WRECKER versus DAREDEVIL & ELEKTRA

"Rites of Reconciliation" Part Five (Marvel)
Where: Daredevil #24 When: October 2025
Why: Saladin Ahmed How: Jose Luis Soares

The Story So Far...
When The Kingpin of Crime, Wilson Fisk, disappeared from New York City, he left a power vacuum in Hell's Kitchen soon filled by a mysterious European syndicate known as Nouvelle Direction.

They use their considerable resources to marshal local mercenary forces against Daredevil's opposition, but the Taskmaster soon finds himself unsatisfied with his contract when Elektra arrives to fight at Daredevil's side.

As the heroes put aside their latest tensions to investigate the unfolding drama, they find somebody else is hunting Nouvelle Direction's top players. The mutilated corpse of ND's Regional Vice President is accompanied by an ominous quote from Job 5:17 - "Chastening of The Almighty". With little to go on and Taskmaster's trail cold the pair's search for answers leads them to The Bar With No Name...

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: The Wrecker 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Daredevil 3 (Straight A)
Speed: Daredevil 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: The Wrecker 6 (Generator)
Agility: Daredevil 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Daredevil 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: The Wrecker 4 (Arsenal)
Total: Draw 26 (Metahuman)

How many Daredevils does it take to screw over a Wrecker? Technically we've got two of 'em today as our most recent entries bring us to a battle that's been on my mind ever since an innocent tweet came across my feed.

Dirk Garthwaite received enchantment from Karnilla the Norn Queen when she mistook the violent burglar for Loki during a home invasion. He's been a super-powered thorn in Thor's side ever since -- sharing his magic with The Wrecking Crew to create a quartet of heavyweight mercenaries menacing Marvel's heroes.

The Wrecker is typically at the peak of his powers when he's running solo - as we saw when he brutally roughed up The Thing -- but even when his magical might is divided, The Wrecking Crew are formidable enough to very nearly beat the gamma-irradiated Sasquatch to death!

This spells trouble for our street-level heroes, but they aren't without their hopes!

"Citizen V" proved agility & skill were enough to stand toe-to-toe with The Wrecker when The Thunderbolts clashed with The Wrecking Crew in their first public fight. Atlas was able to match their muscle, but Mach-1 secured victory when Songbird helped contain concentrated knockout gas deployed from his armor.

The gas gambit came into play again when The Punisher helped Deadpool & Spider-Man turn the tables against The Wrecking Crew with heavy artillery from the Unicorn's Power Horn and Klaw's Sonic Disruptor. Hobgoblin's gas took out most of them, while Deadpool proved Wrecker's enchanted crowbar doesn't share the protections of Thor's hammer, finishing the ringleader with his own weapon.

Finding ways to turn strengths into weaknesses is a great way to equalize a situation against a super heavyweight opponent! We saw Daredevil do just that against another enchanted Thor villain when he wore down the Absorbing Man!

The Man Without Fear is no stranger to defying the odds, fighting above his weight class against the likes of Klaw, Wolverine, and Tombstone. He's even stood his ground against the Hulk -- albeit in a losing effort. Fortunately, Matt Murdock isn't the only Daredevil competing in today's featured fight!

Elektra has been going by the moniker at this time, sharpening her skills as the guardian devil of Hell's Kitchen during & after Murdock's latest stint in prison.

Our Elektra file is as neglected as Wrecker's, but we've seen how DD & Elektra worked well together while defeating Bullseye, in addition to her highly skilled martial battles with DC's Catwoman, and Wolverine. She and Selina Kyle also matched the overwhelming strength of Abomination during the chaos of the crossover -- an inconclusive result that might otherwise bode well.

Elektra's training with Stick and assassination techniques makes her a threat to any opponent. Whether or not they surpass Daredevil is a debate for another day. Today we merely seek to see what happens when these two martial masters pit their skills against the supernatural might of The Wrecker!

The Tape: Daredevil & Elektra Ranking: Daredevil (#8)

What Went Down...

The Bar With No Name: a travelling hive of scum & villainy. Sometimes necessity requires it change its location, but it's always a font of information connecting directly to the criminal underworld. When answers run dry, or certain ne'er-do-wells need to be located -- this is the place to come.

Daredevil and Elektra stride directly into the establishment as they have done many times before. They state their intention: information about Taskmaster and his client Nouvelle Direction. This time they are over-confident.

From the shadowy periphery steps one of the many questionable patrons, but The Wrecker does not plan to provide information. A side door offers cover until he was ready to emerge to catch Daredevil by surprise with his enchanted crowbar!

DD lets out a pained yell as his back and shoulders take the brunt of an overhead clubbing strike. The kind of direct blow that's given gods pause for thought!

The Man Without Fear hits the ground face down, flat & hard. Elektra is there to come to his aid -- Hell's Kitchen's newest "Daredevil".

She leaps at The Wrecker with a sai in each hand, slashing one of the tempered blades downward against the deadly enchanted weapon.

The Wrecker swats her weapon away like a grand slam slugger, but slides one hand towards the hooked end to hold it steady against a direct strike!

The direct approach would probably skewer any normal man, but the enchanted crowbar effortlessly directs Elektra's lunging stab away from its target.

This isn't any random attack. The Wrecker reveals his status as muscle for hire. An old fashioned super-villain henchman for the gig economy. No danger of the entire Wrecking Crew attending this one. Nouvelle Direction just needed one good man. A two on one barroom brawl, but Elektra plans to settle it herself.

The former mercenary thrusts her tool of trade once again -- but this time it tags the exposed belly of The Wrecker. The price for pulling his crowbar back with both hands behind his head.

The pain sends The Wrecker into a rage!

He wraps both hands around the hilt of his magical bar and once again swings for the fences. A careless technique that's easily avoided by an elite level gymnast.

Elektra drops evasively to the floor, with her left arm bracing herself.

The lean allows her to avoid a wild follow-up, cartwheeling clear with speed and agility. The Wrecker shatters the ground beside her with a winding overhead that actually hits something this time. The floor can take it.

Wrecker, on the other hand, is driven to a mad rage!

Like a bull in a china shop -- he charges forward with another overhead clubbing strike that cuts straight through the serving counter! Elektra has no trouble vaulting gracefully straight over him.

It's another pointless attack, but it isn't without its consequences. Daredevil watches keenly with his radar-like senses tracking every detail.

His muscles tighten as his body intuitively assumes a crouching ready position. He heard a click. A faint one. Coming from The Wrecker's right wrist. An old injury? Wear and tear from years of smashing his weapon against unbreakable foes?

The Guardian Devil sees his opportunity to strike and goes for the weak spot!

This time The Wrecker lets out a throaty yell of agony!

Daredevil swings both his billy clubs upward against the motion of The Wrecker's strikes. The reinforced batons aim to break the bone, but at the very least cause significant pain.

With the ruthlessness of an assassin Elektra sees her opportunity to continue with a team assault. She throws her weight into a side thrust kick to Wrecker' gut!

The super-villain is knocked backwards, but is immediately struck with a billy club thrown straight at his spine!

Elektra keeps the punishment coming -- delivering a roundhouse kick that busts The Wrecker's lips and knocks him flat on his back!

It might not be a kayo, but it's enough to end the fight. The Wrecker stays down.

The Hammer...

At last we're here! It's probably no surprise that a match-up like this would pique my interest and find its way to The Comic Book Fight Club, but Daredevil (Vol. 8) #24 has taken on special significance since a harmless passing remark came across my X (aka; Twitter) feed -- and inspired an exploration into one of my favourite villains!

As we've just seen: Elektra and Daredevil teamed-up to take down The Wrecker, which THOR CORP community poster, Jered McCorkle, felt was a "career low" for "[a] once powerful and threatening Thor foe". I include this person's name for credit, not to harass them. It genuinely intrigued me.

Our Wrecker file had been sadly neglected, so in preparation for taking a look at the offending battle, we broadened the record and cracked into the backlog.

First we took a sample of street-level heroes against The Wrecking Crew with an issue that narrowly missed providing direct precedent. Then we explored how Daredevil fared against another enchanted weapon-wielder who regularly fights Thor. It probably would've made sense to finish with the thunderer himself, but instead, we deviated to look at The Thing versus The Wrecker to get a taste for the kind of heavyweights he frequently faces, and destruction he can wreak.

All in all it's been a very fun journey. A wonderful excuse to dig in to some old favourites -- and even make the leap to purchasing a new issue!

I don't encourage readers to behave like "goblinized" sports-freaks who regard comics with stats and fight cards -- but I do think this little exercise has been a nice example of what reading comics can be all about.

Sometimes new readers still aren't sure where to start, or how to proceed. From that uncertainty grew a mythic impression that comics can be impenetrable, or that the focus should be on an agreed upon, isolated canon of stagnant collected stories or "graphic novels". Of course, that's not really how most fans got into the medium until relatively recently, and I think it's ultimately very limiting. I've been a lifelong back issue reader and it's brought me a lot of joy.

Back in the day you just started with an issue that caught your eye, or landed in your hands, and then began tugging at threads & leads to explore in all directions and develop a sense of your own tastes. You actually just wanted to read and organically learn more -- if you can imagine such a thing!

New issues are typically a good place to start, but I admit, these days it isn't always a sure thing, with some series doing a poor job at delivering more than an incomplete chapter. While this was clearly Part Five of an on-going story arc, I'm at least pleased to have found some of that old satisfaction in today's featured issue.

At $4.99US, I wouldn't call it an impulse buy at the counter, but the contents kind of remind me of the good old days of dropping in on an adventure with a favourite character, and worrying about the rest later. Yes, there is a larger plot at play, and I could seek it out, but I still got a reasonable taste of Matt Murdock's current predicaments, and a good slice of action. A complete piece.

About the only thing missing here is a bombastic cover hyping the showdown between The Wrecker and the two Daredevils. I got the regular John Romita Jr cover [pictured top of article], which has an almost mid-2000s style of generic pin-up. It's important to acknowledge that this is actually a return to the "real" DD costume after a recent relapse into 90s armor, and all those other needlessly busy (or blackened) designs you may have seen. It might've been nice to have some copy text about that on the cover, but it's not really necessary.

Obviously Elektra is in the midst of a phase of running around in her version of a Daredevil costume. While the design isn't terrible, I personally see it as a bit of a downgrade. Taking on Matt's identity might've worked in a slightly tired redux of filling the void he leaves while in prison (again), but continuing to wear his clothes & moniker is unbecoming of an established icon. It does nothing for Elektra to disappear into somebody else's shadow. It's a weak place to find the character and we all know it won't last. Probably time to get over it and stop doing these prolonged character assassinations?

As for whether or not this was a new low for The Wrecker -- I come away from the issue kind of seeing it both ways...

There's nothing here to describe The Wrecker's powers being diminished. I'm not aware of anything like that being established in recent years. So I'm a little uneasy about Elektra drawing blood so easily, and bones being the weak spot to be exploited by DD. We know Wrecker throws down with the likes of Thor and The Thing! He's double tough - with durability that should match! Not so easily beaten!

I also wonder if Daredevil took that crowbar shot a little too easy, but we should allow some license for a seasoned fighter rolling with the punches, just like we did during his fight with Absorbing Man. Even if those "punches" are actually a sneak attack from a magical crowbar dangerously close to his head & neck.

Of course, this criticism assumes a lot about how thoroughly the good guys win.

The Wrecker clearly took a kicking and went down. That's not in dispute. He is still talking, however...

He might be lying flat on his back, but he doesn't seem too bothered about it. In fact, there's a bit of a demented smile there! He's just a hired hand, after all. In his own words: a 'contractor' not 'an employee'. He doesn't know anything. Can't tell the heroes anything. May not even be all that invested in the fight!

Maybe it borders on "quiet-quitting", but The Wrecker's job is essentially done. So perhaps he could keep fighting but is content to leave it at that. Maybe this isn't the humiliation it might otherwise appear to be.

Zooming in on the details: I find it interesting that, although the conceit of a bum wrist might seem like a bit of an easy out for the obvious mismatch -- it does kind of call back to our featured fight against The Thing.

Ben Grimm can obviously apply significantly more pressure to a wrist lock, but perhaps that prior episode is exactly why there really is a nagging injury.

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about those kinds of injuries creeping in to super-hero stories, but it would at least be an attentive solution, rather than a cheap out. A more functional sense of consequence and verisimilitude than the more severe crippling of Doctor Octopus some years back. An interesting concept that really demanded more commitment than was perhaps every realistic.

All in all, I don't think this loss is irreparable damage to The Wrecker's reputation, but it's a very casual defeat in execution. A far cry from a dramatic overcoming of the odds like Spider-Man besting Juggernaut, or even DD beating Absorbing Man. Which may speak to the fact that these kinds of upsets have happened a lot and might not be as logical any more.

To really gauge where it sits in the pantheon of The Wrecker's defeats we'd have to explore more -- something I honestly wouldn't mind doing. We will probably switch gears for our next updates, but if you'd like to see more from The Wrecker and his Crew be sure to drop a comment, or get involved on Patreon.

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has been serving superhero smackdown for well over 700 fights and ranked more than 1000 of your favourite characters! If that sounds like a good thing to you -- I'd really appreciate it if you considered supporting the project on Patreon. It's free to follow, and a Tier 1 sub is a great, cheap way to support 100% man-made, farm fresh niche content.

You can find deep dives into all these characters and their exploits in the Secret Archive. That's where we file every featured fight in order of publisher, series, and issue number. Alternatively you can explore your favourite characters and topics by following links throughout every post. Flex that mind muscle and go on a journey! That exploration is the joy of comics!

Get daily recommendations inspired by the topics of the day by subscribing to X (aka; Twitter)! Don't forget to smash that like, fave, and share to help boost the signal -- and keep your eyes peeled for the week's top trending battles every Sunday on X & Discord! The lively Discord chat is one of the bonuses of becoming a Patreon subscriber. A sixth sense even more penetrating that DD's radar!

Winner: Elektra & Daredevil
#8 (--) Daredevil
#61 (+34) Elektra
#457 (-4) The Wrecker

WOLVERINE versus ELEKTRA

Top of The World, Ma! (Marvel)
Where: Wolverine #103 When: July 1996
Why: Larry Hama How: Val Semeiks

The Story So Far...
The trauma of being forcibly stripped of the metal that once coated his entire skeleton has thrown Wolverine into an increasing series of unforeseen challenges.

Although he regained the full use of his mutant ability to rapidly repair once trivial wounds -- his mind & body have reverted to a feral state in the wake of a vicious showdown with his arch-nemesis Sabretooth.

A failed attempt by Genesis to re-bond his skeleton with adamantium has revealed the metal was responsible for retarding an animal mutation. A feral state that is not befitting a righteous warrior. If his path is to be restored, then intervention must be staged. The Chaste master Stick has taken an interest in Wolverine's fate and directed skilled assassin, Elektra, to find and redeem his lost soul. It is a path she herself once walked. Now it is Wolverine's turn.

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Wolverine 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Elektra 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Wolverine 6 (Generator)
Agility: Elektra 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Wolverine 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Elektra 2 (Projectiles)
Total: Wolverine 26 (Metahuman)

Our stats say Wolverine has the edge against super-assassin Elektra, but just how far will advantages like a mutant healing factor and berserker fighting impulse take him? Today's fight will give us a partial answer - but first let's explore beyond that.

Elektra Natchios began her martial training in childhood. Showing natural acumen for the fighting arts; her discipline continued through adulthood, but not before she was rejected by The Chaste, and tempted by their evil rivals The Hand.

Tragedy tainted Elektra's life - beginning with the murder of her mother, and much later her father. A wild & reckless temperament grew within her, earning skeptical scorn from the master known as Stick. His rejection helped place her on a path close to the edge -- the life of a bounty hunter and mercenary.

You probably know Elektra by reputation, and although her most famous battle ended in mortal defeat at the hands of Bullseye -- she was resurrected to continue as one of the deadliest fighters in the world. You could even say multiverse: one of our earliest entries showed Elektra dominating DC anti-heroine - Catwoman!

Our file is shamefully shallow, but the inter-company crossover is a fine example of how respected the skilled technique of Elektra is. As for that loss to Bullseye -- we recorded a much later team-up with Daredevil that scored payback for that.

Wolverine has had comparable struggles with his own inner nature, not to mention encounters with The Hand, but the mutant gift that allows him to survive strikes from Elektra's trademark sai weapons - and fight with a ferocity we deem beyond martial skill - has also been known to make him a little sloppy.

Your mileage for how quickly and effectively Wolverine can heal will probably influence your expectations here, but we must remember that history is littered with examples of bladed weapons, and skilled fighters, getting the better of him.

Razorfist slashed an exhausted Wolverine to breaking point, Deadpool skewered his lungs with twin swords, the Winter Soldier kept him at bay with a dagger, and The Gorgon found a killing strike with a katana that allowed The Hand to render him their personal killer. Black Panther didn't even need claws to match him in hand-to-hand combat, and Daredevil scored a controversial win with a harsh enough blunt force bonk on the head! Just because a fella can heal any wound -- doesn't mean he isn't first going to suffer the effects of sustaining them!

Of course, there are those who haven't fared quite so well: Lady Deathstrike's cybernetic claws couldn't stop Wolverine cutting her down, Silver Samurai's katana missed vital organs - costing him dearly, and Blade wasn't even able to slow Wolverine down with his skillful sword.

So which side will Elektra fall on? It's about time we got into this thing to find out, but one more important note: This is a strange time for Wolverine. It's a few years since the adamantium was ripped from his skeleton by Magneto, and he's succumbed to his feral side -- physically devolving in the process. It's what's brought Elektra to him, but what effect did it have? Let's see!

The Tape: Wolverine Ranking: Wolverine (#5)

What Went Down...

High atop the second tower of the World Trade Center awaits Elektra. The wind blows in her flowing hair as a hairy, squat figure grunts his way onto the rooftop to join her. She asks "its" name. "It" responds with the name of a lowly beast.

She challenges him: "A wolverine is a beast. Was it the man or the beast who climbed the "mountain"?" She strikes -- proving her point.

The backhanded strike with the butt of Elektra's sai handle provokes feral fury in Wolverine and he bears his bone claws. She walks away, toward a doorway into the building, unimpressed by his unrefined response.

The upper level of the Trade Tower once fed tourists, but now will feed the mind and soul of a student. It is the dojo in which Wolverine's body & spirit will be tested as Elektra returns him to the path of a righteous warrior. A path of "obligation, duty and honor" that "puts him above the beasts and the savages."

She pins a scroll to the wall and its symbols stir old memories to the front of the man-beast's mind. He can sense something is missing, but that is a test for another time. First he must answer the challenge of tempering.

Elektra isn't concerned with titles. She responds to defiance of the process with swift action -- another smack to the head with the base grip of her sai weapon.

The feral Wolverine attempts to strike back -- lunging with his left hand claws extended. Easily avoided by the agile teacher, who vaults over his squat form to land behind him -- weapons at the ready.

She quotes another who once tempered the feral mutant - Lord Shingen Harada. A reference that stokes the flame of fury within Wolverine. The fight is on!

Again the beast leads with his claws - swinging savagely with his right hand!

Elektra's left is knee is raised as she easily dances beyond the bone tips and returns fire with a launching kick to the face!

Wolverine is momentarily staggered by the blow that sent him falling backwards, but he isn't stayed for long.

Animal aggression compels Wolverine to charge at his opponent with a staff weapon, but the primitive lunge simply leaves him open to a low attack from the expert wielding of Elektra.

Has it been hours? Days? Months? Or Wolverine's entire life? The fight is for more than one simple victory. The combat is an existential crisis of the soul. If the animal fury within him is not hammered out, he will never be the man he once was. All that he could be.

The Wolverine leaps through the air behind Elektra, with staff weapon raised above his head in both hands.

Again it is child's play for Elektra to simply raise her sai weapons and block the staff with the defensive catch holds innate to the weapon's design.

His claws are equally meaningless. She simply leaps over his squat frame as he brutally and feebly lunges with the boney protrusions extending from his hands. The lessons of his time in Japan and fighting Shingen must be re-learned.

The Hammer...

It could be presumed that this was a continuous conflict in the makeshift dojo Elektra created on a floor of the Twin Towers, but the single page we've broken into thirds [above] also might suggest a montage of multiple sparring sessions.

How quickly do you undo a literal and metaphorical de-evolution of a man? Usually it wouldn't matter, but for our purposes we'll assume this was all one session. Either way - the work isn't done. Wolverine #103 plays out as a series of philosophical and physical challenges to Wolverine, with one final fight awaiting.

As usual, I fully intend to return to the issue eventually to see what happened in their second encounter. These might not be bitter showdowns for all the marbles, but these characters also aren't pulling all their punches. This is valid data.

This wasn't a period of Wolverine I've ever regarded very highly. For the most part I managed to avoid the short-lived 'noseless runt' stretch, which felt like a bridge too far during the bone claws years -- but I wasn't especially thrilled about the character and his solo series in the short run just before that, either.

I was buying off the newsstand back then, and I know I dipped in to Wolverine somewhere around this time, give or take eight issues. I mostly encountered the strangely deformed version of the character in the main X-books, where the details eluded me. He still had the bandana-mask and excess hair when Onslaught kicked off, but there were plenty of other things to wonder about there!

I remember [Wolverine #103] coming out, and probably even considering buying it, but the combination of Wolverine and Elektra -- while eye catching -- seemed a little cheesy and haphazard. They weren't characters that had anything to do with each other at that point, and it seemed like an egregious, inorganic aside at a time when nothing about the character seemed sufficiently iconic, or coherent.

Coming back to it now - I really enjoyed it. This issue in particular stands alone as a very satisfying, classic martial arts night of the soul. An existential crisis dressed up with fist fighting, flowery metaphor, and examination of the nature of man.

Back in '96 I was resistant to the 'Marvel Comics' of the meeting, but I see now that the DNA of Larry Hama's work on GI Joe is also present. It's a presumption of Elektra as a figure in this world, and a thematically convenient excuse to bring two cool characters together. Elektra's redemption arc was a bit weightier than a furball growing back his nose, but hey. Whatever gets it done, man.

This is still pretty early in Marvel's attempts to reincorporate Elektra as a regular figure in the Marvel Universe. Frank Miller had kept her spiritually alive in series positioned away from the regular grind [eg; Daredevil: Man Without Fear], and for almost a decade Marvel had remained hands-off, with some uncertainty of whether or not the character was truly living. They were all-in after a 1993 return.

Elektra isn't the only thing layering this issue with Miller grandiosity. Invoking Lord Shingen and the lessons of the sword from the first Wolverine mini-series is a more direct and appropriate bit of depth, but that comes through in the rematch.

If you'd like to see the follow-up sooner than later, or help prioritize some other future featured fight, it would be wonderful if you considered becoming a supporter of the site on Patreon. I'm managing to crank out a few more updates than usual, but am also dealing with some uniquely challenging circumstances, so your patronage will go even further than usual to help making things possible.

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured well over 700 fights and ranked more than 1,000 characters! You can find them all for free by diving into the Secret Archive for a complete index of battles in order of publisher, series, and issue -- or by hitting links to your favourite topics found throughout each entry.

Get daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day by subscribing to Twitter! Don't forget to smash that like, fave, and share -- and keep your eyes peeled for the week's top trending battles every Sunday on Twitter & Discord! The lively Discord chat is one of the bonuses of becoming a Patreon subscriber.

Winner: Inconclusive (Draw)
#95 (+2) Elektra
#5 (--) Wolverine

FANTASY FIGHTS: CAPCOM/MARVEL ROUND 4!
In the first round of Fantasy Fights from the Infinite Wars, Marvel proved their overall superiority in fifteen seperate battles that culminated with your vote deciding their fate. Now, with DC vanquished, the Marvel Heroes are back to tangle with some old enemies: The world warriors of Capcom's Street Fighter!

By popular demand the Fantasy Fights are sticking around for seven more rounds of non-stop non-canon action! When the characters met in the video games, they were united against common goals, but this time some of Marvel's greatest fighters will be initiated as they duke it out for supremacy over the SF classics!

CHUN-LI versus ELEKTRA
Strength: Draw 2 (Average)
Intelligence: Elektra 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Chun-Li 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Draw 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Draw 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Draw 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Powers: Chun-Li 3 (Explosives)


The Hook...
When it came to considering potential match-ups, a lot of characters came to mind. It's not at all surprising that the Capcom vs Marvel video games focused their attentions on popular Marvel characters, but there's always been that desire to see more pure fighters in the series. Lord knows it's a lasting disappointment that I couldn't find numbers to cram Batroc/Vega into the Fantasy Fights!

The solo movie left a little to be desired, but after Jennifer Garner's turn in Daredevil, Elektra has well and truly fullfiled both the popularity and the fighting skill for a scenario like this. Originally I considered her a match-up for Cammy, but ultimately I think there's more resonance between her and Black Widow.

Which means Chun-Li kinda gets left with the scraps here.
They're both expert fighters with some association to law enforcement, even if Elektra's turn with SHIELD does little to balance the ambiguity of her character against Chun-Li's role as an Interpol "goodie." If you really wanted to find thematic commonalities, there's also the fact that each have sought revenge for the murder of a father, Chun-Li's mission bringing her to Bison, while Elektra first came to blows with Daredevil under said circumstances.

Regardless of the trinkets of their character, this would always be a fanatstic fight between two iconic female characters!

The Math: Chun-Li Ranking: Elektra (#35)

The Battle...
If you go by the last round [Cammy/Black Widow] you can use that logic to steer to a pretty clean conclusion between these two, as well.

Behind the over-the-top qipao lurks a relatively subdued character in Chun-Li. She's the atypcial vendetta-cop, professional, but extra motivated by personal revenge. In the world of Street Fighter that could easily leave her without any kind of ki arsenal, but lucky for her, she's got some fireball action to go with the yup-yupping flurry of the super-fast lightning kick combo.

While equally bizarre in dress, Elektra is a little less flashy.
Her moves don't have fancy names, and aren't elaborate displays of martial arts or light shows. Elektra's an assassin of the highest degree, and when we refer back to the last battle of assassins, we come down to a basic representation of two-dimensional character traits.

Chun-Li, though a proficient fighter and lead protagonist, could not quite be regarded the 'best there is at what she does.' Elektra, on the other hand, operates on a premise of being, yes, prone to death, but when not dying, a master assassin with no equal. Ergo, you do the math.

Again, this is going to be a fiercely choreographed battle between two skilled fighters capable of throwing a wide variety of limbs in deadly ways. Elektra is presumably not going to be out to kill Chun-Li, but failing more specific descriptions, the lengths she is willing to go to may give her some edge.

The Hammer...
Okay, well, there's something to consider!
The math has failed to accurately calculate the last two results. After two years, could this be the first definitive signs of the patented Haseloff system cracking, or is this a betrayal of a higher order? One thing's for sure: You can help decide the fate of the Street Fighters and Marvel Heroes by voting in the poll!
There's only one more weekend before the finale, and though the Capcom characters are making a late charge, Marvel's dominance looks untested!

Interesting futures lie in wait for each of these characters, interestingly enough. Elektra, having already tasted feature film success, will be joined by a solo-faring Chun-Li when she breaks out the blue and yellow in a Street Fighter film unrelated to the previous! The film, starring Kristin Kreuk in the title-role, will presumably play closer to what we know of Chun-Li, placing the femme fatale on a quest for justice.

Likewise, in the comics, a new series of UDON's Street Fighter Legends will coincide with the film, and Street Fighter IV video game release, spotlighting Chun-Li. Hardly surprising that one of video game history's first major female protagonists would be at the centre of this new reneissance of Street Fighter action!

Meanwhile, over at Marvel, things are a little bit quieter.
While Elektra has had her time in the sun, the inevitable question being asked in the lead up to Marvel's Skrull Invasion line-wide event will be -- Where is Elektra, and when was she swapped? The answers may lie in the pages of the disgracefully delayed Might Avengers, but until those issues have caught up, we live in wonder [and joyous distain for Bendis!].

WINNER: ELEKTRA

2 versus 2

WOLVERINE versus DAREDEVIL
Enemy of the State: Part 5 of 6 (Marvel comics)
Where: Wolverine #24 When: March, 2005
Why: Mark Millar How: John Romita Jr.

The story so far...
When Wolverine makes the trek to Japan to investigate the disappearance of a child, he find himself under attack and at the mercy of the Hand, working with Hydra under the direction of a new young stud calling himself: The Gorgon.

The Gorgon, a mutant gangster resurrected by the Hand, manages to do the unthinkable by defeating Wolverine.
Thus, the Hand are able to resurrect him anew in their own vision, and under their control.

Unable to resist the control of Hydra's technicians, Wolverine now becomes an instrument of destruction. His mission is simple: Take down superpowers so they can be resurrected too.

Recommended reading:
Wolverine #20-#25: Mark Millar's six-part kick butt epic - Enemy of the State.
Wolverine #26-#31: Freed from Hydra's control, Wolverine turns the tables in - Agent of SHIELD.
New Invaders #6: An Enemy of the State tie-in. Wolverine vs the Sub-Mariner.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Draw 3 (Trained Athlete)
Intelligence: Wolverine 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Daredevil 4 (Olympic Sprinter)
Stamina: Wolverine 6 (Generator)
Agility: Daredevil 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Wolverine 6 (Warrior)
Energy Powers: Daredevil 2 (Projectile Weapon)

Alright, come on... Admit it. This is just a really cool pairing of characters.
Pretty well evenly matched, even though they're on two sides of the superpowered line.
The deus X-Samurai versus the blind lawyer ninja.

Not many memories come to mind of these characters mingling, but I'm sure they have. Somewhere around the mid-one hundred and fifties I seem to recall these two, and Vengeance, being brought together by their connections to Typhoid Mary.

Anyway, I'm getting a little side tracked by ten year nostalgia, there.
Who, based on available data, should win a fight between Wolverine and Daredevil?

Well, both would have to be admirably recognised in the Marvel Universe for their fighting abilities. Wolverine, generally speaking, resorts to more feral tendencies of slicing and dicing, while I think we'd all agree Daredevil has a grace and poetry to his moves -- hard hitting as they may be.

To account for guys like the Hulk, less refined, instinctive fighting styles rate quite highly. Honestly, if it were about the technical aspects of who is a better fighter here, I'd lean toward Daredevil. I'm sure he would have a variety of ways to pinch, punch and kick his way to a submission.

Daredevil's also no stranger to adamantium.
As impossible as it's supposed to be, Bullseye has had bones replaced with adamantium substitutes. So, you'd figure even with that kind of dexterity, DD would be well prepared with an intelligent attack.

Of course, Wolverine is no slouch. He's the Predator of the Marvel comics world.
Is he running away? Is he disemboweled? Is he a big fan of Britney going brunete? Or is he just playing games with you?
Truth is, it's all of the above, bub.

Wolverine usually has an inate willingness to maim and/or kill, which has been lost on characters like Daredevil, regardless of their gritty lifestyles and lethal training.
That edge arguably gives Wolverine a leg up against most opponents. We saw it when he took out Northstar [Wolverine #25], and in the past with more profile attacks, like when he scarred Thing's lumpy mug.

It's a pretty good match up, really. I think you could get either/or out of me on any given day, but today, I'm going to have to go with the home favourite.
Daredevil's just that damned good, can match Wolverine's senses/stealth pound for pound, and if you catch him on a bad day [I'd take those odds! - Money-spinner Mike], he might just be willing to get killa on the Canuck.
He'll heal!

What went down...
This issue opens where the last ended, with DD waking up on the sofa after a long night, only to find a fist fulla adamantium at his throat. It was always gonna be that, or a traffic cone.

Now, for a zombified Hydra puppet, Wolverine sure does seem to do a lot of trash talking throughout this series. I don't know if this is a slither of Wolverine secretly enjoying killing heroes, or if it's Hydra, being the cheesy villains they are, just stalling to give the hero time to escape -- but either way, it's quite convenient.

Waiting patiently on a rooftop across the street, sniper rifle in tow, is Elektra and a bunch of SHIELD agents.
You'd think that'd be good news, but Elektra - assassin extraordinaire - misses her shot, zipping a bullet past Wolvie's ample head, and into some nameless Hand ninja. Frankly, if that's the quality of her work, no wonder she died.

The shot buys Daredevil the time he needs to kick Wolverine off him, into a wall, and assess the Hand ninja situation.

DD dives behind the sofa, rolling it with him, and then charges at the arrow-shooting ninja, using the seating as a battering ram.
Realising the Hand are barely even sentient, he snatches on of their swords, and starts slashing.

Making light work of the ninja, Wolverine heads back into the fray.
He makes the delightful acknowledgment that the street guys aren't given credit for their skills, versus the powers of the heavy hitters in the Marvel universe. The skills that are so necessary for those without, "...fancy armor or magic hammers keeping them alive..."

Just when you think DD's skills need sharpening, his stray billy club finds the noggins of various faceless Hand ninja goons!

Much like his fight with the Hulk, Daredevil tries to emplore Wolverine to come to his senses.
As he charges through some more smelly sausage ninja, he cleans Wolverine up and charges them all through a door, and down some stairs to the basement.

Wolverine finally gets a kick in, and sends DD flying into a tool cupboard.

A pair of screwdrivers make for good weapons tossed into the covered faces of the Hand ninja, and those razor keen radar senses probably give DD the heads up to dodge the incoming slashing of Wolverine.

DD locks up with Wolverine, grabbing his wrists in a struggle of strength.
The two shudder with tension, before Wolverine gets a stiff knee to the gut.
Stunned, DD is open long enough to take a grazing swipe from the tips of Wolverine's adamantium claws. DD, narrowly escaping a horizontal fileting, rops onto a stack of weights.

Ever the improvisor, DD snatches up a dumbell and nails Wolvie square in the noggin with a "KLUMP!"

Then, in two of the least graceful panels in superhero history, Wolverine staggers backward, and falls on his arse - impaling himself on one of the Hand ninja swords. How embarassin', bub!

Lying on top of a sausage-ninja, with a blade sticking out his chest, Wolverine is granted a moment of clarity. Freed of Hydra's control, he relays a message for Nick Fury, and generally has a bit of a cry. Fair enough, bub. Fair enough.

The hammer...
Wolverine is the best there is at what he does, and what he does clearly ain't jazz tap. Daredevil reigns supreme!

Enemy of the State is not a smart story.
This issue probably contains a little less story than some of the others, but don't let that do it a disservice. It delivers, and moves the plot along for the next six-issue arc, Agent of SHIELD.

What to say about this series? After droning my way through the previous sections, I do tend to like to take this time to say something interesting and maybe even thought provoking - on this occasion, however, I'm not certain I can.

These stories, written by Mark Millar, are just very straight forward.
It perhaps ends up being far more straight forward than one might have expected based on the initial premise, of Wolverine travelling Japan to investigate the disappearance of a family's child.

Within the first issue we quickly learn of the child's fate ["... we fed him to our pigs."], and then move briskly into the super hero action orientated story that eventuates.
From then on, it's eleven issues of pretty simply slashing, smashing and bashing.

Despite some action high points, I probably don't honestly think the story comes into it's own until the last few issues. By then covers feature a far more refined ink/colour to Romita's ugly, utilitarian pencils, and the saga reaches it's climax with multiple showdowns between chief antagonist, The Gorgon, and the stars of the story, Elektra and Wolverine.

It's intriguing to think of this as it was apparently originally intended -- a Blade story. Perhaps the most puzzling element of that would be the potential for early issues that meander around Wolverine's connection with the X-Men.
Perhaps those issues would've been much the same, with the removal of familiarites, thus justifying the issues even less. One can't help but feel Blade dodged a slow motion bullet, in this respect.

For a character that's enjoyed such phenomenal success on the big and small screens, particularly relative to his comic book history, it's just bizarre that better, stronger stories aren't coming his way. Chaykin and Guggenheim certainly haven't filled me with confidence with previews of their upcoming take - but I digress.

Enemy of the State and Agent of SHIELD are both interesting enough in overall concept, and even though issues may be stretched a little farther than necessary, there's plenty of action and eventual story telling to be found. In that respect, Millar remains an oddity for his ability to tell really dumb stories, without anyone (myself included) noticing.

In a way it's a shame some of the themes within this book couldn't have more directly linked up with Marvel's broader continuity, and fed into Civil War; Millar's current mainstream crossover hit.
Hydra's expansive attack on the superhero/supervillain community, and more importantly the potential effectiveness of such an attack, really could've fed well into the paranoia and necessity for regulation in the Marvel U.

Just to close, I mentioned Romita Jr's hideous pencils.
I think it's fair to say they're a personal taste, but for my directorial eye I think it's a pretty big misstep to give Romita a simple cover job. Eye candy is not his strength, and even the addition of rendered finishes by Richard Isanove leave somethingto be desired.
Still, this was an admirable call by whoever made it. I often feel overall art direction is a ball being dropped by the big two, which is sad, because unlike self-publishers like myself, they have the resources to act upon it.

On the positive, Romita Jr is an incredibly practical sequential artist, and despite a disagreement of style, you couldn't fault his ability to tell a story.

No doubt you'll be seeing more of these issues in the future.

The Fight: 4 The Issue: 4

NEXT: We do the timewarp to the nineties, and jump the fence to take a look at DC's star of 52 - Steel!

DC versus MARVEL
(DC/Marvel)
Where: DC versus Marvel #1/#4, Marvel versus DC #2/#3 When: March/April 1996
Why: Ron Marz/Peter David How: Dan Jurgens/Claudio Castellini

The recap...
- Captain Marvel versus Thor
- Aquaman versus Sub-Mariner
- Flash versus Quicksilver
- Robin versus Jubilee
- Green Lantern versus Silver Surfer
- Catwoman versus Elektra
- Lobo versus Wolverine
- Wonder Woman versus Storm
- Superboy versus Spider-man
- Superman versus Hulk
- Batman versus Captain America

For the past three months Secret Earths has featured the events of the mini-series that broke all the boundaries, and brought DC and Marvel face to face, ten years ago.

Pitted against one another by two cosmic entities; champions from the Marvel and DC universes did battle to save their universe from extinction.
In the end Batman and Captain America would be catalysts for saving both universes, as the young new cosmic hero, Access, merged realities to create the 'Amalgam' universe.

Though this merged universe could not last, in the end, the triumphs and tribulations of the lives lived by Captain America and Batman were enough to save their worlds. In the last moments the two cosmic 'brothers' that waged war with their pawns were satisfied, and spoke for the first time to say, "You've done well!"

Despite officially winning it six-to-five, Marvel and DC, represented by these two cosmic entities, make a rare gesture of sincerity and congratulate each other on a job well done. Which is all good and well, but what about the 'unofficial' fights peppered and alluded to throughout the series?

Superman versus Juggernaut (DC versus Marvel #1)
What originally begins as yet another tussle between the X-Men and Juggernaut, takes a curious twist. As the mighty Juggernaut prepares to deliver a crushing blow to a floored Wolverine, he finds himself among the earliest targets of this cosmic crossover event.
The follow through of the previous punch collides with the side of a building - the Daily Planet - which doesn't make a great first impression.

A streaking blue collides with the helmet of the Juggernaut, and actually manages to floor the unstoppable force! Though this encounter was brief, this is deemed conclusive of a result.
Winner: Superman

Batman & Robin versus Bullseye (DC versus Marvel #1)
What a delicious turn of events. While the Joker was crazy enough not to engage a disaplaced Spider-man - Bullseye is unstable enough to snatch the nearest kid in a cave, and start demanding answers.
Unfortunately for him, one of those answers is "Batman."

With a knife to Robin's throat, Bullseye holds Batman in a stand-off, batarang drawn. The man who doesn't miss teases Batman, cutting at the mask of Robin and speculating his chances of a miss.

The boy wonder, hardly helpless, elbows the fiend in the neck, giving Batman an opening to toss his batarang. However, even stunned, Bullseye is able to snatch the weapon out of the air, and whip it right back at the target.

Much to Bullseye's dismay, however, Batman is able to duck and weave the return attack, and swiftly plant a stiff left on the chin of the Marvel villain.
"You hit... even harder than... than... Daredevil..."
Winner: Batman (w/ Robin)

Wolverine versus Killer Croc (Marvel versus DC #2)
Bursting from the sewers, Killer Croc and Wolverine go at it tooth and nail - literally!
With several on lookers (including Clark Kent and Ben Reilly), the two feral fighters do battle and exchange quips. The two battle their way into the streets, careering into a toy store, as Wolverine takes an apparent offensive.

While no definitive blow is struck on the page, Wolverine is free to accompany Gambit in stealing the Batmobile. Though apparent that Killer Croc is defeated, it is possible he escaped.
Winner: Inconclusive (draw)

Bane versus Captain America (Marvel versus DC #2)
The battle of the serum enhanced super soldiers!
As Cap's shield hurls out of reach, Bane mocks his opponent as he prepares to deliver a back breaking finishing move that will leave the Captain crippled and helpless.

As Bane mocks the Captain's strategy, his full frontal assault turns out to be an error of judgment. Cap's shield, ever a faithful weapon, comes boomerang around right into the back of Bane's skull. Ouch. Schooled by the master!
"Now... No more back talk from you."
Winner: Captain America

Peter Parker versus Scarecrow & Scarecrow (Marvel versus DC #2)
Walking the streets alone can be dangerous, but that goes double when you're Lois Lane - professional damsel in distress!
In a meeting of gimmicks, both the Marvel and DC Scarecrows come up with the genius plan of kidnapping Superman's gal for whatever genius reason that goes unsaid.

Luckily Planet photographer Peter Parker is nearby, and able to unload some mean martial arts skills on the two fear enducing putzes.
Winner: Peter "Ben Reilly" Parker

Hulk & Superman versus Metallo (Marvel versus DC #3)
Beamed to Metropolis, Hulk finds himself dealing with a metallic hulking maniac called Metallo. Using a nearby giant Superman statue, Hulk smashes the 'metal geek' around a bit, until Superman finally shows up.

Confronting each other for their official bout, the two do away with Metallo switfly with a double punch, before being teleported to clearer grounds.
Winners: Superman & Hulk

Dark Claw & Super-Soldier versus Hyena (DC versus Marvel #4)
Dark Claw lurks across the rooftops, pursuing his arch-nemesis the Hyena.
Dark Claw attempts to put an end to the pursuit, hurtling a bomb at his foe, but Hyena is able to rip a chimney from a roof and swat it away toward innocents below.

The intervention of Super-Soldier sees a happy ending for the folks below.
As Hyena thinks he's finally made his get-away, the two heroes loom on the rooftop waiting for him.

Hyena backflips away, and makes his way to the streets below where Access, a character with newly acquired powers, finds himself the target of a hostage situation.

Of course, as Hyena leaps at his potential ticket out, Access creates a portal to someplace unknown, and lets Hyena send himself away.
Access attends to more important business, like seperating the Amalgam universe into the Marvel and DC universe via bits hidden in Captain America and Batman.
Winner: Access (w/ Dark Claw & Super-Soldier)

Hulk & Superman versus Moleman & the Moloids (DC versus Marvel #4)
In the batcave, Hulk emerges to tackle the swarming Moloid masses led by the Moleman. Using a well shined giant penny, Hulk flattens an armada of Moloids, and then tussles it up with the little freaks himself.
The cavalry arrives in the form of Superman, who deflects a blast from the Moloids' "greatest weapon" - a very Kirby laser canon.

Moleman and his Moloids are forced into retreat.
Winners: Superman & Hulk

Superboy versus Kingpin (DC versus Marvel #4)
As Wilson Fisk abuses his powers as owner of the Daily Planet, Spider-man swings in to heckle his long-standing foe.
Having already laid Perry White on his ass, Kingpin doesn't even see the brazen attack from Superboy coming. Some tight pants, a bulky jacket and a little 'tactile telekenisis' later, and Kingpin's getting dumped through a table.
Winner: Superboy

Elektra & Catwoman versus Abomination (DC versus Marvel #4)
Though the battle is sufficiently depicted (and considerably one-sided), in the end the sky turning to blood proves too much of a distraction.
Winner: Inconclusive (draw)

Flash & Quicksilver versus Venom (DC versus Marvel #4)
As the Marvel villains continue to get a good run in the wrap up of this mini-series, Flash and Quicksilver, though much better matched, find themselves sufficiently distracted during their fight.
Winner: Inconclusive (draw)

JLA/Avengers versus Darkseid & Thanos (DC versus Marvel #4)
A collection of heroes from both universes charge in to do battle with the wagering titans, Darkseid and Thanos.
Darkseid takes delight in finding "fire" in the mighty Thor, who deflects deadly eye beams from the ruler of Apokolips. The Silver Surfer and Storm swoop in for attacks on Darkseid, but they prove ineffective, as Darkseid topples Thor with a second eyebeam attack.

Meanwhile Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel fare better with Thanos, drawing first blood.

As the two fights converge, a thumped Wonder Woman hands Thor the mighty Mjolnir, much to his surprise.

As the sky turns to blood, these heroes too are distracted.
Winner: Draw

The hammer...
So, in the end, with these additional fights, who is the true winner?
Well, by Secret Earths standards it was a draw. While the official fights drew a 6-5 finish, additional fights ended in an 8-all draw, with a bunch o' ties and inconclusive results. Bravo to fair conclusions.

All in all this probably wasn't the greatest crossover event. As alluded to by some of these extra fights, there was a lot of fertile ground that went untouched.
That said, it's been a lot of fun taking a look at each battle the past few months, and filling the site with entries based on comics that were just made for a site like this.

Unfortunately, criticms of this mini-series come to mind far quicker than praise.
Perhaps some of the most bitter results are the chances missed. Some of the fights alluded to, but not given enough screen time to make this extras special included: Steel versus Absorbing man, Green Lantern versus Green Goblin, Daredevil versus the Riddler, Batman versus Venom, Captain Marvel versus Dr. Doom, Punisher versus Deathstroke, Etrigan versus Ghost Rider, Thing.Human Torch versus Firestorm/Martian Manhunter, Superman versus Annihilus, Spider-man versus Man-Bat and Nightwing versus Gambit.

If even a fraction of that list could have been given a look in, this series might have even scraped through with obscurity cred. Unfortunately, these just highlight a lot of missed chances, sitting next to a lot of half-done fights listed in this entry, and even in previous 'official' entries.
I would also particularly highlight the absence of big names like the Fantastic Four and the Martian Manhunter, lucky to get even a one-page mention.

Overall, I suppose a lot of this has to be put down to the era.
The writing is not at all intelligent, providing a fairly standard cosmic romp with a lot of quick, vingettes for each fight. The drama and the story of each conflict is completely absent here, and that's a shame.

Visually the book is also lacking. Castellini and Jurgens appear as somewhat unusual choices for a project so huge in the context of comics history.
For a one-time situation, it's disappointing that more range and variety couldn't have been offered up.

Personally I'd love to see another effort, with contemporary talents and characters spreading the event across several mini-series and one-shots. Guys like Brian Bendis and Ed Brubaker with Michael Lark on Daredevil/Batman.
Characters like the JSA, the JLA and the Avengers all interacting. There really are endless possibilities.

Never the less, it was a very fun series, and great to see what we did.

Next month, as voted by poll, Monday madness will feature fights starring the Hulk! Hope you enjoyed revisiting Marvel versus DC, I know I did (even if it is 2am!)!

NEXT: Another special event! Celebrating the release of X3, Wolverine takes on a bitter foe in a whole other medium! Stay tuned!