his feet. Mirror Master knows better.

He runs as fast as he can from the arrow as a red light starts to gleam and it emits a high pitched shriek. A nearby car window provides a parked portal clear from danger as the arrow explodes -- again sending Killer Frost wildly airborne!

Green Arrow reads the play, recognizing Mirror Master is the more savvy of the pair while he shields from the blast behind another parked car.

The illusion of protection is shattered when Mirror Master's hand extends from the car's window and grabs Green Arrow by the throat!

GA deals with the problem at its source -- violently throwing his elbow into the glass to shatter Mirror Master's portal!

He staggers backward into the street, drawing his bow in the direction of the attack. He falls back, but lands close to a puddle with Mirror Master lying in wait!

Hands once again extend impossibly from the two-dimensional plane, locking Green Arrow in an unanticipated choke hold!

It looks as if it's about to get a whole lot worse when Killer Frost recovers from the explosion and prepares to join in -- but Black Lightning calls her attention to an elemental face-off from a building ledge overhead!

Frost gladly answers the challenge -- unleashing a stream of bitter cold that engulfs Black Lightning and lifts him off the ledge!

She leaps into the air to make chase. Lightning cautiously fires off a bolt, but it fails to connect as Frost splits her legs and dodges it. She joins him on a rooftop and sends icy shards extending across. He has no choice but to jump!

Meanwhile on the street, Green Arrow does his best to dive clear of a volley of shots fired by Mirror Master's gun. He dives behind a car and pulls another arrow, but finds himself surrounded by an army of mirror clones!

Green Arrow slings arrows at record speed, shattering the duplicates while deducing that Mirror Master is more than likely playing with him.

The villain expresses his admiration for his opponent's feats while emerging from the reflection on a shattered piece of glass on the hood of GA's cover. Arrow grabs his pop-up attacker by the wrists and slams his forehead into a waiting nose!

The vicious blow prompts Mirror Master to drop to his knees and clutch his busted nose. Green Arrow uses the opportunity to run from a foe he can't beat, hoping to change the playing field by jacking a nearby jeep and making an exit.

A short drive away: Killer Frost blasts unrelenting cold in an effort to see if there's a temperature that will freeze electricity. It's all Black Lightning can do just to keep the cold at bay with his gleaming bolts.

The cavalry arrives in a stolen chariot, leaning out of the driver's side window to fire off an arrow that hits Killer Frost in the shoulder!

GA drives right through the battle zone, calling for a partner switch that Black Lightning is all too happy to take! He rockets towards Mirror Master on bolts of electricity -- finding himself suddenly surrounded by reflections on all sides!

Black Lightning flips through the air, avoiding a spray of Mirror Master's mirrored gunfire. He lands on one knee and returns fire -- unleashing a deadly charge that fills the empty street with a leaping field of electricity!

Knowing Mirror Master could slip through any tiny shard of reflective glass, he pushes himself to the maximum to cut off any angle of entry. Smoke fills the street as he finally relents, but just like GA, he overlooked the puddle between his feet with a grinning face and a hi-tech pistol slowly emerging.

Mirror Master's jibes give him away, allowing Black Lightning to unleash one final mighty charge that evaporates the puddle and leaves his opponent unconscious!

A few streets away its a scene of absolute winter as snow blasts through cold winds. The gale makes it impossible to fire arrows toward the source, so GA tries a different tact, aiming for a street light.

Killer Frost gleefully deflects the heavy metal pole with a focused blast of ice, but the distraction serves well enough to ease the cold front and allow Green Arrow one shot with a very special arrow.

It ignites as it strikes Killer Frost in the thigh. At first, she laughs at the feeble attempt to fire ice with fire, but this arrow is different. It was cooked up by Roy Harper. It's called "Greek Fire" -- a chemical batch that burns hotter in water!

The emerald archer has an arrow capable of neutralizing the flame, but he holds it back -- interrogating Killer Frost for the identity of who sent her. She writhes in agony in the flame, screaming the man's name: Dr. Light!

The Hammer...

Pretty brutal tactics on Green Arrow's part, but it gets a result.

Killer Frost gives up that she and Mirror Master were sent by Doctor Light with intent to keep the hero busy, and away from home, while Light is stalking his adopted daughter Mia Dearden.

Green Arrow is specifically targeted for his role in unraveling a plot against Light's old enemies: the Teen Titans, but it's all in the name of revenge for the indignity Light suffered when the Justice League erased part of his mind.

Green Arrow was actually one of the heroes who stood opposed to using magic to rewire Doctor Light's personality in flashback portions of Identity Crisis. The decision was determined by the majority votes of Hawkman, Zatanna, Atom, and The Flash. They were opposed by Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Green Lantern.

Black Lightning had nothing to do with the League at that time, or their dark dirty secret history. It probably would've occurred just before he established a friendship with Green Arrow, and received nomination for membership in Justice League of America #173. Readers of the recent and excellent Other History of the DC Universe will know he turned their offer down in the 1979 issue.

It wasn't until 2007 that Black Lightning finally relented and officially joined the ranks of the Justice League. We got to see him in action against Cheetah and the Injustice League shortly after. Fun, but it feels like all the classic hold-outs have been swept up in a tidal wave of everybody young 'n' old joining the big teams.

I kinda like Black Lightning doing his own thing, and having a more special kinship with Green Arrow. It certainly added to an already stacked period for GA!

This arc in particular packs a punch with significant post-Identity Crisis follow-ups with Doctor Light, a couple of appearances by Kimiyo Hoshi in a super-charged grudge match, as well as the usual Arrow family, and The Society's guest villains!

The battle against Mirror Master & Killer Frost essentially occupies the entirety of the issue and it's a pretty good, uncomplicated time.

It's always fun to see what happens when villains cross brands to test themselves against other iconic heroes. Mirror Master might cook up new ways to cause trouble for The Flash, but it's a whole new ball game when he goes after Green Arrow or Black Lightning.

That said, it doesn't quite feel like the unique chemistry is fully exploited in this one. It's kind of taken for granted that the good guys are winning on their way to bigger fish. The focus seems to be on the end result of their fight, rather than the scrimmage, which leaves some of the middle action a little hazy.

Black Lightning's method for flash-frying Mirror Master while he's coming out of a puddle is pretty ingenious. Taking Killer Frost down with a chemical fire is a little less inspired, given her penchant for absorbing heat. Credit to Judd Winick for pulling "Greek fire" out of real historic Middle Ages reference, and acknowledging that its property for burning in water makes it a unique weapon.

I'm not sure who's responsible for misidentifying Killer Frost by the alias of the deceased Crystal Frost. That one seems like it could be an editorial oversight compounded by DC's gradual restoration of pre-Crisis elements in the mid-2000s.

All references before and after, including Crystal Frost's brief return as a pseudo-zombie during Blackest Night, seem to confirm this should be taken as Louise Lincoln. You'd think DC would learn from this kind of confusion, but alas, we seem doomed to repeat these inconsistencies as they instate reboot after reboot.

The artwork is a little inconsistent on this one, but when Ron Garney gets a clean hit, it's a thing of beauty. He particularly seems to excel at drawing Green Arrow and Black Lightning. Inker Bill Reinhold compliments the detail in their faces with strong, black lines that seem to retain a soft, bendiness from the pencils.

I like the sharp detailing in that panel of Killer Frost pouring on the cold against Black Lightning, too. At other times the actions and rendering gets much less sharp, and reminds me of some of the incomplete looking treatment of Scott McDaniel when he isn't at his best. I don't know if there's an uncredited assist here, or if it's just coincidence he's a regular GA penciller around this time.

If you'd like to find more from Green Arrow or any of the subjects covered in this post you should check out the links throughout. Or dive into the Secret Archive for a complete index of every featured fight in order of publisher, series, and issue!

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Winners: Black Lightning & Green Arrow
#17 (+3) Green Arrow
#66 (+41) Black Lightning
#363 (-114) Mirror Master (Evan McCulloch)
#978 (-19) Killer Frost (Louise Lincoln)

DEATHSTROKE versus GREEN ARROW

Crawling Through the Wreckage Part Three: An Eye For An Eye (DC)
Where: Green Arrow #62 When: July 2006
Why: Judd Winick How: Scott McDaniel

The Story So Far...
Green Arrow has spent a year reclaiming his life from the wreckage of Star City's destruction at the hands of Doctor Light and Merlyn. The time away allowed him to recover some of his lost fortune and retrain in new fighting arts. It also allowed his alter-ego Oliver Queen to campaign his way into the city of Mayor of Star City!

The more things change, the more they stay the same. As the emerald archer returns to the streets to fight new enemies, his life as Mayor brings a familiar nemesis back to confront him. Corporate rival Theodore Davis has employed the mercenary Deathstroke to setup a deadly rematch in the Mayor's Office!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Deathstroke 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Deathstroke 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Deathstroke 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Draw 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Draw 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Deathstroke 7 (Living Weapon)
Energy: Green Arrow 4 (Arsenal)
Total: Deathstroke 26 (Metahuman)

Deathstroke is widely recognized as one of the deadliest mercenaries in the DC Universe -- even if our record hasn't always reflected that.

Training and artificial enhancements granting access to 90% brain function means Deathstroke can conceive and enact a range of highly effective combat tactics and skills. Our best examples of this include fighting the Justice League to a standstill in Identity Crisis #3, and single-handedly defeating Marvel's X-Men in the classic Uncanny X-Men and New Teen Titans crossover one-shot!

Key to Deathstroke's effectiveness is his hand-to-hand fighting skills, which The Tape shows outclasses Green Arrow. Oliver Queen is a skilled martial artist, but his greatest point of difference has been specialized archery, as in the battles with The Penguin [Justice League of America #135] and Black Hand [Green Lantern: Rebirth #1].

Deathstroke's sword and speedy reflexes are his best weapon against Green Arrow's trick projectiles, but GA doesn't always need to rely on a bow to make the most of them. We saw him endure a fight with Brick long enough to wield arrows by hand for the win in Green Arrow #45. He also successfully rammed an arrow in Deathstroke's bad eye during the Identity Crisis fight.

That example showed both that Deathstroke basically outclasses Green Arrow, but that GA can also fight hard enough to overcome any perceived disparity.

Today's confrontation is coming after a one year break that allowed Ollie to re-train in new fighting disciplines. We saw the fruits of his labour when he faced Red Hood with the skills of a swordsman in Green Arrow #71. Sharpening his skills with a blade is a good way to offset some of the disparity with Deathstroke, who used his to cut down Phantom Lady in Infinite Crisis #1!

Green Arrow outranks Deathstroke in the Fight Club Rankings, but The Terminator stands well ahead in The Tape. So far their history has ended in an inconclusive draw. Let's see if we can break the tie with today's featured battle!

History: Draw (0-0-1)
The Tape: Deathstroke Ranking: Green Arrow (#23)

What Went Down...
A poisoned dart to the throat silences the objections of Mayoral advisor Frederick Tuckman. Mayor Queen can only grit his teeth and ask the intruding assassin what it is that he wants while nerve toxin floods Tuckman's body.

Deathstroke has been hired to kill the Mayor of Star City, but he fires another dart into Oliver Queen's chest and promises him total ruination before death. A complete political assassination from a petty mercenary to a bitter foe.

Lying on the floor of his public office, Mayor Queen clutches his chest while producing a small electronic device. A beep from the telephone is the only warning Deathstroke gets that The Mayor has wired his office to blow!

A Kord Industries miniature explosive was small enough to evade Deathstroke's earlier sweep of the office, as was the armored vest beneath the Mayor's shirt.

He produces bow & quiver and fires an arrow into Deathstroke's shoulder while the mercenary is still embedded in the office wall. His incredible mind processing what has occurred, The Terminator counter fires with a handful of small, self-propelling explosive beads!

Green Arrow leaps clear of the blast, but it buys Deathstroke the time he needs to retrieve his sword and go on the offensive! A single, precision swing of the blade cuts three arrows clean out of the air!

More arrows go astray, forcing Green Arrow to tumble clear of the rampaging Deathstroke. His sword completely cuts through the Mayor's desk, leaving him vulnerable to an arrow to the rear. A speedy flip saves him from its point!

Deathstroke lands in a dominant position over his target, but Green Arrow has prepared for an attack on his office. The exterior window shatters as a cable and dart flies straight for the assassin's chest -- dousing him in adhesive!

Another automated trigger yanks Deathstroke out the window by the cable attached to his chest, onto the roof and into the seat of a catapult! As he's fired into the city air he finally realizes he's been played: it was Green Arrow who hired him in the first place!

The speed and trajectory is too great for Deathstroke to shift his landing: a great open pit with reinforced walls he can't dig his sword into! When he hits the bottom, a ten-inch deep soup of adhesive bogs him to the ground.

Green Arrow looms over the pit and draws a sword before diving in!

A surprised Deathstroke blocks the diving sword slash and admires the archer's new weapon. The blade's quality is matched only by Green Arrow's ability to wield it. He swings it deftly, forcing The Terminator to duck and avoid!

The adhesive surrounding his feet slows Deathstroke, while Green Arrow moves faster than ever -- unhindered thanks to specially treated boots. The bowman leaps gracefully over his foe, while Deathstroke swings at air.

The archer locks eyes with his target and attacks head-on. Deathstroke swings wildly just to meet his attacker's blade at equal measure. Their swords spark as they collide and Deathstroke realizes his opponent has undergone a change!

They cross swords again and Deathstroke manages to drag his feet out of the mire to jump and lunge forward. He's forced right back down into a deep lean backward as Green Arrow continues to press on.

GA leaps over Deathstroke again and successfully slashes his back!

Deathstroke swings wildly with his sword, but Green Arrow leaps clear and forces an evasive duck with his own blade. His fighting style has changed so much after a year's re-training than Deathstroke knows he can't possibly adjust to match him. He pulls the pin on a flash grenade and covers his eyes!

The blinding light leaves Green Arrow momentarily dazed, allowing Deathstroke to fire off a grappling hook. His escape seems assured until a gunshot severs the tie that would take him to safety and he notices the guns.

Armed with armor piercing rounds, a sniper division of the National Guard surrounds the pit, poised to shoot by order of Mayor Oliver Queen. He thought of everything. Deathstroke is under arrest.

The Hammer...
That's one way to stop a hired killer! Green Arrow laid the perfect trap, utilizing everything at his disposal: prep time, his re-trained fighting style, the ultimate trick arrow, and the special resources available to the Mayor of Star City!

It's nice to be back talking Green Arrow -- especially with an opponent as worthy as Deathstroke! Theirs is an interesting rivalry that almost shouldn't have the chemistry that it does. There isn't a whole lot that innately or thematically ties the two characters together. It just seems to work.

I suppose some of the appeal lies in a test of fighting ability. Green Arrow is the expert marksman with competent fighting skill. Deathstroke is the venerable fighting machine better known for his close quarters skills. Throw them together and see who can get the better of the other, or slip out of mortal danger.

There is some overlap between their roles as senior figures in the lives of extra-ordinary young students. I'd call the rivalry an upgrade from beating up Robin and the kids in the Teen Titans, but without that history, there wouldn't be a Deathstroke to begin with, so maybe I need to get that old bias in check.

Of course, Deathstroke matches up more naturally with a lot of the adult DC Universe, operating best as a freelance mercenary with enough character and gimmicks to be interesting unto himself. The suspension of disbelief is a little less strained when he fails to apply his supreme skills to beating adult heroes.

Success rate has a way of undermining the legend of Deathstroke ever so slightly. From six fights we've recorded three outright victories: wins against Robin, the X-Men, and a shared victory over the Freedom Fighters.

Attempts to parlay the success of the character into a villain-driven solo series no doubt helps address success rate, but also inevitably balances the books with forgettable patsies invented to die without collapsing a major franchise. At some point we will take a closer look at a Deathstroke starring title, but it hasn't been as attractive a spotlight as other battles involving better known heroes.

Today's featured fight owes a lot to the brief but popular encounter in Identity Crisis #3, which was published just a couple of years prior. Without that issue, we might not regard Green Arrow and Deathstroke as the rivals they are.

Seeing Deathstroke go all-out against the Justice League was part of what made Identity Crisis memorably satisfying. It helped broadcast the potential of the character, and finally seeded more regular appearances in the larger DCU as a member of groups like The Society and Injustice League.

Flash forward to 2020 and Deathstroke is even starring in his own animated series for CW Seed: Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons. This expands upon the character's live-action appearances in Arrow, Titans, and a much discussed cameo in the Justice League movie. Plenty more reason to talk Slade Wilson!

If you haven't had your Deathstroke fix you can check out this issue in full collected in Green Arrow: Crawling Through The Wreckage. Using the Amazon link provided to shop will help support Secret Wars on Infinite Earths at no extra cost!

You can also find more from both of today's characters by following links throughout this post, or by diving into the Secret Archive for a complete index of featured battles in order of publisher, series, and issue! You can also get daily links to topical fights by following on Twitter and Facebook!

Today's result propels Green Arrow into the highly disputed #20 rank! He edges out Steel, with some of the biggest DC heroes hot on their heels! Check out the 2019 Rankings Recap for the movers and shakers of last year, and keep your eyes on the bottom of new entries for updates!

Winner: Green Arrow
#20 (+3) Green Arrow
#71 (-2) Deathstroke

EXILES versus AVENGERS
Avengers Forever: Part 1 of 2 (Marvel)
Where: Exiles #31 When: October 2003
Why: Judd Winick How: Jim Calafiore

The Story So Far...
The Exiles: chosen by the mysterious Timebroker to set right anomolies in the fabric of time and space. Recruited from a host of doomed dimensions, the group is transported from reality, to reality, charged with discovering the source of the shift, and fixing it.

With the departure of Blink (Earth-295); Mimic takes official lead of the team as they enter Earth-3931.
Here they discover a San Francisco reduced to a ghost town, the result of but one of many attacks by this Earth's greatest threat - the Avengers!

With the knowledge that history deviated during the Second World War, when Captain America was bitten by Baron Blood; the team seeks out the advice of Kenneth Chrichton - son of Montgomery Falsworth, and this world's Union Jack - in fulfiling their command to 'stop the Vampire King from releasing the enchantment that will enslave a city.'

Union Jack informs the team of a break-in at SHIELD, where the vampire Avengers acquired an ancient totem capable of mass transforming humans into vampires with the Macodibe Enchanetment. With intelligence on their side, the team arms themselves with hunting paraphernalia, and prepares for battle...

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Mimic 5 (Superhuman)
Intelligence: Goliath 6 (Professor)
Speed: Captain America 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Mimic 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Nocturne 5 (Cat-like)
Fighting Ability: Captain America 6 (Warrior)
Energy Power: Polaris 5 (Lasers)


- The Exiles are: Mimic, Nocturne, Morph, Sunfire, Sasquatch, and Magik.

Under clandestine circumstances the original grouping of the Exiles was plucked from their respective realities by a being calling himself, the Timebroker. In truth, this was the manifested representation of a race of aliens who had inadvertently damaged timelines whilst discovering Panoptichron; a monitoring station that observes the infinite sprawl of the multiverse.

Unable to extend their influence personally, the Timebroker(s) first recruits into the interdimensional Exiles were: Calvin Rankin (Mimic-12), Clarice Ferguson (Blink-295), Magnus Lehnsherr (Magnus-27), Talia J. Wagner (Nocturne-2182), Kevin Sidney (Morph-1081), and John Proudstar (Thunderbird-1100).

- The Avengers are: Captain America, Falcon, Wasp, Goliath, Polaris, and Hawkeye.

Plotting against his half-brother, the Norse god of mischief, Loki, uses illusions to manipulate the rages of the green goliath known as the Hulk!
The scheme is intended to draw Thor into a combative trap, but Loki's plans come unravelled when a distress call from Rick Jones is picked up not only by Thor, but also the Wasp, Ant-Man, and Iron Man! Despite initial misunderstandings, the unlikely team forms an alliance and easily defeats the god of mischief - thus, the Avengers are born!

Though their adventures would see the roster subject to change, the growing number of associated heroes would only lend credence to the claim that they are Earth's mightiest heroes! United, the many iterations of the Avengers would face foes of minor, or cosmic natures, always willing to put their lives on the line for the greater good, a philosophy embodied by charter members like iconic early recruit, Captain America.

On Earth-3931; a tear in Captain America's chainmail famously changes the course of history, when Baron Blood successfully turns his nemesis into the walking dead, during World War II. The tainted Steve Rogers successfully killed the Baron and replaced him as vampire king. Eventually he comes to lead a vampiric version of the Avengers, with whom he lays waste to the world.

Math: Avengers Ranking: Captain America (#7)

What Went Down...
On the rooftops above San Francisco; the Avengers assemble on the lands that were once long ago the ancient temple of High Lord Kolock. Mere steps from enslaving humanity, the Avengers' plan go awry. Polaris is the first to fall beneath the pierce of a wooden stake, fired at range by Magik!

The team launches into battle with their unsuspecting foes, Sasquatch using her immense powers to ground the Falcon, while Morph does his best to swat Wasp!

Captain America mistakes Mimic for this world's heartless mercenary, as the new leader of the team combines the absorbed powers of Wolverine and Colossus, to slash at the Captain's invincible shield! He has little luck, feeling the full blunt force of the artifact as propelled by a Vampire King's strength!

A Goliath-sized Hank Pym man-handles Mariko, unaware of the mutant powers of Sunfire. Wrapped in his giant hands, she explodes with the intensity of a raging inferno, bursting free only to take one of Hawkeye's arrows to the soulder!
Magik arrives to lend a hand, throwing a kick at the archer, but his enhanced vampire strength is more than enough to punish the impetuous Russian.

Meanwhile; Heather Hudson, her world's Sasquatch, has both the Falcon and Goliath to contend with! Having recovered from Sunfire's heat-blast, Pym pounds his giant fist across Sasquatch's face, while Falcon uses his own vampire muscle to restrain the beast as best he can. In an effort to even the odds, Sasquatch pounds her foot down, sending the trio toppling to the floor below.

The scuffle between team leaders continues as a frustrated Captain America seeks answers from his heroic counterpart. Mimic lodges his objection to their plan to reduce humanity to mindless hordes, doing so with a Cyclops optic blast, and gashing slash at the Captain's shoulder! Though effective, it fails to slow the super-soldier, who uses his good arm to swing the shield into Mimic's throat!

Sunfire does her best to contend with the onset of Hawkeye, but is unable to hit the target with her flamethrowing. He takes great delight in sinking his fangs into the young Exile's throat, and in doing so, leaves himself wide open to a staking by Nocturne!

While Nocturne tends to her fallen teammate, Captain America gains the upperhand against Mimic! With a driving slam of his shield he topples the mutant, leaving him prone to a stomping from the once great American hero!
Rankin catches the shield before it drives downward into his body and retaliates with a stiff uppercut and a slash of his claws.

With tremendous reticence Mimic finds an opening - putting his retractable claws to a use familiar to their owner. The slash cuts through flesh and bone, removing Captain America's head in one fell swoop...

... Alas, the Captain's decapitated body begins to twitch and squirm, rising to retrieve it's head! As severed flesh meets severed flesh, the Vampire King begins to stitch himself back together, and in a mere instant, rises to fight once again!

The Hammer...
I think it's fair to say each Exile had enough involvement in the fight to share in a majority victory. Despite Captain America's resurrection, the killer blow struck by Mimic still stands!

October '08 in the Infinite Wars has thus far been all about vampires, but in following the fanged exploits of the Marvel Universe, we've almost inevitably wandered off the path into parallel potentials!

I know I'm not alone in being a big fan of the classic 'What If?' model!
We try to hover mostly around the core universes for the simplicity of their statistical value, but as a reader, there's much to be gained from a series like What if? or Exiles. As much as they're about the exploration of alternate universes, each issue has the potential to inform a fan on key events in the decades of stories that make up the Marvel Universe!

In documenting the many Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, we've encountered and accumulated a small catalogue of examples that follow the design that made the second series of What If? and issues of Exiles particularly enjoyable.

With the ability to feature the company's biggest stars, in some of their most significant incarnations, these series have an immediate appeal. High concepts can draw in even the most naive fans, whilst also educating them on key events described as crucial reference points to the creation of these new worlds.

I'm not sure this adheres strictly to our Spooktober agenda, but I image you could find a few furrowed brows who'd gladly tell you 'continuity' is too hard.
Remember to talk down to these poor fools who somehow think the minutia of sixty-years of history is required before opening the cover of stories that don't appear to meet any specific criteria, but probably don't have Spider-man on the cover. Their arguments are inconsistent; their brains tiny; and their hair probably unnecessarily unattractive. Do not to make eye contact, or give them any food.

If you've successfully managed to sneer away any distractions, or yourself are now ready to tackle the fictional premise of the 'alternate universe,' read on!

Earth-952: When the Silver Surfer fails to betray Galactus upon his arrival on this Earth, the FF flee, leaving him to battle the Avengers and Dr. Doom.
In this reality; Uatu's intervention results in his death, as does the Avengers' attempts to banish the world devourer. Only Wasp survives to aid the Fantastic Four, who ultimately leave behind their barren world to serve Galactus as heralds charged with locating non-sentient planets for consumption.
Based on events from Fantastic Four #48 (1966).

Earth-1610: Attempts to recreate the super-soldier serum that immortalized Captain America is responsible for giving birth to a host of heroes and villains, each a failure of replication, but unique powers in their own right. SHIELD controls much of these operations imprisoning the evil, and incorporating the managable into their hero initiative, the Ultimates. They, along with Professor Charles Xavier's secret group of mutants, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four, are this world's first major superhero teams. Independent heroes like Spider-man, Daredevil, Punisher, Hawk-Owl, and others, also populate this world of heroes.
Inspired by the 1960s origins of the Marvel Universe.

Earth-2149: A zombified Sentry escapes heaven, only to arrive in an alternate universe, where he quickly lays waste to the Avengers and begins the infection of an entire universe. Ash Williams, Spider-man, Punisher, Dazzler, Thor, and a host of other heroes attempt to halt the spread of the zombie plague, but all eventually fall. Magneto and the Acolytes are among the few survivors having secretly made a deal with the interloping Sentry. With the world in ruins, the super-powered zombies attain a new level of power when Silver Surfer and Galactus arrive on this world, only to be devoured themselves.
First seen in Ultimate Fantastic Four (2005); Based loosely on 70's Marvel.

Earth-9140: The X-Men's battle with Dracula ends with their deaths when Storm fails to redeem herself under the vampire's control.
When Dracula attempts to raise the defeated X-Men three nights later, he finds Wolverine uniquely resistant to his charms, and is subsequently replaced as Lord of Vampires. Wolverine's sinister rule goes unchallenged as he strategically kills or turns chosen heroes in New York City, while the Avengers are kept out by a quarantine. Here, only the Punisher remains to combat evil with the spiritual guidance of the deceased Dr. Strange.
Based on events from X-Men #159 (1982).

The Fight: 4.5 The Issue: 4

Want to make a quantum leap of your own?
Explore the universes by checking out this issue, or any other issue of Exiles, collected in paperback via the Amazonian Gift Shoppe! By using purchase links provided on the site you not only benefit from Amazon's prices and service, but also sponsor future entries in the Infinite Wars. Yay capitalism!
To better navigate the Infinite Earths be sure to check out the Secret Archives for all the issues reviewed on the site, and stay tuned for more, including another more thorough look at the alternate worlds visited previously on the site!

QUICK FIX DOUBLE FEATURE: By the Gods!
CAPTAIN MARVEL JR versus IRON GOBLINS
The Trials of Shazam! (DC)
Where: DCU: Brave New World #1 When: August 2006 Why: Judd Winick How: Howard Porter

Quick Fix...
If you're inclined to glean ahead for a preview of things to come, you'll see this is a double feature none too subtly influenced by one of our fantasy fights; specifically the Round 1 encounter between Captain Marvel Jr and Hercules.

It was while satisfying my own curiosities that I discovered just how unfortunately tilted our efforts are. To regular readers it's no secret that back issues provide a disctinctly Marvel-coloured look back, but it's when observing the cumulative character rankings [Super Stock] that you really appreciate the situation. Marvel characters outnumber their DC counterparts by a little over two-to-one - a pretty damning statistic for fair balance! Made only worse when you consider the registered appearances of members of the Legion!

Ergo; that long winded journey behind the scenes brings us to arrive at an opportunity to induct Captain Marvel Jr into the Infinite Wars proper.

I suppose there's a catch to attempting something like this with absolutely no affiliation with a character. Aside from knowing he wears a gaudy version of the Captain Marvel outfit which supposedly inspired Elvis Presley's wardrobe and moral fibre - I don't really have any reference for the character.

I think my general oblivion boils down a common distain for characters that derive themselves from more successful franchises, without any major differentiation. We've discussed this in the past, particularly for female spin-offs, with notable exceptions being characters like She-Hulk, who have strong identity, and a mythos that has built around them [all hail Slott! - Marionette Mike].

Of course, whilst talking about Trials of Shazam, it occurred to me that I'm inclined to make noted acceptions for a character if and when they inherit the mantle from which they were derived. I could make wild generalizations about the functionality of one version over another, but I think I'm just going to put it down to circumstances. Better ideas come to better writers in better situations.

I don't know if this particular scenario necessarily constitutes the salvation of Freddie "Captain Marvel Jr" Freeman, but as part of the DC $1 80 page sampler, Brave New World, it's well worth a look!

We join our junior hero already locked in mortal battle with a trio of long thought vanquished beasts called Iron Goblins. The specifics of how these blindfolded goblins differ from the garden variety, I do not know, but they're certainly big, bad, ugly, and capable of swatting Cap Jr around like a ragdoll!

A single punch sends Freddie hurtling across the extravagant Prague location where the battle is taking place, sending him into a wall that is no doubt very old, and very valuable. The Goblins quickly descend on him, but the Marvel is far from out of the fight. He leaps over one goblin, delivering a kick to another.

Freddie's turning momentum is suddenly interrupted by the magical lightning bolt that grants (and strips) him of his fantastic powers. Where the blue suited Captain Marvel Jr stood, now stands the casually attired, powerless Freddie!

The youngster desperately cries the name of the friend that grants him his powers, Captain Marvel, but for the first time he finds himself alone.
Unaware of events transpiring elsewhere which have seen the death of the Wizard Shazam; Freddie finds himself on the painful end of a deft blow from the Iron Goblins. He hurtles through windows, alone. and defeated, as the Goblins wander off into the world, no longer interested.

Now, I would have to admit, enjoyable as this short story was, it failed to entice me to the maxi-series it was advertising, which struck more specifics chords away from what I perceive as a dense, but frenetic superhero presentation.
Of this Brave New World preview; we might see more, returning to look at battles involving Mary Marvel, and the big red cheese himself.

On Trials of Shazam; it was browsing over reviews recently that I was forced to pause and reassess my opinion of the book. It was probably that that kept Cap Jr in my mind for the opening round of the DC/Marvel Fantasy Fights, because otherwise it's a series entirely below the broad radar, I think.
For me; particularly off the back of Jeff Smith's niche mini-series; Trials just lacked the glitzy appeal of something more familiar. As a general fan of the golden age, I can't help but feel it's a shame DC haven't been able to dedicate more time to depicting the character in a contemporary-classic fashion, reinventing the character with a similar flavour to books like JSA, or even something like Batman: Year One.

As much as Porter's pseudo-painted CG work was a draw, (while it lasted), for many readers, I couldn't help but feel it highlighted the divide between what I'd love to have seen of Shazam in the 00's, and what was finally being served up.
That said, I think it's incredibly admirable to see the Marvel family more closely associated with versions of the gods from which they derive their powers, and the broad magic corner of the DCU, which probably benefits from the association as much as the Marvels are fleshed out beyond the hokey rogues pre-existing.

I don't know if I'm sold on Trials, despite it's gladiatorial suitability for the Infinite Wars, I am very open minded to the future of the Marvel family, and the prospect of Junior graduating to fully fledged Captain Marvel. I think that's an exciting oppotunity not only for that character, but for the franchise of the "Shazam" characters. Fun!

The Fix: 3.5 The Story: 4.5
Winner: The Iron Goblins

DCU: Brave New World might not be the New Frontier, but as a bargain priced promotional sampler it represents a trend I'd love to see more of! While most titles featured within are finite, or inevitably to be suspended, I don't think DC should be discouraged.
If you enjoyed the art in this portion of the Quick Fix; be sure to check out the first volume of Trials of Shazam, available at Amazon and featuring all the art from Howard Porter before he was forced from the project due to injury.

---

HERCULES versus THE TERMINI
Terminus Factor Part III: ... Can Terminus be far Behind? (Marvel)
Where: The Mighty Thor Annual #15 When: February 1990 Why: Roy Thomas How: Herb Trimpe

Quick Fix...
So, like I said, I've had a couple of vaguely obscure Beta Ray Bill stories on the to-do list for a very long time. One of those, a story from the '93 Thor Annual, seemed like a great follow-up to the monster/myth antics at work in Trials of Shazam, but on a whim I grabbed the 1990 Annual just to have a flick through for interesting back-ups.

Lo and behold, rounding out the fantasy fight that inspired this Double Feature, Thor Annual #15 presents a portion of the Terminus Factor starring Thor's Greek demi-god foil, Hercules!

I suppose it's good synergy that I've never been much of a Hercules fan.
I at least have a familiarity with Hercules that I don't with Captain Marvel Jr, but that familiarity only furthers my contempt for the character.

These days he tends to be a parody of himself, and honestly you could be forgiven for thinking that was always the case. His oafish buffoonery was once played straight, but the character seems to be at his best when he's dim-wittedly pledging himself to a charging action shot, or throwing down as the obligatory second-tier muscle in a group. It would be as an Avenger that I am most familiar with Hercules, otherwise relatively disinterested.

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and while I might not be ready to consider myself a Hercules fan, I am at least interested in some of the more recent outings by the character. Hercules was among the obscure collective minority that was sympathetic to Hulk's cause during the events of World War Hulk, something you might have thought more characters could've been involved in, but alas, such is the course of restructuring major events.

Post-World War Hulk, Hercules will inherit Incredible Hulk as his own title, with the specifics as yet unrevealed. Our blogging contemporary, ComicByComic, has more than once proposed the interesting prospect of Hercules adopting his own raging alter-ego as a condition of the series, although, that scenario has presumably befallen another character who will be the subject of the Red Hulk title; written by Jeph Loeb and deliciously drawn by Ed McGuinness; but I digress...

So, anyway, if you're a dedicated War Monger you'll know way back in August 06 we touched upon the emergence of the Terminus goo post-gestation from deep within a volcano [Captain America Annual #9].
By the third chapter the Terminus entity has worked it's way through the food chain to be rabid, metallic animals, but when they rampage their way to the Blackrock Nuclear Power Station, they transform into bulky humanoid Terminus creatures with infantile intelligence.

Fortunate for the authorities, Hercules is on the scene and more than willing to tackle the physical challenge of this small mob of six-or-so Termini!

The demi-god finds himself in a position of Samson qualities, but is more than ready to meet the shackled tear of the monsters with superhuman strength! He smashes the two Terminus creatures together, boasting his power as son of Zeus.

Other members of the Termini group descend on Hercules with gusto, regarding the situation with the same primal simplicity of their earlier counterparts.
Hercules bowls through the pack with the staggering power of the punch, but as he makes his charge into battle, the demi-god finds his boots betray him, slipping in the spilt radioactive goop that powered the Termini's evolution.

Violently imitating Hercules' curses, the Termini descend upon the opportunity, tearing and crushing the Avenger into submission. With Hercules unconscious, the Termini begin to squabble amongst themselves like angry children, leading to the shock fourth-stage transformation. Forming into a giant singular entity, the reborn Termini begins to take shape, as Hercules comes to to witness not only the shocking change, but the descent of the original creature - Terminus!

And if you're wondering, for record purposes we're going to regard "the Termini" hive entity as an extension of Terminus. This means, even though the creature can fight itself divided, it will be statistically measured as one Terminus.

With that little bit of house keeping out of the way, I'm going to wrap this one up! It's very late, I think I lost my focus a long time ago, and we've got to gear up for [today's] regular original Friday entry!

While you're sitting tight for that, be sure to check out all of the other fun stuff popping up around the Infinite Wars, including an exciting new poll! If you scroll back up toward the top of the page, you'll find the poll inset into the right-side menu, asking you to predict which company will win our Fantasy Fights!

The Fix: 3.5 The Issue: 4
Winner: The Termini

With Messiah Complex weaving it's way through the X-Titles right now, this kind of vintage crossover event is a topical subject of debate. In the Annual format, we can see how it's far less offensive to pick-up a book starring a supporting (or unrelated) character, but whether or not this has a place in contemporary comics, remains to be seen!

QUICK FIX DOUBLE FEATURE: Nothing but fear itself!
BATMAN versus THE SCAREBEAST
As The Crow Flies Part Three: Scary Monsters (DC)
Where: Batman #628 When: Late July 2004
Why: Judd Winick How: Dustin Nguyen

Quick Fix...
Well, at this point we can deduce several things:
Clearly daily posting has been completely derailed; apparently freeing up Mondays has left me completely lost; and this is clearly another belated opportunity for an exciting dose of Halloween hangover!
Let's be honest, it wouldn't be a comic site Halloween without a solid appearance clocked by the Scarecrow!

If zeitgeist is the theme of the website right now, it's fair to say season 04/05 was Scarecrow's time! The good Dr. Crane received a mainstream shot in the arm when he made his overdue big screen debut in 2005's, Batman Begins. The feature film not only reinvigorated his stock in the comic books, but also introduced the character to the uninitiated, creating a whole new fanbase out of fans of horror, and fan-fiction sub-culture.

Joining Golden Age alumnists like the Joker and Catwoman; for my money, Scarecrow ranks amongst the quintesential Batman villains.

Working in the character's favour are many attributes found in the most successful villains to endure the decades of the Bat-franchise. Crane, a former psychologist, possesses the necessary degree of intelligence to properly combat the dark knight detective, and much like Joker or the Riddler, marries it to a special brand of crazy.

For the most part Scarecrow connects to the underlying theme of mental illness in Batman, which in an obscure way stems directly from the character himself. Though usually only by implication, the theory that Batman is as damaged as the crooks he brings in, has been well explored with projects like Arkham Asylum, Dark Knight Returns, and various other stories.

A majority of Scarecrow's earliest appearances typified the character as a more standard career criminal. Despite his flair for theatrical gimmickery, Scarecrow did not regularly utilize his trademark fear gas until decades after his first 1941 appearance. This came after the character endured one of the most noteworthy disappearances of a villain spanning from the mid-fifties to the sixties.

Though the lead-up to Begins saw a wave of refresher and introductory appearances of Scarecrow in comics, an unlikely change was about to occur in the character as the high-flying Batman experienced it's own period of transition.

In the past we've touched upon a boom period of Batman that propelled the title back to the top of the sales charts with the blockbuster teaming of Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee, for Hush. After such a success the follow-up task went to the unlikely team of Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso (of 100 Bullets fame), before a concerned hand over to Eisner-nominee, Judd Winick [and Dustin Nguyen].

With Hush having moved such substantial quantities, any team was going to have a struggle on DC's renewed flagship title, but after the culture shock of Broken City, Winick's credentials were quickly characterized as few and removed. The only thing worse than a perceived untested writer was the prospect of a major change in franchise characters, which probably wasn't as publicized as it might have otherwise been...

In an effort to expand his criminal interests, the Penguin employs Jonathan Crane with a mandate to develop a new generation of fear toxin.
Working under the thumb of the mob proves uncomfortable for Crane, who lives at the mercy of Penguin and his funding. Finding solace in his supplied laboratory assistant, disgraced physician, Linda Friitawa, Crane conducts secret experiments which make him the prime suspect in a spate of underworld murders perpetrated by a monstrous Scarebeast. Crane swears his innocence.

With many of his associates already murdered by the Scarebeast, Penguin moves Crane to a new location and calls a meeting for his generals. During the heated debate he has the misfortune of spying the monster coming for them.

As the Scarebeast smashes through the massive windows of Cobblepot's mansion, he screams the order to fly to his flat-footed associates. The squat gangster runs for his life while his fellows kiss theirs goodbye, opening fire on a monster that seems as invulnerable as it is unfeeling.

Marching a bloody path through Penguin's mansion, the Scarebeast runs afoul Batman, perched behind the balustrade of a higher level. He tosses a batarang and line around the beast's maw, but it is for naught.
Foregoing stairs, the Scarebeast bursts through the second-floor balcony, surviving broken teeth and the burying of a taser in it's motley hide.

Batman moves into close quarters, tossing a grenade down the monster's gullet. Though the explosion does some damage, it fails to topple the Scarebeast.

Batman, hoping to restrain the creature, draws his grapple gun, but finds he has under estimated his opponent's resilience. In the grip of the terrible Scarebeast, Batman struggles for another explosive, only to cop a face full of gas breathed from the Scarebeast's toothy maw.

With his lung filled with gas, Batman soon recognises the concoction of the fright gas.

Falling into the abyss of terror, the issue closes with Batman's head engulfed in green fear gas, the Scarebeast speaking a soft request, "Scream. Scream for me."

By the end of As the Crow Flies we would learn that much like Hush, the presumption of the obvious being a diversion was inaccurate. Despite his claims of innocence, Jonathan Crane is indeed revealed to be the terrifying Scarebeast, though totally unaware of it.
The transformation proves to be part of a much larger plot, but that is a discussion and reveal for another day of Infinite Wars!

I'm told the Scarebeast eventually appeared again during War Games, but I can't vouch for that, having endeavoured to skip the multi-title crossover. War Games followed this story immediately, dividing it from Winick's induction as regular writer on the series -- a period we have discussed many times in the past.

I don't know what general fan reception was for the concept, but I kinda like the Jekyll & Hyde aspect of the Scarebeast. Though there have been variations, I generally prefer to think of Scarecrow as one of the least effective combatants in Batman's rogues gallery, making this a useful twist for inventing a physical threat of the Scarecrow.

I wouldn't want to see it overwhelm the heart of the character, but as an underlying potential in any situation, it's a bit of fun. Of course, there are much more interesting takes on the character, which leads us to the next issue in our double feature...

The Fix: 5.5 The Issue: 4.5
Winner: Scarecrow

Though the conclusion of the issue spills over into the next, for the sake of book keeping, the Infinite Wars regard issue-end as a point of conclusion. Thus, this is considered a victory for Scarecrow, irrespective of the following events in Batman #629.

---

BATMAN versus SCARECROW
Fear is the Key (DC)
Where: Batman: Gotham Knights #49 When: March 2004 Why: Geoff Johns How: Tommy Castillo

Quick Fix...
... It seems just about every major Bat-character has at least a few shades of characterization. Certainly the seventies shift to grim darkness recast characters in steady contrast to their fifties counterparts, but even then, it's in the minutia that we find many alterations.

Depth of origins and motivations tend to vary, but I think it's safe to say a definitive Scarecrow is intent on invoking fear in his victims. His methodoloy may as well be as specific to a story as the circumstances of his involvement.
In this black and white back-up story, written by Geoff Johns, we get a fresh perspective on the character and his relationship with fear. Essentially a vignette; Crane narrates as he tortures a trio of GCPD officers, noting each of their fears as he sends them to brutal deaths. This narrative culminates in the reveal that Jonathan Crane himself has ceased to feel fear.

Spinning out of the defense of Bendis' references to real-world scenarios [Daredevil #75], I like the potential application of fact in the Scarecrow's methodology. It's this grounded logic and relative humanity to the Bat-villains that makes them among the very best, and beloved.

It's reasonable to assume that prolonged and repeated exposure to his fear inducing toxins would leave Scarecrow immune to their effects, in fact, in more cartoony terms, that's been explicitly stated, perhaps along with some form of innoculation. Likewise, cognitive therapies practise repeated exposing events in an effort to desensitize a patient from obsession or anxiety. Scarecrow's repeated exposures to fear and the results of fear could, in a comic book super-logic, also contribute to his total disassociation with horror and phobia.

I love the idea of characterizing the Scarecrow as desiring the experience to feel fear. We can imagine this as the numb desire of the disassociated desperately seeking to engage and experience the visceral quality that we might all associate with excitement or eroticism -- likewise, there's the intellectual quality of Dr. Jonathan Crane, who may desire the pursuit of this seemingly unattainable goal. He becomes a type of adreneline junky, desperate to push the boundaries to find what finally sets him off.

I'm a big fan of Jeph Loeb's eerie depiction of the character as a silent and disengaged individual whose motives are somewhat disguised. I feel the marriage of these ideas can root an erratic agenda in the logic of Scarecrow as a volatile character willing to take unexpected risks and turns in an effort to experience fear.

Johns takes us through an implied history of a sociopath who has commited a variety of crimes over a lifetime, and has been unafraid to stare down the barrel of a loaded gun; all of which logically culminate in the Scarecrow. "I wanted to share my fears. Share them with the world. So I did what everyone with an idea does in Gotham City -- I put on a costume."

The conclusion is the obvious solve to the Scarecrow as a riddle.
Emerging through the downpour of the Gotham gloom, Batman descends like a dark angel of death. Too late to save the policemen, he pursues the lithe Scarecrow across the smock stacks and rooftops of industrial-suburban Gotham.

The Dark Knight is there waiting, cutting the Scarecrow's path off with his bulky visage and a black glove that moves like a predator's sting. It pounds Crane's already malformed face, before snatching the safety of his ragetty mask away.
Jonathan Crane loves every bone chilling minute of it.

Here, we peel away everything that makes the Batman crucial to Scarecrow's life as a costumed villain. The argument that Batman fuels the fire inevitably creeps up here, but is arguably quashed by the promise that Crane would have continued to seek the fear he desires, perhaps killing hundreds of thousands on a rampage that had no logical end. Instead, Batman is the beacon that attracts him, like the moth to the flame, delighted by the light that will burn him.

For Crane, the Batman represents fear.
Batman is every bit the brawny bully that taunted him through the high school years of shame. Every bit the disapproving surrogate guardian that slapped him for his many mistakes. Every bit the pretty person that laughed at his crooked frame, and stooped shoulders.

Perhaps worst of all, Batman is the intellect that can challenge this rarely opposed, criminally brilliant man. The mind who can undermine his every thought, and reduce him to the terror of redundancy, just as the disapproving board of his college work did. Batman controls fear without toxin. For Crane, Batman is toxin, and for that he is ever grateful.

And boy shouldn't we have talked about this one on Halloween?
Friends, this is Criminal Intent calibre stuff. You have just been inside the mind of a killer. I highly recommend you rinse your psyche off with a healthy dose of wide-eyed manga style multi-colour Street Fighter treatment! Me? I'm going to go down some fruit juice, step into the warmth of the sun, and maybe have a shower to wash away the insane... Remember kids, I'm a trained writer schooled in comics-crazy. Don't try this at home!

The Fix: 3 The Story: 6
Winner: Batman

If you don't feel like scouring the back issues or online stores for Gotham Knights back-up stories, why not click your way to Amazon, where you can pick up the collected Black and White stories? Some of comics' biggest names feature, doing what Alex Maleev has often described as a goal!