COVER TO COVER: THE SUICIDE SQUAD!

By now you may've seen The Suicide Squad in cinemas or streaming and the odds are in your favour if you're looking for more from your favourite expendables! This week's Cover to Cover is all about Amanda Waller's big screen brigade and their comic book counterparts. Simply hit the covers below or scroll through for a list to get the lowdown on a rogue's gallery of recruits.

Our lineup includes Rick Flag, Bloodsport, Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, Enchantress, Bronze Tiger, Savant, and more. Place your bets and see who survives when they take on Peacemaker, Superman, Batman, Deathstroke, Black Canary, their first target: Brimstone -- and each other!

Behind The Covers
1. SUICIDE SQUAD vs BRIMSTONE (Legends #3)
2. SUPERMAN vs BLOODSPORT (Superman #4)
3. BRONZE TIGER vs RAVAN (Suicide Squad #2)
4. DEADSHOT vs ENCHANTRESS (Suicide Squad #6)
5. RICK FLAG vs BATMAN (Suicide Squad #10)
6. SUICIDE SQUAD vs PEACEMAKER vs MAJOR FORCE (Suicide Squad #28)
7. BRONZE TIGER & VIXEN vs STALNOIVOLK (Suicide Squad #43)
8. DEADSHOT vs BLOODSPORT (Batman & Superman: World's Finest #10)
9. BATMAN vs HARLEY QUINN (Harley Quinn #25)
10. BATMAN & CATWOMAN vs HARLEY QUINN (Batman #613)
11. DEATHSTROKE vs BIRDS OF PREY ft SAVANT (Birds of Prey #90)
12. BATMAN vs JOKER ft. HARLEY QUINN (Batman #663)

DEATH-DEALER versus SHANG-CHI

Flesh of my Flesh (Marvel)
Where: Master of Kung Fu #118 When: November 1982 Why: Doug Moench How: Gene Day

The Story So Far...
A deck of cards spilled by the assassin Death-Dealer reveals the Honan fortress of Wang Yu-Seng -- alter-ego of the international criminal mastermind Dr. Fu Manchu!

For Shang-Chi, the Chinese retreat is a homecoming. The Master of Kung Fu spent his formative days training within its walls. Beckoned by a note left with one of his father's hideous scientific creations, he parachutes in for a final showdown with the man who literally wants his blood to enhance the Elixir Vitae -- serum of youth and vitality!

Accompanied by MI6 agents, Jack "Blackjack" Tarr and Clive Reston, Shang-Chi defeats the many loyal factions of Fu Manchu in the so-called "Madness of the Running Beasts". It will be but one of many challenges faced when Shang-Chi confronts his past and his destiny, where the villainous Death-Dealer waits!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Draw 2 (Average)
Intelligence: Draw 3 (Straight A)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Draw 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Shang-Chi 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Shang-Chi 7 (Living Weapon)
Energy: Death-Dealer 3 (Explosives)
Total: Draw 24 (Champion)

Li Ching-Lin was a double-agent embedded within MI6 who was secretly working for Fu Manchu. His brutal methods made him a priority target for the British intelligence agency, who soon deployed Shang-Chi to take him out!

In his original incarnation: Shang-Chi was the son of Sax Rohmer's controversial literary villain Fu Manchu, and an American woman who was chosen by the fiend for beneficial genetic characteristics.

He was trained intensively from birth to be a master of multiple forms of martial arts: Fu Manchu's living weapon! However, on a mission he soon learned his father was not the hero he'd claimed to be, and swore to destroy his evil empire!

In doing so, Shang-Chi chose to align himself with Denis Nayland Smith, and MI6, entering a world of espionage and adventure. He travelled the world fighting evil, crossing paths with a parade of assassins and killers from its four corners.

Li Ching-Lin received the codename Death-Dealer from his master, wielding a sword of three blades, and wearing a costume with the death's head for a mask.

He fought Shang-Chi multiple times in England, and although he isn't as proficient a fighter as the Master of Kung Fu, his disregard for humanity and use of modern arms, such as grenades, has made him an incredibly lethal adversary.

We know from a much later battle that Death-Dealer sired a son of his own. Huo Li (LI Huo) took up his father's vendetta and tracked Shang-Chi to Hong Kong, but the son was unsuccessful in his bloodfued. Did his father fare better? If you've read about that encounter you already know the answer! Let's take a look...

The Tape: Draw Ranking: Shang-Chi (#334)

What Went Down...

Penetrating deep into Fu Manchu's Honan fortress, Shang-Chi becomes lost in the chamber of his own thoughts as he confronts the secrets of a room forbidden to him during his formative years.

Inside the silent quarters is evidence of a life lived in parallel -- a genetic clone raised exactly as he was -- but that isn't all that lurks within these shadows...

Shang-Chi's blood streams through the air as a stinging pain snaps him out of deep thought.

The martial artist has allowed distraction to enter his mind and paid the price on the sharp edge of Death-Dealer's blade!

The assassin lunges with his three-pronged sword, but Shang-Chi side steps -- driving his elbow into the Death-Dealer's stomach. A good counterstrike, but the assassin never the less pushes him towards the fire of a nearby incense brazier.

The tall ,torch-like stand impedes his movement as Shang-Chi pivots away from his attacker. Death-Dealer responds with his free hand, delivering an overhanded chop into Shang-Chi's naked shoulder while also raising his sword!

The skull-masked killer prepares a downward strike with the middle blade of his sword, but Shang-Chi grabs the brazier and swings it wildly!

The fire whips across Death-Dealer's body and the burning embers begin to ignite the dark materials of his costume!

The white "death-mask" rapidly burns away, revealing Li Ching-Lin's face -- twisting with agony as his body is engulfed in flame!

Death-Dealer's lone scream tapers into a "bubbling moan" as his spasming body disappears into the raging fire.

The writhing body dances into the "whining" flame and Shang-Chi holds his head in his hands for just a moment, struck by the awful sound.

The martial artist's back straightens as he steels himself for the tasks ahead and accepts his role in dealing death to the Death-Dealer: a killer who has come for him many times before, but will enact his brutality no more.

The Hammer...

I was surprised and thrilled when 2009's Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu One-Shot introduced a new character called Huo Li, (LI Huo in Chinese naming convention), whose backstory specifically connected with the original run of Master of Kung Fu.

Marvel's short-lived black & white retro specials obviously owed a debt to their roots in the 1970s, but I hadn't expected anything quite so detailed from its throwback reference. After all, that issue in particular was one that featured the decisively nineties creation and noughties phenomenon, Deadpool, on the cover.

Li Huo carried his father's three-bladed sword in the name of revenge, but otherwise required very little specific knowledge about Death-Dealer: a character who first appeared in Master of Kung Fu #115 and, as we've seen, only made it as far as three issues before meeting his grisly demise at the hands of Shang-Chi.

The fight with Li Ching-Lin is only one panel more than a single page, but it certainly leaves an impression. Such is the sometimes fast and cruel nature of Shang-Chi's world, which owed a heavy debt to the lethal kung fu and espionage genre films of the sixties and seventies: also a peak period for Sax Rohmer's 1913 creation, Dr. Fu Manchu, in cinema, portrayed by Christopher Lee.

Although the controversial pulp villain was embedded in Marvel canon as Shang-Chi's father, the creation of the Deadly Hands of Kung Fu and Master of Kung Fu comic book series, as well as their starring character, is most specifically tied to the legacy of Bruce Lee.

The fusion of modern kung fu and Ian Fleming style espionage is right there in 1973's Enter the Dragon -- released theatrically right around the time Marvel created Shang-Chi for the December cover-dated Special Marvel Edition #15. 

In the film: Bruce Lee's character is persuaded to collaborate with British intelligence by attending a martial arts tournament on an island that doubles as the fortress lair for an international crime baron. It's a James Bond plot with a slightly harder edge and fighting you can actually believe in. Bruce Lee's specialty!

Fast-paced kung fu action may've made Lee an international icon around the world, but on the comic book page these references could sometimes read a little bit dry, so it's always welcome to see costumed enemies like Death-Dealer add a little extra colour and spice to the martial arts-spy action.

I absolutely love the iconic simplicity of Death-Dealer's design and character, cut from the same cloth that inspired G.I. Joe's revamp in 1982.

The ever-present threat of death may have complimented the pulp atmosphere of Shang-Chi's adventures, but it seems a real shame a character like Death-Dealer was so casually killed off. He's exactly the kind of remorseless costumed killer that could've outlived his Fu Manchu ties to become a staple Marvel mercenary.

To the best of my knowledge: Li Huo hasn't made any subsequent appearances since his debut in the black & white one-shot, either. Which gives me some shred of hope that he might yet make a return to comics wearing his father's regalia, especially now that a version of Death-Dealer is set to appear on the big screen in Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

No doubt we'll be taking a closer look at more of the comic book originals that have inspired the movie, but if you'd like to get more of Death-Dealer's story, you can find the entirety of his existence in The Hands of Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu Omnibus Volume 4.

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Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured well over 600 battles and ranked more than 1000 characters! You can find them all by following links throughout posts, or by exploring the Secret Archive for a complete index of featured fights in order of publisher, series, and issue number!

Get free daily links to battles inspired by the hot topics of the day by subscribing on Twitter and Facebook. Don't forget to like, fave, and share all the updates, and keep your eyes peeled for the top trending battles and more!

Winner: Shang-Chi
#106 (+228) Shang-Chi [+1 kill]
#961 (new) Death-Dealer

SUICIDE SQUAD versus PEACEMAKER versus MAJOR FORCE

"Death Game" (DC)
Where: Suicide Squad #28 When: May 1989 Why: Kim Yale & John Ostrander How: John K Snyder & Karl Kesel

The Story So Far...
A conspiracy known as "The Janus Directive" has ignited a secret war between rival covert military departments: Task Force X, Project: Atom, and Force of July.

Each suspects the other of plotting the attack, but the first shots were fired by Amanda Waller, whose pre-emptive counterstrike decimated The Force of July at the hands of her Suicide Squad. An act that arouses the suspicions of her allies in Checkmate.

The intelligence agency deploys Peacemaker to intervene in an assassination plot to safely detain Dr. Heinrich Megala of Project: Atom. Now their headquarters in the Koning Industries building is ground zero for a meta-human frontal assault as Project Atom's Major Force and the Suicide Squad launch separate attacks!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Major Force 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Lashina 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Vixen 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Major Force 6 (Generator)
Agility: Vixen 5 (Cat-Like)
Fighting: Lashina 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Major Force 7 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Major Force 32 (Super)

Usually battle lines can be drawn between two sides, and indeed this fight does start as a one-on-one encounter, but the intrusion of a definitive third-party has led to a Secret Wars on Infinite Earths first -- a three-way conflict!

The Suicide Squad are: Vixen, Duchess, Shade the Changing Man, and Count Vertigo. They're charging into the middle of a violent showdown between Project: Peacemaker's top man, and the sadistic military powerhouse of Project Atom.

Peacemaker is a bit of an ironic moniker. Christopher Smith was imprisoned for war crimes when he was directed by erroneous military intelligence to massacre a village of innocents. He was paroled on the condition he join Project: Peacemaker - an elite, secret anti-terrorism police force.

The son of an Austrian Nazi war criminal; Smith is haunted by visions of his father that compel him towards extreme acts of personal success. He channeled this into atoning for he and his father's crimes, using his family fortune for philanthropic charity work, and to fund his activities as the extreme soldier Peacemaker. He's working as a freelance agent of Checkmate at the time of today's battle.

Major Force is another cast-off of the military-industrial complex. US Air Force Sergeant Clifford Zmeck was court-martialed and convicted of murder & rape, but found a reprieve from a life sentence via Project: Atom. After their failures coating another test subject in alien metal and exposing him to a nuclear blast, they gave Zmeck a triple layer and attempted the experiment again.

Zmeck also appeared to perish in the blast, but was actually caught in the same Quantum Field that claimed Nathaniel Adam, thrusting them both into the future whilst fusing their bodies with the alien metal, granting them flight, super-human strength, speed, durability, and quantum energy blasts.

The Suicide Squad should be able to pin down the gun-toting, jet-packing Peacemaker, but Major Force represents a major challenge for all parties involved.

Duchess, who is in actual fact the New God Lashina, might be able to withstand his strength and power blasts. Vixen can also add extra muscle by channeling the strength of an elephant & rhino like she did when defeating the Russian super-spy Stalnoivolk in Suicide Squad #43.

Shade the Changing Man and Count Vertigo attack perceptions by projecting a vision of fear, and disorienting sonic pulse, respectively. Peacemaker's helmet might be able to repeat Batman's method for blocking out Vertigo's powers, but Shade's M-Vest could prey upon his visions. We'll just have to see how either interacts with the quantum powered Major Force!...

The Tape: Suicide Squad Ranking: Vixen (#74)

What Went Down...

In the wreckage of the Koning Industries building, Major Force gleefully awaits the attack of Peacemaker. He's coming in hot -- jet-packing through the sky with high-powered blaster at the ready!

Peacemaker hones in like a heat-seeking missile -- blasting Major Force through the air with gun blazing!

Major Force rolls with the blow, regaining his footing with a sadistic smile as he charges both hands with dark quantum energy and delights at the prospect of a new "playmate".

He slams his hands together, sending bursting shocks blasts into the sky, but Peacemaker manages to rocket above the danger and remain focused!

Before Peacemaker can make good on his threat to kill Major Force -- the Suicide Squad arrives to pacify the conflict with extreme prejudice!

Vixen orders Count Vertigo and Shade the Changing Man to target Peacemaker, who doesn't immediately open fire on the unknown assailants.

He quickly gets an answer to their status when Vertigo engulfs him in a disorienting field that causes him to lose his bearings and head into a downward spiral!

Shade keeps the pressure on Peacemaker as he crash lands into the wrecked Koning building. His strange M-Vest projects a warped vision of Wolfgang Schmidt in SS uniform -- the imaginary picture of his father that haunts Peacemaker!

Rattled by the sight, Peacemaker is defenseless as Shade swoops around him and extends a massive projected fist from the cackling Nazi!

Duchess follows Vixen's direction to target Major Force, keeping him distracted by stepping up with a powerful hand cannon of her own devious design.

The Major welcomes the weapon, confident his alien metal shell can withstand the blast.

Force absorbs the almost point blank blasts straight to the torso, laughing as each of three rounds does almost nothing to impact him.

He takes great delight in taking his "shot", first punching Duchess in the face with a straight right, then delivering a side kick to the stomach, and finishing the combo with a close range uppercut!

Duchess wipes her mouth with a forearm and tosses away her gun. She tells her teammates to proceed with their mission while she takes care of her "meat".

"Hah! I finally found someone who won't break the first time I hit him! Okay worm -- let's match fists!"

A wild right hook checks Major Force across the jaw with a KRAK!

Lashina follows with a high kick -- maybe a roundhouse -- unaware that across the battlefield Peacemaker is watching.

Crawling through the wreckage, he imagines his father's chastising. It spurs him onward, first to his knees and then back toward his gun. He'll prove his isn't a weakling by lining up both his enemies and making the shot!

A massive explosion erupts a blaze around the battlefield as it blasts through the crumbling Koning building and topples Duchess, Major Force, and even the weakened gunman -- but was Peacemaker really responsible?!

His two awesomely powerful targets are first to stir. Major Force tries to get off the ground, cracking wise: "Oof! What was in that last punch, baby?"

Duchess doesn't take credit for the blast, but finishes him off with a rabbit punch!

Vixen and Shade emerge from the raging inferno carrying a badly wounded Count Vertigo. Turns out he caught a face full of explosion when the Squad's true target -- the diabolical Doctor Heinrich Megala -- blew up. A suicide-doppelganger!

The forcefield of Shade's M-Vest kept Vertigo from being fatally wounded, and allows the rest of the team to walk away having won the battle, if not the war.

The Hammer...

The Suicide Squad clearly emerges victorious -- even if their ultimate objective to detain Doctor Megala wasn't achieved.

Per the standard format we could have reviewed this as the Suicide Squad against mutually hostile targets Peacemaker & Major Force.

I generally prefer to keep the battelines drawn down two sides, but in this one it just felt a bit more interesting and honest to acknowledge a three-way conflict. Peacemaker and Major Force never even inadvertently collude, with the former lining up his shots against MF and Duchess right until the end.

It's actually a key plot point that everyone's at each other's throats: The Janus Directive is an 11 issue crossover weaving through the pages of Suicide Squad, Checkmate, Manhunter, Firestorm, and Captain Atom. It's a paranoid superhero-thriller that turns DC's various military and intelligence agencies against one another in a private war.

If you're acting under the misapprehension that any era of comics was apolitical, the post-Crisis DCU will be a particularly rude awakening. These comics were rife with political intrigue and commentary, and there were plenty of politically motivated and analogous agencies to get involved in The Janus Directive!

The first shots are fired when Amanda Waller fingers either The Atom Project or The Force of July for planning a violent power play against their departmental rivals at Task Force X: overseer of the Suicide Squad.

She doesn't know which agency it will be, and seeks to recruit Checkmate and Project: Peacemaker as part of a pre-emptive counterstrike led by the Squad.

"The Wall" refuses to reveal the source of her information, and the extreme nature of her actions arouses suspicion from Checkmate, turning them against her as the conflict escalates -- and with good reason, too! She's actually enacting plans revealed by a doppelganger who was supposed to have replaced her!

Waller initiates the Janus Directive to avoid alerting the conspirators that she's thwarted their replacement attempt, while also using covert resources, such as Manhunter, to uncover the mastermind behind it all: Kobra!

It might sound a little complicated, but it's a testament to the complimentary relationship between the various DC series involved, many written by John Ostrander, and the value packed into each issue at the time. This is a certainly crossover that enhanced each series it overlaps with, injecting colour and extra excitement into sometimes more sedate worlds.

Suicide Squad is and was a jewel in the crown of the time, and I find myself coming back to it regularly with greater appreciation. A lot of its strength is in the ebb & flow of A & B plots, accumulated reference, and the flexibility of the material to blend espionage, costumed super-heroics, and everything in between.

It's kind of awesome that we're looking at an issue that casually brings together a gun-toting earthbound New God in camo pants (Duchess, aka; Lashina), a Charlton acquisition (Peacemaker), and an oddball Steve Ditko creation (Shade the Changing Man). Fruits of earlier stories and a little happenstance.

I hope to take a closer look at some of these characters in the future, but if you'd like to draw your own conclusions you can find the entire crossover collected in the Suicide Squad Vol. 4: The Janus Directive.

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Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured more than 600 battles and ranked well over 1000 characters! You can find them all by diving deeper into the Secret Archive: a complete index of featured fights in order of publisher, series, and issue number. Or follow links throughout each post to discover more from your favourite characters, creators, and subjects!

Get free daily links to battles inspired by the hot topics of the day by subscribing on Twitter and Facebook. Don't forget to like, fave, and share all the updates, and keep your eyes peeled for the top trending battles and more!

Winners: Duchess, Shade the Changing Man & Count Vertigo
#191 (+370) Lashina (Duchess)
#348 (new) Shade the Changing Man
#366 (+266) Count Vertigo
#617 (new) Doctor Megala Imposter [+1 assist]
#73 (+1) Vixen [+1 assist]
#959 (new) Major Force
#960 (new) Peacemaker

RANK & FILE: TOP 10 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

Rankings have long been the spine of Secret Wars on Infinite Earths. Based on the cumulative record of win/loss results: relevant rankings are updated at the bottom of every new featured fight -- but only for characters involved! Rank & File is a chance to compare and contrast more of the 1000+ ranked characters by highlighting the ten best heroes & villains of different topical categories!

The Summer Olympic Games were postponed last year due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, but the world's greatest athletes at last descended upon Tokyo on July 23rd to compete in the Games of the XXXII Olympiad! It would seem to have been a safe & successful event, with the United States of America topping the medal tally at the last moment with 1 more gold than China.

With the games now closed we look to find which countries reign supreme in the fighting ranks of Secret Wars on Infinite Earths. The Top 10 National Champions are the highest ranked representative of each country. Remember: This list is based on cold, hard win/loss records. Hit the comments section to share your Top 10 national icons! You can also choose a topic for a future Top 10 Rank & File by signing up to the Warbonds Top 10 level on Patreon! You'll be my #1 if you do!

#1 Batman (DC)
Nation: [United States of America]
Real Name: [Bruce Wayne]
First Appearance: [Detective Comics #27 (May, 1939)]
Recent Opponents: [Darkseid, Bronze Tiger, Bloodsport]
Featured Fight: [Captain America versus Batman]

It comes as no surprise that American heroes dominate American comic books and the most dominant of them all is The Batman! He may not wear the colours of the flag, but wealthy Bruce Wayne is an icon of 20th century American industry and ideals. He possesses many of the traits of an Olympian as well, having trained his body and mind to compete at the very highest level. He's mastered skills of martial arts, athletics, gymnastics, and marksmanship in his endless crusade against crime.

Batman's main haunt is the gothic modern metropolis of Gotham City, but he's found a global presence as a member of the Justice League, and during his own adventures abroad. Although sometimes finding himself at odds with other nations, he's also found many global allies, even inspiring an international offshoot of Batmen of All Nations, and their modern organized franchise: Batman Incorporated.

#2 Wolverine (Marvel)
Nation: [Canada]
Real Name: [James "Logan" Howlett]
First Appearance: [Incredible Hulk #181 (November, 1974)]
Recent Opponents: [Fantastic Four, Magneto, Hellfire Club]
Fight Spotlight: [Lady Deathstrike versus Wolverine & Vindicator]

America's neighbours to the north have proven to be a comic book global power through the omnipresence of one of their most famous agents! Wolverine may predominantly operate out of the United States, but his roots in Canada run deep, making him a former member of the Canadian super-team Alpha Flight, and tying him to a history of cross-border espionage.

His indomitable spirit and mutant healing factor are a fitting metaphor for Canada's world famous conscientious free healthcare system, and have made him one of the busiest heroes in comics. His adventures have taken him far and wide, most notably establishing a spiritual connection with Olympic host nation Japan, and involving him deeply with the fictional crime-ridden principality of Madripoor.

#3 Wonder Woman (DC)
Nation: [Themyscira]
Real Name: [Diana of Themyscira]
First Appearance: [All-Star Comics #8 (December, 1941)]
Recent Opponents: [Darkseid, Queen Clea & Blockbuster, Superman]
Featured Fight: [Justice League versus Ultramarine Corps]

The paradise island city-state of Themyscira may have withdrawn from the world of man, but its traditions continue to resemble those of the Ancient Greeks who founded the Olympic Games. The cloistered island has evolved a culture of sporting contests and athletic excellence that would surely make them a competitive powerhouse at the Modern Summer Games!

The greatest of Themyscira's Amazons is Wonder Woman, who embraces the world as an ambassador for peace, and a warrior for justice. Her humanitarian concerns have taken her across the world and made her a liaison to the United Nations and a charter member of the Justice League. Her super-human abilities make it difficult to imagine an Olympic event where she wouldn't take gold!

#4 Aquaman (DC)
Nation: [Atlantis]
Real Name: [Arthur Curry]
First Appearance: [More Fun Comics #73 (November, 1941)]
Recent Opponents: [Black Manta, Mera & Tempest, Ocean Master]
Featured Fight: [Sub-Mariner versus Aquaman]

The underwater domain of Atlantis has produced many powerful heroes & villains, but at present it's Aquaman who reigns supreme above all. His unique genetic makeup means he could rightly participate in any event, but it's obvious the deep sea hero would rule the Olympic pool!

Like Themyscira, the underwater kingdom of Atlantis has roots in the ancient world, but its culture has evolved to become uniquely its own. Sometimes this distance has led Atlanteans to regard the surface world with hostility, but Aquaman is always there to balance each realm. As monarch of the seas and a member of the Justice League he's responsible for defending more of the world than most!

#5 Black Adam (DC)
Nation: [Kahndaq]
Real Name: [Teth-Adam]
First Appearance: [Marvel Family #1 (December, 1945)]
Recent Opponents: [Superman, Mary Marvel & Ibis, Mary Marvel]
Featured Fight: [Black Adam versus Azraeuz]

When ancient Kahndaq was visited by the wizard Shazam he chose Teth-Adam to be his mortal champion. As Black Adam he possesses the stamina of Shu, the swiftness of Heru, the strength of Amon, the wisdom of Zehuti, the power of Aten, and the courage of Mehen -- skills that have made him one of the world's mightiest mortals that would surely sweep the Olympic Games!

Absolute power corrupted Adam absolutely, but returning from centuries in exile to the modern era, he redoubled his efforts to liberate the Middle Eastern nation of Kahndaq at any cost. His conquest of the throne may have sparked international controversy, but his goals to eradicate the corrupting influence of organized criminal institutions such as Intergang has restored Kahndaq to global attention in the DCU.

#6 Ryu (Capcom)
Nation: [Japan]
Real Name: [Ryu]
First Appearance: [Street Fighter (August, 1987)]
Recent Opponents: [Rose, Sadler's Cyborg, Sagat & Vega, Ken]
Featured Fight: [Ryu versus Sagat]

Olympic host nation Japan has robust representation in American comic books, not to mention their own rich history of unique manga characters & culture, but our top ranked Japanese fighter is a martial artist who originates from one of the greatest video game series produced in Japan: Street Fighter!

His journey may've started in the arcade, but some of its most memorable chapters have been told in the pages of manga and comic books. Ryu is the quintessential legendary martial arts hero, travelling the globe in search of martial arts insight by confronting & learning from the greatest practitioners in the world. There really couldn't be a better representative for Japan in a year when karate joined the official line-up of events at the Summer Olympic Games!

#7 Black Panther (Marvel)
Nation: [Wakanda]
Real Name: [T'Challa]
First Appearance: [Fantastic Four #52 (July, 1966)]
Recent Opponents: [Klaw & Killmonger, Thanos, Wolverine, Klaw]
Featured Fight: [Black Panther & Storm versus Doctor Doom]

The fictional African nation of Wakanda may have closed itself off from the rest of the world, but it did so having excelled in a great many ways! Ruling monarch T'Challa is famous for his brilliance in the technological fields of engineering and science, but the trials of Black Panther also mean he's a phenomenal physical specimen, adept in gymnastics, hand-to-hand combat, and more!

As a tenured member of the Avengers, Black Panther has maintained a Wakandan presence in the world, often operating out of the United States. His regal title also involves him with some of the Marvel Universe's other monarchies, such as Atlantis and Latveria.

#8 Storm (Marvel)
Nation: [Kenya]
Real Name: [Ororo Munroe]
First Appearance: [Giant-Size X-Men #1 (May, 1975)]
Recent Opponents: [Sentinels, Blitzkrieg, Magneto, Hellfire Club]
Featured Fight: [Storm versus Wonder Woman]

Ororo Munroe is a citizen of the world, born to a Kenyan tribal princess and an American man, who then travelled to Egypt, where she was raised from a young age. In early adulthood she was praised as a "goddess" when her mutant gift to manipulate the weather manifested on the Serengeti. A cooling wind and blessed rains would surely be welcomed in Japan, where athletes have endured a sweltering heat during the Summer Games of the 32nd Olympiad!

Storm was one of many international mutants recruited into the second generation X-Men. Their adventures have continued to take her out into the world, where she even enjoyed the distinction of being Queen of Wakanda for a time! These days she's a senior figure in the mutant nation of Krakoa, but once upon a time she lost her powers, relying on athletic prowess and guile to combat evil!

#9 Black Widow (Marvel)
Nation: [Russia]
Real Name: [Natasha Romanova]
First Appearance: [Tales of Suspense #52 (April, 1964)]
Recent Opponents: [Captain America, Jigsaw, Secret Avengers]
Featured Fight: [Iron Man, Black Widow & Crimson Dynamo versus Titanium Man]

A state-sponsored doping scheme has seen Russia disqualified from this year's Summer Olympics, even though tested athletes were allowed to compete under the banner of Russian Olympic Committee. This duplicitous pursuit of results isn't always such a bad thing, as in the case of super-spy Black Widow, who emerged from intensive training in the "Red Room" in peak physical condition!

Natasha Romanoff ultimately defected to the United States, where she became a member of the aptly named Champions, and more famously, The Avengers. Not traditionally super-powered, she's relied on Olympic level gymnastic agility and hand-to-hand combat to level the playing field against dangerous adversaries!

#10 The Phantom (King Features)
Nation: [Bangalla]

Real Name: [Kit Walker]
First Appearance: [The Phantom (February, 1936)]
Recent Opponents: [Jungle Thieves, Roughnecks, Masked Marvel]
Featured Fight: [The Phantom versus The Masked Marvel]

For twenty-one generations the fictional nation of Bangalla has been home to costumed pulp adventurer The Phantom. Generally considered somewhere in Africa, but sometimes taking on traits of India as "Bengali"; this exotic former British colony has allowed the Walker family to carry out their oath against piracy, cruelty, and injustice for over four hundred years.

Family legacy leads the world to believe there is one unchanging Phantom, but his role has evolved over the years from presiding over jungle tribes, to supporting an independent democratic government first formed under President Lamanda Luaga. He and his family's adventures are chronicled across the world, where the Phantom's mark is remembered by evil and good alike.

Bringing Up The Rear:

Union Jack (United Kingdom), Dhalsim (India), Morbius (Greece), Noob Saibot (China), Vixen (Zambesi), Magneto (Germany), Doctor Doom (Latveria), Black Bolt (Attilan), Steel Serpent (K'un-Lun), Apocalypse (Egypt)

Remember: The Rank & File Top 10 is determined by recorded win/loss rankings at the time of publication. There are many more world warriors from Olympic nations. Who would get a medal in your list? Share your Top 10 National Champions in the comments and become a Patreon subscriber to choose the next Rank & File Top 10 topic!

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SUPERMAN versus BLOODSPORT

Bloodsport! (DC)
Where: Superman #4 When: April 1987
Why: John Byrne How: John Byrne

The Story So Far...
December 23rd: A day for merry-making and last minute shopping in the bustling city of Metropolis -- but what do you get the man who has everything? For billionaire businessman Lex Luthor the answer is simple: the death of Superman!

To make Luthor's dream come true a man named Robert DuBois is anonymously outfitted with state of the art technology to grant him instant access to an arsenal of any weapon he can imagine. He's more than happy to spit in the eye of Superman, but Lexcorp got more than they bargained for -- a violent and troubled loose cannon!

DuBois is putting the people of Metropolis on notice for squandering their hard-earned freedoms. Embittered by the struggles of American soldiers during the Vietnam War, he's bringing the frontline to the unappreciative masses -- guns blazing! In a burger joint full of massacred patrons, Jimmy Olsen activates his watch in a desperate call to bring Superman to the rescue!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Superman 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Superman 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Superman 6 (Mach Speed)
Stamina: Superman 6 (Generator)
Agility: Superman 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Draw 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Superman 5 (Lasers)
Total: Superman 33 (Super)

It looks like the deck is heavily stacked in favour of Superman, but the stats only tell part of the story. Bloodsport may be completely outmatched in a physical confrontation, but his ability to conjure weapons makes him a deadly adversary!

Robert DuBois received his firepower from Lex Luthor, who hoped to direct his technology against Superman under a veil of plausible deniability. Exactly how the tech works isn't specified, but subtext suggests that a teleportation device delivers weapons from an unspecified Lexcorp arsenal -- rather than inventing the them out of pure imagination.

A gun cabinet might not sound so impressive against a man whose body is famously bulletproof, but these aren't ordinary popguns. Lex Luthor has applied his brilliant mind & fortune to build destructive weapons specifically designed to hurt Superman -- and although he's tasted defeat -- Lex is still pretty good at it!

Luthor was able to effortlessly defeat Superman's cousin when they clashed in Supergirl (Vol.5) #3. Key to his victory was his famous powersuit, but also the means to access and synthesize kryptonite: the radioactive space mineral that inflicts a variety of illnesses and weakness on exposed Kryptonians.

Batman used a kryptonite bullet against Superman to devastating effect in Justice League: The New Frontier Special #1, and deployed man-made explosives, via The Flash, with effective results in The Dark Knight Strikes Again #1.

Saviour showed similarities to Bloodsport in Action Comics #713, conjuring a gun from thin air that was capable of blasting Superman deep into concrete. In other words: just because Superman can take a bullet -- doesn't mean it won't hurt!

Like Saviour; Bloodsport also has a disturbed psychological profile, exhibiting tendencies of a violent psychopath. He's already shot into a heavily populated burger restaurant, and that means Superman will have to be mindful to keep casualties to a minimum when he catches up with him elsewhere in the city.

This seems like it should be a slam dunk for Superman, just like when he and Batman shut down a shootout between Bloodsport and Deadshot, but there's no denying there are complicating factors. Let's take a look...

The Tape: Superman Ranking: Superman (#4)

What Went Down...

Chunks of ceiling fall across the alleys of Kenmoore bowling as Bloodsport grips his hand over a woman's mouth and fires his futuristic hand-cannon towards the sky.

He pulls his hostage close to his chest and berates the terrified patrons lying face down on the floor. "You creeps! You stupid, crawling creeps! Look at you! Soft and wet and useless! All of you!! Me an' Mickey bought your liberty with our lives!"

His vague tirade is interrupted when a bowling ball clinks onto the ball return and draws his attention. He looks up to find Superman standing in the alley, tossing a heavy black ball in one hand like a baseball. After the day's earlier mass shooting, Superman isn't in a very good mood.

"Okay, big mouth, you can let the lady go now, and drop that pea-shooter. Then I'll give you about three seconds to come up with a good reason why I shouldn't bowl a few frames with your head."

Bloodsport presses the barrel of his gun to his hostage's head and warns his true target not to come any closer.

Stone-faced, Superman glares sternly through Bloodsport who scowls right back at him. The massive gun hovers by the hostage's head, her eyes looking wide toward the danger, he mouth still covered. A stand-off.

Superman begins to take a step and Bloodsport's finger tightens against the trigger -- but the Man of Steel moves so fast he's able to pull the hostage clear while pushing the firing gun harmlessly towards the ceiling!

A short punch with his free left hand knocks Bloodsport off his feet and away from the hi-tech gun.

Presuming the gunman is safely disarmed, Superman makes plans to take him downtown to a prison cell and psychiatric evaluation -- but Bloodsport keeps grandstanding and talking war hypotheticals like Superman owes him something.

To Superman's shock -- another weapon materializes in Bloodsport's grip!

He presumes there's no handgun on Earth that can harm him, but he's drastically under estimated Bloodsport's resources once more. This gun, though small, was designed with Superman in mind, and carries Kryptonite ammunition!

Bloodsport's aim isn't as impressive as his weaponry, but a Kryptonite needle buried in Superman's shoulder is enough to start his powers failing! He drops to one knee and clutches the wound, holding a chair for support.

The would-be war veteran gloats over his wounded opponent: "Ha ha ha ha! Not so smug now, eh, Supes-baby? Not so high and mighty after all!"

Bloodsport cocks the dart-gun and presses the reloaded barrel against the base of Superman's skull, but before he deliver a killing blow -- Jimmy Olsen announces himself with Bloodsport's other high-powered gun in hand!

The photog' plays the part of the tough guy just fine, ordering Bloodsport to drop his gun and Superman to stay low, in case he's forced to open fire.

Bloodsport isn't quite sold, claiming he used to "eat twerps like you for breakfast" in Vietnam. He doubts Olsen even knows how to fire the gun, but Jimmy\s counting on the destructive power and close range to make-up for any deficiencies in the particulars of his gun etiquette.

The tête-à-tête is enough to convince Bloodsport to "drop it", but what he drops is summoned to his hand behind his back -- a gas bomb to cover his escape!

Bloodsport high-tails it out of the bowling alley, leaving Superman's pal Jimmy Olsen to see to it that Superman is taken to the emergency room.

The Hammer...

It might sound sensational to say Bloodsport sent Superman to the hospital in their very first encounter -- but that's exactly how it ended!

It's not quite the claim being circulated by the 2021 Suicide Squad movie. They put it that Idris Elba's Bloodsport sent Superman to the ICU (Intensive Care Unit). That would imply a more severe, longer lasting injury, but hey. It's still a rare occurance!

A Dr. Sanchez is attending when Superman is brought in to the emergency room, and successfully removes the fragments of Kryptonite from the wound -- instantly restoring Superman's invulnerability and recuperative powers. That swiftly negates any need for a longer stay in the ICU.

In fact, the doctor was forced to re-expose Superman to some of the Kryptonite fragments just to finish suturing the wound. Such are the impressive recovering powers of Kryptonian physiology drenched in the Earth's nourishing yellow sun!

As for Bloodsport: he was free to continue his campaign of terror across Metropolis in the name of waking up America's gluttonous consumers.

He accuses the people of being indifferent to the sacrifices he and his brother Mickey made while fighting in Vietnam, but there's one small problem: Bloodsport never went to Vietnam.

Robert DuBois was actually a draft dodger who fled to Canada to avoid being called into service. That left his younger brother Michael to be drafted and shipped off to Vietnam in his place, where the soldier lost both arms and legs in the line of duty. Or at least what passed for duty in such a controversial conflict, which Michael DuBois calls a war people just want to forget.

It's a pretty prickly subject, but it certainly gives Bloodsport a bit more edge than your average Metropolis gunman. I shouldn't call criticism of the Vietnam War in popular culture a non-controversial exercise, but it was certainly not uncommon.

"Bloodsport" and DuBois might have you thinking of Jean-Claude Van Damme, but his star-making Bloodsport film was still almost a year away, and his character in The Quest, Chris DuBois, closer to a full decade. Superman #4 is, however, five years behind the release of another major action movie: First Blood -- Sylvester Stallone's most nuanced portrayal of troubled veteran John Rambo.

The influence seems pretty clear, right down to the red bandana, Rambo II style wardrobe, and French sounding surname. Rather than carrying the trauma of having fought in war, Bloodsport subverts expectations with a sort of survivor's guilt for what became of his brother by his absence from war.

It might seem a little frivolous for a Superman  comic, but it isn't a story without merit or sympathy, touching on the far reaching effects of war, and even gun violence in modern America. It speaks truth, couched in the tropes of superheroes, and sometimes that makes for some of the best concepts.

If there's ever been a better metaphor for the type of gun control laws that exist in the majority of other countries -- I don't know what it is. Bloodsport is clearly not someone who should have unlimited access to high-powered weapons. Sadly, a concept that has only become more apparent decades later. Rambo as bad guy.

The real revelations about Bloodsport come when Superman catches up with him for a better-informed rematch. You can bet your bottom dollar we'll document that one sometime in the future.

If you'd like to expedite the rematch process, you can let me know in the comments, or become a Patreon subscriber at the Tier 4 level to request your choice of featured fight. The lower levels begin at $1 and help support our ever-growing archive of superhero smackdown and comic book reviews.

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured more than 600 battles and ranked well over 1000 characters! You can find all your Suicide Squad favourites and more by diving into the Secret Archive for a complete index of battles by publisher, series, and issue number. Or just follow links throughout this post and others to discover more from your favourite subjects!

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Winner: Bloodsport
#407 (+541) Bloodsport
#4 (--) Superman
#190 (+118) Jimmy Olsen [+1 assist]