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.

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: 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

TITANIA versus FANTASTIC FOUR

Tempest Without, Crisis Within! (Marvel)
Where: Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #3 When: July 1984 Why: Jim Shooter How: Mike Zeck

The Story So Far...
In the cold vacuum of distant space -- the sudden emergence of a space station filled with some of the mightiest heroes and villains of Earth!

Gathered together by some awesome, unknown force, they are issued a simple decree: "I am from beyond! Slay your enemies and all your desires shall be yours! Nothing you dream of is impossible for me to accomplish!"

Deposited to a planet created by this mysterious Beyonder from pieces of other worlds -- forces align to fight a war of good & evil unseen by human eyes. Leading a rabble of the disagreeable and devious: Doctor Doom seeks to enhance his forces with the creation of two new super-villains to join an attack at dawn!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Thing 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Mr. Fantastic 6 (Genius)
Speed: Human Torch 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Thing 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Mr. Fantastic 6 (Rubber)
Fighting: Thing 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Human Torch 7 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Human Torch 23 (Champion)

Plucked from the obscurity of a Denver town during The Beyonder's construction of Battleworld; Mary MacPherran was discovered by Doctor Doom and granted super-human powers using alien technology found on the composite planet.

As Titania she gratefully received super-human strength, durability, and stamina, further bolstering Doom's forces in the Secret Wars against Earth's mightiest heroes -- and a few of his conspiring contemporaries as well!

The Fantastic Four are: Mister Fantastic, Human Torch, and Thing.

The foursome is actually a trio -- unaccompanied by the Invisible Woman, who stays safe at home, heavily pregnant.

Further depleting the ranks is the unexpected transformation of The Thing into his human alter-ego of Benjamin Grimm. It marks a noted loss of strength for the seasoned threesome as they find themselves under surprise attack from an unfamiliar adversary!

Ordinarily Thing would probably go head-to-head with Titania without too much issue, but it'll be up to Mister Fantastic and Human Torch to fend for themselves and their powerless friend. A rare, but not unheard of predicament.

Though generally known for his smarts, Reed Richards can stretch his abilities to combat - particularly when the family's involved.

We saw Reed rough up the Sub-Mariner during a jealous grudge match in FF #412, and outfight the Super-Apes in a dramatic lone stand during FF (Vol.3) #3. Of course, he also found himself twisted and tossed aside by the likes of Hulk in FF #12 and FF #374, and the impossibly powerful Gladiator in FF #249.

In her first outing it remains to be seen if Titania is as strong or durable as those high-level competitors. She's certainly highly motivated and eager to test her strength. So let's see what happened...

The Tape: Fantastic Four Ranking: Mister Fantastic (#11)

What Went Down...

There are no obstacles awaiting Doctor Doom as he pilots a flying ship filled with an army of villains towards the heroes' headquarters. Unchallenged -- he prepares them for ramming speed and crashes directly into the undefended complex!

From the heart of the sprawling facility Doom strikes -- directing The Wrecker to his mission to free Kang, Enchantress, and The Wrecking Crew from imprisonment -- while the other villains spill outward to cause maximum mayhem!

The first heroes alerted to the assault are the Fantastic Four -- now a threesome, with the powerless human form of Ben Grimm standing to his feet as Human Torch and Mister Fantastic spot the disturbance outside.

The very window they're peering through betrays them as Titania comes calling.

Her newfound super-human strength gets its first test drive as she smashes the exterior wall into the large table seating the FF!

Only the Human Torch remains conscious, nursing a broken arm and ribs as he points his right hand toward the attacker and douses her in flames!

The blazing fire engulfs Titania, deterring her just long enough for the Human Torch to blast his way through the floor, allowing he and his fellows to drop to the safety of the lower levels.

Titania stands ready at the hole's edge -- a job well done.

The Hammer...

I suppose I should take a moment to bask in the collective sigh of relief now that Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars is finally on the record!

In the age of SEO you might've presumed it would be one of the first things featured on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, but life online wasn't always about being so damn obvious, and I've always preferred to go where whim takes me.

Once we finally crossed off Crisis on Infinite Earths, Secret Wars obviously started burning up the To Do list -- and let's be honest: It has always been a point of interest that I've wanted to get to. I just never imagined this is where we'd start!

With Titania making her live-action debut in She-Hulk on Disney+, it felt like the right time to finally dig into the famous Marvel maxi-series, which essentially came together to sell some action figures, but also introduced a few enduring ideas and new additions to the Marvel pantheon.

Titania's first official fight in print wasn't exactly a barn burner, but she makes a heckuva strong impression with her total bamboozling of the Fantastic Four!

Today we might think of her as more of a She-Hulk villain, but it makes sense that her first conflict might be with the FF. After all, she was granted her super-human strength by Doctor Doom, and was itching to prove herself with worthy combat.

It's actually one of several small skirmishes breaking out, by happenstance, as Doom deploys his villainous troops to wreak havoc on the unsuspecting heroes while The Wrecker recovers prisoners.

That element of tactical deployment and human-resource management is one of the things that makes Secret Wars appealing. It won't quite achieve the status of a true war story with super-heroes, but it at least flirts with the concept beyond a clumsy series of indistinguishable fights transparently advertising a toy line.

She-Hulk happens to be the next target featured after today's fight, surprised by another Secret Wars debutante - Volcana. Proximity that perhaps subconsciously alludes to the characters' future associations, including She-Hulk's admission to the Fantastic Four as a stand-in for The Thing, who'd already subbed out in the pages of Fantastic Four #265.

A lot of what makes Titania enduring is here right from the start.

As soon as she receives her powers -- a painful process that requires whole-heartedly embracing them at risk of destruction -- she has a costume ready, and  comes up with an alias on the spot. Truth be told it's probably my favourite Titania look. Leather pro wrestling chic with thorny spikes up & down the sleeves.

A quick flex lifting & throwing a few tonnes of slag melted by Volcana, and she's ready to rumble. Doctor Doom introduces his new recruits to the rest of the squad, and Titania makes a beeline for a lazily lounging Absorbing Man looking for a rumble: "I'm going to do anything I want to you! Everything I always wanted to do to everybody who used to be bigger and stronger than me! Maybe I'll just play with you... or maybe I'll make you eat dirt..."

The vaguely flirtatious threat is met with indifference as Absorbing Man blows off the challenge from "a dame" at least until tomorrow. A dynamic that might be seen as dismissive, but feels more like the playful preview of a lasting relationship that will be forged between the couple as super-human equals.

That's a combination I look forward to exploring further in future updates. For now: we need to make a call about this result.

Although the Fantastic Four look in pretty bad shape, Human Torch ensures they slink away quickly before the fight really takes off. In the next issue Hulk will still be carrying an unconscious Mister Fantastic and Ben Grimm, with the Torch nursing his injuries. I'm inclined to take this compelling outcome into account and deem this a debut win for Titania. Agree or disagree? Hit the comments below.

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured almost 700 battles and ranked well over 1000 characters! You can find more from your favourite characters & topics by following links throughout each entry, or by diving into the Secret Archive for a complete index of featured fights by publisher, series, and issue number.

If you like what we're all about and want to help the site continue to grow become a supporter on Patreon! You'll get warm kudos and respect from your peers for being such a fine, discerning patron, and also unlock access to additional updates, sponsored article options, and various other things.

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Winner: Titania
#352 (new) Titania
#14 (--) Human Torch
#11 (--) Mister Fantastic
#13 (--) Thing

CAPTAIN MARVEL versus CAPTAIN SIVANA

"With One Magic Word" (DC)
Where: DC Comics Presents Annual #3 When: 1984
Why: Roy Thomas, Julius Schwartz, Gil Kane & Joey Cavalieri How: Gil Kane

The Story So Far...
Captain Marvel may've thwarted the wicked designs of Doctor Sivana hundreds of times before -- but this time the mad scientist has a plan to even the playing field!

Years of research have uncovered a way to mesmerize the Wizard Shazam, granting Sivana full license over The Rock of Eternity, and the magics that power Captain Marvel! Thus, he is able to invent a device capable of splitting the mystic lightning that transforms Billy Batson -- siphoning its pantheon of powers for himself!

When the villain threatens to vaporize every major city in the United States unless Captain Marvel faces him -- the trap is sprung! While Captain Marvel unwittingly leaps into action with a brand new set of feeble foibles, his usual sextet of legendary abilities now powers Captain Sivana!!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Captain Marvel 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Dr. Sivana 6 (Genius)
Speed: Captain Marvel 5 (Super-Human)
Stamina: Captain Marvel 6 (Generator)
Agility: Mary Marvel 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Captain Marvel 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Dr. Sivana 4 (Arsenal)
Total: Captain Marvel 30 (Super)

A classic case of super-human brawn against a malevolent mind? Not this time!

Captain Marvel's usual powers have been replaced with some of the most unflattering traits described in myth and legend! He's now burdened with: Solomon's love of luxury, Hercules' bad judgment, Atlas' rebelliousness, Zeus' arrogance, Achilles' wrathfulness, and Mercury's mischievousness. Bad news!

The closest example we have of anything similar is the time Mary Marvel was subverted by the sinister influence of Darkseid and the evil New Gods. This was merely a plot to corrupt her, meaning she was still strong enough to defeat Wonder Woman [Final Crisis #3], and match Supergirl [Final Crisis #6].

In today's battle Captain Marvel has actively been weakened, while Doctor Sivana receives the full benefit of his pantheon's legendary powers: The wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles, and the speed of Mercury.

Dr. Thaddeus Bodog Sivana is already a brilliant scientific mind whose acumen was shunned by the science community of his age. He used his incredible inventions to leave the Earth, but returned with a vengeance, developing a particular hatred for "big red cheese" Captain Marvel, and his heroic allies.

We saw Sivana combine magic and science to successfully infiltrate and capture the Marvel Family in Convergence Shazam #1. He wielded a dangerous ray gun against Tawky Tawny, only clearly defeated when the battle with his Monster Society of Evil allies brought the underground lair in on itself.

Captain Marvel emerged triumphant from the rubble in that encounter, but this time it's Sivana will have the strength to escape any such circumstance!

Cap's no stranger to fighting the might that usually empowers him. As a former champion: Black Adam has notoriously used the powers of Shazam for selfish and violent ends. We saw Adam and Marvel come to blows in Hawkman #24, where the tyrannical Adam relied on telepath Brainwave to break the deadlock.

The odds are seemingly stacked against our hero! Sivana has the element of surprise and command of high-level strength and devious brilliance! Still linked to his mighty pantheon, there's hope Captain Marvel might be able to access the virtues that've been stripped of him. If that doesn't happen, it'll take a mighty miracle to stop the self-proclaimed Captain Sivana. Let's see what happened!

The Tape: Captain Marvel Ranking: Captain Marvel (#69)

What Went Down...
Unaware of the events that have already transpired -- Captain Marvel leaps out the Whiz Station broadcast building to confront his threatening arch-nemesis. When he meets the megalomaniacal menace in the skies above Fawcett City, he's introduced to a very unexpected opponent: Captain Sivana!

Unimpressed by the Doctor's new self-appointed title, Captain Marvel stays the course to challenge his foe's show of power head-on!

Captain Sivana is not only willing to accept the challenge, but also more than capable of backing up his boasts! Their fists clash, but it's Sivana who breaks the stalemate, following his blocked two-fisted swing with a stiff jab!

More shocking than Sivana's sudden increase in strength is the pain now aching through Captain Marvel! He wonders if Alas' stamina has begun to fail him, only to have the theory tested with a devastating right hand!

Captain Sivana taunts his foe, swiftly catching up with his hurtling body to deliver a knock-out uppercut! The blow sends Captain Marvel plunging toward the busy streets below as onlookers watch in stunned horror!

Unable to correct his course, Marvel wonders where the speed of Mercury is in his time of need. It soon finds him -- as Sivana uses it to swoop in and prevent his foe's untimely demise! He catches Marvel by the belt with the promise of more punishment to come -- an action witnessed from the street by Mary Batson and Freddy Freeman, aka; Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr!

With his arch-nemesis slung over his shoulder; Captain Sivana sees the Marvel Family duo and sends his hi-tech flying ship on a nosedive toward the populated city. They have no choice but to abandon chase to save the public below!

Meanwhile, Doctor Sivana carries his nemesis on a journey to the one place his friends won't look for him - The Rock of Eternity! Once there, Sivana revels in revealing the unconscious Wizard Shazam and the details of his grand scheme.

Quick to temper with the wrathfulness of Achilles and arrogance of Zeus, Captain Marvel threatens his nemesis - but it's for naught! Sivana effortlessly lifts him off the ground with one hand and takes flight around the rock face!

Spiraling downward they come to The Rock of Eternity's base, where all it takes is a single swipe to carve a hole big enough to imprison a man! Sivana tosses his hapless nemesis in to the makeshift cave -- sending the back of Captain Marvel's head into the rocks with a sickening impact!

Then the villain replaces the rock -- trapping the weakened Marvel inside!

The Hammer...
A convincing win for a dubiously promoted-in-the-field Doctor Sivana -- but by no means the end of the story!

As soon as "Captain Sivana" succeeds in beating and imprisoning the disoriented Captain Marvel -- the Rock of Eternity is set upon by Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr! A Marvel Family melee to be revisited in a future featured fight.

It should be noted, there are several skirmishes throughout the entirety of this action-packed issue! DC Comics Presents Annual #3 is well known for Sivana's theft of Captain Marvel's powers, but it's also one of a handful of crossovers between the then-separate Earth-One and Earth-S. That means a meeting between "Earth's Mightiest Mortal" and "The Man of Steel" Superman!

We've looked at the storied rivalry between Captain Marvel and Superman in a handful of battles taken from: Action Comics Annual #4, Kingdom Come #4, Superman/Batman #4, and Superman #216.

Similarities between the iconic pair -- who were the subject of real-world litigation and countless fan debates -- makes it a great match-up! That said, I've got to admit to feeling some serious fatigue for heroes fighting heroes. It's become so common place it's passé, coupled with a glorification of villains that's contributing to the increasing sense that nothing in comics really matters.

In 1984's DC Comics Presents Annual #3, fans are still treated to a clash between the Power of SHAZAM and Superman. It's just through the more palatable prism of Superman fighting a powered-up Doctor Sivana.

I really enjoy the inventive way the "SHAZAM" acronym is subverted for this story. It's slightly trixy to have the mystic lightning bolt split so easily, but if you give them that one conceit, it's worth it for the effortless mining of classic myth.

We know Captain Marvel draws strength from ancient legends. It makes sense that Sivana would draw from stories that didn't always show the heroes and gods in such positive light -- while taking their real power for himself.

Sometimes it's easy to be dismissive of villains who fulfill a direct reflection and counterpart role to a hero, but this is an example of their value. We get to explore the inevitable fantasy of one hero's power against another, but aren't required to shatter a sense of verisimilitude through clumsy justifications for a misunderstanding, or similar cliché. Better still, subtle differences in a villain's personality offer a slightly new perspective, removing the restraints necessary of hero-on-hero violence. Sivana is already brilliant -- what happens when he adds the wisdom of Solomon and the strength of Hercules to his cruelty?

As I've explored in other recent entries, I prefer a Captain Marvel who remains relatively unchanged by time. As Superman drifts through changing attitudes and styles, it can only be to the benefit of Captain Marvel to hold true to warm, simple values that inform an increasingly unique personality, as time goes on.

As SHAZAM! reaches worldwide release in theatres this week, I find myself drained of enthusiasm for a project that should've been a layup. An underlying mean-spirit, and direction away from things that make its characters unique, belie a defiantly amusing and good-natured DCEU entry. It won't succumb to being completely generic, and in today's super-hero movie slate that's usually enough. It's never-the-less disappointing to see it aim so low.

Fans who haven't read DC Comics Presents Annual #3 may be familiar with its premise thanks to an adaptation for the Batman: Brave and the Bold animated series. I not only think it was a great episode of one of the greatest DC Comics cartoons of all time! I would also suggest their earnest take on Captain Marvel (and Billy Batson) stands as one of the best in recent memory!

If you do want to read today's featured issue in your hands you might have to do some digging. At the time of this writing, collected editions are getting scarce, but you will find the relevant issue collected in the Amazon links embedded here [to the right].

Follow links throughout this post or just dive into the Secret Archive to discover more from the worlds of DC Comics and beyond! Every featured fight is a window to something new! You can also get links to battles inspired by the topics of the day by following Secret Wars on Infinite Earths on Twitter and Facebook! Be sure to hit those share options!

Winner: Doctor Sivana
#339 (+222) Doctor Sivana
#75 (-6) Captain Marvel
#42 (--) Captain Marvel Jr [+1 assist]
#110 (--) Mary Marvel [+1 assist]

NINJA TURTLES versus THE SHREDDER

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Mirage Studios)
Where: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 When: May 1984 Why: Kevin Eastman & Peter Laird How: Kevin Eastman & Peter Laird

The Story So Far...
From the shadows they strike! Four highly skilled ninja warriors fighting New York City's criminal gangs. They are mistakes of science - four turtles mutated by an unknown ooze that transformed them into walking, talking turtles!

Trained by a mutated rat called Splinter, they are four brothers bound by an ancient code of honor. A code that will bring them into conflict with a deadly enemy from Splinter's past!

The sensei's teachings come from Japan, where he was once pet rat of a legendary martial artist named Hamato Yoshi. A rival for the love of fair Tang Shen, he was forced to beat jealous Oroku Nagi to save her life. Years later, Hamato Yoshi was slain by Nagi's brother - Oroku Saki: The Shredder!

Fifteen years later, The Turtles must avenge the death of Yamato Yoshi and bring an end to The Shredder's rule over the American branch of the Foot Clan!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Shredder 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: Donatello 5 (Professor)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Shredder 6 (Generator)
Agility: Draw 4 (Gymnastic)
Fighting: Draw 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Shredder 3 (Explosives)


We've been adding some pretty big names to The Comic Book Fight Club this year, but today we add comic book royalty! For decades they set a standard as the biggest independent comics property to launch as a mainstream brand! As a consequence, they've been a pretty formidable fighting force in every medium you can think of! Today we're going back to the comic that started it all for a very special, legendary milestone fight!

The Turtles are: Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael & Michaelangelo.

If you know anything about today's protagonists, it's that they're teenaged mutant ninja turtles. They were trained in the martial arts by Splinter - a mutated rat who was once a pet of Japanese ninjitsu master: Hamato Yoshi.

Yoshi was considered the greatest warrior among the mysterious Foot Clan, and by mimicking his training, Splinter excelled as a master practitioner of ninjitsu.

Displaced by his master's murder; Splinter was exposed to the same glowing ooze that accidentally met four domestic pet turtles. The five mutated into extraordinary walking, talking, humanoid beings! Taking refuge in the sewers of New York City, Splinter raised the turtles as his adopted sons, teaching them an honorable code of the ninja as they remained hidden in the shadows.

The Shredder is Oroku Saki: young member of the Foot Clan who quickly rose through the assassin ranks to be chosen leader of their expansion into the United States.

Saki led the Foot's insinuation into the New York criminal underworld, offering smuggled drugs, weapons, and assassination. His true desire: murderous revenge against Hamato Yoshi and his wife Tang Shen for their involvement in the death of his older brother - Oroku Nagi!

This tangled web of honor and revenge brings us to the fight at hand!

The Shredder uses armor and bladed guards to compliment his already deadly mastery of the assassin's fighting arts. The turtles have the natural armoring of their mutated shells, but favour speed and agility to make the most of their weapons styles!

The advent of color in TMNT comics told us The Turtles all wear red in their original comic book incarnations. This means it's their trademark weapons that really tell them apart! Leonardo wields dual katanas, Michaelangelo swings nunchaku, Donatello favors the long bo staff, and Raphael strikes with twin sai!

The Turtles clearly have a numbers advantage, but The Shredder fights dirty, and made them battle his Foot Clan ninja before reaching him. Even though The Turtles handled them with ease, they're carrying fresh wounds into the final fight! You may know Shredder as the bumbling foil of the 1987 cartoon, but make no mistake - the comics world is a dark, dangerous place where the Turtles face genuine peril!

The Math: The Turtles Ranking: Draw (Not Ranked)

What Went Down...
With his Foot minions defeated, The Shredder challenges The Turtles to face him one at a time, or all at once! Now the students will face a master!

Raphael is the first attack! He pays for his brashness, leaping into a slash of The Shredder's bladed gauntlet! Donatello is the next to feel his sting, as sharpened steel rakes through turtle flesh! The Shredder follows with a direct kick to the face. He mocks his opponent: "Hah! You left yourself wide open! You are much too slow!"

Michaelangelo attempts to get the drop on The Shredder, and successfully makes contact - but the master effortlessly tosses him away!

Shredder calls upon the only remaining turtle - the sword wielding "gaijin" Leonardo! He charges at his foe and Leonardo leaps to meet him. The pair meet in an explosion of sparks as metal grinds against metal!

Leonardo's blades find their arrogant target, giving The Shredder a taste of what its like to feel his torso sliced! The mutant turtle doesn't walk away unscathed, though. Realizing they are outmatched, the Turtles realize they must shift tactics, fighting together - and from a distance!

One turtle tosses three shuriken, another three darts! The Shredder does his best to dodge and deflect the attack with his armor. Raphael ups the stakes, hurling his sai blades like deadly missiles! Shredder is forced to leap out of the way -- making his landing on top of an unforgiving knee to the gut!

A palm strike to his helmet's face plate staggers The Shredder backward. Leonardo comes from behind with a katana to the back! Donatello strikes from the front - swinging his staff so hard it breaks the helmet apart! He's quick to call The Shredder's defeat. He suffers for his over confidence with a devastating straight kick to the stomach! Oroku Saki surveys his enemies with contempt.

Leonardo and Shredder leap toward each one more time. This time, Leonardo's aim is true. His blade unimpeded as it skewers through Oroku Saki's body!

The Turtles loom over their defeated opponent, but ignore his demands to finish it. They are not without honor - unlike Oroku Saki! Leonard hands the defeated warrior one of his bloodied katanas and offers him the chance to redeem himself with an act of ritual seppuku. The dishonorable Shredder has other ideas...

Producing a thermite grenade, Oroku Saki plots to destroy The Turtles along with himself! Spotting the danger - Donatello hurls his staff like a javelin!

The impact of the wood's end striking Shredder's bloodied face sends him tumbling over the rooftop edge! The bomb detonates a safe distance below!

When bruised and battered Turtles make their way to the alley below, all they find is a single gauntlet. Their master's master Hamato Yoshi is avenged. Oroku Saki is dead!

The Hammer...
It's fair to say Leonardo and Donatello were the MVPs, but victory could not have been attained if not for the combined efforts of The Ninja Turtles! We welcome them into the ranks as mutual winners over The Shredder!

If you only know Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from the 1987 cartoon series, or the more recent feature films and 2012 Nickelodeon series, this battle may have been a rude awakening! A callous introduction to the real Ninja Turtles!

Where acts of violence have always been a carefully negotiated minefield in the various multimedia spin-offs; The Turtles were fully unleashed in their earliest comic book adventures!

Leondaro's katana blades finally made perfect sense amidst the spray of villain's blood. Robot minions needn't apply. This was the grim and gritty mid-eighties in full force. A contrast I certainly found jarring when I first discovered the comics as a young fan of the eighties cartoon! Punchlines and pantomime had been the weapon of the color-coded cartoon turtles. In comics, they were bathed in shadow, clad in uniform red, and facing a harsh world with grit teeth.

The secret origin of the Turtles is the stuff of comic book legend. A fabled night of comic book jamming between two independent artists - Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Frumpy, heavily armed turtles gave rise to a cheese grater for an arch-villain. Equal parts parody and loving homage to the work of Frank Miller.

The ninja-laden saga of Daredevil and Elektra had already been unleashed upon the world by Marvel Comics. It was still a couple of years before The Dark Knight Returns would hit hard. TMNT was arguably the first of a generation that would spawn from grim & gritty introspection. They got in while it was still fun, filtering the mindsight through youthful enthusiasm, and maybe some of the existing Eastern influence that was already there in film and pop culture.

There's no pizza here. No gratuitous gadgets or vehicles destined for the toy store. Just a dedication to Miller and Jack Kirby from two enthusiastic fans. Raw independent comics driven by inspiration, love for the medium, and with no thought for tomorrow. That's why, as legend has it, The Shredder was never intended to survive this first issue. When he fell and exploded Oroku Saki truly died. There was no guarantee there'd be another issue!

Of course, Shredder did come back. How could he not? Cartoons and movies weren't just arbitrarily picking out the first bad guy to anchor their heroes serial adventures. Shredder is a bad ass bad guy!

As a stand-alone adventure, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 just packs so much into its forty pages! It's a joy to behold. Reinvigorating. Like being caught in a cloud of creative pollen. It's a well rounded saga in a single issue, replete with enough backstory to fuel years worth of issues! That was something the 2003 animated series made very good use of - adapting this, and other comics, into an unfolding story of many episodes. Their version of the first major Shredder confrontation - episodes seven and eight!

I can't say I have the same enthusiasm for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows -- the feature film sequel out today (June 3rd).

The newest mutation of movie Turtles has grappled with misguided direction since launching in 2014. The sequel tries to pull things back from the brink, injecting more of the eighties cartoon to pander to some version of purists I'm not sure exists.

I'm certainly not about to say I haven't greatly appreciated having a reason to plug back into my lapsed Ninja Turtles fandom. I just think there are far better ways to do it!

If you agree, then you may like to join me by going back to the earliest years of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! You don't need to spend a fortune to go back to 1984. Just use the Amazon link provided [right]! By doing so, it helps out The Comic Book Fight Club, too!

Winners: The Turtles
#169 (new) Donatello [+1 kill]
#170 (new) Leonardo [+1 kill]
#285 (new) Raphael
#286 (new) Michaelangelo
#786 (new) The Shredder

JUGGERNAUT versus COLOSSUS

He'll Never Make Me Cry (Marvel)
Where: Uncanny X-Men #183 When: July 1984
Why: Chris Claremont How: John Romita Jr & Dan Green

The Story So Far...
Returned from the violent ordeal of The Beyonder's "Secret Wars": Colossus is a changed man! He was badly injured in battle with The Wrecking Crew, but the wounds that hurt him most are of the heart and soul!

While on Battleworld, Colossus had found himself deeply in love with one of the planet's native inhabitants -- a healer named Zsaji! She was a vital ally to the besieged heroes, sustaining them with her incredible powers. Alas; it was her powers that inspired The Beyonder to hatch a plot made reality by the power-stealing Dr. Doom! The heroes were helpless as Zsaji's life-force was sacrificed a final time so that they may live.

Carrying Zsaji's memory back to Earth, Colossus confronts his greatest love: Kitty Pryde. Intent on honouring both, the mighty mutant confesses his feelings for the deceased healer. The truth breaks poor Kitty's heart, and raises the ire of fellow X-Man Wolverine! He intends to give Colossus a good talking to - maybe worse - but when Nightcrawler joins them on their trip to a Manhattan bar, they're all in for a lesson in the dangers of barroom brawling...

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Juggernaut 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Colossus 2 (Average)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Juggernaut 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Colossus 2 (Average)
Fighting: Colossus 4 (Trained)
Energy: Draw 1 (None)

Let's cut straight to it: Juggernaut's mystically endowed strength is the very inspiration behind our Infinite Wars Tape rating for 7 stamina. "Unstoppable" is in the name - but if he's such a world beater, why is the W column empty?

Juggernaut - aka; Cain Marko - may be one of Marvel Comics' most famous amoral bruisers, but he's never had the benefit of a full feature here on The Comic Book Fight Club. A harsh ruling in 2006 for Uncanny X-Men #194 saw Juggy play second fiddle to a powered up Rogue - only earning an assist to the win. When it came to going toe-to-toe in a passing crossover moment with DC Comics' Superman - you can bet there wasn't much opportunity for Juggernaut to pick up a win there, either. The circumstances of each story didn't do him a lot of favours, but those are the risks when you use the power of the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak for evil!

Of course, the mercurial muscle of Colossus is nothing to sneeze at either! A traditionally beloved member of the X-Men, he's the merry mutants' resident strong man, and when he activates his ability to transform into cold Russian steel - you better watch out!

In the 1980s, Colossus was always a young fighter with incredible heart, but was shown to lack the raw strength of benchmark heroes like Thing and Hulk. In more recent times he's been pretty comfortable mixing it up in their weight bracket, an equal 6 for strength by our measure, even if we give the edge to his opponent. He played an assist role in the aforementioned Uncanny fight reviewed in '06, but demonstrated his modern muscle in an emotional return seen in Amazing X-Men #5! His victory over alien Ord is a prime example of his uncaged rage, and 90s physicality against Apocalypse in Uncanny X-Men #295 shows how his brawn evolved.

What does it all boil down to? It means any time you get these two characters together you're going to have one helluva slugfest! The story of Colossus' super-human strength is told through fights like these, earned over years of struggles with opponents greater than he is. Theirs is one of comics' best remembered rivalries, and it wouldn't be so fondly regarded if it wasn't about struggle. By every definition, Juggernaut was Colossus' superior going into this fight - the benefit of unnatural, magical strength.

The Tape: Draw Ranking: Colossus (#273)

What Went Down...
A West Village neighbourhood bar: Monahan's. A broken hearted farm boy. A grumpy old man who thinks farm boy needs a trip to the woodshed... When the X-Man Wolverine suggested he and Colossus go for a drink and a chat, there was always going to be trouble. Not even voice-of-reason tagalong Nightcrawler could've foreseen the large man at the bar with the pretty young lady, though.

Wolverine spots him first. The smell of Juggernaut is hard to miss when you've got keen mutant senses! He tried for a discreet exit, but when Colossus drunkenly resists, he stumbles backward - spilling his beer all over the off-duty super-villain! A polite offer to buy the next one doesn't save Colossus. Cain Marko has other means of getting money. He wants payback!

A one-handed shove from the magically enhanced powerhouse sends Colossus flying through the premises! The fall could've killed him - had he not had the mutant ability to transform himself into a steel-skinned giant!

Colossus doesn't take kindly to the act of aggression! He charges back into the fray, ducking a cross to deliver his own uppercut! The fight is on and the patrons aren't planning to interfere -- Wolverine and Nightcrawler included!

Juggernaut, of course, recognizes his Russian sparring partner, but Colossus is slow on the uptake. Is it the alcohol in his system, or just the obscurity of seeing Cain Marko in civilian attire? Perhaps he just has other things on his mind as a giant fist comes crashing down from above - narrowly missing Colossus as he shoves out of the way, condemning the bar to splinters!

Severed by the clubbing blow - the bar becomes an overgrown weapon for the Juggernaut. Enraged - he swings the entire structure into Colossus!

Fortunately, the owner has superhero battle insurance, but that doesn't stop a terrified mob fleeing the scene -- including Juggernaut's date! With no signs of movement beneath the wreckage, Juggernaut decides to call it quits -- but Colossus is just getting started! He bursts out, tackling Juggernaut from behind!

They square off. Juggernaut likes the boy's willingness to take punishment. Colossus doesn't like being called a boy. Trash talk advantage: Juggernaut! He sends the metal mutant airborne - head-first through a wall with a "Sunday" punch! "An' this is what my partner Black Tom Cassidy'd call..."

The "Coup de Grace" brings the house down - literally! Several storeys of plunder collapse in upon Monahan's bar -- and on top of Colossus! KO!

The Hammer...
In case there was any doubt - don't worry! Colossus can take it! Juggernaut may have won the battle, but the war between the X-Men and Charles Xavier's invincible step-brother was destined to be long and winding feud far beyond this famous issue!

 

This is, of course, the first fight of December 2015, celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Secret Wars on Infinite Earths! It is also one of the most suggested fights for feature in the blog's history - so I hope you'll be pleased to finally see its famous fisticuffs added to the running tally!

 

The battle is actually a make-good in a couple of interesting ways!

 

As mentioned above in "The Tape"; despite being one of Marvel Comics' most renowned super-heavyweight brawlers - Juggernaut hasn't had the most stellar representation here on The Comic Book Fight Club! In fact, with no prior victories recorded [3 assists], he ranks a lowly #761 prior to this result! Colossus is a bit better off at #273, but it's fair to say both have plenty more features ahead of them before an accurate measure can be recorded!

 

There's also a little editorial make-good at work, as well! In another famous face-off: Juggernaut had lost a surprise fight with Spider-man just a couple years prior [Amazing Spider-man #230]! It's referenced in the issue as a reason for Juggernaut drowning his night away in the bar, and it makes the win here all the more shrewd. After all, if you beat you bad guys too often, they start to lose their lustre - and even a mega power like Juggernaut needs to keep his heat!

 

Actually, there's a lot to like about this deceptively simple issue and the many masters it serves. On the surface, it's a simple stand-alone superfight issue - but scratch a little deeper and you quickly realize its varied connections.

 

The fight itself refers to the '82 Spidey battle, and draws upon Juggernaut's many confrontations since his 1965 debut. He's played against type in casual setting, but the cover gives clear indication of the marquee scuffle. At the time of the issue, Colossus was into his tenth year in print. Still a relatively young character - in and out of the story - developing into the legendary X-Man we know today. The issue adds another twist in the soap opera love affair between he and Kitty Pryde, and at the same time deals with fallout from the original Secret Wars maxi-series. Oh, and Juggy's date? Selene - a relatively new, relatively deadly life-sucking villainess who left with another of the bar's patrons, to return in an upcoming issue!

As a sporadic reader at best, I don't have a strong affection for this period of X-Men, but what I do have a great appreciation for is the shaping of its published issues. Claremont's stories have a wonderful way of using monthly issues to weave in and out of the lives of characters, splitting them off for small groups or individual spotlights - like this issue - before inevitably weaving them back together. Focusing on big action is bringing levity back to a book soaked in heavy, team and event dramas. It isn't abandoning them, just keeping it fresh. Good in isolation, fresh in sequence. A wonderful approach that slipped away from superhero comics as time went on.

 

Thus, a relatively simple issue - remembered for the fight on the cover - connects directly to many varied strands and goals! It's a relatively light read, but these layers of complexity are there if you want to purse them. It's a fine way to do superhero comics, and maybe even a metaphor for this blog, which has always put the fight front and centre, but aimed to juggle more than just combos.

 

What are we juggling in December? Well, to celebrate the 10th Anniversary, it had to be some of comics' biggest fights - but not necessarily the most obvious! At the end of the year we'll finish big with another of the most requested fights from the blog's history -- but up next we're going with a legendary hero/villain combo who are yet to appear! Be here next week for this famous first!

 

Winner: Juggernaut