X-FACTOR versus FRENZY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What Went Down...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Hammer...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

GHOST versus IRON MAN

Unholy Ghost! (Marvel)
Where: Iron Man #239 When: February 1989 Why: David Michelinie & Bob Layton How: Jackson Guice & Bob Layton

The Story So Far...
When elusive tech company Electronica Fabrizzi jumps at the first low offer from Stark industries -- industrialist Tony Stark travels to Italy to investigate further.

Discovering his old business rival Justin Hammer behind the flagging corporation; Stark enters into an unlikely deal for the soul of a young man named Donald Gill.

Hammer has fostered Gill's burgeoning criminal career as the new ice-powered Blizzard, thwarting Stark's attempts to mentor him back to the straight and narrow. Hammer agrees to leave the boy's life for good on one condition: Stark must send Iron Man to deal with a saboteur he thought was dead: The Ghost!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Iron Man 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Draw 5 (Professor)
Speed: Iron Man 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Iron Man 6 (Generator)
Agility: Ghost 2 (Average)
Fighting: Iron Man 4 (Trained)
Energy: Iron Man 5 (Arsenal)
Total: Iron Man 31 (Super)

It's time for a tech war as our hero meets one of his most unusual adversaries!

Ghost isn't your usual, run-of-the-mill corporate terrorist! He's a completely anonymous mercenary, known to sometimes lend his services to the very corporations he ultimately aims to destroy!

The mystery of Ghost's past is guarded through his suit's ability to render him invisible to most monitoring systems, and intangible to the material world! He can move freely through most physical barriers, carrying a variety of concealed weaponry and hi-tech devices, which allows him mastery over machine systems!

This is technically the first time we're seeing Ghost in action in the Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, but he was in the area when Luke Cage and The Avengers got the drop on Juggernaut, back in Thunderbolts #150!

Ghost was recruited into the Thunderbolts black-ops team by Norman Osborn, whose "Dark Reign" was a means to consolidate military-corporate influence under one entity -- only to infect and destroy it from within! A similar philosophy that first led him to target Stark Industries asset Accutech in the employ of Carrington Pax - a Roxxon Oil executive.

You don't mess with Stark Industries without running afoul of Iron Man! The armored Avenger is, of course, billionaire industrialist Tony Stark, posing as his own bodyguard while suited in one of his most impressive inventions!

Iron Man has no shortage of technological enemies! We've seen him take on the blitzing buzzsaw of Whirlwind [Iron Man Annual #11], his modified War Machine [Iron Man #310], heavily armored Titanium Man [Iron Man #316], diabolical Doctor Doom [Mighty Avengers #10], and Soviet counterpart Crimson Dynamo [Invincible Iron Man #14]. All similar to himself in some way -- unlike Ghost!

Few opponents are able to evade Iron Man's super-strong clutches, let alone render his armor near moot! Psylocke penetrated his defenses psychically in Contest of Champions II #1, while Jesse Bedlam's mutant power to disrupt machines shut him down completely, later in the same issue.

Ghost simply isn't like the others, and although Iron Man has defeated him prior to today's featured fight, he knows all too well Ghost can evade his detection methods, and catch him by surprise! A psychological component to Ghost's assault that plays an extra role in any of their encounters!

The Tape: Iron Man Ranking: Iron Man (#3)

What Went Down...
Broadcast news of Tony Stark's tour at Electronica Fabrizzi is all that's needed to lure The Ghost into a showdown. Iron Man scans the building as he waits to spring his trap, but is surprised to find The Ghost has modified his technology to evade his sensor's detection!

The evasion method isn't Ghost's only upgrade since his last encounter with Iron Man. Raising his fist before him, Ghost reveals the ability to render objects invisible -- including a hi-tech gun!

Iron Man takes evasive maneuvers, going aerial to fly out of the path of the unexpected gunfire! He narrowly avoids every blast as Ghost unloads!

Observing the improved speed and maneuverability of Iron Man's new armor, Ghost abandons the gun in favor of his preferred methods. He becomes translucent as his body begins to disappear through the floor.

Answer Ghost's challenge -- Iron Man takes chase by blasting a hole through the floor with his gauntlets! He kicks his jets into maximum thrust in order to keep up with The Ghost, whose escape continues on the floor below. It's a trap!

The careening pursuit plays right into the hands of The Ghost, who rendered a massive piece of technology invisible! It provides an unseen wall for Iron Man to collide with -- momentarily knocking him to the ground!

Ghost approaches his downed adversary, who prepares to take advantage of their close quarters. When Iron Man thrusts his armored hand in The Ghost's direction - it passes eerily through him!

A chip attached to his armor has rendered Iron Man intangible! Worse still, the chip itself is intangible even to the man its attached to! The Ghost gloats that his nemesis is now beyond nourishment, or aid. Leaving him to a slow death.

The Hammer...
Well, that certainly got grim at the end!

I have to imagine Ghost isn't the first villain to threaten Iron Man with some form of attrition. The fact that intangibility is a prison completely out of Stark's dominion, taking away his very capacity for invention, is what gives it a unique element of psychological horror! Or at least, it would...

The reader probably has every confidence the end will be undone in the next issue! If you guessed an electro-magnetic pulse would disable Ghost's chip long enough for James Rhodes to shoot it off -- you'd be right! That type of solution was certainly my thinking when reading the issue the first time.

The only question left to answer: Does this predicament constitute a defeat?

The circumstances are certainly unusual. Iron Man isn't kayoed, or incapacitated in the traditional sense. His eventual escape from the trap in the next issue can provide only so much context for assessing the conflict, but it matters. When Ghost leaves, Tony Stark is still in full control of his faculties, and presumably his armor - the primary method of his eventual freedom (with Rhodey's assist).

Grand designs for permanent intangibility and eventual starvation don't pass the acid test, but there's more than one way to beat an opponent. Death does not victory as victory is but a temporary state.

As close as I was to calling this an inconclusive draw - Ghost does clearly walk away with his opponent taken out of the fight. Being intangible isn't in and of itself defeat, but by applying it offensively, Ghost gets the better of Iron Man. It's unconventional, but I've got to give it up to him on points!

Of course, in a much later incarnation, Ghost himself will begin to spend more time in a state of intangibility. Not that you'd say he does this without adverse effects. The later Ghost is an increasingly gaunt, eerie presence.

The later version, featured prominently in Thunderbolts, was a lot of fun, and gave the character a bit more edge than the original incarnation. There's a Psycho Mantis quality to him, for those who know their Metal Gear characters.

Fans who've now seen Ant-Man and The Wasp in theatres will know an entirely different character called Ghost, who shares trace elements of the original, in both of his memorable incarnations.

The Ant-Man films have been some of the most aggressive in changing the Marvel Comics they adapt, which might be why I fell in love with the original comic book appearances of Ghost while rummaging through back issues.

The concept is given a lot of weight right from the get-go [starting with Iron Man #219], at a time when Iron Man was surrounded by plenty of memorable foes! If you were a fan of the mid-nineties Marvel Action Hour cartoon, you'll recognize a lot of the villains active during this late slice of Layton & Michelinie. Ghost himself takes on cartoon stalwarts Blacklash, Whirlwind, and Blizzard, earlier in the issue featured today.

Sometimes that kind of hubris in introducing a new villain is horribly misplaced, but here - it worked! Ghost is pretty instantly a memorable, credible nemesis - even though they seemingly killed him off after the first three-issue arc!

Upping the threat in this return rematch was a great way to continue developing the character. The concept really fits in with the hi-tech, corporate world Iron Man moved in, at that time. It's still American superhero, slightly outmoded by the concurrent cyberpunk of Japanese manga, but that was part of the Iron Man charm. I've always enjoyed the notion that America builds their machines big.

The Ghost design is a little generic in these early appearances. It reminds me of a non-descript action figure design. At some point, I know I was confusing a triumvirate of white villains - Ghost, Whyteout, and Slyde. Admittedly, Ghost is easily in a league above the other two.

Ghost was especially complimented by standing out from the other IM villains of the time. He looked and behaved differently from the other pure comic book super-villains, but also the usually armored techno-fiends. It was easy to embrace the update mentioned earlier, but there's a charm to this original style. I daresay the movie finds a nice balance between both, too.

I've had a lot of fun looking back at this era of Iron Man. Quintessential Marvel comics with fast, fun superhero action and melodrama. Not as smooth or punchy as it could've been, but very digestible never the less.

If you'd like to feast on more classic confrontations like this one: dive into the Secret Index to find every featured fight archived in order of publisher, series, and issue number! You can also get daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day by following on Twitter and Facebook! A like and share is a nice way to show you care and help support the Secret Wars on Infinite Earths!

Winner: Ghost
#312 (new) Ghost
#3 (--) Iron Man