FANTASY FIGHTS: CAPCOM/MARVEL ROUND 2!
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!

FEI LONG versus SHANG-CHI
Strength: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Draw 3 (Straight A)
Speed: Draw 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Draw 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Draw 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Draw 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Powers: Draw 1 (None)


The Hook...
To the best of my recollection, never before in the Infinite Wars have we ever had two fighters statistically identical. That fact alone highlights how intense a match-up we have on our hands, but when you take into account the fighting prowess the two characters represent to their respective universes, it's all the more exciting.

Both characters are product of the popularity of 1970's grindhouse Hong Kong cinema, and as the visuals clearly show, are direct responses/homages to the late great action star, Bruce Lee.

In divising our scientifically researched ratings system we took careful consideration when representing martial arts. Perhaps moreso than traditional stats, we try to recognise the match-winning power of a skilled fighter, positioning that somewhere between one-note powers, and cosmic omnipotence.

To their respective universes both Fei Long and Shang-Chi represet characters regarded as among the greatest fighters in the world, but at the same time, occupy tiers substantially below the A-list characters. This means unpredictability, and when that's duplicated? Well, let's find out!...

The Math: Draw Ranking: Fei Long (#71)

The Battle...
I'm in a bit of a hurry, so I'll try to make this quick...

While I tend to think this might be one of the closest fights we'll see in our Fantasy Fights, it's also one of the least complicated. At the end of the day these guys are two extremely dedicated and skilled martial artists, and on a fictional level, we've all seen that kind of thing done.

Since we try to come at these from the perspective of an actual comic book, the only requisite one can imagine, without breaking it down to panel by panel script form, is an array of high intensity martial arts action!

At the end of the battle there has to be a winner, and it's not easy to make the call. Splitting hairs, I think I'm inclined to suspect Shang-Chi would have the endurance and skill necessary to find some edge against Fei Long.

Despite being a regularly honed fighting machine, Fei Long's film career sees him operating in a world decidedly different from the superhero populated landscape of the Marvel Universe. Shang-Chi is going to be able to take this fight places Fei Long might struggle with, and that's where they break.

The Hammer...
I feel like Shang-Chi just isn't a guy you hear enough about in a modern context. I'm hardly any kind of Master of Kung Fu diehard, but I feel like a world that's become increasingly familiar with martial arts in cinema should be representing!

Then again, it's not like he hasn't been around.
Shang-Chi's been showing up in the recent Heroes for Hire revamp, and it wasn't so long ago there was a MAX treatment I know absolutely nothing about. So, I guess I can't really say he hasn't had a shot at a come back!

Speaking of come backs, if you've found yourself disgruntled with one of our Fantasy Fight decisions, or want to pitch a hook of your own, drop a comment!
The Fantasy Fights, though servicing my love of Street Fighter, remain a section of the site very specifically geared toward connecting with you, the reader!

We're running a little behind schedule, but as always, if you're looking for more be sure to use the navigational aids available. Though he hasn't made an official entry into the Infinite Wars yet, Shang-Chi shows up as an incidental character in the Marvel Zombies mini-series, which is just one of the series listed in our issue-based review index! You can also track your favourite creators, characters, comics, and companies with the use of tags at the bottom of every post!

WINNER: SHANG-CHI
1 versus 1

KEN MASTERS versus FEI LONG
Hot-Blooded Fei Long: Super Battle Action Movie (Group TAC/Capcom/Manga)
Where: Street Fighter II V Ep. 5 When: May 1995
Why: Gisaburō Sugii How: Kenji Haga/Jimmy Theodore, Kazuki Yao/Sean Mitchell

The story so far...
After years apart, the martial arts brothers Ken Masters and Ryu are reunited when the wealthy Ken invites his Japanese friend to stay with him in the United States.

It's not long before the two martial arts enthusiasts find their way into trouble, clashing with a group of young Air Force cadets. After their drill sergeant, Guile, manhandles Ryu and Ken both, the pair find inspiration to develop their techniques. Thus, Masters charters a plane to Hong Kong where they will hone their skills within one of the world's martial arts capitals.

Having survived the martial arts underworld of Kowloon Palace; Ryu and Ken, accompanied by their guide Chun-Li, come in contact with the legitimate face of Hong Kong's fighting stars -- Fei Long! With a visit to the set of his newest action picture, Ken and Ryu get a taste of the big time.

Previous Form:
Ken Masters (#61): Victory over Sodom, with sparring ties with Ryu.
Fei Long (#125): Victorious over a group of gangsters.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Ken Masters 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Ken Masters 3 (Straight A)
Speed: Fei Long 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Draw 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Fei Long 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Draw 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Powers: Ken Masters 3 (Explosives)


- Ken Masters is a practitioner of the same unnamed ansatsuken martial arts technique mastered by Gouken, Akuma and Ryu.

The style is heavily identified with the mastery over ones ki energy, allowing them to summon powers by methods of hadou. Ken has mastered the hadou-ken fireball and sho-ryu ken rising dragon punch, with a particular flair for the latter.

Ken is a well respected United States tournament champion, having won many tournaments and gained many accolades in his native America. It is this encompassing success that drives him to seek new challenges across the world.

- Fei Long is an accomplished martial artist and film start in Hong Kong.
His mastery of the Hitenryu Kung fu style earned him great attention in the film industry, with his performances best known for fast, furious and genuine fight scenes. At his heart, Fei Long is an honorable fighter who does not wish to compromise his integrity of spirit, despite a flair for showmanship.

The character, quite obviously inspired by the late film legend Bruce Lee, does not typically possess chi based attacks, best known for his prowess and speed.

The Math: Draw The Pick: Ken Masters

What went down...
Having escaped the murderous criminal underworld of the decrepid sectioned off part of the city known as Kowloon Palace; Ken and Ryu look forward to meeting famous Hong Kong film star Fei Long, an old friend of their tour guide, Chun-Li.

When the gang arrive on the set of Fei Long's latest film, they discover the set in disarray as Fei Long struggles to work with stuntment with insufficient skill and training to keep up with him in fight scenes. Ken and Ryu's newly established reputation proves to be the perfect curriculum vitae, and Ken is hired on the spot for a scene as a slumlord on Chun-Li's recommendation.

Forced to watch from the sidelines, Ryu watches his friend encounter Fei Long's fast moving fists and elaborate kicks. Ken provides minimal resistance to the skilled offensive, much to Ryu's vocal chagrin.

Having suffered through kicks and hits, Ken evades a series of jabs before being instructed by the director to amp the action up. Challenged to give it everything he has, Ken leaves behind the role of costumed actor, and begins to view Fei Long as an opponent to be beaten.

Ken quickly establishes an offensive, successfully landing a strike on a closing Fei Long, before evading the return attack to finish with a throw. The move sends Fei Long hurtling out of control into a golden decorative wall with a thud.

With Ryu egging him on, Ken makes his first out-right offensive, charging with his own combination of punches and kicks, all of which Fei Long manages to avoid. From the duck position he launches his own attack, a devestating kick!
Ken rolls with it, and narrowly avoids a descending flying kick from the Hong Kong star. Ken puts distance between the two of them with his own push kick.

As the director prepares to call a cut, an impressed Fei Long expresses a stoic respect for Masters. Ken returns the compliment in kind, noting Fei Long's skills, but backs himself to win the cinematic showdown.

The two fighters renew their attacks, launching into a familiar exchange of stiff punches, kicks and blocks. Each fighter connects with a range of maneuvers.

The two fighters pull out all the stops to impress one and other, launching into massive airborne assaults. Fei Long flies with a kick that breaks part of the ornate gold wall, while Ken misses his target to shatter a chunk of decorative stonework along the garden path.

Director and fighters alike show wanton disregard for the invaluable scenary of Hong Kong's famous Tiger Balm Garden. The raging bulls barge through film equipment and leap their way to higher levels of the garden.

Ken gets the edge over his opponent with a stiff set of punches, but Fei Long manages to turn things around abruptly with a knee to the head. The move knocks Ken's ridiculous slumlord wig off, again prompting on-the-fly changes, as the director and film crew struggle to keep up with the action.

Perched like statues of two ancient, warring gods, Ken and Fei Long continue to destroy priceless scenery, before coming to another stop. Deeply entranced in the heat of the fight, the pair plays for keeps as Fei Long launches into a string of high flying kicks, coming back to earth with a 360 flurry.

Ken survives the onslaught and unleashes his own, taking advantage of Fei Long's open torso with a barrage of body rips that end with a spectacular dragon punch! The devestating blow sends Fei Long airborne, leaving him wide open for a flying roundhouse kick, much to the horror of the director and his aid!

For but a moment Fei Long appears finished, but he leaps back from his fall ready to continue. Alas, despite the fight's initial integrity, Hollywood rules prevail as the director calls a cut after Fei Long's face is struck.

Fei Long is unwavering in his integrity, decrying the director's imposing "pretty boy" treatment. Even so, the director wins out, leaving Fei Long to express his honor and admiration for Ken and his impressive fighting skills.

The hammer...
If the fight had continued Ken had definitely earned himself a strong position, but with Fei Long still match-ready, it's impossible to call it either way. So, after all of that, we wrap this one up to call yet another draw! Bummer!

So, if you're one of the few readers who salivates for their weekly Street Fighter fix, yeah, apologies for the lateness. No sooner than I dedicate some assemblance of daily posting than I get wrapped up in other obligations, and energy draining activities. Hopefully we'll keep the ship steady as we come in to dock at the end of the month on Wednesday.

Thursday's Punch-Up will feature a round-up of the Marvel Ultimate Alliance Monday posts, which will conclude with "tomorrow's" final entry of Doom!
That'll also feature the latest Super Stock update where you'll be able to assess the progress of our Sunday sponsoring of the Street Fighters. The challenge is for one Street Fighter character to beat out their Marvel contemporaries to reach a spot in the coveted Infinite Wars Top Five in '07. Will it happen? Stay tuned!

Being that I'm running late now, I probably don't want to loiter too much, but this feature casts a prime example of something we've been talking about, in regards to Street Fighter.

It's my opinion that the most epic of failures in more recent Street Fighter endeavours has been the design and widespread infiltration of new characters who resemble very little that makes the Street Fighter mould so great.
We talked a bit about the fight culture that exists in Street Fighter in our last instalment [Sadler's Tournament], and this kind of emphasises that to a degree.

Working hand-in-hand in the original Street Fighter II successes are a lot of real world reference points that build on professional competition, street fighting, and cinematic influences on martial arts culture. Here we see the Bruce Lee/film influence, which is presented throughout Street Fighter history in a slightly cartoony manner, but helps anchor the asthetics in a stylized realism.

The film aspect, along with things like Ken's status as an official US organization champion paint a stark contrast to later additions that featured wacky robots, mutated experiments, ancient wargods, and wannabe superheroes.

Likewise, basing this fight in the realworld location of Tiger Balm Garden (not coincidentally Fei Long's in-game background in SFII) again helps provoke that sense of realism, and the intrinsic connection to a characturized international flavour. The world stage has always been a big part of this, and as much as fight culture has been crucial to shaping the characters and franchise, so too has world culture. Yes, especially for the more closetted students, there is a shred of teaching to be taken from this beat 'em up series!

That about wraps it up here, as I type desperately to close things up as the clock ticks later and later. I'll make a closing reference to the Amazon paraphernalia that's popping up around the website.

You'll probably have noticed that, despite the distraction of my lengthy rantings, this site model is far better lent to assessing and encapsulating the zeitgeist of the year through weekly new comic reviews. Unfortunately that just isn't a financial burden I can meet, and while this probably won't help things, I get a small percentage credit from Amazon any time you make a purchase via one of these links. So, if you've read a review and fancy checking it out for yourself, keep an eye out for an Amazon plug at the bottom of the page!

That's about all the pitiful dirt merchant whoring I can stand for one night. Stay tuned for "tomorrow's" post of Doom, and marvel at how bad one man can draw with "today's" earlier cartoon post that people almost certainly won't get, or won't think is funny. More of that kind of diversity to come.

The Fight: 6.5 The Episode: 5

[If the Infinite Wars have sufficiently prepared you for a whole lot of dumb fun, and you want to check out these episodes in full, then you can't pass up the value of the Street Fighter II V complete twenty-nine episode box set! Only on the DVD will you be able to catch the complete showdown in Kowloon Palace, and all the in-between stuff we don't show you! Mmm, sales!]

QUICK FIX DOUBLE FEATURE: The New Challengers!
THUNDERHAWK versus THUGS
(UDON)
Where: Street Fighter II #3 When: February 2006
Why: Ken Siu-Chong How: Alvin Lee

Quick Fix...
Okay, I'm going to start this entry way off on a tangent.
Earlier today I spent a disturbing amount of time sifting through google hits, conventional and blogsearch, looking for dates and issue numbers. I couldn't find them.

I do my best to make sure Secret Wars on Infinite Earths is a multi-layered and enjoyable reading experience, several times a week. If I might not always live up to that lofty expectation, I always find great pride in including explicit and relevant information for cross searching needs.

Now, let the minutes show that it is indeed Sunday, and therefore we must address today's pressing Street Fighter business. On today's agenda, two of the new warriors that made their debut in the revision title, Super Street Fighter II.

When a lot of casual fans think of Street Fighter, they're actually thinking of Street Fighter II. It was in this revamped sequel that the series left behind it's simpler side-scrolling to develop fleshed out characters, and the beat 'em up style that we all know and love. Characters like Ken, Ryu, and Sagat were all explicitly transplanted from the first Street Fighter into the sequel, but for the most part the game boasted a whole new cast of World Warriors.

Super Street Fighter II introduced a brand new quartet of characters from Greece, Jamaica, Mexico and Hong Kong. They were Cammy White, Dee Jay, T.Hawk and Fei Long respectively, and each would become stalwarts of the series.

It was Cammy who undeniably made the biggest splash, becoming an iconic instantly recognised pin-up in a similar fashion to predecssor Chun-Li; a contrast to cult additions like Dee Jay, and today's first subject, Thunderhawk.

T.Hawk's revenge story is ultimately one familiar to the genre.
He enters the Street Fighter tournament seeking revenge against Shadaloo mastermind and final boss, M. Bison, who harrassed the Thunderfoot tribe from their land, and ultimately murdered T.Hawk's rebellious father.

Like many of the most memorable supporting characters from the Street Fighter franchise; T.Hawk's model represents a two-dimensional quality to characterization. He presents much less martial arts style than other characters, instead erring for a strong ethnic charicature to strengthen his identity.

UDON maintain Thunderhawk's strong ethnic visuals, but extrapolate his role to incorporate the strong law enforcement representation to better initiate the character into the story. Chun-Li and Cammy White leave Guile behind to meet up with T.Hawk in his native Mexico, pursuing leads that involve Shadaloo's experiments with brainwashing -- a scenario Cammy herself escaped from.

Waiting for T.Hawk in a diner, Chun-Li and Cammy find themselves in the midst of an armed robbery. Their uniforms attract the attention of the gang's ring leader, prompting the two to debate combat honors, but it is ultimately the arriving Thunderhawk who takes control.

He makes light work of the two stragglers, making his dramatic first appearance with the collision of the would-be robber's heads.

Looming over the crooks, T.Hawk takes the surprised leader by the shoulder, using his turning motion to swiftly disarm him of his shotgun. With a look of distain, he removes the live cartridges.

Relieved of his weapon, the common thug doesn't stand a chance against the towering Thunder Foot warrior. T.Hawk ducks a punch and unleashes a powerful open-palm style, working the gut with a push before sealing the deal with a chop to the neck that leaves the gunman unconscious.

A gracious host, Thunderhawk apologises for the unsavory welcome, and makes a formal introduction to Chun-Li and Cammy.

UDON do well to incorporate elements of T.Hawk's Alpha storyline from the video games, building the sub-plot of Bison's brainwashed Dolls, which plays a significant part in Cammy White's mysterious history. As in the games, T.Hawk makes it his business to seek Little Eagle (Noviembre), along with Juli, who is attributed the backstory of being daughter to a German doctor who provided healthcare to those of the Thunderfoot reserve.

There's a question to be asked of UDON's preperation for longterm planning.
The inclusion of storylines like this, which do well to flesh out characters like T.Hawk, also collide with elements from various other installments in the game series, chronologically released prior to the Alpha expansion.

If one were to really look into the subtext of the situation, this might be an inadvertant glimmer of hope for fans of the games. Burning through storyline so quickly could be an indication that UDON's good will with Capcom and association with yet another revamp of the SFII port might be leading to a potential Street Fighter 4. On the other hand, it may yet be another example of short sighted writing from a studio of pencillers.

The Street Fighter license isn't UDON's to own, so the future may in fact be finite, but I can't help but raise the concern once again that this resembles a case of pencillers working as writers. Typical of a writer is longterm consideration, often absent in penciller's attempts to construct story.

I don't actually know Ken Siu-Chong's history, and I certainly don't mean to inflect negativity on his script work for the series, or pencillers in general.
From a position of interest in the future of the series, and a critical analysis, it's just very difficult to get away from these things. With a tournament allegedly the eventual target for Street Fighter II, one can't help but feel there are a lot of storyarcs building that suggest the logical conclusion of closure from such an event. That doesn't necessarily mean that is the case, but it's a theory.

If you have any theories about the future of the series, be sure to drop a comment. I so rarely here from even our regular readers, and lord knows it's unusual to run afoul Street Fighter fans in the thick of the American superhero comics scene. So say hello, because it's lonely out here.

The Fix: 4 The Issue: 4
Winner: Thunderhawk

[Juggling multiple storylines and groups pays dividends in fan service, but the rush of characters and plot points seems too much, spread too thin. The shift to SFII to streamline was an admirable call, but as the issues unfold it again begins to feel as if the central concept is lost, and stories are meandering toward their conclusion.]

---

FEI LONG versus MOBSTERS
(UDON)
Where: Street Fighter #8 When: May 2004
Why: Ken Siu-Chong How: Alvin Lee

Quick Fix...
It worked for Guile in his first appearance in the series [Street Fighter #1], and we just saw a strong showing from Thunderhawk, so I guess it's hard to argue against the gang-fight introduction.

Liu Kang (Mortal Kombat), Marshall Law (Tekken), Jann Lee (Dead or Alive): all characters who may have existed without Street Fighter, but represent the same tradition that saw the creation of Fei Long. One of the very first and perhaps most instantly recognisable characters, Fei Long represents the none-too subtle homage to cinematic martial arts legend, Bruce Lee.

Since his inclusion in Super Street Fighter II in 1993, the Bruce Lee clone has become an archetype of beat 'em up gaming, represented in most major series in the genre. Fei Long represents perhaps the most literal representation of the character, sharing many explicity commonalities in appearance, style, phrase, and story.

Fei Long's character and story remain typically consistent across the many adaptations of Street Fighter into various mediums. When he isn't starring in the next action blockbuster, he's practising the philosophies and mastery of the martial arts, sometimes returning to the street fighting circuit to stay true.

As a young and exceptionally talented Hong Kong film star, Fei Long almost inevitably attracts the attentions of criminal interests in the business.
Invited to star in a picture by ladies Xiayu and Yanyu, Fei Long finds himself set upon by thugs in an alley outside the studio where he has spent the day filming.

Despite overwhelming odds, Fei Long defies the pack of mobsters, unleashing the martial arts skills that made him one of the most popular movie stars in Hong Kong. His kick proves so powerful, it sends Dai Loe, the gang leader, flying through the air to the windsheld of his expensive sports car.

Through a muzzle of blood, the mobster orders his gang to kill the movie star.
Quoting the infamous water philosophy of Bruce Lee, Fei Long unleashes the full extent of his skill. With lightning quick kicks and fists, he takes his undisciplined opponents apart.

Like a scene from one of his movies, Fei Long produces a pair of nunchaku, evening up the score against the mob of thugs, some armed with baseball bats and blades. Attacking with devestating precision, he renders the goons embarrassed and bruised, leaving only he and Dai Loe.

Still on the hood of his car, the mobster draws a knife on the stoic Fei Long. The martial arts superstar's wags his finger, prompting Dai Loe to opt for a clean getaway over a confrontation he will inevitably lose.

Despite the decisive victory, Dai Loe still promises death for Fei Long at the hands of his masters. A fate Fei Long will no doubt meet with confidence of fist.

And with that, we wrap up the last post of the month, and another fine double feature inclusion to our weekend sponsoring of the Street Fighter brand. The October Punch-Up will reveal more on the progress of the Street Fighters against their superhero contemporarys, via the regular super stock listing. The list will also include all the other September movers and shakers in the on-going rankings.

We'll also have another exciting Quick Fix for your consumption, and discussion aplenty about issues of varying importance. Until then, it's midnight and I'm gonna hit the sack. We'll talk more about Fei Long in the coming weekends.

The Fix: 5 The Issue: 5
Winner: Fei Long

[Though seamless from the previous issue, this marked the first of UDON's self-publishing efforts discussed in the previous entry. In a call back to the first half of today's post, it's worth noting that Xiayu and Yanyu are both Dolls from the Alpha video games, rather than Hong Kong gangsters.]