Happy new year! Season 2024 of the Secret Wars on Infinite Earths is now officially history, meaning we must convene one more time to determine the best battles of the last year! Usually we do that with a Cover To Cover spotlight, but this year we're taking advantage of the Rank & File format to determine the Top 10 Season 2024 Featured Fights as voted for by you and your views!
For a simple list without commentary you can check out the 2024 Feature Fight Recap, or revisit highlights from the previous season with the 2023 Top Featured Fights. Still can't get enough? Return to the main page to find the latest from the Comic Book Fight Club, or explore hundreds of previous featured fights in the Secret Archive! If you like what you see and want to support a bigger & better Season 2025 - consider becoming a Tier 1 subscriber on Patreon or hit the Warbonds Top 10 level to take it to the next level and choose a topic for a future Rank & File!
#1 Kraven the Hunter vs Spider-Man (Marvel)Issue: [Web of Spider-Man #31 (October 1987)]
Writer: [JM DeMatteis] Penciler: [Mike Zeck]
Featured Combatants: [Kraven the Hunter, Spider-Man]
Anticipation for another doomed Sony adaptation was already in the air at the start of Season 2024. We parlayed our grim expectations into finally delving into one of Kraven the Hunter's most defining comic book tales. It begins with a battle far more impactful than any of the theatrical version's lacklustre efforts -- making for our most popular entry of the year!
Kraven's Last Hunt is one of the legendary texts of the eighties Spider-Man canon and it was a pleasure to at long last add the catalytic struggle to the Comic Book Fight Club card! There are several important conflicts throughout the six-part crossover event, with arguably superior combat, but we had to start with the most shocking of them all. This one was on the docket for a very long time and I'm quite sure we'll be back on the hunt for more from this legendary story.
#2 Anna Williams vs Ling Xiaoyu & Panda (Titan)Issue: [Tekken: Blood Feud #1 (June 2017)]
Writer: [Cavan Scott] Penciler: [Andie Tong]
Featured Combatants: [Anna Williams, Ling Xiaoyu, Panda, Nina Williams, Paul Phoenix, Tekken Force]
2024 was a big year for fighting games and arguably the biggest of them all was Tekken 8! Long time readers will have noticed that I'm an absolute tragic for the characters and conflicts of the major fighting game franchises, with a curious tradition of getting extra excited for martial arts media at the start of a new year. Conditions were therefore ripe for taking a closer look at the 2017 comic book adaptation that loosely tied-in with the home release of Tekken 7.
I'm not sure if this one would've made my personal Top 10, but it was nice to touch upon more of the enduring icons from the Tekken franchise, and explore a comic book that was actually released in the last ten years! Gamers don't always have a reputation for being big readers, but I love discussing these worlds and play the games for that reason. Despite a schism between hardcore competitive players and "lore" enthusiasts, curiosity always seems to fuel interest in our gaming spotlights. I like to think we can be a bridge between the two fanbases.
I'm not sure if this one would've made my personal Top 10, but it was nice to touch upon more of the enduring icons from the Tekken franchise, and explore a comic book that was actually released in the last ten years! Gamers don't always have a reputation for being big readers, but I love discussing these worlds and play the games for that reason. Despite a schism between hardcore competitive players and "lore" enthusiasts, curiosity always seems to fuel interest in our gaming spotlights. I like to think we can be a bridge between the two fanbases.
#3 Prime Sentinels vs X-Men (Marvel)Issue: [X-Men #65 (June 1997)]
Writer: [Scott Lobdell] Penciler: [Carlos Pacheco]
Featured Combatants: [Prime Sentinels, Cannonball, Storm, Wolverine, Jean Grey, Cyclops]
The nineties were back in a big way in 2024 thanks in no small part to the animated series revival of X-Men '97! The cartoon throwback introduced a whole new audience to the forgotten threat of Bastion and his adaptive cybernetic Prime Sentinels, stoking interest in their comic book origins from a variety of readers, new & old!
It's often been all too easy to forget my X-Men fandom and it was a wonderful year for reconnecting with Marvel's merry mutants. There were much bigger marquee match-ups featured on the site, but as a reflection of what was hot in 2024, this unlikely Top 3 ranking of Prime Sentinels captures an aspect of the zeitgeist. After all, in addition to being featured in of one of the hottest and most anticipated multimedia adaptations of the year, the concept's legacy was also reflected in the From The Ashes comic book relaunch that included a new Sentinels series.
#4 Beast vs Secret Empire Spy (Marvel)Issue: [Amazing Adventures #11 (March 1972)]
Writer: [Gerry Conway] Penciler: [Tom Sutton]
Featured Combatants: [Beast, Bennie]
When it comes to these year-end lists I'm sometimes surprised by what garners the most interest from you - the reader. It's easy to assume certain characters and big time match-ups command the most attention, but often unlikely curiosities break through the noise to rise to the top. Case in point: the significant, but slightly less-than-sexy battle between Beast and an anonymous corporate spy.
I found myself brimming with enthusiasm while reading the Beast issues of Amazing Adventures and felt compelled to share the good word despite this particular issue not exactly lending itself to our fight-focused format, and there not really being any associated reason.
The issue is history-making for being the first outing of Beast as a furry manimal, but there is so much more to enjoy than just that trivia note. I didn't necessarily think it would hit big, but it turns out it was intriguing enough to be an instant hit and finish the year a Top 5 entry! Go figure!
I found myself brimming with enthusiasm while reading the Beast issues of Amazing Adventures and felt compelled to share the good word despite this particular issue not exactly lending itself to our fight-focused format, and there not really being any associated reason.
The issue is history-making for being the first outing of Beast as a furry manimal, but there is so much more to enjoy than just that trivia note. I didn't necessarily think it would hit big, but it turns out it was intriguing enough to be an instant hit and finish the year a Top 5 entry! Go figure!
#5 Wolverine vs Elektra (Marvel)Issue: [Wolverine #103 (July 1996)]
Writer: [Larry Hama] Penciler:[Vel Semeiks]
Featured Combatants: [Wolverine, Elektra]
Cartoons and comic book revivals fueled X-Mania throughout 2024, but there might not have been any bigger source of excitement than the blockbuster theatrical intrigue of the long-awaited Deadpool & Wolverine movie. It notably brought Hugh Jackman back to his star-making role, while canonizing the fashion of more comics-accurate costumes, but he wasn't the only comeback that got people talking -- and hitting the site!
Jennifer Garner was one of a handful of cameos appearing in the live-action capper -- and that was all the reason I needed to finally dig in to a match-up that has always been an intriguing consideration. The bone-claw, noseless period for Wolverine isn't exactly anyone's favourite, but his moment of re-training with Elektra is exactly the kind of fight-focused curiosity we like to dig up. It was a nice chance to finally explore some more from Elektra, who's been criminally under featured, despite making waves as a controversial new Daredevil in recent comic books.
Jennifer Garner was one of a handful of cameos appearing in the live-action capper -- and that was all the reason I needed to finally dig in to a match-up that has always been an intriguing consideration. The bone-claw, noseless period for Wolverine isn't exactly anyone's favourite, but his moment of re-training with Elektra is exactly the kind of fight-focused curiosity we like to dig up. It was a nice chance to finally explore some more from Elektra, who's been criminally under featured, despite making waves as a controversial new Daredevil in recent comic books.
#6 Blade vs Gambit (Marvel)Issue: [Gambit #4 (May 1999)]
Writer: [Fabian Nicieza] Penciler: [Steve Skroce]
Featured Combatants: [Blade, Gambit]
This one had been sitting on my desk for quite a few years, and I was already thinking about it coming up to X-Men '97, so the second I heard Channing Tatum and Wesley Snipes would have cameos as Gambit and Blade in the Deadpool & Wolverine movie -- I knew it was finally going to be time to pull the trigger!
In my mind this was one of the most intriguing battles of the year, and honestly I'm a little surprised it didn't finish higher up the list. By the late nineties I was oscillating between kinda liking and kinda cringing at Gambit, so his solo series went largely unnoticed by me during a period when I was reading less comics. That gives this unlikely dream match even more exotic appeal -- even if the results of their battle are kind of par for the course. I think this entry is a little underrated and time might correct that.
In my mind this was one of the most intriguing battles of the year, and honestly I'm a little surprised it didn't finish higher up the list. By the late nineties I was oscillating between kinda liking and kinda cringing at Gambit, so his solo series went largely unnoticed by me during a period when I was reading less comics. That gives this unlikely dream match even more exotic appeal -- even if the results of their battle are kind of par for the course. I think this entry is a little underrated and time might correct that.
#7 Deadpool vs Wolverine (Marvel)Issue: [Wolverine #88 (December 1994)]
Writer: [Larry Hama] Artists: [Adam Kubert & Fabio Laguna]
Featured Combatants: [Deadpool, Wolverine]
This one was an obligatory entry in a year of the Deadpool & Wolverine movie, which might've made it feel a bit played out by the time we put this particular match-up under the Secret Wars on Infinite Earths microscope. Coming in at #7 is no shame, but we might've expected it to rank higher given its importance to 2024.
We could hardly ignore the marquee appeal of these two massively popular mainstream characters, and I was pleased to finally take a closer look at a Sliding Doors white whale issue in my collection, but even I can admit that it might not be one of my personal Top 10 for the last year. That's right! I'm turning heel on the data!
We could hardly ignore the marquee appeal of these two massively popular mainstream characters, and I was pleased to finally take a closer look at a Sliding Doors white whale issue in my collection, but even I can admit that it might not be one of my personal Top 10 for the last year. That's right! I'm turning heel on the data!
If you checked out the featured fight in detail, you would've discovered that the revelation of the Deadpool and Wolverine dynamic is that they don't really have a very compelling comic book history. At least not in their first outing. I'll leave it to the featured article to explain that in more depth, but suffice it to say I'm not too disappointed that this one only managed to reach #7 on our list.
#8 Sabretooth vs Wolverine (Marvel)Issue: [Uncanny X-Men #212 (December 1986)]
Writer: [Chris Claremont] Penciler: [Rick Leonardi]
Featured Combatants: [Wolverine, Sabretooth]
A more surprising entry this low on our list is the first comic book encounter between Wolverine and his arch-nemesis Sabretooth! This legendary rivalry is steeped in vicious conflict and it's always been an ambition to see their blood feud better represented here on the site.
Enthusiasm for Wolverine's big screen return made it the perfect time to finally take a closer look at one of their many famous battles -- not that I need a lot of excuses to dig back into the brown costume, eighties era of Wolverine and the X-Men. This is the good stuff and I would probably rank it one of my personal favourite features of the year.
The cover of the issue declares it "Round 1", giving away that it was merely the beginning of a beautiful hatred. Did they know they were creating one of the greatest enduring feuds in comic book history? Perhaps, but it's also a sign that this was part of the famous Mutant Massacre crossover -- another subject I've been wanting to examine for a very long time!
Enthusiasm for Wolverine's big screen return made it the perfect time to finally take a closer look at one of their many famous battles -- not that I need a lot of excuses to dig back into the brown costume, eighties era of Wolverine and the X-Men. This is the good stuff and I would probably rank it one of my personal favourite features of the year.
The cover of the issue declares it "Round 1", giving away that it was merely the beginning of a beautiful hatred. Did they know they were creating one of the greatest enduring feuds in comic book history? Perhaps, but it's also a sign that this was part of the famous Mutant Massacre crossover -- another subject I've been wanting to examine for a very long time!
#9 Ryu vs Dhalsim (Tokuma)Issue: [Street Fighter II #3 (June 1994)]
Writer: [Masaomi Kanzaki] Penciler: [Masaomi Kanzaki]
Recent Combatants: [Dhalsim, Ryu]
2013's Street Fighter 6 was a triumphant return to form for the legendary fighting game series, advancing storytelling interests developed in Street Fighter V, with an intuitive and well executed sandbox environment. The newest game finally allowed players to explore the famous world of warriors -- but in days of yore, the only way to do that was in extra media like the Tokuma Shoten manga series released in conjunction with Street Fighter II.
The English-language release of this martial arts curiosity has become an on-going project for Secret Wars on Infinite Earths and it was nice to advance our rankings with another deep dive into the localized action of Masaomi Kanzaki's now-classic work.
Like the higher ranked entry for Tekken; the Top 10 ranking of our Street Fighter feature reminds that there's a healthy appetite amongst gamers for the story-driven exploits of these characters, as well as the fun that can be had taking control of them. I hope we'll be able to explore more in the new year.
#10 Batman vs Penguin (DC)Issue: [Detective Comics #611 (February 1990)]
Writer: [Alan Grant] Penciler: [Norm Breyfogle]
Featured Combatants: [The Penguin, Batman]
Times have been tough for DC Entertainment, and they only just managed to squeak an entry into our Top 10 list this year. There weren't a lot of options to choose from in our 2024 line-up, leaving the heavy lifting to be done by Batman, and a couple of entries inspired by the live-action Penguin series starring Colin Farrel and Cristin Milioti.
The eight episode HBO series significantly reimagines The Penguin for a movie-watching audience, but we went to the comic books to take a closer look at a version of the classic umbrella-wielding bad guy that skews a little more legit.
It was another nice excursion into 1990 and the post-Crisis DC Universe, but if I'm honest I probably would've selected the other Batman feature from this year, or one of the many other selections relegated to our Bringing Up The Rear consolation list [below].
It was another nice excursion into 1990 and the post-Crisis DC Universe, but if I'm honest I probably would've selected the other Batman feature from this year, or one of the many other selections relegated to our Bringing Up The Rear consolation list [below].
Bringing Up The Rear:
Blackheart vs Daredevil & Spider-Man, Punisher vs Kingpin, Wolverine & Hulk vs Wendigo, Iron Man vs Magneto, Cassandra Nova vs Professor X, Storm vs Callisto, Batman vs Sofia Gigante Falcone
Remember: The Rank & File Top 10 is typically determined by recorded win/loss rankings -- or other data -- at the time of publication. What was your favourite entry of Season 2024? What do you hope to see in 2025? Share your Top 10 Battles of 2024 in the comments below, hit me up on Twitter [aka; X], and become a Patreon subscriber to choose the next Rank & File Top 10 topic!
