ULTRON versus THE VILLAINS

The War Begins (Marvel)
Where: Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1 When: May 1984 Why: Jim Shooter How: Michael Zeck

The Story So Far...
In a distant corner of space comes the existence of a sophisticated station suddenly populated with the confused ranks of many of Earth's mightiest heroes!

Abducted by an unknown force -- these Avengers, X-Men, and more await the intentions of their unseen captor, with little understanding, or influence, over their impending fate.

Amidst the assembly Captain America spies a second construct floating in the starry void above. The probing mind of Professor X finds a repellent aura of evil as he detects an identical predicament shared by some of their deadliest adversaries. As a galaxy is wiped away, and a new planet begins to form before awestruck eyes -- the villains begin to stir!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Galactus 7 (Omnipotent)
Intelligence: Galactus 7 (Omniscient)
Speed: Lizard 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Galactus 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Lizard 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: The Wrecker 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Galactus 7 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Galactus 34 (Super)

The Beyonder may have distributed everyone into two camps, but if you expected the first blows of the Secret Wars to come between good and evil -- you were wrong! Ultron has no interest in forming alliances with any organic lifeforms!

The other villains are: Doctor Doom, Doctor Octopus, Kang The Conqueror, Enchantress, Absorbing Man, The Wrecker, Piledriver, Thunderball, Bulldozer, Lizard, and Molecule Man, with Galactus.

Ultron has a fusion reactor core powering his movements, capable of dishing out some serious firepower as well, with a composite adamantium hardshell durable enough to withstand a collision with The Thing!

Ultron is clearly a serious threat, but if The Wrecker and his Crew were to apply themselves -- they could probably pin Ultron down long enough to do some real damage. Throw in the Absorbing Man, able to copy Ultron's adamantium body for himself, and you've got a magically powered five-man trash compactor!

In the event the muscle needs a little direction, there's plenty of genius to go around. Doctor Doom is the obvious alpha in the group, but Enchantress is no stranger to directing or manipulating powerhouses into doing her bidding.

Kang The Conqueror has the resources and nous to potentially take on the Ultron problem alone, but that's no guarantee. Molecule Man is perhaps the best suited for that -- his ability to control things on a molecular level makes him nigh omnipotent. The only problem is a reluctance to use his awesome powers after repenting for a history of villainy with committed psychotherapy.

Doctor Octopus and Lizard are apex predators in their own environment, but here they may be the most vulnerable to Ultron's attack. Still, you'd like to think they're wily enough to join the other ranks -- provided they don't all turn on each other. Let's see exactly how it went!

The Tape: The Villains Ranking: Doctor Doom (#88)

What Went Down...

An incredible cosmic dance draws the eyes of the villainous collective upward as pieces of disparate land converge to form a new planet overhead. It's enough to leave Doctor Doom awestruck, but not all company is as unwaveringly focused.

Doctor Octopus doesn't take kindly to being jostled by the burly Absorbing Man.

The pair trade verbal barbs until suddenly -- a blast of energy engulfs them both!

Ultron simmers with power -- and the nearest thing approximating disdain -- as his robotic circuits struggle to make sense of his apparent reconstruction, and presence on the mysterious ship. From confusion defers basic function:

"I am Ultron! I do not understand the events transpiring! I do not understand how I came to be resurrected... Nor how I came to be here! Nothing computes... Insignificant! I am Ultron! My purpose is to slay that which lives. You are all living things, ergo -- Ultron must destroy you!"

Ultron takes flight and fires beams that narrowly miss Piledriver, Molecule Man, Kang, and Doctor Octopus -- but this time Absorbing Man is ready. He receives the energy and instantly nullifies its effects by assuming its properties!

The gambit inspires Doctor Doom to action, if not tactic, as he recognizes the potential threat of Ultron's adamantium body and fusion reactor.

The monarch lays his gauntlets on Molecule Man, grabbing him by his shirt to compel him to use his powers to stop Ultron. Alas, timid Owen Reece is just as overwhelmed as the robot, and reverts to a vow of abstinence made with his therapist. In a remarkable show of Molecule Man's power -- Doom compromises!

Determined to stop Ultron, but accepting Molecule Man's reluctance to harm anyone -- Doom offers an alternative minor act of mischief to Reece, which could make use of the unfathomable cosmic might at Galactus' disposal instead.

As Ultron's blasts explode between The Wrecking Crew and Enchantress; Molecule Man takes control of the subatomic make-up of the robot -- and sends him hurtling into the massive legs of Galactus!

For the first time since their arrival, The Devourer of Worlds pays notice to the tiny mortals scurrying around his feet.

Ultron begins to levitate by means other than his own, but continues to brandish his adamantium body and energy blasts in contempt for all that lives.

He sees Galactus as just another organic sentience to extinguish, perhaps failing to comprehend the forces that now control him.

Galactus gazes silently at the murderous robot as it floats to meet his eyeline.

Ultron dares to threaten The Devourer with a slow death for his affront.

The extinguishing of Ultron's flame takes a mere blinding moment as Galactus drains the robot's fusion reactor of all traces of energy without a word or gesture. A lifetime's supply of power gone in an instant -- a mere snack between the thumb and forefinger of a being beyond true comprehension!

The Hammer...

Just like that the first shots of the Secret Wars are fired -- but they aren't across enemy lines of good and evil!

There are essentially two sides to this conflict, with a faction or two forming somewhere in between, but it's the bad guys who are the first to fracture. A nice little bit of character detail that establishes the stakes, the scale of power that's in play, and gets us a taste of the action while introducing some of the stacked side of villainy.

It would've been so easy to have Ultron simply fall in line with the other bad guys, or undergo some sort of reprogramming from the outset, but instead we get the unadulterated joy of a homicidal robot immediately intent on extinguishing all organic life -- no matter how grand and beyond its reach it actually is! Bliss!

Ultron-10 was destroyed by Machine Man, The Thing, and Jocasta a couple of years prior in the pages of Marvel Two-In-One #93, contributing to the confusion of a tenth reconstruction in Secret Wars.

I guess The Beyonder is an Avengers fan who saw fit to bring Ultron back along with all the other popular toys. Doctor Doom will reprogram the defeated robot in the next issue, rebooting him for more play, but if you only knew the original twelve-part maxi-series as a tie-in ostensibly meant to sell action figures, you would've been surprised that an Ultron toy was never actually produced.

It's perhaps then doubly surprising that Galactus is ultimately the one to take Ultron down in the first real fight of the series.

The Devourer of Worlds is no stranger to conflict, but he isn't exactly known for trading blows with the rank and file, and also doesn't appear in the Mattel action figure line. The mark of a toymaker's unfulfilled aspirations -- or fanboy-turned-EIC Jim Shooter demanding a standard of quality for tie-in comics that would meet comic book readers' expectations beyond promotional consideration?

A few lines have attempted Galactus toys in the decades since Secret Wars, with Heroclix notably having the benefit of a small scale to work with, but it's only in the last couple of years that Marvel Legends has delivered the 32" tall Galactus action figure of our dreams. Standard 6" heralds fit in the palm of his hand. Not bad for $400 as a 2021 HasLabs backer, but undoubtedly a tough sell in 1984.

So if Galactus isn't in Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars to be a deluxe playset, or towering lump of plastic sold through the Seers catalogue -- why is he here?

His concerns are typically much loftier than the mere mortals assembled to be bashed together in the hands of children, but I suppose if you asked me to name my most desired villains of the time, Galactus would probably be in the list, somewhere along with various other Fantastic Four opponents.

Galactus lends star-power and a sense of cosmic grandeur to the whole event, demonstrating just how high a level The Beyonder must be working on.

I suppose there's also an underlying potential for a ticking clock. Eventually Galactus will have to feed, and the composite planet created to host everyone is pretty much the only bar & grill that seems to be open in this corner of the universe. Existential drama only Galactus can provide in backdrop to a superhero war.

As for this battle: Galactus is clearly the winner, but could this result have been achieved without the involvement of Doctor Doom and Molecule Man?

The short answer is no -- but after careful deliberation, I've determined their actions, though vital, still only constitute a minor gesture: an assist.

Once his initial hopes to use Molecule Man's powers to end the fight are dashed, Doctor Doom conceives a plan to essentially gain Galactus' attention and pass the problem on to him. By throwing Ultron at the cosmic giant, Molecule Man merely triggers Galactus' entry into the fight, and the result is rendered from there.

We should also note that Thunderball and Bulldozer don't appear in this sequence until the fight is over, and Ultron's lifeless husk crashes back to the ground. The Lizard isn't even seen post-introductions until a vague group shot a couple pages after this. Characters clearly present will receive an assist stat for drawing fire, but it's unclear if these three even stuck around for the fight. We might infer Lizard ran and hid. For that reason I've omitted them from the minor count.

This was the very first fight, but we already opened the door last year with Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #3. I'm hoping we'll be able to continue working through the series in a linear fashion, taking in some of the interesting match-ups that come about, and tracking the progress of characters like Molecule Man, and newcomers Titania & Volcana.

You can catch all of that, and more, by following links throughout this post, or by plunging into unending secret wars of the Secret Archive! That's where all you desire is indexed in order of publisher, series, and issue number.

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured well over 700 battles and ranked more than 1,000 iconic characters! You can make sure there are many more to come by becoming a supporter on Patreon. As a thank you for your patronage you'll find additional updates and multiple tiers to sponsor more feature content.

Get free daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day by subscribing to Twitter and Facebook, or by becoming a freebie follower on Patreon. Don't forget to smash that like, fave, and share -- and keep your eyes peeled for the week's top trending battles every Sunday on Twitter & Patreon!

Winner: Galactus (w/ Molecule Man & Doctor Doom)
#128 (+246) Galactus
#640 (new) Molecule Man [+1 assist]
#88 (--) Doctor Doom [+1 assist]
#374 (+20) The Wrecker [+1 assist]
#375 (+22) Piledriver [+1 assist]
#376 (+44) Kang The Conqueror [+1 assist]
#641 (new) Amora the Enchantress [+1 assist]
#670 (+315) Absorbing Man [+1 assist]
#988 (-2) Doctor Octopus [+1 assist]
#381 (-146) Ultron

WOLVERINE versus THANOS

Cosmic Battle on the Edge of The Universe! (Marvel)
Where: Infinity Gauntlet #4 When: October 1991
Why: Jim Starlin How: Ron Lim & George Perez

The Story So Far...
When the Silver Surfer crash lands to Earth through the roof of Doctor Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum -- he brings ominous warning of the greatest threat the universe has ever known! Thanos lives and has taken possession of the Infinity Gems of Soul, Mind, Power, Time, Reality, and Space to form the omnipotent Infinity Gauntlet!

The Mad Titan's mission is to eradicate half of all sentient life in existence! A feat he achieves in an instant with but a mere thought! His quest to court the mistress Death does not end there, though. His dominion is now all that exists in the known universe -- a reality, his to dominate and reshape!

Ripples of Thanos' power echo throughout the universe, causing mayhem and destruction on Earth, where the mightiest heroes assemble in conference to discuss the unknown threat. The unexpected arrival of Adam Warlock provides limited answers as he takes command, selecting a special task force to confront Thanos in a desperate ploy to save the universe from The Infinity Gauntlet!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Thanos 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Thanos 5 (Professor)
Speed: Wolverine 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Thanos 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Wolverine 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Wolverine 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Thanos 6 (Mass Destruction)
Total: Thanos 34 (Super)

After a fourth wave assault consisting of Thor, Doctor Doom, and Firelord failed; Wolverine might not seem like the most obvious candidate to step up against Thanos. He's certainly much better known for fighting earthbound arch-enemies like: Sabretooth, Lady Deathstrike, Silver Samurai, or The Hellfire Club.

That said, Adam Warlock singled out Wolverine (and Hulk) for their willingness to do what other heroes usually won't: kill!

An earlier assault showed us that Thanos has allowed himself to remain vulnerable to physical harm. Even if Wolverine's unbreakable adamantium claws can't find a killing blow -- he might be able to lop off a limb, or even deprive Thanos of the hand that wears the all-powerful Infinity Gauntlet!

It shouldn't be forgotten that Wolverine's membership with the X-Men has also taken him to space on several occasions, and led him to close encounters with many alien species. If nothing else, that means the ominous circumstances of the fight and their opponent shouldn't bother him in the slightest!

Wolverine's most famous space battles may be X-Men confrontations with the Shi'ar Imperial Guard. Adamantium claws cut alien flesh as easily as human, but when it comes to the indomitable strength of Gladiator, our records only contain an unflattering conclusion from New X-Men #124.

In contrast, we've also seen Wolverine claim one of his most controversial alien victories! Who could forget the time he defeated DC's unstoppable Czarnian killing machine, Lobo, in the now infamous Marvel versus DC #3?

Like Lobo; Thanos is innately more physically impressive than the average human, but Wolverine made his debut fighting the Hulk and Wendigo! We've seen him go toe-to-toe with Nimrod [Uncanny X-Men #194], Sub-Mariner [New Invaders #6], Thing & The Fantastic Four [Wolverine #22], and a Dormammu juiced Hood [New Avengers #54]! He always remains in the fight!

Ultimately, that lethal instinct recognized by Warlock could be the visceral edge that other heroes have lacked. When properly motivated Wolverine can be callous [Uncanny X-Men #205], downright malicious [Marvel Comics Presents #83], and a calculated killer [New X-Men #150].

What's his motivation - you ask? As noted in an earlier installment: Jean Grey and Heather Hudson were both presumed casualties of Thanos eradicating half of all life in the universe! For a guy like Wolverine, that's real personal!

The Tape: Thanos Ranking: Wolverine (#4)

What Went Down...
From an elevated level of the white stone platform: The X-Man Wolverine rushes in for an attack! He launches himself over the unconscious body of Firelord at Thanos' feet -- extending claw-tipped arms for maximum impact!

The unbreakable adamantium of his claws plunges into Thanos' chest! A killing blow that brings the fearless mutant face-to-face with the Mad Titan!

For a moment, they exchange snarls -- equals in aggression! Then his angry sneer turns to a gleeful smile as a twinkle radiates from Thanos' eyes - and reality rearranges at his simplest whim!

The Wolverine recoils suddenly -- arching his back as he lets out a guttural yell! At first the cause of his pain seems unclear, but soon the grim reality of all that Thanos can conjure becomes cruelly apparent!

Where once his body was bolstered with unbreakable adamantium-laced bones, Wolverine now crumples, reduced to a twisted bag of muscle and sinew! His bones and claws little more than spongy rubber!

Doctor Doom takes the opportunity to fire upon Thanos, but it's a challenge soon forgotten. A hollow threat, overshadowed by an onslaught from more motivated opponents!

The Hammer...
One begins to wonder exactly how fair Thanos is fighting. His solutions are becoming increasingly deadly, and dependent on the cosmic will of The Infinity Gauntlet! Transmuting adamantium laced bones to spongy rubber, not exactly in the spirit of taking Earth's heroes on at their own game!

The contorted vision of Wolverine recalls the X-Men's classic confrontation with reality-warping mutant Proteus. I wonder if that was a deliberate choice on the part of Jim Starlin and co. It certainly presses the buttons of readers who would remember his troubled reaction to losing a stern grip on reality.

This was a time when Wolverine was approaching the pinnacle of his popularity, but was still somewhat vulnerable to extreme attacks. This was a few years before the revelation of bone claws, which might inform some of the severity of the attack. Repairing adamantium would still be beyond his healing factor, but if it were ten or so years later, his bones might've at least returned to rigidity.

Either way, the crumpled body of Wolverine is a pretty vivid demonstration that the heroes are really out of their depth. The pendulum of hope is beginning to swing in favour of total and utter failure. Warlock is down a killer, with only the Hulk still stalking the battlefield.

It's at this time Silver Surfer chastises Adam Warlock for approaching the battle of life and death as a game. He assures The Surfer it's the only way to confront the enormity of what they're attempting to do. The cosmic rider still doesn't know exactly what the grand plan is. Neither do we, but it clearly doesn't depend on everyone making it out unscathed.

The sixth wave of attack will swing the pendulum back with a powerful new set of heroes, but the stakes are only getting higher!

You can follow Thanos as he runs the Infinity Gauntlet by following Secret Wars on Infinite Earths via Twitter and Facebook. If you're arriving late, look for links throughout these posts to other waves of attack. Or just dive into the Secret Archive Index to find all available battles linked in the Marvel section!

You can get the skinny on Warlock's grand plan and read the entire Infinity Gauntlet by picking up a collected edition via Amazon! Shopping through the link provided means you'll get a good deal and help support the site at no extra cost!

Winner: Thanos
#32 (+8) Thanos
#4 (--) Wolverine

Infinity Gauntlet #4
Thanos runs the gauntlet of heroes in a special series spotlighting the classic cosmic showdown!
Versus Wave 1, Hulk & Drax, Wave 3, Thor & Dr. Doom, Wolverine, Wave 6, Cloak, Firelord & Drax, Iron Man, Spider-man & Thor, Nova, Quasar, Captain America

THOR, DOCTOR DOOM & FIRELORD versus THANOS

Cosmic Battle on the Edge of The Universe! (Marvel)
Where: Infinity Gauntlet #4 When: October 1991
Why: Jim Starlin How: Ron Lim & George Perez

The Story So Far...
When the Silver Surfer crash lands to Earth through the roof of Doctor Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum -- he brings ominous warning of the greatest threat the universe has ever known! Thanos lives and has taken possession of the Infinity Gems of Soul, Mind, Power, Time, Reality, and Space to form the omnipotent Infinity Gauntlet!

The Mad Titan's mission is to eradicate half of all sentient life in existence! A feat he achieves in an instant with but a mere thought! His quest to court the mistress Death does not end there, though. His dominion is now all that exists in the known universe -- a reality, his to dominate and reshape!

Ripples of Thanos' power echo throughout the universe, causing mayhem and destruction on Earth, where the mightiest heroes assemble in conference to discuss the unknown threat. The unexpected arrival of Adam Warlock provides limited answers as he takes command, selecting a special task force to confront Thanos in a desperate ploy to save the universe from The Infinity Gauntlet!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Thanos 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Dr. Doom 6 (Genius)
Speed: Firelord 5 (Super-Speed)
Stamina: Thanos 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Firelord 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Thanos 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Thanos 6 (Mass Destruction)
Total: Thanos 34 (Super)

The gauntlet of heroes suffered its first casualties in the third phase of battle with Thanos. In this round they're sending in a trio of power houses who could do some real damage: Thor, Doctor Doom, and Firelord!

As noted in the opening strike: Thor is in fact the mortal Eric Masterson, who will eventually come to be better known as Thunderstrike. He was imbued with the full powers of Thor when Odin banished his son to exile -- a compromise to ensure Earth would still be guarded from the evil of Odinson's enemies!

Masterson wields Mjolnir and all the power that comes with it, but will revert to his mortal form if he's separated from the hammer for more than sixty seconds. It was a catch like that that caused headaches for the genuine article when fighting Champion of the Universe in Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7, and Beta Ray Bill in Thor #337!

Thor and Firelord were both part of the opening strike on Thanos: a non-event when he froze time to avoid their attacks. That moment between moments was when Thanos made the all-important decision to fight without the cosmic omnipotence afforded by The Infinity Gauntlet, though. A decision to give the heroes the barest of fighting chance!

Doctor Doom wasn't a popular addition to Adam Warlock's army of heroes, but was too powerful an ally to turn down. An amoral, self-serving dictator by trade - he's a genius of the caliber of Mister Fantastic, who was lost during Thanos' purge of half of all life in the universe.

Doom brings an abundance of experience and understanding of cosmic entities. Unfortunately, he's usually trying to siphon off their power for his own devious schemes. We saw one of his many attempts at stealing Silver Surfer's power cosmic in Fantastic Four (Vol. 2) #6, and a Doombot trying similar in Silver Surfer #107.

Doom's incredible armor makes him a valuable asset, but his self-serving nature means the heroes probably won't be able to rely on him. When the Avengers and Fantastic Four were returning from a pocket reality, he turned at the vital moment, forcing a struggle with Thor in Heroes Reborn: The Return #4. Just one example of how things have the potential to go horribly wrong.

The combined godly and cosmic powers of Thor and Firelord would ordinarily be enough to cause Thanos problems. With Doctor Doom at their side, there is at least a very real chance Thanos could be relieved of his power and/or Infinity Gauntlet! Which is good, because the stakes are getting high!

The Tape: Thor, Doctor Doom & Firelord  Ranking: Thanos (#66)

What Went Down...

Having callously dispatched with Namor and She-Hulk; Thanos stands ominously over the remains of the first two casualties. Two more figures on the vast battlefield act on the grim turn of events. The first to strike is Thor - whose mighty hammer suddenly collides with Thanos' chest in a devastating blow!

At that same time, Doctor Doom has flown across the platform to seize upon his opportunity. With Thanos knocked flat on his back by the godly strike, he rushes to take possession of the awesome Infinity Gauntlet!

Doom pays for his avarice. His armor protects his life, but his body is hurled across the battlefield by the explosion of power emanating from Thanos! Doom may have put his own gauntleted metal fingers on The Infinity Gauntlet, but that is as close as he shall get!

Doom watches with envious eyes as his armor sizzles, and Thanos returns to his feet. The Mad Titan radiates raw power. Frustrated by Doom's interference, Thor resumes his attack, again hurling the enchanted hammer towards Thanos! Only this time, Thanos greets its trajectory with a wicked smile...

Seeing the attack coming; Thanos is able to create a portal inches from his face that safely sends the hammer's trajectory onward to deep space!

The separation of hero and hammer means Eric Masterson is fighting on borrowed time. He has a mere sixty seconds to be reunited with the hammer of Thor, or revert to his helpless mortal form! With the clock ticking - he fights!

The uppercut Thor launches manages to surprise even Thanos! He staggers back as the thunderer continues to fight with godly fists! His blows are enough to garner notice, but Thanos commands power to absorb them - and more!

Thanos snatches Thor by the cape - and tosses him to the darkness of space!

Firelord swoops in too late to rescue Thor, but eager to capitalize on Thanos' preoccupation. He ignites Thanos in a punishing stream of cosmic flame! Such is the gift of the power cosmic - bestowed upon him by Galactus!

Many would tremble at Firelord's boast, but his fire offers little threat to one with the power of The Infinity Gauntlet! With a swing of his arm, Thanos sends the airborne Firelord smashing brutally into the platform structure!

The Hammer...

Another wave of attack ends in victory for Thanos!

The consequences weren't quite the fatalities of the third wave, but three major players have at least temporarily been removed from playing field!

Doctor Doom survives thanks to his armor's defenses, but he was pretty badly fried. Firelord took a heavy enough blow to put him down, if not out. Without his mighty hammer: Thor is moments away from being a mere mortal floating in deep space! It's about as bad as it gets for the fourth wave!

The heroes are probably starting to sweat it, but Adam Warlock has a grand plan that's still being enacted. If Doom has truly been incapacitated, that can only bode well for the bigger picture! Let's just hope his firepower isn't needed! The fifth phase of attack is resting on the shoulders of one lone wolf!

The big picture can be yours to see and own in the collected trade edition of The Infinity Gauntlet! Shopping via Amazon link provided means you'll get a good deal and support the site at no extra cost!

You can catch-up on past, present, and future featured fights by diving in to the Secret Archive Index! There, you should be able to find links to all the Infinity Gauntlet updates in the Marvel section. All featured fights are index via publisher, series, and issue number!

Get daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day by following Secret Wars on Infinite Earths via Twitter and Facebook! A like, share, or retweet is another great way to show your support and take the fight to the world!

Winner: Thanos
#40 (+26) Thanos
#74 (--) Doctor Doom
#531 (-121) Thor (Eric Masterson)
#532 (-121) Firelord

Infinity Gauntlet #4
Thanos runs the gauntlet of heroes in a special series spotlighting the classic cosmic showdown!
Versus Wave 1, Hulk & Drax, Wave 3, Thor & Dr. Doom, Wolverine, Wave 6, Cloak, Firelord & Drax, Iron Man, Spider-man & Thor, Nova, Quasar, Captain America

HERO OF THE WEEK: DOCTOR DOOM (Marvel)
Real Name: Victor Von Doom
First Appearance: Fantastic Four #5 (July, 1962)
Fight Club Ranking: #67

Featured Fights:
- vs THING: Fantastic Four #350 (Mar 1991)
- vs THING: Fantastic Four #361 (Feb 1992)
- vs SILVER SURFER: Silver Surfer #107 (Aug 1995)
- vs SUPER-SKRULL: Fantastic Four #6 (Apr 1997)
- vs THOR: Heroes Reborn: The Return #4 (Dec 1997)
- vs FANTASTIC FOUR: Ultimate Fantastic Four #12 (Dec 2005)
- vs BLACK PANTHER & STORM: Black Panther #19 (Oct 2006)
- vs IRON MAN: Mighty Avengers #10 (May 2008)

A rose by any other name may smell as sweet, but what if another flower takes that name?

The Marvel Universe is about to have two heroes answering to the title of Iron Man - and neither of them is Tony Stark! It was revealed in a Comic Book Resources  exclusive: "Infamous Iron Man" -- a new series that will place Dr. Doom beneath the title on the cover, if not the armor itself. With new creation Riri Williams already announced to don the yellow and gold as a teenage girl also calling herself "Iron Man" - the law of diminishing returns seems to be an objective at Marvel Comics.

Editor Tom Brevoort took to Twitter to sideswipe critical response, calling the installation of a new identity as Iron Man "diversity in the line". He was right to cast aspersions about those immediately incensed by a change of race (or gender), but his examples of War Machine, Beta Ray Bill, or USAgent as hypocritical preference overlook the obvious.

Both of the new "Iron Man" characters are fighting an uphill battle against several decades of stand-in substitutes, as well as Marvel's present trends. We've already got a replacement Captain America, Thor, Hulk and more. There are two Spider-men swinging around, and a couple of derivatives. The sheer volume of time Marvel has dedicated to not featuring its iconic heroes has consumed a massive amount of the last six or so years. These inevitably temporary gimmicks are now stretching increasingly far - at the expense of years worth of mainstay hero stories, and genuine new additions.

It's the tired quality of a repeating concept that Brevoort overlooks. "Diversity" in the most precarious sense. Neither committed to genuinely creating new social icons for a new era, nor expanding the content and branding of "the line", as it was seemingly proposed.

Weak brand and creative management is arguably the most unattractive thing about Marvel right now. The more identities that assume an alias (and powers) - the less special they become.

In the case of Dr. Doom, I'm not entirely sure if he'll be going by "Iron Man" in the book. I'm certainly skeptical about the notion of Victor Von Doom -- a man who names everything after himself -- taking someone else's identity. That said, it revisits old themes of Doom's morality and sincerity, repackaged as another go 'round with Dan Slott's "Superior" Spider-man aka; body hopping Otto Octavius. That storyline took a transformation plot worth a few of days gone by issues, and stretched it out to a couple of years. The suspension of disbelief found in neophyte and gullible readers - no real substitute for playing with a concept, and getting back to business. After the farce of the last Fantastic Four movie -- legitimate Dr. Doom stories are more appealing than ever!

The business of brand management has been as grim as any of Marvel's character shuffling. Being an Avenger, X-Man, Inhuman, Phoenix, Captain America, Thor, Iron Man... None of it really seems to mean much, these days. You've got to think eventually the plan will be to restore order to the line. That's what made much of the 2000s compelling, with Marvel and particularly DC doing tremendous work to rebuild icons damaged by haphazard stunts the nineties. Of course, in the 2000s, comics were still running themselves, and the movies were seen as the inferior bastardized versions that they were. There's no safety in the assumption that that will ever be the case again, at least in the near future.

Maybe Marvel's new Secret Wars was the last hurrah of everything we knew, but I doubt it...

Dr. Doom won't be Iron Man forever. Tony Stark will probably be back some time. Same goes for Steve Rogers as Captain America, Thor as Thor, Peter Parker as Spider-man. The unique strength of comic books has long been their ability to tell decades of weekly or monthly serials with a single character. Mythologies and icons bigger than any of us. It makes good sense to keep adding to that, with increasingly interesting, different, diverse, socially relevant characters. I just hope that's still an option in a Marvel Universe were so much seems to mean so little.

<< Hero of the Week 07/18: Hulk       [Home]       Hero of the Week 07/04: Ibis >>

Hero of the Week #27: Dr. Doom

DR. DOOM (Marvel)
Real Name: Victor Von Doom
First Appearance: Fantastic Four #5 (July, 1962)
Group Affiliation: Latveria, The Cabal (former)
Gaming Credentials: Spider-man & Captain America in: Doctor Doom's Revenge (1989); Spider-man: The Video Game (1991); Marvel Super Heroes (1995); Marvel Super Heroes in War of the Gems (1996); Fantastic Four (1997); Marvel vs Capcom 2 (2000); Fantastic Four (2005); Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects (2005); Marvel Ultimate Alliance (2006); Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007); Marvel Super Hero Squad (2009)
Infinite Wars Cumulative Ranking: #64

If you've played one of the Fantastic Four video games, saw the movie(s), or dabbled in the comics, you probably think Dr. Doom is a pretty bad guy. As the major villain behind Marvel Ultimate Alliance, he certainly didn't do his public image any favours, but while MUA presented a great slice of the Marvel Universe as opposed to the usual brand-specific outings, it wasn't a game that excelled in the plot or characterization department.

Contrary to the name; Victor von Doom is neither an officially recognise practitioner of medicine, nor is he a harbinger of doom. In fact, depending on your reference, he's potentially a downright tragic hero, trapped within a prison of his own making, and intent on redemption through science and mysticism. Behind the cartoon trappings of a European hellbent on world domination, Dr. Doom is a rare breed of villain, as likely to save us all from damnation, as he is to condemn us. It's dramatic tragedy as bold as this that inspired one of cinema's greatest villains -- Darth Vader -- and assured the good Doctor a place in comics legend.

Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1962; Dr. Doom was an incomplete concept, alluded to only in the broadest sense, but quickly defined through keen visual design and playful antagonism as one of comics' greatest arch-nemesis.

Since his inception, Dr. Doom's story has unravelled through many interpretations. Some introduced legendary milestones, like the moment he scarred his own face by applying a still hot metal mask to the insignificant scarring he sustained during a failed college experiment to converse with the Netherealm. Other more modern tales have cast doubt on the truth of Dr. Doom's many stories, suggesting a man capable of travelling nimbly through time has, during some stories, been represented by a robotic doppelganger left in his stead. This is the explanation best used to dismiss some of his less refined appearances, where the character has fallen into the mindless antagonism of some of his video game appearances.

Despite forming strong rivalries with the likes of Iron Man, Silver Surfer, Hulk, Namor, Mephisto, and Dr. Strange; Victor von Doom will always be remembered as the arch-nemesis of Reed Richards and the Fantastic Four. It's through this association that the character made his way to the screen, both in live-action film and television animation, and been couriered to the world of video games, typically as a final boss in the heirharchy of villains.

While Dr. Doom is undeniably destined to play the role of antagonist, I feel the most true vision of the character is one less than evil. When Marvel launched their 2099 line of comics set in an possible future; readers were privvy to a glimpse of the world if Doom were to have his way with it. As it turned out, much of the globe came to share the opinions of the Latverians he ruled over in the presence, finding a man as capable of ruling the Earth as he had always claimed.

I think a comparison that does a wonderful job to convey the nuances of Dr. Doom is that of his well known mutant counterpart -- another Lee/Kirby creation from the sixties -- the master of magnetism - Magneto. Though a distinct personality; Magneto has essentially played the same arch-villain role to Professor X and the X-Men that Doom has to the FF. Magneto's experiences with the darker side of humanity have compelled him to turn the same level of intolerance onto the ruling class that once threatened him. Doom's rise against adversity, however, compelled him to practise an entirely different brand of superiority. Where Magneto desires to destroy, Doom hopes to control.

Sure, he's arrogant and uses violent methods, but really, all Dr. Doom potentially wants to do is make sure we're all protected from our own stupidity. Is that really such an awful thing? Y'know, if you assume that that's really what he's all about, and all those crazy Dooms were just rogue or malfunctioning Doombots... And if you don't mind him killing one of America's greatest heroes and scientific minds... And if you don't mind surrendering your freewill to the state...

Latverians -- ready to kill at the snap of a finger, 'cause Doom's a merciless dictator with benefits!

The complexities of Dr. Doom's character are set to play a significant part in Marvel's upcoming special event, Siege, which reunites the figurehead Avengers trio of Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor, for the first time in five years! It will also tell the tale of Norman Osborn's gambit as his Dark Reign over the Marvel Universe is tested by the galvanized union of superheroes once fractured by a Civil War, and by those allies who once stood beside him in The Cabal, namely the likes of Dr. Doom and Sub-Mariner! It should be a doozy and it's also why Dr. Doom is our HOTW!

Siege: The Cabal is a one-shot special released this week, previewing the meltdown of The Cabal and the upcoming Siege event. You should still be able to find it at comic stores if you so desire, or, wait for the event to kick-off proper in 2010. You'll find more information on good comics sites, and somewhere on Marvel.com, too.

<< Hero of the Week 12/13: Two-Face       [Home]       Hero of the Week 11/29: Spawn >>

Originally posted: http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9012114

QUICK FIX: DR DOOM vs IRON MAN
Time is on No One's Side (Marvel)
Where: Mighty Avengers #10 When: May 2008
Why: Brian Bendis How: Mark Bagley

THE TAPE...
Strength: Iron Man 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Dr. Doom 6 (Genius)
Speed: Iron Man 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Draw 6 (Generator)
Agility: Draw 2 (Average)
Fighting: Iron Man 4 (Trained)
Energy: Dr. Doom 5 (Lasers)

Math: Iron Man
Ranking: Iron Man (#3)

THE FIX...
Tearing the action away from Manhattan-Central to set heroes up on the West Coast, is a rare enough feat as it is. When it comes to maintaining any sense of global awareness, however, outside of the United States, the task is usually deferred to a short-lived B-list team-up, or one-panel disaster cameo.

Celebrations for the upcoming Super Bowl XLIII remind the world just how insular American culture and markets have the potential to be. Even in these times of harsh economic turmoil, promoters are still investing millions into the annual event, for both the sake of the spectacle, and the advertising spotlight attached during revered half-time commercial breaks.

Times may be changing, but this very American pursuit is a prime example of why US producers have been well within their right to completely forego the rest of the planet, relying exclusively on their immediate target. The Dark Knight might have broken records worldwide, but it's by the success within America's competitive home market that the film earnt the crux of recognition.

The critical among us might cast aspersions about the men controlling the four-colour world, to say nothing of the general ignorance of an American readership. A more fruitful option, however, might be the 'no-prize' route! While much less likely to abolish racial stereotypes in fiction, it does offer a slightly more positive spin on the narrow perspective of superheroes within their US foundation...

I can only imagine the sheer decadence of multi-million dollar Super Bowl commercials is exactly the kind of thing that riles Dr. Doom during foreign policy season. For a gypsy boy who fought his way to the throne of his tiny European nation; such frivilous exploits simply do not compute!

Dr. Doom represents a quintessential example of the comic book villain.
His story intertwines with his nemesis' to create a dark shadow of his heroic counterpart, in his case, Reed Richards. Adding that pop twist is the fact that he's two things Americans love to hate: devestatingly brilliant, and European.

Back in Stan and Jack's day there might've been a few vaguely legitimate tensions between Rogers and the boys that made Europeans convenient villains. In previous discussions we've referred to the continued honor of this tradition as iconographic detachment from modern reality -- a continuation of a language.
That "positive spin" I mentioned earlier?... Well, okay, strip away the soft racism, and there's another decent enough logic for European villains: geography!

With all the superheroes located in the US, setting up an evil headquarters in Europe dramatically increases the odds of evading reprive, particularly if you've fled the scene in order to live free to scheme another day!

Actually; in describing some of his original intentions for the character, Stan Lee discusses simple concepts that contribute to the complex nature of the villain in the modern era. He hoped to explore the prospect of a villain whose foreign diplomacy rendered him immune to enforcement of the laws he was breaking.
It's a premise that has since been buried beneath a multitude of motivations and identities shared between Victor Von Doom and his 'Doombot doppelgangers.'

As the Marvel Universe has developed and matured alongside real world politics, one assumes any political immunity Dr. Doom once possessed, was lost amidst the introduction of expansive anti-terror laws. Not that you'd really know.
Unfortunately, to clarify some of the criticisms levelled earlier in the post, the Marvel Universe exists as a fictional entity almost exclusively represented by events taking place on American soil. Despite being one of the most prolific figures in Marvel's army of characters, it has simply been unfeasible for every plausible moment of the Marvel saga to pass through the filter of Doom.

Compensating for this are the unelaborated mysterious liasons, and the rogue robots, who not only attempt to throw a canopy of fog over the specifics of Doom's operations, but also account for some of those unfortunately characterization issues that have dogged him.

All of the issues discussed here might be about to get a serious rethink, it seems, and that brings us to our long overdue quick fix entry!

Doom, a consumate planner, has devised a catalogue of strategies suited to dealing with his powerful American opposers. Amongst his arsenal, a "symbiote bomb" filled with the same species of alien creature that empowers Venom.

When the satellite carrying his contingency is detonated above New York City, it plunges the streets into chaos, forcing members of the Avengers to do battle with monstrous versions of their outlaw counterparts [New Avengers #36].
Fingered for his responsibility, Dr. Doom finds himself defending his castle stronghold from invasion by Iron Man and the Mighty Avengers!

During the battle, Doom's showdown with Iron Man (and the Sentry) accidentally triggers his time portal, shunting the trio sometime into the past. Enraged, Doom lashes out at his armored nemesis, calling upon his master of science and magic to unleash devestating energy blasts!

Iron Man's extremis defenses protect him from the initial assault, while both suits of armor mak attempts to gain a technological or intelligence-based advantage over the other. Both men find their silent war a stalemate as the advanced programming of their suits meets equally adequate firewall software. The exchange gives Stark, Director of SHIELD, the opportunity to exercise his politics, cooling Doom long enough to agree to a truce.

This truce leads the pair to seek out the aid of the Sentry in gaining access to technology withheld in this time by Mr. Fantastic and the Fantastic Four. The end result of that scenario can be explored further in a previous review.

These events coincided with that unfortunate "Secret Invasion" business, which revealed an army of super-powered Skrulls hiding on Earth. Though seemingly irrelevant, this shamble of an event led to Dark Reign, which allowed Norman Osborn to capitalize on Tony Stark's Skrull-disabled technologies to replace him as Director of SHIELD (retooled as HAMMER).

Like Secret Invasion's prospect of exploring Skrulls with the benefit of hindsight; Dark Reign positions a major villain in power, bringing with it varied implications for the Universe, including secret cabal members; Dr. Doom, Sub-Mariner, Emma Frost, Loki, and the Hood. These implications promise to enhance that world perspective that has so long been absent from the core of Marvel comics, and from Dr. Doom's representation as a guest-character.

Hold off on the celebrations!
While Marvel insists Dark Reign isn't an "event," the concept behind the branding appears to be fairly central to Secret Invasion front-man, Brian Bendis. With DR borrowing heavily from a previous concept, (Acts of Vengeance), one can't help but predict a third strike following on from his AoA/HR knock-off - House of M - and the Skrull event. Also a concern, the writer's ability to offer a satisfactory treatment of highly intelligence characters, and the fulfillment of the concept.

It's been very easy to be critical of both the writer, and Marvel, in recent years, but the devil deserves his due. The stars are lined up for something special in 2009 from Marvel, and if they've learnt what they seem to have from the non-event of Invasion, we might be in for one heckuva rollercoaster. One that puts to bed the kinds of criticisms that sponsored our slightly esoteric opening.

This post continues our recap of last year's top ten characters, spotlighting Iron Man, even if our discussion deviated to Dr. Doom. Iron Man is currently on the run and at the mercy of Norman Osborn (and Dr. Doom) in Dark Reign. Stay tuned!

The Fight: 4.5 The Issue: 5.5
Winner: Draw

Mighty Avengers #10 proved to be an extremely positive issue! For more on that, check out our previous review -- featuring a clash between the Sentry and Thing! Want to get the rest of the story, or draw your own conclusions? The "Venom Bomb" and it's aftermath appears collected in two seperate trades (pictured above). By using Amazon and the purchase links provided, you'll not only pick up a great deal, but also help sponsor future entries of the Infinite Wars. Collections featuring most previous issues reviewed are also available for your convenience in our very own Gift Shoppe! So do us a favour, by doing yourself a favour!

ZOMBIES versus ZOMBIES
Marvel Zombies Conclusion (Marvel)
Where: Marvel Zombies #5 When: June 2006
Why: Robert Kirkman How: Sean Phillips

The Story So Far...
Earth 2419: A frightening twisted version of the Marvel Universe, infected by the decay of an alien virus that turns all infected into decomposing, viracious zombies.

With the Earth's population decimated by the super powered zombies, food supplies begin to run low.
Failing to follow their zombified Fantastic Four into a parallel universe (Earth-1610), the zombies finish the last active snack, Magneto, before the heavens present a miracle.

The timing of his arrival affected by unknown elements of this universe; the Silver Surfer descends in present-day to assess the viability of the Earth for consumption by his master - Galactus: Devourer of Worlds. Irony smiles upon the fortunes of Earth, however, and the Surfer is quickly devoured by the once heroic collective of Avengers, granting them the alien energies of the power cosmic!

With their newly aquired powers the zombies seek to feast on Galactus himself, but first they must face the zombie horde of those who opposed them in life. Freed of the moral constraints that spurred their infinite war, the rabid heroes march against their enemies in a battle to the undead-death.

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Hulk 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Dr. Doom 6 (Genius)
Speed: Colonel America 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Juggernaut 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Super-Skrull 6 (Rubber)
Fighting Ability: Wolverine 6 (Warrior)
Energy Power: Super-Skrull 6 (UWMD)


- The zombie-heroes are: Colonel America, Luke Cage, Wolverine, Hulk, Iron Man, Spider-man, and Giant-Man.

The Avengers were the first to fall before the zombie infestation of Earth-2419.
Carried by an alternate universe Sentry who had escaped from the gates of the afterlife; the plague spread to even the most powerful members, benefitting from the powers of the likes of Thor to spread the undead plague throughout the superhero community.

Despite retaining cognitive function, the heroes quickly abandon their morals, driven mad by the bloodlust of hunger, to lay waste to the Earth's population.
The few who remain uninfected whittle the zombies number, among them; Magneto, the Acolytes, Black Panther, and Reed Richards of Earth-1610.

Eventually the zombies themselves decimate their own in desperation, leaving only Hulk, Spider-man, Wolverine, Iron Man, Power Man, and Giant-Man, to devour and absorb the powers of Galactus, becoming the interdimensional menace called The Galacti.

As the Galacti they possess the immense energies of the power cosmic, while the many zombies previous retained their abilities from life, with a deminished physical integrity and penchant for bouts of mindless violence caused by the hunger.

- The zombie-villains are: Red Skull, Mole Man, Green Goblin, Super-Skrull, Rhino, Juggernaut, Venom, Dr. Octopus, Stilt-Man, Lizard, and Dr. Doom.

Like their heroic counterparts, the villains of Earth-2419 succumbed to the spread of the zombie plague. Their already questionable morals were altered far less than their counterparts, but in a world where the ravenous hordes quickly became the mainstream, their struggles are on an even kilter.

As with the hero zombies; the villains possess all the abilities they had prior to infection, albeit with a dramatically reduced physical integrity due to decay. Likewise, they are also susceptible to the intellectual haze caused by hunger.

Math: Villains (Ttl) Heroes (Avg) Ranking: Iron Man (#3)

What Went Down...
With Galactus toppled by the cosmic powers of the heroic zombies, the villains who played an integral part in the assault find themselves at odds with their traditional foes. The two factions face off to fight for their food, with the first shot fired by a cosmically endowed Colonel America, who blasts the head clean off of Mole Man's shoulders!

The two sides clash, but the villains quickly find themselves outmatched by the heroes who gained control over the power cosmic by devouring Silver Surfer [Marvel Zombies #3].

Spider-man endures a slash from the taloned fingertips of Venom, only to return fire with a blast of cosmic energy. The costume recoils from Eddie Brock's body, revealing the zombie corpse to be an insufficient host for the symbiotic creature.

Meanwhile, the armored Juggernaut scoffs Wolverine's one-armed stand.
With his healing factor decimated by decomposition, Wolverine's own adamantium laced claws tore through his now missing limb. The already dimwitted Juggernaut suffers for his boast as Wolverine plunges his clawed hand into the exposed mouth of his magically endowed foe, only to blast his decrepid flesh with a swelling mass of cosmic energy!

The raging X-Man turns his attentions to his undead nemesis, Sabretooth, while Giant-Man does away with Rhino with a decapitating blast of the power cosmic.

Colonel America has his own personal showdown, facing off in a physical mismatch with the Nazi, Red Skull. Already his physical superior, the zombified Skull provides little challenge for the zombie icon.

At close quarters, Red Skull loses an arm for his troubles, but delights in the Colonel's absent mindedness. Having had the top of his head sliced open by Magneto [Marvel Zombies #1], the Colonel's wounds provide Red Skull the ultimate equaliser. Tearing at the rotting remnants of Colonel America's brain, Red Skull puts an end to the undead life of the zombie super-soldier.

Spider-man spots the showdown too late to intervene, but scores a vengeful blow for his fallen leader, decapitating the cackling Red Skull with an energy blast, leaving the head to burst like a tomato beneath the heel of Giant-Man.

Green Goblin falls to the cosmic power of Spider-man, while Super-Skrull is stretched to breaking by Giant-Man, who also decimates Dr. Doom with the power cosmic. Finally, Wolverine finishes Dr. Octopus, severing the two remaining mechanical arms, before ending the villain.

The heroes stand triumphant as Galactus rises, crackling with energy. Little does the great devourer know, he faces an enemy like none he has ever seen... [Marvel Zombies #5]

The Hammer...
The Marvel Zombies win! Fatali... Er, you get the idea.

Alright, let's work out how this went down.
Colonel America killed Mole Man; Spider-man took out Venom & Green Goblin; Wolverine killed Juggernaut, Sabretooth, (& Dr. Octopus); Giant-Man killed Rhino, Red Skull, Super-Skrull, and Dr. Doom; and Red Skull killed Colonel America (downgrading his contribution to an assist).

For the trainspotters: Lizard and Stilt-Man go almost unnoticed, but if you look carefully enough, you'll know they're there. The action is really focused on key skirmishes, but Philips works in enough background detail to imply vital input from heroes like Luke Cage and Iron Man, and the presence of these mostly obscured villains.

I don't want to get too wrapped up in the 'game' aspect of the Infinite Wars, but it's probably worth elaborating on the ranking aspects for those who came in late.
Our interpretation is that these alternate universe versions of characters fairly contribute to the win/loss tally by representing elements of unlocked potential. For versions deemed definitively removed (ie; Superboy-Prime) we accept a seperate ranking, but in the case of Earth-2149, only zombie infection differentiates the basic make-up of the characters.

It's a fine line that might be subject to change, and if you have an opinion on this aspect of the blog, you should feel encouraged to drop a comment. It's a discussion we usually prefer to avoid, but it doesn't hurt to hear your thoughts.

As you might have gathered Marvel Zombies is just another perfect contribution to our October spookfest here on the Infinite Wars. As is becoming characteristic of the site, our schedule is running a week behind, suitably enough this time because I had an infection of my own. We're not here to hear about that, though.

Whilst sick I fell in love with zombies all over again whilst watching plague films like Doomsday, Resident Evil, and the Dawn of the Dead remake (which turned out to be much better than I had imagined). Of course, while this immersion in the genre made it easy to come back to Marvel's version of the undead, it did shine further light on the gaping weaknesses of the series.

For a high-concept spin-off from the Ultimate books [ie; UFF #23]; Zombies probably deserves some accolade for grafting something very similar to a plot to the mini. However, after seemingly attempting to take back the derogatory 'Marvel Zombie' descriptor, the series has come to encompass the type of oveworked brand serviced by those very same mindlessly dedicated fans.

I feel a little inside-out talking about the series in negative terms.
To be fair, the most recent incarnation [Marvel Zombies 3] manages to lend gravitas to the brand by admirably introducing it to the Marvel Universe proper. This kind of investment in the concept is what I believe will win Geoff Johns' inevitably compared Black Lanterns kudos, benefitting from the more immediate sense of meaning. It's a point that encompasses Marvel's situation.

I think it's retroactive perspective that has me looking far more negatively upon the first series, which was at the time, fun enough, if already clichéd.

As if presenting a fasttrack guide to Marvel's historic development processes; the Zombies series have arguably found their narrative strength the farther they've gone. Millar's original required only a vague antagonising concept akin to the anonymous threat best associated with zombies, while Kirkman elaborates on the very same characters immediately after Millar's work, indulging moreso in retro superheroes, whilst perhaps saving the good ideas for his own series (Image's; Walking Dead).

The concept of superhero zombies is a very interesting one.
Kirkman, whilst doing little to use the strong conventions of the sub-genre, offers some justification with the simple exploration of the superhero zombie. By keeping elements of the characters intact he really does tell more of a macabre superhero story than a zombie thriller, but even this has it's own merits. I have to at least acknowledge this version's conceits of cognitive function -- which deteriorates with the rise of hunger, but is diminished (in Zombies 2) with a clarity provided by longterm starvation. It provides a chance, albeit a shallow one, to look at zombies with some sense of existential self-awareness.

This only goes so far, however, leaving questions of sustainability and other reflections provided by the genre to his creator-owned work. Not that I say that with any contempt. I haven't read the stuff, but arguably because I anticipate a competence I would not want influencing me in my own aspirations to explore the genre in comics. [Is now a bad time to plug my $1.99 comic?]

On that self-indulgence; there's the matter of the origins of the zombie plague. Later series awkwardly bound the Marvel Zombies to licensed contributions from Sam Raimi's Evil Dead franchise, a fact sure to bite them in the arse in decades to come (so buy now if you want it), but still answered some questions about the spread. The origins, of course, like so many zombie tales, remain obscured, provided by an interdimensional introduction similar to our first meeting with the concept (in Millar's Crossover arc of Ultimate Fantastic Four).


As a bit of a fan for procedural detail, I think the most fascinating concept not yet hammered in to the ground by zombie comics and film is the origin story. Not so much the cause of the plague, which was given a competent sci-fi origin in Resident Evil, but how traditional zombies can achieve their terrifying hordes. While I have to admit, the concept lends a slow burn potentially fatal to audiences, but it's a concept I'd very much like to explore.

With any luck we'll talk speculatively a bit more about what history might lie behind the history of the Marvel Zombies. Probably a refreshing change from the repetitive brow furrowing these entries tend to devolve into.

The Fight: 4.5 The Issue: 4.5

Are you a dedicated Marvel Zombie? Want to avoid those inevitable rights struggles that render the backstory out-of-print? Dive in now and take advantage of Amazon's online purchases! By using links provided you help sponsor future entries in the Infinite Wars, and open yourself up to a world of financial exploitation through our Gift Shoppe. Let's face it. You like comics, I like comics. Why not? Collected editions featuring most issues reviewed are available! Hey, it beats being part of the effectless mass! C'mon!