MARTIAN MANHUNTER versus
GREEN LANTERN & FLASH
Only the Good Die Young (DC)
Where: Green Lantern #44 When: Late September 2009 Why: Geoff Johns How: Doug Mahnke

The Story So Far...
The birth of a yellow Corps of fear-wielding ring barers was the first step toward a prophecized war of light that would usher in the Blackest Night. This Sinestro Corps waged war on the Green Lanterns above the skies of Earth, but when their strongest ally, Anti-Monitor, was destroyed by Superboy-Prime, his powerful yet broken form was sent hurtling through space, toward Sector 666 and the fulfillment of the Blackest Night prophecy.

From the corpse of the Anti-Monitor arose an immense Black Lantern, feulled by the power of death. There it lay in silent wait, while across the galaxy, the spectrum of emotional powers was awoken in force, creating rings of Red, Blue, Orange, Violet, and Indigo, before finally William Hand sacrificed his own life in the pursuit of death, and was reborn as the first of a Corps of Black Lanterns.

Now the dead across the universe will rise as fallen Guardian of the Galaxy, Scar, and Black Hand, march a black plague of death and destruction to every corner of existence. Former allies will rise to strike out at their friends, devoid of emotion and intent only on recruiting them to their order of the dead. This is the fate of the noble Martian, J'onn J'onnz, who was laid to rest on his home world by friends shortly after his brutal murder at the hands of the Society of Super Villains.

The Martian Manhunter's grave is not the first to be disturbed, leading Flash and Green Lantern to investigate the descrated grave of a believed-dead Batman. Little do they know that the missing skull is now a symbol of death for Black Hand, and wielding a black energy ring, J'onn J'onnz is returning to Earth, ready to strike at his old friends! The Blackest Night begins...

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: M. Manhunter 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Flash 5 (Professor)
Speed: Flash 7 (Lightspeed)
Stamina: Green Lantern 6 (Generator)
Agility: M. Manhunter 6 (Rubber)
Fighting: Green Lantern 4 (Trained)
Energy: Green Lantern 7 (Cosmic)


- Experiments with teleportation technology developed by one Dr. Erdel were, by accident, responsible for plucking J'onn J'onnz from his home on Mars. Traversing the gulf of space by unknown means, the unannounced arrival of a lurching Martian figure was enough to startle the aging scientist to his death. Alone in a strange world, the accident forced the Martian to at first adopt the scientist's identity by means of shapeshifting, before he absorbed enough understanding through the observation of television programming to assume his own identity.

Finding aspirational figures in the gumshoe detectives popular on television, the Martian adopts the fictitious identity of Detective John Jones. For a time he was to do as he had on Mars, delivering justice with unwavering moral and character, but eventually circumstances would force a reveal upon the Martian Manhunter.

Though resistant at first to expose himself to humanity's judgment, his unique Martian abilities quickly earned him status with the Justice League of America.
Along with the ability to transform his appearance and form, J'onn J'onnz also possesses fantastic super-human strength, speed, durability, energy vision, vast telepathic skill, and the ability to become invisible and intangible. While these many abilities quickly rank him among the most powerful figures in the DCU, the sole survivor of catastrophe on Mars has a single mundane weakness -- fire!

- Once little more than a carefree daredevil test-pilot; Hal Jordan was given a crash course in law and order when an alien from distant space, Abin Sur, landed in the desert during a test flight. Injured and dying, the alien's powerring found in Jordan the ability to possess great will and overcome great fear. Thus, he was unofficially inducted into a Corps of universe-spanning lawkeepers, replacing the deceased as the Green Lantern of Sector 2814!

As a police forensic scientist, Barry Allen's job required him to be methodical and deliberate, but even within the police force his reputation for being notoriously slow was the only extraordinary thing about him. That is, until once fateful night when he was struck by lightning and thrown into a shelf of chemicals! Granted the ability to move at superhuman speeds by the accident, he learns to innately tap into the pseudo-scientific phenomenon of the Speed Force, transforming him into a hero inspired by his boyhood idol, Jay Garrick -- The Flash!

Green Lantern and Flash are founding members of the Justice League of America and have worked extensively as friends and allies, two brave and bold heroes whose legendary status within the superhero community was only solidified by their legendary sacrifice which led to death. For Flash, the multi-dimensional threat of the Anti-Monitor led him to make the ultimate sacrifice, while Green Lantern, still under the influence of the fear-demon Parallax, sacrificed himself in a moment of retribution to reignite the Earth's sun. Each gained a second chance at life; Hal Jordan restored in-part by his connection to The Spectre, while Barry Allen's return remains more mysterious, coming during the defeat of Darkseid.

Math: Green Lantern/Flash (Ttl) M. Manhunter (Avg) Ranking: Flash (#15)

What Went Down...
The forensic scientiest and the space cop -- Flash and Green Lantern were natural choices to investigate what seemed to be the desecration of an unmarked grave belonging to believed-dead Bruce Wayne (aka; Batman). The duo are also natural choices for a Black Lantern Martian Manhunter to descend upon, seeking to return them to the grave they each escaped! "You should both be dead."

The Black Lantern sees each man bathed in the light of the energy he emits -- Green Lantern naturally exudes will, while the Flash glows blue in the eyes of Martian Manhunter, emitting hope. It is these emotions he hopes to corrupt, but while the Martian's shape-shifting abilities allow him to appear human, a similar scan by the Green Lantern's ring reveals his status as a lifeless shell.

The ruse of his reappearance undone, the Black Lantern is forced to engage!
A giant green energy-fist glides through the Black Lantern's body as it recalls the powers of intangibility used by Martian Manhunter. Intangibility equals invisibility and the BL Manhunter is able to swat both living heroes down, no doubt utilizing the powers of speed and strength the Martian Manhunter also used in his time as a living, breathing member of the Justice League of America.

Psychological warfare is as apparent as the physical manhandling the reanimated Martian intends to unleash upon his friends, declaring his intentions to "help" his former friends, whilst gripping the throat of the Green Lantern!

"Martian vision" gives Flash something to run from while the Manhunter analyzes the past of each once-dead hero. Yellow fear rips through Barry Allen as his mind is telepathically flooded with images of passing into the Speed Force, while the Green Lantern glows with green will, resisting flashbacks to his time as Parallax.

The flood of willpower into Hal Jordan's body appears to play into the Black Lantern's goals, but before he can make good on his threat to reach into his former ally's chest, the Flash goes airborne, vaulting off a makeshift ramp made from a fallen tombstone! The crackling speedster has little influence over he and his fellow's descent, however, forcing him to compell his friend back from the visions projected into his head!

A surrounding green light gives the pair a rough but safe landing into one of the buildings below, but it's not long before the building itself begins to quake with the Black Lantern Martian Manhunter's power. He brings the entire structure down with strength comparable to Superman -- a power he notes is all too often forgotten.

Fortunately, Green Lantern is again able to protect the innocent, housing himself, Flash, and the building's occupants in an impenetrable bubble of his ring's energy. It gives the heroes a chance to regroup and strategize.

Flash encounters an unseen Martian Manhunter first, unleashing a barrage of super-fast strikes whilst appealing to better days when the two discussed their lives as agents of law enforcement. With a super-fast twist of his limbs he blows a chemical tanker into his former ally, rocketting into a devestating follow-up left hook that provokes a whimpered appeal from his opponent, "B-Barry."

Unbeknownst to him, the Flash was the victim of Martian Manhunter's telepathic attack once more, actually unleashing his beating on Green Lantern! The Lantern uses his ring to try to lift the fog and free himself, only to be entangled in the metamorphic limbs of the decayed Martian Manhunter!

The Black Lantern chokes Green Lantern out and tosses him into the night sky, returning his focuses earthbound with a slingshot of his extented limb in the direction of the Flash! It is the final blow in this opening chapter of the battle, leaving Flash sinking in the Gotham waters, while GL floats aimlessly.

The Hammer...
We got the first inclination that this fight would occur in Blackest Night #1 and it's conclusion would have to wait until the second issue of the afforementioned series. However, as an autonomous depiction of the fight, I'm going to declare Martian Manhunter the victor under the logic of rounds. A long way of saying -- welcome back to The Comic Book Fight Club!

Our traditional examinations of superhero smackdown and comic book review has all but screeched to a hault since the slowdown of early 2009. A conspiracy of events has contributed to the necessity of this retroactive backlogging, one of the most significant being the somewhat appropriate struggles of experiencing the closest personal death of my short lifespan. In that respect, I suppose I can relate to the idea of these Blackest Night comics, even if I'm not inclined to read or discuss them with that perspective.

It bares repeating -- this is officially a backlog entry, written in 2010.
You future retronauts might like to know that, as I'm writing this portion of the review during a time when Blackest Night has finally finished, working around only notes from the time when this issue was actually written (and added to the Infinite Wars to-do pile).

It was tough not to be excited about this issue the minute the cover was leaked. It was a great way to immediately engage the longterm readers who, if you were anything like me, were probably anticipating Martian Manhunter's return during his death in Final Crisis [via the Requiem one-shot]. Such was the anticipation built by the Blackest Night teaser housed in the epilogue of Sinestro Corps War!

It was a wonderfully personalized way to get the message of the event across straight away, moreso than perhaps the deaths of Hawkman and Hawkgirl in Blackest Night #1. Martian Manhunter has long been the sentimental favourite of the JLA, engendering a fond following all the way to the naked uninformed of the cartoon audience. Besides, take a look at that cover! Amidst the speculation of who would be among the Black Lantern Corps' number, the image of MM with Flash on his back and GL pounded into the ground is a pretty big statement in the most primal terms! Exciting!

History will show that Black Hand was the first official Black Lantern to enter the fray after killing himself in the previous issue of Green Lantern -- the culmination of plot points explored throughout Geoff Johns' tenure on the title. It was in solicitations for action figures, however, that we first gleaned confirmation of a Black Lantern Martian Manhunter and Earth-2 Superman, which did little to reaffirm the scale of what was to unfold over the course of 2009. The speculation game was a small part of the Infinite Wars, but was quickly rendered moot by this gradual realization that the Black Lanterns would go far beyond the structure of the Yellow Lanterns that were the first of their kind introduced by Johns.

Those are the facts as they were.
Little did I know at the time that Green Lantern #44 would be the very narrow foundation upon which a goliath event would be erected. By the time big bad Nekron showed up, much of the excitement had begun to peter out. It was the sense of mystery in the early goings that really propelled Blackest Night as not only a story, but a monthly phenomenon that pushed DC to a controlling position of the top ten monthly sales chart. GL #44 played to that beautifully, adding a second glimpse at the emotion-vision colour treatment that became a trademark of the Black Lanterns throughout the many disconnected mini-series and one-shots.

This issue was also the first indication that this was very much a story with the newly returned Barry Allen Flash and Hal Jordan Green Lantern at the centre of it. This was something I certainly had not anticipated to such a total degree, but come 2010 have embraced to it's fullest. I had extreme reservations about the notion of permanently resurrecting a character [in Flash] that had contributed such an important legacy with his fictional death back in Crisis on Infinite Earths. Between the efforts of Final Crisis, Flash: Rebirth, Blackest Night, Blackest Night: Flash, and the odd blip elsewhere, it's become very easy to take the Flash of my youth for granted once more -- something I never expected. It's a credit to the nurturing of Geoff Johns, whose greatest triumph is almost always the respect he shows for concepts and characters created decades before his birth.

It's difficult to look back on this issue with the perspective of a typical review.
When the dust has well and truly settled, it'll be interesting to go back and try to reabsorb Blackest Night in a single download. I wonder if an issue like GL #44 will remain lost in the complexity and vastness of the story's eventual design, or if the personal undertones will take on a stronger meaning. To that end, I wonder where this issue will fall in the complicated shuffling of DC's Blackest Night trade paperback program. Both this and the previous issue have a curious disconnection about them, feeling like one-shot curio rather than part of the more elaborative storyline dotpoints that populated Green Lantern later in the event.

What remains true regardless of time is the success of Doug Mahnke's draft to the A-list. His pencils were a pleasure to behold come the conclusion of Final Crisis and I was very pleased to be reading a Green Lantern with his approach. There's a confidence in his line work that isn't always easy to describe. Clean lines and solid inks provided, in this issue, by the team of Christian Alamy, Tom Guyen, Rooney Ramos, and Mahnke himself, are always a feature of Mahnke's artwork, but there's a lot more to enjoy about his compositions and treatment of the superhero/human structure. He is a worthy successor to the hyper-realists that came before him. I'm not apt enough to really give him due credit.

Which probably makes this as good a time as any to cut the review.

I have a big stack of comics to my right that have accumulated each week throughout 2009 and 2010. They are the backlog I fully intend to contribute to the site as I find the time and energy. I've given consideration to other ways to keep the site bouyant with activity, but it's my feeling that this format of fight features and reviews is just too fundamental to the blog to supplement.

In that stack of backlog issues is plenty more Blackest Night, which I hope we can mine for some interesting retrospectives and statistics for this big game we call Secret Wars on Infinite Earths!

The Issue: 5.5 The Fight: 6
Winner: (Black Lantern) Martian Manhunter

Hardcover editions of the Blackest Night event spectacular are currently available from Amazon.com. By using purchase links on the site, you help sponsor future entries, with more recommendations available in the Online Store and featured in most posts found in the Secret Archives. For more information about the format of Blackest Night trades, visit DCcomics.com.

THE SOCIETY versus
MARTIAN MANHUNTER
Caretakers of Mars (DC)
Where: Final Crisis: Requiem #1 When: September 2008 Why: Peter J. Tomasi How: Doug Mahnke

The Story So Far...
When an abusive childhood ended with his father's accidental death, Justin Ballantine accepted the value of balance in all things across the universe.
His cosmic philosophy, and aspirations of godhood, would lead him to accept employment as an adult to form a group called the Injustice Gang, and attempt to construct a weapon based upon the cosmic rod of Ted Knight.

His resulting "Transmortifier" proved capable of stealing a portion of energy from it's target, making a valuable weapon when turned against the superhuman might of the Justice League. As Libra, Ballantine received the powers of the combined JLA, before turning his weapon on the cosmos itself. The resulting influx of power seemingly destroyed his physical form, but Libra was reconceived on the planet Apokolips by his mystery benefactor, Glorious Godfrey.

As a prophet of Darkseid; Libra returned to Earth after the Death of the New Gods, promising to lead evil to salvation if The Society would entrust in him their leadership. Requiring the organized hordes for his own malicious ends, Libra set about bringing doom to the Earth as part of Darkseid's plot to create the Fifth World upon his resurrection as man. To distract the Society from the detail of his goals, he offers an act of good faith to one of their lowliest number. Thus, at the request of the Human Flame, Libra promises the death of Martian Manhunter...

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: M. Manhunter 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Lex Luthor 6 (Genius)
Speed: M. Manhunter 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Vandal Savage 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Gorilla Grodd 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Talia al Ghul 5 (Martial Arts)
Energy: Libra 6 (Mass Destruction)


- The Society are: Libra, Lex Luthor, Dr. Light, Effigy, Dr. Sivana, Vandal Savage, Gorilla Grodd, Talia al Ghul, Ocean Master, & Human Flame.

The first incarnation of self-confessed "Super Villains" was gathered by the evil New God, Darkseid, in an effort to pool the group's efforts against their mutual heroic enemies. Typically rife with internal conflict, the collective rarely achieved any success in their battles with their counterparts in the Justice League.

When the revelation of a history of mind-altering intrusions perpetrated by by the JLA was uncovered, the strength of the criminal community was galvanized under the leadership of Crisis on Infinite Earths survivor Alexander Luthor Jr, who was disguised as the version of this universe's version of his father, Lex. Luthor Jr succeeded in unionizing all but a select few criminals, organizing their efforts to further his own reality-altering goals. Upon his death, members of the Society operated in smaller groups, such as the Injustice League, before the mysterious villain Libra sought leadership during the return of the New Gods on Earth and Darkseid's attempt to created the Fifth World [Final Crisis].

- Experiments with teleportation technology developed by one Dr. Erdel were, by accident, responsible for plucking J'onn J'onnz from his home on Mars. Traversing the gulf of space by unknown means, the unannounced arrival of a lurching Martian figure was enough to startle the aging scientist to his death. Alone in a strange world, the accident forced the Martian to at first adopt the scientist's identity by means of shapeshifting, before he absorbed enough understanding through the observation of television programming to assume his own identity.

Finding aspirational figures in the gumshoe detectives popular on television, the Martian adopts the fictitious identity of Detective John Jones. For a time he was to do as he had on Mars, delivering justice with unwavering moral and character, but eventually circumstances would force a reveal upon the Martian Manhunter.

Though resistant at first to expose himself to humanity's judgment, his unique Martian abilities quickly earned him status with the Justice League of America.
Along with the ability to transform his appearance and form, J'onn J'onnz also possesses fantastic super-human strength, speed, durability, energy vision, vast telepathic skill, and the ability to become invisible and intangible. While these many abilities quickly rank him among the most powerful figures in the DCU, the sole survivor of catastrophe on Mars has a single mundane weakness -- fire!

Math: The Society (Ttl) Martian Manhunter (Avg)
Ranking: Martian Manhunter (#32)

What Went Down...
The Martian Manhunter's initial defeat comes at the hands of Dr. Light and Effigy, who are deployed by Libra to retrieve their target. Specially designed "pyro-tranq darts" conceived by the mad Dr. Sivana pump the Martian's body full of paralyzing agent, while Effigy's mastery of flame ensures he remains subdued.

The dastardly duo drag the Martian's body to an elevator that takes them upstairs to their waiting master. The gathered inner-circle of the Society watch as their pledging leader, Libra, lords over the weakened hero. Noting no desire to battle the Martian in a fair fight, Libra plunges his spiked staff through the alien's chest, bathing the hero in flames once more.

The pain of the blow shocks the Martian out of his stunned state, resulting in a squirm and bending flailing of transforming limbs. He tosses Libra across the room into an abandoned bar, contorting to pull the impalement from his chest!

The Martian Manhunter's explosive atomic vision blasts the opposing villains, before he lunges at them with the strength of a madman!

He clutches Light by the throat while Gorrilla Grodd takes the brunt of his Martian vision blasts, and Sivana inconsequentially swings off of his free arm. Talia al Ghul lurks with a blade drawn while the two fire wielding villains attempt to quash the Martian's rage, but their numerical superiority inspires a challenge.

The Justice League appears to crash through the ceiling to come to their teammate's aid, a member for every villainous counterpart!

Superman drives his fist into Lex Luthor's heart; the Green Lantern encases Effigy in a liquid filled energy construct; Flash vibrates his way through Gorilla Grodd's skull; Captain Marvel crams worms into Dr. Sivana's mouth; Batman silences Talia al Ghul with a kiss and embrace; Aquaman drives Ocean Master's own trident into his chest; and Elongated Man wraps around Dr. Light's body, promising revenge for the crimes he committed against his deceased wife.

Just as the tide appears to be taking a nightmarish turn for the villains, Libra's word clears the confused minds of his Society fellows. With his staff again driven through the Martian Manhunter's gut, he pins the hero to the ground, forcing his telepathic crusade into remission.

Clinging to the staff as desperately as he does to life, the Martian Manhunter defiantly pulls himself toward Libra. Through grit teeth he maintains a brave face, even as Effigy and Dr. Light descend upon him in a swirl of flame.

His body smouldering, the defeated Martian makes a final prophecy of doom for the forces of evil. As the Society gathers in a circle around him, J'onn J'onnz sends out a final telepathic cry to the real League, giving each an opportunity to glimpse the sprawling story. It is not enough to protect them from the crisis to come, but when the heroes of Earth return J'onn J'onnz to the barren soil of Mars, they remember him fondly.

The Hammer...
Led by Libra, The Society emerge with one of the defining victories that led to the day that "evil won." Effigy and Dr. Light should be included in the win stats, for anybody playing at home.

One of the few drawbacks of focusing on the releases of the week is the many stories that are overlooked, or forgotten. Final Crisis; a story that thrilled in the early parts of the year; is a prime example of this loss. Fortunately, a slow week and impending significance grants us reprieve to go back to the event that changed the way we look at the DCU.

Martian Manhunter was a character dangling over the comics dead pool for quite some time. Though beloved as a stalwart of the JLA, the character had struggled to sustain any viability as a solo or headlining property, making him the perfect balancing act of significance and expendability in a corporate structure. Or at least, that's one interpretation of a story that managed to have much more soul than many of the recent deaths that have plagued superhero comics.

First confirmation of the death came from a brief sequence in the now classic first issue of Final Crisis. There; JG Jones (and Grant Morrison) merely confirmed the kill, alluded to with a single shot of the impaled and burning figure. Requiem, as you might have gathered, elaborates on the final plot against Martian Manhunter and the way in which the heroes mourn and remember him.

As a tie-in with an obvious purpose, Requiem excells not just for elaborating on details from the core-series, but also telling a startlingly powerful tale. Despite the bravado of the Martian Manhunter character, his death lingers as a pathetic final moment for such a powerful character. The famous fire weakness has always lent itself to this, most recently recognised for it's recent reference as a threat in DC: The New Frontier, delivered by Batman to MM's alias, Det. John Jones.

A less romantic examination of the Martian Manhunter death reveals a beloved character desperately attempting to overcome the inevitable in an effort to cling to life a little longer. His telepathic resistance is a feeble attempt against the overwhelming odds posed by The Society's powerful number -- Human Flame and Effigy qualified to rival the hero solo, let alone in the company of powerhouses like Gorilla Grodd, Lex Luthor, and Vandal Savage. Even in his final moments, Martian Manhunter tries to turn Libra's condemnation against him, "It is you... that will no longer pose a viable threat." (I know you are, but what am I?)

Granted, the latter example could be interpreted several ways, more positively as in our previous summary section as a foreboding moment of satisfaction for a character telepathically reaching out to his fellows. Ultimately, no substantial warning appears to be delivered, certainly nothing sufficient enough to inform the heroes of the coming destruction wrought by the Society and Darkseid's New Gods reborn on Earth.

This mixed interpretation shouldn't be mistaken for weakness in the writing, as Peter Tomasi delivers a respectful eulogy for the character often described as the soul of the Justice League. It might not have been the moment fans wanted to be the character's last, but that is the nature of the lives delt to men and women who choose to put themselves in the line of danger in the name of justice.

Doug Mahnke handles the action superbly, but it's his treatment of the emotional second half of the story that emphasises why he's one of the Infinite Wars' favourite artists in superhero comics. A scene featuring a mourning Hal Jordan, and Oliver Queen, maskless, is of particular sentimentality, expertly exuding the gammut of emotions, positive and negative, expressed by the pair.

The story does particularly well to deliver a brief tour through the most recent incarnations of Martian Manhunter's complicated backstory. Longtime fans might notice the glaring absence of their own favourite moments, but as a moment of sentimentality and functionality, it's a great way to induct the uninformed into some of the details that defined the otherwise undeveloped supporting character.

In a moment typically overlooked in comics, J'onn J'onnz is privvy to a funeral tailored to his unique character. Ferried by all four human Green Lanterns, almost the entire recnognisable superhero community join the core Justice League for a ceremony on Mars, complete with relocated artifacts from Martian society that had been rematerialized on Earth by the Spectre (in a previous story).

It would be hard to imagine the moxxy of the story being lost, even on the most uninitiated fan. After fifty years of publication, it's sad to say that this might just about be the most definitive publication in the character's long history.
Maybe a little sadder is that such a poignant tale will be essentially undone when the Martian Manhunter returns from the grave as one of the first confirmed Black Lanterns in Geoff Johns' upcoming space epic, Blackest Night. For critics, however, it is important to remember the machinery of the superhero universe, not just for it's creative and corporate cogs, but the in-fiction plausibility of it's constant flux. Like the ominous reference in Final Crisis to the heroes praying for a resurrection for their friend, we should appreciate the grander picture of the Black Lanterns, rather than dwelling on the moments perceived as being undone.

Confirmed thus far for the Black Lantern Corps are also deceased heroes; Earth-2 Superman, Aquaman, and former-Firestorm, Ronnie Raymond. Possible allusions also include Superboy, Mirror Master, Blue Beetle, Sue Dibny, Elongated Man, and Dr. Light, but these would only be guesses based on recently release promotional art [via DC: The Source]. For some of our early predictions (some right), check out our predictions entry from October 2008!

For more on the Martian Manhunter and his wonderful history, also consider checking out our previous Double Feature entry, Men are from Mars!

The Fight: 4.5 The Issue: 6.5

If somehow you missed out on the Final Crisis epic, you'll be able to catch-up in one fowl swoop with the complete collected edition. For more of the story, including Final Crisis: Requiem, you'll also want to pick-up the Final Crisis Companion, which features various connected tie-ins. Some of the best examples of tie-in issues by any company in recent years! PLUS -- by using purchase links provided on the Infinite Wars, you help sponsor future entries! You'll find plenty more on offer in the Amazon Gift Shoppe, including collections featuring most single issues reviewed in the Secret Archives!

BATMAN & NIGHTWING versus AMAZO
Under the Hood Part 3: Overnight Deliveries (DC comics)
Where: Batman #637 When: April 2005
Why: Judd Winick How: Doug Mahnke

The story so far...
In the wake of a gang war, Black Mask seizes control of the criminal underbelly of Gotham City. With various villainous elements shifting within the DC Universe, Black Mask's own strategies intersect with various others.

Amongst his schemes, the import of various super paraphernalia and weaponry. Much of which leaves his possession via the intervention of the Batman, or the vigilante rogue, Jason Todd - The Red Hood.

One such import is Amazo; an android designed originally by Professor Ivo to combat the Justice League using their own powers and unique abilities.
Though stripped down, the machine poses a substantial threat, and Batman and Nightwing are there to intervene.

Previous Form:
Batman (#1): Batman is currently undefeated in his six previous features.
Nightwing (#88): Nightwing teamed with Batman to defeat Two-Face, in a previous post.
Amazo: Amazo has not yet been featured.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Amazo 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Batman 5 (Professor)
Speed: Amazo 6 (Speed of Sound)
Stamina: Amazo 6 (Generator)
Agility: Nightwing 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Batman 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Powers: Amazo 6 (Arsenal)

Amazo is one of those characters that is a lot of fun, but I have inherent problems with. I guess much of this site shares a skeleton with my own preferences and interests in comics. I'm quite partial to characters that can be easily described and broken down into specifics.

Amazo is not such a character.
Various interpretations of the character lead to the preferred interpretation of there being many Amazo models in existence. Though certainly more comfortable, it does not negate the existant of 'adaptive' Amazo models.
Though traditionally possessing the powers of the seven core Justice Leaguers, shifting rosters have led to a shifting powerset for Amazo.
One answer to compensate was giving Amazo an evolution capability, where he could mimick or imitate abilities of others.

Now, for my taste in logic, this is a big problem.
If you can indulge the writer in me for a moment - my inclination would be to take this idea and maybe turn it into a Terminatoresque program of self-maintenance. I could accept an Amazo that retreats to attempt to build upgrades for itself, and maybe even come to take great pleasure from such a concept (DC, you have my number).

Of course, such a method does not exist as far as I know, and instead various vague explanations are offered. The animated Justice League offering up nanotechnology that inexplicably imitates any ability it 'gazes upon,' despite not having any kind of specific mechanical method of generating these various abilities.

My rigid thought processes don't affect this story too much, as it features a constructed model of Amazo with set abilities. However, for the usual discussion period of the tape, I would have to say... Amazo is just too sloppy to nail down.
I refuse to accept a machine that can produce cosmic abilities from nothingness, thus I tend to think of him as having the abilities of the League that can be constructed, and perhaps not quite as potent.

Amazo is a huge obstacle even with that interpretation, and certainly Batman and Nightwing are in over their head.
Batman's penchant for victory withstanding, there is the advantage of Amazo being technology. As long as he obeys certain logic regarding mechanics and technology, Batman stands a pretty good chance of defeating such a menace.

Mongul, not so much. Amazo, definitely do-able.
With Nightwing in tow to provide destraction, even more so, but you still wouldn't want one of these showing up in Gotham every week.

Average: Amazo 33 (+6.5)
Overall: Batman & Nightwing 53 (+20)
The Pick: Batman & Nightwing

What went down...
In a warehouse somewhere in Gotham, Batman moves before Nightwing can even digest the severity of the situation. As the Batman glides past the android, he drops smoking pellets that explode like angry bugs around Amazo's face.

Amazo mocks Batmans efforts, challenging him to do better: "I did."
Ever the forward thinker, Batman slinks away revealing an electronic batarang staked into Amazo's leg, which he notices only as it exploddes, destroying much of the floor.

Batman and Nightwing flee the scene as a furious android emerges from the warehouse, swatting brick and door out of his way. They take to the bat-lines, and Amazo, though carrying a damaged leg [which can no longer support the speeds of the Flash, given his weight. - Mastiff Mike] takes to the skies with the flight of various JLers.

Nightwing, carrying a leg injury from his own adventures, is slow off the mark, getting caught by the competent flyer in Amazo.
Batman latches on to Amazo's ankle with his bat-line, and reminds his protege that Amazo was designed with basic human principles in mind. Therefore many of his weakness are comparable.

Taking that information, the captive Nightwing plunges two batarangs into Amazo's ears, thus disrupting his gyroscopes and rendering him relatively unable to fly.
Of course, he's still quite capable of walking, and as Batman and Nightwing cling to a fire escape, the robust robot uses his Superman strength to tear the structure from the side of the building.

Batman gets tagged, but Nightwing is there to run diversion.
He uses his acrobatic skills to leap and weave heat vision blasts that crumble the building behind, while Batman sneaks around to impare the vision of the super-foe.

Of course, Batman would not merely obscure vision with putty [and you have to wonder if a super tactical Justice League killer robot might not at least consider that... - Murmuring Mike]. When Amazo attempts to blast through it, the plastique explodes! Thus damaging the vision properties of the machine.

And now things get serious.
Amazo dives into an attack, giving Batman more than enough leverage to send him stumbling face-first into the brickwall behind.
Nightwing leaps in fast for a knee to the jaw, and is fast enough to drop beneath a wild swinging robotic fist. Batman shows him how it's really done.

Though on more event ground, the robot maintains it's attack.

Batman taps his belt, and although the creature does not see, he hears the incoming rumble of an engine. And Batman's plan all unravels, his previous efforts little more than a distraction whilst waiting for the real tool: The Batmobile.

The vehicle fires off a rocket via remote, colliding with Amazo at high speeds and driving him into the waters below the dock with a stunning explosion.

The hammer...
Despite overwhelming odds, Batman and Nightwing win again. I'm sure you're all very shocked.

I had this issue sitting on my desk around about the time I started to seriously contemplate a website dedicated t ocomic book superhero fights. Issues like this, Identity Crisis #3 and Daredevil #49 were some of the real clinchers to going ahead with it, so it's nice to finally get this one up there.

I think what makes this issue so fantastic is that, apart from being a well written and illustrated story, it's also an interesting and generally unlikely match-up. I'm not sure Batman has ever even seen Amazo outside of Justice League stories, let alone had to fight one. And that's the kind of scenario that's interesting to note, and maybe even discuss as a comic fan.

Anyway, right now it's afternoon New Year's Eve, and I'm typing an October update, so I should probably try to shake things along a little.

I've done Winick/Mahnke updates before [#647, #648], so you should know that it's one of my all time favourite Batman runs. This is certainly the best city-life superhero run that comes to mind, having superior mechanics to even Brubaker or Bendis on Daredevil.

This issue does well to not only do a kickass issue-long fight, which is superbly choreographed, but also continues to show criminal life in Gotham as it is under the new rule of Black Mask.
It features the on-going difficulties of Red Mask aka Jason Todd, while also tackling the matter of more familiar supervillain rogues like Mr. Freeze, who plays an uncertain role in the new world order. This isn't necessarily a unique way of approaching the Batman villains, as stories like The Long Halloween have probably dealt with the criminal/villain dichotomy much better, but the success probably lies in not trying to outdo that calibre or type of story.

Winick's Batman exists in and of itself, whilst simultaneously living in the world of Batman at large. The Jason Todd storyarc pulls history into the picture, but what this storyline does delightfully is paint it's own sense of day-to-day life for Batman, not really ignoring, but not unnecessarily dealing with historical fact.
I'm starting to get awfully close to repeating myself, so I'll just sum it up: This is as complete a slice of Gotham life as I've ever seen.

I hope one day to see more of this approach.

The Fight: 7 The Issue: 6.5

RED HOOD versus BLACK MASK
"All they do is watch us kill: Part 1"
Where: Batman #648 When: February 2006
Why: Judd Winick How: Doug Mahnke

The story so far...
When the survivors of the Crisis on Infinite Earths trapped themselves in their own non-space, they could not have imagined the vast influence they would still have.

As Superboy of Earth-Prime pounded furiously at the walls of his protective prison; unbridled rage shifted reality to a place where Jason Todd should never have died.

Thus, the prodigal son, retaining the injuries sustained at the hands of the Joker, desperately freed himself from his grave, and staggered back into the world.
With the intervention of Ra's and Talia Al Ghul, Jason Todd was eventually able to recover his memories, and rediscover a Gotham that had moved on without him, and a Batman who had not avenged him.

Tale of the tape...
It should be no secret that this will Winick/Mahnke period will forever be remembered as one of my favourite Batman runs ever. Mahnke's pencils have been beautifully complimented by superb inkers and colourists [like Tom Nguyen and Alex Sinclair], and they in turn have beautifully presented Judd Winick's on-going Gotham.

I'm sure some credit also has to go to the editorial staff, who probably had some influence in this direction for the Dark Knight. As fantastic as it would be, I find it hard to believe Judd Winick would arrive at a style like this, let alone be allowed to. This really has been the most real Gotham I've read in a long time.

If you've been tuning in to Secret Wars on Infinite Earths for the past few months, you'll have already seen Red Hood in action, reclutantly teaming up with Batman aginst the Society.

Intelligence: 4 (Tactician)
Speed: 3 (Trained Athlete)
Stamina: 4 (Athlete)
Agility: 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: 5 (Martial Artist)

Red Hood's abilities are fairly straight forward, derived from the Batman's own training, and therefore relatively similar. What his intelligence as a tactician does not aptly display is his newfound cut throat approach.
This is a Batman style vigilante who will gladly kill if the time is right, and Black Mask would quite logically be on his list as the current crimelord of Gotham.

Red Hood really has a wide array of options to defeat Black Mask.
He's already been shown to be apt with explosives, and even used a rocket launcher to blow up Black Mask's office from an adjacent building. The guy has ruthless aggression, and still doesn't like crime.

If Jason Todd has a weakness, it's that, for the time being, he seems to be satisfied with controlling crime, as well as extinguishing it.

Intelligence: 4 (Tactician)
Fighting Ability: 3 (Street Wise)
Energy Powers: 2 (Projectile Weapons)

Black Mask is no monkey's uncle, but he's as human as the Red Hood, but without the training and fantastic skills.

In fact, he's arguably a far less potent threat than any of the other Gotham rogues. Essentially he's just a thug with a disfigurement, who managed to take advantage of a situation [see; War Games], and rise to the point where he could employ a greater force.

His only chances against Red Hood are his gritty street ethics, his army of criminals, and the enemies Red Hood has made per capita. The potential for intervention by other gangs, or super criminals is certainly high. Particularly after Red Hood killed the Society strong-man, Captain Nazi.

On paper? This is Red Hood's fight. However, with so many external variables percolating in the bowels of Gotham City, this fight is a lot more open than it should be.

What went down...
Quite surprisingly, Black Mask enters a meeting with his top generals, only to ice each one of them with a machine gun. Part of the business, I'm sure, but trying to cut a deal with your vigilante opponent, probably isn't.

Having killed his men, Black Mask realises it's become apparent that Red Hood's word may be less than binding, so he decides to finally do what no hired croney has been able to - take out the Red Hood.

He furiously smashes a chair over the Hood's helmet, and whips a pistol out, but the skilled Todd is able to leap into a kick to the face at close quarters.

Black Mask fires off a shot, but Red Hood is able to lock his arm up, ensuring his aim is pointed away from his body. Red Hood disarms his opponent and slaps him across the face with the pistol in one fluid motion.
Red Hood returns the favour, and the two exchange blows until the superior fighter gains the advantage, and tosses Black Mask to the street through the bar's front windoiw.

With the conviction of a madman, Mask dives back through the window, and hurls himself at the vigilante. His furious attack comes with a lecture of street strength. The Black Mask points to himself and asks the armored Red Hood what he feels when he punches him. Skin and flesh. Flesh he's not afraid to lose.

Red Hood fights back, using a knife to press his point, but Black Mask gets hold of a poolcue and smashes it across the armored mid-section of the Red Hood, taking the wind out of him long enough to stab the broken half into his back.

Feeling the pain, Red Hood slaps a small explosive on Black Mask's back that bursts into flames. The crimeboss whips his coat off, and calls him a little girl for his tactics.
Hood doesn't care if it means winning. He slices at the back of Black Mask's neck, but the spilling of blood only makes Mask crazier.

The two grapple with the knife between them, and Black Mask teaches the young man a lesson about life and survival in Gotham.

They wrestle over the knife, but as the Batman finally arrives on the scene, it's too late. Black Mask has the knife, and he's going to use it.

It cuts deep.

Through body armor.
Through flesh.

The hammer...
Honestly, I'd have to say never in Oprah and Tina Turner's wildest dreams did I ever expect to see Black Mask attain victory in a fist fight. Especially not with a crazed, trained up lunatic like Jason Todd - which leads me to a disappointing revelation.

In the following issue [Batman #649] we have the disappointing fortune of learning that the man that lay bleeding next to the pool table was not Jason Todd. He was a lackey imposter, with a helmet that allowed Jason Todd to transmit through a speaker.

Opening tale of the tape, I mentioned how fantastic a run this has been.
That single moment has to be about the only blemish on an otherwise all-star effort by Mahnke and Winick. A fakeout of that proportion is very hard to swallow in any context, let alone a story that's been so superb because of it's grounded, street level honesty.

That said, the developments in the following issue do not spoil this one.
We've been talking about a lot of fights, and with DC versus Marvel's entries a consistent complaint of mine has been the lack of storytelling within the fights.
This was a good example of an issue largely dedicate to fisticuffs, but used it to tell a compelling tale.

The Fight: 6 The Issue: 5.5
Additional stats: Black Mask - Kill (Thug, Red Hood imposter)

NEXT: African goddess Storm vesus Amazonian princess Wonder Woman

RED HOOD & BATMAN versus THE SOCIETY
"Franchise Part 2: The Away Team"
Where: Batman #647 When: January 2006
Writer: Judd Winick Artist: Doug Mahnke

The story so far...
It began when a man called Hush set into motion events that would throw the Dark Knight's life into chaos, as his foes were arranged like game pieces in formation against him.

Hush would later be revealed to be Bruce Wayne's childhood friend, Thomas Elliot, but betrayal would have two faces.

Orchestrated to disorientate the Batman further; Clayface masquaraded as the deceased Robin, Jason Todd.
When a new face in Gotham going by the Red Hood moniker, Joker's one-time alias, began stalking the streets, Batman's fears would be realised.

Alive once more by means unknown, Jason Todd began fighting a fatal one-man war against the criminals of Gotham, organizing his own sense of order.
When the villains united with Gotham's new boss, Black Mask, Jason Todd had for him one mighty enemy in the shape of The Society.

Tale of the tape...
"The Society" is a fairly broad label for what is, in this case; Captain Nazi, The Hyena and Count Vertigo.

Strength: 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: 2 (Normal human)

Captain Nazi is perhaps the most influential character in this particular scenario.
In combat he is designed to go head-to-head with the likes of Captain Marvel, which is a considerable advantage over the other human-level characters involved in this fight. He also has the ability to go uneffected by Count Vertigo's powers, which means he is potentially able to sweep the pot once Vertigo gets into action.

On the flipside, Captain Nazi could also single handedly lose the fight.
Though impressive in his own right, the animalistic Hyena is only minimally effective against disciplined and able fighters, as is Count Vertigo.

Ultimately, Captain Nazi is the lynchpin in this particular attack, and his intelligence arguably leaves him prone to attack from the tactically superior Batman. Particularly considering the history Red Hood and Batman share, offering them superior sycronisity in their fighting.

Of course, Red Hood's hostility toward the Batman could prove an issue.
You would however have to assume the administered powers of the Society would be the bigger threat, and the two would maintain alliance brief enough to thwart them.

Maybe next time, the Society should send Deathstroke, instead of having him give orders to the lackeys.

What went down...
Lured out by threat to his order of drug dealers; Red Hood is ambushed by Black Mask's Society goons. Captain Nazi and Hyena drop from the rooftops, but Red Hood is defiant in the face of adversity.

He scoffs the hired heavys, as he nimbly backflips over them and opens up with his twin pistols.

Hyena and Nazi dance in and out, taking shots at the young vigilante, between gun fire. Todd avoids the attack, but his hail of bullets barely even scratch Captain Nazi -- so he steps it up with high explosives.

The blasts topples the mighty Captain Nazi, but leaves Red Hood open to the agile and ferocious Hyena. The feral mind of the creature fixes in on the Red Hood, "Slow. Too slow. Weak and slow." "Yeah, or, y'know, stalling."

Four darts bury themselves into the Hyena's back, and the Dark Knight detective makes his presence known, dropping down from the rooftops above.
Red Hood kicks the Hyena off of him, and for the first time since his apparent death, Jason Todd sides with the Batman against evil.

Captain Nazi rips a post from the street, and swings it like a giant club at the dyanmic duo. They each dodge, and Red Hood dives at Batman, not to attack, but instead to execute a maneuver they've each practised dozens of times. A maneuver they honed as Batman and Robin.

Red Hood tosses razor tipped projectiles, and Captain Nazi blocks them easily with his forearm, as he was supposed to, leaving him vulernerable for the Batman to toss attaching explosives to his chest. He drops the powerline post, as he is again toppled by explosion.

Captain Nazi still stirs, but before either Batman or Red Hood can finish him, the world begins to swirl.
"Damn it to hell. There's three of them."

The floor rushes upward to meet their faces, as the effects of Count Vertigo's powers of disorientation take effect. Powers designed to affect the eyes and ears, attacking the physical rather than mental. Thus, Batman drops shields over his eyes and ears. Contingencies designed for the likes of the Scarecrow, but just as effective here.

Switching to sonar, Batman directs Red Hood toward the equally affected Hyena, while he tackles Count Vertigo, clutching only fabric. Not a miss timed step, but rather an ingenious piece of planning.

As Captain Nazi - unaffected by Vertigo's powers because of cybernetic implants - attacks the Red Hood, he's able to toss darts charged with hard stimulants at the feral Hyena.
The Batman swoops down, and using Vertigo's fabric to mask his own scent to the creature, he beats Hyena into a frenzy. Until he follows the scent back to Vertigo, and is pulled back before he goes beyond incapacitating the Count.

Nazi still has Red Hood wrapped up, forcing Batman into a stand-off with his grappling gun. Nazi calls his bluff, but Red Hood mercilessly recognizes the potential to end it, and drives a tazer into Nazi's cybernetics.

Red Hood mocks the Batman for his apparent surprise at the lethal resolution to the fight.

"Did you actually think this would go any other way?! Just be happy I only killed the Nazi!"

Red Hood chastizes his former mentor for his predictability, as he scales a fire escape, making his escape. The alliance of convenience, ended.

The hammer...
I have to acknowledge, this issue was a little while coming, because it's been one of the fights I've been most impressed with out of all the comics I've read recently. That's pretty high praise, considering all the mayhem going on in the respective Marvel and DC universes, which are largely the focus of Secret Earths.

Needless to say, Batman and Red Hood won this one.
As always, if anyone has any dispute to that, they should feel welcome to drop a comment.

I've really been surprised just how much I've been enjoying Winick and Mahnke on the flagship title. Winick's initial offering, with the Scarecrow, really didn't do a whole lot for me, but with the new on-going structure the title really has me tickled pink.

One of the most attractive elements I've found, is just the allusion of structure in Gotham right now. I often drift into rants about what I call a chess board continuity, where even if every piece isn't in play, it's still on the board. This, to an extent, is exactly that, and I'm enjoying it a great deal.

Perhaps the only thing more exciting than all the action, will be the conclusion to the on-going tussles between Batman, Red Hood, and Hush.

Stats:
Red Hood - Kill; with tazer to electronics. (Captain Nazi)

The Fight - 6
The Issue - 5.5

NEXT WEEK: Street fighting! Don't miss the punch-up!