DOCTOR LIGHT versus GREEN LANTERN

The Ghost of Christmas Light (Marvel)
Where: Green Lantern #36 When: February 1993
Why: Gerard Jones How: Gene Ha

The Story So Far...
Hal Jordan's heading home for the holidays, bringing best pal Carol Ferris to the Jordan Family Christmas at his brother Jim's! A magical flight in sets the season off to a perfect start, but hidden within the majestic Northern Lights is the malicious manifestation of Doctor Light!

With his powers ever-expanding since experiencing death; Light no longer needs a physical form! He exists as a being of pure light, passing through particles and wavelengths as he searches for purpose and power. Finding himself drawn to the ethereal glow of the Green Lantern's power ring, the villain is on a course to crash the party!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Draw 2 (Average)
Intelligence: Doctor Light 5 (Professor)
Speed: Doctor Light 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Green Lantern 6 (Generator)
Agility: Draw 2 (Average)
Fighting: Green Lantern 4 (Trained)
Energy: Green Lantern 7 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Green Lantern 27 (Metahuman)

Doctor Light has developed a bit of a reputation for being a chump, but he's undergone several transformations over the years that've enhanced, focused, and unlocked his light-based powers! In today's fight he's fresh from being spat right out of Hell -- and more at-one with light than ever before!

In past featured fights we've seen Arthur Light channel, control, and project light, such as: his team-up with Mirror Master against The League of Titans in Final Crisis #1, or attack on the Fortress of Solitude in Superman/Batman #43.

After his rejection from Hell: Doctor Light realized the ability to surrender his physical form and become light! This adds a new spectrum to his potentially deadly arsenal as he travels instantly through light while bending it to his will!

Fortunately, Green Lantern is no stranger to battling opponents who cast opposing light. The fearless Hal Jordan continues to clash with the likes of Larfleeze [Green Lantern #42] and a Parallax possessed Kyle Rayner [Green Lantern #24], to say nothing of his arch-nemesis Sinestro, who was finished off in a fistfight without the use of power ring projections in Green Lantern #25!

It's a good thing Jordan knows how to throw a punch when he can't rely on green hard-light constructs, too! When Doctor Light was part of The Society, we saw him literally extract the light-based powers of The Ray in Infinite Crisis #1!

The Black Lantern Martian Manhunter was also able to use intangibility, speed, and deceptive projections to beat both Flash and GL in Green Lantern #44.

To make matters even worse: these are the days before Parallax, which means Green Lantern power rings are still unable to act against anything yellow! We saw Professor Zoom pierce GL's light shields with common yellow objects in Green Lantern #40, and Golden Roc cause some trouble in Secret Origins #32!

if Doctor Light can exploit the fullest of his unlocked light-manipulation powers to move fast and create holograms and mirages -- he just might test the GL oath of might on a brightest day! Let's see how the Christmas clash went!

The Tape: Green Lantern Ranking: Green Lantern (#30)

What Went Down...
Christmas merriment turns to terror when the Jordan family's decorative lights leap from the tree and begin strangling Jim "Santa Claus" Jordan!

Within each globe gleams a cackling face and it doesn't take brother Hal long to figure out the most likely culprit. With a flash of his ring he dons the uniform of the Green Lantern and races to rescue his brother from Doctor Light!

The tendrils of colored lights wrap around GL, holding a yellow globe at his throat as the villain demands the green "supernal light" of the ring. Green Lantern struggles as the wiring wraps tighter around his throat.

As the family wonders how such a powerful hero could be challenged -- little Howie races to unplug the lights from the electrical socket. The strategy is a good one, but Doctor Light charges the globes to fire a laser that tags the boy on the shoulder and sets him aflame!

Hell hath no fury like a mother scorned! While Carrol Ferris tends to the boy, Sue Jordan flies into a rage -- launching herself at the malicious decorations! Lasers beam wildly from the coils wrapped around GL's body, but her sudden assault pays off. The Lantern coaches her to strip the yellow bulbs and free his green light to slice through the power chord!

The Christmas tree becomes a raging torch, but the peril seems to pass as Green Lantern directs the family to leave the house. He promises to collect the unconscious Santa and "guy in the Hall", maintaining the façade of a secret identity, but as he does -- he fails to notice a materializing figure!

The unexpected blast of the Doctor's solid-light beam knocks Green Lantern clean out of the air! It's enough to put the hero on his keister, but he's far from out. With a sling of his power ring he challenges Doctor Light to fight in the dark -- obscuring his eyes with a hard-light block from his ring, while taking his legs out with the mocking form of a flash light!

The villain concedes to taunts that he was always a lightweight, but Green Lantern has drastically under estimated the threat he presently faces!

While GL turns his attentions to snuffing the tree fire with a rug, Light dematerializes his way out of his blinders, and refracts himself into a one-man army of five Doctors Light!

The refracted Light brigade beats and batters an unprepared hero with a barrage of fists! They surround him, forming a chorus line of four who kick him back to the ground!

Even Light himself cannot answer the mystery of what's become of him since death. It hardly matters! He once again demands the power and knowledge of the Green Lantern's "light of unearthly perfection". GL obliges, using his ring to smack Doctor Light over the head with a lamp. The Lights furiously converge!

Glowing with yellow light, the Doctor issues an indignant ultimatum: Give him access to the green light - or "die in yellow agony!"

Engulfed in blistering yellow light - the Green Lantern is seemingly out of options, but a wry smile betrays his confidence! He summons his battery and gives Doctor Light a window to the source of a Green Lantern's power. It's exactly what he wanted -- but all is not as it seems!

Like the proverbial genie: Doctor Light is sucked into the battery! There, he will have his wish to be one with the light -- trapped within it!

The Hammer...
Just when you think you're out - they suck you right back in! A little bit of a cheap victory for Green Lantern in the end, but if you live by the light - I guess you die by it, too! Or at least... get sucked into the prison of a cosmic battery your light-based essence cannot escape from!

After a mostly comical stint with the Suicide Squad (that also ended with his temporary death), this was the story that finally put Doctor Light on ice.

I've always liked the idea that the Suicide Squad was the last refuge for characters who were on the chopping block. It kinda seems like that was the case for Light. As I say often, I've never been the biggest Teen Titans fan, and a guy with a silly hat who terrorizes kids with lightshows can seem a tad pathetic.

Unless I'm very much mistaken, Doctor Light didn't escape the Green Lantern's battery for over three years! By that time, Kyle Rayner had taken over the gig - and that's a battle I hope to come back to some time in the near future!

Consider this installment the first part in a fine example of what should be done with villains who've out stayed their welcome, or seemingly warn out their use. As we'll see in the future issue of Green Lantern: they can always be brought back with a spiffy new coat of paint. Although, considering where Doctor Light would wind up another decade later, the results may not always be lasting...

I didn't really pick this battle to talk about Doctor Light. Truth be told, I've had it on the To Do list for the last couple of Decembers, but something always gets in the way. In fact, this year I spent a whole lot of my Christmas working on the relaunch of Mortal Kombat Online, and now I'm sick! I was pretty determined to sneak this one through before the year ended, though. So here we are!

I wouldn't call Green Lantern #36 a uniquely important Holiday issue, but it's got a very nice balance of elements. In essence it's a sweet family gathering. The Jordan Family Christmas episode of the series, showing Hal Jordan in the fairly unusual environment of a domestic setting. Relatable, believable.

Of course, it wouldn't be a superhero's family gathering without some sort of big super-villain fight, and that breaks things up nicely!

As noted, the use of this particular villain holds extra weight given his increased powers, and his ultimate shelving afterward. Although, while it's interesting to think the character may've been on the way out, the issue doesn't actually read specifically like a swansong. Being trapped in GL's battery is a fairly temporary predicament, and the exploration of Doctor Light's powers opens things up.

There is a more deliberate sense of ominous mortality in the story, though.

For one, Green Lantern fights wearing a black arm band for Superman, who'd just been killed off in Death of Superman a month prior. The personalized presence of his family is also playing towards their ultimate deaths, at the end of '93, when Mongul and Cyborg Superman bring about the destruction of Coasty City, and the turn of Green Lantern into Parallax.

Whoa. What a downer! Fortunately, GL #36 isn't itself a downer at all and this fight was a lot of fun to go back to! I hope it brought our year of superhero smackdown to a fitting, belated Christmas close!

Technically Secret Wars on Infinite Earths ends the year in November, so you can check out the Top 20 Featured Fights determined by readers - or get all the gems that didn't make the cut by checking out the complete 2018 Feature Fight Recap! I've gotta tell ya, a lot of my favourites missed the Best Of this year so it's well worth your while digging into the full recap!

Just to be delightfully eccentric and inconsistent - the Annual Rankings Recap spans January to December, so fans who love to see where all the heroes land after we record these fights won't want to miss that! Today's battle has shot Green Lantern back up the list to #20! Hard luck for Aquaman, down to #21!

A big thanks to everyone who's been reading and sharing links throughout the year. A lot of great folks on Twitter have been hitting those retweet and likes! Don't forget Facebook and Google+ button at the bottom of every post! This weird world of superhero fights is something I like to do, but it's always nice to know somebody else is getting something out of it too! Happy new year!

Winner: Green Lantern
#20 (+10) Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)
#75 (-5) Doctor Light
#547 (new) Sue Jordan [+1 assist]

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!

JUSTICE LEAGUE versus
INJUSTICE LEAGUE
Unlimited Chapter 4: Unleashed (DC)
Where: Justice League of America #15 When: January 2008 Why: Dwayne McDuffie How: Ed Benes

The Story So Far...
The matrimonial union of Dinah Lance and Oliver Queen -- better known to the world as Black Canary and Green Arrow -- should have been one of the happiest occasions on the Justice League calendar. Instead, it was to initiate a new incarnation of the Injustice League into being, marking another in a long line of personal attacks suffered by the heroes in recent years.

Organized as an "unlimited" version of the team by Lex Luthor, Joker, and Cheetah; the League of criminals forms as a response to the dissolving Society of Supervillains. With motives of widespread corruption and protection of crooks, the Injustice League strikes with startling success.

Having captured the JLA, the Injustice League holds their nemesis in captivity with the intent of executing them, but despite their consumate planning they failed to take into account the legacy of an atomic hero called Firestorm!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Superman 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Lex Luthor 6 (Genius)
Speed: Superman 6 (Mach Speeds)
Stamina: Shaggy Man 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Shadow Thief 7 (Unlimited)
Fighting Ability: Deathstroke 7 (Living Weapon)
Energy Power: Green Lantern 7 (Cosmic)


- The Justice League of America are: Black Canary, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Red Arrow, Hawkgirl, John Stewart, Geo-Force, Vixen, Hal Jordan, and Firestorm.

Born of necessity; the Justice League represent a coordinated effort by the world's finest heroes to protect and serve in the many iterations of their regional representation, and on a global scale. Boasting some of the planet's most powerful humans and extra-terrestrials, the League is equipped to combat any threat that should overwhelm the individual efforts of their member, or conventional defenses of the world's nations.

The League is classically defined by the core membership of it's founding members, affectionately referred to as the big seven. Overseen by stalwarts, Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, they are; Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman and Martian Manhunter. Several of these members would come to be succeeded by others baring their name, Wally West and Kyle Rayner, while many other heroes would come to be prominently listed with the group; Hawkman, Atom, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Zatanna, Elongated Man, Firestorm, Captain Marvel, Red Tornado, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Fire, Ice, and others.

- The Injustice League are: Lex Luthor, Dr. Light, Giganta, Shadow Thief, Mr. Freeze, Fatality, Killer Frost, Gorilla Grodd, Poison Ivy, Deathstroke, Cheetah, Joker, Chesire, Shaggy Man, and Volcano Man.

Formed originally by a bored alien despot, Agamemno; the Injustice League exists as a none-too-subtle counter response to the premiere superhero collective of the DC Universe, the Justice League. Their original membership consisted of Kanjar Ro, Lex Luthor, Catwoman, Sinestro, Penguin, Dr. Light, Chronos, Black Manta, Felix Faust, and Mr. Element.

Sometime after his interdimensional doppelganger galvanized the criminal community as The Society, Lex Luthor reformed the League with a large group of villains, intending to utilize their powers as a protection unit. His true motives behind the formation of the team remain secret, but when the Earth's villains are banished to the planet Salvation, Luthor is prepared to lead them to safety.

Math: Injustice League (Ttl) Justice League (Avg) Ranking: Batman (#2)

What Went Down...
Lex Luthor, armed with powersuit and kryptonite knife, looms over a battered Superman with victory seemingly imminent. That is, until Firestorm arrives to transmute the life-sapping alien shiv into a harmless carbon-based toy!

Unaware of the young hero's efforts to free an imprisoned Justice League, Luthor gloats over the numerical superiority of his collective. Killer Frost is the first to strike, firing ice that easily countered with Firestorm's nuclear heat.

Dr. Light joins the femme fatale to lend a little extra power, but Firestorm is not without his own impending back-up... Having freed himself and the team with a ballpoint pen supplied by Firestorm - Batman marches the JLA into a rematch with their sinister counterparts!

Acting team leader, Black Canary, immediately makes her presence felt, dissipating Shadow Thief with the blasting echo of her canary-cry.
She promptly turns her attentions to grappling with Cheshire, while some members of the Injustice League opt to make an escape, left to run free in favour of strategic grouping by the JLA.

Canary tosses her opponent into Cheetah, leaving Chesire to attempt an escape into the surrounding swampland of her own. Hawkgirl borrows some of Red Arrow's hollowpoints to account for the absence of her mace, suggesting the archer might be going soft on his former flame.

Told not to pursue Mr. Freeze or Deathstroke; Wonder Woman takes the initiative to swing back around to aid Firestorm with a knock-out blow to Killer Frost!

Still unconscious, Black Lightning finds himself with the talon-like fingernails of Cheetah at his throat. Seemingly out of the game, the hero awakens, responding to Cheetah's threats with an unforgiving electrical charge!

Green Lantern joins the fray, forming a green force bubble to fend off the combined attack of Fatality's yellow Qwardian powerring, and Dr. Light's light manipulations.

Red Arrow lends the assist, firing a warning arrow into Fatality's hand with the promise of a second to the forehead. Undeterred by the hero's threats, it's Firestorm who puts the Xanshian warrior down by using his matrix powers to turn the Qwardian ring's energy against her!

Wonder Woman turns her Amazonian super-strength to Gorilla Grodd, swatting him into submission with a devestating three-fist combo! Alas; the attention required by the Gorilla leaves her wide open to a sneak attack by the Shaggy Man! Meanwhile, Wonder Woman's arch-nemesis, Giganta, challenges Black Canary to a one-on-one tussle.

The Canary narrowly vaults over Giganta's giant piledriving fist, using her bodyweight to snap back on the fifty-foot woman's oversized thumb! Having the proportionate dimensions of a skyscraper turns out to be a horrible disadvantage when Black Canary unleashes her sonic scream on the giant-woman's eardrums. As she passes out, Lex Luthor narrowly avoids being crushed by his ally.

Vixen, having absorbed the powers of Superman, launches into battle with Volcano Man, withstanding the burning sear of his rocky body to deliver a two-fisted polish hammer! The Volcano Man gets a taste of the Earth as the mimicking hero uses Kryptonian power to grind his head into the ground with a super-fast boot, before returning the powers to their original vessel.

Armed with the razortips of two red arrows, she easily slices through the animated fauna at the command of Poison Ivy. Not so easy, however, is the renewed assault launched by Fatality on Red Arrow and John Stewart!

While Black Lightning and Firestorm tend to a damaged Red Tornado, Gorilla Grodd launches a charging assault spotted by the legless android. Firestorm creates a brickwall to slow the charge, but Grodd easily pounds through it. Just as the rampaging beast reaches his prey the ground suddenly opens up by the will of Geo-Force, who entraps Grodd by closing the chasm!

With the tide definitively turning, Cheetah seems to come to the aid of an unconscious Dr. Light, but as soon as he gets to his feet, it is Cheetah who rakes her claws through the doctor's back!

Light's past comes back to haunt him at the least likely of moments, but before Cheetah can deliver the killing stroke to the sex offender, Wonder Woman intervenes to deflect the slash. The Amazon talks her arch-villain down, only to have Firestorm swat her unconscious with an energy blast.

Meanwhile, with his powers restored, Superman interrupts an aerial skirmish between John Stewart and Lex Luthor, to challenge his arch-nemesis.
Hal Jordan arrives to join his fellow GL Corpsman in gripping the kryptonite gauntlets on Luthor's suit with the energy of the power rings, giving Superman the chance to deliver a knock-out blow.

The defeat of founding members, Luthor and Cheetah, puts an end to the Injustice League's antics. Batman, who had been conspicuously absent from the fight, arrives with the final member of the founders, the Joker, having ignored a direct order from the team's newest leader, Black Canary.

With the unconscious collection of the villains at their feet, the question of what to do with them becomes the JLA's most pressing concern. It's then that Amanda Waller leads her ragtag team of reformed villains into the room, waving an official warrant in the generation direction of the heroes!

The Hammer...
Okay, you probably figure it's a pretty clear case of the Justice League taking the victory here, but the end of the issue includes an additional twist. For the villains who appeared to escape, a seven-issue maxi-series earns them an off-page defeat at the hands of Amanda Waller's Suicide Squad for the assist!

Unbenknownst to Bane, Deadshot, Blockbuster, Plastique, Count Vertigo, Bronze Tiger, Multiplex, and Captain Boomerang, a good number of them are slated to join the captured villains on a prison planet called Salvation. All part of the Salvation Run event that defined much of the DC villains' 2008.

For November on the belated Infinite Wars, this issue made for a great opportunity to stop in with a good many playable characters from Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe. While we can't help but offer a somewhat damning assessment of the final product, we are still quite enthusiastic about the properties surrounding the game. Of the heroes and villains appearing in this issue, you can so far play as: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Deathstroke, Joker, and Lex Luthor. Downloadable characters may emerge before the end of the year.

With the Infinite Wars a horrid two weeks behind schedule once more, our unforgiving agenda quite naturally lands us with an epic battle between two mammoth teams. I'm sure there was a lot of commentary that could've made for some interesting and ponderous discussion, but as has been a bit characteristic of our second-half of 2008, you might have to make do without the best of us.

I wouldn't be quite as harsh on the heavily editorialized nature of the series, but would have to agree with some other reviewers' sentiments that the Meltzer-reboot of JLA as a series has failed to really present the A-list title you would expect. Marvel's New Avengers has suffered a similar deterioration, but holds on stronger to the focus of it's characters and an independent story.

In the end the biggest negative is the burden that seems to filter through to McDuffie's script. I'd like to think it isn't his public acknowledgment of frustration that's colouring this interpretation of the issue which feels much less inspired than other superhero skirmishes we've seen from McDuffie, or other writers. The team and adventure feels like a restrictive checklist of required beats.

At the end of the day, a sizable portion of the mainstream audience has been reacting negatively to this editorial vision. While it might not be benefitting JLA as much as one would like, Dan Didio's corporate ship feels cohesive and logical. I simply couldn't fault the issue for being connected to events that contribute to the saga of the DCU and the League as a vital component of that Universe.

Cheetah's sudden betrayal of Dr. Light reads like an awful pro wrestling plot twist, but as described in our Final Crisis #1 review, is an appreciated acknowledgment of a major event that's felt like the elephant in the room every time Dr. Light makes casual appearances in titles like Teen Titans, Green Arrow, or Superman/Batman. Light, of course, suffered a more torturous penance for his sexual assaults under the vengeful gaze of The Spectre -- a fate befitting of one of the most vile criminals DC has seen, depending on when you've read him (post-Identity Crisis). Wonder Woman's speech feels as ham fisted as Cheetah's attack, but with that vital acknowledgment of his crimes, it feels much easier to respect and enjoy Light's tumultuous career over the past few years.

The Infinite Wars will be back again with more Mortal Kombat and DC Universe features in the coming days, including the follow-up to our MK spotlight, this time with the characters from the DCU portion fo the recent game. Stay tuned!

The Fight: 4.5 The Issue: 4

Christmas is coming and with comics a conscious part of the zeitgeist, why not gift a full story? The Infinite Wars offers a range of titles easily purchased online via Amazon. Not only do they have great prices, but by visiting the store via one of the links on the Infinite Wars before your purchase, you help sponsor the website! Need some ideas? The Infinite Wars has an extensive catalogue of reviews that can be purchased in the Gift Shoppe! Not a Christmas celebrant? Fret not! All holiday makers are welcome!

QUICKFIX: THE SOCIETY vs THE LEAGUE OF TITANS
D.O.A.: The GOD of WAR! (DC)
Where: Final Crisis #1 When: July 2008
Why: Grant Morrison How: JG Jones

THE TAPE...
Strength: Empress 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Dr. Light 5 (Professor)
Speed: Más Y Menos 6 (Mach Speeds)
Stamina: Dr. Light 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Sparx 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Empress 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: Dr. Light 6 (Mass Destruction)

Math: League of Titans (Ttl) Society (Avg)
Ranking: Dr. Light (#179)

THE FIX...
Step aside Rock N' Roll Express! There's a new tag team in town!
Those of you with spectacular hand-eye coordination might be surprised that this quick fix isn't about the Martian Manhunter death glimpsed inside this issue. I think there's a very good chance that scene will be elaborated upon in another series, so for the time being we'll sit on that one, and do it Infinite Wars style by honing in on the less significant aspects of the issue.

I suppose casting aspertions upon the significance of a Dr. Light/Mirror Master team-up isn't entirely fair. I mean, for starters, this is a pairing being overseen by Grant Morrison; a man who's shown before he can perform creative alchemy, extracting conceptual gold from lead like, the Ultramarine Corps.

Also of note is the dastardly duo's representation of a brand new Society of Super Villains! Now under new management; the Society looks to reclaim the glory felt during Infinite Crisis, when Alexander Luthor was able to unite the DC Universe's villains with terrifying harmony!

As a rare opportunity for the Infinite Wars to commentate on new release comics, I want to take a conventional tact, poking at the prospects of the newly envisioned Libra. I want to suggest the concept is actually startingly mundane, comparing it to the recent administrative machinations of The Hood in the pages of Marvel's New Avengers. I want to say Morrison's penchant for oddities from childhood reading have done little more than splash the afforementioned scenario with the cosmic bent felt during 1995's, Underworld Unleashed.

I want to say these things, but I shant, because I feel I should know better.
Final Crisis #1 is undoubtedly all set-up. With the modern convention of a six issue mini-series, the first of seven here plays prologue to what will hopefully be a coherrent story contained within the pages of this series.

Making it especially difficult to appreciate the issue is the still fresh memory of Geoff Johns' TARDIS-like scripting on the first issue of Infinite Crisis.
That particular issue has been reviewed twice on the site [here, and here], and while there's a similar sense of checklisting through series build-up, Infinite had the benefit of major events occurring throughout the entire DC Universe.

To Infinite's four tentpole spin-offs; OMAC Project, Villains United, Rann/Thanagar War, and Day of Vengeance; Final Crisis has a catalogue of minis, and one-shots, all seemingly designed to occupy certain parties rather than draw them in to the central events. Also worth noting is the considerably tighter scope of Final Crisis, which, for the time being, seems to pertain mostly to the redefinition of the New Gods.

It's far too early to condemn the entire event, but Morrison makes little effort to layer detail into this first issue. Breezing through the various checkpoints are allusions to events to come, but whenever Dr. Light's on the scene, these days there's a 500lb pink elephant we, somehow, managed to avoid talking about in his last appearance on the Infinite Wars [Superman/Batman #43]...

It was 2004's Identity Crisis that revealed shocking revisionist history of a sexual assault on Sue Dibny, wife of Elongated Man.
The controversial series opened the floodgates to a new era of concern for superheroes firmly located in the mainstream, whilst redefining the evils a bumbling Teen Titans villain, Dr. Light, could be capable of. Though not the first case of it's kind; Identity Crisis exposed the superhero community to a scenario utterly plausible, and to this point, maybe even naively and crassly overlooked in a medium dedicated to the endless battle against crime, injustice, and evil.

I'm not about to claim issues of JLA should resemble an episode of SVU, but there's something very uncomfortable about the thought that these mature events were the catalyst for pushing Dr. Light into the contemporary villain A-list. The debate of whether or not Dr. Light has the MO of a recurring sex offender can only distract from the fact that these inescapable details have been canonized in the history of the character, and should come with a certain weight.

The oddball pairing of Light and Mirror Master appears to hold very little specific motivation. References to private exploits cast the illusion of life onto these characters, but Morrison's script regarding Light dating Giganta feels awkwardly unresponsive to significant, recent history. While it isn't the onus of the Scot to elaborate on Light's overlooked character; the scene feels as if it might have benefitted from that kind of versimilitude, in what is otherwise a footnote for Libra obtaining the chair of Metron.

As if to echo the injustice of the fiction; Dr. Light appears to have gotten off scott-free, returning to the stage of disposable villain without reprieve.
Cardboard feminist scenes in a recent issue of Justice League, [#15], feature a vengeful Cheetah unwilling to team with Light due to his indescretions. While writer, Dwayne McDuffie, touches upon the subject with absolutely no delicacy or depth, it's a trinket effort for what should otherwise be an inescapable factor of any subsequent appearance by Dr. Light.

To acknowledge the milieu of Morrison's two-page scene, it's entirely plausible that Mirror Master would be among the villains unaffected, but it seems crass and lazy that more villains haven't been unwilling. More than the theme of sexual assault itself, it seems the ability to deal with a character like this on an on-going basis seems to have let the company down.

This is an overdue issue of discussion that's intruded on a topical review.
The scene, which features the intervention of Light and Mirror Master in a junkyard, serves it's function well enough. The undescribed circumstances show members of the League of Titans scrambling to reach the chair of Metron, a fallen New God, with little success.

Light dispatches of Empress and Sparx with ease; while Mirror Master leaves the tandem speedsters, Más Y Menos, encrusted with shards of looking glass.

Without the baggage of recent mismanaged history, the tandem villains are actually quite amusing and enjoyable. Mirror Master's Scottish accent feels Claremontian in it's phonetic insincerity, but Morrison plays well in the moment of familiarity between the villains, acknowledging human relationships as well as Mirror Master's established involvement with drugs.

A super villain protest provides sufficient distraction for the major league heroes, while repercussions of other events [like Countdown #2] occupy others. Ultimately the scene is a nice detail in a tapestry of events revolving around Libra's ascension to leader of the Secret Society of Villains. Especially appreciated is the meeting of masterminds and would-be leaders in the group, where Libra pledges his faustian offer with the sacrificial evidence of Martian Manhunter's death at the request of The Human Flame.



All in all, the issue certainly points in the direction of something intriguing.
Recalling details from his work with the Seven Soldiers minis, (particularly, Mister Miracle), Morrison also lays the groundwork for the post-death story of the New Gods! A plotline that one presumes will see the ascension of characters like J'onn J'onnz, and maybe the likes of Libra himself.

Self-inked pencils by JG Jones, I feel, fail to live up to the lofty expectations of pre-game hype. The 52 cover artist's work is muddied by motley inks and an ominous colour palette presumably intentful in design, but like contemporary comaprisons with disaster-epics, like Chaos, I struggle to enjoy.

I'm positively salivating for what's to come, but come issue end, probably have little more in hand than a secondary preview guide, ala; DC Universe Zero.

The thing I'm most grateful for is probably the opportunity to get back to some meaty discussion on the Infinite Wars after several weeks of struggling for quality entries. Expect more single feature Quick Fixes to accomodate for my increasing distractions, including recent family deaths.

The Fight: 4 The Issue: 4
Winner: Dr. Light/Mirror Master

Easily panicked readers should rest assured that there's very little in Final Crisis #1 to absorb beyond the page. That said, if you're looking to appreciate themes in greater depth, there's a variety of reads available to you! Better still, by using purchase links provided, you help sponsor future entries in the Infinite Wars!

BATMAN versus DR LIGHT
Darklight (DC)
Where: Superman/Batman #43 When: Late January 2008 Why: Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning How: Mike McKone

The Story So Far...
With global concern for the environmental impact of carbon emissions becoming a priority, two of America's greatest superpowers take it upon themselves to investigate a solution. WayneTech, in partnership with STAR Labs, develops a space project designed to utilize alien Kryptonian technology, from Superman's Fortress of Solitude, in an effort to harness the the unknown potentials of dark matter in the universe.

During a tour of the satellite, Gotham investor, Bruce Wayne, finds himself in the middle of catastrophe as the station comes under assault from apparitions of Kid Flash, Speedy, Robin, Wonder Girl, and Aqualad -- the Teen Titans!

Superman arrives just in time to combat the Titans, revealed to be deadly holographic projections designed by the villains, Dr. Light. Light, having disguised himself as one of the scientists on board, seeks to transport himself to the secret Fortress of Solitude, but little does the villain know, another has followed him from the space station, and he is anything but light...

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Batman 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Batman 5 (Professor)
Speed: Batman 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Dr. Light 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Batman 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Batman 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Power: Dr. Light 6 (Mass Destruction)


- After witnessing the street murder of his parents, the young Bruce Wayne's destiny was forever shaped to be one dedicated to an ideal. Having spent his formative years studying the various sciences, martial arts, and crime fighting techniques, Bruce is ultimately inspired to become the one-man war on the criminal element in Gotham City: Batman.

Perhaps Batman's greatest power is the millions inherited from his industrialist parents, and the various facilities that came with that. They prove crucial in the design and construction of his many weapons, which are typically non-lethal, and have a variety of uses.

Complimented by his keenly strategic mind is Batman's expertise in the martial arts. He is extensively trained in multiple fighting styles, and commonly regarded to be one of the greatest hand-to-hand fighters in the world. He is also extremely proficient in general urban warfare.

- For decades Arthur Light plagued the superhero sidekick team, the Teen Titans, but during his many defeats as Dr. Light, he held within him a dark secret about himself, and the superhero community he bitterly fought against.

Light joined the ranks of villainy when a fellow scientist working for STAR Labs created a hi-tech suit capable of harnessing and manipulating light in a number of fantastic ways. When Light accidentally killed the suits inventor, Dr. Jacob Finlay, he took it as his own and began a career in crime. A career that would eventually lead him to the Justice League's satellite, and the identities of each member. Worse still, it would lead him to Sue Dibny, wife of the Elongated Man, whom he would brutally assault in a vile act of vengeance.

After having his mind selectively edited by the magic of Zatanna; Light would become a somewhat pacified threat. His suit allowed him to manipulate light to achieve invisibility, flight, force fields and energy blasts - abilities that all became inherent to his genetic make-up over time. With his memory restored, Light resumes his penchant for sadism, and a great control of his power.

The Math: Batman Ranking: Batman (#2)

What Went Down...
Having distracted the Man of Steel sufficiently with his "soligrams", Dr. Light evades detection when transporting himself to the arctic Fortress of Solitude -- or so he thinks. Lurking in the darkness is an opponent far less forgiving than Superman! He springs forth from the shadows, knocking the ponderous villain with down with a punishing two fisted attack -- the Batman!

Light knows immediately what he's up against, and attacks accordingly without hestitation. His beams of light energy stream past the dark knight, whose cape and insignia stand out in the uncharacteristic light settings of the Fortress.

Light's energy beams bounce around the chromatic surroundings, refracting to nothingness while Batman slips a handful of chaff grenades from his utility belt. One of the devices finds the target, bouncing to land directly at Dr. Light's feet -- the explosion sufficiently rattles the good doctor.

Largely defenseless against Light's superhuman abilities, Batman uses the break to look for an equalizer in the battle. Using the Fortress' Kryptonian computer, he remotely taps into the satellite, in order to activate the onboard technology that can funnel dark matter into the Earthbound headquarters.

With his powers nullified, the recovered Dr. Light grows ever fearful.
Slowly engulfed in darkness, he begins to panic, shouting into the shadows for a sign of the Batman's presence. His fumbling is soon brought to an end when the Batman descends on his prey, making himself known with a whisper soon lost to the cries of a defeated Dr. Light...

The Hammer...
Y'know, lately we've been playing around oddities and obscurities, like The Phantom or the Hulk movie, which is great! That's exactly what the Infinite Wars, ill-defined as they are, are all about! Still, there comes a time when sometimes you've just got to roll your sleeves up and get your hands dirty with a good old fashioned inconsequential superhero battle; ergo, I give you your winner, and next entrant into the soon-to-be on the big screen list: Batman!

Now, don't get me wrong. If you're a Superman/Batman fan, more power to you, but this isn't exactly an issue I would've been running to the store to grab. This was what you'd call a "casual impulse purchase"; something available locally and conveniently enough that such a decision could be made, despite being unhealthily behind on comics I'd much rather be reading. It's complicated. You'll understand how these things make sense, when you're older.

So, anyway, what's the deal with this issue?
Well, I'm probably not giving the issue enough credit. On the surface, sure, it's a stand-alone read that positions itself between a depthy arc dealing with the New Gods, and another arc confronting various elements in the DCU, and the status of Kryptonite on Earth. Neither are headliners on the DC Countdown parade, but as full figured storyarcs, they carry a bit more weight than a random Dr. Light issue.

As has been customary of DC's 2008 line-up, the cover includes a corresponding issue number for the weekly Countdown to Infinite Crisis. And what I'm not doing a great job of is acknowledging the conclusion of the story, which, does tie the issue to greater goings on in the DCU, leaving Dr. Light's fate in the hands of an ominous shadowy figure -- revealed elsewhere to be the Injustice League's reinvigorated leader: Lex Luthor, still fresh off of the Infinite Crisis debacle!

As reviews of recent issues of Justice League flood in from the online critics, the curtain gets drawn back on the state of DC editorial. Dwayne McDuffie, besieged writer of the top level supergroup, has defended his work as not entirely his own, revealing the stiff intervention of editorial mandates that require only dressings from the man tasked with juggling the major properties in situations deemed secondary to their solo endeavours.

With that in mind, one looks at this fairly mediocre issue of Superman/Batman, and wonders exactly how much the influence of [Nova] writers on the rise; Andy Lanning and Dan Abnett; had to do with the overall quality.

Coming out of 2007 DC seem to have learned that the heavy handed approach of Countdown has not been the recipe for success that 52 might have been. In contrast to the first weekly series; (which showcased unlikely stars like; Black Adam, Steel, Elongated Man, and The Question); Countdown provided a far more specific spine of events for the DCU, constricting everything around it, whilst depicting contents within the core book, sometimes with limited involvement.

For 2008 this already promises a fresh approach to the editorial landscape of the DC Universe, and I'm quietly looking forward to it. Personally, as anything but a timid new reader, I've greatly enjoyed DC's 52-post net of continuity and reality! With limited experience with Countdown tie-ins, I'm probably less offended by the strategy than others, but still conceptually anticipating the promise of 08's movement forward: Trinity. A series that boasts DC's biggest icons in adventures that touch-upon, but in no way dictate, the rest of the company line-up.

Box Office Top 25#1 Spider-man (Marvel)
#2 Batman (DC)
#3 Hulk (Marvel)
#4 Wolverine (Marvel)
#5 Mr. Fantastic (Marvel)
#6 Superman (DC)
#7 Daredevil (Marvel)
#8 Thing (Marvel)
#9 Human Torch (Marvel)
#10 Invisible Woman (Marvel)
#11 Venom (Marvel)
#12 Ryu (Capcom)
#13 Steel (DC)
#14 Catwoman (DC)
#15 Storm (Marvel)
#16 Beast (Marvel)
#17 Silver Surfer (Marvel)
#18 Rogue (Marvel)
#19 Dhalsim (Capcom)
#20 Phantom (King Features)
#21 Ken (Capcom)
#22 Dr. Doom (Marvel)
#23 Elektra (Marvel)
#24 Kitty Pryde (Marvel)
#25 Ghost Rider (Marvel)

With so many heroes making
it to the big screen, who do
the Infinite Wars rankings
show to be the top fighters?
Opinions? Drop a comment!I would admit to being a little disappointed in not seeing second-tier properties return to the spotlight like 52, but also remain hopeful that a renewed spotlight on the top three franchise brands will allow for greater perspective in other books. Not that that hasn't been the case with many of 52's allumnists enjoying tours in books like; Infinity Inc (Steel), Crime Bible: Five Lessons of Blood (The Question; Batwoman), Countdown to Adventure (Adam Strange; Animal Man; Starfire); although, even the brightest of supporters would question the noteriety of many of these titles, if not the quality. As a chartered Steel fan, I confess my own dismay of the disinterest inspired by his new title, but I digress...

... At least, I digress as much as one can in a post touching upon a disjointed and expansive number of subjects that amount to a convoluted explanation of Superman/Batman #43's associated importance in the fabric of the current DC publishing schedule. Which, without the degrees of Kevin Bacon, amounts to very little.

Fortunatley for us we've got ourselves a movie star line-up this week as part of our tour of the upcoming trio of feature film stars, which reminds me... Because it's Easter and because I've been so busy I had to push this entry back to Friday, we're going to break format and bring you another entry tomorrow, no extra charge!
With Hulk, and now Batman, already down, that leaves only the next character who'll star in a feature being headed up director Jon Favreau, and Robert Downey Jr. I am of course referring to Iron Man, and like this entry, I think we're going to dive into the classic bag for an even more inconsequential fight than this!

Despite the many desperate, late-night attempts to pad out the discussion section of this entry, there is one undeniable purpose to this post, and that's the characters. So often on the Infinite Wars it all comes back to the characters that have made the fiction of these comics so memorable, and just as Steel Serpent provided some buzz around a recent review [Immortal Iron Fist #11], Dr. Light provides a different kind of thrill in this entry.

As someone who spent very little time reading the Teen Titans, I have few experiences with Dr. Light prior to Identity Crisis, but that doesn't make me appreciate the history of the character any less.
I mentioned earlier that I'm anything but a "new reader", and in that respect, I draw a bitter distinction between readers of my generation who came in late and dived straight into the world and history of back issues, and the contemporary equivalent; lazily and illogically intimidated by the fiction they should be enjoying and joyously soaking up!

Maybe that can be today's challenge. You've got your Johns', Millars, Bendis' and Brubakers, but where are your heroes? Next time you're at the racks grabbing your usual haul, think about investing in a comic for the character contained within. It might just lead to not only a relationship with a new favourite character, but also a greater understanding of this enduring genre of superhero comics!

You know who else is an enduring dominator of his medium? Bahlactus!
While we've been running behind schedule each week, Bahlactus has been bringing the fights to the entire blogosphere! With the purse on the line, it's do or die! Think you've got what it takes to step-up to the devourer of blogs? Check out Friday Night Fights, but before you do, make sure you get your fill of two years of the other side of Friday Fight Night, and every other entry since, in the Infinite Earths Secret Archives! Fullfilling all your violent needs this Easter!

The Fight: 3 The Issue: 3.5

Lanning and Abnett turn in a relatively unremarkable script, even with assumed edicts from DC editorial management. Perhaps the only specific negative reaching out is a scene unremarkably reminiscent of a similar moment in Batman Begins, where common dialogue "where are you?!" is silenced by the sudden emergence of Batman from the dark. Otherwise, just an unremarkable installment, filler between the gaps of more cohesive stories. McKone is competent, but equally unremarkable, with an occasionally bendy, but fairly non-descript approach to the characters, which occasionally look very static.
This issue is yet to be collected, but if you're looking for similar purchases, don't forget to head over to the Infinite Wars Amazonian Gift Shoppe. Not only can you find yourself a bargain, but by using purchase links, you sponsor future entries in the Infinite Wars. Men are also free to buy as they please.