JUSTICE LEAGUE versus CAPTAIN MARVEL

Seduction of the Innocent (DC)
Where: Underworld Unleashed #3 When: Late December 1995 Why: Mark Waid How: Howard Porter

The Story So Far...
What is the price of the heart's desire? The devil Neron has waged a campaign of temptation and corruption in an effort to amass immortal souls. With his growing power he seeks the ultimate prize: the corruption of a pure soul!

Having empowered an army of villains who accepted his offer, it seems Neron has achieved his goal when Superman disappears, and evil sweeps the Earth. Thus, a team of heroes volunteers to descend into the depths of Hell itself!

Guided by Blue Devil, the heroes face increasing challenges as they descend through each layer. Only their mightiest make it to the underworld throne of Neron himself, but in doing so, they face the greatest challenge of all: the darkness that dwells deep within them!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Captain Marvel 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Captain Marvel 5 (Professor)
Speed: Flash 7 (Light Speed)
Stamina: Captain Marvel 6 (Generator)
Agility: Martian Manhunter 7 (Unlimited)
Fighting: Wonder Woman 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Green Lantern 7 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Martian Manhunter 36 (Cosmic)

The Justice League are: Wonder Woman, Warrior, The Flash, Green Lantern, and Martian Manhunter.

We know that Captain Marvel's no stranger to fending off the challenge of a wayward hero, or two. The classic meta-rivalry with Superman has played out in battles from Action Comics Annual #4, Kingdom Come #4, Superman #216, and Superman/Batman #4. They've always been fairly equally matched.

That last one was a tag team tussle that also featured Hawkman and Batman, but even that's just a taste of what the big red cheese is up against today! We're talking Captain Marvel alone against five of the Justice League's heaviest hitters -- all driven to extremes by the corrupting influence of Neron, and the naturally corrupting environment of the lower depths of Hell!

Fortunately, Captain Marvel's innate good proved uniquely resilient during the group's trek through the many layers of Hell. He's passed the darkest trials with flying colors, despite having his left arm in a sling. The stamina of Atlas will be stretched to its limit, but he has a natural edge against the evil of this realm.

Wonder Woman poses a physical challenge approximate to Superman, but the strength of Hercules & power of Zeus have always proved up to the challenge. Marvel has nothing to fear from the lasso of truth, but it might be useful against the corrupted heroes. Wonder Woman won't give up the lasso without a fight, but we saw Storm defeat her with a lightning strike in Marvel versus DC #3.

As long as the wizard's magic lightning can reach him in Hell, Marvel has the option to dodge it, frying nearby targets with the "lightning ambush". Against this group it might only work once, but once is all he'll need.

That trick probably won't work on The Flash. His phenomenal momentum will require Captain Marvel to push the speed of Mercury to its limit if he's going to keep up. If he can anticipate the speedster's attacks, he should be able to shut him down easily without needing to sacrifice the lasso, should he have it.

Warrior and Green Lantern have the biggest firepower of the five corrupted heroes. As Warrior: Guy Gardner could possibly go hand-to-hand with Captain Marvel, but his Vuldarian powers mean he can just manifest energy weapons from his body. Couple that with Kyle Rayner's Green Lantern ring -- and Cap's probably going to take at least a few hits. Hopefully the courage of Achilles will help him face it down with the savvy to turn their fire against one another.

That just leaves Martian Manhunter, whose presence at the lower levels probably means Hellfire hasn't slowed him down too much. As we saw in Green Lantern #44, the combat potential for a corrupted Martian Manhunter is chilling! However, that weakness to fire means Cap may be able to stall him relatively easily by directing Warrior's plasma blasts, or resorting to the lightning ambush.

Temporarily neutralizing Martian Manhunter prevents him avoiding the lasso of truth. If Marvel can use that, he might be able to lift the haze of darkness and set Martian Manhunter the task of telepathically helping the others.

Identity Crisis #3 remains one of the great examples of how a lone fighter can use clarity and tactics to turn the numbers advantage of the Justice League against them. Captain Marvel has the necessary skills to make it happen, but he's fighting hurt against overwhelming odds. Let's see what happened...

The Tape: Justice League Ranking: Wonder Woman (#15)

What Went Down...
In the depths of Hell itself, at the foot of Neron's throne, the Justice League's souls lie bare. The darkness draws their very worst selves to the surface, leaving only Captain Marvel unaltered -- besieged by his corrupted allies!

The group rushes the stunned hero before he can act. Warrior pours on the power, blasting at Captain Marvel's mighty mid-section, while Wonder Woman throws an uncompromising left across his exposed jaw!

The Captain desperately tries to put some distance between himself and his friends, narrowly flying above the path of a rampaging Flash! He appeals to the heroes' better nature and the greater good they're there to serve -- but it's for naught. Neron laughs, feasting on Captain Marvel's despair as he tempts a fight.

The demon Blaze watches the fight unfold, shackled at the side of Neron's throne. Her presence there is meant to weaken Captain Marvel, but she quietly launches an act of defiance, restoring his full powers!

Without warning: Captain Marvel feels his broken arm mend -- a miracle in the pit of Hell! He doesn't stop to question the unexplained stroke of luck. With Wonder Woman on the ropes, he curls her lasso of truth around a stalagmite and pulls it taut -- clotheslining The Flash and Martian Manhunter in mid-flight!

Suddenly a spiked mace clobbers Captain Marvel from behind -- a weapon manifested by Warrior!

The frustrated hero doesn't want to fight his friends, but their aggressive attacks are leaving him little choice. Warrior fires a double barrel blast from twin arm cannons, but Captain Marvel manages to duck it, leaving the friendly fire to take out Green Lantern!

Neron plays with the besieged Captain Marvel's mind, needling him to fight back -- to kill! Marvel throws his arms out at the surrounding Leaguers and takes down the Martian Manhunter with his hands around his throat!

Earth's mightiest mortal pins the Martian to the floor while Neron eggs him on to get mad - to end it - to kill! For a moment, it seems as if Captain Marvel may actually succumb to rage. Yet, even in the depths of Hell there is still hope!

Blue Devil explodes from the ground seeking vengeance against Neron! The distraction inspires the demon's guest, James Jesse - The Trickster, to take action! He sees an opportunity to end Neron's tyrannical rise and rushes to Captain Marvel's side. There, he relays something overheard, that Satanus knew of a single word that could bedevil the devil that is Neron.

With Martian Manhunter still in his clutches - Captain Marvel stops to think, and then he smiles. With The Trickster urging him for an answer, the big red cheese whispers the wizard's name and summons his lightning!

The mystic bolt rips through the infernal domain with an all mighty BOOM!

When the dust and electricity settles - the veil has been lifted from the Justice League! Wonder Woman just barely remembers Captain Marvel fighting to save them, as if it were a distant nightmare. With Billy Batson hiding in the dark, the Justice League regroup and ready to take on Neron!

The Hammer...
Under scrutiny this isn't necessarily a straight forward result! Captain Marvel didn't really want to fight his friends, and spent most of the battle in evasive maneuvers. He ultimately did use muscle to put them on the ropes, ending it relatively peacefully by calling down Shazam's lightning. A tactical victory!

It might've gone a much darker way if The Trickster hadn't provided a moment of clarity for Captain Marvel. Blaze also supplied the assist via a power boost that healed Cap's busted arm, and helped turn the tables. Head to the bottom of this entry for a complete update to the Fight Club Rankings.

In last week's feature I mentioned I've been getting a little tired of hero-on-hero violence. Kind of amusing that we'd rush straight into Captain Marvel vs The Justice League. I actually meant the problem more so from the perspective of current publishing trends, but I admit it seems like a bit of an about face

Underworld Unleashed #3 partakes in its fair share of clichés, including the temporary possession of heroes for a good guy melee. It also just so happens to support another of last week's points, though. Namely, the depiction of Captain Marvel as a staunchly good-natured individual in a world of modern moral greys.

It's important to remember the nineties were a pretty grungy time in comics. Look no further than the fact that DC were publishing a major line-wide event that sent its greatest heroes into the pit of Hell as proof-positive of that!

Underworld Unleashed was a crossover created in the years following the Death of Superman, breaking of Batman, and fall of Hal Jordan. It provided a stylistic response to the explosion of a new wave of anti-heroes coming from Image Comics and Spawn, while also continuing the trajectory begun by its hero-killing headlines. In a world that had already seen Superman pummeled to death, it only made sense a banner event would focus on the empowerment of villains.

This wasn't quite the type of role reversal we're seeing regularly in current issues from DC and Marvel. Issues like Steel #21 showed how villains were being powered-up by Neron, but most of the tie-ins kept to the standard dynamic of hero defeating villain. It was all about Metallo getting a modern update -- not Lex Luthor becoming a celebrated member of the Justice League.

Golden & Silver Age morality was pretty well out of fashion, but against all odds, DC had a pocket of pure retro nostalgia in The Power of Shazam!

After a few aborted attempts, it was Jerry Ordway who set about re-defining the post-Crisis realities of Captain Marvel and the Shazam Family, spawning a series in 1995 out of the success of a Power of Shazam one-shot, from the year prior.

Ordway and artist Pete Krause took Captain Marvel forward with a modern sensibility, but it was all infused with a defiant sense of retro charm. By the end of the first year, the series established the Marvel Family, Tawky Tawny, and a Fawcett City encased in a literal magic bubble that gilded it with a 1940s sheen.

For all the foibles of the nineties, it was a decade that allowed for occasionally drastic deviations of individuality. So while the other DC heroes were delving into various shades of darkness, Captain Marvel's squinty eyed view of the world was able to take center stage in the main Underworld Unleashed mini-series.

Captain Marvel's aw shucks, 1950s innocence was positioned as the exception it really was, making it the ultimate prize for a devil like Neron, as well as the perfect weapon against him. When the other heroes succumb to corruption, Captain Marvel remains a reminder of heroes who were (and are) pure of heart.

It's a wonderful, almost subversive idea piloted by writer Mark Waid, who I have to imagine was a major supporter for this type of Captain Marvel, if not the actual source for it. He flipped the script with Cap's portrayal in Kingdom Come, but that functioned both as a deliberate in-story betrayal of the character's ideals, and a larger warning against the pitfalls of violent anti-heroes.

A fake out that the "pure soul" Neron seeks is actually Superman's is a little less successful when you recall a similar dynamic already played out a couple of years prior, during The Darkness Within story. I wouldn't fault them for being consistent with the two heroes' point of difference, though.

Ultimately, in the modern age, perhaps a corporate-owned icon as big as Superman can't afford to live up to the reputation of being comics' ultimate boy scout. However, Underworld Unleashed and The Darkness Within both show us how satisfying it is when Captain Marvel does, as narrative and characterization.

Furthermore, when a guy like Zack Snyder, clearly scarred by the darkness prevalent in our times, insists its a fantasy to believe superheroes can exist without lying, embezzling, or killing, the example of Captain Marvel becomes all the more important. This is a fantasy, and after 80 years of reinforcing a stand against cruelty and injustice, I can't think of anything more "grown up" than accepting that. To presume there is no alternative to corruption - even in a fantasy - may be the very reason so much of this world has succumbed to it.

For all the talk of Shazam! bringing levity to the DC Extended Universe (now in theatres), I can't help but be disappointed that it lacks the unique, singular vision of Ordway & Krause's Power of Shazam, and the incorruptible innocence that sets Billy Batson & Captain Marvel apart from the rest.

Underworld Unleashed seems to be currently out of print, but you can navigate to Amazon via the purchase link provided to seek out current alternatives. If you do find something you like, you'll help support Secret Wars on Infinite Earths!

Seek and discover more interesting corners of the comic book multiverse by diving into the Secret Archive! There you'll find every featured fight indexed by publisher, series, and issue number! You can also subscribe on Twitter and Facebook to get daily links inspired by the topics of the day. Be sure to like, share, or retweet your faves!

Winner: Captain Marvel
#45 (+30) Captain Marvel
#555 (new) Trickster
#556 (new) Lady Blaze
#16 (-1) Wonder Woman
#28 (-2) Martian Manhunter
#30 (--) Flash (Wally West)
#75 (-6) Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner)
#128 (-7) Warrior (Guy Gardner)

SUPERGIRL versus MARTIAN MANHUNTER

Return To Destiny (DC)
Where: Adventure Comics #450 When: March-April 1977 Why: Denny O'Neil How: Mike Nasser & Terry Austin

The Story So Far...
Mars lives again and welcomes the leadership of J'onn J'onzz, but celebrations on Mars II are cut short when his dear friend Re's Eda is murdered by sniper fire!

The erstwhile Martian Manhunter must apply his trade as detective and superhero to catch the killer -- but Eda's final words implicate a gunman from his former home of Sol! Since the only beings who know of Mars II's existence are the Justice League -- The Manhunter makes a grim vow to return to Earth!

He steals a spaceship from the resistant Martian Army and blazes to the stars, but the Earth-bound fury is pursued by one of his own! Commander N'or Cott uses torpedoes to shoot down the unarmed ship, sending it crashing towards the city of Metropolis! This looks like a job for Supergirl!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Draw 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Martian Manhunter 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Supergirl 5 (Super-Human)
Stamina: Supergirl 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Martian Manhunter 7 (Unlimited)
Fighting: Martian Manhunter 4 (Trained)
Energy: Draw 5 (Lasers)
Total: Martian Manhunter 36 (Cosmic)

Today's battle pits two great heroes in an unlikely dream match! It's The Girl of Steel testing her mettle against the mighty Manhunter from Mars!

Drenched by Earth's yellow sun: Supergirl shares all the solar-charged gifts made famous by her Kryptonian cousin! She's super-humanly strong, durable, fast, has enhanced senses, can fly, use X-ray and laser heat vision, blow massive quantities of air with high intensity -- as well as a few other tricks!

In some incarnations its been suggested Supergirl's powers can rival, or even exceed, those of Superman's, but the one thing she undoubtedly lacks is his experience! Experience being something Martian Manhunter has to spare!

J'onn J'onzz was a policeman on his native Mars long before he was accidentally brought to Earth! He possesses a range of powers similar to Supergirl's, with the addition of telepathy, advanced shape-shifting, and intangibility!

We saw the Black Lantern Martian Manhunter exploit those extra abilities to vicious effect against Green Lantern and Flash [Green Lantern #44], while muscle was the main mode of victory against the Appellaxian Stone God [Secret Origins #32], and Professor Ivo's robot army [Justice League of America #261].

He's generally strong enough to go toe-to-toe with Supergirl, and need only to do a little light mental rewiring to prey upon her inexperience. The drawback to all those incredible powers is a Martian's physical and mental weakness to fire!

Supergirl need only glare intently to light a spark with her Kryptonian heat vision! She did it against Mary Marvel in Final Crisis #6, and used it to melt lead around Reactron back in Daring New Adventures of Supergirl #9! The glow of the flame was enough to stop J'onn J'onzz in his tracks in Secret Origins #35 and DC: The New Frontier #2, but he showed some greater resilience when rushing into battle with the towering Brimstone [Legends #2].

Both hero's power sets have been inconsistent in demonstration, but for the most part they're very evenly matched! Supergirl has the obvious trump card with her intense heat vision, but experience and mental powers makes Martian Manhunter the more compelling case. Let's see if those factors come to play...

The Tape: Martian Manhunter Ranking: Martian Manhunter (#23)

What Went Down...
An explosion and hail of spaceship debris signals the unannounced return of the Martian Manhunter to Earth! He ejects from the vessel just in time to avoid its destruction, but is still stunned and disoriented by the blast!

Spying the dazzling sky show while she soars above the city -- Supergirl rushes to intercept the deadly debris! Mistaking it for an attack by aliens, she flings the door in the direction of the tiny silhouette that was the pilot!

Struggling to see straight - the Martian Manhunter is tagged by the unexpected hunk of metal!

Instinctively perceiving threat, he swoops to return firing, forcing Supergirl to take evasive action while destroying the projectile with another of her own!

The young heroine recognizes her error, but the Martian's violent response leaves her uncertain of his motives. Given his strength rivals hers, she hopes a pulled strike will bring him back to his senses and delivers a stiff left!

The attack has the opposite effect, only serving to further provoke the confused Martian hero! He lashes out with a devastating left hook of his own -- launching Supergirl sideways with the brunt of his impressive strength!

The young heroine is unshaken by the physical assault, but scrambles for the wisdom she presumes her cousin would have. Unsure, she steels herself and hopes to hold the Manhunter off until he regains his senses!

A flying torpedo dive gives pause for thought, while Supergirl's desperate cries for peace cut through the fog of the Martian's disorientation. He remembers!

No sooner than he recognizes Supergirl does the Martian Manhunter lock eyes with N'or Cott's spacecraft! Sensing danger, he warns Supergirl to watch out as two missiles fire in their direction and she prepares to save them both!

The Hammer...
It was a superhero fight in the classic style! A touch of brashness, with a hint of mistaken identity! Martian Manhunter was kept at a disadvantage thanks to his shuttle explosion, while Supergirl resisted going too far once she identified the JLA stalwart. The net result is an aerial slugfest destined to end in a tie!

If this were a face-off from the last couple of decades you'd probably find both characters intent on hitting much harder, with more efforts to demonstrate their unique abilities. The fact that today's fight isn't so bloodthirsty is actually quite refreshing! It's a little cheesy, but it's nice to think heroes can walk away from their scuffles without devolving into brutal blood feuds.

While we won't draw too many definitive conclusions from today's clash, it makes a case for the strength of both characters. Qualities that've been inconsistently depicted at various stages in their publication history.

It's always kind of amazing to think about Martian Manhunter's vast powers being so overlooked! The late Len Wein once joked about the propensity of a bygone era for reducing him to super-breath. The scourge of birthday cakes, he mocked. I'm glad 1977 was treating the character a little better!

In internal monologue, Supergirl surmises that the Martian's strength is nearly equal to hers. I've always preferred a modern scale that puts Martian Manhunter in the upper echelons of super-human strength, but the so-called "Swiss Army Knife of Superheroes" has often been minimized in that regard. I tend to think a mild manner and the simplicity of his fire weakness is the better balance.

My notorious bias against kid heroes means I usually think of Supergirl as a step behind her cousin, but when strength is derived from exposure to Earth's yellow sun, without a single iron pumped, it kinda stands to reason there's relative parity. Inexperience is the point of difference that makes Supergirl interesting.

As noted last month; I've been revisiting seventies issues of Adventure Comics to enjoy the heyday of another (sometimes) underrated hero: Aquaman!

The action-packed Adventure Comics #444 was the first to feature a full issue of Aquaman action, but the back-up stories quickly returned with issue #449. There, Martian Manhunter made his home on Mars II, before a murder plot sets him on a series of run-ins with heroes, beginning with Supergirl in #450.

I'm sure writer Denny O'Neil wouldn't consider this a narrative high point of his distinguished career, but you've gotta love these kinds of back-up stories! The easily overlooked and forgotten ones! With characters who matter, doing things just a little bit interesting. The less common the combination - the better!

Granted, these days Supergirl & Martian Manhunter go together like milk & cookies! It's one of the rare examples when film (or rather television) actually refines and exploits a character to their best elements! In Supergirl's case, one of the best improvements the show has made was the costume!

I can't say I have a lot of love for the seventies shorts/bloomers seen in today's featured fight, nor the small shield logo off to one side. Its leagues ahead of the micro skirt atrocities yet to come from the new millennium, but there's a lot to be said for keeping it simple and classic. Not just simple, as it is here.

Classic sure worked for J'onn J'onzz, who'll be back in a stylized version of the old look in a new DC Comics series announced by The Hollywood Reporter! It's a little weird visually, but shows promise as Martian Manhunter continues a comeback from the dark days of the New 52 reboot!

I'm sure we'll be talking more MM and Supergirl in the future! If you'd like to find more be sure to follow links throughout this post, or dive into the Secret Archive for featured fights indexed by publisher, series, and issue number.

You can support Secret Wars on Infinite Earths by using social media links at the bottom of each feature to share your favourite fights! You can also follow on Twitter and Facebook to get daily links to classic fights inspired by the topics of the day! A like, share, retweet, or comment is a great way to get involved!

Winner: Inconclusive (Draw)
#23 (--) Martian Manhunter
#108 (+5) Supergirl

HERO OF THE WEEK: MARTIAN MANHUNTER (DC)
Real Name: J'onn J'onzz
First Appearance: Detective Comics #225 (November, 1955)
Fight Club Ranking: #23

Featured Fights:
- vs BRIMSTONE: Legends #2 (Dec 1986)
- vs PROFESSOR IVO: Justice League of America #261 (Apr 1987)
- vs STONE GOD: Secret Origins #32 (Nov 1988)
- vs WOOD KING: Secret Origins #32 (Nov 1988)
- vs KIDNAPPERS: Secret Origins #35 (1988)
- vs DOOMSDAY: Superman #74 (Dec 1992)
- vs HILL STREET CULT: DC: The New Frontier #2 (Apr 2004)
- vs ULTRAMARINE CORPS: JLA: Classified #3 (Mar 2005)
- vs DESPERO: JLA #118 (Nov 2005)
- vs THE SOCIETY: Final Crisis: Requiem #1 (Sep 2008)
- vs GREEN LANTERN & FLASH: Green Lantern #44 (Sep 2009)

There's something different in the air at DC Comics and it might just be the change to finally do them some good! As the cacophony of Dark Nights: Metal subsides, the opportunity to tell interesting new stories with a more classic feel seems to be presenting itself. CBR features design artwork for the new Justice League line-ups coming in their No Justice series, and there's a muted flavor of intrigue that will hopefully be the antidote to some of their less focused, destructive urges of late.

Martian Manhunter emerged as an important player in Metal, and will be leading a high-profile team of Justice League aliens dubbed "Team Mystery" in CBR's preview. The group [pictured above] includes Superman, Sinestro, Starfire, and Starro.

Dark Nights: Metal may not have been everyone's cup of tea, but it feels like it's initiated the next phase of a decision making process that feels a little more traditional, and comics oriented, rather than multimedia pandering. It's there in the restoration of Superman's trunks, the elevation of heroes like Martian Manhunter and Hawkman, and the introduction of The Terrifics.

There are some other interesting team-ups coming in No Justice, with aesthetics to tie the groups together in pleasant fashion. Team Entropy and Team Wonder are looking pretty spiffy with hues of orange and purple. Team Wisdom a little less strong, but high on fun quotient.

I like seeing Martian Manhunter back in a position of prominence. It was real disappointing when the New 52 stripped him out of Justice League history. It's great to see him back saving the day in Metal! It bares repeating that David Harewood is always kicking goals as TV's J'onn J'onzz on Supergirl, as well! That's more than enough to render him this week's Hero of the Week! Hussah!

<< Hero of the Week 02/12: Black Panther     [Home]     Hero of the Week 01/29: Superman >>

VIXEN & MARTIAN MANHUNTER versus PROFESSOR IVO

Last Stand (DC)
Where: Justice League of America #261 When: April 1987 Why: J.M. DeMatteis How: Luke McDonnell

The Story So Far...
One defeat too many has left the Justice League of America in tattered ruins. While the evil machinations of Darkseid plot to make outlaws of heroes, their enemies attack unabated by the whims of fickle law.

Professor Ivo and his mechanical menaces have plagued the Justice League for longer than they care to remember, but the divided heroes have never been more vulnerable, nor the villain ever more bloodthirsty!

Already Ivo's android assassins have seen to the deaths of Vibe and Steel, and made chilling attempts on the lifes of Gypsy, and the Martian Manhunter. With the rest of the team gone or resigned, Vixen stands alone to seek vengeance for her fallen allies! Her keen animal senses and savagery will ensure she stalks out her prey, but whose death will result when she finds Professor Ivo's lair?

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Martian Manhunter 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Martian Manhunter 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Martian Manhunter 5 (Super-Human)
Stamina: Vixen 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Martian Manhunter 7 (Unlimited)
Fighting: Vixen 4 (Trained)
Energy: Martian Manhunter 5 (Lasers)


I would've been really disappointed to finish 2016 without returning to this now classic encounter! It represents an interesting transitional period in Justice League history, where the infamous Detroit team was to finally make way for a glitzy group, newly assembled in the pages of post-Crisis event: Legends.

Legends #2 was the last time we saw this version of the JLA, suffering a brutal defeat at the hands of Apokolips demon-seed: Brimstone!

In that city shattering battle, Martian Manhunter was caught off guard by the firey beast. Rushing in without thought to his own vulnerability (flame), he was overwhelmed by debris that also buried Vixen, and the rest of the League: Elongated Man, Gypsy, Vibe, Steel, with allies Firestorm and Cosmic Boy.

In the wake of their humiliating defeat, the League veered towards disbanding as President Reagan issued an order to outlaw superheroes. Martian Manhunter favored accepting the decree, Elongated Man departed amidst in-fighting, and everybody but Vixen sort of went their own way. Good news for Professor Ivo, whose evil androids were able to pickoff Vibe and Steel - both killed!

Fearing death; Anthony Ivo has obsessively sought to attain immortality. His pursuit brought him into conflict with the JLA, whose powers he once hoped to steal, believing they could unlock infinite life. He and his androids are making their Secret Wars on Infinite Earths debut, but the instrument of his earliest attacks on the League has appeared before: Amazo!

The power stealing Amazo has been known to act independently, and the increasingly mentally unstable Professor Ivo has become victim to the whim of his other robotic creations -- including his own doppelganger. The duplicate Ivo is responsible for the murders, but Vixen doesn't know - or care - about that.

As one of the last standing members of Justice League Detroit, Vixen has given in to her primal rages -- seeking vengeance for her comrades alone! Her ability to channel the innate skills of animals makes her a pretty tough customer, but alone against an army of killer androids, she might be in trouble!

Good thing former detective Martian Manhunter has also picked up the trailer to Professor Ivo's secret underground lair! He'll be making the save, and helping tip the scales in favour of the heroes. His Martian weakness to fire isn't ideal, but his phenomenal strength and molecular malleability means he can make light work of Ivo's tin soldiers, as long as they don't combust.

We've seen the trouble fire can cause Martians in DC: The New Frontier #2, and Final Crisis: Requiem #1! We've also seen plenty of Martian toughness, as well. He took down Appellaxian Stone God in Secret Origins #32, helped fight Doomsday in the guise of Bloodwynd [Superman #74], and caused Green Lantern & Flash a whole lot of trouble as a Black Lantern [Green Lantern #44]!

We haven't seen as much of Vixen thus far, but she has gone toe-to-toe with Wonder Woman [JLA: Classified #3] and Volcano Man [Justice League of America #15]. So it doesn't look too bad for the heroes! Let's see how it went...

The Tape: Martian Manhunter Ranking: Martian Manhunter (#32)

What Went Down...
Stalking through filthy city sewers, Vixen searches solemnly for her prey. Deep within the stone laden labyrinth - a familiar scent, drawing her deeper into the twisting underworld. Soon - a light emanating from a small grate. She pushes it in and descends into a small room, where Professor Ivo waits with a banquet.

Vixen makes her lethal intent clear while Ivo offers questionable pleasantries in exchange. Seemingly resigned to his fate, he asks for Vixen's company as last request of a condemned man. She hurls her cup of poisoned tea in his scaly disfigured face and reaches for his throat. An attempt at kindness, he calls it...

Suddenly the room fills with a dozen shirtless men - each an exact duplicate of the last! Vixen's keen sense of smell detects the distinct absence of humanity among them. Androids: programmed to kill, just like the ones who killed her Justice League friends!

Vixen goes to ground as the automatons surround her. She springs upward suddenly, delivering an all mighty uppercut! A knee to the stomach! A leaping face jam! A vicious decapitation! She is at one with her animal instincts.

She swings her fists wildly, separating two more of the android's heads!

Professor Ivo watches the battle coldly, expressing surprise. He didn't expect to see Vixen winning! These androids weren't programmed specifically like the ones that killed Vibe and Steel. Ivo corrects the deficiency, searching out Vixen's computer file to broadcast the necessary tactical attributes to his army.

The androids overwhelm Vixen, rushing in a pack. An android strikes with a backhanded fist. Another with a clubbing blow. They all lean in, throwing fists like a pack of wild dogs. Fear takes Vixen as she contemplates her own mortality. Significantly outnumbered, she anticipates her own coming death.

Then, the door to Ivo's lair suddenly explodes with an angry call of his name! The Martian Manhunter has also tracked the villain in search of justice! Refusing to accept another teammates demise - he marches through the android horde, furiously toppling and crushing the robotic men!

Professor Ivo fears and respects the "real" Leaguer who's beaten him so many times before "to a pulp". Searching for a means to defend himself, he recalls the Martian weakness to fire. Wielding a super-charged lighter, he bathes the distracted Manhunter in strength sapping flame!

Meanwhile, surviving androids observe that Vixen has no apparent life signs. Their programming is astute enough to warrant a second networked scan, but it fails to protect them from Vixen springing back to life! With a vaulting thrust of her legs she sends the two robotic men hurtling across the underground room!

The action distracts Ivo enough to give Martian Manhunter the break he needs to strike the villain! The Professor begs for mercy, inciting anger in the soulful Martian. He vows to teach him about pain and fear, but cannot bring himself to harm such a feeble opponent. An affliction Vixen does not share!

The grieving hero lunges at Ivo, wraps her hands around his throat, and snaps his neck -- revealing severed wiring and microchips. Another android!

Discarding the sophisticated facsimile, Vixen marches across the chequered floor towards a door that hides the true Professor Ivo! Not the conniving master of machines, but rather a feeble prisoner of his own creations.

Gripped with fear and insanity, the raving Professor is as afraid and ashamed of the actions of his own androids, as he is of the death he believes Vixen intends to inflict. Recognizing his torment and anguish, the heroes grapple with their own emotional needs, unable to direct a hate they cannot discard. They face the pointless deaths of their allies together. The final victory of the Justice League.

The Hammer...
It's a somber, quiet end for the Detroit era of the Justice League of America, but at least it comes with Vixen and Martian Manhunter victorious! As fitting a conclusion as possible to an obvious house-cleaning for the impending and iconic "International" re-launch.

This is another one of the issues I would've been very disappointed not to find time for. We spent a lot of the past year revisiting this period of DC Comics, in particular the concurrent mini-series Legends. I talked about this particular issue during the Vixen Hero of the Week - and here it is!

Justice League of America #261 purports to be "Chapter 21" of the Legends saga, but to even call it tangentially relevant to the main story would be very generous! If you were only reading the six issue Legends series, your final impression of the Detroit League would've come from their crushing defeat by Brimstone in Legends #2. Vibe and Steel are still alive, but you'd be forgiven for thinking they'd died buried beneath the rubble of Brimstone's rampage. 

For a series that will ultimately conclude with the assembly of the new Justice League -- (more star-studded than the last) -- it gets the job done. The focus of Legends is very much on the post-Crisis lay of the land, and the new mix of icons and acquisitions who'll be front and centre in DC's new era. There's very little time for romancing the outgoing B-league team, which makes the gratuitous "Chapter 21" tie-in branding very well meaning, if a little misplaced.

Martian Manhunter is the only Detroit hero who makes his way to a new featured role in Legends. He's a shape-shifting stand-in for President Reagan, who earns the government's trust for mistakenly vilified superheroes. He will continue to lend quiet dignity and soul to the new Justice League, offering the only real through line for enduring fans.

It might've been nice if Vixen could've tagged along, but I wouldn't want to downplay the justifiable unpopularity of the Detroit characters at that time. Fortunately, Vixen's newfound precarious existence, and the hard edge gained in this final JLA story, made her well suited to joining the other team that spun out of Legends: The Suicide Squad!

Her admission to The Squad strikes me as a pretty canny use of the character. It has a nice sense of symmetry: a diverging fork in the road for the final two Leaguers left standing at the end of Volume 1. It also allowed for further exploration and definition of a broken character. When the two teams meet and fight in Suicide Squad #13, there's a great moment of Martian Manhunter and Vixen quietly sharing a tender embrace -- much as they did at the end of today's feature fight. A sentimentality that's appreciated in both examples.

Of course, even JLA #261 was hastened to sell the 'New era of greatness for The Justice League' coming the following month! That iconic Kevin Maguire cover sure does a good job of pitching it, as well. It's tough for Gypsy and Vibe to make much of an impression when you've got Batman, Captain Marvel, Doctor Fate, Black Canary and Green Lantern scowling at you!

Thirty years later, I'm still pretty sold! By some bizarre twist of fate, the culture is in a place where the Detroit League has actually found a loyal audience on television! I'd like to say that's a good thing, but it tends to say more about how mediocre superhero TV is. With a less than impressive movie version on its way, you're reminded how it feels to long for the JLA done right!

There is definitely worthwhile material to be found in this period of the Justice League -- today's feature issue being one of the fine examples. That said, it could never be considered any kind of adequate standard for what the concept should be. The League doesn't always need to be the "Big Seven", but the best versions will always be hung on a cast of senior most iconic heroes, working toward an informed higher goal, and a greater good for humanity.

It's hard to know with any faith what really matters to DC Comics in 2017, but I'll sign-off with a warm thought. Just as Martian Manhunter and Vixen were able to share a moment built on the importance of their shared history, we can do the same. Knowing that these characters were part of a pretty great issue!

If you'd like to share more moments from Justice League of America, or any of the characters mentioned in this article, be sure to follow links provided for your convenience! You can sharpen your focus by targeting past features by publisher, series and issue in the Secret Archives Index!

If you like what you see, be sure to hit the G+1 button located just South of this article's text. Be sure to tell your friends all about the wonderful world of Secret Wars on Infinite Earths while you're at it. Every bit helps keep the wars infinite!

Winners: Vixen and Martian Manhunter
#22 (+10) Martian Manhunter
#115 (+231) Vixen [+5 kills]
#812 (new) Professor Ivo

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA versus BRIMSTONE

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HERO OF THE WEEK: MARTIAN MANHUNTER (DC)
Real Name: J'onn J'onzz
First Appearance: Detective Comics #225 (November, 1955)
Fight Club Ranking: #29

Featured Fights:
- vs STONE GOD: Secret Origins #32 (Nov 1988)
- vs WOOD KING: Secret Origins #32 (Nov 1988)
- vs KIDNAPPERS: Secret Origins #35 (1988)
- vs DOOMSDAY: Superman #74 (Dec 1992)
- vs HILL STREET CULT: DC: The New Frontier #2 (Apr 2004)
- vs ULTRAMARINE CORPS: JLA: Classified #3 (Mar 2005)
- vs DESPERO: JLA #118 (Nov 2005)
- vs THE SOCIETY: Final Crisis: Requiem #1 (Sep 2008)
- vs GREEN LANTERN & FLASH: Green Lantern #44 (Sep 2009)

Throughout much of 2016 I've had Martian Manhunter's keyed in as a draft Hero of the Week in response to a strong turn in TV's Supergirl. It's been a matter of when - not if. It's with heavy heart that I finally commit to the publish button in honor of the passing of one of comics last great classic masters: Darwyn Cooke.

Many people are already sharing their favourite stories in honor of Darwyn's life in comics. He can be connected to a lot of characters. His contributions to Catwoman in the early to mid 2000s were a blessing that helped redefine the character to its fullest potential. He's written fantastic stories for DC superheroes, Will Eisner's Spirit, the controversial Beyond Watchmen, and other original creations.

For me, his biggest milestone, and a comic I've come back to many times on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths over the years, is DC: The New Frontier.

A love letter to a bygone era of DC Comics; The New Frontier managed to be unashamedly retro, while at the same time saying something that felt like the future! His characters weren't exactly as they were in the 1940s, 50s, or 60s. The DNA of their modern counterparts was there for anybody willing to look past the surface. Although, why you'd want to look past the surface is beyond me!

Cooke brought a sensibility to his drawings that was reminiscent of DC's popular animation. Characters were classic, streamlined. His designs cast a full illusion of reality, but didn't over complicated a character, or page. It was a no brainer, then, that The New Frontier would be adapted as a direct-to-video DC animated feature. The comic is practically a storyboard -- something Cooke did plenty of for animation, but went above and beyond with on the comic book page.

The New Frontier is about a lot of characters - the formation of the Justice League, no less! Green Lantern can be called the star - The Flash an important player of the same vintage. Wonder Woman had one of her best turns in a  comic for much of the decade, and Superman played off her fantastically. When I first learned of Cooke's death - I had to go back to the boxing fight between Wildcat Grant and a not-so-subtle homage to Muhammad Ali, "Clay". It's an absolute classic! Perhaps the one who I held most dear, though, was Martian Manhunter.

In DC: The New Frontier, Cooke retells the Earthbound origin of the Martian Manhunter. Doctor Erdel is already on the floor when the Martian is summoned to Earth by mistake. Precious moments flit away as he apologizes for his error and frailty. The Martian pays respect, pulling a sheet over the old man. He's alone in an alien world and he's about to learn how afraid and hostile we humans are.

The story of Martian Manhunter discovering human culture has been told before. In The New Frontier, he watches the television intently, shapeshifting into cartoons and comics until he settles on the stone jaw and squint of a hardboiled detective. The format and subject matter echoed a single issue favourite of mine in Secret Origins #35. I paired the story with an episode from The New Frontier back in 2008. The action differed greatly, but they're great compliments to each other, and really tickle me pink. It's hard to adequately put it into words. I've sometimes wondered if Cooke was aware of the '88 origin story. Probably not. I'm sure I'll never know now.

I don't know if Darwyn Cooke had any intention of telling more stories for DC superheroes, but when the company relaunched in 2011, it seemed the opportunity was gone. The New 52 had no room for a knowing, classic infusion with modern sensibilities. It saddened me to lose a lot of great things DC Comics had built up over the years, and it felt like a little Darwyn Cooke was needed now more than ever. Sadly, that won't come. Very fortunately, we have the work that he did do. Fantastic, all of it.

I'm really going to miss the influence Cooke had through his art. A warm, smart, fun, genuine sensibility. A stubborn man and a talent artist. Must-see comics. Fantastic, all of it!

I invite you to celebrate Darwyn Cooke through just a small amount of his work I've enjoyed:

- Batman, Martian Manhunter & Slam Bradley vs Hill Street Cult (DC: The New Frontier #2)

- Wildcat Grant versus Clay (DC: The New Frontier #2)

- Flash versus Captain Cold (DC: The New Frontier #2)

- Batman versus Catwoman (Solo #1)

- Batman versus Superman (Justice League: The New Frontier Special #1)

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