MISTER HYDE versus GHOST RIDER

Engines of Vengeance: Part 5 (Marvel)
Where: All-New Ghost Rider #5 When: September 2014 Why: Felipe Smith How: Tradd Moore

The Story So Far...
Dr. Calvin Zabo has relocated to Los Angeles to use his skills in biochemistry to forge a new criminal empire away from the heroes and villains of New York!

He's selling drugs based on the Mr. Hyde formula that gives his alter-ego incredible size and strength, but when the batch goes bad - it's time for a recall!

Hired mercenaries attack a street race to retrieve the drugs from a dealer's dodge charger, killing the driver behind the haunted car's wheel: mechanic Robbie Reyes! Engulfed in flames, Robbie is revived as a spirit of vengeance!

Local dealer Grumpy has delusions of grandeur when the drugs mutate him, sparking a turf war between Zabo's mercenaries and Grumpy's gang! When the bullets threaten innocent suburban residents -- including Robbie's younger brother Gabe -- the new Ghost Rider drives in to take them all out! Vengeance is triumphant, but now Robbie faces his biggest threat: The one true Hyde!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Mr. Hyde 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: Mr. Hyde 3 (Straight A)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Ghost Rider 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Draw 2 (Average)
Fighting: Draw 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Ghost Rider 5 (Lasers)


It's a battle of something old and something new as we delve into the All-New world of Marvel Now!

Dr. Calvin Zabo is a brilliant biochemist whose criminal career was influenced by Robert Louis Stevenson's story: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The classic literature inspired him to create a hormonal formula capable of transforming him into his own super-human alter-ego of Mr. Hyde!

As Hyde; the scientist undergoes a physical transformation that increases his size, strength, stamina and durability. Hyde has been shown to be strong enough to go toe-to-toe with the likes of Iron Man, Hulk, and Thor! He gains this strength at the expense of his intellect and personality. The Hyde persona is much more volatile, as seen when Batroc The Leaper was compelled to turn against him during a plot to defeat Captain America [Captain America #252].

Zabo's desire for criminal power eventually led him to Los Angeles, to create super-drugs for street sale away from the crowded super-population of NYC. When a bad batch of his pills got loose, he sent mercenaries to retrieve them from the dodge charger driven by his dealer. Unfortunately, LA mechanic Robbie Reyes had taken the car to compete in a street race at the time!

Riddled with bullets, Reyes was revived by the demonic spirit of his deceased devil worshipping uncle: Eli Morrow. Bonded to the dodge charger and now his nephew, Morrow transforms Reyes into the flame spewing driver: Ghost Rider!

At this early stage in his career, the all-new Ghost Rider is still learning to use his hellish powers. He wields infernal chains, and can manipulate his black dodge charger in a variety of ways - including physically merging and passing through it! Ghost Rider himself also possesses some degree of increased speed and strength, but must still fear the threat of death against stronger opponents!

Prior to this fight, Ghost Rider has battled gangsters using the defective Hyde formula. Even so, inexperience is still his greatest weakness against the veteran strength of the one true Mr. Hyde!

Fortunately, an unstoppable, flame spewing car is a great equalizer in the fight with Hyde. As we saw when The Punisher took Hyde on [Punisher #5], he can also be susceptible to inventive strategies that target natural physical weak spots. If Ghost Rider can turn up the heat, he might be in with a shot. It's a long shot - but any chance is better than no chance!

The Tape: Ghost Rider Ranking: Mr. Hyde (#351)

What Went Down...
An overturned school bus, frightened children, bullet holes... Consequences of a suburban gun fight between the wannabe gangsters selling Mr. Hyde's drugs and the mercenaries hired to work for him. Dead and beaten - the two sides lie around a smouldering new sentinel of vengeance: The Ghost Rider!

A chopper hovers overhead and one of the mercenaries sneers: "Here come the reinforcements." A hulking figure leaps from the helicopter and plummets to the street below with a spectacular crash: Mr. Hyde towers over Ghost Rider!

The Rider tosses his blade tipped chain, but Hyde snatches it with two hands in the air and yanks him off his feet! His demonically possessed body slices through the emptied school bus, and ruptures the street as Hyde brings him crashing down with devastating effect!

Hyde recognizes the rookie errors of his flaming foe - clumsy, unskilled and weak. He yanks him off the ground and into the waiting embrace of his chemically bulging biceps!

Trapped in the grip of a super-powered sleeper hold: Robbie Reyes consults his ghostly mentor on the case of mistaken identity and fatal peril. Eli has no desire to die with his host again -- summoning the flaming dodge charger for the save!

The card takes Hyde's legs out from behind and sends both spilling wildly into the air! The villain loses his grip on Ghost Rider's chain in the chaos - coming to land on his face with a hard thud.

Ghost Rider nimbly lands on his feet and uses speed to capitalize on the shift in the fight. He leaps into the air - landing boots-first on Mr. Hyde's facedown skull! He then quickly hops away, leaving the path clear for the super natural charger to run over Hyde's head!

Hyde's super-enhanced body is able to cope with the trauma, but his psyche is unwilling to accept defeat! Ignoring the internal cries of biochemist Calvin Zabo - the Hyde persona pinches at a bag of defective pills and swallows them!

The influx of formula sends Mr. Hyde's already impressive body into an explosive transformation! His muscles grow and stretch to gigantic proportions!

It looks bad for Ghost Rider and then - Mr. Hyde pukes!

Zabo's past warnings that the pills weren't for them come to pass. The perfect balance of ANA-XILLIK-32 is upset, sending his rapidly deforming body into shock as Hyde overdoses on the formula!

The beastly villain shrinks down to the meek, mild form of Dr. Calvin Zabo! Sweaty and cowering, he shrieks as residents of the neighbourhood warzone surround him. Sirens ring out in chorus with Zabo's cries as Ghost Rider blazes into the night.

The Hammer...
It looked hairy for a while there, but the all-new Ghost Rider picks up a big win in the first super-villain showdown of his heroic career!

If you were reading Hero of the Week about a month ago, you already know I've been a big fan of All-New Ghost Rider since it launched in 2014!

The battle with Mr. Hyde is just one piece of an appealing puzzle that exceeds several of Marvel's attempts to launch new versions of their classic characters.

He's a figure with a strong sense of identity, deviant from other better known versions like Johnny Blaze or Dan Ketch, but not so removed that there isn't great potential for legacy interaction. Indeed, Robbie Reyes was quickly confronted by the classic Blaze version of Ghost Rider in issues following this one. A clever order of events, allowing Reyes to be showcased in his own environment, with his own villain, before confronting the obvious comparisons.

Every hero needs good arch-villains, and tying the new Ghost Rider to Mr. Hyde is a wonderful way of feathering him into the living Marvel Universe.

It's a case of giving and creating all around. Mr. Hyde is a longstanding Marvel villain, but he hasn't been inescapably married to one particular arch-nemesis, nor been defined by one famous story. That gives Marvel, and writer Felipe Smith, a lot of room to shape their characters to suit the circumstances of the story, and high concept. That Hyde relocates to Los Angeles is easily forgiven, both for the in-fiction reason of escaping a crowded market place in Marvel's New York City, but also for the quality of Hyde's role in the story.

In All-New Ghost Rider: Hyde provides a larger-than-life personification and anchor for a story about the very real issue of gang violence and drug abuse in suburbia. This is a superhero comic through and through, so of course, it's nothing as mundane as crystal meth, or ice. Instead, a reduced street version of Hyde's formula is the demon in a pill. Too up front to be considered metaphor, but none the less superb in its balance between reality and hyper-fiction.

There are clichés at work: Robbie Reyes is a good kid struggling to maintain his grades and his job, while also looking after an energetic younger brother with special needs.

These 'facts of life' provide all the usual short-hands to motivate the hero in his journey. Fortunately, the world on the page is heavy in contrast, and much too frenetic to make it feel rote. Behind the saccharin sibling moments of sharing ice cream, or putting a happy face on a hard life, is a real sense of authenticity.

It's no mean feat that a motorhead student who loves his brother can seem so real in a comic that defies the laws of reality!

Artist Tradd Moore is one of the high selling points for the series, laying down high-octane fuel injected pages! Does this guy have a flaming pencil from Hell, or what?! It's dizzying the way action spits off the page and characters bend in animation! The Comics Code Authority may be a decade behind us, but if this keeps up, there are going to be speed limits put on comics!

Colorists Val Staples, Nelson Daniel and Ester Sanz deserve a lot of credit. Their work is vital to supporting Moore's fast, furious, and maniacal pencils -- especially when Ghost Rider is in action! Blinding yellows and deep reds sell the heat of Ghost Rider's flames, and the face stretching momentum of his speed!

The arrangement of all its various pieces help make Robbie Reyes a success as a new Ghost Rider -- but it's without a doubt the visual identity of this first arc that made it a thrilling, exciting, instant success!

Individual panels like the ones featured in this post just don't do it credit. To get the full experience - you need to see the entire page. I'm not the biggest fan of digital comics at the best of times, but I really pity the fool who doesn't hold this comic in their hands when they're reading!

Perhaps the only drawback is that I could never recommend this for all readers. It looks and sounds like it should be a spectacle for everyone to enjoy, but the content and themes are strictly T for Teen. Even then - I would worry about a young mind taking the wrong message from the life of power fantasies, Faustian pacts, and stringbean wannabe gangsters hiding behind guns and threats.

If you want to be any one here kids, be Robbie Reyes. He's a nice guy with a strong skill (mechanics), a great work ethic, and a killer sense of style -- I love that skunk stripe, and the jet black leather with white!

This Ghost Rider is currently appearing on TV's Agents of SHIELD - a rare bright spark on an otherwise painfully boring show. The real money would be getting this character into animation. A slick production with a style similar to Moore's would be an instant, bona fide hit! Something Marvel haven't had in animation in a long, long time!

If you want to see what all the excitement is for yourself, I strongly recommend you swing by Amazon to pick up the collected trade! It's a great way to read it! Plus: If you use the link provided to the right, you'll help contribute to future entries of the site! I don't even need your soul!

If you're looking for more featured battles featuring Mr. Hyde or any of the other Ghost Riders, you should follow links throughout this post, or dive into the Issue Index Archive for other classic entries!

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths is really going to Hell this month, diving into demons and terrors for a big Halloween! Stay tuned for the next installment, which will feature some of those other Ghost Riders we mentioned! It'll be a blast!

Winner: Ghost Rider
#296 (new) Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes)
#500 (new) Eli Morrow [+1 assist]
#359 (-8) Mr. Hyde

PUNISHER versus THE HOOD'S SYNDICATE
Living in Darkness: Part 5 (Marvel)
Where: Punisher #5 When: July 2009
Why: Rick Remender How: Jerome Opena

The Story So Far...
When opportunity presented itself, Norman Osborn branded former Director of SHIELD and man in whom the people put their trust, Tony Stark, a traitor and coward. A conspiracy of events, including the secret invasion of disguised Skrull aliens, created the circumstances through which the former Green Goblin was able to elevate himself from directorial position within the Thunderbolts, to the head of a newly formed intelligence agency replacing the corrupted SHIELD.

Recognising Osborn for the man he truly is -- (rather than the man records show was once wrongly accused of being a super-villain) -- the Punisher sets out to do the thing he knows best: wage a bloody war on the bad guys!

Standing in Frank Castle's way is a network of allies Osborn has formed both on the right and wrong sides of the law. After clashing with membership of Osborn's Avengers, he now faces the ire of card carrying powers from Osborn's secret Cabal, forcing him into a much less public fight with the self-proclaimed "Kingpin of super-villains," Parker Robinson, aka; The Hood. Joined by whiz hacker "Henry," Punisher attempts to turn the tables on his pursuer, but the Hood's demonic powers will provide a twist Frank Castle could not possibly have a contingency for, bringing him face-to-face with an old friend and new enemy...

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Mr. Hyde 5 (Superhuman)
Intelligence: Punisher 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Mr. Hyde 3 (Street Wise)
Stamina: Mr. Hyde 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Razor Fist 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Razor Fist 5 (Martial Arts)
Energy: Punisher 4 (Arsenal)


- When his family was murdered by the mob for witnessing a gangland execution, Frank Castle dedicated himself to a zealous one-man war against all organized crime as The Punisher.

Drawing upon his extensive training as a soldier during the Vietnam War; Castle adopts the death's head skull as his symbol, dealing death to gangsters, drug dealers, kidnappers, and any other criminal who crosses his path.During his career as the Punisher he continues to hone his abilities while also amassing a wealth of standard and unusual munitions, including supernatural and super-science weapons stolen from super-villains he has defeated. Combined with a rare tactical mind for warfare, and his skills in hand-to-hand combat, Frank Castle's arsenal makes him a formidable opponent even for superhuman targets.

Prominent enemies include; Jigsaw, Kingpin, Bullseye, Barracuda, Ma Gnucci. Violent activity in New York has made Punisher a regular sparring partner (and sometimes ally) for heroes such as Spider-man and Daredevil, as well.

Most recently, Castle has set his sights on Norman Osborn; the former Green Goblin who usurped Tony Stark's position as the head of the foremost intelligence agency connected to super-powers. Punisher's attempts at assassination have earned him the attentions of Osborn's allies, including members of the Avengers and the legion of villains operating under the leadership of The Hood.

- The Hood's Super-Villains are: Brothers Grimm (Grimes), Mr. Hyde, Grizzly, Razor Fist, and Microchip.

A series of attacks on rival criminals and low rankings superheroes earned Parker Robinson the role he sought as Kingpin of Super-Villains in New York City. Tigra and the The Owl were among the first key victims in a showing of strength that gained The Hood the trust and loyalty afforded by cult status within the ranks of the underworld.

The Hood's immediate associations include the demonic sorceror who sponsors his powers, Dormammu, as well as members of the secret organization called The Cabal. Their ranks include Norman Osborn, Dr. Doom, Loki, Sub-Mariner, and Emma Frost.
Among the prominent figures holding membership within Hood's syndicate of villains are; Jigsaw, The Wrecking Crew, Madam Masque, The Wizard, Crimson Cowl, The Controller, Electro, Grey Gargoyle, Night Shift, Living Laser, Scarecrow, Nitro, Mr. Hyde, Purple Man, Razor Fist, and Tombstone.

Math: Punisher (Avg) The Hood's Gang (Ttl) Ranking: Punisher (#101)

What Went Down...
Having infiltrated The Hood's base via the use of Ant-Man shrinking technology and a strategic pizza delivery, Punisher successfully storms the villain's street level security, enabling him to go straight for the prize -- The Hood himself!

Following instructions from his tech-advisor, Henry; Punisher navigates toward the basement level of the Hood's establishment. There, Frank Castle comes face-to-face not with the red garbed Kingpin of Supervillains, but rather, his former ally and tech-support, Microchip. His once dead ally attempts to persuade Castle to abandon his violent quest, dangling the prospect of resurrecting his family like a carrot infront of a mule.

Before Castle can send his former partner back to the grave, he's ambushed by one of the tricks of the Brothers Grimm! They, along with Grizzly, Razor Fist, and Mr. Hyde, emerge from the shadows to defend Microchip and Hood's interests.

With Henry piping instructions in his ear, it becomes apparent the Punisher had not entered the fray without anticipating such an arrival. Armed with a stolen alien ice gun, he swiftly incapacitates Mr. Hyde and the other villains within constructs described as having a molecular desnity greater than a small sun. Despite this trivia shared by Henry, Mr. Hyde is able to break free of the ice!

He flings Punisher like a ragdoll, effortlessly sending the vigilante hurtling across the basement space. With blows that have rattled the Hulk and Thor, Hyde swings wildly at the scrambling Punisher, destroying computers and other incidental scenery in his wake. The Punisher evades each strike narrowly, scrambling while Henry formulates a back-up plan.

Cool under pressure, Castle dives for the tiny gun he'd used with dramatic effect in his entrance into the building. Though small, the advanced weapon packs a mighty punch, bathing Hyde in the explosive discharge of his fire.

Though impressive in scope, the weapon fails to phase the immensly powerful Mr. Hyde. Smouldering with his clothes in tatters, Hyde promises a grim fate for the intruding vigilante. Clutching his prey by the ankle, Hyde again tosses him across the basement, this time triggering an explosion from the impact delivered to Punisher's backpack of munitions.

With his weaponry options drastically reduced and his own body suffering the impact of the assault, defeat and even death appear to loom over the Punisher as Mr. Hyde steps over him. With seconds to spare, Henry orders Castle to activate his stolen Ant-Man helmet's external speakers, allowing the tech-whiz to pipe "dungeon metal" at a high frequency uniquely effective against Hyde!

Uneffected by the high pitched Three Inches of Blood concert, a battered Punisher rises to his feet to return to the foyer of the building. The Hood watches from behind the safety of bullet proof glass, while Punisher goes about planting C4 around the criminal headquarters, unable to reach the villain himself.

The Hammer...
With a well earned strategic victory, Punisher is your winner!

If you've been following sporadic activity on the site throughout 2009, you'll know that for the first time in the blog history, we've been focusing on releases from each week. That fact is slightly ironic, given the fact that preoccupation and lack of energy have seen the site slip well over a month behind schedule. Hopefully that'll change sooner than later, but I would hope the spirit of the content makes up for the lack of punctuality. On that subject, you might be surprised to have seen this week's entry overlook the more prominent and inevitable battle in Battle of the Cowl (#3). I'm sure developments in the Bat-books will become a regular talking point in the coming weeks, but one of the most interesting things about blogging the Infinite Wars based upon fights from each week is the opportunity to deliver a very naturally diverse selection of titles. I've made little effort to avoid repeat posts, happily following the most fitting and interesting battles that I've read in whichever title they've happened to be in.

Punisher was a title I tried with it's first issue in January, but was unimpressed with. The series debuted with a somewhat arbitrary #1 to signify the title's relaunch, sans War Journal, a mere two years after that successful relaunch.
As with the War Journal relaunch, the series promises to deliver Punisher stories intrinsically linked with the Marvel Universe itself, in this case, following on from the developments established as "Dark Reign" -- described by Marvel as a "status quo" rather than an event. To that end, they've done very well to live up to their claim, firmly establishing the 'wolf in sheep's clothing' motiff of repositioning Norman Osborn as the ruling denominator of the Marvel Universe.

To Marvel's further credit, a title like this really has been necessary. Over the course of the past decade, the character gradually became increasingly detached from his shared universe origins as he became part of mature reading imprint brands that somewhat divided editorial control over the character. It began with Marvel Knights, but became completely sequestered when the freedom offered by the MAX imprint saw the character's exploits become chiefly adult in nature.

Most of you will know straight away that I'm the kind of guy that loves the concept of the shared narrative of a corporate superhero universe. I must say, I do have a fondness for the more adventurous nature of stories that isolated Punisher. This blog doesn't always adequately convey the multiple dimensions of my interests, or the potential of these characters, but a Punisher free to push the boundaries from concepts derived from he and his world is a good thing. Garth Ennis commands immediate association with the character for his unmistakable style that arguably led to the character's surgical removal from the Marvel U.

All of that said -- I'm glad Punisher's back in the thick of things again (again).

Perhaps because of the subconscious influence of the MK/MAX work - or the fact that Punisher is essentially a murderer fighting in a world of immortal intellectual property licenses - War Journal took the character into seperatist deviations once more. If anything has seperated this version of the title from that one, it's that the topical nature has been returned, all the while the story manages to be tailor made to fit. The first arc has thrown Frank Castle against opponents we knew he would never succeed against, but with this second story arc, the odds changed dramatically as Punisher fixes for a rumble with an army of resurrected D-list villains previously murdered by fellow gun-toter, Scourge of the Underworld.

This isn't the sex and drugs of the MAX comics, but casual fans of the character can rest assured that the compromises are kept to a minimum. The white boots and gloves might be there, but this isn't quite the pacified Punisher you might get carried away with imagining. The location of the Marvel Universe affects the character in ways that really feel like coming home for fans of the character's popular solo exploits in the eighties and nineties. It's a threat of violence with a twist of Marvel iconography that just wouldn't work in the MAX world.
Spending the issue in an Ant-Man helmet pretty much sums it up. It's referencial, a little bit tongue-in-cheek, but with all the zealous direction that makes the Punisher an uncompromising character. (Albeit, with mostly non-lethal results).

A lot of the credit has to go to the art team.
Jerome Opena gives his lines, which are presumably inked by him as well, a suitable roughness that differentiates it from what could be considered a Marvel superhero style. Granted, these days, a lot of the major books will carry rougher art styles and dark colour palettes, but Opena's work walks a line of the emotive competence of the MAX artists, with an accepting flair for Dan Brown's injections of the primary colours that come with fighting super-villains in Marvel comics.

Rick Remender succeeds far beyond his first issue, but I'd be expecting an improvement from the second arc. There's a sense of a common style persistent amongst comics written by certain Marvel writers that can sometimes feel a little lazy. It's competent, but has an air of expected praise for a consistency of tone, rather than the strength or depth of the content. There's a sense at times that Frank Castle has become a passenger in his own title because of this, but between writer and artist, this issue succeeds in dancing somewhere between a classic Marvel style, contemporary tone, and the musky indifference of writers like Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, some Brian Bendis, and a few others. Fans of those names have percentage odds of enjoying the book, but ten years from now, might find themselves looking back with a desire for more protein.

I don't want to be negative about the book, because it definitely turned out to be a pleasant bet on uncertainty. I really hope Remender can continue to grow even more comfortable in the book and capitalize on the rather delicious premise of the resurrected "mort" villains. It was certainly a delight to see the likes of the Brothers Grimm, Razor Fist, and the other villains, even if only in a conceptual cameo role. Fanboy delight aside, I think when these characters aren't so awful that they're redesigned in every appearance, they become the true custodians of the Marvel Universe, telling it's tale through their occasional visits in more involved chunks than anything Spider-man or Wolverine could ever hope for.
I really enjoy the obscure history these characters accumulate, which can be found in example by following some of the character tags on the site. Many, (like Mr. Hyde), haven't got a massive catalogue of examples on offer, but I think you'll note quite quickly how intriguing it is to observe these characters through their various contexts and appearances. In that respect, maybe it's not so bad Frank's killings are restricted to nameless goons and pizza enthusiasts.

NOTE: For more Punisher pizza antics, check out Deadpool: Suicide Kings #2!

The Fight: 4.5 The Issue: 4.5

Punisher is released monthly by Marvel comics and begins a brand new storyline, "Dead End," with issue #6! For more information about releases check out the weekly shipping lists, or enquire at Marvel.com, your local comic store, or one of the many other comics sites online. If you've got a hankering for some more readings, check out the Gift Shoppe, where you'll find collected editions from most issues reviewed in the Secret Archives on sale via Amazon. By using purchase links on the site, you help punish overpriced retailers and sponsor future justice on the Infinite Wars!

BATROC/CAPTAIN AMERICA versus
MISTER HYDE
Cold Fire! (Marvel comics)
Where: Captain America #252 When: December 1980
Why: Roger Stern How: John Byrne

The story so far...
Having escaped prison with a little help from Batroc the Leaper, Mr. Hyde hatches a plan for revenge and fortune, after revealing the promised riches that saw him freed were little more than an enticing lie.

Muscling Batroc into helping him further, the two steal themselves a Roxxon fuel tanker and prepare to turn it into a floating weapon if the United States don't meet their demands. Demands that include the surrender of their shared nemesis -- Captain America!

The Captain attempts to spring a plot of his own, but when things go wrong he finds himself at the mercy of the deranged Mr. Hyde. It's only the morbid intervention of Batroc that keeps him alive long enough to be fastened to the head of the ship, pointed directly at New York City. Is this certain doom for the star-spangled hero, or does peril present unlikely hope? Stay tuned!...

Previous Form:
Captain America (#5): Reached top 5 after aiding in the defeat of Loki.
Batroc (#91): Teamed with Hyde to gain his only victory, over Captain America.
Mr. Hyde (#90): Teamed with Batroc in the afforementioned defeat of Captain America.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Mr. Hyde 5 (Super Strength)
Intelligence: Captain America 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Captain America 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Mr. Hyde 5 (Marathon Man)
Agility: Captain America 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Captain America 6 (Warrior)
Energy Powers: Captain America 2 (Projectile)


If you remember back to the feature about the preceding issue [Captain America #251], you'll note that the tape tells much the same story as the previous - with one noteworthy exception: This time Cap and Batroc are fighting on the same side!

That's right! Not a trick! Not an imaginary story!
Big-blue and stinky-cheese-surrender-monkey put their differences asied for the briefest of occasions in the name of defeating a greater evil! No, not French action movies, but rather the menace of the nefarious Mr. Hyde!

While Hyde rates a five in the strength department, the sliding scale does tend to apply here. It's well worth noting that Mr. Hyde has tangled with the likes of the Hulk and Thor, putting him in the company of the upper echelon of super bruisers from the Marvel universe. What lets Hyde down is his inevitable mortality, and occasional fluctuation in the extent of strength achieved through the use of his super drug/formula.

Batroc alone doesn't really pose any kind of risk to Hyde, and we actually saw that in an unfeatured quick fix from the previous issue. It's Hyde's strong arming that convinces Batroc to aid in his insane conquests in the first place.

With Captain America at his side, the two suddenly become a far more compelling argument. Cap represents the all-round strike against a foe of superior strength. He brings the total package of tactical intelligence, experience, fighting skill, speed, agility and a healthy dose of patriotism.

The Math: Batroc/Captain America
The Pick: Batroc/Captain America

What went down...
Chained to the bow of the Roxxon ship, Captain America is pointed helplessly like a patroit missile directly at the docks he was sent to defend. Cap's gambit ultimately weighed little on Hyde's insane decision to destroy the ship anyway, and so all that remains is escape and revenge.

Unable to bend the shield of his opponent, Hyde furiously tosses it overboard, calling Batroc to join him on the bridge to complete their devious course. In his haste, Hyde doesn't notice the insubordinate tap Batroc's foot provides, knocking loose one of the chains restraining the Captain.

A little bit of true blue grit, and Captain America overcomes his injuries to break his way free of the chains of physical oppression. He plummets into the waters below, while on ship, Batroc proves unwilling to sink so low, making his move against Hyde and his machinations of terror.

The Leaper launches a surprise attack, his savate kick delivered with strength and placement that would kill any ordinary man. Unfortunately for him, the quite extraordinary Hyde survives the assault and returns it in kind, tossing Batroc from the bridge window to the decks below.

Hyde is quick to follow, tearing his way through the bridge cabin to launch toward the decks below where Batroc lies nigh-helpless on his back.

It's only the swiftness of gifted and practiced feet that give Batroc a fighting chance against the behemoth. He delivers a vaulting kick that takes Hyde by surprise, and knocks him on the back foot long enough for The Leaper to gather himself.

"And now, we shall see who is truly the superior fighter! ... The gloves are off, N'est-ce pas?"

While a certain hero retrieves his shield from befuddled goons, Batroc's challenge is quickly foiled by Hyde's far superior inhuman strength. At close quarters, Batroc's speed does him no good, becoming the victim of the crushing grip of Hyde's gargantuan hands that wrap easily around his mid-section.

Salvation comes for Batroc in the form of a red, white and blue streak.
The strike of Cap's mighty shield provides a much needed halt to Hyde's crushing grip, allowing Batroc the opportunity to nimbly retreat with a backflip.

Hyde makes his move for the renewed Captain America, charging with a menacing fist. Cap's superior speed and alertness gives him time to weave around the sloppy attack and strike one of his own, delivering a stern chop to the base of Hyde's super-thick skull.

Leaping in with a flying kick, Batroc reveals in the opportunity to strike his sociopathic would-be ally with none of the reluctance of their original team-up. Unfortunately for him, though briefly knocking him back, Batroc's attacks again prove too little against the monstrous Mr. Hyde.

The Leaper is knocked back into Cap by a wild defensive backhand. With their options slim, the two opt for a blunt double team of their large foe.

The unlikely allies, Captain America and Batroc, charge in with all guns blazing, each avoiding Hyde's clubbing fist to launch fists of fury at his exposed ribs and stomach.

Batroc fields a swatting blow that sends him flying, while Captain America uses the opportunity to charge from behind with his shield. Hyde turns to retaliate, his strength bending the steel of the barge itself as the Captain evades the blow once more.

Batroc leaps back, nailing Hyde in the face with another flying kick, while Cap takes his legs out with a charging shoulder to the backs of his knees.
They punctuate their strategy with another two-fisted double team, but as effective as the attack is, Batroc is again the target of another wind of Hyde's devestating endurance and strength.

Cap throws his mighty shield, striking Hyde directly in the face with devestating force, while moving to the aid of Batroc. He tries to shake some life into the Frenchman, while the rampaging Hyde opts to arm himself with a piece of nearby piping without a thought for it's function.

The torn tubing spews forth liquified natural gas, frozen to temperatures so cold that Hyde becomes a walking snowman as he's covered by the gas. Rigid and caked with ice, Hyde still lumbers toward his goal, before falling backward over the broken siding into the merky depths below.

Ever the self-less hero, Cap dives in immediately after Hyde, but is unable to locate Hyde's body below. He is left to assume Hyde has survived to escape.

The hammer...
Despite a slightly ambiguous conclusion, I have no reason to rule it any other way: your winners, Captain America and Batroc!

If you're wondering, the terror plot is ended, and all ends well for everyone but Batroc. Despite his aid in the defeat of Hyde, his criminal activities seal his fate, leaving him apprehended by Cap.

Y'know, there are a lot of contributing factors in the selection process for entries on Secret Earths. Sometimes we find ourselves influenced by current affairs or releases in comics and comics-related media. Most other times it's down to my dancing whims, new purchases, or like today, sheer convenience.

I haven't been the best of health, so the fact that this issue was already prepped and scanned made it the obvious choice. If I were a little more active, we might have seen some Spider-man or Hulk action, but that's the way the dice roll. It's fluid decision making like this that has led to the peppering of particularly strong inclusions, and keep plenty of exciting battles in reserve.

Currently the Infinite Wars seem to be leaning toward characters particularly at home in combat. As of the Loki entry [Avengers #1], Captain America has resecured his position in the overall top five, rejoining the top ranked elite for the first time since early in Season 2006. No mean feat at this stage of the game!

This has probably been largely due to a belated response to the character's death [Captain America #25], which has been the subject of mild debate ever since. It's perhaps surprising, some months later, to note how accepting a lot of the fanbase has been of the situation.

Perhaps even more interesting is the noted assurance many find in the assumed fact that Captain America will live again sometime in the not too distant future. The opinion speaks volumes of a medium and genre that has built it's name on fake-out disappearances like the conclusion of this story, where Mr. Hyde remains unaccounted for.

Unfortunately the conceptual lines between an out-dated, camp, open ending have blurred to include deaths of explicit clarity and potentially lasting circumstances. Just left of Captain America's death is the example of the resurrection of Bucky, one of the characters long regarded as untouchable.

These points slide easily into the over arching question of a medium populated by fictional superheroes that exist in pseudo-realistic surroundings, but are destined never to age or develop beyond minimal consequence as we desperately hold onto the icons of the past and present.

The debate, springing from the upcoming DC Final Crisis, has been discussed in terms specific to the potential of streamlining, and re-rebooting DC's properties at the Fortress of Fortitude, which led me to put the point under this microscope.

I myself am a fan of all of these characters, but likewise resent the necessity to keep them frozen. I like the idea of cause and effect, and yet, also despise the frivilous death and resurrection of characters, even despite any literary precedents for the cyclical lifespans of heroes.

I don't know if, at 2:30am on a Saturday morning, I hope to conclude or lodge any certain opinion on the subject, but hopefully it has provided at least some interesting points to consider in what was an otherwise unexpected entry.

For now, I am needed elsewhere, to ponder further inconclusions. Do not let me catch you loitering on my lawn again! To me, my hammer!

The Fight: 6 The Issue: 5
[Pure 80's popcorn Marvel comics! The characters you know, doing what you love: Kicking each other in the back of the head, dismantling freighters in an effort to fashion weapons, and disappearing into the sea. Neato!]

CAPTAIN AMERICA versus BATROC/MR. HYDE
The Mercenary and the Madman (Marvel comics)
Where: Captain America #251 When: November 1980
Why: Roger Stern How: John Byrne

The story so far...
With the promise of a cut of a missing small fortune; French villain supreme, Batroc the Leaper, hatches a plan to free the super-powered Mr. Hyde from prison.

The two come to blows when Hyde reveals his promise of fortune to be a lie, but when he swiftly man-handles the Frenchman during a display of his savate skills, Hyde gains himself a reluctant partner in crime.

Holding a petroleum barge ransom; Hyde intends to raise a billion dollars in funds with a threat to the Roxxon conglomerate who own the ship. As if that wasn't enough, the villains also demand a hostage in Captain America, a chance for riches and revenge. How will Cap over come the odds? Stay tuned!

Previous Form:
Captain America (#8): Victories over Bane, MODOK/Baron Zemo, She-Hulk & the Sinister Twelve.
Batroc & Mr. Hyde: Neither has yet been featured on the site.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Mr. Hyde 5 (Super Strength)
Intelligence: Captain America 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Batroc 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Mr. Hyde 5 (Marathon Man)
Agility: Captain America 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Captain America 6 (Warrior)
Energy Powers: Captain America 2 (Projectile Weapon)


Y'know, this has been on the to-do list for quite some time, and given the relaxed schedule afforded in July, I thought it was the perfect time to crack it.

The appeal here is the fighting skill of the characters in question.
Mr. Hyde represents a fairly typical super brute, who really isn't of the same interest as his ally, Batroc the Leaper, a character with the distinction of being a legendary savate fighter.

We don't tend to get into the specifics of the martial arts here, but you may have at least gauged that I have some interest. While a lot of superheroes and villains have close ties to martial arts fighting skills, very few actually have any kind of process or specifics they've gone through. Which is what, no matter how flawed, makes Batroc such an interesting fighter.

You can skip on to the Hammer for the inevitable discussion about Batroc, but in the mean time, let us weigh up the stats as they read according to the tape!

Captain America is one of the heartiest, if not most skilled, fighters in the Marvel universe. Secret Earths rates him as a fighting six, representative of the skill afforded by the brutish or determined characters unique to comics. The specifics of the Captain's hand-to-hand skills tend to vary, but it's undisputable that he is one of the most persistent and successful fighters.

Certainly Batroc does not have the reputation to go toe-to-toe with Captain America, but I'd like to think on a day of his dues, his savate skills would at the very least give Cap a good touch-up. When you couple that theory with Hyde as his wingman, you start to see a pretty clear equation.

If anyone in the Marvel universe is going to overcome these odds, it's Captain America. We've seen all too often before the red, white and blue blazing it's way out of shackles toward a shield, which then blurs to a neck, which is quickly followed by boots and gloves that scramble over a sea of humanity toward victory. Captain America can beat almost anyone on his level.

On paper I think you'd have to lean toward the combination of Batroc and Hyde. Though they may not represent the epitomy of villainous reputation, they at the very least have the fundamentals to make it happen. Off the page, we pretty much resign ourselves to the assumption: Cap wins.

The Math: Mr. Hyde/Batroc (Total) Captain America (Average)
The Pick: Captain America (Yeah, even though he died...)

What went down...
The Roxxon ship, the Queen of Egypt, sails in under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge into a harbor empty save for one individual barge. There, chained to a post, stands the hostage requested by Hyde and Batroc -- Captain America!

Hyde cracks one of the crates on board, discovering the demanded ransom in gold, platinum, non-sequential cash and various other precious metals.
With their kitty secured, Hyde offers Batroc the opportunity to go to work on the hostage, a part of the plan that was supplied by the Frenchman.

Before the villains can act, Cap pushes his boot down on the planks, initiating a trigger for jets of knock-out gas to spurt upward through the barge floor.

Batroc wastes no time voicing his outrage, before leaping at the Captain with a devestating dropkick. Cap, unaffected by the gas thanks to hidden nose filters, is swift to defend the shot with his shield, before returning in kind with a stiff right, before knocking Batroc outta the park with a stiff uppercut.

Before Cap can get a lock on the treacherous Mr. Hyde, he is upon him, emerging like a nightmarish shadow from within the mist of the noxious gas.

Recalling a previous encounter, Cap looks to take advantage of a glass jaw, socking Mr. Hyde violently in the face with a stiff right. Unfortunately for him, Mr. Hyde was apparently but a shadow of himself in that encounter.

The monstrous villain laughs at the Captain's efforts, before pounding down with his own devestating clubbing fists. With the Captain knocked down, Hyde is unrelenting, unleashing everything he has on the super-patriot.

Shocked by Hyde's success, Batroc leaps onto his partner's massive arm, questioning Hyde's intentions. Appealing to his ego, Batroc convinces him that he is worthy of much more than pummeling Captain America to death like a common thug. With that, Hyde lifts the lifeless body of Captain America from the deck, and prepares to enact a far more devious plan.

When Captain America comes-to, he finds himself greeted by the sea air -- suspended on the ship's front, pointed like a patroit missile at New York City!

The hammer...
Le vainqueur, le Batroc le sauteur et le Monsieur Hyde!
I hope my French was sufficiently poor for your Batroc needs.

It dawned on me that there actually hasn't been a lot in the way of Captain America on the site, and since his death has stirred so much hubbub, it only makes it seem an even greater travesty.

So, hopefully this little gesture at least makes up for it. Even though, no sooner than I say we're going to have more DC on the site, do I slew off a four-hit Marvel combo. Be patient, DC Nation. Help is on the way, I assure you!

Much like Marvel Two-In-One #92, we might follow this entry up sometime in the near future with the second of the two-part story. Y'know, even saying that, it kinda just brings it home how rare it is to come across a two-part story these days... Thank the heavens for Detective Comics and She-Hulk, sometimes.

So, way back in the tape I mentioned Batroc, and at the risk of turning Secret Earths in to one big 'if I were...' blog, I've got to talk about the notion of a fight comic in the Marvel universe. Because, it's something they tried with Thunderbolts, and while I never actually read it, I get the impression it probably wasn't worth the time.

You've got two kinds of great fighting archetypes in superhero comics.

Your mountain movers are guys like Thing and the Hulk, who look at home when they're duking it out in a deserted area full of mountainous ridges and dirt and rock. These are the guys who created shockwaves with their blows.

Then you've got the martial artists, who generally don't have the strength of those raw powerhouses, and are much more at home on the street.
It's these guys that, to me, are where you look for your fight club regulars, and if Marvel came to me right now and said, "Hey Mike! We love that wacky blog o' yours and we want you to do a fighting comic..." the first guy I'd be asking for is Batroc. (See? I am going somewhere with this!)

Batroc is the perfect character to start a fighting comic with.
He has instant relevance, given that the sole reference for his 'superpower' is that he knows savate. He's also a villain, so it's generally going to be a lot easier to explain his shift in motivations, and it's also the reason he generally doesn't have any strings attached to other projects or areas of the universe.

We know Batroc as the silly character: The guy who became one of the Deadpool pseudo-regulars. The guy who's an easy cheap for an eighties one panel scan for an ironic blog post. Even here in 1980 he's part of a joke, albeit, a far less self-conscious one.

In that respect, it might be a bit of a tough sell, and I think the first thing you'd need to do would be to get him out of the mask, if not the costume on a whole.
From there, it's a pretty simple process of turning him into a major, or supporting cast member, benefitting from some victories over other characters, and a general effort to portray him honestly in these violent surroundings.

Presumably a fight comic of this nature is going to be a little grungy.
You're going to get the greys of the street, and the sickly whitewash of caged neon lights boucing off of minimalistic concrete walls and despondent bodies.

As you develop the scene you might start to see more superhero interaction, as it becomes a flowing spring for information, and a hub for new criminal activities. You might see guys like Iron Fist, or Daredevil, or Prowler showing up. You might, given the opportunity, even see a Ronin in a situation like this. The creation of a new fighting persona like Ronin is arguably a more believable scenario than Clint Barton's need for a costume...

Storylines would range everywhere from journeys of self-discovery, gambling and recreational money exchange, the rise and fall of powers, murder plots, honor and sport, the metamorphosis of individuals. A lot can happen in a situation like this that, much like this site, might revolve around the spine of fighting, but expand far and beyond into other realms of thought and interest.

So, before we close, who else might you see as a regular?
Maybe; Black Cat, Blacklash, Boomerang, Bullseye, Crossbones, Deadpool, Fantomex, Grey Gargoyle, Puma, Tombstone, The Wrecker... The options are almost endless! Heck, no doubt editorial would provide a slew of would-be combatants, and suggestions for characters that could be recast in this world!

The Fight: 4 The Issue: 4.5