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...
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!
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...
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
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
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