RANK & FILE: TOP 10 - BLACK HISTORY MONTH

For an American medium like comic books: so-called "Black" History is comics history and it's told across decades of four-colour adventures! Any self-respecting fanboy knows there's no shortage of hard hitting heroes & villains that fit the bill, but who are the best? With February being Black History Month it seemed like a good time to take a closer look at comics' history makers!

Every entry on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths contributes to the cumulative win/loss rankings. You can find updates at the bottom of every new featured fight for characters involved -- but Rank & File is our chance to compare 1,000+ characters by highlighting the ten best of specific categories in order of overall rank! Become a Top 10 supporter on Patreon and you could pick the next Top 10 topic!

#1 Luke Cage (Marvel)
Real Name: [Carl Lucas]
First Appearance: [Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1 (June, 1972)]
Recent Opponents: [Carnage, Tombstone, Man Mountain Marko & Eel]
Featured Fight: [Purple Man versus Luke Cage]

We start the count with one of the new heroes for the civil seventies. After American rights were earned, and everybody got wise, Luke Cage brought "black power" to Marvel Comics as the eponymous Power Man!

He flew solo for a while, before finding an unlikely partnership that gave us the iconic Heroes for Hire. His days in a buddy team provided a foundation for being an enduring cult favourite, but it was his induction into the modern New Avengers that put him right at the centre of the Marvel Universe, and catapulted him into a Top 10 rankings spot as team leader! More recently he was part of a new era of Defenders, appearing in his own Netflix series portrayed by the unbreakable Mike Colter.

#2 Steel (DC)
Real Name: [John Henry Irons]
First Appearance: [Adventures of Superman #500 (June, 1993)]
Recent Opponents: [Eradicator, Sinestro Corps, Felipe DeClaude]
Fight Spotlight: [Steel versus Lex Luthor]

When DC Comics decided to kill Superman in the early nineties - four heroes arose to take up the Man of Steel's legacy. Three did their best to reign as the second-coming of Superman himself, but John Henry Irons stood for something different. He was a self-made Man of Steel, inspired by Superman's example, and the desire to put his talents towards doing good.

His skills as an inventor and engineer allowed John Henry to craft a suit of armor capable of holding the likes of Eradicator to account, with a view to ridding the streets of the high-powered weaponry he had a hand in creating. He would go on to forge a friendship with Superman, continuing to work alongside the returned hero as a trusted ally, and as a member of the Justice League. He infamously appeared in a featured film just four years after debuting, and can now be seen on TV's Superman & Lois.

#3 Storm (Marvel)
Real Name: [Ororo Monroe]
First Appearance: [Giant-Size X-Men #1 (May, 1975)]
Recent Opponents: [Omega Red, Blitzkrieg, Magneto, Hellfire Club]
Featured Fight: [Storm versus Wonder Woman]

When Charles Xavier went international to recruit a new team -- he found one of their most powerful charter members in Kenya. 1975's Giant-Size X-Men introduced Storm atop a lonely knoll, answering the prayers of desperate men seeking the weather goddess' blessing.

The wind rider brought reprieve to a drought-stricken African land, but her downpour also refreshed the X-Men, who had lost their original class on the living island of Krakoa. She helped rescue the lost team and would continue to fight for the rights of mutantkind, rising quickly to the role of field leader of the X-Men, and eventually short-lived Queen of Wakanda! Today she is a senior member of the mutant Nation of Krakoa, and one of the most iconic and beloved X-Men appearing in comics, and multimedia.

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

American comics sometimes forget there's a big wide world beyond their borders, and in 1966, Marvel Comics readers received an education in the African continent via the mysterious fictional nation of Wakanda. There resides its leader: T'Challa - Black Panther!

Wakanda and the Black Panther presented a vision of ancient tradition fused with science-fiction "Afro futurism". Locked behind impenetrable borders; Wakanda safeguards secrets of advanced technology and the rare mineral vibranium, protected with unwavering vigilance from a modern world forged in war and greed. Wakanda's isolationism became legendary, but Black Panther ventures out into the world as a member and close ally of The Avengers and Fantastic Four. Comic book runs by the likes of writers Christopher Priest and Reginald Hudlin furthered the excellence of the character, inspiring elements of his transition to the big screen as portrayed by the late Chadwick Boseman.

#5 Bronze Tiger (DC)
Real Name: [Benjamin Turner]
First Appearance: [Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter #1 (May, 1975)]
Recent Opponent: [Batman, Stalnoivolk, Ravan, Enchantress, Brimstone]
Featured Fight: [Bronze Tiger versus Ravan]

When the kung fu craze of the nineteen seventies reached DC Comics it led to the creation of one of its most enduring martial arts masters. Ben Turner studied under the O-Sensei, eventually using his supreme fighting skills as a field operative for the altruistic international mercenary agency G.O.O.D.

Spy work brought Turner to the attention of The League of Assassins, who brainwashed him into becoming the deadly Bronze Tiger. He eventually managed to resist their programming, but not before he claimed his most famous victory over The Batman. This distinction remained with him as he sought a path of redemption through Task Force X and as a watchful conscience for the Suicide Squad. As long as the Bronze Tiger remained with them - no villain would step out of line!

#6 Green Lantern (DC)
Real Name: [John Stewart]
First Appearance: [Green Lantern #87 (Dec-Jan, 1972)]
Recent Opponent: [Larfleeze, Kraken, Sinestro Corps, Injustice League]
Featured Fight: [Green Lantern Corps versus Parallax]

Hal Jordan met his match in 1972 when Guy Gardner was put out of action and The Guardians of the Universe chose out-of-work architect John Stewart to become the new back-up Green Lantern of Sector 2814.

Even before receiving his ring, the no nonsense Stewart showed tremendous willpower and character, standing up to a bullying street cop he'd later save as the Green Lantern. Keeping his face bare, he continued to use his powers for the betterment of social equality, while also rising to become an accomplished full-time hero throughout the universe! A generation of fans know him as the Green Lantern featured in the Justice League animated series, but the Green Lantern comic book revival of the mid-2000s ensured his adventures would continue to reach new frontiers!

#7 Black Lightning (DC)
Real Name: [Jefferson Pierce]
First Appearance: [Black Lightning #1 (April, 1977)]
Recent Opponents: [Mirror Master & Killer Frost, Sinestro Corps]
Featured Fight: [Justice League versus Injustice League]

Long before Milestone Comics gave the world a Static shock there was the electrifying adventures of Black Lightning! To the world: Jefferson Pierce was a medal winning Olympic Decathlete, but when he returns to his hometown in Metropolis' Suicide Slum, he's a high school teacher on a mission to rid the streets of Tobias Whale's kid-killing drug pushers: The 100!

In his first appearances Black Lightning's electric charge was a gimmick of the costume designed to disguise his recognizable face, but in time it revealed the metagene within him. He continued to use his powers to clean up the streets, initially refusing membership with the Justice League, but eventually joining up with Batman and his Outsiders, and the JLA. More recently Black Lightning was the title hero of a CW television series starring Cress Williams.

#8 Vixen (DC)
Real Name: [Mari Jiwe McCabe]
First Appearance: [Action Comics #521 (July, 1981)]
Recent Opponents: [Stalnoivolk, Professor Ivo, Brimstone]
Featured Fight: [Vixen & Martian Manhunter versus Professor Ivo]

The first appearance of Vixen was delayed several years as a result of the "DC Implosion" of 1978 that saw the cancellation of several titles, including an intended starring vehicle for the new heroine. When she finally made her published debut in Action Comics it began a slow rise to becoming one of DC's enduring modern icons.

Mari McCabe left the fictional nation of Zambesi to become a world-renowned model, but upon her return to the African nation, she inherited the Tantu Totem: a talisman that connects her with the primordial morphogenetic field to grant the abilities of any animal imaginable. These fantastic powers quickly caught the attention of a new Justice League, but as the Detroit-based group suffered shocking losses, Mari was left to deal with her grief alone. She joined the Suicide Squad, but after years of drifting, eventually returned to the ranks of a full-force Justice League!

#9 Firestorm (DC)
Real Name: [Jason Rusch]
First Appearance: [Firestorm #1 (July, 2004)]
Recent Opponents: [Sinestro Corps, Injustice League]
Featured Fight: [Justice League versus Injustice League]

The murder of Ronnie Raymond triggers a sequence of events that sees the Firestorm Matrix falling upon beleaguered 17 year old Jason Rusch. Working as a courier for local Detroit thugs to earn cash, Jason unleashes the powers of The Nuclear Man when he begins accidentally merging with nearby individuals during times of great stress.

Jason eventually came to gain better understanding of his powers, navigating life as Firestorm through relationships with his predecessors, Raymond and Martin Stein, and even multiversal upheaval. Jason persisted despite a complicated legacy and his history being rewritten through the DC Comics New 52 line-wide reboot, and versions continue to appear in animation, video games, and more.

#10 Blade (Marvel)
Real Name: [Eric Brooks]
First Appearance: [Tomb of Dracula #10 (July, 1973)]
Recent Opponents: [Morbius, Ghost Rider, Spider-Man]
Featured Fight: [Ghost Rider & Frank Drake versus Blade & Demogoblin]

Blade put an iconic new twist on the classic vampire hunters of old when he joined the cast of Tomb of Dracula in 1973. Perhaps best known for the 1998 theatrical version starring Wesley Snipes; Blade was originally a jive-talking product of the nineteen-seventies, but underwent a modern reinvention that saw him become one of the premiere heroes of the nineties Midnight Sons titles, adopting the leather jacket look he's most identified with.

Cultural exchange between cinema and comics transformed the English dhampir Blade into a full-fledged "Daywalker" when he was bitten by Morbius, and his unique physiology reacted with further enhanced physical prowess at the price of a serum-dependent bloodlust. He'd continue to hunt vampires by night, but has more recently returned to the light as an addition to The Avengers.

Bringing Up The Rear:

War Machine, Photon, Tally Man, Deathlok, Eradicator, Cyborg, Brother Voodoo, Jesse Bedlam, Blue Marvel & Spawn

Remember: The Rank & File Top 10 is determined by recorded win/loss rankings at the time of publication. There are many more heroes and villains from the pantheon of comic books' history. Which characters were overlooked? Share your Black History Top 10 in the comments below, and become a Patreon subscriber to choose the next Rank & File Top 10!

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ULTRON versus THE VILLAINS

The War Begins (Marvel)
Where: Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1 When: May 1984 Why: Jim Shooter How: Michael Zeck

The Story So Far...
In a distant corner of space comes the existence of a sophisticated station suddenly populated with the confused ranks of many of Earth's mightiest heroes!

Abducted by an unknown force -- these Avengers, X-Men, and more await the intentions of their unseen captor, with little understanding, or influence, over their impending fate.

Amidst the assembly Captain America spies a second construct floating in the starry void above. The probing mind of Professor X finds a repellent aura of evil as he detects an identical predicament shared by some of their deadliest adversaries. As a galaxy is wiped away, and a new planet begins to form before awestruck eyes -- the villains begin to stir!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Galactus 7 (Omnipotent)
Intelligence: Galactus 7 (Omniscient)
Speed: Lizard 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Galactus 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Lizard 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: The Wrecker 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Galactus 7 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Galactus 34 (Super)

The Beyonder may have distributed everyone into two camps, but if you expected the first blows of the Secret Wars to come between good and evil -- you were wrong! Ultron has no interest in forming alliances with any organic lifeforms!

The other villains are: Doctor Doom, Doctor Octopus, Kang The Conqueror, Enchantress, Absorbing Man, The Wrecker, Piledriver, Thunderball, Bulldozer, Lizard, and Molecule Man, with Galactus.

Ultron has a fusion reactor core powering his movements, capable of dishing out some serious firepower as well, with a composite adamantium hardshell durable enough to withstand a collision with The Thing!

Ultron is clearly a serious threat, but if The Wrecker and his Crew were to apply themselves -- they could probably pin Ultron down long enough to do some real damage. Throw in the Absorbing Man, able to copy Ultron's adamantium body for himself, and you've got a magically powered five-man trash compactor!

In the event the muscle needs a little direction, there's plenty of genius to go around. Doctor Doom is the obvious alpha in the group, but Enchantress is no stranger to directing or manipulating powerhouses into doing her bidding.

Kang The Conqueror has the resources and nous to potentially take on the Ultron problem alone, but that's no guarantee. Molecule Man is perhaps the best suited for that -- his ability to control things on a molecular level makes him nigh omnipotent. The only problem is a reluctance to use his awesome powers after repenting for a history of villainy with committed psychotherapy.

Doctor Octopus and Lizard are apex predators in their own environment, but here they may be the most vulnerable to Ultron's attack. Still, you'd like to think they're wily enough to join the other ranks -- provided they don't all turn on each other. Let's see exactly how it went!

The Tape: The Villains Ranking: Doctor Doom (#88)

What Went Down...

An incredible cosmic dance draws the eyes of the villainous collective upward as pieces of disparate land converge to form a new planet overhead. It's enough to leave Doctor Doom awestruck, but not all company is as unwaveringly focused.

Doctor Octopus doesn't take kindly to being jostled by the burly Absorbing Man.

The pair trade verbal barbs until suddenly -- a blast of energy engulfs them both!

Ultron simmers with power -- and the nearest thing approximating disdain -- as his robotic circuits struggle to make sense of his apparent reconstruction, and presence on the mysterious ship. From confusion defers basic function:

"I am Ultron! I do not understand the events transpiring! I do not understand how I came to be resurrected... Nor how I came to be here! Nothing computes... Insignificant! I am Ultron! My purpose is to slay that which lives. You are all living things, ergo -- Ultron must destroy you!"

Ultron takes flight and fires beams that narrowly miss Piledriver, Molecule Man, Kang, and Doctor Octopus -- but this time Absorbing Man is ready. He receives the energy and instantly nullifies its effects by assuming its properties!

The gambit inspires Doctor Doom to action, if not tactic, as he recognizes the potential threat of Ultron's adamantium body and fusion reactor.

The monarch lays his gauntlets on Molecule Man, grabbing him by his shirt to compel him to use his powers to stop Ultron. Alas, timid Owen Reece is just as overwhelmed as the robot, and reverts to a vow of abstinence made with his therapist. In a remarkable show of Molecule Man's power -- Doom compromises!

Determined to stop Ultron, but accepting Molecule Man's reluctance to harm anyone -- Doom offers an alternative minor act of mischief to Reece, which could make use of the unfathomable cosmic might at Galactus' disposal instead.

As Ultron's blasts explode between The Wrecking Crew and Enchantress; Molecule Man takes control of the subatomic make-up of the robot -- and sends him hurtling into the massive legs of Galactus!

For the first time since their arrival, The Devourer of Worlds pays notice to the tiny mortals scurrying around his feet.

Ultron begins to levitate by means other than his own, but continues to brandish his adamantium body and energy blasts in contempt for all that lives.

He sees Galactus as just another organic sentience to extinguish, perhaps failing to comprehend the forces that now control him.

Galactus gazes silently at the murderous robot as it floats to meet his eyeline.

Ultron dares to threaten The Devourer with a slow death for his affront.

The extinguishing of Ultron's flame takes a mere blinding moment as Galactus drains the robot's fusion reactor of all traces of energy without a word or gesture. A lifetime's supply of power gone in an instant -- a mere snack between the thumb and forefinger of a being beyond true comprehension!

The Hammer...

Just like that the first shots of the Secret Wars are fired -- but they aren't across enemy lines of good and evil!

There are essentially two sides to this conflict, with a faction or two forming somewhere in between, but it's the bad guys who are the first to fracture. A nice little bit of character detail that establishes the stakes, the scale of power that's in play, and gets us a taste of the action while introducing some of the stacked side of villainy.

It would've been so easy to have Ultron simply fall in line with the other bad guys, or undergo some sort of reprogramming from the outset, but instead we get the unadulterated joy of a homicidal robot immediately intent on extinguishing all organic life -- no matter how grand and beyond its reach it actually is! Bliss!

Ultron-10 was destroyed by Machine Man, The Thing, and Jocasta a couple of years prior in the pages of Marvel Two-In-One #93, contributing to the confusion of a tenth reconstruction in Secret Wars.

I guess The Beyonder is an Avengers fan who saw fit to bring Ultron back along with all the other popular toys. Doctor Doom will reprogram the defeated robot in the next issue, rebooting him for more play, but if you only knew the original twelve-part maxi-series as a tie-in ostensibly meant to sell action figures, you would've been surprised that an Ultron toy was never actually produced.

It's perhaps then doubly surprising that Galactus is ultimately the one to take Ultron down in the first real fight of the series.

The Devourer of Worlds is no stranger to conflict, but he isn't exactly known for trading blows with the rank and file, and also doesn't appear in the Mattel action figure line. The mark of a toymaker's unfulfilled aspirations -- or fanboy-turned-EIC Jim Shooter demanding a standard of quality for tie-in comics that would meet comic book readers' expectations beyond promotional consideration?

A few lines have attempted Galactus toys in the decades since Secret Wars, with Heroclix notably having the benefit of a small scale to work with, but it's only in the last couple of years that Marvel Legends has delivered the 32" tall Galactus action figure of our dreams. Standard 6" heralds fit in the palm of his hand. Not bad for $400 as a 2021 HasLabs backer, but undoubtedly a tough sell in 1984.

So if Galactus isn't in Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars to be a deluxe playset, or towering lump of plastic sold through the Seers catalogue -- why is he here?

His concerns are typically much loftier than the mere mortals assembled to be bashed together in the hands of children, but I suppose if you asked me to name my most desired villains of the time, Galactus would probably be in the list, somewhere along with various other Fantastic Four opponents.

Galactus lends star-power and a sense of cosmic grandeur to the whole event, demonstrating just how high a level The Beyonder must be working on.

I suppose there's also an underlying potential for a ticking clock. Eventually Galactus will have to feed, and the composite planet created to host everyone is pretty much the only bar & grill that seems to be open in this corner of the universe. Existential drama only Galactus can provide in backdrop to a superhero war.

As for this battle: Galactus is clearly the winner, but could this result have been achieved without the involvement of Doctor Doom and Molecule Man?

The short answer is no -- but after careful deliberation, I've determined their actions, though vital, still only constitute a minor gesture: an assist.

Once his initial hopes to use Molecule Man's powers to end the fight are dashed, Doctor Doom conceives a plan to essentially gain Galactus' attention and pass the problem on to him. By throwing Ultron at the cosmic giant, Molecule Man merely triggers Galactus' entry into the fight, and the result is rendered from there.

We should also note that Thunderball and Bulldozer don't appear in this sequence until the fight is over, and Ultron's lifeless husk crashes back to the ground. The Lizard isn't even seen post-introductions until a vague group shot a couple pages after this. Characters clearly present will receive an assist stat for drawing fire, but it's unclear if these three even stuck around for the fight. We might infer Lizard ran and hid. For that reason I've omitted them from the minor count.

This was the very first fight, but we already opened the door last year with Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #3. I'm hoping we'll be able to continue working through the series in a linear fashion, taking in some of the interesting match-ups that come about, and tracking the progress of characters like Molecule Man, and newcomers Titania & Volcana.

You can catch all of that, and more, by following links throughout this post, or by plunging into unending secret wars of the Secret Archive! That's where all you desire is indexed in order of publisher, series, and issue number.

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured well over 700 battles and ranked more than 1,000 iconic characters! You can make sure there are many more to come by becoming a supporter on Patreon. As a thank you for your patronage you'll find additional updates and multiple tiers to sponsor more feature content.

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Winner: Galactus (w/ Molecule Man & Doctor Doom)
#128 (+246) Galactus
#640 (new) Molecule Man [+1 assist]
#88 (--) Doctor Doom [+1 assist]
#374 (+20) The Wrecker [+1 assist]
#375 (+22) Piledriver [+1 assist]
#376 (+44) Kang The Conqueror [+1 assist]
#641 (new) Amora the Enchantress [+1 assist]
#670 (+315) Absorbing Man [+1 assist]
#988 (-2) Doctor Octopus [+1 assist]
#381 (-146) Ultron

AVENGERS versus KANG THE CONQUEROR

First Blood (Marvel)
Where: Avengers #2 When: December 1996 Why: Rob Liefeld, Jim Valentino & Jeph Loeb How: Chap Yaep

The Story So Far...
Facing apparent death in their battle against the psionic entity called Onslaught -- The Avengers and Fantastic Four were whisked to the safety of a pocket dimension created subconsciously by naive mutant Franklin Richards.

Beginning their lives anew with no knowledge of their true history: The Avengers are founded under the direction of Nick Fury and SHIELD, to act as a global peace-keeping force against super-powered threats also newly manifesting on this Counter Earth.

Bolstered by the addition of Captain America and Thor; The Avengers are a powerful assembly whose legend will inevitably continue into the distant future. A future ruled by Kang The Conqueror, who has travelled through time to defeat history's mightiest heroes!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Thor 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Kang 6 (Genius)
Speed: Captain America 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Thor 6 (Generator)
Agility: Hellcat 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Captain America 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Kang 5 (Lasers)
Total: Kang The Conqueror 29 (Metahuman)

The Avengers are: Captain America, Thor, Hawkeye, Vision, Swordsman, Scarlet Witch, and Hellcat.

Starting from scratch in the pocket universe -- these Avengers are still relatively new to working with each other. They just recruited Thor in the previous issue, when he saw through his brother's manipulations, and helped to defeat him.

Scarlet Witch was key to their victory, using hex powers to turn Loki's spell back against him, but it remains to be seen how her awesome magicks will affect the futuristic technology of Kang The Conqueror.

This time Kang hails from the even farther flung future of the 31st century: a variant conjured to this universe by Franklin Richards based upon his distant descendent -- the time travelling Nathaniel Richards, who is typically cited as having conquered the 30th century.

It was that Kang who deployed the Avengers to Limbo to destroy a facsimile of himself in a quest to consolidate power by eliminating all Kang variants diverging from his prime timeline. A feat achieved with advanced technology that allows him to effortlessly traverse time and space.

Kang is also outfitted in advanced armor, which grants him super-human strength and durability, gravity-defiance, defensive force-fields, and an arsenal of weaponry capable of deploying concussive blasts and other attacks.

Captain America's tactical savvy should help the team coordinate, but it's Thor who offers the most obvious counter-attack to Kang's incredibly powers.

We've seen The God of Thunder face similar versatile threats from The Mandarin, Nebula, Super-Skrull, Thanos, Juggernaut, Doctor Doom, and even DC's Superman and Captain Marvel! Will he be the difference maker? Let's find out!

The Tape: Avengers Ranking: Captain America (#7)

What Went Down...

The appearance of a massive spaceship floating over New York City prompts Director of SHIELD, Nick Fury, to activate his Avengers for a full investigation, and if necessary, neutralization of any emerging threat.

Captain America doesn't much like the cut of Fury's jib, but with Scarlet Witch and Hellcat already in the field, the team is quick to mobilize against a mysterious individual already in the process of engaging the women.

A simple gesture directs a blast of energy that engulfs Scarlet Witch and Hellcat!

The remaining Avengers arrive just in time to witness the assault. Cap discreetly makes sure Hawkeye has a clean shot, but Thor is too incensed to give the archer opportunity to strike first. Kang invites it with no clearer motive: "Your move."

The God of Thunder obliges -- tossing his mighty hammer Mjolnir!

Remarkably the weapon stalls beyond Kang's outstretched hand, igniting with sparks of electricity as it collides with a force-field surrounding him!

Captain America recognizes the danger and orders Hawkeye to try to rally Scarlet Witch to make use of her awesome magicks that stopped Loki.

Swordsman sees the need for a distraction to give Hawkeye a clear run, but his attempt to take the initiative is immediately squashed, much to Captain America's chagrin. Swords are simply no match for Kang's advanced technology!

Cap tries to restore order so the team can regroup, but Thor refuses to yield.

"Do what thou must, Captain. But, no being, mortal or god, may take the fabled Mjolnir from my side -- and not rue the day!"

The thunder god brings down the very heavens, dive bombing Kang in blaze of lightning that explodes around the force-field bubble, and rips through the surrounding earth!

The Avengers feel the fallout as Scarlet Witch does her best to shield she and Hellcat from the erupting energies. As she struggles, The Witch compels Hawkeye to help the rest of the team, even as he finds himself lacking any clear shot.

Captain America rallies Vision and Hawkeye to his side for a final stand.

Hawkeye sends the first salvo, much to Kang's amusement.

The arrow sails straight and true, inevitably striking Kang's force-field -- but this "toy" contains a thermite incendiary tip that burns through bubble and deactivates the defensive barrier!

Captain America throws his mighty shield -- knocking Kang off his feet, while Vision takes the order to glide toward the threat and neutralize it by phasing through his body to cause him discomfort -- and submission.

Alas, Kang's futuristic defenses are vast and many. Before the android can shift his density, The Conqueror orders his ship to open fire -- blasting Vision with a massive explosion!

Thor gravely returns to the battlefield, mournfully coming face to face with Kang under the belief that his new comrades have perished. He vows to avenge his fallen allies by spilling Kang's blood.

The ferocity and power of Thor's attack is enough to cause even Kang alarm.

He desperately calls for assistance from his ship as Thor rains down bareknuckle blows against his restored force-field!

A beam of energy blasts Thor from behind and surrounds him in another bubble that is dragged towards the ship. A futuristic assault that allows Kang The Conqueror to claim the thunder god as trophy in victory.

The Hammer...

Remembering that Kang featured prominently in this issue, I figured it might be fun to go back to Heroes Reborn to take a fresh look. After all, he's given pride of place as the first real threat to the pocket universe's fully formed Avengers, after they were deployed to Norway, and recruited Thor from the side of Loki.

Some of Heroes Reborn reads like a prototype version of Ultimate Marvel, and I guess that includes the highs and lows, as Kang The Conqueror is reduced to a far less interesting villain, coming from the distant future of the 31st century for the expressed purpose of impressing Mantis by beating up history's famed Avengers and nothing much more.

It's kind of a weirdly underwhelming take on what could've been a very unique and interesting villain. One whose status outside the present-day Marvel Universe could've allowed Kang full knowledge of the battle with Onslaught, and the false new reality that was created to contain the heroes.

There doesn't appear to be any acknowledgement of the fact that Loki was accidentally sent to Limbo in the prior issue. A domain notably claimed by Kang The Conqueror in past issues of Avengers, and a natural means for alerting him to the existence of the Heroes Reborn universe.

Kang might've used his unique awareness to attempt to conquer this world and use it for his own ends -- or perhaps escape it, having been accidentally caught by Franklin Richards while travelling from the future, rather than simply being a facsimile created within the world to occupy the heroes before their return.

In that situation Kang could've been key to unravelling the mystery of this new reality, investigating the lost history of The Avengers and Fantastic Four. He could've been a pivotal figure in the whole affair! Granted, that was a role reserved for Doctor Doom, and Kang probably didn't quite have the cachet to demand that level of attention at the time. That wouldn't come until a few years later when Kurt Busiek devises the epic Kang Dynasty -- a year-long story that put Kang back on top with his conquest of the present day.

Exactly how much clarity or planning was going into the pages of Heroes Reborn's Avengers Volume 2 is not evident, and difficult to gauge.

Three hands in writing might not have helped artist Chap Yaep, whose pencils are frustratingly unfocused throughout the battle of Avengers #2. His staging too often centers around unimportant aspects of subject matter, passing up opportunities for dynamic narrative shots of characters in action, in favour of messy layouts filled with dead space, awkward zooming, literal voids, and splashes of relative inaction.

Layouts are unmistakably Liefeldian, but storytelling particularly dips here, held together by script and/or dialogue credited to Jim Valentino (script), and Jeph Loeb (dialogue), respectively. Without their words scenes become less clear.

As I recall, things settle down in the next issue, and continue to improve when Ian Churchill joins the team in Avengers #4. Even so, it isn't wildly surprising that Marvel chose to sever ties mid-series with the Rob Liefeld portion of their Image-produced Heroes Reborn titles. There is an unmistakable air of chaos and waste. A sense of carelessness, and things just barely being held together by a ballooning creative team.

The editorial shakeup reportedly happened at issue #6, and will become evident in credits for Avengers #8, when Walt Simonson formally takes over writing duties, introducing a second contrary Thor to the equation, and generally restoring more normalcy to the Avengers and their portrayals ahead of their imminent repatriation to the main universe in Heroes Reborn: The Return.

The second Thor highlights the potential complication the Heroes Reborn universe adds to our rankings, but per the rules of alternate realities, we consider these to be off-shoots connected to the main character, unless otherwise stated.

No doubt we'll return to explore more from Heroes Reborn some time in the future, as well as more from Kang The Conqueror. If you'd like to see those things and more you should follow links to topics throughout this post -- or check out the Secret Archive for a complete index of featured fights in order of publisher, series, and issue number.

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured well over 700 battles and ranked more than 1,000 iconic characters! You can make sure there are many more to come by becoming a supporter on Patreon. As a thank you for your patronage you'll find additional updates and multiple tiers to sponsor more feature content.

Get free daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day by subscribing to Twitter and Facebook, or by becoming a freebie follower on Patreon. Don't forget to smash that like, fave, and share -- and keep your eyes peeled for the week's top trending battles every Sunday on Twitter & Patreon!

Winner: Kang The Conqueror
#420 (+564) Kang The Conqueror
#7 (--) Captain America
#17 (--) Thor
#90 (--) Hawkeye
#125 (-20) Hellcat
#155 (-7) Vision
#441 (-1) Scarlet Witch
#991 (-336) Swordsman

X-FACTOR versus FRENZY

"Trials and Errors" (Marvel)
Where: X-Factor #4 When: May 1986
Why: Bob Layton How: Keith Pollard & Joe Rubinstein

The Story So Far...
The revelation that Jean Grey had survived the death of The Phoenix -- and returned from suspended animation -- brings about a reunion of the original class of X-Men, with a purpose to continue Charles Xavier's dream of peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants.

Operating under the public facade of the mutant hunting X-Factor: the group uses Angel's fortune to investigate public tips into mutant activity, secretly parlaying their knowledge to offer assistance to young mutants in need of training and guidance.

X-Factor aren't the only clandestine organization interested in the fates of their young students. From the shadows, a new threat observes first recruit, Rusty Collins, with intense interest. After the failure of mercenary Tower, this mysterious group sends another powerhouse to capture the boy. A woman named Frenzy!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Frenzy 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: Beast 6 (Genius)
Speed: Beast 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Frenzy 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Iceman 7 (Unlimited)
Fighting: Cyclops 4 (Trained)
Energy: Jean Grey 5 (Lasers)
Total: Beast 26 (Metahuman)

X-Factor are: Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast, Angel, and Iceman, with Rusty Collins.

You might recognize X-Factor as the original X-Men, who fought Sub-Mariner and the Brotherhood in X-Men #6, and have a wealth of experience behind them -- if you ignore Marvel Girl's lost years after being cocooned by The Phoenix force.

Frenzy makes her first appearance in this issue, debuting as a mysterious power house with a "steel hard" body and super-human strength. Her true name is Joanna Cargill and at this early stage she's working as field-leader for the Alliance of Evil, answering in secret to Apocalypse!

Against X-Factor she's clearly out-numbered, but Frenzy's tough exterior means she can probably withstand a standard optic blast from Cyclops, and attacks from Iceman.

Her strength is also more than a match for all but Beast -- who's just re-joined the team after experiments reverted him to his earlier furless form, putting considerable strain on his heart, in the process. He's hit the Danger Room, but it remains to be seen if there are any lingering side effects.

Angel is inexplicably our best ranked of the classic X-Men, despite a reputation for not being especially suited to combat. He challenges this notion with aerial stunts against The Executioner, The Lizard, and in a daring solo contest against Peregrine.

Is Angel likely to be a difference-maker, or could this all actually add up to giving Frenzy a fighting chance? Let's get into it to find out what happened!

The Tape: X-Factor Ranking: Angel (#49)

What Went Down...

A presenting savior turns hostile as Frenzy reveals her intentions to take Rusty Collins from the street whether he wants it or not. Her powerful hands suddenly grab at his ribs and begin to squeeze the air from his body. It's all he can do to remain conscious long enough to summon a burst of flame!

The blast startles Frenzy into loosening her grip, but has little effect on her steel-hard exterior. Even her leather clothes are completely unsinged!

Intent on completing her mission she moves upon the startled boy and smacks him through the air with a powerful backhanded slap!

The young mutant manages to roll with the blow and runs for his life!

Alas, it seems no obstacle will stand in Frenzy's way. She smashes through a concrete wall -- cutting off Rusty's frantic path through the lonely streets.

With his back to the wall it seems as if there's no hope of escape, but Frenzy's mysterious benefactor isn't the only one interested in Rusty Collins.

To the rescue comes Beast with a high impact dive kick to Frenzy's back!

X-Factor was alerted to their trainee's peril by the insightful psionic pictograms of Artie Maddicks, but their element of surprise is quickly lost.

Frenzy stands her ground and delivers a haymaker to Beast that launches him into the air!

Marvel Girl catches her teammate in the air with a telekinetic cushion that brings him down safely.

Not about to abandon her objective without a fight -- Frenzy grabs hold of a chunk of the partially demolished dilapidated tenement and brandishes it overhead with malicious intent!

The quick thinking of Cyclops reduces the would-be concrete projectile to a shower of rocks with an optic blast shattering it in Frenzy's hands!

The X-Factor leader calls for a pre-made play, inciting Angel and Marvel Girl to action for "maneuver three". A combination assault that sees Jean Grey telekinetically holding Frenzy in place, while Cyclops blasts her -- and Angel delivers a two-fisted uppercut with the momentum of a dive-bomber!

Iceman takes the opportunity to lock the super-strong villain down -- encasing her in ice and telling Rusty to make a run for it.

The deep freeze doesn't last long. A simple flex of her super-humanly powerful muscles shatters the ice around her and frees Frenzy!

Seeing X-Factor are too powerful for her to face alone, she makes a run for it, pulling down a nearby burnt-out building to cover her escape with dust and debris!

The Hammer...

A pretty good effort from Frenzy, all things considered. She held her own, and escapes to fight another day thanks to a messy, but effective exit strategy.

Next time she'll be able to even the odds with X-Factor by bringing The Alliance of Evil to back her up!

If you don't remember the Alliance of Evil - that's probably fair enough. They all skew a little generic, and are overshadowed soon enough by more enduring Horsemen of Apocalypse, who hadn't even stepped into the light at the time he was relying on the Alliance's services.

So why the sudden interest in Frenzy? Like Tempo a couple of years ago; Frenzy has emerged as one of the more intriguing candidates eligible for Marvel's 2023 X-Men Vote!

Just like Tempo she faces some pretty stiff competition, up against high-profile and seasoned former members already familiar with the team. There's Cannonball, Dazzler, Jubilee, Juggernaut, and Prodigy.

The fan-decided election will select the final member of a refreshed upcoming X-Men team: democratically elected to the Protectors of Krakoa. Former winners were Polaris and Firestar -- proving there's a chance for the second tier.

Jubilee might have the most compelling momentum right now, with a recent nuclear-explosion of her powers in X-Terminators, and an imminent nostalgia-sodden return to animation in Disney+'s X-Men 97.

The bubblegum princess of the X-Men makes sense, but there's just something interesting about a more punk rock option. Not that Frenzy is quite the same character she was when she debuted in X-Factor #4.

Her journey took her through various allegiances, from Superia's Femizons, to Magneto's Acolytes, and perhaps inevitably The Marauders. Along the way she lost a little bit of the flavour that made her original leather design a more interesting style simpatico with the ragtag mutant-killers working for Mister Sinister. She really did always look like a Marauder who strayed from the herd!

Eventually circumstances conspired to bring Frenzy into the fold with the X-Men in the late 2000s, and it feels to me like the character, although gaining greater complexity, has lost some of that tough-as-nails persona that I like about this first appearance. She might throw down with Paibok as SWORD Ambassador, but she's been softened in ways that don't quite feel right to me.

If Frenzy returns to the X-Men with the next Hellfire Gala announcement, I'd kinda like to see a makeover taking her back to this classic look. C'mon. The eighties are so hot right now, and leather and buckles feels perfect for a new Hellfire Gala look -- and maybe a new Frenzy.

Of course, maybe I just need to dig deeper into her appearances to gain greater appreciation for the nuance of her evolution. You can find future entries about Frenzy, or any of the other topics covered in today's feature, by following links throughout this post, or by checking the Secret Index.

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured well over 700 battles and ranked more than 1,000 iconic characters! You can make sure there are many more to come by becoming a supporter on Patreon. As a thank you for your patronage you'll find additional updates and multiple tiers to sponsor your own special selections!

Get free daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day by subscribing to Twitter and Facebook, or by becoming a freebie follower on Patreon. Don't forget to smash that like, fave, and share -- and keep your eyes peeled for the week's top trending battles every Sunday on Twitter & Patreon!

Winner(s): Inconclusive (Draw)
#49 (--) Angel
#55 (--) Beast
#89 (+1) Cyclops
#149 (+4) Iceman
#155 (+1) Marvel Girl (Jean Grey)
#488 (new) Frenzy
#489 (new) Firefist (Rusty Collins)