HERO OF THE WEEK: DOCTOR FATE #155 (DC)
Real Name: Kent Nelson
Battles Recorded: 3
Wins: 1  Losses: -  Ties: 1
Win Percentage: 50.0%
Recent Opponents: Hawkman, Morgauth, The Demons Three
First Appearance: More Fun Comics #55 (May, 1940)
Patron: Become a Tier 2 Patron to choose a Hero of the Week!

When his archaeologist father perished unearthing an ancient Mesopotamian tomb; young Kent Nelson became the ward of the revived Lord of Order inside - Nabu. Nelson was trained to master the mystic arts, eventually receiving three objects of great power: The Amulet of Anubis, The Cloak of Destiny, and The Helmet of Fate. With these artifacts he would become an agent of order and enemy of evil!

Doctor Fate has appeared sporadically in DC multimedia, most often as the iconic Kent Nelson. It has recently been announced that Pierce Brosnan will appear as the hero in the 2022 feature film Black Adam. Although details of the plot remain limited, Brosnan's Fate is expected to share the big screen with a version of the Justice Society of America.

Did You Know: Kent Nelson has not been the sole custodian of The Helmet of Fate. His mantle has been taken up by many men and women, including his wife Inza Cramer, great nephew Kent V. Nelson, Eric Strauss, Linda Strauss, Jared Stevens, Hector Hall, Khalid Nassour, and Nabu himself!

Fight Club Remarks: We've barely scratched the surface of Doctor Fate's vast mystic domain. The scope of his concern transcends hand-to-hand combat, but there are still many battles to be examined.

Featured Fights:
- Doctor Fate versus Hawkman (All-Star Squadron #4)
- Justice Society versus Morgauth (JSA Strange Adventures #1)
- Justice League versus The Demons Three (Justice League Unlimited #14)

Want to see a particular character in the Hero of the Week spotlight? Subscribe to Patreon at the Hero of the Week Tier to support your favourite character and Secret Wars on Infinite Earths!

    [Home]      Hero of the Week: Scarlet Witch >>

HERO OF THE WEEK: SCARLET WITCH #425 (Marvel)
Real Name: Wanda Maximoff
Battles Recorded: 7
Wins: 1  Losses: 4  Ties: 2
Win Percentage: 14.3%
Recent Opponents: Freedom Force, Magneto, Thanos
First Appearance: X-Men #4 (March, 1964)
Patron: Become a Tier 2 Patron to choose a Hero of the Week!

In her youth Wanda Maximoff and her brother Pietro were rescued from hostile villagers by Magneto. Born with a gift for effecting improbable events through her natural acumen for hex magic; Scarlet Witch joined the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants under Magneto's guidance, but after battling the X-Men, turned over a new leaf as an accepted charter member of "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" - The Avengers!

Elizabeth Olsen stars as Scarlet Witch in the Disney+ television series: WandaVision. The show is very loosely inspired by storylines from the second Vision and The Scarlet Witch mini-series, and issues of Avengers West Coast, among others. The 9 episode series is Olsen's fifth outing as the character after appearing in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, and the Avengers sequels Infinity War and Endgame. She will return in the upcoming Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness.

Did You Know: As an adult Wanda learned Magneto was her true father, but this too was challenged decades later when a spell targeting her bloodline failed to impact Magneto. The High Evolutionary led her to believe The Maximoffs were her true parents all along, and she is not a mutant.

Fight Club Remarks: There has always been an element of chaos and uncertainty surrounding Scarlet Witch's powers. There is still a lot of work to be done to explore the full potential of her abilities.

Featured Fights:
- X-Men versus Sub-Mariner & Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (X-Men #6)
- Magneto versus Quicksilver, Vision & Scarlet Witch (Vision and The Scarlet Witch #4)
- Avengers versus Symbiote Thor (What If...? #4)
- Freedom Force versus Avengers (Avengers #312)
- Wonder Man & Scarlet Witch versus Grim Reaper (Avengers West Coast #65)
- Scarlet Witch, Cyclops & Vision versus Thanos (Infinity Gauntlet #4)
- Iron Man & Force Works versus The Mandarin (Iron Man #312)
- Avengers versus Galacus (What If...? #70)
- Avengers versus Thor & Loki (Avengers #1)
- Teen Titans versus Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (Unlimited Access #3)
- Avengers versus The Destroyer (Thor #1)

Want to see a particular character in the Hero of the Week spotlight? Subscribe to Patreon at the Hero of the Week Tier to support your favourite character and Secret Wars on Infinite Earths!

<< Hero of the Week: Doctor Fate     [Home]      Hero of the Week: Jean Grey >>

HERO OF THE WEEK: PHOENIX (Marvel)
Real Name: Jean Grey
First Appearance: X-Men #1 (September, 1963)
Fight Club Ranking: #121

Featured Fights:
- vs BROTHERHOOD OF EVIL MUTANTS: X-Men #6 (Jul 1964)
- vs AHAB & THE HOUNDS: X-Men Annual #14 (1990)
- vs MAGNETO: X-Men #25 (Oct 1993)
- vs ONSLAUGHT: Onslaught: X-Men #1 (Aug 1996)
- vs EXECUTIONER: Marvel: Heroes & Legends #1 (Oct 1996)
- vs SHI'AR IMPERIAL GUARD: New X-Men #124 (May 2002)
- vs XORN: New X-Men #150 (Feb 2004)

I finally got around to watching the new Hellboy trailer, and as tempting as it is to talk about that, I'd just be echoing sentiments I already shared last year. I'd rather look ahead to something more exciting and positive, and in FOX's Dark Phoenix - there is tremendous hope in its great unknowns!

By and large this is being viewed as a swansong for the world begun with 2000's X-Men. The Disney acquisition of Fox Studios will be complete some time next year, and there's significant anticipation for how the X-Men will be renewed as part of Marvel Studios' shared cinematic universe.

That it's all seemingly ending on a cosmic stage with Phoenix seems perfect for blending the X-Men into the bigger Marvel picture, but the powers-that-be have repeatedly told fans there are no such plans, and I think it's probably best to assume there aren't. After all, it's very rare that Marvel films actually go for the jugular when it comes to world-building, or cool comic book-style surprises.

Truth be told, it's probably a good thing. For one: any future incorporation of the X-Men into the MCU should be well considered. More importantly: Dark Phoenix is a story that's part of its own continuum and should be watched and enjoyed by those terms. It warrants our undivided attention.

Of course, there's still plenty to speculate about within those parameters. Where there's Dark Phoenix, there's the emotionally charged confrontation with the Shi'ar Imperial Guard. Given Bryan Singer's propensity for Star Trek, it seems hopeful that an intergalactic alien space empire might have a shot of making it to the big screen, and with Singer out of the director's chair - it might even be a fun, colourful experience, more in keeping with the highlight that was X-Men: First Class.

I know I probably shouldn't, but I'm getting excited for the prospect of Gladiator. There don't seem to be any powerhouses in the film's 1992 line-up, so the presumption that the uber-powerful praetor might square-off with Phoenix herself is a pretty enticing notion.

There isn't much of anything to support the notion that the X-Men will go up against aliens in Dark Phoenix. The regrettable X-Men: The Last Stand already told us Jean Grey's dark manifestation in the movies was psychological in nature. Yet, the assertion that next year's movie aims to do the story better justice inevitably leads one to think about what Chris Claremont and John Byrne put on the page. The ambiguity surrounding Colossus actor Daniel Cudmore's return also tickles at a Gladiator theory.

It feels like there's still so much unknown about Dark Phoenix - and that's exciting! I haven't loved everything about FOX's tenure as keepers of the X-Men, but their willingness to branch out into weird and wonderful extensions has been a thrill that distinguishes from Marvel's formulaic repetition. 2011's sleeper X-Men: First Class turned out to be an unlikely highlight for all superhero cinema. Movies like Deadpool and The Wolverine showed promise for where it was all going.

I'm looking forward to finding out more about Dark Phoenix in the new year, before it's theatrical release in July. Here's hoping it's worthy of providing our Hero of the Week!

<< Hero of the Week: Scarlet Witch     [Home]      Hero of the Week 12/17: Black Manta >>

HERO OF THE WEEK: BLACK MANTA (DC)
Real Name: David Hyde
First Appearance: Aquaman #35 (September, 1967)
Fight Club Ranking: #865

Featured Fights:
- vs AQUAMAN: Adventure Comics #446 (Jul-Aug 1976)

It was tempting to talk about Sony's Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse this week, which is dazzling audiences with its multiverse of colour and animation, but for all the good it brings, I'm not immediately excited about the fresh fractures it widens with multiple cinematic Spider-Men.

For better or worse, I'm more enticed by the first-run cinematic world-building of Aquaman, which is the other major superhero release hitting theatres in December. We certainly couldn't let 2018 pass without acknowledging the glory of Black Manta! Just look at the bad ass poster shared via @AquamanShrine last month [below]!

A villain once out of favor for his over-the-top design, Black Manta now struts into cinematic live-action with a serviceable recreation complete with that oh-so bonkers, oh-so wonderful bug-eyed helmet! He seems destined to be a favourite for anyone giving the movie a chance and I can see why! Yahya Abdul-Mateen II does the honors - bringing life to Black Manta as a technologically savvy nemesis out to collect on a vendetta against Aquaman! Just look at him!!

The film has already been racking up record-breaking box office overseas, confirming record takings in China for a US release. After the blowback felt by other DCEU movies, I've got to think early release in those markets was a deliberate, deft move to temper early negativity. It's a bit of a cynical move, but unlike other films from this slate, it seems to be in service of giving a fun movie a fair go.

To would-be moviegoers sneering at yet another CG-encrusted superhero blockbuster, I would suggest the mistake was seeing many of the other ones. Monotony has been an issue in superhero movies in general, but offerings like Batman v Superman and Justice League were obvious enough to betray their failings pre-release. Aquaman hasn't been easy to read ahead of time, but certainly pitches enough to make it the one worth rolling the dice on.

I'm looking forward to seeing a visually vibrant superhero film. It's too infrequent. A less-than-harrowing adventure into strange worlds sounds like a great change of pace. Actors like Willem Dafoe and Dolph Lundgren stir intrigue and enthusiasm. Villains like Black Manta and Ocean Master stoke curiosity, with all kinds of crazy extras stuffed into trailers to suggest something fun!

Aquaman officially makes domestic United States shores later this week, flooding theatres December 21st. Make sure you don't leave before the post-credits scene! If you haven't had enough hydration you can find more Aquaman by deep diving links in Hero of the Week, the Secret Archive and more!

<< Hero of the Week 12/24: Phoenix     [Home]     Hero of the Week 12/10: Firestorm >>

HERO OF THE WEEK: FIRESTORM (DC)
Real Name: Ronnie Raymond
First Appearance: Firestorm #1 (March, 1978)
Fight Club Ranking: #886

Featured Fights:
- vs BRIMSTONE: Legends #1 (Nov 1986)
- vs BRIMSTONE: Legends #2 (Dec 1986)

What a weekend! Narrowing it down to just one Hero of the Week has not been an easy task!

We had announcement trailers for Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 3 and Mortal Kombat 11 at The Game Awards on Friday! The first official trailers for Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame, and Spider-Man: Far From Home, (the latter, albeit, only witnessed by those attending a Brazilian Comic-Con)! There was also last night's broadcast of the first part of the hotly anticipated CW Three-Part Elseworlds crossover featuring previously discussed HOTW The Flash!

With all of these incredible multimedia heavyweights throwing haymakers from the hip -- what ultimately piqued my interest? It turned out it was something from comics! More specifically: Firestorm - The Nuclear Man, who had a major moment in this week's Doomsday Clock! Read on if you don't mind spoilers!

The highlight came in last week's Doomsday Clock #8, where Firestorm became embroiled in the "Supermen Theory", which supposes hostile military conspiracy is responsible for the high density population of super-powered individuals in the United States.

Newsarama documented the key events - most notably Firestorm's pursuit of Pozhar - which resulted in the accidental transmutation of everyone in Moscow's Red Square into glass. This unusual event, along with Superman's attempt to pacify Russia, has apparently brought them to the brink of war.

The political thriller has obvious overtones reminiscent of Watchmen, functioning quite openly as a controversial pseudo-sequel and crossover, but the eighties reference also seems to extend to the pre-New 52 DC Universe, where Firestorm and Pozhar were significant players, emerging together out of the American/Russian tensions that played a major role in late-eighties, post-Crisis DC Comics.

The more DC Comics can evoke the spirit of better days, the more interested I'm certainly going to be. We've been looking back at the period more often on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, including two noteworthy episodes in this year's featured fights, from Suicide Squad #6 and Suicide Squad #43.

There's still a twinkle of hope that the entire exercise of Doomsday Clock, and its largely unnecessary exploitation of the Watchmen brand, might at last be walking back the damage done with Flashpoint and The New 52. At the very least, it's bringing the Golden Age heroes and the Justice Society of America back into the picture, which is welcome.

Whatever the end goal is: I got a real kick out of Firestorm being back in the spotlight, mixing it up with old enemies (and friends), and having a heroic moment as he reached into the matrix of his powers to restore human beings who were turned into glass.

Yes, I also enjoyed the People's Hero of Russia callously shattering those same people as they and military tanks rushed to attack a Superman desperate to protect the very lives they were ending. Somehow that just didn't seem in the spirit of Hero of the Week. Maybe if Stalnoivolk shows up, eh?

If you like late-eighties DC Comics, be sure to check out the 2018 Feature Fight Recap and vote for those Suicide Squad battles I mentioned. The Top 20 fights of Season 2018 will be crowned this month. All you have to do is click those links as many times as you like to register a hit for the respective battle! Vote for as many fights as you like - as often as you like!

<< Hero of the Week 12/17: Black Manta      [Home]     Hero of the Week 12/03: Daredevil >>

HERO OF THE WEEK: DAREDEVIL (Marvel)
Real Name: Matt Murdock
First Appearance: Daredevil #1 (April, 1964)
Fight Club Ranking: #13

Featured Fights:
- vs BULLSEYE: Daredevil #132 (Apr 1976)
- vs HULK: Daredevil #163 (Mar 1980)
- vs TYPHOID MARY: Daredevil #255 (Jun 1988)
- vs PUNISHER: Daredevil #257 (Aug 1988)
- vs TURK: Marvel Comics Presents #19 ((May 1989)
- vs SCOPE: Marvel Comics Presents #49 (May 1990)
- vs SLADE: Daredevil: Man Without Fear #2 (Nov 1993)
- vs DEADPOOL: Contest of Champions II #4 (Nov 1999)
- vs BULLSEYE: Daredevil #49 (Sep 2003)
- vs PUNISHER: Daredevil #65 (Nov 2004)
- vs WOLVERINE: Wolverine #24 (Mar 2005)
- vs SINISTER TWELVE: Marvel Knights: Spider-man #11 (Apr 2005)
- vs JESTER: Daredevil #75 (Sep 2005)
- vs BULLSEYE: Daredevil #79 (Jan 2006)
- vs IRON FIST: Daredevil #87 (Sep 2006)
- vs TOMBSTONE: Daredevil #90 (Dec 2006)
- vs TOMBSTONE & MATADOR: Daredevil #91 (Jan 2007)

After three seasons on Netflix: Daredevil has officially been cancelled! The news came via Deadline, who reports Marvel may still have plans for Charlie Cox and the live-action series, which joins Iron Fist and Luke Cage on the chopping block. Jessica Jones and The Punisher are expected to follow suit, once already-produced third and second seasons debut for the respective shows.

High cost of production and plunging ratings have been the most cited cause for the break, but diverging interests have been developing between Marvel and Netflix for quite some time. Long awaited confirmation of a Disney streaming service signaled the end, but a struggle appeared to be brewing when Netflix made surprise moves in 2017 to purchase Mark Millar, and all his foreseeable Millarworld comic book creations. This included a venture into the publishing world.

Some assume Daredevil could play out unresolved plotlines on the Disney+ platform, but there's no shortage of options ahead. A continuation would be one way to encourage an existing Netflix viewer-base to explore the new alternative, but Netflix have made it known the various existing Defenders shows will continue to be available, suggesting the library could be tied-up for a little while. Disney are also already banking on three high-profile mini-series spinning out of their film division.

Falcon & Winter Soldier, Scarlet Witch & Vision, and Loki are all set to utilize characters from the Avengers film pantheon, delivering the Marvel Universe to an extended television format in ways ABC's Agents of SHIELD -- and the Netflix dramas themselves -- never did. Their isolation and adult tone gave the Netflix shows some broad appeal, but a dearth of characters and reference also led to some of the greatest criticisms. Their value moving forward may be in parts, rather than shows.

The expansive implications of Avengers: Infinity War highlighted a desire to see Daredevil and his TV kin within the larger Marvel context. Indeed, if there were any way to continue on with Daredevil, the most desirable would probably be a team-up with Spider-man!

Sony have been talking up a crime-filled future of Spider-related films, building up prospects for the Black Cat, Tombstone, Silver Sable, and more. It would be awesome to see Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin assume his place at the top of that organized crime world!

To date Marvel haven't typically gone very hard with their properties, but the potential to be more interesting is being foisted upon them. The original film Avengers are increasingly flirting with an exit, and the winds of change present the potential to restock the movie tent-pole with characters whose history has already been told. Daredevil and the Netflix characters could usher in an era of New Avengers, or even bolster supporting casts, such as Iron Fist in a sequel to Doctor Strange.

If history has told us anything, it's that the most exciting prospects probably won't pan out. The future is never the less uncertain. Marvel is preparing to welcome X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Silver Surfer back into their fold via the FOX acquisition. With Daredevil and the Netflix characters now at loose ends, the future feels very uncertain. Which is good enough to make DD the Hero of the Week!

<< Hero of the Week 12/10: Firestorm    [Home]    Hero of the Week 11/26: Aquaman >>

HERO OF THE WEEK: AQUAMAN (DC)
Real Name: Arthur Curry
First Appearance: More Fun Comics #73 (November, 1941)
Fight Club Ranking: #20

Featured Fights:
- vs OCEAN MASTER: Adventure Comics #444 (Mar-Apr 1976)
- vs BLACK MANTA: Adventure Comics #446 (Jul-Aug 1976)
- vs MERCURY MONSTER: Secret Origins #32 (Nov 1988)
- vs WOOD KING: Secret Origins #32 (Nov 1988)
- vs SUB-MARINER: Marvel versus DC #2 (Apr 1996)
- vs ULTRAMARINE CORPS: JLA: Classified #3 (Mar 2005)
- vs DESPERO: JLA #118 (Nov 2005)
- vs MERA & TEMPEST: Blackest Night #2 (Oct 2009)

We've been paddling in the Aquaman pool on-and-off for a couple of months now, exploring uncharted waters in anticipation of next week's theatrical release. WB has unleashed the final trailer, officially signaling our Hero of the Week's imminent arrival - December 5th! Check it out below:

It's been tough to get a precise read on the film, but I'm very much enjoying the visual spectacle and promise of a unique flavor! It's been a while since Hollywood embraced its tradition of the deep sea epic. The vibrant colours of an underwater environment have instantly imbued Aquaman with an unique aesthetic that comic book movies have too often lacked!

The underwater kingdoms and creatures look pretty good for what is, presumably, a mostly CG creation. There's every hope Atlantis and its neighbouring civilizations can succeed where similar films have failed. This is already looking more exciting than Green Lantern's dimly lit Oa, and slightly more stimulating than the dry fantasy realms of 2012's underrated John Carter. I'm a fan of the cool palette, complimented with sea creature neons. It all looks very well realized and palatable.

Efforts to bring Jason Mamoa's Aquaman more in line with a classic comic book design have been much appreciated, as well. The gold and green looks fantastic! Even Amber Heard looks pretty great in Mera's simple fish scale suit, with vivid red hair! The only fear for Yahya Abdul-Mateen's helmeted Black Manta is that there might not be enough of him in the final cut! He looks incredible!

Even if there's some lingering uncertainty - it's been a welcome change of pace to have genuine curiosity about a DC film after the ominous misery of most of their other offerings. Indeed, the stink of Justice League could've been a real detriment, but by doubling down on what makes Aquaman unique, the movie has positioned itself to be the most enticing of the bunch!

It also helps that this will be a rare example of WB & DC beating their competition to the punch. Aquaman will claim the waters before Disney & Marvel are able to make use of the much discussed Sub-Mariner license. Given the unflattering comparisons of Justice League to Avengers -- and DC's entire model for building a shared cinematic universe -- that's no small relief!

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has traditionally been a Sub-Mariner stronghold, but even we've succumbed to Aquamania! Friday's feature fight win not only pushed Aquaman into the Top 20, but also marks the first time in the history of the site we've ranked Aquaman above Namor!

The majority of Warner Bros' slated productions involve more offerings from their proven properties [Harley Quinn, Joker, Wonder Woman], but I remain of the long held belief that drilling into faithful cinematic versions of less travelled characters could be the best way to combat Marvel Entertainment's milquetoast dominance. It certainly seems to have worked for Sony's Venom, and is well on the way to delivering the same for Aquaman. Let's just hope the movie's actually good!

<< Hero of the Week 12/3: Daredevil     [Home]     Hero of the Week 11/19: Rag Doll >>

HERO OF THE WEEK: RAG DOLL (DC)
Real Name: Peter Merkel
First Appearance: Flash Comics #36 (December, 1942)
Fight Club Ranking: #DNR

Featured Fights:
- Yet To Be Featured on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths

It's no secret I'm not the biggest fan of the current crop of superhero television -- but there's also no denying that sometimes they deliver the goods! Case in point: Rag Doll - who made his striking screen debut during this week's episode of The Flash. Don't hit play below if you're squeamish!

Rag Doll started out as a cutesy Jay Garrick villain, but over the decades he's become increasingly creepy, cranking up the twisted body horror and spooky doll factor! That's the element the TV show looks to capture - embellishing the performance of real-life contortionist Troy James with inhuman CG twists, and some very effective costuming!

The live-action incarnation seems to infuse the character with a little bit of the spirit of Peter Merkel Jr (of Secret Six fame), stopping short of his full harlequin look, while borrowing the eerie white face mask. The classic Raggedy Anne look is finally switched out for a vintage suit, recalling sinister ventriloquist dummies, and the uncanny disjointed movements of an old marionette.

It's always nice to see TV digging deeper into comic book obscurities, and even better when they do it well! I'm not gonna become a regular Flash viewer any time soon, but interesting and visual ideas like these will always warrant a second look.

The return of John Wesley Shipp as 1990's TV Flash will be another reason to watch during next month's Elseworlds crossover! It was an exciting talking point of October, but if you flash back to this time a couple of years ago, we were also talking about his role as Jay Garrick a week after Marvel's Champion of the Universe was Hero of the Week. The Champ was back in last week's HOTW, and here we are talking The Flash once again. Has somebody been screwing with time again? See you next week!

<< Hero of the Week 11/26: Aquaman     [Home]      Hero of the Week 11/12: Champion >>

HERO OF THE WEEK: THE CHAMPION (Marvel)
Real Name: Tryco Slatterus
First Appearance: Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7 (October, 1982)
Fight Club Ranking: #320

Featured Fights:
- vs THOR: Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7 (1982)
- vs SHE-HULK: She-Hulk #8 (Dec 2004)
- vs SHE-HULK: She-Hulk #8 (Dec 2004)

Well, it must be November, because combat's in the air, and Champion of the Universe is back in the spotlight! It still seems like yesterday, but it was this time two years ago we were celebrating the return of Tryco Slatterus in comics! Now it seems he's making a run to rule mobile video games!

Newsarama highlighted the exciting new addition, which takes Champion into the arena of Marvel: Contest of Champions - an aptly titled, free-to-play card collecting fighter for iOS and Android. Its been around since the end of [2014], so it's taken a while for the true champ to enter the fight, but now that he's arriving he's bringing the power primordial to deliver some big time power-ups.

Champion of the Universe is never far from mind on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths. Though famous for fighting Thing on debut in Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7, The Champ has fought many powerful figures from the Marvel Universe! We've scratched the surface with Thor, who was actually the first Earth hero to battle Champion in his first appearance [see; Thor vs Champion of the Universe].

One of the things that makes a Champion fight interesting are the rules of conduct. As Thor learned, one does not simply swing wildly when challenging the champ! Ring rules played a major role when She-Hulk scored an upset victory in her now-classic rematch bout, as well. The Champion traditionally favours the art of boxing, but it looks like Contest is going more of a pro-wrestling route, with Newsarama reporting special moves like a dropkick, and press backbreaker.

Be sure to check out the featured fight links at the top of the page to get more familiar with the Champion of the Universe! Then stay ttuned to the main page, Twitter, Facebook, and the Secret Archive for future updates. We're overdue for another main event title contest!

<< Hero of the Week 11/19: Rag Doll      [Home]      Hero of the Week 10/22: The Flash >>

HERO OF THE WEEK: FLASH (DC)
Real Name: Barry Allen
First Appearance: Showcase #4 (October, 1956)
Fight Club Ranking: #16

Featured Fights:
- vs ANTI-MONITOR'S CANNON: Crisis on Infinite Earths #8 (Nov 1985)
- vs FIRE GIANT: Secret Origins #32 (Nov 1988)
- vs WOOD KING: Secret Origins #32 (Nov 1988)
- vs SUPERMAN: Dark Knight Strikes Again #1 (Nov 2001)
- vs CAPTAIN COLD: DC: The New Frontier #2 (Apr 2004)
- vs SAVITAR: Flash: Rebirth #1 (Jun 2009)
- vs LADY FLASH: Flash: Rebirth #2 (Jul 2009)
- vs SUPERMAN: Flash: Rebirth #3 (Aug 2009)
- vs REVERSE-FLASH: Flash: Rebirth #4 (Sep 2009)
- vs MARTIAN MANHUNTER: Green Lantern #44 (Sep 2009)

The Flash is making a television comeback -- and I don't mean the kid in the pleather cosplay!

The upcoming DC/CW "Elseworlds" crossover has revealed John Wesley Shipp back in the crimson suit he wore for 22 underrated episodes in 1990-91! Feast your eyes on a scintillating still shot shared to Twitter by Marc Guggenheim - and marvel at how excellent the recreation still looks!

When The Flash debuted on The CW in 2014, it was bittersweet to see Shipp appear as Barry Allen's wrongfully imprisoned father. Until 2011's New 52 relaunch, fans knew and loved three generations of scarlet speedster! Star Grant Gustin didn't particularly evoke any established version of Barry Allen, so the potential for Shipp to reprise his matured role next to a new Kid Flash seemed like a real no brainer!

As new properties scramble to play catch-up with the established worlds of comic books, this kind of use of real-life existing history seems like the next logical evolution - a unique advantage! As if to continually drive home how obvious the concept would've been: Amanda Pays and Mark Hamill even reprised versions of their roles as Tina McGee and The Trickster. Which is about all the reference you really need to the old 1990 show.

The CW could've continued on merrily with a fresh premise similar (but superior) to what we got. It would've just become a more natural coming of age story, with an existing Flash playing mentor -- perhaps stuck in the Speed Force -- instead of that weird mangled version of Professor Zoom they pulled. Other references from the old show would've been available if needed.

The 1990 Flash series will no doubt live again thanks to streaming services, and fans should be prepared to find a similar style of television adaptation. Back then, TV was synonymous with second-rate when it came to superheroes and most genre fiction. There still wasn't a whole lot of precedent, and the constraints of budget and technology were a lot more strenuous than they are today.

Rarity was one of the reasons I was so excited in 1990, but under further scrutiny, the show does a palatable job of making the most of what it's got. For one: The Flash costume was presented to look pretty fantastic!. In fact, seeing Shipp back in the suit - I dare say he still puts the CW to shame!

The old show didn't do comic book villains much better, with classics like Captain Cold and Mirror Master succumbing to so-so stunt casting, and off-the-rack non-costumes. Every fan worth their salt had some grumbling to do, but got over it because of novelty, the awesome realization of The Flash, and the fact that the best episodes featured original crime capers and terrific sci-fi drama!

There was also a strong aesthetic of eighties-deco in Central City, inspired by Tim Burton's 1989 Batman, with bizarre painted murals punctuating just about every location. You really need to see these backgrounds to believe it. They're insane and awesome! You couldn't expect a new show to recreate the city and interior sets -- budget was one of the things that took the original show down -- but some sense of a gentrified version of Central City would've been spectacular. I digress...

I don't know what to expect from Shipp's return to the red suit, or if it's even worth further confusing matters. After all, he's also already been re-cast as Jay Garrick in another previous attempt to make better use of TV's first (recurring) Flash.

The Elseworlds banner suggests the fun won't last for long, but it's sure as heck enough to make The Flash our Hero of the Week! You'll be able to tune-in to the three-part crossover in December, with Entertainment Weekly reporting Part 1 begins Sunday, December 9th on The Flash. Part 2 is Monday on Arrow, and Part 3 wraps it all up with Tuesday's episode of Supergirl.

<< Hero of the Week 11/12: The Champion    [Home]    Hero of the Week 5/21: The Chief >>

HERO OF THE WEEK: THE CHIEF (DC)
Real Name: Dr. Niles Caulder
First Appearance: My Greatest Adventure #80 (June, 1963)
Fight Club Ranking: #DNR

Featured Fights:
- Yet To Be Featured on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths.

Holy Animal-Mineral-Vegetable Man! Doom Patrol is officially next in line to join the ever-expanding television universe of DC Entertainment! Variety reports the thirteen-episode season will spin out of the DC Universe streaming service's upcoming Titans series, to debut in 2019.

You're probably going to hear a lot of the usual talk calling Doom Patrol knock-offs of the Fantastic Four or X-Men variety. Lord knows there are similarities! Stern, wheelchair bound genius (The Chief, Niles Caulder) marshals team of misfits to mentor after they're gifted with weird, body-altering abilities. A stretchy person (Elasti-Girl), a man who no longer feels human (Robotman), a guy who... sorta disappears (Negative Man/Woman)...

The comparisons are there to be made, but truth be told, Doom Patrol are a whole lot weirder than any of their supposed counterparts! Which is what I hope the series will be able to bring to life!

If you've been following casting updates, you may already know the show will spin out of Titans, which isn't the most encouraging starting point. Titans is pitching strong with an aesthetic more comic book than your average TV show, but spawning the Doom Patrol out of a mission from Cyborg sounds a little like the waterboy pitching plays to the senior team! Of course, Beast Boy made his debut in the pages of Doom Patrol, so there's at least a natural link.

Doom Patrol had a suitably quirky renaissance over the last couple of years when Gerard Way's curated line of Young Animal comics brought the book back in a mold inspired by Grant Morrison. Here's hoping the show can at least gravitate toward some of that template. If they're able to bring the weirder aspects of the comics to life, this one could overtake Supergirl as the show to watch!

I'm not counting on a homerun, but the DC Universe streaming service may yet be pitching closer to the die hard comics fan than most of their multimedia. I'm sure when something more substantial emerges we'll be back to talk about it in future editions of Hero of the Week!

<< Hero of the Week 10/22: The Flash       [Home]      Hero of the Week 05/14: Beta Ray Bill >>

HERO OF THE WEEK: BETA RAY BILL (Marvel)
Real Name: Beta Ray Bill
First Appearance: Thor #337 (November, 1983)
Fight Club Ranking: #136

Featured Fights:
- vs THOR: Thor #337 (Nov 1983)
- vs SILVER SURFER: Beta Ray Bill: Godhunter #2 (Sep 2009)

We may've put The Infinity Gauntlet behind us, but we're still feeling the fallout from this year's biggest theatrical superhero release: Avengers: Infinity War!

The movie is exciting record-breaking audiences with its epic ensemble against the designed entropy of Thanos, but for your seasoned comic book reader, some of the most exciting elements are nestled in detailed tangents with far reaching implications.

Last week we talked about the Red Skull's cameo appearance, and in today's Hero of the Week, we're projecting forward to explore the latest signs of Beta Ray Bill's existence in the Marvel Cinematic Universe! Thar be mild spoilers ahead, so proceed with caution!

Those who saw Thor: Ragnarok last year know the hammer Mjolnir was destroyed, necessitating the creation of a new hammer in Infinity War called Stormbreaker. Comics readers know that as the name of the gleaming hammer wielded by Beta Ray Bill!

There was much discussion about BRB around the time of Thor: Ragnarok. Some fans spotted his likeness on The Grandmaster's tower of former champions. Marvel overlord Kevin Feige let slip that there were intentions for a cameo, but as he told Crave Online, "There was a Beta Ray Bill, but it was so quick that you would have the same complaints that you have now. He was in it a little bit more and it just didn’t do justice. And the feeling is, if you can’t do it justice, do it later."

As much as it would've been nice to see more characters in The Grandmaster's combat arena, it's an encouraging sign that Marvel honchos are keeping the beloved B-hero in reserve! His origins are strong enough to power a fourth Thor film, even if it means sharing the screen with featured villains.

If you don't already know, the story is pretty simple: Beta Ray Bill is a genetically-enhanced warrior charged with protecting the people of the planet Korbin. The orange-toned aliens lived a relatively peaceful existence, building an empire of passive colonization. It all went sour when Surtur's fire demons began attacking, forcing them to flee their ruined galactic empire on a fleet of arc ships guarded by Beta Ray Bill! They were detected by SHIELD while fleeing fire demons, leading Nick Fury to recruit Thor to investigate. The result was the now famous battle of Thor #337!

Turns out Beta Ray Bill is a pretty good guy! At a time when such a feat was nigh unheard of; Bill was able to lift the hammer of Thor -- and use it to strike at its owner!

It was all a classic case of mistaken identity, but Bill wanted to keep his newfound godly powers to help defend his people. There was a contest, Bill once again showed himself to be worthy, so Odin decreed he deserved a hammer all his own! Thus, the mallet Stormbreaker was created, and one of the great supporting characters expanded upon the pantheon of brave Norse gods!

Replacement heroes have always been a bit of a drag, but as the first real Thor equivalent, "Beta Ray Thor" has always stood above the rest. Everything about him is just a little off-kilter, and his adventures in space with friends and foes like Silver Surfer, Ego The Living Planet, and Tyrant are a real hoot! He's a hero all his own, but he's got some real cool friends!

A movie-version will inevitably need some tweaking, but the basics are all set. Chris Hemsworth's Thor was cast into space after the fall of Asgard, and has every reason to bump into the space-faring Korbinite. They could flip the script entirely, so it's BRB who disturbs the sleeping Asgardians, or just send Thor on his merry inter-galactic way, with the basic premise of Thor #337 in tact. If the future for characters like Thor is appearances in other franchises, it always struck me that Bill was a natural for the Guardians of the Galaxy, too. Perhaps after Infinity War, Thor will continue to tagalong with them.

The trajectory of the Marvel movie universe seems to be thoroughly cosmic! Captain Marvel has the potential to be the next big hit ala; Black Panther, with the promise of Kree and Skrulls offering more thrills. Nova makes a lot of sense, and we talked a whole lot about the appeal of Firelord in recent feature fights, as well! Even the X-Men films are space-bound in the upcoming Dark Phoenix, with who knows what implications if Disney's acquisition of FOX properties goes ahead!

Marvel have made it known they have a big picture beyond Avengers. Who knows what that means! The Kree/Skrull War? Operation Galactic Storm? Secret Wars? Annihilation? Bring on the weird and wonderful universe of cosmic heroes! Let Thanos be but a beginning!

<< Hero of the Week 05/21: The Chief       [Home]      Hero of the Week 05/07: Red Skull >>

HERO OF THE WEEK: RED SKULL (Marvel)
Real Name: Johann Schmidt
First Appearance: Captain America Comics #7 (October, 1941)
Fight Club Ranking: #858

Featured Fights:
- vs INVADERS: Captain America #5 (May 2005)
- vs COLONEL AMERICA: Marvel Zombies #5 (Jun 2006)

Avengers: Infinity War is officially in global theatrical release, and by now you've hopefully seen, or heard about, one of the more interesting cameos in the blockbuster ensemble epic! I'm talking about the villainous Red Skull, who plays a minor role in Thanos' quest to gather the Infinity Gems!

Hero of the Week is a chance to talk about the hot topics of the day, but I'm always a little wary of venturing deep into spoilers. Apologies to the pedantic who haven't seen Infinity War yet, but I'm not sure this one should cause you too much bother. After all, it's well known Thanos is looking for Infinity Gems, and if you saw Captain America: The First Avenger, you've probably spent the last few years wonder when Red Skull was going to turn back up!

The 2011 film stripped away the bombastic action of Cap's final comic book moments in the 1940s, replacing a fall into icy arctic waters with the somber submersion of a warplane into snow. In this telling, Red Skull shared his final moments with Cap when the "tesseract" (Cosmic Cube) beamed him ambiguously towards the heavens. A cliffhanger without a follow-up -- until now!

As Marvel cinematic lore would have it, eerie glowing macguffins are all variations of a common source. Red Skull was actually in possession of the Soul Stone all along! Inadvertently triggering its power; he's spent his days on the planet Vormir as the gem's keeper. Or something like that.

Back before Winter Soldier you might've thought the dangling plotline would finally be resolved with the Third Act reveal that Robert Redford was the Red Skull all along. No such luck, but if you had Thanos collecting the Gems, then your expectations were rewarded this time! A bit of a rarity!

Despite the mantra "everything's connected"; Marvel's live-action universe has largely relied on the obvious ties of marquee stars to create a semblance of continuum. Occasionally an oblique reference throws a bone to the initiated, but comic references are often cursory, or of limited relevance.

By finally picking up the loose end of Red Skull's disappearance, Infinity War offers an aside that connects present events to a greater meaning supplied by the past. It's a rare instance of a comic book style tangent. Appreciated in the often flattened, formulaic cinema that Marvel specialize in!

Will the Red Skull ever return to bring his special brand of Nazi villainy to modern day Marvel movies? Tough to say! The evil of Nazi doctrine has a disappointing pang of relevance in today's world. It could be very satisfying to see Captain America back socking Adolf's boy in the jaw! I'd still love to see a really good Invaders film, should they ever lock up rights to Namor and Human Torch!

Marvel went out of their way to distance Red Skull's origins from historic Nazi Germany, and Disney probably doesn't want to kick that particular hornet's nest. Of course, Red Skull's villainy can take many forms, and the simple pleasure of a visually striking villain will always be welcomed. At least we know he's still out there, perhaps awaiting an encounter with the cosmic heroes Marvel's amassing, or a new "Sentinel of Liberty", should Chris Evans fail to survive Avengers 4!

Last week I mentioned there were two details in Infinity War that got me excited. Red Skull was one, and with any luck we'll be able to talk about the other in our next Hero of the Week! Keep an eye out for the update link below, and always, keep your eyes peeled for other things going on around Secret Wars on Infinite Earths!

Learn more about The Infinity Gauntlet by starting at Wave 1 of our feature fight series, and find & share links inspired by the topics of the day via Twitter and Facebook!

<< Hero of the Week 05/14: Beta Ray Bill     [Home]     Hero of the Week 04/30: Thanos >>

HERO OF THE WEEK: THANOS (Marvel)
Real Name: Thanos
First Appearance: Iron Man #55 (February, 1973)
Fight Club Ranking: #15

Featured Fights:
- vs IRON MAN, THOR, FIRELORD & NAMOR: Infinity Gauntlet #4 (Oct 1991)
- vs HULK & DRAX: Infinity Gauntlet #4 (Oct 1991)
- vs VISION, NAMOR & SHE-HULK: Infinity Gauntlet #4 (Oct 1991)
- vs THOR, DOCTOR DOOM & FIRELORD: Infinity Gauntlet #4 (Oct 1991)
- vs WOLVERINE: Infinity Gauntlet #4 (Oct 1991)
- vs SCARLET WITCH, CYCLOPS, VISION & IRON MAN: Infinity Gauntlet #4 (Oct 1991)
- vs CLOAK: Infinity Gauntlet #4 (Oct 1991)
- vs FIRELORD & DRAX: Infinity Gauntlet #4 (Oct 1991)
- vs TERRAX: Green Lantern/Silver Surfer (Dec 1995)
- vs DRAX: Annihilation #4 (Jan 2007)
- vs GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: Guardians of the Galaxy #25 (Jun 2010)

It was a close race for this week's Hero of the Week! The globally trending CinemaCon first-look at the symbiote very nearly made Venom the easy pick! We'll probably be talking more about him later in the year, which meant there was really only one way to go. Thanos has conquered vast portions of the globe (and HOTW) with the international theatrical release of Avengers: Infinity War!

The clichés are all in tact as Disney trots out their long awaited franchise megamix. The Thanos of the big screen isn't your father's Death-loving maniac, but the close approximation is being called by some Marvel's best villain yet. Yes, an accolade previously awarded to the last few baddies. This is, of course, also being heralded as the best movie evar. About standard for the post-sugar rush hysteria.

Here on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths we've had our own four-colour rush of glorious Ron Lim and George Perez art, with a grand designs by The Maddest Titan of them all: Jim Starlin!

The tour of heroic sacrifice has occupied the last couple of weeks, delivering thrills you won't see on the big screen. Firelord, Cloak, Wolverine, Cyclops - just a few of the heroes the movies can't and won't deliver on! The Infinity Gauntlet was never the deepest event series, but what it lacks in deep and meaningful storytelling, it makes up for in sheer superhero excess.

The movie version may not be able to compete with comics, but it does offer up two particularly Marvel Universe morsels that genuinely scratch an informer fans' itch, at least for a minute or two. One picks up the tab on a long dangling thread from a previous Marvel film. The other weaves a strand that could lead to something very exciting further down the line! If there aren't any big topics, we might explore these genuinely exciting elements in the next couple of weeks.

I'm a little dubious about praise for the film's ending. It's been called 'surprising', 'shocking', and a 'daring risk' for Disney and the filmmakers. I tend to disagree. It strikes me as a very safe, very franchise oriented use of one of The Infinity Gauntlet's first-half premises. As was noted in our first featured fight; Thanos uses the gauntlet to eradicate half of all life in the universe in an instant. Heroes missing, presumed casualties of this purge, were: Archangel, Beast, Black Cat, Black Panther, Box, Dagger, Daredevil, Diamond Lil, Firestar, Guardian, Hawkeye, Hercules, Human Torch, Iceman, Invisible Woman, Makkari, Marvel Boy, Marvel Girl, Mister Fantastic, Night Thrasher, Northstar, Power Man, Puck, Quicksilver, Sasquatch, Sersi, Shaman, Thing, USAgent, Vindicator, Wasp, Windshear.

Even in '91, the danger of the mass execution took the teeth out of The Infinity Gauntlet. It was always a comic with an isolated sense of consequence. Which was somewhere the movies could improve, but they chose to finish Infinity War with deaths that very clearly tell the story not to worry. Of course, that just means their undone fates may come at the cost of the heroes actually on the dead pool. Not that I'm necessarily counting on death being the means to removing players from the board. Most of Marvel's trajectory seems to point to the stars, and that's as fine a reason as any to put the likes of Iron Man and Captain America to the side.

Of course, here on The Comic Book Fight Club, we've got our own system of consequence - namely the Fight Club Rankings! As we begin this week's final running of the gauntlet, the big question will be - can Thanos break into the Top 10?! At the time of this writing he's just outside at #15!

Check out the links at the top to see the Infinity Gauntlet battles we've covered so far. Keep your eyes peeled to Twitter, Facebook, and the Secret Archive Index to catch-up on subsequent updates. You should also find lots of links littered throughout each featured battle. Yay!

<< Hero of the Week 05/07: Red Skull     [Home]     Hero of the Week 04/23: Rogol Zaar >>

HERO OF THE WEEK: ROGOL ZAAR (DC)
Real Name: To Be Confirmed
First Appearance: Action Comics #1000 (June, 2018)
Fight Club Ranking: #DNR

Featured Fights:
- Yet To Be Featured on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths.

It's here! It's really here! Action Comics #1000 was one of the milestone comic books I used to dream about in the school yard. Would they ever really get there? Surely they must! They have!

Ten tales reflect upon eighty years of Superman, with the last story introducing Brian Bendis as the new writer of the Man of Steel. The short chapter, titled "The Truth", delivers a dangerous new villain called Rogol Zaar. He claims to be the destroyer of the planet Krypton - and in the dozen pages afforded - he's doing a pretty good job of devastating its survivors: Superman and Supergirl!

At first glance, the new villain seems like a bit of a groaner. The most off-putting aspect: that his existence and motivations apparently hinge on yet another retelling of a major character's origin.

Between movies, television, and comics, the world has been subjected to far too many origin stories! The only thing more skin crawling than going back to the beginning is the promise of 'dramatic new revelations' about decades old history. You'd hope we'd moved on after eighty years, but with Krypton airing on Syfy, and Jor-El making an unexpected (and unwanted) comeback in other recent Superman stories -- it seems Superman's past has never been more present. Emphasis on seems.

The story is called "The Truth", but Bendis has talked about, or at least implied, drawing inspiration for his work from the modern phenomena of digital misinformation.

It seems the masses have never had more difficulty grappling with fact and fiction. Facebook feeds have sapped the will to seek, supplanting a healthy diet of various inputs with self-confirming algorithms, and insular logics. Direct channels are easily exploited, preying upon fear, loathing, instant gratification, and confirmation bias.

A lot of people will be expecting Bendis to rewrite Superman's history - and therefore already believe that he has. He, and others, have certainly had that tendency. However, we've been given no reason to consider Rogol Zaar a credible narrator. It is interesting that he knows Jor-El by name, but the planet Krypton and its most notable citizens have never been a secret. It could be very interesting if Bendis is planning to tell a story of exploiting a history told to the hero through second-hand sources.

Characters like Supergirl and General Zod offer perspectives informed by the memory of living Krypton, but could also be compromised by the uncertainties of youth, and a biased agenda. An interesting predicament for Superman, who has no first-hand knowledge of his home. Bendis has discussed drawing upon the influence of Superman's creators as Jewish immigrants, and one might speculate that the narrative of false truths could also reference recent trends of WWII Holocaust denial, in some pockets of society.

Whether his claims are credible, or not; Rogol Zaar seems to have a literal axe to grind with Kryptonians. Given the influence of John Byrne's work, which sought to restore Superman as the last son of Krypton; it'll be interesting to see if the villain is used to drastically reduce the number of Kryptonians living in the DCU. Supergirl, and even Zod, seem to serve a valuable purpose as characters, but the super son, and other stragglers, could be on the chopping block!

The last inspiration I'd speculate about is Donald Trump. The subjects Bendis is apparently thinking about inevitably circle around the controversial American President. I'm not sure what Rogol Zaar means, but "Zaar" immediately makes me think Tsar, and it might not be the biggest stretch to suppose "Donald" could become "Rogol". His unique hairline, another quality that could be supposed as an imagining of what Trump might look like, sans his famed flopping hairstyle. That might be staring at goats, though...

It's going to be interesting to see what Rogol Zaar is really all about, and just how many of these theories actually come to pass. Will he take an enduring place beside other memorable Superman villains, or will our Hero of the Week be forgotten in the years to come? With Jim Lee drawing, a foe like Equus comes to mind, but here's hoping Bendis has bigger goals for Superman!

Here on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, we've got big goals to run the gauntlet of The Infinity Gauntlet! Regular updates started with Friday's opening salvo, inspired by the countdown to Avengers: Infinity War in theatres! That means we'll have to wait to see Rogol Zaar, Superman, or the Girl of Steel in action. Be sure to dive into the Archive Index and follow on Twitter & Facebook to find more to discover on The Comic Book Fight Club!

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