HERO OF THE WEEK: SUPERMAN (DC)
Real Name: Kal-El (aka; Clark Kent)
First Appearance: Action Comics #1 (April, 1938)
Fight Club Ranking: #5

Featured Fights:
- vs HAWKMAN: Justice League of America #200 (Mar 1982)
- vs DOOMSDAY: Superman #74 (Dec 1992)
- vs BRAINIAC: Adventures of Superman #519 (Jan 1995)
- vs SAVIOR: Action Comics #713 (Sep 1995)
- vs CAPTAIN MARVEL: Kingdom Come #4 (Aug 1996)
- vs VENOM: DC/Marvel: All Access #1 (Dec 1996)
- vs CAPTAIN MARVEL & HAWKMAN: Superman/Batman #4 (Jan 2004)
- vs PREUS: Action Comics #824 (Apr 2005)
- vs CAPTAIN MARVEL: Superman #216 (Jun 2005)
- vs JIMMY OLSEN: All-Star Superman #4 (Jul 2006)
- vs GENERAL ZOD: Action Comics #846 (Feb 2007)

Hey la, hey la! The trunks are back! Cooler heads have finally prevailed at DC Comics and the iconic Superman is making his long awaited return in Action Comics #1000! It concludes a long, but inevitable restoration of the Superman image since it was broken down for New 52 relaunch.

Entertainment Weekly has the scoop, delivering the first triumphant image of the properly panted Superman, and a celebratory announcement for the return of classic numbering! While it might be said this isn't the most dynamic image to sell the return -- it's still a pleasing sight to behold!

DC's New 52 line-wide reboot will always endure as a regrettable lapse in the continuum of their comics. It would've been such a pleasure for Action Comics to reach the rare milestone of 1000 issues without the need for creative numbering. When DC re-launched in the mid-eighties with Crisis on Infinite Earths, the publisher had the good sense to continue Action and Detective Comics uninterrupted. In 2011, the milestone was near enough to see renumbering was a poor choice, regardless of any temporary spike #1 may appear to provide.

Action Comics #1000 is promising lots of big things, including the first story by former Marvel writer Brian Michael Bendis, and a cavalcade of stars including Richard Donner, Paul Dini, Dan Jurgens, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Tim Sale, and many, many more!

With some of the positive signs seen last year [HOTW: Cyborg Superman, Sinestro] it's feeling like the winds of change are blowing fresh air into Superman in 2018! Exciting times!

<< Hero of the Week 02/05: Martian Manhunter     [Home]     Hero of the Week 01/22: Mon-El >>

HAWKMAN & CAPTAIN COMET versus SINESTRO

Endgame... Plus Two (DC)
Where: Secret Society of Super-Villains #5 When: January-February 1977 Why: Bob Rozakis How: Rich Buckler & Vince Colletta

The Story So Far...
A battle between The Secret Society of Super-Villains and their evil New God masters has left the city battleground coated with rubble. Buried beneath the mess is Captain Comet -- returned hero of the 1950s whose confusion brought him in league with The Society!

Emerging from the urban wreckage, Captain Comet discovers another space hero trapped underneath -- The Green Lantern! No longer mistaking him for a foe, Captain Comet accompanies Hal Jordan to the Justice League Satellite HQ.

There, Superman and the JLA verify the incredible story of Captain Comet's uncanny return! The old hero isn't the only one to have left the ranks of Manhunter's Secret Society of Super-Villains, though!

A satellite alarm signals the disgruntled attack of Sinestro on The Society's Sinister Citadel in San Francisco! With GL on monitor duty; Hawkman recruits Captain Comet to stop Sinestro's earthquake revenge!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Captain Comet 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Captain Comet 6 (Genius)
Speed: Captain Comet 5 (Super-Speed)
Stamina: Sinestro 6 (Generator)
Agility: Sinestro 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Hawkman 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Sinestro 7 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Captain Comet 34 (Super)

A clash of classic DC icons in less than iconic combination! It's always a pleasure to see an oddball match-up like this, but we also welcome a new player to the Secret Wars on Infinite Earths rankings that provides a real wildcard!

Hawkman's ties to the Justice League (and planet Thanagar) mean he's no stranger to beings from outer space. Even so, when it comes to the tyranny of Sinestro -- usually that's the jurisdiction of his arch-nemesis: Green Lantern!

Familiarity is a factor, but Sinestro's yellow power ring has much the same limitless potential as a Green Lantern's. He can project and create yellow hard-light constructs based on infinite imagination. That makes him a dangerous foe for even the best evenly matched member of the Green Lantern Corps!

Decades later we'd see Sinestro at his deadliest when he got the better of Green Lantern and Green Arrow in Green Lantern: Rebirth #4. More worryingly for Hawkman, he also put down winged-hero Black Condor during The Society's brutal ambush of The Freedom Fighters [in Infinite Crisis #1]!

The long-range and breadth of Sinestro's abilities are a big problem. In theory, Hawkman's one yellow bird cage away from being quickly outmatched! Not that the cosmic might of a Qwardian yellow ring is going to stop him fighting!

Hawkman's famous combative tenacity could be a key to an upset victory. We saw him quickly stop Matter Master in Hawkman #23, using aggression and weaponry to put a stop to a comparable threat. We've also seen him fight valiantly against several strong opponents. He kept Doctor Fate frustrated in All-Star Squadron #4, and went down swinging against Superman in Justice League of America #200! He even took tough guy Solomon Grundy down with a little bit of help from friends [in Hawkman #33]!

Captain Comet is a newfound friend in this battle, having recently defected from The Secret Society of Super-Villains after being tricked into their ranks. He's a lost hero from the 1950s who spent the last couple of decades having adventures in outer space!

With powers awakened by a passing comet; Adam Blake naturally possesses a genius mind capable of telepathic intuition, telekinetic mental projection, mind reading, defensive shielding, and psionic blasts! He also commands impressive physical attributes of super-human strength and durability! Not quite as powerful as Superman, but arguably more versatile in his strange powers!

Captain Comet and Sinestro should be relatively evenly matched.

The Captain can circumvent energy constructs with his telekinetic powers, and use his uncanny intuition to work around what's coming. His powers take a certain amount of focus and strain, though. Sinestro could still pose a threat with the benefit of instant-access to his abilities. That's where the loose man of Hawkman really becomes a benefit!

It's a fight that could go either way, but my money's on the heroes! The stats seem to agree. Let's quit the speculation and see what happened...

The Tape: Hawkman & Captain Comet Ranking: Hawkman (#31)

What Went Down...

The Justice League Satellite teleporter sends Hawkman and Captain Comet to the city skies of Earth in a mere instant! There, they materialize behind an unsuspecting Sinestro in time to stop his destructive rampage!

Hawkman orders Sinestro to halt his attempts to topple a building that is in actual fact The Sinister Citadel -- home to The Secret Society of Super-Villains!

Though surprised by the sudden arrival of the two heroes, Sinestro scoffs at their order to cease and desist! He uses his yellow power ring to form a massive energy fist around Hawkman's trademark fixed mace -- then with an effortless gesture uses it to knock Hawkman out of the sky!

The blow damaged Hawkman's anti-gravity belt, leaving him helpless to prevent his plummet towards Earth. Fortunately, Captain Comet turns his attentions toward rescuing his new ally -- even as Sinestro escapes into outer space!

The hero from another age succeeds in catching Hawkman by the wings, bringing him to a safe landing on the street below. There, he notices the Sinister Citadel on the verge of toppling over! Once again - he springs into action!

It takes Captain Comet's fullest concentration to push against the entire weight of the lurching skyscraper! Though requiring incredible effort, he succeeds in restoring the citadel to an even keel!

The Captain regroups with Hawkman and offers to give him a lift so the seasoned Justice Leaguer can stay in the fight with Sinestro. Comet guides him by the arm into the sky, forming a bubble of air on the way to allow them survival in the vacuum of space!

The pair catch up with Sinestro somewhere between Earth and Mars and call for his surrender. The chase ends when Sinestro turns to fly directly at his enemies!

The attempted collision is cut-off by Captain Comet, who locks up with Sinestro in a wrist and knuckle lock! The villain gloats that while he may control his hands, the energy constructs of his yellow ring cannot be stopped!

Sinestro manifests a vise around Comet's skull and slowly begins squeezing!

The seasoned space-hero remains stoic, focusing his concentration on mentally keeping the vise from closing! His efforts prove fruitful!

A sudden swing of both fists sends Sinestro snapping violently into his own weapon! A kayo victory!

The Hammer...

Y'know, I thought I was looking forward to a fun match-up for Hawkman, but our fine feathered friend didn't make much of an impact on this one. The victory clearly belongs to Captain Comet!

I've been jamming to Flash Gordon over the holiday break, so the retro sci-fi of Captain Comet actually sits perfectly well with me.

Comet doesn't really strike me as having the gritty panache I associate with Gordon, and the comic strips by Alex Raymond, but the comparison is fun when you think about Flash's relationship with Hawkman's pulp forebears.

Comet got a visual update for his return to DC Comics in the seventies, but you can still clearly see fifties sci-fi all over him. In fact, it's rather nice that the period was allowed to remain a defining piece of the character's backstory.

Usually I seek clean, recent artwork to represent characters in those little mugshots I make, but every now and then there's a character so wrapped up in an era I like to go retro. The Captain Comet portrait above is drawn by Carmine Infantino, seen on the cover of Strange Adventures #9 -- his first appearance!

If I were calling the shots, I'd probably revert the character's design back to that original uniform! As '50s spacemen go, it isn't necessarily a stand-out, but in 2017 that's a look that Captain Comet can completely own!

It's rather astounding to think the character continued well into recent decades. He's remained a part of DC's space fabric in books like L.E.G.I.O.N., Mystery in Space, and The Rann-Thanagar War. You may even remember Captain Comet from his role in Kingdom Come as the warden of Superman's gulag! I'm told he's even floating around (in some fashion) in the DC Universe of The New 52!

Recent years not withstanding; I kinda see Captain Comet as a blueprint for the best way to handle a guy like Captain Marvel. Both are heroes who has a place among the modern pantheon, but work better not as generic equivalents of similar characters, but as torchbearers for the out-of-vogue styles of the eras that defined them. The once standard: now unique within a modern context!

I've had a lot of fun talking Captain Comet's return to the "modern" DCU. If you got a kick out of it too, you might like to check out The Secret Society of Super-Villains yourself! By using the Amazon link provided [right], you support the site with your collected edition purchase at no extra cost!

Take your own journey through the years by visiting links throughout this post, or tagged below. Or simply dive into the Secret Archive to check out previous featured fights indexed by publisher, series, and issue number!

Follow on Facebook and Twitter to get daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day! A like, share and retweet is another great way to help the wars remain infinite!

Winner: Captain Comet (w/ Hawkman)
#308 (new) Captain Comet
#31 (--) Hawkman [+1 assist]
#118 (-15) Sinestro

HERO OF THE WEEK: MON-EL (DC)
Real Name: Lar Gand
First Appearance: Superboy #89 (June, 1961)
Fight Club Ranking: #DNR

Featured Fights:
- Yet To Be Featured on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths.

Hero of the Week has dedicated a lot of space to lamenting the designs of TV's current crop of live-action superheroes. There's been plenty to criticize, with an endless parade of off-the-shelf cosplay, and colorless bodysuits. I like to say Supergirl is 'the good one' when referring to these shows, but even with their many indulgences, the show is sometimes prone to shying away from the goods.

It was a notable let down when Season 2 ended without dressing Mon-El in a simple, but tasteful version of his well known comic book outfit. Red, high-collared suit with a blue cape doesn't seem to be much to ask for, especially when Supergirl looks so awesome, and episodes went out of their way to discuss his need for an appropriate costume!

I don't usually make a habit of throwing stones at creators on social media, but when Season 3 started promotion I voiced some dismay. A couple of days of later? Previews for the CW mid-season line-up and our first look at Chris Wood kitted out in a costume of Valor!

CBR highlighted the new look - and why wouldn't you? It feels a little overdue, but it's exactly the kind of splash of colour you'd hope to see from a show this fun!

They've made some minor modifications to the body of the costume, but there's nothing much to complain about. Which probably makes it all the more disappointing that the other members of The Legion of Super-Heroes don't look quite so good.

Brainiac 5 suffers from the kind of color-muting that so much of Supergirl stands in defiance of. The bright green, blonde "Brainy" of comics is replaced by a zombie-grey malformation with fright wig. Saturn Girl also appears to have forgotten to wash her whites and darks separately, generically without the more iconic pink and white!

I enjoy the energy and indulgences Supergirl does offer, so our Hero of the Week has to be the best of them. I hope the other Legionnaires can look forward to similar improvements, and perhaps we just skip the disappointment all together, next time. Supergirl is just too cool for this crap!

<< Hero of the Week 01/29: Superman     [Home]     Hero of the Week 01/15: Black Widow >>

HERO OF THE WEEK: BLACK WIDOW (Marvel)
Real Name: Natasha Romanova
First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #52 (April, 1964)
Fight Club Ranking: #76

Featured Fights:
- vs TITANIUM MAN: Iron Man #316 (May 1995)
- vs SECRET AVENGERS: Civil War #3 (Sep 2006)
- vs SECRET AVENGERS: New Avengers #36 (Jan 2008)

Today's Hero of the Week has been a long time coming! Variety reported mid-last week that Disney and Marvel Studios are finally moving forward on a Black Widow spin-off film!

It's a development many fans have been talking about since 2010, when Scarlett Johansson first debuted the role in Iron Man 2. She's been a staple of the ensemble Avengers movies ever since, also appearing in Captain America: Winter Soldier -- a featured role reminiscent of the character's co-starring habits in various comic books.

Black Widow's staying power as a title character has wavered over the years, but with a smaller line-up of established film properties, and Johannson's noted star-power, it only makes sense to leverage the role into a broader box office.

Political intrigue and espionage were facets of the Captain America sequels, but that's where Black Widow can really provide a point of difference in the Marvel portfolio. Winter Soldier and Age of Ultron alluded to Russia's notorious "Red Room" and her origins as an elite spy. Audiences have been given an abundance of reasons to want to see more!

The unfortunate aspect of delaying the character's breakout is that we're on the verge of Jennifer Lawrence starring in Red Sparrow -- another Cold War-tinged spy thriller about a Russian ballerina cum super spy. The overlap is probably coincidence given the tropes of the genre, but it puts the pressure on Black Widow to find ways to be original. Of course, with a gamut of Marvel characters to draw upon -- including the Winter Soldier -- there's plenty to differentiate.

The strength of the Marvel property will also likely help mitigate another drawback of timing - the fact that Johansson starred in the clustermuck of Hollywood's adaptation of Ghost in the Shell. There are vague similarities, but honestly, but the time Black Widow is ready to take centerstage, most of the world will probably have forgotten the missed opportunities of the live-action misfire.

Will Marvel and Disney have the teeth to make the most of a Russian spy thriller? It would be nice to at least see the tropes of the genre push them to a Bourne Identity style film. It may not exploit the material to its fullest, or most original extent, but at least that could provide a satisfying trek away from the repeating formula of most Marvel movies. Emphasis on could. We shall see!

<< Hero of the Week 01/22: Mon-El       [Home]      Hero of the Week 01/08: Enchantress >>

DEADSHOT versus ENCHANTRESS

Hitting The Fan (DC)
Where: Suicide Squad #6 When: October 1987
Why: John Ostrander How: Luke McDonnell

The Story So Far...
When the Soviet Union proposes a trade with the United States for a controversial novelist's freedom; The Suicide Squad are called upon in secret to extract the prisoner right from under their noses!

It was a politically charged mission to Moscow none of them wanted to take, but the ingenious plan of new recruit Oswald Cobblepot, (aka; The Penguin), makes the trip behind enemy lines seem possible! There's just one catch: Nobody thought to ask Zoya Trigorin if she wanted to be rescued!

A hostile prisoner throws the mission into disarray -- much to the delight of Enchantress! With the Soviet Army closing in fast, Colonel Rick Flag has no choice but to order Deadshot to bring the wild witch down when she goes rogue!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Deadshot 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Enchantress 5 (Professor)
Speed: Deadshot 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Enchantress 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Draw 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Deadshot 4 (Trained)
Energy: Enchantress 6 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Enchantress 24 (Champion)

Floyd Lawton is Deadshot by name, Deadshot by reputation -- but can a bullet from the assassin's gun really pierce the magic veil of the Enchantress? That's what we're here to find out in a battle of Suicide Squad teammates!

We have, of course, seen another Squaddy take down Enchantress in a previous instance: Bronze Tiger was on-hand to make sure she played nice when the team went up against Brimstone in their inaugural mission [Legends #3].

Deadshot's aim was true, successfully taking Brimstone down with the use of a specialized laser weapon. The next mission was also a success for Deadshot, who defeated Manticore in a deadly close-quarters battle [Suicide Squad #2].

There's no denying Deadshot is a master marksman, but not quite every shot is a bull's eye! His very presence with the Suicide Squad is a result of being captured by The Flash, who was too fast for Deadshot's draw [in Legends #1].

No hero has gotten under Lawton's skin quite as thoroughly as Batman! Their multiple run-ins include Deadshot's very first outing, when he posed as a masked vigilante to oust The Bat. He nearly pulled it off, but as in most of their clashes, it ended in Deadshot's defeat. His eventual comeback in Detective Comics #474 is one such example.

Enchantress doesn't have the hand-to-hand fighting prowess of Batman, nor his unique insights. She does, however, possess a broad spectrum of magic powers as a witch that should be able to deal with most guns and munitions.

Without specialist weaponry, Deadshot seems pretty out of his depth against Enchantress. His greatest strength lies in long-range sniping to get the drop on an unprepared Enchantress. That's how Bronze Tiger closed similar odds.

Enchantress was supposed to impersonate novelist Zoya Trigorin while the Squad extracted her from Russia, but with the mission thrown into chaos, she's completely off the leash. That bodes well for Deadshot, who can capitalize on her distraction. Will it work? Let's find out...

The Tape: Enchantress Ranking: Deadshot (#114)

What Went Down...
An explosion rings out from the Novogorod Psychiatric Hospital. The mission has gone bad. Real bad! The Suicide Squad regroups in the snow covered woods just outside, while The Enchantress delights at the opportunity for chaos!

With Russian troops rapidly closing-in; Colonel Rick Flag is forced to make an urgent decision about the witch flying overhead. With time running out, he turns to Deadshot with a non-lethal order to shoot.

Deadshot feigns concern that he may not be able to bring Enchantress down without accidentally killing her. Flag puts a gun to his head and warns him not to miss!

Unaware of the conspiring gunmen below; Enchantress is completely unprepared when she hears the sudden explosion of Deadshot's rifle!

The searing sting of the bullet follows in an instant. Struck in the head, The Enchantress plummets from the sky to the thick floor of snow below.

Flag orders Nightshade and Nemesis to collect the body. A dark smile creeps over Deadshot's face as he assures the Colonel his shot was made to order -- on target and non-lethal.

Enchantress is groggy when Nemesis lifts her from the snow by the shoulders. He demands to know her name, but she instinctively refuses! If spoken, it will return the wicked witch to the darkness -- restoring innocent June Moone.

So Nemesis tells her she's June Moone: a spy who will be shot on sight! The barely conscious witch denies this, too. With time running out he leans over her face and asks who she really is. At last she says it: "Enchantress!"

The Hammer...
This one may challenge your definition for a "fight", but the fact is: some conflicts end not with the throwing of fists, but with the firing of a single bullet! Such is the stock & trade of Deadshot!

As we build a bigger profile for Deadshot, it'll be interesting to see what his strike-rate as a marksman is really like. The reputation of killers in comics doesn't always match-up to results. Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see what today's win does for his overall fight rank!

Today we're here to track the movements of Enchantress, whose early tenure with the Suicide Squad provided one of the great sub-plots of the first couple of years. It loosely inspired elements of the 2016 movie, but as with most things in that adaptation, the source material was not well represented.

The premise is simple: The Suicide Squad are a band of convicted villains operating as a black-ops team to work-off their sentences. They're guided by trusted agents like Rick Flag and Bronze Tiger, but the criminal nature of most of the team means there's always an underlying tension of mistrust.

Enchantress is arguably the most openly hostile of the group, but she's tethered to the pleasant alter-ego of June Moone, who volunteered her services.

Moone initially has enough sway to keep the wicked witch in check, but every time Enchantress is summoned, her dark powers grow. The threat that she'll turn on the team is always there, but the trade-off is that her magic is one of the Squad's most powerful weapons, and sometimes can be directed.

Inevitably, this dangerous game means various members of The Squad are forced to take Enchantress down once her work is done.

We saw this in their inaugural mission, when Enchantress saved the team from being scorched by the flaming aftermath of Brimstone -- only to immediately turn on them! Bronze Tiger became the first teammate to shut her down.

Comics being what they are; there are different flavours to the various times Enchantress is thwarted. The next time we visit the theme it will probably seem vaguely comical, but each indignity is only building toward the inevitable.

The reader knows Enchantress' power and hostility is growing, and the tension that mounts is one of the great threads weaved into the tapestry of John Ostrander's early Suicide Squad!  It could've greatly enhanced the film had they taken it in the same direction, rather than abruptly making her the arch-villain of the first film. One of many mistakes.

If you're looking for more Suicide Squad, or follow-up entries, be sure to check out the Secret Archive. You'll easily find featured fights indexed by publisher, series, and issue! If you just want to read these issues in their entirety for yourself, you can support the site by using the Amazon link provided!

You can also follow Secret Wars on Infinite Earths on Facebook and Twitter to get daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day! A like, share, or retweet is a much appreciated way to show support!

Additional Note: Assist stats will be recorded for Rick Flag for ordering the hit, as well as Nemesis & Nightshade, who helped ensure Enchantress switched back to June Moone. These details were important to securing Deadshot's triggerman victory.

Winner: Deadshot
#66 (+48) Deadshot
#846 (-314) Enchantress
#383 (--) Rick Flag [+1 assist]
#420 (+75) Nemesis (Tom Tresser) [+1 assist]
#527 (new) Nightshade (Eve Eden) [+1 assist]

HERO OF THE WEEK: ENCHANTRESS (DC)
Real Name: June Moone
First Appearance: Strange Adventures #187 (April, 1966)
Fight Club Ranking: #532

Featured Fights:
- vs BRIMSTONE: Legends #3 (Jan 1987)
- vs BRONZE TIGER: Legends #3 (Jan 1987)

The DC fighting game Injustice 2 has unveiled its latest downloadable character and it's the wicked switcheroo-witcheroo we know as Enchantress!

The new trailer is on Mortal Kombat Online and showcases some of the sinister sorceress' attacks, which include player-possession, summoning spells, and other interesting magic based powers. Mortal Kombat X players will recognize some of the tricks from characters like Quan Chi and Shinnok -- no surprise given Injustice is from the makers of Mortal Kombat!

One of the most pleasing things about the new trailer is that it shows a more comic book friendly design. Injustice 2's gear system means other attire options will be available, but it's nice to see them avoiding the strangely deviant design choices of 2016's Suicide Squad movie! The strange synthesis of South America and Asia had its appeal, but didn't connect to the character of the comics.

Of course, I'll be hoping enchanted gear includes tasteful black leggings, fashionably tailored green shawl, a red scarf, and the classic pointed green hat. Because Enchantress was never better than that first year or two she was brought to us by Ostrander & McDonnell!

I've been romancing the eighties Suicide Squad series, so this one tickles my fancy. It was a natural choice for Hero of the Week, and later this week we may just have something from the classic comic, as well. Keep an eye out for it! Update: From trailer to comic, check out Deadshot vs Echantress!

<< Hero of the Week 1/15: Black Widow     [Home]     Hero of the Week 01/01: Flash Gordon >>

CAPTAIN MARVEL versus THING

Betrayal! (Marvel)
Where: Captain Marvel #26 When: May 1973
Why: Mike Friedrich & Jim Starlin How: Jim Starlin

The Story So Far...
Rick Jones' girlfriend betrayed his love when she fingered him for a murder rap he didn't commit! When Captain Marvel goes looking for answers, he discovers poor Lou-Ann Savannah is a reluctant pawn in a cosmic conspiracy!

The Mad Titan Thanos plans intergalactic conquest starting with the planet Earth, and his scheme is being carried out by Skrull minions: Skragg and Kl'rt!

With the truth exposed: Captain Marvel is on the warpath -- but he's still reeling from the mind-games inflicted in a previous fight with the Skrulls! Super-Skrull has lured The Thing into a trap that paralyzes his vocal chords -- meaning the hero cannot object when Captain Marvel mistakes him for his shape-changing enemies!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Thing 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Captain Marvel 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Captain Marvel 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Captain Marvel 6 (Generator)
Agility: Captain Marvel 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Draw 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Captain Marvel 5 (Lasers)
Total: Captain Marvel 31 (Super)

Today's featured fight marks the first serious entry for the legendary Captain Marvel! Not to be confused with the original Captain Marvel of Fawcett [and DC] Comics fame! This one's a cosmic Kree warrior published by Marvel Comics!

We've actually seen the man called Mar-Vell on one prior occasion. An intriguing quirk of the Marvel Zombies universe is its retro timeline, which meant Captain Marvel lived long enough to become walking dead! We saw his zombie take serious damage from Silver Surfer back in Marvel Zombies (Vol. 1) #3!

In our universe: Captain Mar-Vell was a decorated hero of the Imperial Kree Space Fleet drawn into the grand plans of the Supreme Intelligence. He sent Mar-Vell to Earth as a spy, but his altruistic nature led him to use his unique powers to become a hero on Earth! He was eventually bound to Rick Jones, forcing one to dwell in the Negative Zone while the other existed in our reality.

Mar-Vell gained multiple power boosts in his time, developing super-human strength, speed, intelligence, reflexes, photon energy blasts, and cosmic awareness. He was also an accomplished combatant prior to gaining his powers.

Thing's no stranger to duking it out with cosmically aware opponents! As a member of the Fantastic Four he's faced the majority of cosmic threats, even battling the likes of Silver Surfer, Champion of the Universe, and Ronan!

In past features we've seen Thing take on villains from the Kree's rival empire: Paibok The Power Skrull [Fantastic Four #358], and Kl'rt the Super-Skrull [Fantastic Four (Vol. 2) #7]. The former was a typical triumph for the physically powerful hero, but the latter saw him outmatched by raw cosmic might!

Thing should outclass Mar-Vell in the strength department most days of the week, but The Captain has superior speed, reflexes, and the ability to fly. He's also a far more skilled technical combatant.

It's rarely a good idea to bet against the ever lovin' blue-eyed Thing, but the versatility of Captain Marvel's abilities mean he's a real wildcard! Our Tape and Rankings can't agree. Let's find out how the fight went down!

The Tape: Captain Marvel Ranking: Thing (#10)

What Went Down...
Spotting The Thing skulking in the dark, Rick Jones remembers the recent deceptions of the villainous Skrulls and assumes the worst! He smacks the incredible Nega-Bands together to tag in the cosmic Captain Marvel!

The Kree soldier wastes no time launching an attack on the man he believes to be an unsuspecting foe! His left hook is fantastic enough to send even the mighty Thing flying uncontrollably through the air!

At first Thing thinks he's been attack by a Skrull in disguise, as well, but Marvel's belligerent berating puts the pieces together. As Thing recovers from the devastating punch, he realizes they've been set up!

With his vocal chords neutralized earlier by the insidious Skrulls, Thing has no choice but to let his rocky fists do his talking! He throws an all mighty right hand at the charging Captain - and then slams his head into a wall!

Rather than slow the Kree soldier down - it strengthens his resolve! Refusing to give up until he claims victory, Mar-Vell grapples with his hulking opponent and launches him through a nearby interior wall!

The impressive toss sends the pair deeper into the Skrull base, exposing a more hi-tech interior than the decrepit apartment they entered. Captain Marvel flies straight in like a missile targeting his powerful enemy!

Thing catches the airborne Captain with a devastating left hook to the chin that redirects the threat at a nearby steel wall!

Cap hits shoulder first, and before he can collect his footing: Thing uses his incredible strength to rip the steel floor up like it was mere carpeting! A gambit that successfully throws Captain Marvel into a carnage of interior structure!

Thing believes he has finally claimed victory, but Captain Marvel explodes from the wood and metal! Still mistaking his opponent for a deceptive Skrull, he snatches an exposed power cable and thrusts the live wire at Thing's chest!

Thousands of volts of electricity course untamed through Thing's body! He's down for the count, and with all that's been experienced leading up to this duel of mistaken identities -- Captain Marvel is ready to kill!

The Kree warrior forages for a jagged prong of metallic wreckage as Thing tries desperately to stir to his knees. Mar-Vell looms over his fallen opponent and raises the spike above his head to drive it down with a killing blow!

Yet! Only the floor feels the point of the improvised weapon!

Despite the terrible crimes the Skrulls have committed, Captain Marvel does not have it within his soul to murder a helpless man in cold-blood!

A good thing, too -- because Benjamin J Grimm is no villain! Fortunately, the jolt of electricity has counteracted the paralysis of his vocal chords! Recovering from the attack, he speaks for the first time - forging an alliance of heroes!

The Hammer...

Whoa! What the heck just happened?! Did Captain Marvel really just steamroll the Fantastic Four's resident muscle at half past clobberin' time?! It was such an intense slobber knocker -- I was hardly even paying attention to the result!

No prizes for guessing who's been reading Captain Marvel over Christmas! A deep dive back to the life of one of Marvel's forgotten heroes was exactly what the doctor ordered!

Nothing I say or do will capture the white-knuckle frenzy of seventies Captain Marvel! I've been hearing the phrase "gonzo" thrown around a lot to describe fast and loose comics coming out today -- but you don't know the meaning until you've treated yourself to this patch of potent publishing!

The 1970s and I don't always get along, and sometimes even Marvel comics from the decade can read a little dour. No such trouble in Captain Marvel, though! Every action is thrust with maximum intensity! Every judgment made to snap! One minute Rick Jones is betrayed by a lover -- the next moment Captain Marvel's yelling bloody murder as the walls collapse around him!

I tend to think of Jim Starlin writing cosmic opera in the nineties, but here he is two decades earlier as a proficient penciller, too!

The artwork reminds me of John Romita's account of working on Spider-man, and the editorial influence of Jack Kirby and exaggerated, non-stop action. Peter Parker doesn't fold his clothes neatly and take practical action to find a flagpole outside his window. He leaps out and explodes into web-swinging action! That ethos is very much here in just about every wide-eyed panel of Captain Marvel!

I suspect Starlin's large panels and melodramatic figures are key to injecting the wild energy spilling off every page. There's an enthusiastic, reckless vibe I would naively equate with a college  sensibility. Starlin was in his mid-twenties at the time, so that might not be such a bad reading.

I also wonder if the infamous circumstances of Captain Marvel's creation helps explain the reckless, erratic energy of the book. It may read like a Kirby-tinged cosmic rollercoaster, but it's a lot looser than anything The King put out!

Fawcett Comics stopped publishing the regular adventures of their original Captain Marvel in 1953. His reign as comics icon was partly ended by a successful suit from National Comics (later DC) for infringing on the basic copyright of their archetypal originator: Superman. This lapse in publication meant the "Captain Marvel" trademark expired -- and Marvel Comics pounced!

If Marvel was to maintain the trademark, they would have to continue to produce relevant publications. Even when Captain Marvel wasn't selling particularly well, the obligation to maintain the series remained.

Guaranteed publication and a flagging audience is a perfect storm for wild and unusual ideas! The editorial chains come loose, giving creative folks free reign to find an audience without fear of reprisal! That seemed to contribute to the revamp of Mar-Vell's design from retro spaceman to modern superhero. I imagine it was the impetus for letting a young Starlin loose, as well.

Whatever the reasons -- I'm enjoying the heck out of it! I love the cavalcade of guest heroes and villains who went through the series during this period, and I'm sure we'll be back some time in the future to talk more about them!

If you like what you've seen and want to read more about the life and times of Captain Marvel, be sure to check out the Amazon links provided. Doing so will put collected editions in your hot little hands - and help support the site at no extra charge!

If you're looking for more battles from the cosmic corners of the Marvel Universe, be sure to check out links to characters and featured fights found throughout this post. You can also dive into the Secret Archive to check out past featured fights index by publisher, series and issue!

Subscribe to Secret Wars on Infinite Earths on Facebook and Twitter to get daily links to classic fights inspired by the topics of the day! A like, retweet or share is another great way to support the site, and dazzle your comics loving friends!

Winner: Captain Marvel
#160 (+279) Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell)
#10 (--) Thing

HERO OF THE WEEK: FLASH GORDON (King Features)
Real Name: Flash Gordon
First Appearance: Flash Gordon S001 (January, 1934)
Fight Club Ranking: #DNR

Featured Fights:
- Yet To Be Featured on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths.

What is it about the holiday season and the start to a new year? There's just something in the air that inevitably sends me running to the warm embrace of something a little bit different.

A carefree couple of weeks to indulge in strings-free pleasures and entertainment is a nice way to recharge! Last year I talked about the Eastern influences I often enjoy around this time of year [see; Son Goku, Chinese Hero]. This year I was a little closer to home: venturing back in time for a fusion of bold early '80s cinema, and pulp comic strip adventures. Our hero of the week: Flash Gordon!

I suppose it's a dirty little secret that if I really ventured to pick my Top 10 comic book movies, there wouldn't be more than one from Marvel Studios. As a comics fan and cinephile, I find their formulaic offerings are just too flavourless to elicit genuine passion. If you're a regular reader of Hero of the Week, you'll know my grievances with the shocking lack of visual aesthetic in contemporary comic book adaptations, both in cinema and television. No such problem with 1980's Flash Gordon.

Director Mike Hodges affectionately attributes the lavish sets and extravagant wardrobe to a cavalier, artisanal approach of producer Dino De Laurentiis. The chaotic confluence of artists and artisans is a far cry from the frugal, regimented reputation of modern Hollywood. By all accounts, it wasn't a very sustainable model, but I lament the magic we so rarely see on the big screen now.

The overwhelming wave of primary colours in Flash Gordon borders on the deranged, but I wonder if it isn't exactly what modern cinema is crying out for! Glimmers of a visual spirit in Thor: Ragnarok seem to have revived a type of interest modern audiences have lacked. I'm not sure if an all-out camp colour assault like Flash Gordon, or even 1990's Dick Tracy, would find the box office they'd need, but I'd sure love to see somebody try!

It surprises me, on reflection, how much of the original Flash Gordon comic strip is actually present in the film version. I'd forgotten the use of Alex Raymond's art in the opening credits. What follows is a camp summary of much of the first adventures, with surprisingly less disrobing than the comic strip Flash seemed to do.

The most significant addition to the film version is armor-plated Klytus, who both puts every live-action version of Doctor Doom to shame, and is one of the brightest sparks in the movie! Not as bright as Max von Sydow's total commitment to the role of Ming the Merciless - but right up there!

Intriguingly, as much as I'm motivated by self-indulgent reasons -- there is a topical reason for making Gordon Hero of the Week, too! As Newsarama reported last week; King Features Syndicate has appointed CJ Kettler to the role of president, who overtures to reevaluating their stable of intellectual properties in a divided, digital marketplace. That includes another personal favourite, The Phantom, with Mandrake The Magician, Lothar, and others.

I haven't really made an effort to investigate the comic book offerings from Dynamite Entertainment, but I'm intrigued what new may come from the company's appointment. It makes me wonder if Flash Gordon could actually return to the big (or small) screen sometime in the near future. I dare not imagine it could be as a jolt to the modern pop culture landscape, but you never know!

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