CAPTAIN MARVEL versus CAPTAIN SIVANA

"With One Magic Word" (DC)
Where: DC Comics Presents Annual #3 When: 1984
Why: Roy Thomas, Julius Schwartz, Gil Kane & Joey Cavalieri How: Gil Kane

The Story So Far...
Captain Marvel may've thwarted the wicked designs of Doctor Sivana hundreds of times before -- but this time the mad scientist has a plan to even the playing field!

Years of research have uncovered a way to mesmerize the Wizard Shazam, granting Sivana full license over The Rock of Eternity, and the magics that power Captain Marvel! Thus, he is able to invent a device capable of splitting the mystic lightning that transforms Billy Batson -- siphoning its pantheon of powers for himself!

When the villain threatens to vaporize every major city in the United States unless Captain Marvel faces him -- the trap is sprung! While Captain Marvel unwittingly leaps into action with a brand new set of feeble foibles, his usual sextet of legendary abilities now powers Captain Sivana!!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Captain Marvel 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Dr. Sivana 6 (Genius)
Speed: Captain Marvel 5 (Super-Human)
Stamina: Captain Marvel 6 (Generator)
Agility: Mary Marvel 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Captain Marvel 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Dr. Sivana 4 (Arsenal)
Total: Captain Marvel 30 (Super)

A classic case of super-human brawn against a malevolent mind? Not this time!

Captain Marvel's usual powers have been replaced with some of the most unflattering traits described in myth and legend! He's now burdened with: Solomon's love of luxury, Hercules' bad judgment, Atlas' rebelliousness, Zeus' arrogance, Achilles' wrathfulness, and Mercury's mischievousness. Bad news!

The closest example we have of anything similar is the time Mary Marvel was subverted by the sinister influence of Darkseid and the evil New Gods. This was merely a plot to corrupt her, meaning she was still strong enough to defeat Wonder Woman [Final Crisis #3], and match Supergirl [Final Crisis #6].

In today's battle Captain Marvel has actively been weakened, while Doctor Sivana receives the full benefit of his pantheon's legendary powers: The wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles, and the speed of Mercury.

Dr. Thaddeus Bodog Sivana is already a brilliant scientific mind whose acumen was shunned by the science community of his age. He used his incredible inventions to leave the Earth, but returned with a vengeance, developing a particular hatred for "big red cheese" Captain Marvel, and his heroic allies.

We saw Sivana combine magic and science to successfully infiltrate and capture the Marvel Family in Convergence Shazam #1. He wielded a dangerous ray gun against Tawky Tawny, only clearly defeated when the battle with his Monster Society of Evil allies brought the underground lair in on itself.

Captain Marvel emerged triumphant from the rubble in that encounter, but this time it's Sivana will have the strength to escape any such circumstance!

Cap's no stranger to fighting the might that usually empowers him. As a former champion: Black Adam has notoriously used the powers of Shazam for selfish and violent ends. We saw Adam and Marvel come to blows in Hawkman #24, where the tyrannical Adam relied on telepath Brainwave to break the deadlock.

The odds are seemingly stacked against our hero! Sivana has the element of surprise and command of high-level strength and devious brilliance! Still linked to his mighty pantheon, there's hope Captain Marvel might be able to access the virtues that've been stripped of him. If that doesn't happen, it'll take a mighty miracle to stop the self-proclaimed Captain Sivana. Let's see what happened!

The Tape: Captain Marvel Ranking: Captain Marvel (#69)

What Went Down...
Unaware of the events that have already transpired -- Captain Marvel leaps out the Whiz Station broadcast building to confront his threatening arch-nemesis. When he meets the megalomaniacal menace in the skies above Fawcett City, he's introduced to a very unexpected opponent: Captain Sivana!

Unimpressed by the Doctor's new self-appointed title, Captain Marvel stays the course to challenge his foe's show of power head-on!

Captain Sivana is not only willing to accept the challenge, but also more than capable of backing up his boasts! Their fists clash, but it's Sivana who breaks the stalemate, following his blocked two-fisted swing with a stiff jab!

More shocking than Sivana's sudden increase in strength is the pain now aching through Captain Marvel! He wonders if Alas' stamina has begun to fail him, only to have the theory tested with a devastating right hand!

Captain Sivana taunts his foe, swiftly catching up with his hurtling body to deliver a knock-out uppercut! The blow sends Captain Marvel plunging toward the busy streets below as onlookers watch in stunned horror!

Unable to correct his course, Marvel wonders where the speed of Mercury is in his time of need. It soon finds him -- as Sivana uses it to swoop in and prevent his foe's untimely demise! He catches Marvel by the belt with the promise of more punishment to come -- an action witnessed from the street by Mary Batson and Freddy Freeman, aka; Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr!

With his arch-nemesis slung over his shoulder; Captain Sivana sees the Marvel Family duo and sends his hi-tech flying ship on a nosedive toward the populated city. They have no choice but to abandon chase to save the public below!

Meanwhile, Doctor Sivana carries his nemesis on a journey to the one place his friends won't look for him - The Rock of Eternity! Once there, Sivana revels in revealing the unconscious Wizard Shazam and the details of his grand scheme.

Quick to temper with the wrathfulness of Achilles and arrogance of Zeus, Captain Marvel threatens his nemesis - but it's for naught! Sivana effortlessly lifts him off the ground with one hand and takes flight around the rock face!

Spiraling downward they come to The Rock of Eternity's base, where all it takes is a single swipe to carve a hole big enough to imprison a man! Sivana tosses his hapless nemesis in to the makeshift cave -- sending the back of Captain Marvel's head into the rocks with a sickening impact!

Then the villain replaces the rock -- trapping the weakened Marvel inside!

The Hammer...
A convincing win for a dubiously promoted-in-the-field Doctor Sivana -- but by no means the end of the story!

As soon as "Captain Sivana" succeeds in beating and imprisoning the disoriented Captain Marvel -- the Rock of Eternity is set upon by Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr! A Marvel Family melee to be revisited in a future featured fight.

It should be noted, there are several skirmishes throughout the entirety of this action-packed issue! DC Comics Presents Annual #3 is well known for Sivana's theft of Captain Marvel's powers, but it's also one of a handful of crossovers between the then-separate Earth-One and Earth-S. That means a meeting between "Earth's Mightiest Mortal" and "The Man of Steel" Superman!

We've looked at the storied rivalry between Captain Marvel and Superman in a handful of battles taken from: Action Comics Annual #4, Kingdom Come #4, Superman/Batman #4, and Superman #216.

Similarities between the iconic pair -- who were the subject of real-world litigation and countless fan debates -- makes it a great match-up! That said, I've got to admit to feeling some serious fatigue for heroes fighting heroes. It's become so common place it's passé, coupled with a glorification of villains that's contributing to the increasing sense that nothing in comics really matters.

In 1984's DC Comics Presents Annual #3, fans are still treated to a clash between the Power of SHAZAM and Superman. It's just through the more palatable prism of Superman fighting a powered-up Doctor Sivana.

I really enjoy the inventive way the "SHAZAM" acronym is subverted for this story. It's slightly trixy to have the mystic lightning bolt split so easily, but if you give them that one conceit, it's worth it for the effortless mining of classic myth.

We know Captain Marvel draws strength from ancient legends. It makes sense that Sivana would draw from stories that didn't always show the heroes and gods in such positive light -- while taking their real power for himself.

Sometimes it's easy to be dismissive of villains who fulfill a direct reflection and counterpart role to a hero, but this is an example of their value. We get to explore the inevitable fantasy of one hero's power against another, but aren't required to shatter a sense of verisimilitude through clumsy justifications for a misunderstanding, or similar cliché. Better still, subtle differences in a villain's personality offer a slightly new perspective, removing the restraints necessary of hero-on-hero violence. Sivana is already brilliant -- what happens when he adds the wisdom of Solomon and the strength of Hercules to his cruelty?

As I've explored in other recent entries, I prefer a Captain Marvel who remains relatively unchanged by time. As Superman drifts through changing attitudes and styles, it can only be to the benefit of Captain Marvel to hold true to warm, simple values that inform an increasingly unique personality, as time goes on.

As SHAZAM! reaches worldwide release in theatres this week, I find myself drained of enthusiasm for a project that should've been a layup. An underlying mean-spirit, and direction away from things that make its characters unique, belie a defiantly amusing and good-natured DCEU entry. It won't succumb to being completely generic, and in today's super-hero movie slate that's usually enough. It's never-the-less disappointing to see it aim so low.

Fans who haven't read DC Comics Presents Annual #3 may be familiar with its premise thanks to an adaptation for the Batman: Brave and the Bold animated series. I not only think it was a great episode of one of the greatest DC Comics cartoons of all time! I would also suggest their earnest take on Captain Marvel (and Billy Batson) stands as one of the best in recent memory!

If you do want to read today's featured issue in your hands you might have to do some digging. At the time of this writing, collected editions are getting scarce, but you will find the relevant issue collected in the Amazon links embedded here [to the right].

Follow links throughout this post or just dive into the Secret Archive to discover more from the worlds of DC Comics and beyond! Every featured fight is a window to something new! You can also get links to battles inspired by the topics of the day by following Secret Wars on Infinite Earths on Twitter and Facebook! Be sure to hit those share options!

Winner: Doctor Sivana
#339 (+222) Doctor Sivana
#75 (-6) Captain Marvel
#42 (--) Captain Marvel Jr [+1 assist]
#110 (--) Mary Marvel [+1 assist]

MARVEL FAMILY versus MONSTER SOCIETY OF EVIL

Return of the Thunder (DC)
Where: Convergence Shazam #1 When: June 2015
Why: Jeff Parker How: Evan "Doc" Shaner

The Story So Far...
The coming of Telos pits entire worlds against one another as they converge in the ultimate battle of inter-dimensional survival! Encased in crystalline domes devised by his master Brainiac: each chosen capital awaits its fate as the crisis consumes the multiverse!

In Fawcett City, forces of evil work to capitalize on the predicament of their encasement! While the dome denies the Marvel Family their power-giving lightning -- other heroes, such as the soaring Bulletman & Bulletwoman, work to keep the city safe in their absence!

A powerless Billy Batson broadcasts the call for hope as he and his friends investigate strange goings on in the subterranean traffic ways beneath the city. It turns out Doctor Sivana has discovered Captain Marvel's secret identity and assembled a new Monster Society of Evil to take full advantage!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Captain Marvel 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Dr. Sivana 6 (Professor)
Speed: Captain Marvel 5 (Super-Human)
Stamina: Mr. Atom 6 (Generator)
Agility: Mary Marvel 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Captain Marvel 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Dr. Sivana 4 (Arsenal)
Total: Captain Marvel 30 (Super)

The Marvel Family are: Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel Jr, Mary Marvel, Tawky Tawny, Uncle Dudley, and Sterling Morris.

Captain Marvel is the magically charged powerhouse of the Marvel Family, who's summoned to action when Billy Batson speaks the name of the wizard Shazam! His enchanted pantheon of powers have been displayed battling the likes of: Black Adam [Hawkman #24], Macro-Man [Legends #1], Thor [Marvel versus DC #2], and Superman in a series of contests found in Action Comics Annual #4, Superman #216, Superman/Batman #4, and Kingdom Come #4!

Captain Marvel shares his powers and name with friends and sibling Captain Marvel Jr and Mary Marvel, whose strength comes at a minor cost to the hero. Fortunately, the extra muscle of the Marvel Family is worth every bit!

We've seen Cap Junior battle Iron Goblins in DCU: Brave New World #1, and withstand Marvel's unstoppable Juggernaut in Unlimited Access #3! Mary's no slouch either, having braved Black Adam [Power of Shazam #11], and bested Wonder Woman and Supergirl while corrupted during Final Crisis #3 and #6!

These three alone present a formidable line-up, but they can also count on the courage of Secret Wars on Infinite Earths newcomer: Tawky Tawny! He's a talking man-tiger whose dignified claws are always ready to fight the good fight!

Uncle Dudley and broadcast boss Sterling Morris probably aren't going to make the difference in battle, but against such formidable foes, their extra eyes and ears may come in handy -- as long as they can stay out of danger!

The Monster Society of Evil are: Doctor Sivana, Mister Atom, Ibac, and King Kull.

The mad genius of Doctor Sivana was part of The Society think tank that brought about the demise of Martian Manhunter in Final Crisis: Requiem. Giant self-aware robot Mister Atom was also part of the villainous Society, lending his nuclear-powered strength to an attack on Powergirl during Infinite Crisis #2.

These wicked minds are joined by: Ibac - a crook whose magic word was bestowed by Lucifer to endow him with the power of history's greatest villains! He wields the terror of Ivan the Terrible, cunning of Borgia, fierceness of Attila the Hun, and cruelty of Caligula - names spelling IBAC!

Another of history's great evils is King Kull - a pre-historic menace who ruled a race of Submen who were hunted to extinction in a war with humanity. Despite his ancient status, Kull is a technological genius, who survived into the modern era by being suspended in animation.

The Tape: Marvel Family Ranking: Captain Marvel Jr (#69)

What Went Down...
While following Sterling Morris and their Uncle Dudley, Billy & Mary Batson convene with Freddy Freeman only to find themselves suddenly basked in the atomic light of Mister Atom! The menacing machine takes them underground where "Uncle Dudley" reveals himself to be a magically disguised Doctor Sivana!

The Doctor's illusion also reveals "Morris" to be Ibac, assembled with King Kull as the newest incarnation of The Monster Society of Evil! Sivana has discovered the Marvel Family's true identity and worked to infiltrate their ranks, but the same impenetrable dome that denies the Marvels their magic lightning has also trapped he and his co-conspirator Ibac in their unremarkable forms!

Just as the villains prepare to muzzle and restrain their prisoners -- another enters the underground cavern: The Marvel's old friend Tawky Tawny!

The fabulous feline leaps clear of a deadly ray gun blasted by Doctor Sivana!

Fast thinking Mary kicks the gun clear, while Tawny contends with a headlock from Ibac. Fortunately, the magical menace merely possesses the strength of Mr. Morris, allowing Tawny to effortlessly upend him into the stone wall!

Tawny frees the young Marvels while Billy holds the villains at bay with one of their own weapons -- until Mister Atom obliterates it with a powerful blast! He's accompanied by the techno-savvy savage King Kull, who also assaults Tawny's ears with a deafening sonic weapon!

Kull brings news of a change to the dome over Fawcett City. Ibac wastes no time testing his magical word, transforming back to mortal Stanley Printwhistle.

One magic word deserves another -- Billy Batson leads the charge: SHAZAM!

Captain Marvel flies across the cavern to confront Mister Atom with the strength of Hercules -- while two more lightning bolts transform his junior allies!

Alas, a puff of smoke and Sulphur signals the transformation of Printwhistle back to the vile Ibac! He takes great pleasure in cutting Captain Marvel Jr off with a devastating right hook to the cheek!

Mister Atom recovers from the Captain's mighty fists and blinds Mary Marvel with an intense nuclear light! At the same time: King Kull clobbers Captain Marvel with a primitive club, and Dr. Sivana zaps Tawny with electric gauntlets!

Sivana is so caught up in the glee of doing harm on The Monster Society's "home court" he doesn't even notice the rattle of chains behind him! The very bonds that held them hostage for months become instruments of justice in the hands of Sterling Morris and Uncle Dudley as they garrote the mad scientist!

Meanwhile, Ibac narrowly avoids saying his own name as he fumes over the blood spilled from his own nose. He takes it out on Captain Marvel Jr by swinging him by the cape through nearby walls!

Mister Atom encourages Ibac and Kull to press their advantage -- towering as he fires concussive blasts at Captain Marvel and a leaping Mary Marvel! The destructive energy does as much to erode the structural surroundings as it does the erstwhile heroes, encouraging Tawny, Sterling, and Dudley to take leave.

The super-powered Marvels begin to turn the tables on the Monster Society as dust and debris fills the confined lair! Cap Junior buries his fists into Ibac's gut at speed, while Captain Marvel rips one of Atom's mighty mechanical arms off and kayos King Kull in one foul swoop!

The action beneath the subway is finally too much! Sivana cries out as the wrenching of stone announces the collapse of the building! The very home court that provided the Monster Society their advantage now buries them!

The Hammer...
The building may've collapsed, but the Marvel Family are still standing - emerging from the debris relatively unscathed!

You can thank Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr for the lion's share of the victory, but everyone involved did their part to ensure The Monster Society of Evil was defeated!

I got a special kick out of finally getting Tawky Tawny on the record. The snappy dressing man-tiger was a stand-out of Final Crisis, and I've been hoping to get around to him ever since. His unapologetic inclusion in Convergence: Shazam was one of the simple pleasures of an issue that's pretty light on story.

The issue drops readers right into the middle of a crisis situation for Captain Marvel and Fawcett City. The overarching background premise was similar to Marvel's 2015 Secret Wars -- pitting different incarnations of DC characters against one another in an inter-dimensional battle for survival. Crisis-lite.

Convergence was extra heavy on nostalgia, using specific periods in publishing history, as well as well known alternate realities. Convergence Shazam #1 has the benefit of acting as a stand-alone introduction to Earth-S, and DC's modern-classic take on the Marvel Family. The second (and final) issue pits Earth-S against the world of popular Elseworlds story Batman: Gotham By Gaslight.

The whole first issue would be an unbridled joy -- if it wasn't such a perfect proof-of-concept for the type of comic book DC Entertainment has largely refused to publish throughout the 2010s. A bittersweet moment of clarity.

The heavy hitters are all here, with original iconic names and design mostly in tact, and beautifully rendered by colorist Jordie Bellaire and penciler Doc Shaner. Sadly, this is novelty enough to sell an issue in 2015 -- or a couple of years later, when I picked it up on the cheap.

In my estimation, Shaner is one of the stand-out artists working for DC in this decade. You probably couldn't ask for a better creative team to take a classically infused Captain Marvel forward. Alas, that just doesn't seem to be an option.

DC are still periodically dangling the carrot of a more iconic, classic style of comic, but Convergence was merely one of a string of hollow teasers following the New 52 hard reboot. Ultimately, Convergence was conceived as a publishing holding pattern for the months DC was shutting down their traditional home in New York City, and making the move to Burbank. It was a temporary reprieve and last hurrah for a continuum many probably understood to be missed.

What makes this type of comic so special? The devil's in the details: from the simple rendering of Captain Marvel's costume and sash, to the wholesome under current of young kids bravely defying to do good, and thwart evil! Their best friend is a talking tiger wearing tweed and a tie, and their arch-nemesis is a kooky mad scientist. It's fun, fun, fun -- and distinct, as well. Too rare!

This is the type of comic that could hold on to its retro charms and identity, while embracing qualities that feel entirely contemporary! Instead of chasing Superman's tail, or trying to fit in with the Justice League, this is a property that could lead the way with its own distinct flavor, tackling a market that's about to lose family entertainment brands like Steven Universe and Adventure Time.

This runs counter to the Hollywood version of "Shazam" hitting the big screen in April. Mirroring a current revival in comics: this New 52 version of the big red cheese plays more like a mean-spirited pitch of Superman meets Big. It's playing more to the power fantasies of a child in a superhero's body, while eschewing the retro aesthetic that makes the whole thing flavourful.

With the big screen home to so many formulaic mediocrities, Shazam still feels like a change of pace, but like Billy Batson gazing up to find hope in Bulletman & Bulletwoman's heroics, I'll be holding on to the shining example of Convergence Shazam #1, hoping the magic lightning of Shazam will hit DC Comics.

Wanna dig deeper into the DC Comics back catalogue? Discover more treasure by following links throughout this post, and by diving into the Secret Archive! There you'll find all featured fights in order of publisher, series, and issue number. You can also subscribe to Secret Wars  on Infinite Earths on Twitter and Facebook for daily fights inspired by the topics of the day! A like, share, or retweet would sure be appreciated!

Winners: Marvel Family
#42 (+27) Captain Marvel Jr
#70 (+49) Captain Marvel
#110 (+217) Mary Marvel
#319 (new) Tawky Tawny
#320 (new) Uncle Marvel
#321 (new) Sterling Morris
#557 (-53) Doctor Sivana
#873 (new) King Kull
#874 (new) Ibac
#888 (-202) Mister Atom

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!