LADY DEATHSTRIKE versus DOMINO
"... Death Be A Lady Tonight!" (Marvel)
Where: Domino #2 When: February 1997
Why: Ben Raab How: David Perrin
The Story So Far...
Domino is a mutant mercenary with the power to make most outcomes fall in her favour, but on a security assignment to protect a man who predicts the future based on past influence, she just fell madly in love.
Years later, Domino returns to the scene of their romance to once again rescue Dr. Milo Thurman from the dark forces seeking to exploit him.
Cybernetic industrialist Donald Pierce seeks the keys to Thurman's brilliant mind, hoping to digitize his brain to control the process. It's a scheme that costs the Doctor his life, and leaves Domino's hanging in the balance as she's forced to contend with the cyborg defenses of Lady Deathstrike!
Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Lady Deathstrike 4 (Enhanced)
Intelligence: Domino 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Lady Deathstrike 4 (Olympian)
Agility: Domino 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Draw 5 (Martial Arts)
Energy: Domino 4 (Arsenal)
Total: Domino 25 (Champion)
In New Mutants #98, the shape-shifting mercenary Copycat used skills acquired by imitating another to debut with a win against Deadpool! So just who is this crafty mutant mercenary? It's about time we got acquainted with the real deal!
Lady Deathstrike is her opponent -- a well known threat! Yuriko Oyama was the daughter of Lord Dark Wind: a Japanese industrialist involved in the criminal underworld. She killed her disgraced father and inherited his empire, leading the family's private army to an accidental conflict with Wolverine [Alpha Flight #34].
Defeated by the X-Man and his Alpha Flight ally, Vindicator; Deathstrike used her family fortune to transform herself into a living weapon capable of matching the metal-clawed mutant. As an unfeeling cyborg, Deathstrike pursued her debt of dishonor, suffering an even more brutal defeat in Uncanny X-Men #205.
Her vendetta with the highly-ranked Wolverine has left Lady Deathstrike winless on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths -- but don't be fooled! Her cyborg body is always ready to be rebuilt and upgraded! Her massive talons can cut through steel, and her strength, speed, and reflexes have been dramatically enhanced!
Domino will clearly have her work cut out for her! Fortunately, she has the mutant ability to tip the odds in her favour! Neena Thurman is extensively trained in hand-to-hand combat, firearms, and the art of war, but her greatest asset may be the ability to subconsciously influence the outcome of events!
The details of her "luck power" are up for debate, but on a basic level she can psionically affect her surroundings to incur beneficial results. These could be inflicting seemingly improbable bad luck on opponents, such as weapons failures or physical malfunction. She can also subconsciously make her own good luck on impulse by processing events and information at a subconscious level.
That knack for timing may've helped Copycat take down Deadpool. It may've also been a factor when Domino delivered the finishing blow to Iron Man when X-Force battled the armored Avenger in Contest of Champions II #1!
Lady Deathstrike should be able to endure Domino's usual weapons arsenal, and her claws always make close-quarters combat a risk. Cybernetic failsafes will be key to keeping her in the fight and pressing her advantage. Otherwise, they're susceptible to Domino's expert marksmanship, and ability to affect malfunction.
It's carve or be carved in this amoral mercenary match-up! Let's go!
What Went Down...
There's no time to think as Lady Deathstrike launches herself into the air! It's all Domino can do to drop to her back and a throw up a defensive fire!
The gunfire does the trick, igniting a sparking critical hit to Lady Deathstrike's shoulder. The damage gives Domino clearance to kick her enemy away. The cyborg is impressed, but undeterred. Self-repairing systems mean the wounds instantly begin to fix themselves. A healing factor for a machine!
Suddenly - a long arm, studded with metal, extends in the direction of Domino's throat! Robotic enhancements render Deathstrike's grip as strong as a vise!
As she contemplates the time it will take to deprive Domino's mutant brain of oxygen - it already conjures a contingency! Domino brandishes two thermite explosives and promises to take the cyborg with her, if necessary!
Insulted by the desperation gambit, Deathstrike swats the bombs away with her free hands. In a remarkable twist of fate - the explosive cartridges ricochet off the ceiling and floor, clattering their way to be triggered at Deathstrike's feet!
Both women aim to take advantage of Lady Deathstrike's claim to an indestructible body. The cyborg presumes it will allow her to survive the explosion that claims Domino's human flesh. Instead - it provides a shield!
As luck would have it, Domino positions herself perfectly to be blown clear by the blast! She remains relatively unscathed, while Lady Deathstrike disappears in a cloud of smoke and fire bellowing from a hole in the floor!
The Hammer...
Quite the lucky break for Domino! That is the benefit of mutant powers that ensure the pieces usually fall in your favour!
As you may suspect: Lady Deathstrike is down - but not out!
The explosion did some cosmetic damage to Deathstrike's cyborg body, but she's still lurking in the lower depths of the facility. Before the issue ends, she does her best impression of The Terminator - clawing her way back for Round 2! We'll do the same some time in the future to get the full story on the battle between Domino and Deathstrike.
We're still making up for starting the Lady Deathstrike file with the lackluster film version seen in X-Men 2. Kelly Hu's performance served its purpose, but was a far cry from the joys of the comic book character. Here's hoping German actress Zazie Beetz can overcome visual miscasting to make a memorable mark in this month's box office blockbuster - Deadpool 2.
The sequel delivers Domino as part of a merry band of mercenaries recruited by Deadpool to be his own personal super-team franchise: X-Force.
If you were here last week for our spotlight on the famous first mention of Domino in New Mutants #98 -- you know her history is with Deadpool 2's antagonist: Cable. You may also be aware that Cable is responsible for turning the New Mutants into X-Force, not Deadpool, who was hired to be hurt them.
If these differences between movie and comic book canon sound confusing, don't expect Domino's early appearances to provide much more clarity! As established in that same previous entry; Domino technically doesn't show up in the comics for another year, until X-Force #8 in 1992.
It sounds like typical early nineties convolution from the X-office - and to some extent it is - but I also kinda forgive it for being something else. New Mutants only had a few issues before delving into a world of paramilitary mutant activity in X-Force. Introducing a character who isn't who they seem to be fits right in with that Gi Joe-esque intrigue that set the concept apart from standard X-Men.
Other comics have pulled off the character-in-disguise motif, but often those are more about the character we already know. I'm thinking of Grant Morrison's (ultimately undone) Magneto as Xorn twist, or even Martian Manhunter's weird early nineties run as Bloodwynd [see; Superman #74]. In both instances, most of us just want to forget the whole thing, and move on with the beloved icon.
I'm going to do my best not to mention John Black in a move that could only expose my knowledge of daytime soap operas. Nobody needs that.
My point is, the Copycat/Domino fake-out, and Tolliver entanglement, kinda propelled the X-Force era forward. There's no denying Domino has become a lasting player as a result of those early stories, fulfilling a nice flavor niche in the Marvel Universe, and its mutant corner. It only took five years to star in her very own three-issue mini-series! Not bad!
Early X-Force also gave us Deadpool, too! Yay! It didn't give us Deadpool 2, though. You'll have to go to theatres for that, or wait for home release... Or just dive into the Secret Archive to check out all our previous featured fights indexed by publisher, series, and issue number! You can also find plenty more wonders by hitting links throughout posts, or check out this week's DP2 Cover to Cover!
Follow Secret Wars on Infinite Earths on Twitter and Facebook to get daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day! A like, share, retweet, or comment is a fantastic way to join the fight and show your support!
Winner: Domino
#99 (+203) Domino
#893 (-4) Lady Deathstrike
Where: Domino #2 When: February 1997
Why: Ben Raab How: David Perrin
The Story So Far...
Domino is a mutant mercenary with the power to make most outcomes fall in her favour, but on a security assignment to protect a man who predicts the future based on past influence, she just fell madly in love.
Years later, Domino returns to the scene of their romance to once again rescue Dr. Milo Thurman from the dark forces seeking to exploit him.
Cybernetic industrialist Donald Pierce seeks the keys to Thurman's brilliant mind, hoping to digitize his brain to control the process. It's a scheme that costs the Doctor his life, and leaves Domino's hanging in the balance as she's forced to contend with the cyborg defenses of Lady Deathstrike!
Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Lady Deathstrike 4 (Enhanced)Intelligence: Domino 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Lady Deathstrike 4 (Olympian)
Agility: Domino 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Draw 5 (Martial Arts)
Energy: Domino 4 (Arsenal)
Total: Domino 25 (Champion)
In New Mutants #98, the shape-shifting mercenary Copycat used skills acquired by imitating another to debut with a win against Deadpool! So just who is this crafty mutant mercenary? It's about time we got acquainted with the real deal!
Lady Deathstrike is her opponent -- a well known threat! Yuriko Oyama was the daughter of Lord Dark Wind: a Japanese industrialist involved in the criminal underworld. She killed her disgraced father and inherited his empire, leading the family's private army to an accidental conflict with Wolverine [Alpha Flight #34].
Defeated by the X-Man and his Alpha Flight ally, Vindicator; Deathstrike used her family fortune to transform herself into a living weapon capable of matching the metal-clawed mutant. As an unfeeling cyborg, Deathstrike pursued her debt of dishonor, suffering an even more brutal defeat in Uncanny X-Men #205.
Her vendetta with the highly-ranked Wolverine has left Lady Deathstrike winless on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths -- but don't be fooled! Her cyborg body is always ready to be rebuilt and upgraded! Her massive talons can cut through steel, and her strength, speed, and reflexes have been dramatically enhanced!
Domino will clearly have her work cut out for her! Fortunately, she has the mutant ability to tip the odds in her favour! Neena Thurman is extensively trained in hand-to-hand combat, firearms, and the art of war, but her greatest asset may be the ability to subconsciously influence the outcome of events!
The details of her "luck power" are up for debate, but on a basic level she can psionically affect her surroundings to incur beneficial results. These could be inflicting seemingly improbable bad luck on opponents, such as weapons failures or physical malfunction. She can also subconsciously make her own good luck on impulse by processing events and information at a subconscious level.
That knack for timing may've helped Copycat take down Deadpool. It may've also been a factor when Domino delivered the finishing blow to Iron Man when X-Force battled the armored Avenger in Contest of Champions II #1!
Lady Deathstrike should be able to endure Domino's usual weapons arsenal, and her claws always make close-quarters combat a risk. Cybernetic failsafes will be key to keeping her in the fight and pressing her advantage. Otherwise, they're susceptible to Domino's expert marksmanship, and ability to affect malfunction.
It's carve or be carved in this amoral mercenary match-up! Let's go!
What Went Down...
There's no time to think as Lady Deathstrike launches herself into the air! It's all Domino can do to drop to her back and a throw up a defensive fire!
The gunfire does the trick, igniting a sparking critical hit to Lady Deathstrike's shoulder. The damage gives Domino clearance to kick her enemy away. The cyborg is impressed, but undeterred. Self-repairing systems mean the wounds instantly begin to fix themselves. A healing factor for a machine!
Suddenly - a long arm, studded with metal, extends in the direction of Domino's throat! Robotic enhancements render Deathstrike's grip as strong as a vise!
As she contemplates the time it will take to deprive Domino's mutant brain of oxygen - it already conjures a contingency! Domino brandishes two thermite explosives and promises to take the cyborg with her, if necessary!
Insulted by the desperation gambit, Deathstrike swats the bombs away with her free hands. In a remarkable twist of fate - the explosive cartridges ricochet off the ceiling and floor, clattering their way to be triggered at Deathstrike's feet!
Both women aim to take advantage of Lady Deathstrike's claim to an indestructible body. The cyborg presumes it will allow her to survive the explosion that claims Domino's human flesh. Instead - it provides a shield!
As luck would have it, Domino positions herself perfectly to be blown clear by the blast! She remains relatively unscathed, while Lady Deathstrike disappears in a cloud of smoke and fire bellowing from a hole in the floor!
The Hammer...
Quite the lucky break for Domino! That is the benefit of mutant powers that ensure the pieces usually fall in your favour!As you may suspect: Lady Deathstrike is down - but not out!
The explosion did some cosmetic damage to Deathstrike's cyborg body, but she's still lurking in the lower depths of the facility. Before the issue ends, she does her best impression of The Terminator - clawing her way back for Round 2! We'll do the same some time in the future to get the full story on the battle between Domino and Deathstrike.
We're still making up for starting the Lady Deathstrike file with the lackluster film version seen in X-Men 2. Kelly Hu's performance served its purpose, but was a far cry from the joys of the comic book character. Here's hoping German actress Zazie Beetz can overcome visual miscasting to make a memorable mark in this month's box office blockbuster - Deadpool 2.
The sequel delivers Domino as part of a merry band of mercenaries recruited by Deadpool to be his own personal super-team franchise: X-Force.
If you were here last week for our spotlight on the famous first mention of Domino in New Mutants #98 -- you know her history is with Deadpool 2's antagonist: Cable. You may also be aware that Cable is responsible for turning the New Mutants into X-Force, not Deadpool, who was hired to be hurt them.
If these differences between movie and comic book canon sound confusing, don't expect Domino's early appearances to provide much more clarity! As established in that same previous entry; Domino technically doesn't show up in the comics for another year, until X-Force #8 in 1992.
It sounds like typical early nineties convolution from the X-office - and to some extent it is - but I also kinda forgive it for being something else. New Mutants only had a few issues before delving into a world of paramilitary mutant activity in X-Force. Introducing a character who isn't who they seem to be fits right in with that Gi Joe-esque intrigue that set the concept apart from standard X-Men.
Other comics have pulled off the character-in-disguise motif, but often those are more about the character we already know. I'm thinking of Grant Morrison's (ultimately undone) Magneto as Xorn twist, or even Martian Manhunter's weird early nineties run as Bloodwynd [see; Superman #74]. In both instances, most of us just want to forget the whole thing, and move on with the beloved icon.
I'm going to do my best not to mention John Black in a move that could only expose my knowledge of daytime soap operas. Nobody needs that.
My point is, the Copycat/Domino fake-out, and Tolliver entanglement, kinda propelled the X-Force era forward. There's no denying Domino has become a lasting player as a result of those early stories, fulfilling a nice flavor niche in the Marvel Universe, and its mutant corner. It only took five years to star in her very own three-issue mini-series! Not bad!
Early X-Force also gave us Deadpool, too! Yay! It didn't give us Deadpool 2, though. You'll have to go to theatres for that, or wait for home release... Or just dive into the Secret Archive to check out all our previous featured fights indexed by publisher, series, and issue number! You can also find plenty more wonders by hitting links throughout posts, or check out this week's DP2 Cover to Cover!
Follow Secret Wars on Infinite Earths on Twitter and Facebook to get daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day! A like, share, retweet, or comment is a fantastic way to join the fight and show your support!
Winner: Domino
#99 (+203) Domino
#893 (-4) Lady Deathstrike
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