QUICK FIX: LARFLEEZE vs GREEN LANTERN
Agent Orange: Part Four (DC)
Where: Green Lantern #42 When: August 2009
Why: Geoff Johns How: Philip Tan & Eddy Barrows

THE TAPE...
Strength: Draw 2 (Average)
Intelligence: Green Lantern 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Draw 2 (Average)
Stamina: Larfleeze 6 (Generator)
Agility: Draw 2 (Average)
Fighting: Green Lantern 4 (Trained)
Energy: Larfleeze 7 (Cosmic)

Math: Green Lantern
Ranking: Green Lantern (#29)

THE FIX...
The past few years have seen the Green Lantern go from strength to strength, beginning with Rebirth, and reaching it's epitomy with a company-wide crossover event -- Blackest Night. It's been under the loving direction of writer Geoff Johns that the series has hop, skipped, and jumped it's way from obscurity, to a most improved title, to a firmly established A-list franchise for DC comics.

As the figurehead of the reinvention, Hal Jordan has been restored as one of the most popular and significant superheroes in comics. Despite this boost, the hero has been suspiciously absent from the 2009 Infinite Wars action! Toady, we set about to finally correct that disappointing -- and inadvertent -- oversight.

Those of you new to the site might appreciate a clarification: "Secret Wars on Infinite Earths" not only refers to the two definitive comics crossovers of the mid-eighties, but also the endless battles undertaken by characters from different companies, mediums, and internal universes. It is a literal description of the "fight league" high concept that provides a foundation for review, observation, discussion, and silly win/loss ranking lists based on featured fights.

Key to the momentum of the Green Lantern titles throughout 2008, and the first half of 2009, has been the development of an entire spectrum of rival ring wielding Corps who derive their powers from the cosmic emotional totem. This spectrum was first teased at the conclusion of the Sinestro Corps War, where the Green Lanterns successfully fended off the fear-wielding fright of the Yellow Sinestro Corps.

This tease also introduced the prospect of the Black Lanterns -- undead warriors to rise from the defeated corpse of the once feared Anti-Monitor. We now know they are the risen dead from across the galaxy, fated to snuff the light of the other Corps and return the universe to darkness.

The Corps represent the colour-coded powers of: Green (Will), Blue (Hope), Indigo (Compassion), Violet (Love), Red (Rage), Orange (Avarice), Yellow (Fear), Black (Death).

Agent Orange is the storyarc responsible for introducing Larfleeze, the sole possessor of the Orange power battery of avarice. It's the last major storyline to establish other powers from the emotional spectrum before the Blackest Night officially launches with an eight issue mini-series, and issues of Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps and other.

I think it's fair to say, after waiting a year and a half since the Green Lantern #25 teaser, everyone's getting just a little antsy for the main event. I would speculate even Geoff Johns himself has gotten a little sick of the build-up, abbreviating his introduction of the various Corps as he rushes to establish vital new mythology in the DC universe before Blackest Night finally kicks off.

Things feel rushed and a little on the sloppy side as we get the lowdown on not only the existance of Larfleeze and the Orange Light, but also other maneuvering parts of the Blackest Night set-up process. Of the two books, GLC has been able to juggle multiple storylines with much more fluidity than the master title -- a bold compliment for Johns' writing counterpart/collaborator, Peter Tomasi.

In introducing the spectrum of colours, Johns has also presented the prospect of mixing the pallette of powers to create new results. [Hal] Jordan has come to possess yellow, red, and blue powers, with Agent Orange giving him reason to want to take Larfleeze's power enough to add orange to the tally, as well.

Typically Red Lanterns are mindlessly raging beasts who vomit their power, but when Jordan added the red to his green, he was able to form constructs through the combination of rage and willpower. It's an interesting metaphysical translation of how real emotions can be utilized to different ends, this being an example of a constructive use of anger. Similarly realised was the addition of a blue ring of hope, which super-charges the Green Lantern power, and is likewise rendered incapable of offensive without the compliment of willpower.

These distinctions have prevented the spectrum of Lantern Corps devolving into a pointless exchange of arbitrary colour fights. It's also presented a possible solution to the upcoming rise of Black Lanterns, assuming the powers of coloured light could be combined to create white light (capable of ending the dark).

Larfleeze, the possessor of the orange light of avarice, has a natural greed about him that's greatly enhanced by the orange light, which compells him to horde his power and seek other. The grander mythology of Larfleeze reveals that his Corps is actually constructs based upon the lives he has stolen, rather than allies who share his philosophy. Like greed itself, he is an ancient creature who has had dealings with the Guardians of the Galaxy prior, leading to the no-fly zone of Sector 2828 that began the story.

The previous issue ended with Larfleeze chopping Jordan's hand off to get a hold of his Blue ring. This would've been a fitting pageturning moment of shock mid-issue, but instead, served as an entirely hollow cliffhanger ending to the last issue. I would speculate that it was an out-of-character ending for Johns who's simply running out of space before Blackest Night must begin.

The twist? The Blue ring projected an illusion of Larfleeze's hopes, distracting him with a curtain of indulgence! He didn't chop the hand off and take possession of the blue ring -- it was just a dream! Wuh-wuh. A bit of a cop-out in the world of writing, but it set us up for battle-proper in this issue!

Super-charged by the blue ring, Jordan creates his own Corps of constructs of other Green Lanterns and familiar characters. An attack that offends Larfleeze's sense of intellectual property, rather than any fear. It's an effective consistency in the characterization of the Orange light, but also infers just how powerful Larfleeze is as the sole proprietor of the orange power battery.

Agent Orange smacks Jordan in the head with his power battery -- a move that puts it in proximity to be stolen away by the Green Lantern!

Jordan is quickly swathed in thoughts of greed as he powers up with the orange light. It's a further glimpse into the hunger the power incurs, which is quickly taken back by it's owner for centuries.

The Guardians and several Green Lanterns arrive to aid Jordan as Larfleeze charges up to 7839% power levels and reimagines himself as a giant energy construct! He single-handedly resists the offensive of the Green Lantern Corps, living up to the claim of the Guardians that the orange light of avarice cannot be extinguished. The untenable situation finally allows Hal Jordan to invest in the power of hope and unlock the offensive capabilities of the blue ring.

With a mighty thrust of the blue ring, hope gives Jordan the power to deliver a knock-out blow to the Larfleeze energy construct. Though it does not destroy Larfleeze himself, it is sufficient an attack to curb his warpath and grant the Guardians the opportunity to enter into negotiations with the exiled beast.

Resetting the game just before Blackest Night is the departure of the Blue ring upon the expulsion of it's power and defeat of Larfleeze. The ring does, however, leave one lasting mark in the form of a now trademark Geoff Johns flashforward!

Infinite Wars stat hounds should note the assist from: John Stewart, El'Qa Squa Zreenah, Barreer Wot, Stel, Venizz, Lok Neboora, Turytt, and Torquemada.

The issue closes with the promise of a clash between Larfleeze and the Blue Lantern Corps (who were sold out by the Guardians), and the first Black Lantern to rise as Green Lanterns, Saarek and Ash, arrive at the Black Lantern central battery (and final resting place of Anti-Monitor) teased at the end of 2007.

We're running months behind schedule, so I'll wrap this up here. I'm interpreting the successful offensive of Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) as a victory blow sufficient enough to constitute the defeat of Larfleeze. [Corpsman assists listed above.]

The Fight: 3.5 The Issue: 5
Winner: Green Lantern

Green Lantern is currently available monthly from DC Comics. Blackest Night is the storyline developing for two years and is both an eight-issue DC Universe mini-series and event effecting multiple series in the DC line-up including GL and Green Lantern Corps! Blackest Night officially begins in July! While you wait, you can find more Green Lantern battles in the Secret Archives, and purchase collected editions via links in individual posts, and in the Online Gift Shoppe. By using purchase links provided, you help sponsor future entries in the site!

THE MONSTER SOCIETY versus BLACK ADAM
Deaths in the Family (DC comics)
Where: 52 #44 When: May 2007
Why: Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid How: Keith Giffen & Eddy Barrows

The story so far...
Black Adam's nation of Khandaq has been plunged into a plague of darkness, and Adam's young protégé, Osiris, believes his committing a murder with the powers granted to him is what's responsible.

Convinced to give-up his powers, which free him of his condition as a cripple, Osiris is quickly slaughtered by Sobek, a crocodilian creature he rescued from the sinister mad scientist, Dr. Sivana.

Sobek reveals himself to really be Yurrd the Unknown, member of "The Four Ages of Dread Of Apokolips in it's anguished, bloody morning."
The NEW Monster Society, and remaining three horsemen of Khandaq's apocalypse reveal themselves, and launch their sleeping attack on Black Adam.

Previous Form:
Black Adam, Isis, The Four Horsemen: None of these characters have been featured previously on the site.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Black Adam 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Black Adam 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Black Adam 5 (Super Speed)
Stamina: Black Adam 6 (Generator)
Agility: Black Adam 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting Ability: Black Adam 7 (Born Fighter)
Energy Powers: War 6 (Mass Destruction)


Okay, this was a tough one, because the [Four Horsemen] characters, as far as I know, are new to 52, so there isn't a lot of discussion to be had.
Certainly the nature of their powers and the way they are presented paints a fairly clear picture of their capabilities, but the minutia may be lost here.

The tape is deceptive, because while Black Adam's broad strengths paint a fairly encompassing picture, the four Monster Society pawns have a comparable bredth of strengths that simply aren't as potent as Black Adam's.

Each character possesses impressive physical strength. Famine (Yurr) appears to be the only character without a strong, unique twist to the rest of abilities. Rather than possessing any famine themed abilities, he's simply a reptilian with a penchant for eating things, and an insatiable hunger.

In the previous issue he revealed his true nature by devouring Osiris once he had reverted to his crippled form, which brings us to this issue, where the powers granted to Osiris return to Black Adam, and alert him of the danger.

Pestilence (Zorrm) possesses various chemical based attacks, with a backpack/blaster combination, as well as oral means of gas projection. He is potentially the weakest of the group, while also being the most grotesque and subversive.

War (Roggra) is a lumbering mechanical looking creature with various mount weapons, and a distinct theme of modern weaponry. There's a very tanky motiff, there.

Death (Azraeuz) appears somewhere between an angel and an Egyptian Anibus style creature, and as we will ultimately learn, he is capable of drawing dark strength from the deaths of others. [More on that in The Hammer -- Mumbling Mike]

The strength in numbers certainly gives this new Monster Society a leg up on the competition, but Black Adam is truly an impressive character. Arguably more powerful than his cheesy counterpart, Captain Marvel, Teth-Adam (as he's also known) is far more ruthless a character, despite his noble intentions.
He will make no bones about killing in situations of ambiguity, let alone with the onslaught of engineered creatures designed to destroy him.

It should also be noted that he has another young companion, Isis, a slave woman who was offered to him by Intergang, and ultimately proved to be an outspoken and courageous young woman named Adrianna Tomaz, worthy of the power of Isis.

Isis has comparable powers to Adam himself, if a little less potent, but also properties for healing, and limited control or influence over the weather.

As far as caling a winner here, it's hard to deny the numbers advantage possessed by the Four Horsemen. Black Adam is an incredibly compelling and powerful character, and if anyone's going to overcome odds like those, he's probably a good bet. The powers of Shazam may just have the edge here.

The Math: Monster Society (Total) Black Adam (Average)
The Pick: Black Adam w/ Isis

What went down...
Adam and Isis stand confronting Famine, as the remaining members of the Four Horsemen descend upon them. Death is the first to strike, swinging his giant golden scythe into the grip of the SHAZAM powered ruler.

The two mighty beings smash through the balcony roof of the Kahndaqi palace, but despite being on the bottom, Adam has strength enough to throw the larger Death beast off with a thundering right hook.
Famine descends quickly, wrapping his taloned finger tips around Adam's face.
"Let me tell you how I ate Osiris! How his organs popped in my mouth like fresh grapes..."

Osiris, having been snatched up by Pestilence, drops into the palace through the hole left by Adam and Death. She witnesses Teth-Adams firey rage first hand.

Adam takes Famine's snout in his hands, and as a tear makes it's way from the creature's eye, he pulls open it's jaw much farther than it should ever be. Blood sprays, "These are not men, Isis. Sobek said it himself. They are monsters."

War lumbers, as Black Adam points him out as next on the list. However, a hail of bullets interrupts his charge. He's pushed back, taking less damage than his residence, before War blows him off his feet with an explosive.

"I have the power of all the world's soldiers and missiles and bombs. Those are my gods."

Osiris continues her tustle with Pestilence, warned by her preternatural relationship with nature that he is a creature made of little more than virii and bacterium. It was he who brought disease and misery to the people of Kahndaq.

The creature stares through the single red orb on it's forehead, and sprays forth a green mist of goo and ill. Isis springs forth various tendrils of growth to protect her, as she slides clear of the muck.

The paths of the heroes converge. As Adam reels from the gunfire attack of War, Pestilence is throw into the mix by the greenery, before being swept into an isolated tornado along with War.

Isis' blood runs cold as Death returns to face the Black Adam family.
Death's penetrating gaze stuns both. A zealous War snatches Adam and tosses him out of the building, announcing himself the instrument by which Death's decree of doom will be dealt. Adam smashes the head from the statue of his long fallen wife as he comes to a painful halt.

War is on him almost immediately, grinding his head into the ground with the mechanical mess of engineering and metal that poses for a hand.
Adam continues to be tossed and pounded by the creature of War, while Isis finds herself victim to a full blast from Pestilence's mounted gun. Pestilence surrenders her to Death, "I have spread my disease across her and inside her."

Staring down at the stone face of his first wife, Adam is asked the question, "Will you beg for your life as well?"
It serves to inspire his rage. It gives him the strength to plunge his fist deep inside the chest of the robotic monstrosity of War.

It is difficult to say whether they are tears of mourning, or of unbridled hate, but as he rips away at the creature, Adam returns the favour, "Will you? A being who embodies all the war in the world does not impress me."

Blood gushes from Isis' mouth, and tears from her eyes, also, as she fades further and further still from life. Death lifts her by the chin with the tip of his scythe.

Pestilence' grin turns to a scowl.
Black Adam blasts his head off with the shoulder mount cannon taken from War.

Death swings his large scythe, scathing at the side of the Kahndaq ruler. Adam does away with the weapon, and uses his fists to shatter the teeth from Death's skullish head.
It is not enough to stay the beast's attack. He palms Black Adam's head, but still clinging desperately to life, Isis reaches a benevolent hand outward.

She calls to the Earth, asking it to spew forth it's moltenous lava so as to seperate the monster from her husband.
Death is jetted skyward in stream of lava and smoke, choosing to flee from further assault rather than face down the elements themselves further.

Adam cradles his queen in his arms. She confesses a new understanding for the bleakness she had discouraged. In these horseman she understands the great evils and digusting crimes man would commit, and she is angered. She stems Adams' faith in her, and the good she claimed. Dying in his arms, she asks for exactly what Black Adam can provide.

And with that vengeful scorn, lightning descends upon the ruler.
The power of Isis returns to him, and the sky begins to weep.
Black Adam is alone, but not without purpose.

The hammer...
Your winner, despite great loss -- Black Adam.
Hopefully I captured the battle with suitable drama, despite being somewhat tired by Easter festivities, and the general late we find ourselves in. Alas, we move on!

Like a lot of people, I've been well and truly been converted into absolutely loving Black Adam. The obvious aside, the character is regularly compared to Marvel's Namor, and I can't help but feel the character Black Adam has benefitted from, starting really with Geoff Johns and David Goyer's run on JSA, is exactly the kind of thing Marvel hasn't done with their character.

As I mention, the Black Adam reneissance dates back to JSA where he joined the team under the pretenses that he'd changed, but as we saw throughout the issues, he was detaching himself to ultimately form a much more hard-edged team. That progress culminated in the thoroughly awesome Black Reign JSA/Hawkman crossover story, and has really continued ever since.

As we discussed previously [52 #42], I came to the 52 party just as the business was kicking off, so I have a pretty narrow field of reference. Even so, I well and truly jump on the bandwagon toting Black Adam as the best portion of the series.

Perhaps the only concern coming out of this is the future of the character. He's crossed a pretty big line in the issues that follow this one, and that's not generally something you see from DC comics. With promotions for the upcoming World War III featuring the character prominently, you have to wonder...

I'd like to think calmer voices of reason would protect the character from such a fate, and I'd put my money there, but you just never know. It wouldn't be the first time we saw a character built-up, if only to be knocked down.

I am trying to move through here pretty quickly, but I have to draw some attention to one little note. I realise Radiohead is one of those groups depressed teens like to attach to various scenes of pathos or drama, but I have to say, despite the slightly cartoony take on the violence, if I were going to cut this comic into a music video -- Thom Yorke - Analyse.
If you've got the book and the track, I challenge you to have a paced flick through, and fill-in the gaps of motion with your imagination.

Since we're reflecting the times as they are somewhat, you can expect a follow-up to the Black Adam action in the coming months, even though they're not the easiest reviews/summaries to write. I just think the character deserves it.

Actually, also, it's just dawned on me that we've had an awful lot of killing in the last few entries.
To anyone worried we might be turning the competition too far in the direction of a bloodsport, I offer sincere reassurance. Only Wednesday's usual dose of What if? books will be soaked in the blood of your childhood icons. Those, and maybe event books written by Brian Bendis.

All the best, and a belated Happy Easter to all concerned.

The Fight: 5.5 The Issue: 5.5