CAPTAINS AMERICA versus TASKMASTER

The Hammer Falls Part 2 of 3 (Marvel)
Where: Avengers: The Initiative #34 When: May 2010 Why: Christos Gage How: Jorge Molina

The Story So Far...
When Tony Stark fought to bring about a new Superhero Registration Act -- he failed to fully consider what would happen if it all fell into the wrong hands!

A secret invasion by Skrulls allowed Norman Osborn to oust Iron Man and replace him as the "Iron Patriot" at the head of a reformed intelligence agency and Commission of Superhuman Activities.

In his hubris, Osborn conspires to bring about a siege on the City of Asgard that finally signals his dark reign has gone too far. Captain America returns to lead an assembly of Avengers against their dark counterparts, arriving just in time to join his temporary replacement against The Shadow Initiative's leader: Taskmaster!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Steve Rogers 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Steve Rogers 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Steve Rogers 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Taskmaster 7 (Living Weapon)
Energy: Bucky Barnes 3 (Explosives)
Total: Steve Rogers 28 (Metahuman)

That isn't a misprint! We're getting two Captains America for the price of one!

Steve Rogers is fresh off an apparent assassination, and excursion through time, dropping-in on his temporary replacement, Bucky Barnes, for the ultimate All-American team-up!

We got a brief glimpse of the stand-in when the Secret Avengers took on The Hood in New Avengers #54, but Bucky is best known as Cap's World War II fighting buddy who was thought dead until he reemerged as Winter Soldier.

The duo are taking on a classic Steve Rogers rival who's studied all his moves and learned to imitate them exactly!

Taskmaster possesses "photographic reflexes" that allow him to utilize the fighting techniques of anyone he observes. Cap is one of Taskmaster's stock favourites, leading him to frequently travel with a similar disc-shaped shield. He also favours the swordplay of Black Knight and the marksmanship of Hawkeye.

This intimate understanding of fighting styles means Taskmaster can anticipate and counter familiar studies, but therein lies a potential weakness.

Deadpool #2 showed that an unfamiliar and unpredictable opponent can get the drop on Taskmaster, negating some of his expertise. Deadpool's penchant for absurdity helped him win that fight, and again in Cable & Deadpool #36.

Bucky's programming as a Russian assassin means he's a very different fighter to Cap, and although we learned of a secret history involving well known characters, it's entirely possible he never encountered Taskmaster as The Winter Soldier!

Even if their activities did lead to a meeting, we can't forget that Taskmaster is a supreme fighter -- but he isn't infallible. Moon Knight once used the shock & awe of crashing a plane and staring down death to bamboozle him. It's entirely possible the teamwork of Captain America and Bucky could lead to defeat!

The Tape: Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes Ranking: Steve Rogers (#7)

What Went Down...

Avengers fall out of the sky like raindrops across the battlefield and Taskmaster begins weighing up his options. A besieged Norman "Iron Patriot" Osborn spells a back-up plan that could keep him in favour with powerful friends -- win or lose.

With shield raised, Taskmaster rushes to Osborn's aid, charging towards an attacking Captain America who doesn't see it coming.

Fortunately for the recently returned hero his erstwhile replacement has his back covered and opens fire!

Taskmaster blocks the bullets with his shield and raises his sword to challenge the original Captain America.

The mercenary has been looking forward to a rematch with his old nemesis, as well as the professional opportunity to outdo Crossbones by killing the legendary hero with more permanence than his previous assassination.

Cap responds dismissively, so Taskmaster aims to make a lasting impression, continuing to deflect Bucky's gunfire as he slashes his sword across Captain America's defending shield.

A break in the shooting gives Taskmaster the opportunity to turn the tide of battle. With a single pivot he smacks Cap in the face with with his shield, and hurls his sword at Bucky with enough accuracy to knock the pistol from his hand!

Cap recovers quickly and takes advantage of the turn by sinking his knee into Taskmaster's exposed mid-section!

He remembers Taskmaster and his "photographic reflexes" all too well, and reasons that Bucky's lost decades could present a completely unknown opponent for the mimicking fighter.

Bucky tags in and introduces the mercenary to a very different kind of Captain America, brandishing Taskmaster's own sword against him!

For a moment the attack catches Taskmaster by surprise, but as the newest Captain America takes up the offensive, he begins to recognize the man fighting beneath the red, white, and blue. He's studied many World War II newsreels, and as impossible as it may seem, he knows this is Cap's long dead sidekick: Bucky!

Armed with this knowledge, Taskmaster swings his shield just so to knock the sword out of Bucky's hand, and clip him across the chin!

Bucky rallies with an assurance that Taskmaster and his allies will pay for what they've done to America during the dark reign of their administration.

"The flag. This country. The public trust. And for what you and your kind have done to them... I'M TAKING YOU DOWN!"

Taskmaster invites him to try, and the stand-in Captain America responds with seemingly reckless abandon -- charging directly into the line of Taskmaster's downward swinging sword!

The soldier blocks the sword strike with his right forearm -- hiding beneath his uniform the cyborg legacy of his days as The Winter Soldier!

Taskmaster seems unfazed by this revelation, but isn't so nonchalant when a flash in the sky signals the arrival of The Hood and his Cabal.

Bucky presumes the villain is receiving reinforcements, but Taskmaster notes the fighter jets already shooting down the HAMMER Helicarrier. Distractions enough to bring their skirmish to an end as the chaos brings the City of Asgard towards total destruction.

The Hammer...

There's direct overlap between the action seen in Avengers: The Initiative #34 and the concurrent events of Siege #3, but to the best of my knowledge todays featured fight ends as described. You could presume The Sentry's razing of Asgard is the capper.

With only one issue remaining: The Initiative creative team had to juggle contemporary concerns of the Dark Reign era, while also trying to give adequate send-off to some of the B and C list characters who were specific to the series, some since its beginning as a spin-off coming out of Civil War. The result is a slightly disjointed issue of a slightly disjointed series.

Taskmaster was first installed by Henry Peter Gyrich in Avengers: The Initiative #8 as a drill instructor at Camp Hammond. He was to train new recruits brought into the Fifty State Initiative by the government's Superhero Registration Act, kept in line by the threat of exploding nanobots supposedly implanted in his brain.

TM became a bigger focus for the series once he was made field leader of the black-ops Shadow Initiative unit in issue #20. This positioned him perfectly to serve the interests of Norman Osborn, who assumed command of the Fifty State Initiative after he leveraged the events of Secret Invasion to replace an indicted Tony Stark as the head of America's military and intelligence agencies.

That all might sound dreadfully complicated, but like most of these things, it's really a pick 'n' mix situation.

You only need to understand the story you're reading, and you can read as little or as much as you like. These other events add background and larger context to the lay of the land, but they're really not essential to understanding the series, or the story as told from the perspective of Taskmaster.

Siege ostensibly brings an end to the cascading circumstances that were roughly started with Avengers Disassembled, and really got going in Civil War.

The event was essentially designed to put all the pieces back together, bringing Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man back onto the same page after a half decade of sidelining and opposition. Thor had been back amongst the living for a while, but kept to himself, while Cap returned from his apparent assassination at the end of Civil War, having actually rattled around in time rather than death.

The curious irony of Siege is that, although it was arguably the most tightly arranged of Marvel's events -- tying related issues directly to the main battle in the Siege mini-series -- it results in one of the most insubstantial of the era.

Background characters suggest some of the action occurring in other Siege series, but Jorge Molina's pencils are swamped in a necessary palette that ties everything together with a monotonous wash of explosions occurring in the main title.

I like the detail of Taskmaster's deep understanding of fighting styles allowing him to identify Bucky Barnes beneath the shiny new Captain America costume. I'm a little less clear why, if this is their first meeting, he doesn't note any surprise that Bucky blocked a sword strike with his forearm. It seems like there's time, but a lot of other things are happening.

The goal of telling micro-stories inextricably linked to a single conflict and place was an intriguing one. It plays to the fantasy of telling a superhero war epic that goes back to Secret Wars, and maybe earlier. Siege may even achieve the genuine sensation of being on the frontlines, but its narrow focus makes everything feel small and just a little inconsequential.

I tend to think Final Crisis achieved a similar result without losing its sense of scope and grandeur. Siege benefits from having clearer long term goals, but even they manage to feel small and perfunctory. Its more of an end than a beginning, and we already knew what to expect long before it arrived.

What followed for Marvel Comics was less a return to good old character-driven comics, and more of a meandering freefall. Siege feels like the first chapter in the next ten years of scattershot comics. They chose to return to the event format shortly after, and each installment seemed more like Siege - "important" by design, but insubstantial and easily skipped by impression.

At some point I imagine I'll return to the main Siege series to take a closer look at its most significant battles. In the mean time, if you'd like to draw your own conclusions about the 2010 event you can check out collected editions of Siege: Avengers - The Initiative and Siege via Amazon links embedded below.

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Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured more than 600 battles and ranked over 1000 characters! You can find them all by diving into the Secret Archive for a complete index of featured fights in order of publisher, series, and issue number -- or discover more by following topical links found in each article!

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Winner: Inconclusive (Draw)
#7 (--) Captain America (Steve Rogers)
#58 (--) Captain America (Bucky Barnes)
#991 (+2) Taskmaster

BIZARRO & PARASITE versus MON-EL & GUARDIAN

Man Of Valor: Part Two (DC)
Where: Superman #695 When: February 2010
Why: James Robinson How: Bernard Chang

The Story So Far...
The creation of a new planet populated with Kryptonians leads the world's governments to outlaw all survivors of the distant planet save for Superman. To curb tensions, the Man of Steel chooses to relocate to New Krypton, leaving Earth in the hands of capable understudies.

Hailing from the planet Daxam: Mon-El is a man aspiring to write a new history for himself as a hero of Metropolis. Possessing similar powers to Superman under Earth's yellow sun, he dedicates himself to following the Man of Steel's heroic example as a man of Valor.

Having escaped the clutches of Gen. Sam Lane and Project 7734; Mon-El is at large in the city, where he'll be forced to battle the monster who helped him escape: Parasite! Too bad he's already been battling Bizarro and is now caught between both!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Bizarro 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Guardian 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Mon-El 5 (Super-Speed)
Stamina: Bizarro 6 (Generator)
Agility: Guardian 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Guardian 4 (Trained)
Energy: Mon-El 5 (Lasers)
Total: Mon-El 28 (Metahuman)

We've got a titanic tag team coming to fight in today's feature, and three big characters debuting on the Secret Wars on Infinite Earths! We've gotta know what we're dealing with. Let's take a look at the players!

Bizarro needs no introduction! Or does that mean, he does need one..? He's the confused, backwards-meaning doppelganger of Superman who hails from a Bizarro World full of twisted inversions! Despite flipping conceits of the world on their head; Bizarro possesses much the same super-strength and invulnerability of Superman! He used that might to pummel Human Bomb to death in a bloody encounter back in Infinite Crisis #1.

Parasite is another classic arch-villain to Superman! This incarnation is Rudy Jones: a shady STAR Labs janitor who was accidentally exposed to a rare type of radiation. The material mutated his body so it metabolizes energy, allowing him to sate his constant hunger by draining the life and powers from his victims. Doing so can temporarily grant him their abilities, and also increase his own super-human strength and durability.

This terrible twosome clearly spells trouble for the fine folks of Metropolis, particularly as Superman is off-world visiting New Krypton! Fortunately, the Man of Steel's slack is picked up by some powerful friends!

The man known as Mon-El (or Valor) is in fact Lar Gand of the planet Daxam. Much like Kryptonians; Daxamite bodies process the radiation of Earth's yellow sun, manifesting incredible abilities in the process! Mon-El possesses roughly equivalent powers to Superman, including: phenomenally enhanced strength, speed, stamina, durability, heat vision, and flight.

Unfortunately, an innate weakness to lead will send a Daxamite into acute anaphylaxis. That means speeding bullets are best left dodged! The widespread use of lead in human life means Mon-El is constantly at risk, but treatments supplied by allies such as Brainiac 5, Saturn Girl, or Superman protect him to varying degrees. To deal with unexpected power loss, he received hand-to-hand combat training from The Guardian!

James Harper was a cop that took up the costumed vigilante game when criminals skirted the law one too many times! A gifted natural athlete with impeccable genetics; Guardian came to keep company with the Justice Society of America and All-Star Squadron! He served during the Second World War and was so impressive: Project Cadmus created a youthful clone to serve as head of security in the modern day. The clone escaped, replacing the original Jim Harper after he was murdered while investigating Cadmus.

Bizarro & Parasite are big time threats individually -- making them a potent pairing for a potentially powerless duo! Even at full tilt: Mon-El would have his work cut out for him fighting both bad guys alone!

Speed, agility, and finesse are the obvious advantages Valor and Guardian can leverage to turn the tables on their super-powered opponents. A game of keep-away minimizes the impact of Parasite's power-stealing. Fast maneuvering is one way they might be able to turn Parasite against a clumsy Bizarro.

The Tape: Mon-El & Guardian Ranking: Bizarro (#149)

What Went Down...
With his Daxamite powers failing him: Mon-El draws upon hand-to-hand combat training from Guardian to prepare for the oncoming threat of Bizarro and Parasite! As the Superman-esque villain swoops toward his target -- Mon-El slides along the Metropolis street to turn Bizarro's momentum against him!

The deft maneuver sends Bizarro flipping out-of-control into Parasite! It also buys enough time for Guardian and the Science Police to arrive on the scene. They offer a cover of gunfire while Mon-El collects himself and his super-powers.

Restored - Mon-El leaps through the air to deliver a flying punch to Bizarro!

With Bizarro taken care of; Metropolis Science Police handle Parasite, ensnaring him in energy rings that render his powers painfully uncontrollable. He howls in agony and fear for his fate returning to General Sam Lane. He finds little sympathy from his present captors.

Meanwhile, Mon-El takes to the skies with Bizarro, hitting him with fists of steel and point-blank blasts of heat vision!

As the aerial duo rise above the Metropolis skyscrapers and even the clouds -- Bizarro slips loose and makes a break for Bizarro World! In his twisted speak, he threatens to return with a Bizarro counterpart of Mon-El!

As Bizarro streaks into outer space, Mon-El opts to return to Earth, leaving the villain to return to his distorted mirror world.

The Hammer...
Victory can come in many different forms. In this case: it's a judo flip that sets Parasite up to be detained by the Science Police, while Bizarro runs to outer space to escape from a Mon-El beating!

Three Science Police officers shared the win, using advanced tech to detain Parasite in energy rings. One is identified as Officer Blaylock, while the other is Officer Romundi, aka; Car-Vex -- a Kryptonian sleeper agent embedded in the SP by General Zod!

Mon-El and the Science Police may've got the glory, but that takes nothing away from their ally The Guardian. It was his teachings that gave Mon-El the ability and confidence to stand his ground when his powers were failing. Guardian also bought Mon-El valuable time he needed to recover, leading the charge against Bizarro with hi-tech pistols once he and the SP reached the scene.

I'm not talking Guardian up to influence the result -- but the DC hero is appearing as part of our unofficial sequel to Contest of Champions. You can check out The Contest: Guardian vs Defensor for more on what that match-up entails, and how the result will have panned out.

Today's featured fight will hopefully provide a little extra context for the slightly obscure hero. Guardian has undergone several revamps since his 1942 debut, struggling to maintain metropolitan relevance under the shadow of Superman.

As the other shield-wielding hero created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, he runs the risk of being thought of as second-rate. I think there's a certain charm to this type of heroic go-getter, though. World Against Superman was a nice chance to give a character like this more time to breathe. Even if he's obviously playing second-banana to another second-fiddle in this particular story.

I actually originally wrote most of this entry a couple of years ago, when Mon-El was appearing on the CW's Supergirl series. For one reason or another I didn't finish, but was eager to return to the file, both to touch upon Guardian, and make note of the other major characters appearing in the short skirmish.

This is a triple-debut for Secret Wars on Infinite Earths: registering the first recorded battles for Guardian, Mon-El, and Parasite! 2020 continues to be a big year for adding more characters to the already robust Fight Club Rankings!

It's a little bit of a surprise these characters weren't touched upon sooner. Parasite in particular ranks among Superman's best known villains. The ones that aren't Lex Luthor or Brainiac, that is. His teaming up with Bizarro is fun, but hopefully we'll get a more substantial battle on the record.

I'm also interested to look more closely at the star of this story. Mon-El, for all intents and purposes, is another stand-in for Superman, and I'm interested to explore what makes him distinct in a DCU increasingly flush with stand-ins, if indeed anything actually does.

If you'd like to get a taste of Mon-El and Guardian for yourself, you can read this issue collected in Superman: Mon-El - Man of Valor. Use the Amazon link provided and you can get yourself a good deal while Amazon supports the site at no cost to you!

You can find more superhero smackdown by diving into the Secret Archive for a complete index of featured fights organized by publisher, series, and issue number. Or discover new and exciting outcomes by following links throughout each post!

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Winners: Mon-El & The Science Police
#335 (new) Mon-El
#336 (new) Car-Vex
#337 (new) Science Police Officer Blaylock
#338 (new) Guardian (Jim Harper)
#341 (-149) Bizarro
#917 (new) Parasite (Rudy Jones)

HELLBOY versus CAMAZOTZ

Hellboy in Mexico or, a Drunken Blur (Dark Horse)
Where: Hellboy in Mexico When: May 2010
Why: Mike Mignola How: Richard Corben

The Story So Far...
On mission in Mexico in 1982; Hellboy and Abe Sapien take shelter from the heat in an abandoned villa. Inside, a wall of photographs and news clippings tell the weaving tale of various superstars of lucha libre, surprisingly, including a trio photographed in the company of Hellboy!

HB shares the story of a grim experience he had in 1956, when he and two rookie BPRD agents -- Hendricks and Murphy -- were sent to Mexico to make a dent in the dense supernatural activity troubling the desert. It was in one of these small towns that Hellboy first encountered the triplets on a tour of the wrestling circuit, where they earned food and money for alcohol.

The trios path changed when before a match they visited a local church, only to find the priest murdered by undead horrors that plagued the area. The brothers saw a vision of the Virgin Mary that told them to leave their life of wrestling, and turn their powers to the vanquishing of monsters. Thus, they teamed up with Hellboy, who had been abandoned by his BPRD colleagues, who were too disturbed by what they'd seen to remain with the organization.

The monster-hunting foursome made merry times as they dealt defeat to the devilish fiends lurking the desert, but their drinking would leave one of the brothers unstuck. Stumbling into the night, Esteban was attacked and abducted by the dark vengeful forces that lurked in the gloom. Hellboy and the remaining two enmascarados interrogated and tortured the night creatures for information, but turn up nothing until a poster of a horrific new wrestler emerges. A bloody challenge is painted in red over a photograph of an ancient temple: El le espera Hellboy. ¡Venga solo! He waits for you, Hellboy. Come alone!

Thus, Hellboy enters the ring to meet the challenge of his lost friend. Esteban is no more. Now there is only -- ¡Camazotz!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Hellboy 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Hellboy 5 (Professor)
Speed: Hellboy 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Hellboy 6 (Generator)
Agility: Hellboy 2 (Average)
Fighting: Hellboy 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Hellboy 3 (Explosives)
Total: Hellboy 31 (Super)

By now you probably know the story: Hellboy is the half-demon Anung Un Rama, born to a human witch, Sarah Hughes, and the demon Duke of Hell, Azzael. As his past unraveled, it revealed dueling destinies that would deem him the beastly bringer of the Apocalypse, or the rightful holder of Excalibur.

Summoned to Earth during World War II by Rasputin and the Nazis, Hellboy was found & raised by American Allies. He's not much for destiny, instead lending his stony Right Hand of Doom, and incredible strength, to pummeling monsters, righting wrongs, and investigating the strange as a parnaormal investigator.

Hellboy's been sorely underrepresented in The Comic Book Fight Club, but his lone appearance from The Corpse and The Iron Shoes, demonstrated impressive strength and fighting prowess as he vanquished the war monster Grom!

Esteban had once been one of three wrestling brothers who travelled Mexico, but when they discovered a murdered priest before a match, the trio were greeted by a vision of the Virgin Mary. She encouraged them to leave wrestling and become monster hunters, and so, they teamed with Hellboy, who had been sent by the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD) to investigate and combat rampant evil activity prevalent during the 1950s.

Baring a tattoo on his chest of a flaming heart wrapped in thorns, Esteban was the brother that befriended Hellboy the closest. After a night of drinking with the demon and his brothers, Esteban left the safety of their villa. Ambushed by the creatures of the night, he was transformed into a vengeful luchador beast with the head of a bat, and a serpent wrapped black heart where his tattoo had once been. He became Camazotz -- a corrupted beast clad in black, with the power to grow great bat wings during his battle in the demonic squared circle.

There are clearly emotional stakes behind this fight, but Hellboy knows when it's time to get down to business. He's more brawler than catch as catch can, and 1956 is reasonably early in his monster battling career, but he should be up to the test of the grappling Camaztoz. Let's see how it went...

The Tape: Hellboy Ranking: Hellboy (#228)

What Went Down...
With an audience of the undead watching in decayed anticipation, Hellboy enters the eerie arena without the company of Esteban's brothers - as ordered.

Green flames spew from the four turnbuckles of a ring already occupied by Camazotz. Hellboy enters, reaching out to his friend, probably knowing some of the truth that lurks beneath his new black fanged mask, "How you doing, kid?" Camazotz announces himself in response, rising with a muscled physique from beneath his black cape.

The bell rings, sounding the beginning of the match! Camazotz wastes no time launching himself at Hellboy's corner, giving HB only a hair's breadth to maneuver out of his way! Camazotz' powerful fist shatters the flaming ornament atop the turnbuckle behind him -- a fact that will have grim significance later.

Hellboy strikes Camazotz in the back with his right hand of doom, but the lucha shows great grappling skill, turning Hellboy's momentum against him with a toss to the ropes.

HB charges angrily off the ropes, but catches an elbow to the brow for his trouble! The point of the elbow busts him wide open!

A seated senton bomb furthers the punishment to a floored Hellboy!

Hellboy staggers to his feet and tries to reach out to his friend with words, but they are again met with contempt. Camazotz takes HB unawares with a head scissor leg lock from behind that flows smoothly into a modified frankensteiner!

Hellboy lies on a mat garnished with his own demon blood, struggling to rise to his feet. While does, Camazotz peels away his black mask to reveal the snarling head of a bat! It is a fate that twists the spirit of Esteban into a vengeful creature without mercy for a friend who failed to save him!

A single bodyslam is not enough to satisfy Camazotz' misery, resulting in a second punishing slam that returns HB to the mat an instant later!

Camazotz poses for the decrepit crowd that chants his name. He sprouts the wings of a bat in place of human arms. It is a decision that turns the bout, giving Hellboy the space he needs to deliver a shocking diving uppercut with the stoney right hand of doom!

A mournful Hellboy takes a boot to the face, accepting responsibility for his absence that fateful drunken night. He grabs a handful of black singlet tights. With the knowledge that there is nothing more he can do to save Esteban, HB uses his leverage to bring Camazotz thundering down over the jagged turnbuckle destroyed at the beginning of their bout!

Impaled on the post, Camazotz reverts to the gentle, but bloodied form of Esteban. The eerie smoke-filled arena goes dark and empty as Esteban utters his final grateful words, "Gracias, mi amigo. Grac--"

Hellboy is there to the final moment, holding his friend's hand through the ropes when the fire and light finally goes out.

The Hammer...
The winner of this bout as a result of a knock-out: Hellboy!

It's a somber, emotional finish to an otherwise fun and over-the-top high-concept special from the Hellboy universe! A very nice treat for anyone celebrating Cinco de Mayo [in 2010], which is something I wouldn't usually expect from American comics. Pretty cool, guys!

As a longtime fan of comic books, pro wrestling, and mythology, I was probably always going to have a pretty good time reading this book. Even so, it's as a Hellboy fan that I felt it really triumphed, overcoming some of the displeasing aspects that had led me to shuffle the character down in my priorities by 2010.

I found some of the short episodes of the mid-to-late 2000s a tad souring. It's always exciting when Mike Mignola takes up dual writing and art chores, but at times the 2005 two-parter The Island crossed a threshold beyond his fine, atmospheric stillness, into something that felt a tad under written. Although, I do wonder if I need to go back and give this another look...

Hellboy in Mexico sees Richard Corben assume art duties, and he does a very fine job indeed. I wonder if he's a wrestling fan. The match itself doesn't ask a whole lot of the artist, favouring a more cartoony impression of wrestling, but he has some legitimate moves in there.

Corben's Hellboy looks uncannily consistent with the Mignola model, especially in the journey leading up to the fight. Scenes of quiet menace radiate with a slightly different look to Mignola's, but a very similar energy. It's all good stuff!

You cannot under estimate the importance of colorist Dave Stewart to the Hellboy production. The sense that this story is consistent with earlier volumes can almost certainly be credited with to Stewart's influence. I love the way his colours remain vivid against muted backdrops of faded yellow desert and blue nights. His colours are evocatively textured, but never get too dry. A personal preference. There's a graininess that reminds me of Mexican movies and print.

The world of lucha libre is a rich and colourful mythology unto itself, possessing many of the costumed charms of comic superheroes, as well as the myths and legend that typically populate Hellboy stories. I love the way Hellboy effortlessly visits this world as seamlessly as he does European horrors. It's a lot of fun!

The myth of the giant bat is something I remember reading in a previous Hellboy story, I don't remember which. It doesn't really matter. There's a sense that all of these stories relate to a bigger tapestry of recurring and overlapping ancient traditions, and that's good enough. Sometimes it's better when these stories retain some of their mystique. Sometimes it's nice to learn things along the way. I would say this is true of comics in general, but it can be especially enjoyable in the weird, shadowy realms visited by Hellboy.

You might be interested to know the name Camazotz is drawn from Mayan mythology. It's a bat god, or demon, whose name roughly translates to mean 'death bat'. There's a story of twin heroes who enter the bat's underworld domain, only for one of them to lose their head to Camazotz. It doesn't exactly foretell the fate of Hellboy's Esteban, but lends weight to his possession, enmeshing ancient myth with iconography of vampires, black turkeys, bootleg pop culture, and lucha libre wrestling. The best kind of comic book melting pot!

I particularly liked the little touches, like the wrestling and movie memorabilia that appears at the beginning and end of the twenty-eight page issue. Mexican cinema's version of Lobster Johnson is a real hoot, capturing the pulpy vibe of the region's original and bootleg culture that the masked Camazotz feeds into.

There's just something about discovering this kind of stuff from other cultures that can be fascinating. I dig the way Hellboy accommodates and gravitates toward these sometimes forgotten pulp realms. Indeed, as much as I was excited to read continuing adventures when BPRD became a monthly on-going series; Hellboy in Mexico is a great example of a truly satisfying one-shot that offers variety without the need for any continuity with last month's issue.

Anyone with a fondness for the traditions of the material will probably have a good time, like I did. It's a heartfelt story from Hellboy's past, but I'm reluctant to say that it's an issue for everyone. At the end of the day, it lacks the broad appeal and variety offered by some Hellboy tales. At the same time, as an introduction to all the material, it's also a pretty soft and genuine start point.

For me, this was exactly what I wanted in a big week of comics. Indulgent in all the right ways, but still a very friendly and fun one-shot special. Great stuff!

I'm told Camazotz makes an appearance in the new Hellboy movie - now in theatres. It looks like it's still a far cry from the Hellboy movie I'd like to see, dipped in black Mignola shadow and stylish visuals, but still. It's nice that they seem to be cramming in more of the comic book monsters!

The movie was also a great excuse to exhume today's featured fight, which was mostly salvaged from a draft originally written back in 2010! It's shameful that there's been so little Hellboy on the site to this point. Hopefully we can get back to the Right Hand of Doom a little sooner! Perhaps I'll get a chance to give The Island a second look some time, to see if I need to give it a rethink!

If you'd like to think more about Hellboy's lucha libre adventure in Mexico, you can find today's featured fight included with several other stories in the Hellboy In Mexico or Hellboy Vol. 11: The Bride of Hell and Others collections!

Navigate using the embedded purchase links provided and you'll incite ancient Amazon rituals that will bless Secret Wars on Infinite Earths with good tidings -- at no cost to your soul!

Explore links throughout this post, or dive into the Secret Archive to uncover an arcade index of infinite realms and warriors! Venture beyond the DC and Marvel listings to reach offerings from other publishers and characters, such as Dark Horse Comics and Hellboy! You can also get daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day by subscribing, like, and sharing via Twitter and Facebook!

Winner: Hellboy
#93 (+135) Hellboy [+1 kill]
#880 (new) Camazotz

SPIDER-MAN versus MISTER NEGATIVE

Out For Blood (Marvel)
Where: Amazing Spider-man #621 When: April 2010
Why: Dan Slott How: Michael Lark

The Story So Far...
Rising crime boss Mister Negative has caused Spider-man & Peter Parker a lot of grief, but mind-control is nothing compared to his latest threat: Devil's Breath!

The designer toxin can be programmed to be lethal to an exclusive DNA set, and since Mister Negative already blackmailed Spidey into surrendering a vial of his blood -- the entire Parker bloodline is in danger!

Desperate to negate Mister Negative's threat to himself and Aunt May; Spider-man has enlisted the aide of his sometimes romantic interest and vigilante-burglar: The Black Cat! Her expertise and bad luck powers are perfectly suited for stealing the Devil's Breath, but when her plan involves creating a distraction Spidey loses the element of surprise deep within the demon's inner sanctum!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Spider-man 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: Spider-man 5 (Professor)
Speed: Spider-man 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Spider-man 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Spider-man 5 (Cat-Like)
Fighting: Draw 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Mr. Negative 4 (Arsenal)
Total: Spider-man 29 (Metahuman)

Spider-man has seen his fair share of masterminds, kingpins, and evil geniuses -- but in today's featured fight he faces a crime boss unlike any other!

Martin Li is an assumed alias of the villainous alter-ego now known as Mister Negative! Negative stole the identity from a Fujian man who died in a human trafficking shipment wrecked en route from China. Part of the slaver's crew; Li began a new life in New York City - where he was ultimately kidnapped and experimented on by members of The Maggia crime organization.

Li received doses of the same experimental drugs that created Cloak & Dagger, creating a schism of light and darkforce within him! While the personality of Martin Li appears to be a kind and reasonable philanthropist -- his alter-ego of Mister Negative is a callous, super-powered menace!

Semi-occult in nature: Mister Negative's appearance becomes similar to that of a film negative when his dark persona takes over. His strength can reach super-human levels, while his speed, agility, senses, and reflexes are also significantly enhanced. He's a step behind Spidey on most levels, but has a few extra tricks!

Negative can command people in his thrall, able to invert an individual's personality to make the altruistic proportionately villainous. He also commands a loyal army of masked henchmen known as Inner Demons. Typically dressed in black suits and silver dragon masks - Inner Demons can regenerate from fatal injuries, and wield negatively charged weapons, such as swords and nunchaku.

Mister Negative can also charge weaponry for his own use, or expel limited bolts of electrical "negative charge". Energy projection is one of the few areas where Negative can statistically surpass Spider-man, even though he's not far off the pace in most other physical realms!

There aren't a lot of direct comparisons for Mister Negative, but we've certainly seen Spider-man take down a super-strong, well dressed mobster in Tombstone before [see: Spectacular Spider-man #142]. He also got the better of the other dimensional energies that empower The Spot [Amazing Spider-man #589].

Mister Negative has the potential to combine Tombstone's might with Spot's speed & agility, but that negative energy charge is his real edge! Electrical energy is hit & miss against Spidey. Classic nemesis Electro can be dangerously destructive [Marvel Knights: Spider-man #3], or a seasonal schmuck [Marvel Holiday Special '92].

The Tape: Spider-man Ranking: Spider-man (#2)

What Went Down...
Freed from restraint by their apparent immortality: Spider-man unleashes his fullest proportionate strength of a spider against the Inner Demons! Several lie unconscious from the heavy blows, while more line up - until a familiar voice calls an end to the brawl: Mister Negative!

The photo-negative visage of the villain almost glows in the darkness of his inner sanctum. Surrounded by more of his armed Inner Demons, he confronts Spider-man with total confidence, even as the web-slinger unravels his abilities!

Demonstrating a full grasp of the gamut of skills Martin Li's 'negative charge' can create; Spidey closes in to deliver a blow with his own brand of spider-strength. Alas, his estimates of Mister Negative's super-human strength have failed to take into account the "upper limits" of his fullest charge!

Negative effortlessly catches Spider-man's fist with a darkened palm...

... and with a mere flick of his wrist sends Spider-man hurtling through the air!

The all mighty blow is powerful enough to launch Spider-man out of the Chinatown sanctum -- and through an adjacent building! The far exterior depositing the battered hero with the trash of an adjoining alley!

The Hammer...
Short, sharp, definitive! Just when Spidey thinks he's got the upper hand: Mister Negative reveals another level to his dark powers!

This marks a strong debut for Mister Negative on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths! Created in the late 2000s by Dan Slott and Phil Jiminez: he's still a relatively new addition to Spidey's famed lethal foes, but was entrenched as a premier threat of the last decade!

Powers-wise, he can seem a little bit of a piecemeal hodgepodge, but for the most part - I'm a fan! Flanked by his suited Inner Demons, Negative has a flavor of modern Asian crime cinema, with strong Marvel Comics reference!

I still have misgivings about the era that brought Mister Negative into the fold. He was a product of the 2008 Brand New Day re-launch that was typified by its role in haphazardly excising quantities of Spider-man's iconic history. Most predominantly, but not exclusively, was Peter Parker's marriage to Mary-Jane, removed at the long discussed behest of Editor in Chief: Joe Quesada.

Early on, you might've been forgiven for wondering if Mister Negative was a demonic consequence of Peter Parker's choice to make a deal with Mephisto - but not so. Like a majority of the best moments since BND - Mister Negative has little to nothing to do with history that was deleted, or rejiggered. In fact, he's steeped in the kind of nostalgia that made history tampering feel contradictory!

His origin references the same Maggia experiments that gave us Cloak & Dagger in the early eighties -- 1982, to be specific. Indeed, the character feels right at home with the crime-ridden decade -- particularly the dark urban-noir of Spectacular Spider-man, where the aforementioned duo first appeared, and a cavalcade of darkly lit crooks, crime bosses, and super-villains came to the fore.

Artist Michael Lark, inker Stefano Gaudiano, and colorist Matt Hollingsworth collaborate for a finished image that feels suitably moody and tactile.

The shadows may be jet black, but the night is moonlit blue. It creates an atmosphere somehow equivalent to those fondly remembered night time romps in eighties issues of Spectacular Spider-man. It's all just very enjoyable!

Amazing Spider-man #621 is actually part of The Gauntlet: a nostalgic tour that revisits some of Spidey's most classic villains, but not necessarily as you know them. It was a run that stirred up feelings of disdain for the unnecessary reboot, but pushed through them by sheer force of being fantastic Spider-man comics!

I've been hoping to get to The Gauntlet sooner, preferably with some of the classic villains, whose issues were real favourites. I love the way The Gauntlet's issues are soaked in the classics, but blend well with a sense of something new. Mister Negative provides a very obvious new element to Amazing #621, but again I go back to that eighties Spectacular flavor, and the guest appearance of a character I think of as synonymous with those years - Black Cat!

She was entangled with another creation that comes to mind as right up Mister Negative's alley. The Spot was attempting to harness Cloak's connection to a dimension of darkness, but tapped another realm to become a living portal, circa Spectacular #100. Their similar origins were nicely exploited in Dark Reign: Mister Negative, where The Spot served as a mole in The Hood's gang of villains. Quite a nice way to stitch a new character into the fabric of the old.

The Spot was originally working on behalf of Black Cat's old employer - and another crime boss of the series - the Kingpin! As it so happens - Mister Negative will be at odds with Kingpin when he receives a major boost in exposure next week via the release of Spider-man for PlayStation 4!

The highly anticipated video game return for Spidey is direct inspiration for today's entry, with Mister Negative set to appear alongside versions of Electro, Vulture, Rhino, Scorpion, and Shocker! You can expect Black Cat to factor into the action as well -- although, given her recent rise through the criminal ranks in comics -- who knows whose side she'll be on?!

I'm not such a big fan of the redesigned, off-the-shelf villains, but I am loving being back in the world of Spider-man! You can be there too by checking out today's featured fight in collected edition!

By shopping via the Amazon links provided, you help support Secret Wars on Infinite Earths at no extra cost to you!

You can find even more inspirations by diving into the Secret Archive to revisit classic fights indexed by publisher, series, and issue number! Be sure to follow links throughout these entries to discover unexpected hits and misses!

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Winner: Mister Negative
#314 (new) Mister Negative
#2 (--) Spider-man

THANOS versus GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

(Marvel)
Where: Guardians of the Galaxy #25 When: June 2010 Why: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning How: Brad Walker

The Story So Far...
Back-to-back incursions of Annihilus and his Negative Zone Annihilation Wave, as well as Ultron's Phalanx, has left the fabric of space severely damaged and unstable!

With reality itself hanging precariously in the balance: the hero Star-Lord has taken it upon himself to form a new group of heroes known as The Guardians of the Galaxy! Together, they fight to protect the universe, and monitor the threat of dangerous anomalies!

This time the threat has come from one of their own! Succumbing to his evil half, Adam Warlock has become the dreaded Magus! The Guardians pursue him to the planet Sacrosanct, where his sinister scheme has employed The Universal Church of Truth -- but things are not all as they seem!

An illusion of Magus' defeat has masked his escape, tricking The Guardians into believing some of their most loved members have fallen. Worse still, The Church has been guarding a reanimation cocoon meant to return one of the universe's deadliest threats! With Sacrosanct in ruin, The Guardians arrive to discover a foe they hoped never to face: The Titan Thanos lives again!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Thanos 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Thanos 5 (Professor)
Speed: Gamora 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Thanos 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Groot 6 (Rubber)
Fighting: Drax 7 (Living Weapon)
Energy: Thanos 6 (Mass Destruction)
Total: Thanos 34 (Super)

Here on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths we use our own scientifically developed numerical scale to measure the typical powers & abilities of heroes and villains. Each statistic on The Tape is assigned a moniker to help personify a broad reference for that level (ie; Intelligence 5 - Professor). For the most part, this system has served us well, but occasionally catchall references let us down...

Thanos may fall into our "Super Class" category, but history shows he is a threat on a cosmic scale! So grand are his dark designs against life that his plans are as likely to endanger worlds as they are the entirety of reality itself!

"The Mad Titan" is named for his birthplace on the moon of Saturn, where a colony of super-powered Eternals was known to settle. Deviant mutation gifted Thanos incredible powers at birth, but also a predisposition towards obsession with death. He amassed further power through strenuous augmentation to feed his desires for death and conquest. Eventually, he turned this power against his own people -- obliterating even his own mother with callous disregard!

So total is Thanos' devotion to death that when he met its personification he fell madly in love. Subsequent efforts to court Death as his mistress have led Thanos to genocidal extremes. His most famous exploit: forging The Infinity Gauntlet in order to reshape the universe -- including decimating half of all life!

We've only seen Thanos a few times on The Comic Book Fight Club, but each appearance has placed him in ominous company!

He sought to manipulate the newly bestowed powers of Kyle Rayner in Green Lantern/Silver Surfer, making a patsy out of Terrax in the process. When the Marvel and DC Universes collided in DC versus Marvel #4, he stood beside Darkseid against an all-star assembly of Avengers and The Justice League! When the two universes were briefly merged: Thanoseid created a nightmare vision of evil that vexed Thorion -- the godly fusion of Thor and Orion!

Despite this awesome level of cosmic might, Thanos is not quite inherently immortal. His Titanian origins grant him considerable durability and nigh eternal life, but it was only during a period when Death denied him entry into her dominion that he was truly unkillable. Indeed, for today's battle he has had to be resurrected from death inflicted by one of his opponents!

The Guardians of the Galaxy are: Star-Lord, Mantis, Moondragon, Gamora, Drax, Groot, Rocket Raccoon, Jack Flag and Bug, with Major Victory.

This rag tag group of heroes was brought together by Star-Lord in order to protect against the effects of fissures in space caused by Annihilation, and subsequent cosmic events.

Appropriately enough, it was in Annihilation #4 that Drax The Destroyer succeeded in fulfilling his life's goal to extinguish the life of Thanos! This makes Drax an obvious punch-hitter for The Guardians, whose only other physical power house is the Planet X "Flora Colossus" known as Groot.

Groot's regenerative and adaptive abilities make him a versatile contributor to the team's combat formations. Moondragon packs a hefty punch thanks to her high-level psionic capabilities, too. Thanos is highly resistant to mental attack, but her telekinetic powers offer strong physical opposition.

Barring environmental factors, the rest of the team can really only hope to provide support against a threat as dangerous as Thanos!

The Tape: Guardians of the Galaxy Ranking: Drax (#172)

What Went Down...
On the planet Sacrosanct: The Guardians of the Galaxy discover a world in ruin.

Rocket Raccoon's scanners can find no signs of the planet's once bustling population. Moondragon's telepathic mind probe has no better luck. The absence of life was the only clue they needed. The presence of an old adversary catches in Drax The Destroyer's throat like "ashes on the back of my throat".

An explosion draws the heroes towards danger -- and an unexpected reunion with old friends: Mantis, Gamora, Cosmo, and Major Victory! The pleasure is short lived. Rampaging right behind them is the source of the chaos: Thanos!

Fresh from a reanimation cocoon: The Mad Titan explodes through fire and ruin, blasting deadly beams of energy from his eyes and hands! The heroes can only run as the naked, snarling behemoth shatters the earth beneath their feet!

Mantis fills Star-Lord and Jack Flag in on previous attempts to contain the feral, recently returned Thanos. His resurrection seems to have been a reluctant one, which cost the lives of not only The Universal Church of Truth who reanimated him -- but also the hero Phyla-Vell.

Madness begets madness. In her grief, Moondragon turns to face the monster who killed her lover and has threatened so much of her life. Thanos greets her with mindless rage and more raw energy projections. She erects a telekinetic shield to defend herself, but his power is alarming in its scale!

Moondragon seeks mental reinforcement from Mantis or Cosmo, but is instead defended from giant clubbing fists by the shield of Captain America! Not by the soldier of distant past, but by a displaced future hero known as Major Victory!

A seemingly stunned Thanos pauses for just a moment as his massive hands begin to smolder. It seems hope is lost for the heroes, but Star-Lord, Rocket, Drax, Groot are there with guns blazing to give their friends time to retreat!

The hi-tech weapons succeed in stopping Thanos for a moment. When the dust settles: his feral rage returns -- expressed in a massive wave of cosmic energy!

The Guardians narrowly avoid certain death by ducking just beneath the power blast! Not all of them intend to shrink away from the deadly Titan, though! With little warning: Groot towers above the battlefield, swinging a piece of a destroyed building like a might club!

The structure smacks into Thanos, but fails to knock him down! The Titan fires back with a shot to Groot's humanoid trunk, but the Flora Colossus endures to bring his massive wooden fist slamming down into Thanos' naked back!

Any other foe would be down for the count, but from his hunched position The Mad Titan locks both hands together to deliver an all mighty, cosmically charged uppercut that knocks Groot off his feet!

While Rocket tends to Groot, who's down for the count; Gamora theorizes that Thanos has actually reclaimed true invincibility! Before The Guardians arrived, her Godslayer sword was broken against his skin! Drax disregards the story.

The Destroyer launches a frontal assault against his arch-nemesis! He absorbs untold energies fired at his back, averting Thanos' gaze with a right hand that closes one of his energy spewing eyes!

With options fast dwindling, Star-Lord assesses the situation with Mantis, and reaches a dire conclusion. While Jack Flag and Bug run distraction to try to save their falling comrades -- Peter Quill strolls casually into the path of danger!

Star-Lord's cavalier attitude makes more sense when he produces the cracked, but still gleaming hope of a Cosmic Cube!

Its light breaks through Thanos' mindless rage, drawing the purple beast toward its familiar power. It was given to Peter Quill by Kang The Conquere. A trump card in the battle against the threat of Magus. It was broken and almost spent, but it still has one last charge for defeating Thanos!

The Cosmic Cube unleashes its final power in an awesome burst of blinding light! When it ceases: The Mad Titan lies smoking in the dirt - alive, but defeated! In a barely conscious state, he finally mutters his first ominous words: "You... Forced Me... To live again... For that... E-Everything... D-Dies..."

The Hammer...
From the clutches of defeat escapes Star-Lord thanks to the awesome might of the Cosmic Cube!

Though none of the other Guardians of the Galaxy could ensure victory themselves, they all played a valid part. For that, they each receive an assist stat. Find out what that means for their positions on the Fight Club Rankings at the bottom of this post!

We have a lot of significant debuting characters in today's featured fight! The Guardians came to peak significance during our dark years, emerging in their current form from the cosmic revival initiated by 2006's Annihilation. There were a few years of overlap, but we just never got around to them. Until now!

This second volume of the series launched in 2008. It redefined Guardians of the Galaxy for a whole new generation, whilst building towards the worldwide licensing phenomenon brought about by their first theatrical outing in 2014!

The majority of these characters existed for many years before assembling as part of the new team. Some were major characters as recently as the nineties, but others had to be plucked from relative obscurity. Star-Lord and Rocket Raccoon might be fan-favourites today, but it wasn't that long ago that few even knew who they were, let alone wanted to hear more about them!

From today's perspective, it's strange to think the cosmic wings of the Marvel Universe had ever fallen out of favour. Yet, even a former headlining hero like Silver Surfer was struggling for sustained relevance in Marvel's publishing line-up of the 2000s!

Peter David's work sustained an unlikely Captain Marvel run with Genis-Vel in the title role for two years. Thanos was a steady presence in a variety of series as well, including solo stories, and Marvel's The End. Though acclaimed and/or beloved, these were exceptions drifting to the margins as Marvel Knights pushed an urban renaissance through series like Daredevil, and the company started bifurcating into the stripped down, movie inspired Ultimate line.

The first character to really get a sniff at a revival was Drax The Destroyer in 2005. A four issue mini-series introduced his transformation from the green & purple Hulk wannabe of Jim Starlin Infinity events -- to a red-tattooed Vin Diesel knock-off, seemingly inspired by Pitch Black.

When it came time to launch the all-out Marvel cosmic revival shortly after Drax; the publisher used the same mini-series format to lend heft to their binding Annihilation event. Tie-in titles starred well known cosmic characters of long time notoriety: Nova, Super-Skrull, Ronan The Accuser, and Silver Surfer.

The likes of Peter Quill, Gamora, and even Drax and Thanos, were reserved for the core six issue Annihilation series. They weren't exactly afterthoughts, but their brief appearances were littered amidst the chaos, sharing limited pages with the tie-in stars, other characters, and big villain Annihilus. Certainly a far cry from the starring line-ups of 2017!

The apparent death of Thanos in Annihilation #4 was a shocking moment. It removed one of Marvel's biggest cosmic players, drawing a line in the sand between the new Annihilation era of Marvel cosmic -- and the colourful excesses of The Infinity Gauntlet, and its subsequent sagas.

The Mad Titan had mellowed over the years, fashioned into a less malicious cosmic philosopher. His return in 2010 began a revivification of the classic villain, now one of Marvel's top bad guys thanks a 2012 post-credits teaser in the film Avengers. With a few seconds of purple sneer, Thanos was elevated to top tier status, forecasting an arrival that won't hit cinemas until May, 2018!

May 5th, 2017 will see the theatrical release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. We're getting ready for the cosmic adventure a month early, dedicating all featured fights in April to the heroes and villains of space!

We've started the action with an epic of cosmic proportions! If you'd like to read the battle and preceding issues for yourself, use the Amazon purchase link provided to get the collected edition! Doing so helps support the site at no extra cost to you!

If you want to read about more exciting cosmic battles, be sure to follow links throughout this post (or below), or dive into the Secret Archive to reference hundreds of past features by publisher, series & issue! You can also follow on Facebook and Twitter to like & share daily links inspired by the fight of the day! A galaxy of comic book combat to suit all your needs!

Winner: Star-Lord (w/ Guardians of the Galaxy)
#306 (new) Star-Lord
#352 (-44) Thanos
#140 (+32) Drax [+1 assist]
#518 (new) Groot [+1 assist]
#519 (new) Major Victory (Vance Astro) [+1 assist]
#520 (new) Rocket Raccoon [+1 assist]
#521 (new) Bug [+1 assist]
#522 (new) Mantis [+1 assist]
#523 (new) Gamora [+1 assist]
#539 (+131) Moondragon [+1 assist]
#540 (+46) Jack Flag [+1 assist]