AVENGERS versus MODOK & AIM

The Girl From Gamma Gamma Gamma (Marvel)
Where: She-Hulk #1 When: May 2004
Why: Dan Slott How: Juan Bobillo

The Story So Far...
Jennifer Walters lives a charmed life. She parties by night, wins court cases by day, and when she isn't doing either of those, she becomes the Sensational She-Hulk, enjoying all the privileges of an Avenger with superhuman strength, free parking, and residence at Avengers Mansion.

Consultation with a blood specialist has helped the ace attorney crack her latest case against the man responsible for improper storage of Antarctic Vibranium, but closing arguments have to wait when an Avengers Emergency calls She-Hulk into action!

MODOK and Advanced Idea Mechanics are up to their old tricks, targeting the Earth for a deep freeze from the upper atmosphere, but the low gravity battle is just the beginning of She-Hulk's troubles.

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Iron Man 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: MODOK 5 (Professor)
Speed: Wasp 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Iron Man 6 (Generator)
Agility: Captain America 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Captain America 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Scarlet Witch 7 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Iron Man 31 (Super)

The Avengers are: Captain America, Iron Man, Wasp, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Hercules, and She-Hulk.

The Avengers have a strong line-up, but don't count MODOK out just yet! He's flanked by a small army of Advanced Idea Mechanics agents, with Blizzard strapped in to a machine designed to amplify his freezing powers on a global scale!

Blizzard is Donald Gill: the second villain to assume the alias after receiving a cryogenic battlesuit from Justin Hammer. He used his ice-projecting powers to help fight Iron Man and War Machine as part of Hammer's private army.

MODOK might look a little funny, but in previous entries we've documented him dominating a troubled Abomination, brain-blasting Cable, and turning heroes into mind-controlled pawns in the all-star all-ages version of Avengers Adventures, which also saw the kid-friendly villain mutate them into MODvengers.

The team assembled today are well versed in the art of saving the world and beating back bad guys. She-Hulk herself has stared down the threat of Thanos on multiple occasions, teamed with Hercules to best the mythical possessed Bran the Blessed, and will eventually defeat the Champion of the Universe.

How will it all go this time around? Let's get to finding out!

The Tape: Avengers Ranking: Iron Man (#4)

What Went Down...

His orbital space platform is already destroyed when MODOK shouts defiantly into the void that his cryo-cannon is still functional.

AIM soldiers float scattered high above the world as the Avengers scramble to prevent the ultimate attempt at techno-orbital espionage.

Leading their effort to save the world is the ever tenacious Captain America, who wields his mighty shield against the yellow clad science-terrorists, while desperately seeking to rally an Avenger to take out the advanced freeze gun.

Wasp and Vision contend with AIM agents, blasting the floating horde, while Iron Man does his best to reach the hostile tech -- even though his repulsor rays cannot breach MODOK's shield bubble.

She-Hulk makes a dive for the bubble as the gunner strapped to the cannon takes his shot.

The cryo-cannon channels the freezing powers of Blizzard to unleash a gigantic freeze ray in the direction of the Earth. The only thing preventing its success -- Captain America's unbreakable shield and will to hold it!

The vacuum of space somehow diminishes the freeze-ray's effects, but if it hits the Earth's atmosphere the world is at risk of a sudden winter!

With the threat of an ice age looming, She-Hulk slams her fist into the translucent shield bubble! Once! Twice! Again and again until at last it breaks!

She reaches in -- grabbing hold of a cable that tethers Blizzard to MODOK!

The mighty muscle of She-Hulk rips Blizzard out of his position mounted on the cryo-cannon and sends he & MODOK helplessly swinging through the vacuum.

She turns the villainous pair into a living wrecking ball, swinging MODOK & Blizzard through the yellow cluster of floating AIM agents -- breaking her own booster pack in the process!

MODOK disengages the line with a mental blast and activates the booster packs in his exo-suit.

An order for "Retreat Plan Omega" begins the escape operation, sending a scattered AIM swarm rapidly blasting for freedom -- thrusting She-Hulk booster-less in the direction of Earth in the process!

Fortunately, Hercules jumps into action to make the save, gently catching She-Hulk with mighty arms and a functioning pack. He agrees enthusiastically to a victory party as they hover above the big blue planet.

The Hammer...

The world is saved from a second ice age thanks to the tireless efforts of She-Hulk and The Avengers!

Despite the planetary threat posed by AIM's dismantled machines, it's actually a relatively small battle, driving MODOK and Blizzard into a desperate retreat in only two action-packed pages.

It serves as a little taste of a typical day in the life of She-Hulk, who literally had to leap from the courtroom, abandoning her duties as a lawyer mid-trial, to serve the greater good as an Avenger.

These dueling responsibilities are catching up with the partygirl hero, whose work/life balance is spiraling out of control -- even if she doesn't realise it!

A one-two punch will bring her down to Earth when Captain America and Wasp politely evict her from Avengers Mansion for abusing the facilities (with a string of impromptu overnight guests), and she loses her civilian job after opposing council argues saving the world meant compromising the jury by eliciting gratitude.

All of this will see Blizzard finding She-Hulk drowning her sorrows the next night in a bar. A chance to settle the score for ruining his shot at the big time -- at least until She-Hulk effortlessly busts out of an ice straitjacket. Fortunately for him, she'd rather share a drink than deliver a pummeling on his way back to The Vault.

Fun stuff from the now legendary 2004-05 She-Hulk series by Dan Slott and Juan Bobillo. An instant favourite of the time that provided a succinct blueprint for last year's Disney+ live-action series with its perfect blend of superhero sitcom, and court room drama.

In fact, once I got my eyes to stop rolling from the sheer absurdity of it all, I couldn't help but be amused by supposed backlash to She-Hulk twerking on the show. Consternation that echoes Captain America and Iron Man's quiet chat about She-Hulk's wild partying during their victory celebration in She-Hulk #1.

Of course, the Avengers leadership were more concerned about structural integrity and security at Avengers Mansion, and less worried about whatever petty crap people were supposedly complaining about on Twitter.

Good humor and empowerment was part of She-Hulk's identity for a couple of decades prior to this, through her bawdy solo series under John Byrne, and tenures with the Avengers and Fantastic Four. We got a little taste of it when she grappled with wardrobe and lodging concerns back in Avengers #222, while also laying the smackdown on Moonstone and Scorpion.

Slott continued a down to earth depiction of She-Hulk that had helped distinguish the character from her rampaging cousin (and earlier "Savage" period), serving up a classic dose of Marvel's "heroes with headaches" with personality all its own.

It was eminently disappointing when Marvel shortened the run to just twelve issues, but that also made it a tight tome, sealed away as a definitive take on the character, and some of Slott's best work. This was before the writer let loose on knowingly prickly subjects, teasing out fresh and intuitive takes on Marvel canon, rather than leaning in to some of its more disruptive urges.

Juan Bobillo delivers all the right beats with a bubbly penciling style atypical for the time, but perfection with its strong expression and performance, and lively sense of energy. Some of his superhero designs go quirkily off-model throughout the series, but as long as they're in these pages, sing in synch with all the fun.

Some of this volume's best elements don't exactly compliment our fight-fixated format, but today's MODOK feature is the kind of curious aside that I love to get on the record. If you're looking for something a little bit harder hitting, there's always our early spotlight on She-Hulk's challenge of Champion of the Universe, and their inventive subsequent rematch.

If you'd like to find more from the topics covered today, you can follow links throughout this post, or discover more wonders by diving into the reference banks of the Secret Archive. That's where you'll find a complete index of featured fights in order of publisher, series, and issue number.

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured more 700 battles and ranked well over 1,000 heroes & villains! Be a hero and support the project by becoming a subscriber on Patreon. As a thank you for your generosity you'll find additional updates, as well as options to shape the course of future articles!

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Winners: She-Hulk & Captain America (w/ Iron Man, Wasp, Vision, Hercules, and Scarlet Witch)
#56 (+32) She-Hulk
#7 (--) Captain America
#4 (--) Iron Man [+1 assist]
#39 (--) Wasp [+1 assist]
#148 (--) Vision [+1 assist]
#154 (--) Hercules [+1 assist]
#439 (--) Scarlet Witch [+1 assist]
#145 (-11) MODOK
#982 (new) Blizzard (Donald Gill)

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

SPIDER-MAN versus DOCTOR OCTOPUS
Last Legs (Marvel)
Where: Amazing Spider-man #600 When: September 2009 Why: Dan Slott How: John Romita Jr

The Story So Far...
As one of the longest standing villains in Spider-man's list of lethal foes; Doctor Octopus has been a man fighting well above his weight for a long time. With his only noteable superpower being a harness of four tentacles under his mental control, spiralling battles with the likes of Captain America, Daredevil, Hulk, and rival villains in the super-powered criminal fraternity, have taken their toll on his far too human body.

Compounded by the absorbed radiation that first fused the trademark tentacle harness to his body and mind, Dr. Otto Octavius's physical condition has become irreversably degenerative as a result of the many punishments his body has been forced to endure during his life of crime. Conventional medicine rates his future unlikely to exceed a modest eighteen months, inspiring in the Doctor renewed urgency to right the wrongs of his past in a final gesture of scientific brilliance.

With a network of cybernetics, slave drones, and vast upgrades to his tentacle harness technology sustaining his decrepit form -- Doctor Octopus has become more machine than man, able to reach out into the world through it's many dependencies on technology in everyday life. Projecting a digital version of his former self, he promises New York City the utopia of an infrastructure entirely governed by his unparalleled brilliance. Alas; throughout the city, his underlying resentment for former flame May Parker's pending wedding, and Spider-man's lingering presence, result in his subconscious lashing out through the city. Doc Ock's octo-bots kidnapped the groom to be, J. Jonah Jameson, as well as the budding young women investigating his disappearance, cop Carlie Cooper and Front Line investigative journalist, Norah Winters.

With the Secret Avengers protecting people on the streets, and the Human Torch tagging along to lend support; Spidey leaps into battle against his arch-nemesis once more, unaware of the strange new Doc Ock that waits him. A cyber-organic nightmare whose autonomous "octo-bots" have taken three of Peter Parker's closet friends hostage -- and will stop at nothing to destroy Spider-man!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Spider-man 5 (Superhuman)
Intelligence: Dr. Octopus 5 (Professor)
Speed: Spider-man 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Spider-man 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Spider-man 5 (Cat-like)
Fighting: Spider-man 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Spider-man 2 (Projectiles)


- A bite from a radioactive spider should have killed high school nerd, Peter Parker, but would instead irradiate his blood, granting him the extraordinary powers of an arachnid! After turning his unique abilities to a life of profit and celebrity, Peter was inspired to use his gifts for good when his decision to selfishly allow a burglar to escape him led to the murder of his adoptive parent and uncle, Ben Parker. Ben's sage-like mantra, "with great power comes great responsibility", becomes the inspiration for the hero of the everyman - the Amazing Spider-man!

Over the years, Spidey's exploits have earned him a multitude of powerful enemies. Among his most lethal foes are: Green Goblin, Dr. Octopus, Vulture, Chameleon, Kingpin, Jackal, Kraven the Hunter, Venom, Carnage, Sandman, Rhino, Lizard, Electro, and many more. Fortunately for Spidey, he finds himself in good stead with as many heroes as he does villains, eventuating in official membership with Captain America's Avengers, later known as the Secret Avengers.

Spider-man possesses the proportional strength, speed, and agility of a spider. Adding to his arsenal is a precognitive spider-sense that warns him of pending danger. Self-made mechanical webshooters round out Spidey's abilities, allowing him to ensnare opponents in a variety of modes; travel through the city by web-line; and form basic constructs based on the available quantities of his own formula of web-fluid.

- The product of a childhood of schoolyard taunting and abuse from his father, Otto Octavius was inspired at his mother's behest to sharpen a brilliant mind as his ultimate weapon against a harsh world. Expert in the fields of nuclear physics, technical engineering, and atomic science; Octavius served as a university lecturer, whilst being best noted for his invention of a mechanical harness that allowed for the safe handling of radiocative elements in his scientific experiments.

Octavius would forever be changed when a lab accident fused the four-armed harness to his body, pushing his brilliant mind to the breaking point, and into a life of crime. As Dr. Octopus, he unwittingly becomes the arch-nemesis of one of his students, Peter Parker, who is better known to the world as the spectacular Spider-man. The bitter feud eventuating between the two funded much of "Doc Ock"'s early attacks against New York City, eventually leading to his official entry into the world of organized crime in Manhattan's underworld. While a telepathic link developed between he and his four metallic tentacles grants him the power necessary to tackle super-powered foes -- thanks to their adamantium make-up and various upgrades -- it is arguably his brilliant mind that remains his greatest power, however twisted and immoral it might have become.

Math: Spider-man Ranking: Spider-man (#2)

What Went Down...
Having had the destructive potential of an entire city to contend with, it's with help from the Human Torch and Reed Richards' technology that Spider-man takes the fight to the man responsible -- Doctor Octopus! Their feud seems set to come full circle as a phone trace on Spidey's kidnapped friends leads him to the place where it all began, the secret base where Doc Ock first met him!

Following the signal, the two heroes are surprised by an attack from the very hostages they'd hoped to rescue! Tied-up and ensnared within duplicates of Doc Ock's harness -- J. Jonah Jameson Sr, Carlie Cooper, and Norah Winters become weapons almost as deadly as the Doctor himself! Fortunately, the duo make light work of the "octo-suits" when, after a few evasive manouevers and impromptu weldings, Spider-man discovers their easily destroyed power source on the back!

Incapacitated, the trio are rescued and released, surrendered to the safety of the Human Torch while Spider-man travels ahead toward a confrontation with his old nemesis -- over confident in the thought that he is an unimpressive "tubby guy in glasses with four metal pipe-cleaners." An insult that inspires the Doctor in his newly empowered resistance to the wisecracking wallcrawler!

Thus, when Spidey sneaks up on the Doctor in the monitoring room of his lair, the silhouette Spider-man leaps at is not an all-too easily subdued Doctor Octopus, but rather a cunning decoy comprised of hundreds of the Doc's tiny octo-bots!

The gambit leaves Spidey wide-open to a sneak attack of the Doc's prescription!
Metallic tentacles smash and toss, rendering the danger-warning tingle of spidey-sense moot, Spidey's body limp and vulnerable to the four-pronged grappling of Doc Ock's deadly tentacles. With an arm clamping Spider-man's throat, wrists, and ankles, the hero notes the numerical imbalance of the good Doctor's new look. It is invitation for clarification from the reborn Dr. Octopus -- a declaration that reaffirms the importance of his mind and it's power over his form and the form of the entire city.

Doc Ock tosses Spidey into the surrounding machinery, only to have the techno-debris hurled back at him with the confronting fact of his "city of the future" and the destructive influence his electronic subconsciousness has had. It is a truth the frail villain is not ready to hear -- provoking the continuation of the physical confrontation!

The proportionate strength, speed and agility of a spider comes into play as Spidey evades Doc Ock's strikes and crawls through the HQ infrastructure, forcing Dr. Octopus to apply his eight super-strong arms to protecting him from the implosive destruction of his hideout! The act buys Spidey time to access Doc Ock's neuro-interface, allowing him to apply the power of his brain to the battle.

Jakked in via the direct interface helmet, Spidey challenges the influence of Doc Ock's will, interrupting even the villain's control over his own tentacle arms. He desperately clings to focus, fighting to save his twisted vision of a perfect world and a legacy that will see him remembered as something more than the crippled punching bag for greater men than he. As it had been in his life as a crook, his will proves too weak to beat his nemesis.

Defeated, Doctor Octopus crumples like a dying spider, his metallic arms frozen in a twisted shamble. His useless body slumps as his mind reveals a similar frailty, his dreams shattered like the bones in his body. It is in contrast to the message broadcast through the infinite web by a triumphant Spider-man.

In his moment, Spider-man is steadfast in his dedication to justice, bordering on callousness. He brushes off the Doctor's feeble mutterings about his impending mortality, promising a twilight in imprisonment. It is a fate unacceptable to Doc Ock and his remotely controlled octo-bots. The tiny machines flood into the partially collapsed hideout, engulfing Spider-man in black, whilst stealing their defeated inventor away into a trapdoor escape hatch in the floor.

With Spidey engulfed in techno turmoil, the Human Torch returns to make an amazing eleventh hour save! His flames burn away the torrent of tiny hi-tech terrors in the nick of time. The city and Spidey are saved.

The Hammer...
Ladies and gentlemen, I am very pleased to give you the exciting victory by Spider-man over Dr. Octopus in this titanic anniversary issue struggle between! There are many reasons to feel joyous about this declaration, not the least of which is the overdue personalized introduction of Doc Ock into the Infinite Wars rankings!

Enthusiastic readers will know Doc Ock currently holds ranking on the site via twin appearances in the Marvel Zombies series, but this is the first true blue appearance of the villain -- one of Spidey's most significant arch-nemesis.
It's a moment of dual significance, given that this was also the big return of the villain to the pages of Amazing after an extended absence. It's the first of what promises to be many classic returns, which as we've seen, might not necessarily be as simple as bringing back an old favourite.

When absorbing this seemingly radical recreation of a classic foe, it's difficult to ignore the recent memory of his apparent death. Doc Ock was a casualty of the infamous mid-nineties Clone Saga, claimed by the violent imperfect Peter Parker clone known as Kaine, only to be resurrected by The Hand in a later, unrelated story. The death, interestingly enough, gave us a female version of the villain, whose plotlines became wrapped up entirely in the prospects of a digital virtual reality, which is an end this new Octopus reinvention might very well lead to.

That possible future weighs heavily on this issue, juxtaposing the fact that the character is given a death sentence as motivation for his rebirth. The ending points in no uncertain terms to another terrible return for the character, who, admittedly, is only dying under the terms of a vague explanation, as opposed to the hard-and-fast death he suffered in the nineties.

This question of causality obviously goes far and beyond one simple character, the predicament of corporate franchise characters in general. If this were to be a lasting change for Doc Ock, one that leads to his eventual permanent death, it would be all the more exciting, I think. In some ways, it would set things right, depending on your view on death in superhero comics. Personally, I think custodians over these characters should be aware of their predicament, and make their decisions with the according understanding. Death should not be taken lightly, and despite the inevitability of the prolonged existence of most characters, I am always disappointed by the decision to kill them off without due consideration.

As mentioned, however, the death sentence of Doc Ock's physical deterioration is really only a malleable motivation -- an extention of the clever and unused fact of physical injury. In a strange way, respect for the causality of longterm injuries has been better managed by comics writers, than death, where frivilously undoing crippling injuries might be even more damaging to the credibility of the material. Afterall, at least undoing death is a completely fantastic fact, which would have a limited meaningful impact to humanity in general, neatly contained by the mythic quality of the typcial resurrection. Medical marvels, on the other hand, would not benefit from any understanding if a hero were to remain actively committed to the betterment of humanity. But I digress...

What I really like about this new Doc Ock is that it doesn't change anything at the core of the character. To a similar extent as fictional death, we can be seen to be jaded by the frivilous claims of adaptations, particularly in film, that an interpretation remains "true" to "the spirit" of the character -- which usually preceeds certain disappointment. This reinvention of Dr. Octopus gives the vernacular meaning, truly representing a faithful adaptation of a character that unashamedly commits to the refreshment of deviation and evolution.

The idea of rendering Doc Ock's body completely irrelevant plays on ideas that were well explored by artists like Erik Larsen, whom I remember in particular describing the use of mundane acts, such as pouring coffee, as a graphic beat to juxtapose Otto Octavius' physical ability, with the power of his mind his vital invention -- the tentacles! This emphasis on the power of the tentacles is also adequately embellished by the introduction of an extra four mechanical tentacles -- something that breaks the cartoon convention of brand management, and gives us a Dr. Octopus who is more interested in being deadly, than the idea of living up to a numerical expectation of his limbs, real and invented.

I also really like the science of the octobots, which have a sense of independent character and seem scientifically reminiscent of the kinds of bug-like AI tech drones that litter robotics offices around the globe. The kinds of little chipped sprites that bounce around on tiny tin legs and communicate with the world through sensors and rudimentary self-teaching programming. I like those types of techno-touchstones in pop comics.

If I had a criticism of this giant-sized issue, it's the value of the Doc Ock rebirth to the overall story. I wouldn't like to wade back into the Brand New Day debate, but the lazy presumption that history could be rewritten was done upon the premise of reinvigorating Spider-man and his supporting cast. That supporting cast, namely the resurrected Aunt May and her husband-to-be, are on show here with a fun recounting of classic Spidey stories [ie; Doc Ock's almost marrying Aunt May way back], but fail to live up to the editorial pressure put upon them, or my interests in general. There's definitely a bit of the anniversary issue blues about Amazing Spider-man #600, complete with gratuitous guest appearances by longtime Spidey allies; Daredevil, Johnny Storm (and the Fantastic Four), and the New Avengers. It's inorganic filler, but utterly forgiveable. I particularly enjoyed the classically tinged DD team-up, which lacks the baggage of the Matt Murdocks solo adventures, content to indulge in B-list villain bashing. That fight was the originally intended subject of this entry, but replaced due to the more important Doc Ock spotlight. DD's appearance might return at a later date.

Scattershot back-up material don't do the issue a whole lot, but that's par for the course, too. It doesn't make it right, but at least it doesn't completely abandon justification for the hefty $4.99 pricetag. I dread the thought that the price might eventually come with out supplemental justification. I'm reluctant enough as it is to support these kinds of prices, but I shant let my thrift engulf this late update.

As a warning shot that forecasts a wave of returns in Amazing Spider-man, I can't help but walk away from this issue enthused. In it's own right, it isn't a defining moment in comics, but it will inevitably be the spiritual predecessor to what is fast becoming one of my most anticipated storylines of 2009 -- The Gauntlet!

Max Fiumara provides amazing artwork somewhere in the league of Paul Pope by way of David Lafuente in a Gauntlet teaser that has me absolutely salivating! It features Madame Web visions of Spider-Woman, Araña, Lizard, Rhino, and Kraven the Hunter! It's bound to be a wild ride!

EDIT [July 24, 2010]: Finishing this entry a year late, I'm appreciative of how many significant moments this preview featured. The only noteable disappointment is that it featured the wrong Spider-Woman. Those who've read the recently concluded Grim Hunt know that it was the Julia Carpenter version of the character, better known recently as Arachne. You'll also understand the significance of surprisingly vivid scenes -- such as the handprint scar on Sasha Kravinoff's face, the knife plunged into Spidey's chest, and the apparent return of Kraven the Hunter. Earlier in the year I wrote an unpublished review of an issue of Kraven's Last Hunt, which this story riffs on. The Gauntlet and Grim Hunt issues are also already stacked for feature should the Infinite Wars backlog continue to unfold into 2010.

The Fight: 5 The Story: 4

Those seeking a first-hand look at this turning point in the saga of the Amazing Spider-man should take advantage of the Amazon purchase link provided. By using links, you help sponsor future materials that may feature on the Infinite Wars. You can also find other collected volumes for sale in the Gift Shoppe, which includes editions containing most issues found in the Secret Archive.

SHE-HULK versus CHAMPION OF THE UNIVERSE
Engagement Ring (Marvel comics)
Where: She-Hulk #8 When: December, 2004
Why: Dan Slott How: Juan Bobillo

The story so far...
She-Hulk, having been appointed to the Magistrati, is employed to travel to the planet Skardon, where might makes right.

There she is to employ her strength as She-Hulk to battle Tryco Slatterus, the Champion of the Universe.
Entering the ring for legal battle, She-Hulk attempts to succeed where the Gladiator, Adam Warlock, Beta Ray Bill, the Silver Surfer, and Drax have all failed.

Needless to say, things do not go well, and the fight is stopped before She-Hulk is pounded into paste.
She-Hulk uses the brawn of her legal brain to request a rematch, as she claimed the fight had been stopped while she was still able to go on. Thus, she is granted an 'appeal' in three months.

Now she just has to figure out how to avoid that paste situation...

Recommended reading:
Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7: The first appearance of the Champion of the Universe.
Thanos Quest #1-#2: Thanos tricks Tryco into destroying a planet to steal the Power Gem.
She-Hulk #7-#8: She-Hulk assumes her role as one of the Magistrati, before being led to Skardon to face the Champion.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Champion 7 (Omnipotent)
Intelligence: She-Hulk 3 (Straight A's)
Speed: Champion 3 (Trained Athlete)
Stamina: Champion 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: She-Hulk 2 (Average Human)
Fighting Ability: Champion 7 (Born Fighter)
Energy Powers: Draw 1 (None)

If you're new to the site, you might have missed last March when these two did battle the first time.
As you may have gathered from the introductions, things didn't go exactly according to plan for She-Hulk, but lordy, she's bought herself three months to prepare for a re-trial.

So, what's changed? Well, the tape here is supposed to be based on the general accepted averages of a character, so in that respect absolutely nothing has changed.
Slatterus still out muscles her dramatically, and she's still smarter than he is.

Of course, this is a rematch in which the first fight saw the hero lose, so cosmic law submits that She-Hulk clearly has a much better chance this time around. However, I don't know if cosmic law is submissible if it comes from our universe, so perhaps that should be stricken from the record...

... At the end of the entry, there's no two ways about it.
Slatterus is a little arrogant, but basically an honorable fighter [adhering to a code of combat]. If one were somehow able to, say, think their way around a bit and find a rule or moral to use against the guy, they might stand a chance.

She-Hulk is certainly capable of such a feat, but to stay true to the purpose of this section [and render a prediction]: Tryco Slatterus, aka The Champion of the Universe, should emerge victorious.

What went down...
Jennifer Walters is a dizzy dame who, like most of us, hasn't looked after herself.
So, with three months to train up for her next confrontation with the Champion, it's not She-Hulk who has to bust a gut, but rather her human counterpart.

While training hard to buff up her average build (to facilitate an even more fantastic transformation into She-Hulk), Southpaw moans an unlikely insight that plants the seed for She-Hulk's counter argument for her appeal...

Skardon law forbids the use of weapons in the ring, and so, She-Hulk argues that Champion had benefitted from the use of a foreign object in their previous encounter: in the form of the Power Gem!

Champion agrees to give up the Infinity Gem, and guarantees victory under his own impressive cosmic strength. Even after She-Hulk unveils her impressive new physique, Champion plays it cool, that is, after exclaiming, "BY THE FIRES OF ETERNITY, WOMAN! WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU?!"
[We've all been there with our Chinese swimmer girlfriends, right fellas? - Material Mike]

The bell rings, and the two mighty warriors pledge their cases.
She-Hulk makes a compelling argument in the [early] goings with a stiff left that knocks Champion so hard, he goes into one of those panels where they draw the head a whole bunch of times as it snaps back. Ouch!

With the crowd cheering her name, Shulkie continues litigation, pounding the Elder with various super-strong hooks and uppercuts.
Before long (quite a bit before), Slatterus literally finds himself on the ropes, and the people of Skardon cheer She-Hulk's name - victorious.

Satisfied that it was her brain rather than her brawn that ultimately proved useful to the Magistrati, Shulkie leaves control of Skardon to Adam Warlock, content with returning to Earth.

The hammer...
All hail She-Hulk! Not just for whooping a guy smug enough to call himself Champion, but for being the starring character of such a fantastic read!

There were a lot of positives about the first volume of She-Hulk, but damned if this isn't one of my single favourite issues of 2004.
Slott and Bobillo do a number of truly enjoyable things in this issue, which features some truly awesome, and underappreciated characters from the Marvel Universe.

I could fully understand this kind of thing not being someone's cup of tea, but the unique designs for some of these characters really struck a chord with me.
I would have to say Bobillo's Champion is definitively superior to the design I'm more familiar with, that distincly lacks any grounding or humanity.
Bobillo's lines not only give Slatterus great character, but his overall presentation presents him less like a campy one-note villain, and more like the kind of guy who really has spent his life battling throughout the cosmos.

Likewise, Bobillo tweaks the look of Gladiator and Beta Ray Bill respectively.
I think most would agree BRB really wasn't broken, but Bobillo's touch gives the character an interesting and personal look for this story. It's very much in the vein of his well known Thor inspired appearance, so I probably would've even been happy seeing it carry on in Stormbreaker, but nevermind.

Gladiator, of course, benefits greatly from an update.
The vertical brush mohawk gets traded in for a do that, by issue's end, would surely do Mr. T proud.
Gone too is the bright red, adapted instead into decorative detailin on a blue suit, which looks pretty decent, and maintains that oh-so inventive triangular symbol.

Actually, that throughline of the familiar in Gladiator's appearance is one of the great positives of Slott's issues. While he indulges in the continuity and obscurity of the past, somehow the stories manage to channel something brand new, whilst still throwing back to the good old days.

Slott's continuity also seems to carry a soft touch, and the charm and quirkiness of the She-Hulk title seems to ensure no reader will be intimidated by what he sees.
Like Nextwave, the good humor seems to offer a free ticket to really do anything, and Slott does it well. Unlike Ellis, he even manages to stay within certain boundaries, that ensure there's no reason for She-Hulk to be considered anything but canonical.

This really is a superb read, and if you haven't jumped on the bandwagon already, I'd have to strongly recommend doing so.
Lameasses who prance in the land of trade should be encouraged to pick up the collected first series, but if you're really hardcore, you'll check out the backissues.
Then it's time to do something I haven't yet done, and that's stock up on the second series. Oh yes, I blush!

As should you!

The Fight: 3 The Issue: 7

NEXT: In July we go back in time, and count back the decades from now, back to the seventies. Get all the bad news bears next in the monthly punch-up!

SHE-HULK versus CHAMPION OF THE UNIVERSE
"Engagment Ring"
Where: She-Hulk #8 When: December 2004
Writer: Dan Slott Artist: Juan Bobillo

The story so far...
Jennifer Walters, attorney at law, received a life-saving blood transfusion from her cousin, Dr. Bruce Banner aka The Hulk. The irradiated blood had extraordinary effects, turning her into the sensational She-Hulk.

Having left the Avengers in the wake of Disassembled; She-Hulk began her career as a lawyer specializing in superhuman law at Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg & Holliway.
Her wacky adventures saw She-Hulk attain the greatest honor of being appointed to the Magistrati; agents of the Living Tribunal, who maintains cosmic law throughout the omniverse. This new role, of course, was not without a catch, which leads big green to the planet Skardon, where she is to settle a case by their law.

Tale of the tape...
She-Hulk was undoubtedly one of the breakout hits for Marvel comics in 2004, during an on-going period that I would describe as notably lackluster.
This slightly obscure title served up, in it's first series, a declicious blend of quirky superhero antics, classic Marvel comics character interaction, and an intangible something else that has no name.

Savvy internet fans rallied to She-Hulk's cause, and as that series crosses a milestone one hundredth issue [for the character], and the half-way mark of it's second season; net fans are called to arms again.
Dan Slott's other title, Thing, is lurking dangerously near the dread yellow line, and he's calling to fans to help him out. To learn more about the initiative, head to Newsarama, and learn more about pulling Dan Slott's Thing! Prizes to be won!

Now, let's get down to the real business. The fighting!

Strength: 5 (Super Strength)
Stamina: 5 (Marathon Runner)
Fighting Ability: 4 (Trained Fighter)

Let's be honest... Shulkie has her work cut out for her.
As great as her strengths are, like many characters derived from others, She-Hulk is universally a lesser facsimile of her a-list cousin, The Hulk.
Generally speaking She-Hulk, although capable of exceeding these general bounds, isn't as strong, fast, or powerful as the Hulk.

With that as the measuring stick, you'd have to regard a character like Tryco Slatterus as out of her league. Generally, a guy who can get away with calling himself Champion of the Universe, probably isn't a guy to be messed with. Afterall, prior to this, he's got a skin list of some of the most impressive bruisers in the Marvel universe! Champion's gone toe-to-toe with; the Hulk, the Thing, Colossus, and even Thor, God of thunder!

Strength: 7 (Omnipotent)
Stamina: 7 (Unstoppable)
Fighting Ability: 7 (Born Fighter)

The power primordial is the source of Champion's impressive strength, which replaces conventional motivation, like food, water and sleep, with the nature to tap into the stuff of the very cosmos. As one of the surviving elders of the universe, Champion's immediate strength is only further enhanced by the possession of the infinity power gem.

The only conceivable weakness Tryco Slatterus has is arrogance. Otherwise, on paper, you just couldn't bet against this guy.

What went down...
The Champion scoffs the prospect of fighting a female, but unwilling to forfeit, he arrogantly accepts the amusing challenge from the "lesser being".

She-Hulk, being an independently minded woman, takes exception to the remark, using it as motivation to sock it to the bastard before the bell even rings!
With a trickle of blood running from his nose, Slatterus offers an embittered compliment, and calls for the bell.

It's downill from there. The battle rages on, with most of the fighting coming from the red corner, as the aptly named Champion slugs away at the She-Hulk with rib rips, hooks, and stiff left hands.

With Shulkie reeling, Champion continues the punishment. She-Hulk's pathetic, exhausted efforts are easily dodged, while Champion remained unphased by the physical exertion.

The ruling magistrati judge finally intervenes, declaring She-Hulk woefully outmatched. While the Champion basked in the glow of victory, She-Hulk claimed she was still able to continue fighting, despite being barely able to stand.
The magistrati recognised She-Hulk's appeal, and declared a rematch for three solar months, later. Much to the dismay of Tryco Slatterus, who prided himself on his undisputed victories.

The hammer...
Hmmm... well, isn't that interesting?
Being that on this planet they live by law that decrees might makes right, She-Hulk managed to live to fight another day. Of course, despite the questionable final outcome in Skardon, by our rules we still declare Champion of the Universe the winner.

You can expect to see the result of She-Hulk's rematch sometime later in the year. [Update: Check out the rematch right here!]

As briefly mentioned earlier in this installment, while I've been quite critical of Marvel's output over the last five years - She-Hulk is without a doubt one of the greatest improvements. Over the course of the first twelve issue 'season', I think Dan Slott has really stamped his name on the character, getting a fantastic balance out of his approach to the stories.
The title no doubt still owes a lot to the establishing classics, including John Byrne's landmark work on the previous Sensational She-Hulk comics, but Slott still manages to bring his own quirky something to further enhance the character.

Of course, the appeal of the book might have been less immediately apparent without the suitably quirky art style of Juan Bobillo, who handled the early issues of both seasons.
I think the saddest thing to happen to this book, even with limited support and a forced break between seasons, is that Juan Bobillo could not be secured as an on-going artist. Though initially playing to mixed reviews, I think many a reader, like me, would now associate the artist with the very best of the character.

I think a lot of this same approch is probably being seen in the current Thing on-going, so I again strongly urge everyone to enquire further about the prizes to be won by pulling Dan Slott's Thing!

The Fight: 3.5 The Issue: 7

NEXT: Stay tuned tomorrow, for a big ol' monthly punch-up!