DEADSHOT versus BLOODSPORT

World's Finest: Year Ten - War of the Worlds! (DC)
Where: Batman & Superman: World's Finest #10 When: January 2000 Why: Karl Kesel How: Dave Taylor & Tom Morgan

The Story So Far...
Simultaneous breakouts at Stryker's Island Prison and Arkham Asylum spell double trouble for Metropolis and Gotham City. Some of the deadliest super-criminals from both cities have been let loose -- and the twins responsible are inspiring a turf war that could tear Gotham apart!

Leading a first-wave assault on the Gotham City docks is the ultimate gunman whose arsenal will never run out of ammunition. Bloodsport is just one of the Metropolis super-powers who've come to take over, but little does he know he's stepped into the sights of Deadshot!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Deadshot 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Deadshot 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Deadshot 3 (Strong Willed)
Agility: Deadshot 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Deadshot 4 (Training)
Energy: Bloodsport 4 (Arsenal)
Total: Deadshot 23 (Champion)

They say Deadshot doesn't miss, but will the master marksman be able to make the perfect shot when his opponent is quicker on the draw? That's the challenge he faces against the man of a thousand weapons: Bloodsport!

Robert DuBois was plucked from obscurity by Lex Luthor, and outfitted with state of the art technology that allows him to teleport any weapon imaginable directly into his hands. This even included a gun that fires kryptonite needles when he was first deployed to hunt and destroy Superman!

In theory that means Bloodsport has a limitless arsenal and more firepower than Deadshot, but as The Tape stats show -- that's really his only clean advantage.

DuBois lacks Deadshot's finesse and expertise with arms. In Suicide Squad #6 we saw Deadshot's perfect aim when he creased the skull of an airborne Enchantress with a non-lethal shot fired from a significant distance!

That also shows Deadshot is cool under pressure, performing under immediate threat of Rick Flag and oncoming soldiers. The stakes were just as high in Legends #3 when he used a single-shot laser gun to bring down the rampaging Apokolips beast Brimstone.

Some of his cool nerve can be attributed to an apparent death wish, but Floyd Lawton's jaded outlook isn't nearly as volatile as Bloodsport's!

DuBois espouses the virtue of soldiers who've served their country, but he never actually went to war himself, despite verbiage to the contrary. In truth he was a "draft dodger" who fled to Canada, leaving his younger brother Mickey to take his place, and lose both arms & legs in action in Vietnam.

Suffering a psychotic breakdown that took him on several tours through Canadian psychiatric care; Bloodsport ultimately channeled his self-loathing into aggression towards perceived symbols of modern American apathy. The epitome of this was Superman, but he makes no bones about gunning down civilians, either.

There's a case to be made that speed might be used against Deadshot. He was admitted to the Suicide Squad only after The Flash took him down in Legends #1. On the other hand, fast shooting saved his neck when the Manticore had him pinned down in Suicide Squad #2.

Bloodsport's hopes really rely on coming in guns blazing. Otherwise, he appears to lack any real training or the combat skills necessary to outfight Deadshot.

The Tape: Deadshot Ranking: Deadshot (#72)

What Went Down...
Bloodsport shouts a warning of "incoming" as he unloads with a massive hi-tech blaster cannon on the Gotham West Side docks. It is a courtesy with a purpose -- the shot itself a warning of sorts, that "Metropolis Muscle" is taking over!

"GOT YOUR ATTENTION, PEOPLE? GOOD! 'CAUSE FROM NOW ON, THESE DOCKS ARE RUN BY METROPOLIS MUSCLE! WE CLEAR?"

The message is heard loud and clear, but Gotham's criminal underworld have been warned of the incursion and come prepared.

No sooner has Bloodsport finished his bold declaration of takeover, than Deadshot has a wrist-mounted gun barrel pointed at the back of his head.

He calmly orders Bloodsport to drop the massive cannon.

The Metropolis gunman complies, but for someone who can will any weapon into his hand with a mere thought -- disarming is a temporary predicament.

Bloodsport's hand begins to glow a familiar blue as he wonders which of them would be faster on the draw: He with his "arms-transporter" -- or Deadshot with his trademark wrist-mounted magnum?

The marksman either doesn't see it coming, or simply allows a futuristic pistol to materialize in Bloodsport's hand to indulge a shootout. Bloodsport twirls around as soon as the gun is in his hand and opens fire!

Bloodsport manages to get off three shots as he dives to his right, but Deadshot leans clear and aims true -- shattering the gun in Bloodsport's hand with a single crack shot!

In an instant Bloodsport fills his other hand with another gun and fires wildly. He may not have Deadshot's expert aim, but he reckons that toppling a brick wall directly behind him with superior firepower will finish him just fine.

Deadshot stands his ground and invites Bloodsport to join him in Hell.

Before the Gotham local can make good on his threat, two caped crusaders come swooping out of the blue to bring their deadly battle to an end!

Superman grabs Deadshot and pulls him clear of the brick debris, while Batman swoops down from above to silence Bloodsport with an overhead kayo!

The Hammer...

If you were hoping for a definitive answer to who the superior gunman is: I'm afraid you'll have to keep wondering! This was an issue of World's Finest, and the title pairing of Superman & Batman swooped in to steal the win.

Although published with a cover date of 2000; the conceit of the World's Finest mini-series means it's set sometime in the past. The majority of each issue takes place in a different subsequent year, which means around sixty years of publication history was consolidated into an adjusted ten year timeline.

The penultimate issue touched upon the aftermath of Death of Superman and Knightfall, but it seems World's Finest #10 also might take place somewhere in what would've been the real-time publishing period of the early nineties. It's a little difficult to say for sure, and Bloodsport's presence is the primary reason.

Robert DuBois was gunned down violently in a 1995 issue of Adventures of Superman. He doesn't make any subsequent appearance before 2000, which seemed to reinforce his untimely death.

Steel also makes an appearance in World's Finest #10, wearing what looks like his original S shield armor, but might be a later version adopted around '97. The latter would sit better with the involvement of the villain Riot, who debuted in 1996, in Superman: Man of Steel. Either way, somebody clearly got confused.

Death being what it is in modern day comics: the permanence and status of Robert DuBois' death has been a little difficult to track ever since.

Another Bloodsport appeared on the scene in 1993 with significantly different prejudices. There may also in fact be a third unidentified Bloodsport who just happens to look almost identical to Robert DuBois.

It's difficult to know for sure if there actually is a lookalike, or if World's Finest #10 merely began a chain of confusion that continued with later creators, who presumably wanted to call back to the slightly obscure early post-Crisis villain, but didn't know or care that he was dead.

The line wide relaunch of the New 52 definitively restored Robert DuBois to the new canon, allowing him to make a couple of appearances in The Flash. It seems safe to assume he'll be sticking around now that Idris Elba has been revealed as a live-action Robert DuBois in next year's The Suicide Squad movie.

The fact that it was long rumored Elba would replace Will Smith as Deadshot made today's featured fight a particularly fun battle to dig up from obscurity.

I have to imagine the film will inspire DC Comics to utilize the character much more, possibly setting up for a future rematch with Floyd Lawton, assuming he returns from whatever nonsense has befallen him. It wouldn't surprise me if the comic follows the movie's lead and swaps Bloodsport in very soon. That tends to be the way things work, these days.

It actually strikes me that the relative obscurity of Bloodsport will work in favour of both the filmmakers and DC.

The choice offers a low risk way to reinvent a character, and potentially mint a new lasting icon in the process. It's also a much more pleasing and genuine way to address ethnic diversity in comic book films, as opposed to casting against type as they did for Deadshot.

Bloodsport may seem like a bit of a nothing character, but in the future we may take a closer look at his first appearance to uncover what is a surprisingly strong debut for an otherwise forgotten villain. I've certainly overlooked the character all these years, but it's probably no surprise the John Byrne introduction works. We'll talk more about the glaring Van Damme connection, too. I know you saw it!

In the mean time: Bloodsport becomes the 987th character added to the Fight Club Rankings!

You can check out adjusted ranks for all featured characters at the bottom of current updates. Follow links throughout this post to discover more from each combatant -- and many more!

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured well over 650 comic book battles and you can find them all in the Secret Archive! Links are indexed by publisher, series, and issue number. Or subscribe on Twitter and Facebook to get daily links to superhero smackdown inspired by the topics of the day. Don't forget to like & share updates if you do!

If you'd like to read today's featured fight for yourself, you can check it out in the now out-of-print Batman * Superman: World's Finest collection. Using the Amazon link provided to shop will do a fine job of helping support the site.

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Winners: Batman & Superman
#1 (--) Batman
#5 (--) Superman
#80 (-8) Deadshot
#933 (new) Bloodsport (Robert DuBois)

DEADSHOT versus ENCHANTRESS

Hitting The Fan (DC)
Where: Suicide Squad #6 When: October 1987
Why: John Ostrander How: Luke McDonnell

The Story So Far...
When the Soviet Union proposes a trade with the United States for a controversial novelist's freedom; The Suicide Squad are called upon in secret to extract the prisoner right from under their noses!

It was a politically charged mission to Moscow none of them wanted to take, but the ingenious plan of new recruit Oswald Cobblepot, (aka; The Penguin), makes the trip behind enemy lines seem possible! There's just one catch: Nobody thought to ask Zoya Trigorin if she wanted to be rescued!

A hostile prisoner throws the mission into disarray -- much to the delight of Enchantress! With the Soviet Army closing in fast, Colonel Rick Flag has no choice but to order Deadshot to bring the wild witch down when she goes rogue!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Deadshot 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Enchantress 5 (Professor)
Speed: Deadshot 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Enchantress 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Draw 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Deadshot 4 (Trained)
Energy: Enchantress 6 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Enchantress 24 (Champion)

Floyd Lawton is Deadshot by name, Deadshot by reputation -- but can a bullet from the assassin's gun really pierce the magic veil of the Enchantress? That's what we're here to find out in a battle of Suicide Squad teammates!

We have, of course, seen another Squaddy take down Enchantress in a previous instance: Bronze Tiger was on-hand to make sure she played nice when the team went up against Brimstone in their inaugural mission [Legends #3].

Deadshot's aim was true, successfully taking Brimstone down with the use of a specialized laser weapon. The next mission was also a success for Deadshot, who defeated Manticore in a deadly close-quarters battle [Suicide Squad #2].

There's no denying Deadshot is a master marksman, but not quite every shot is a bull's eye! His very presence with the Suicide Squad is a result of being captured by The Flash, who was too fast for Deadshot's draw [in Legends #1].

No hero has gotten under Lawton's skin quite as thoroughly as Batman! Their multiple run-ins include Deadshot's very first outing, when he posed as a masked vigilante to oust The Bat. He nearly pulled it off, but as in most of their clashes, it ended in Deadshot's defeat. His eventual comeback in Detective Comics #474 is one such example.

Enchantress doesn't have the hand-to-hand fighting prowess of Batman, nor his unique insights. She does, however, possess a broad spectrum of magic powers as a witch that should be able to deal with most guns and munitions.

Without specialist weaponry, Deadshot seems pretty out of his depth against Enchantress. His greatest strength lies in long-range sniping to get the drop on an unprepared Enchantress. That's how Bronze Tiger closed similar odds.

Enchantress was supposed to impersonate novelist Zoya Trigorin while the Squad extracted her from Russia, but with the mission thrown into chaos, she's completely off the leash. That bodes well for Deadshot, who can capitalize on her distraction. Will it work? Let's find out...

The Tape: Enchantress Ranking: Deadshot (#114)

What Went Down...
An explosion rings out from the Novogorod Psychiatric Hospital. The mission has gone bad. Real bad! The Suicide Squad regroups in the snow covered woods just outside, while The Enchantress delights at the opportunity for chaos!

With Russian troops rapidly closing-in; Colonel Rick Flag is forced to make an urgent decision about the witch flying overhead. With time running out, he turns to Deadshot with a non-lethal order to shoot.

Deadshot feigns concern that he may not be able to bring Enchantress down without accidentally killing her. Flag puts a gun to his head and warns him not to miss!

Unaware of the conspiring gunmen below; Enchantress is completely unprepared when she hears the sudden explosion of Deadshot's rifle!

The searing sting of the bullet follows in an instant. Struck in the head, The Enchantress plummets from the sky to the thick floor of snow below.

Flag orders Nightshade and Nemesis to collect the body. A dark smile creeps over Deadshot's face as he assures the Colonel his shot was made to order -- on target and non-lethal.

Enchantress is groggy when Nemesis lifts her from the snow by the shoulders. He demands to know her name, but she instinctively refuses! If spoken, it will return the wicked witch to the darkness -- restoring innocent June Moone.

So Nemesis tells her she's June Moone: a spy who will be shot on sight! The barely conscious witch denies this, too. With time running out he leans over her face and asks who she really is. At last she says it: "Enchantress!"

The Hammer...
This one may challenge your definition for a "fight", but the fact is: some conflicts end not with the throwing of fists, but with the firing of a single bullet! Such is the stock & trade of Deadshot!

As we build a bigger profile for Deadshot, it'll be interesting to see what his strike-rate as a marksman is really like. The reputation of killers in comics doesn't always match-up to results. Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see what today's win does for his overall fight rank!

Today we're here to track the movements of Enchantress, whose early tenure with the Suicide Squad provided one of the great sub-plots of the first couple of years. It loosely inspired elements of the 2016 movie, but as with most things in that adaptation, the source material was not well represented.

The premise is simple: The Suicide Squad are a band of convicted villains operating as a black-ops team to work-off their sentences. They're guided by trusted agents like Rick Flag and Bronze Tiger, but the criminal nature of most of the team means there's always an underlying tension of mistrust.

Enchantress is arguably the most openly hostile of the group, but she's tethered to the pleasant alter-ego of June Moone, who volunteered her services.

Moone initially has enough sway to keep the wicked witch in check, but every time Enchantress is summoned, her dark powers grow. The threat that she'll turn on the team is always there, but the trade-off is that her magic is one of the Squad's most powerful weapons, and sometimes can be directed.

Inevitably, this dangerous game means various members of The Squad are forced to take Enchantress down once her work is done.

We saw this in their inaugural mission, when Enchantress saved the team from being scorched by the flaming aftermath of Brimstone -- only to immediately turn on them! Bronze Tiger became the first teammate to shut her down.

Comics being what they are; there are different flavours to the various times Enchantress is thwarted. The next time we visit the theme it will probably seem vaguely comical, but each indignity is only building toward the inevitable.

The reader knows Enchantress' power and hostility is growing, and the tension that mounts is one of the great threads weaved into the tapestry of John Ostrander's early Suicide Squad!  It could've greatly enhanced the film had they taken it in the same direction, rather than abruptly making her the arch-villain of the first film. One of many mistakes.

If you're looking for more Suicide Squad, or follow-up entries, be sure to check out the Secret Archive. You'll easily find featured fights indexed by publisher, series, and issue! If you just want to read these issues in their entirety for yourself, you can support the site by using the Amazon link provided!

You can also follow Secret Wars on Infinite Earths on Facebook and Twitter to get daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day! A like, share, or retweet is a much appreciated way to show support!

Additional Note: Assist stats will be recorded for Rick Flag for ordering the hit, as well as Nemesis & Nightshade, who helped ensure Enchantress switched back to June Moone. These details were important to securing Deadshot's triggerman victory.

Winner: Deadshot
#66 (+48) Deadshot
#846 (-314) Enchantress
#383 (--) Rick Flag [+1 assist]
#420 (+75) Nemesis (Tom Tresser) [+1 assist]
#527 (new) Nightshade (Eve Eden) [+1 assist]

DEADSHOT versus BATMAN

The Deadshot Ricochet (DC)
Where: Detective Comics #474 When: December 1977 Why: Steve Englehart How: Marshall Rogers

The Story So Far...
While Bruce Wayne plays interested billionaire playboy for enterprising love interest Silver St. Cloud; news breaks of an old enemy's escape from Gotham City maximum security prison!

Floyd Llawton once threatened to replace The Batman as Gotham City's resident masked vigilante, adopting the marksman's moniker of Deadshot!

When he was exposed for the crook he really was, Deadshot was thrown into prison and soon forgotten. Locked away with a bitter grudge against The Dark Knight, Llawton waited for his opportunity to escape -- finding it when The Penguin is incarcerated with a laser monocle!

Back on the loose, Deadshot has honed himself into a deadlier nemesis than ever before! Knowing the escaped convict's old haunts are dangerously close to Silver's exhibition, Wayne takes to the rooftops as Batman to confront his enemy in the ultimate grudge match!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Batman 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Batman 5 (Professor)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Batman 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Batman 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Batman 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: Batman 4 (Arsenal)


We've spent a lot of time revisiting the mid to late eighties of DC Comics during this year's Secret Wars on Infinite Earths. It was a time defined by Crisis on Infinite Earths, and the subsequent rebuild of the company's shared universe.

You can't think about the post-Crisis eighties without remembering John Ostrander's Suicide Squad -- featured heavily in August updates to coincide with the release of the feature film! A pivotal, breakout character of the original run (and movie) was Floyd Lawton, aka; Deadshot -- fan-favourite, never-miss mercenary with a wrist-mounted gun for hire!

We got to see Deadshot's gunsight in use during the Suicide Squad's inaugural mission in Legends #3. Recruited from prison after a run-in with The Flash [Legends #1]; Lawton helped take down a giant fire-monster from Apokolips called Brimstone! The creature had previously taken down Firestorm [Legends #1] and the Justice League of America [Legends #2]. A pretty big debut!

Before he became an expendable covert asset for the United States Government and Task Force X: Lawton was a wealthy thrillseeker who fancied himself as the next Batman. Dressed in top hat, tails and mask, he turned his crackshot skills against Gotham City's mobsters and became the new top vigilante in town.

Batman and Robin eventually exposed Deadshot for the crook he really was. He was thrown in jail, where he remained for years -- until Detective Comics #474 brought him into a new era!

If we were approaching this story in 1977, the odds would probably be even. Deadshot did have the upper hand in that original 1950 story, but was also ultimately defeated. Today, we have a very different impression of both featured characters. The post-Crisis modern DC Universe placed both characters on equal footing with some pretty major league opponents!

Batman, in particular, has routinely taken down super-powered foes of the caliber of Darkseid [Superman/Batman #42], Superman [Superman/Batman #78], and Amazo [Batman #637]! His arch-nemesis The Joker is basically a mortal man relying on weapons, but their dynamic typically sees The Dark Knight in complete combative control. Even Marvel's Bullseye was effortlessly punched out after a game of Batarang catch in DC versus Marvel #1!

We haven't seen Batman really face-off with a marksman of Deadshot's caliber, but he was significantly tested in hand-to-hand fights with Rick Flag [Suicide Squad #10] and Captain America [Marvel versus DC #3]. There was also the little matter of his ultimate defeat by Bane [Batman #497] - a tactical fighter, but not really at all comparable to Deadshot.

This is essentially new territory for Batman on The Comic Book Fight Club. How will he handle the ultimate gunman? Nine times out of ten he should have the best of the cavalier Deadshot, but lets see just what happened when Batman first faced off with his revamped nemesis!

The Tape: Batman Ranking: Batman (#1)

What Went Down...
Patrolling the Gotham City rooftops; The Dark Knight remembers the time he was nearly bested by a twisted counterpart -- now a fugitive! As if in reply, a rifle shot rings out in the night, narrowly missing the caped crusader's cowl! An attention grabber fired from the barrel of recently escaped convict: Deadshot!

From a vantage point atop the nearby Ellsworth Building, Deadshot calls to his nemesis. He educates his enemy in his new methods: a wrist-mounted blaster to channel his hatred into pure power. In the past he played games, but now his revenge will come as straight as a bullet from a gun!

While Deadshot is distracted delivering his impassioned speech, The Batman navigates the night to launch a sneak attack. He seizes upon the villain with a sudden tackle, clutching at his weapon - but Deadshot is unfazed!

In the former dandy, Batman finds a nemesis who has used his prison time to harden his will, and strengthen his body! Deadshot avoids an uppercut and fires back with his own left cross! The scuffle sends Deadshot toppling from their precarious perch, but he's prepared for that too! A grappling line fired from one of his gauntlets allows him to glide effortlessly through the city street! He challenges The Batman to catch him if he can!

Batman wastes no time - taking chase on his own batline to follow the arc of his gun-toting counterpart. As they touch down on a conventional hall roof, Batman uses his momentum to turn the tables on his prey!

The costumed combatants smash through a skylight, plummeting onto a giant typewriter displayed within the convention hall! A prop in the exhibition run by Bruce Wayne's favourite girl Silver St. Cloud!

Suspicious of The Caped Crusader's connection to her beau, St. Cloud keeps her security at bay, allowing the vigilante to pursue the fight across lettered keys!

Losing the fist fight, Deadshot flees across the keyboard - warning Batman of a new moral code that has no concern for innocent bystanders! This only fuels the Dark Knight's determination as he launches over the typewriter hull, landing on one of two massively oversized typeballs!

Thinking quick, Deadshot fires a magnum charge at the carriage return key - sending the typeball spinning out from under Batman's feet! He has no choice but to launch himself into the air - his cape sprawled like a bat's wings!

As Deadshot gets him in his sight, Batman disappears into the typewriter void. When the marksman leans over to look in - Batman springs his trap, swinging gymnastically to catch his opponent in a head scissor!

Falling into the machine, Deadshot becomes entangled in the massive tape strip. Finding sure footing above, Batman bests his returned nemesis with a simple threat to write a letter. Deadshot concedes - for now!

The Hammer...
By his opponent's own admission: Batman is victorious!

An seemingly ignoble return for a villain who once successfully bested The Bat, but the beginning of a full-fledged comeback that would create the definitive Deadshot! A legacy that arguably peaked around a decade later, but we're getting ahead of ourselves...

Publishing lore has it that the modern revamp of Deadshot came about almost by accident! Brian Cronin covered the story in his Comic Book Legends Revealed, illuminating the clash of two Joker stories scheduled to hit racks simultaneously.

Conscientious Bat-editor Julius Schwartz tasked his Detective Comics team with coming up with a new script to delay their now-famous "Joker Fish" issue. The resulting insertion was the return of a villain who hadn't made a meaningful appearance since his debut in 1950!

The Deadshot that appears in Detective Comics #474 arguably could've been a brand new character. In his original appearance he was a dandy gunslinger in mask, top hat and tails. There's very little in common between that character and the metal masked, red suited mercenary designed by Marshall Rogers!

Yet, by harnessing the published history of a forgotten villain, Englehart and Rogers create a character pregnant with greater context.

By honoring the noble tradition of reexamining old ideas in comics, they demonstrate one of the factors I love most about the medium.

Back issues were presumably a boon to the creative process, but the reader gets something out of it, too. A reason to look back at an old story, to find new and old meanings, and to see a living evolution of characters and their world. It's creation and fiction coming together to make something special and largely unique to well made, well maintained serial comics!

DC have applied the basic premise of revamping characters quite heavily to their comics line in recent years. Frankly, it's made them unattractive. Their approach to restarting the line was in keeping with the premise of Crisis on Infinite Earths, without any of the justifiable reasoning. By applying a new coat of paint to a forgotten, discarded character, Englehart and Rogers demonstrate when and how to take this approach.

Would I have embraced this new Deadshot if I were an informed reader of 1977? I am a traditionalist at heart, so I'm not  entirely sure, but there are compelling factors that spell welcome update...

Twenty-seven years of dormancy has a way of justifying a new approach. Especially between eras as distinct as 1950 and 1977. The eighties certainly benefitted from Deadshot's look - as at home with four-colour comics as GI Joe toys. I greatly appreciate that the original design is featured in the issue's flashbacks. An acknowledgment and transition that leaves the door open should ideas warrant it.

Of course, there is something appealing about the absurd visual of a man in a tuxedo wielding guns. It lends itself to the idea that this is a dark shadow to Bruce Wayne, lacking motivation or sophistication in his masked alter-ego. In the present, there'd be a fun, facetious, pop post-modernism to embracing the dated appeal of the original, moustachio Deadshot. I think that's a good thing, but don't quote me on it.

The eighties are, of course, a big part of why we're revisiting this issue now. Even with all their considerations, Englehart and Rogers ultimately left Batman with a fairly shallow sniper in his rogue's gallery. A welcome addition, but one that would be most valuable as a utility to stories, rather than an engine. That all changed when the character caught the eye of John Ostrander.

Right from their first mission in Legends #3 (1987), the Suicide Squad put Deadshot up front and center. By now he was well on his way to being a charismatic, cavalier mercenary, but under Ostrander all aspects of the character would coalesce into a worthy icon of DC Comics! A sniper with a death wish and a complicated old money history built on his first appearance.

We ran out of time to really spotlight Deadshot in August, but the dubious big screen Will Smith version did inspire a Hero of the Week entry. As we tie these loose ends from 2016, I hope we can again aim to come back to address more of Deadshot's development. I've had a lot of fun revisiting Deadshot and the Suicide Squad throughout this year!

If you'd like to find more featured fights like this one, take advantage of links littered throughout this post, or dive in by Publisher, Series and Issue in the Secret Index Archive! There you'll find a catalogue of every battle featured on the blog! If you like what you read, hit the G+1 button or social media links located at the bottom of every entry!

Want to read today's featured issue in its entirety for yourself? You can find relevant collected editions by hitting the Amazon links embedded to the right of this text. Using them helps the site, which is great!

I recommend you do. The panels featured in this post really don't do the sumptuous art work justice! Terry Austin's inks give Rogers' art a great strong look, and the reprint colours look great. Strange Apparitions is tough to come by right now. I hoped the Suicide Squad film might get it back into print - but it didn't. I do know this particular issue is included in Deadshot: Beginnings. Another worthwhile read, if you're looking to better understand the character's motivations.

Winner: Batman
#1 (--) Batman
#111 (-6) Deadshot

HERO OF THE WEEK: DEADSHOT (DC)
Real Name: Floyd Lawton
First Appearance: Batman #59 (June, 1950)
Fight Club Ranking: #95

Featured Fights:
- vs FLASH: Legends #1 (Nov 1986)
- vs BRIMSTONE: Legends #3 (Jan 1987)
- vs MANTICORE: Suicide Squad #2 (Jun 1987)
- vs BATMAN: Suicide Squad #10 (Feb 1988)
- vs INJUSTICE LEAGUE: Justice League of America #15 (Jan 2008)

When I think of the Suicide Squad, I generally think of three characters: Rick Flag, Bronze Tiger and above all - Deadshot! Only two of those made it to the big screen version released in theatres this month, but only one hit the bullseye as our Hero of the Week!

Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers deserve credit for digging Deadshot out of mothballs. They reinvented the character in their landmark late seventies run on Batman, but it was John Ostrander who defined Floyd Lawton as an icon for the early post-Crisis era! He was nonchalant: A willing participant in the suicide missions dished out by callous government manipulator Amanda Waller.

From his appearances in Legends, through to the launch of the original Suicide Squad series, Deadshot was a character on the rise. A fast developed rogue meeting every deadly encounter with a pinch of dashing, a splash of dry with, helpings of self-serving, and a bit of a death wish.

This charm could've made Deadshot a strong foundational introduction to the DC Comics cinematic universe, but that seems unlikely now that the movie is here. How Hollywood saw Will Smith in the character is more than a little bit mystifying, but I'm not sure I'd pin the problems exclusively on him.

Organization of their DC film properties - or lack thereof - is clearly working against Warner Brothers. While characters like Harley Quinn and The Joker have given uninitiated audiances a couple of characters to anticipate (even if they're unrecognizable) - the film might have been better served by having another familiar face introduced ahead of time. As an original Batman villain, Deadshot might have given Ben Affleck a nice focused aside to deal with during the long, shambolic feature episode of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Rearranging both films - an attractive idea.

Suicide Squad packs in a late scene alluding to Batman and the Justice League. If Deadshot factored in to Dawn of Justice in a B-plot reminiscent of his battle with The Flash in Legends #1, it could've been interesting to feature his recruitment in prison by Rick Flag. As a character with deep ties to Task Force X, Flag himself could have been a logical addition in the Doomsday Third Act of Dawn of Justice, as well. The only man missing, his first recruit - Bronze Tiger!

Race is a hot button issue at the moment, exported from the United States to the rest of the world. It's not really a topic I have enough passion to venture too deeply into, but I'm sympathetic to the ideals that have made American popular culture something of a clumsy battleground. George Takei recently expressed some disappointment toward the Star Trek reboot films incorporating his sexual orientation into the make-up of the character he made famous. In the rush to support social change, or at least be seen to be involved, the construction and maintenance of consistent creative worlds has suffered. I tend to think of it as an insult to the people its pandering to. Clumsy tokenism highlighted by the disruption to the iconic image associated with the property being adapted.

Once upon a time, Will Smith would just be thought of as bad casting. Something superhero movies have had to weather for decades, not just casting against race, but also type. A basic misrepresentation of a character decades old. Joel Kinnamen isn't much better as Rick Flag. Strung out and moustached, looking more like the Floyd Lawton of the comics than the man standing next to him. It's all especially galling when the potential to build on a very strong African-American character was passed up: Bronze Tiger! I almost wonder if, in the ever confused Hollywood approach, the two characters were blended together. Social conscience comics movie cake and eating it too? Wishful thinking.

Comics and movies could do so much more for social representation and quality brand management by utilizing the characters that are there, and by working to create new ones. Not just half-arsed offcasts, or sudden changes to the race of characters sixty or seventy years old. Genuine investment in icons that reflect society in broader roles. Bronze Tiger could have done that for Suicide Squad, not that I'd really advocate Will Smith for the tiger masked martial artist, either. Assuming the mask would even have a chance in a Hollywood production.

Among the many half measures taken - the eternal struggle to embrace comic book design and iconography! Admittedly, the Marshall Rogers update design for Deadshot is a tough ask. It made enough sense in the GI Joe-esque, superhero periphery of the Suicide Squad comics, but it is a bit of an oddball. Their attempts to costume the Suicide Squad fall generally short. Deadshot's iconic mask is reinvented as a really weird looking pseudo-helmet. His armor - a little cheap and cumbersome, but by not too offensive. They kept the red. That's something!

I admire Warner Brothers' willingness to gamble on somewhat untested properties. I'm also pleased audiences have taken enough interest to venture out to the cinema to give it a try. I just wish it was all-in and a high-quality, rewarding experience. Perhaps better results next time.

We can always find better results by venturing into the source world of the comic books! August on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths is all about the characters of the Suicide Squad! You can hit the Issue Index Archive to jump straight to classic issues you know, use character links to see more of your favorites, and jump back to HOTW features like Harley Quinn and Joker for more!

<< Hero of the Week 08/22: Capt. Boomerang  [Home]  Hero of the Week 08/08: Harley Quinn >>

RICK FLAG versus BATMAN

Up Against The Wall (DC)
Where: Suicide Squad #10 When: February 1988
Why: John Ostrander How: Luke McDonnell

The Story So Far...
There's something not quite right about Belle Reve Prison and it's newest inmate: Matches Malone. Neither is what they seem and they're about to collide in a clash of wills!

Malone is in actual fact The Batman: Deep undercover, and intent on exposing what's really going on within the fortress stronghold of the Lousiana prison! Elementary for one of the world's greatest detectives and escape artists!

Having acquired the information he seeks, Batman stages his exit, but not without raising the alarm. Having faced down the female fury of Duchess and the gun scope of Deadshot - freedom is in sight, but the Suicide Squad have one more taskmaster to throw at him! Enter: Colonel Rick Flag!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Batman 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Batman 5 (Professor)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Batman 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Batman 4 (Gymnastic)
Fighting: Batman 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: Batman 4 (Arsenal)


Colonel Rick Flag is a career soldier with ties to the original Task Force X and Suicide Squadron. The exact details of his early military career are unclear, but his unwavering dedication to the job, and years of experience, were evidenced in his role as field leader of a new Suicide Squad.

Created under Amanda Waller's Task Force X; The Suicide Squad forced Flag to accept command of a team of convicted super-criminals who accepted black-ops missions in exchange for an expunged record. His personal recruits included the deprogrammed assassin Bronze Tiger, and cavalier mercenary Deadshot.

We saw Flag bravely provide a guiding hand to Deadshot during the team's first field mission: A takedown of the burning behemoth Brimstone [Legends #3], who was an unstoppable living weapon sent to Earth by Darkseid!

Flag's role was strictly leadership, but thanks to the division's superior intel, his group succeeded where the Justice League of America had failed [Legends #2]! Had the mission required, he could've called upon expert hand-to-hand and firearms combat training. His two offensive options against the likes of Batman!

When it comes to tactical and combative expertise - few are better than The Dark Knight! We've seen Batman put on hand-to-hand clinics with renowned opponents like: Captain America [Marvel versus DC #3], Bullseye [DC versus Marvel #1], The Knight [JLA: Classified #3], Slam Bradley [Catwoman #22], Victor Zsasz [Detective Comics #796], and Killer Croc [Batman #621]. He's even relied upon fighting skills to face super-threats like: Amazo [Batman #637], Captain Marvel [Superman/Batman #4], Scorpion [DC/Marvel: All Access #3], and New God of evil himself - Darkseid [Superman/Batman #42]!

Suffice it to say: Rick Flag is up against steep odds! He does have a tactical advantage in this particular situation, though!

Batman has infiltrated the secret Belle Reve headquarters of Task Force X. To do so, he's already had to run a gauntlet of armed guards, new recruit Duchess (formerly of the Apokolips Female Furies), and old arch-enemy: Deadshot! It's a strategy Bane famously used to run Batman ragged before securing supreme victory - the famous "breaking of The Bat" - in Batman #497!

Granted, Bane's approach involved releasing dozens of the deadliest inmates from Arkham Asylum. That forced Batman into an exhaustive chase across Gotham City. In Belle Reve Prison, his shortlist of opponents are all in close quarters. That means less leg work, but more intense action, and a home field advantage where the lockdown security of the prison could force Batman into an unwinnable situation!

The Math: Batman Ranking: Batman (#1)

What Went Down...
Leaving a trail of defeated operatives, Batman sprints through the shadows of Belle Reve Prison. Approaching the main gate, he hears an apologetic voice...

Colonel Rick Flag dive tackles Batman from behind! The impact takes his legs out from under him, sending both to the floor.

Flag leans into his fist as he extends over The Dark Knight Detective's shoulder, pressing the advantage. Batman reverses the position, throwing his elbow back directly into Flag's exposed jaw!

The Batman uses the opportunity to rise to his feet. Both men hunching over, the pair of fighters square each other off at breaking distance. They move in!

Batman and Flag both lead with the backside of their left fist. Their forearms collide in a firm stalemate. Batman rockets his right fist into play, but Flag is able to curl his left arm up to block and sweep away from his face!

They lean into each other -- foreheads pressing like the locked horns of two bulls! Flag throws a probing right hand in the rib direction of Batman's body. The Dark Knight opts instead for a fist full of t-shirt. He pulls Flag toward him!

The gambit gives Batman the opening he needs to nail Flag with a devastating uppercut! The blow sends the Colonel sprawling to the ground! As he scrambles on all fours, The Batman leaps - cape extending like a giant living shadow!

Just as it seemed the fight was entering the end game - a volley of gunfire rings above both men's heads! They stop in their tracks!

The shots come from the gun barrel of Amanda Waller! Backed by Duchess, Deadshot, and the Belle Reve Warden and personnel who were taken out earlier - she challenges The Dark Knight!

He questions her methods. She draws parallels. Batman invokes the tax payers who unwittingly fund her squad of unreformed criminals. She trades a secret for a secret: The Batman had to go under deep cover to infiltrate the prison facility. He wasn't wearing gloves the whole time. She'll keep his secret identity if Batman agrees to keep theirs. The begrudging bargain brings Batman's excursion to an end. He's free to leave.

The Hammer...
While it looked as if Batman was getting the upper hand in the fight, we have no choice but to call this battle a draw!

For their role in bringing about a neutral conclusion to the outcome: Amanda Waller, Deadshot, Duchess, bespectacled John Economos, and moustached guard J. Daniel "Murph" Murphy have earned an assist.

I tend to think of the outcome in terms of the first Rocky. Just going the distance with Batman is as good as a win for Rick Flag.

If you thought he'd be happy about his team's intervention in the skirmish, though, you've got another thing coming!

It's one of the interesting dynamics of the Suicide Squad team. Flag may be a career soldier with trouble in his past, but he isn't worlds apart from Batman when it comes to judging the covert employment of his super-villains teammates. He respects Batman, touting The Dark Knight's valor over the self-serving moral ambiguity of his team. An ally 100% committed to his team, even if he doesn't really like them.

Batman is a welcome presence throughout the issue. His break-in under the guise of frequent alias Matches Malone is a lot of fun. The way Amanda Waller uses it to turn the tables -- threatening to uncover Batman's secret identity through his need to go gloveless -- a great power play!

Did Batman really expose himself so carelessly? This isn't quite the invincible, omnipotent planner that Batman would become, but it is a tough ask to accept that he didn't have some kind of plastic fingertip covers, or the like.

His infiltration sets up an action-heavy escape for most of the issue. He runs through the guards, Duchess, and Deadshot, before being jumped by Rick Flag in the featured fight. I'm sure we'll aim to revisit the issue for those other fights. The battle with Duchess (aka; Lashina) is definitely one we'll need to document!

My only real complaint of this milestone issue is that the action seems to get away from penciller Luke McDonnell. It falls apart particularly in the Flag fight, which suffers from indistinct actions in a broken down, blow by blow battle.

It's no doubt the layouts are supposed to show the inching strategy and effort of the two fighters. An attempt to demonstrate Flag's ability to match Batman hand-to-hand, at least for a while. The exact movements are just a little too hard to discern from the artwork. The repeating, thin panels perhaps better replaced with a more dynamic impression of a short fight. I'm not sure.

McDonnell does great work throughout the early issues of Suicide Squad. I think his stylized photo-realism really creates an iconic look for the series. It's of the same cloth as Kevin Maguire's pencils, but lays on heavier shadows and slightly less super-heroic dynamism in scenes. This plays out well when "Matches" is setting his plan into motion in the empty prison. The way Batman slinks down the corridors and toward the reader in a two-thirds page reveal - awesome!

Want to see the whole issue for yourself? Pick up the collected edition by using the Amazon link provided for your convenience to the right! Like the tax dollars that fund the Suicide Squad, your purchase helps keep the wars infinite!

August is Suicide Squad month on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths. Check back for Friday Night Fights and Hero of the Week updates featuring the characters from the movie and beyond! You can find even more features by infiltrating the Secret Issue Index!

Winner: Draw
#1 (--) Batman
#370 (+125) Rick Flag
#95 (--) Deadshot [+1 Assist]
#406 (+61) Amanda Waller [+1 Assist]
#497 (new) Lashina (Duchess) [+1 Assist]
#498 (new) John Economos [+1 Assist]
#499 (new) J Daniel Murphy [+1 Assist]

TASK FORCE X versus BRIMSTONE

Send For... The Suicide Squad! (DC)
Where: Legends #3 When: January 1987
Why: John Ostrander & Len Wein How: John Byrne

The Story So Far...
From distant planet Apokolips, the New God Darkseid and his minion Desaad curse the heroes of the world known as Earth! These mighty mortals have risen to thwart their wicked plans time and time again!

Inspired only by evil intent, the New Gods devise a new plan! Operation: Humiliation -- a scheme to attack the heroes through monsters and media manipulation!

On the frontline of Darkseid's war is the firey goliath: Brimstone! A creature of sentient plasma hatched in the heart of a nuclear reactor, he believes himself to be a blazing fallen angel sent to cleanse the world of false idols.

Having come up short against titanic Brimstone, Firestorm and Cosmic Boy joined the Justice League of America in trying to stop him. All succumbed to his mighty powers. With the situation getting desperate, Task Force X spook Amanda Waller opts to initiate her plan to employ known criminals as expendable agents. Equipped with an experimental gun, Colonel Rick Flag leads the team to South Dakota on what can only be considered a suicide mission!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Brimstone 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Enchantress 5 (Professor)
Speed: Bronze Tiger 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Brimstone 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Bronze Tiger 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Bronze Tiger 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: Enchantress 6 (Mass Destruction)


Task Force X are: Rick Flag, Bronze Tiger, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, Blockbuster & Enchantress.

Task Force X was originally established to respond to post-war super-human threats emerging in the absence of a congressionally disbanded Justice Society of America. Among their original personnel were members of the Suicide Squad who had served during World War II, and fought on Dinosaur Island.

Decades later; Agent Amanda Waller assumes control of Task Force X, seeking to resurrect the Suicide Squad as a secret team of government sanctioned super-villains. They are an expendable black-ops force operating with complete deniability for the chance to have their criminal records expunged. The only requirements: Accept the mission, complete the mission, survive the mission.

Leading Waller's team in the field is Colonel Rick Flag, whose father was a member of the WWII Suicide Squad, and Task Force X. Flag recruited deadly deprogrammed assassin and second-in-command Bronze Tiger, along with crack shot mercenary Deadshot.

They headed an original line-up of complicit and reluctant villains:
- Mark Desmond, aka; Blockbuster: A chemist whose experiments turned him into a dim-witted powerhouse who clashed with Batman and The Outsiders.
- June Moone aka; Enchantress: A powerful mystic able to conjure constructs, magic energies, illusions, and various other magic phenomena.
- Digger Harkness, aka; Captain Boomerang: Australian boomerang expert and frequent criminal foe of The Flash!

Operating as Task Force X; the Suicide Squad would learn of their expendability through their first field mission: To destroy a giant flaming monster rampaging across the United States! The monster they're targeting: Brimstone!

We've been following Brimstone's destructive exploits a lot in the last month. He first appeared from a techno-seed planted in a nuclear reactor in Legends #1, where he soundly defeated Firestorm. He would then fend off Cosmic Boy, before defeating the entire Justice League of America in Legends #2! That's a pretty formidable record, but the Suicide Squad have something the JLA didn't!

Understanding that Brimstone is composed of 'super-heated hydrogen plasma given sentient form by complex magnetic fields', Task Force X is able to equip Deadshot with an experimental laser rifle. Capable of firing a single blast able to penetrate the nexus of Brimstone's field - it's their only chance for success!

Can he make the shot? We've seen Floyd Lawton find his target fighting Manticore [Suicide Squad #2], but it was coming up short against the new Flash that got him caught in the first place, leading to his Suicide Squad recruitment [Legends #1]. A master marksman with skinny odds and a death wish.

Everything is working against their success, but that's what the Suicide Squad is for! Will they be the first to take down Brimstone, or die trying? Let's find out...

The Math: Brimstone Ranking: Brimstone (#92)

What Went Down...
In the shadow of Mount Rushmore, The Suicide Squad march uneven ground toward their fate. Captain Boomerang asks if he can change his mind. Brimstone welcomes the sinners with expectation and an explosion! No turning back now!

While the team recovers, Colonel Flag helps Deadshot size up the target. One shot to hit a bullseye at the nexus of magnetic fields. To help make it easier, Flag deploys the super-brute Blockbuster. With "spade-like" hands he scoops up the rock beneath Brimstone's feet and lifts!

Captain Boomerang does his best to chip in, tossing a baffle-rang that swirls around the monster's head. It induces momentary disorientation, but only serves to provoke an attack!

A column of flame descends from the goliath's hand. Despite her best efforts, Enchantress discovers she's unable to transmute the sentient plasma! The heat worries Bronze Tiger, but Enchantress remains confident and cool.

Blockbuster continues his attack of Brimstone's vertical base, smashing through the rocky terrain to reduce it to treacherous rubble! This too only serves to aggravate the behemoth.

Darkseid's destroyer reaches down with a giant hand and wraps it around Blockbuster. The size were as if he were a mere insect. The intense burning heat of the plasma - enough to reduce Blockbuster to a smouldering corpse!

Captain Boomerang is horrified as the sizzling body lands before him. His sacrifice provides sufficient distraction. While it fell, Deadshot sized up Brimstone through an experimental rifle scope. Seeing an object at the heart of the creature's magnetic fields, he finds the target! Rick Flag orders him to fire!

The focused laser beam strikes at the centre of Brimstone's chest! The unfeeling creature is confronted with sensations of agony unlike anything he has known!

Brimstone cries for the dark god who forsakes him, clinging to a delusion of religion that tells him he is a fallen angel. Darkseid shows no mercy. A truly expendable agent whose usefulness is served in the defeat of the Justice League and death of one of Earth's legends: the man-brute, Blockbuster!

Coming apart at the seams, Brimstone becomes a screaming, out-of-control blaze! Even in death - he continues to threaten the lives of the Suicide Squad! A giant ball of flame hurtles toward Bronze Tiger and Enchantress!

Now that Brimstone's flame is no longer sentient -- Enchantress can end the threat with a simple enchantment that turns inferno into a harmless snowstorm!

The Hammer...
Just like that: Deadshot and The Suicide Squad save the day!

Not a bad result for their first appearance! Of course, poor Blockbuster wasn't so lucky. His rather grisly death helped drive home the name and mortal stakes of The Squad. He, the first in a list of fatalities that would plague the group!

In revisiting these early, post-Crisis comics, I'm really reminded of the livewire sense of excitement they created! As much as this was a new beginning for the DC Universe, it also clearly felt like a sharpening and refining for a lot of characters, and properties.

The Justice League got a much needed jolt in transition away from Detroit-based third stringers [Legends #2], to a constructive mix of old and new icons, some originally sourced from other publishers. An all-star assembly that could refresh classic heroes, and elevate new ones to legendary status!

The Suicide Squad played a big role in that reinvigoration and juxtaposition, too! By assembling a few issues earlier in Legends, they became of the same world, cut from the same cloth. They were destined to compliment and clash with the heroes that would leave issue six to become Justice League International. A step ahead of the global topical concerns of the JLI, more immediately rooted in the world of military black-ops, espionage, and beaurocracy.

It was fitting that the two teams would finally meet in battle in Russia. Both teams would feature in stories negotiating the friction of the tail end of Cold War hostilities between The Soviets and America. JLI may have been taking a more worldly view of super-heroes, but The League and Squad both owed their origins to the height of the Cold War in the early sixties.

The Suicide Squad was originally created at the tail end of 1959, appearing in The Brave and The Bold. They were uniform soldiers in the mould you know. A far cry from recurring super-villains like Deadshot and Captain Boomerang, but a modern legacy that continued its tradition -- rather than deleting it in reboot.

The Squad of the late eighties refreshed what was around them by building something new from old parts. Rather than partaking in hard rebooting, the meta principle became part of the core of the book. What if you could have a team with a genuine sense of mortal danger? What if the modern new DCU tried to get a little something extra out of some of its lesser characters, rather than simply writing them out, or frivolously destroying them?

In the world of the Suicide Squad, Amanda Waller is giving them a lifeline of redemption and clean slates. In the world of publication, characters like Blockbuster and Enchantress are getting second chances to mean more than they had in the past. Granted, I'm not sure the series really played out like a do-or-die scenario for expendable intellectual property, but that core concept is exciting! Join the book and become a new icon - or be deleted!

In Legends #3; overseeing arch-villain Darkseid chalked Blockbuster's death up as a win in the spread. If only he knew what would happen! Siblings and clones would keep the DC Universe populated with Blockbusters for years to come! Brimstone came back pretty quick, too. Darkseid promised he would, though.

I'm not sure either character was compelling enough to demand their deaths be undone, but I go with it. Misfits of science both, their pseudo-resurrections have a way of working with their innate simplicity. I especially like that Brimstone continued as a recurring problem for Firestorm. Their encounter in Legends #1 has stuck with me these past few weeks. Somehow it just worked!

Thirty years later, death doesn't mean what it used to. I may forgive the pseudo-return of the team's original fatality, but the circus of death and resurrection is fairly constant in Marvel and DC Comics. It's hard for the Suicide Squad to really mean the same. Likewise, the material drifted over the years, losing the drama of the early Ostrander years to action-movie frivolity. Yet, through it all, there's no denying the appeal of this ragtag group of villains, held to a short leash by a very scary, very powerful woman called Amanda Waller!

Little wonder, then, that Warner Brothers has launched the property into a feature film screening in theatres today - August 5th!

We'll be taking the opportunity to look closer at some of the characters in the film with a feast of feature fights and Hero of the Week spotlights throughout the month of August!

Read and own the entire first appearance of the Suicide Squad by using the Amazon purchase link embedded in this article [right]. Find more stories with these characters and others by following links, or diving into the Issue Index Archive!

Winners: Deadshot, Blockbuster & Captain Boomerang
#95 (+206) Deadshot [+1 Kill - Brimstone]
#98 (-6) Brimstone [+1 Kill - Blockbuster]
#291 (new) Blockbuster (Mark Desmond)
#292 (new) Captain Boomerang
#404 (+63) Bronze Tiger [+1 Assist]
#495 (new) Col. Rick Flag [+1 Assist]
#496 (new) Enchantress (June Moone) [+1 Assist]