KRAVEN THE HUNTER versus SPIDER-MAN

The Coffin (Marvel)
Where: Web of Spider-Man #31 When: October 1987
Why: JM DeMatteis How: Mike Zeck

The Story So Far...
Sergei Kravinoff is an old man. A man sustained by herbs & roots and an iron will. A man whose family left behind a Russia with no room for his aristocratic dynasty. Whose only purpose now is to pursue the wild hunt.

Kraven the Hunter has suffered many indignities in his long life. A life he is quite certain must end soon -- but not before another hunt. Not before he consumes the many poisons of the arachnid and uses them to fuel domination of his ultimate foe.

While Spider-Man pays one last visit to a two-bit crook in a dive bar open casket -- he has no way of knowing his preoccupation with death is shared by a predator who has him in his sights. For he is the target of Kraven's Last Hunt!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Spider-Man 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: Spider-Man 5 (Professor)
Speed: Draw 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Spider-Man 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Spider-Man 5 (Cat-Like)
Fighting: Kraven 4 (Trained)
Energy: Kraven 4 (Arsenal)
Total: Spider-Man 29 (Metahuman)

Sergei Kravinoff is an expert big game hunter who refined his body and senses to the peak of human ability. Further enhancements from an herbal formula created by Calypso allow him to wrestle the deadliest game into submission with his bare hands -- graduating Kraven the Hunter to super-human prey!

Kraven most famously stalks Spider-Man, but he's also had memorable run-ins with the likes of Tigra, Man-Wolf, Vermin, Daredevil, and Ka-Zar.

Many of these opponents are a little out of his weight class, but the thrill of the hunt lies in the challenge, and Kraven's skill & tactical acumen more than makes up for any natural advantages his target might possess.

Kraven's exploits have been adapted across multiple mediums, most recently appearing in PlayStation's Spider-Man 2 video game, and soon to feature on the big screen in a live-action Kraven the Hunter movie.

We previously took a look at an incarnation of Kraven from the MTV Spider-Man animated series, which ended, as it so often does, with Spider-Man victorious, but today's battle is a little different. This time Kraven is driven by every past indignity and humiliation he's ever suffered. This time Kraven is playing for keeps.

Will ritual preparation -- and a driven belief that this holdover from a forgotten age must soon die -- finally deliver Kraven to the ultimate victory? This isn't Kraven's final hunt, but it is leading him towards it. Let's see what happened!

The Tape: Spider-Man Ranking: Spider-Man (#2)

What Went Down...

Caught in the night's rain and deep thought: Spider-Man is alerted to a coming danger by his preternatural spider-senses.

He leaps clear of an incoming dart, leaving it to poke harmlessly into a nearby billboard -- while also jumping into the path of a second shot! It hits its target!

The projectile sticks into Spider-Man's neck, administering a poison that rushes through his body. For a moment he has a vision of Joe Face: a two-bit crook who used to feed him information, but is lying flat in a wooden box in a local dive.

Death is on his mind, but Spider-Man refuses to yield when he's confronted with Kraven the Hunter on an adjacent rooftop enclosure.

He shoots a web to pull himself across the divide with a mighty leap.

Again the toxin causes Spider-Man's mind to drift to visions of the recently deceased. A dangerous distraction Kraven is all too ready to seize upon!

The Hunter strikes with a wooden staff -- smacking Spider-Man off the enclosure to a lower rooftop level!

The Spider lands hard on his back & shoulders, precariously balanced on the edge of the roof. His muscles begin to stiffen and he can hardly move himself -- effects of the drug now coursing through his veins.

Kraven aims to further immobilize his prey -- ensnaring him in a weighted net!

Whatever the mesh is made of, it's tough enough to resist the weakened Spider.

Kraven drops from the enclosure, brandishing a rifle as he calmly approaches.

Spider-Man's addled mind races wildly between reassuring thoughts of Kraven's usual non-lethal modus operandi -- and the danger of a hunting rifle.

Spidey continues to try to free himself from the net. He can see there's something different about the look in Kravinoff's eyes. This isn't the Kraven he's usually faced. No matter how many times he reminds The Hunter of his usual desire to win with his bare hands -- this time something is different!

Kraven lines up his shot as Spider-Man desperately continues to struggle against the net and more visions of Joe Face. The thought that tomorrow it might be somebody else who dies eats at him. Somebody he loves. Aunt May, Mary-Jane, or...

With a wild-eyed gaze and deranged, toothy grin -- Kraven takes the shot.

It's over.

The Hammer...

I can only imagine if & how shocking the conclusion to Web of Spider-Man #31 might have seemed to a regular reader back in 1987.

It's a smidge before my time. When I finally got around to reading for myself -- there was little surprise to be had. It was already canonized as one of the legendary Spider-Man stories, and I was well prepared for the shocking turn of events that would follow Kraven the Hunter's victory. I had it on a trading card.

I was never left guessing what would happen after Kraven & his cronies end the issue lowering Spider-Man's coffin into a freshly dug grave.

I didn't endure any agonizing wait when Spidey remained six feet under in the next chapter, published in Amazing Spider-Man #293.

You can probably tell from the images included in this article - I had the benefit of a collected trade paperback. The entire story in my hot little hands, ready to consume. A format for convenience, but lacking the majesty of what I imagine the first run on newsstands would've been like. It was actually a little under whelming after all those years of hearing about it, but I've come around over the decades. Still I wonder about the wait in real-time...

Mike Zeck's pencils, with Bob McLeod on inks, and a trio of colorists -- Janet Jackson (not that one), Bob Sharen, and Zeck himself -- are pretty marvelous and moody, but the heavy tone that hangs over the issue doesn't feel particularly unusual to me, in keeping with other Spider-Man comics of the era.

It's a visually dark New York City, with the black suited Spider-Man prowling across its muddy blue and purple hues. It has the urban grit of a late eighties B-movie. I wonder if a regular reader might've overlooked the stakes, conditioned to always assume Spidey will come out on top, no matter the mire. And of course - he does. The rifle was loaded with some exotic tranquilizer or knock-out potion.

The enduring image from Kraven's Last Hunt becomes Spider-Man pulling himself out of his own grave on the cover of Web of Spider-Man #32, but there is still the lasting legacy of Kraven not only burying Spider-Man alive, but also supplanting him -- to the psychological horror of Peter Parker, and his then-wife, Mary-Jane.

Back in those days, it wasn't often that villains would secure such decisive and mind-bending victories. It reminds me of more recent affairs, like Otto Octavius assuming control of Peter Parker's body, or the countless comic book deaths that last a few years of suspended disbelief, before inevitably restoring the icon.

Kraven's Last Hunt only spans six issues, lasting a couple of months of print, which might not leave the reader a long time to stew, but sets about planting similar seeds without needing to burn a few years of publication. It seems to me far more impactful and efficient in its delivery of a memorable moment.

Update: Over on Twitter (aka; X), Sammy Younan was nice enough to respond to this entry, noting: "The danger in Kraven's Last Hunt felt real. Sometimes with these stories it's phony. I read these comics "live;" you instantly grasped this was BIG." Given the fast reputation of the story - I don't doubt it.

I'm interested to explore the story further and see how it sits within Kraven's legacy. As of Chapter 1, it reads like an opportunistic win for a heel villain, but once Kraven becomes Spider-Man, it takes on a very different context. That, more than today's victory, is probably what makes this one of the enduring milestones.

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Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has documented & discussed over 700 featured fights and more than 1,000 characters. You can find them all by diving into the Secret Archive for a complete index in order of publisher, series, and issue.

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Winner: Kraven the Hunter
#433 (+297) Kraven the Hunter
#2 (--) Spider-Man

GREEN LANTERN versus BATMAN

Gray Life Gray Dreams (DC)
Where: Justice League #5 When: September 1987
Why: Keith Giffen & JM DeMatteis How: Kevin Maguire

The Story So Far...
A nefarious scheme hatched by Darkseid and his evil minions turned public opinion against the once celebrated ranks of the costumed super-heroes, but when they rise to the challenge of violent mobs, a new Justice League is brought together in the shadow of the old one.

Sticking together at the suggestion of Doctor Fate, the new lineup returns to their old headquarters, but even as they succeed in defeating strange visitors from the planet Angor, and The Royal Flush Gang -- tension simmers within the ranks!

Green Lantern, Guy Gardner, thinks he's a real hotshot, and should be steering the Justice League into the late eighties with action movie machismo. An attitude that sets him on a collision course with their Dark Knight leader: Batman!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Batman 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Batman 5 (Professor)
Speed: Batman 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Draw 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Batman 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Batman 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: Green Lantern 7 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Batman 29 (Metahuman)

If you somehow missed it - the Green Lantern in question is eighties antagonist to the stars: Guy Gardner. A GL with a lousy attitude and a haircut to match!

At times it seems like he's crossed swords with fellow heroes as much as any of the rank & file of Green Lantern villainy -- and we've got plenty of examples:

He was put in his place when he jumped the gun against the Golden Age Green Lantern, learned his lesson taking on stand-in Superman - Eradicator, got corrupted by devils fighting Captain Marvel in Hell, and threw down with the new kid in the debut issue of Blue Beetle!

He's a quick-tempered jerk with a knack for getting it wrong, but his indomitable will isn't always focused in the wrong direction. Deep down he has somewhat good intentions, and was there on the frontline with the Justice League & Superman to fight the rampaging Doomsday, and helped drive back Warworld and the Yellow Lanterns when the Sinestro Corps War reached Earth!

Batman isn't always "Mr. Personality" himself, preparing for worst-case scenarios against more powerful opponents - be they friend or foe.

He doesn't have a Green Lantern power ring -- relying on tactical wiles, preparation, and vast technological resources to even the score against high-level opponents. He's upset Captain Marvel & Hawkman, Amazo, The Society, Darkseid, and even the comparably light-wielding - Doctor Light.

The Bat has an impressive record against Superman, but things don't always go his way. Bronze Tiger earned a lionized win in a classic one-on-one duel, while in the dark future of Rock of Ages, Darkseid's Omega Effect beams brought about his demise, similarly to a later encounter in Final Crisis.

The Final Crisis also saw Alpha Lantern Kraken earning a damning victory over the ambushed Dark Knight Detective, and on paper a Green Lantern outclasses him in power stakes -- but today's fight won't need to take that into account.

Gardner has shed his ring to take Batman on man-to-man -- a tactic that hasn't always served him well, as in his fistfight with Black Hand & goons. Will he get a good shot in on Batman? I think you probably already know the answer...

The Tape: Batman Ranking: Batman (#1)

What Went Down...

Tensions have been building within the newly assembled Justice League ever since they decided to regroup. As if external scrutiny wasn't challenging enough -- inter-personal politics between the new members has put a strain on everyone.

From the moment they returned to their abandoned headquarters -- Guy Gardner has fancied himself an action hero inspired commander-in-chief for the Justice League of the late eighties.

Until now Gardner's fallen in line -- bristling, but quietly shrinking beneath the looming oversight and natural command of The Batman. With the rush of their recent successes behind them, and more time spent couped up with the rest of the team, the loudmouth Green Lantern is finally ready to make a play.

Batman doesn't give an inch. There's no reason to. Few of the current line-up is as unqualified to lead as Gardner. Even a wide-eyed innocent like Captain Marvel makes a more compelling case than a juvenile like Guy. A vocalized fact that sours the invulnerable mood and mars even the sunny Power of Shazam.

Gardner hands off his ring to Blue Beetle, who's next on his list after he proves he's top dog with nothing but his fists. "Gosh. I'm scared."

Captain Marvel compels Batman to provide an example as leader of the League, but that would presume too much of Gardner's outlook. "I know what I'm doing here, Marvel. And maybe when you've had my years of experience, you will, too."

Batman meets Gardner's challenge head-on: "All bark and no bite."

He provokes the meathead Green Lantern -- and Gardner takes the bait like a greedy catfish.

Guy closes in, fist recoiled, face scowling, with intent to do harm -- and then...

The Batman strikes!

A single, straight-on, precision punch direct to Gardner's oncoming face!

The expert blow drops the Green Lantern like a sack of potatoes. Out cold with a lone blow. A fact that tickles Blue Beetle's funny bone: "One punch! One punch!"

Martian Manhunter and Black Canary arrive for the meeting. Dinah can hardly believe she missed Gardner finally getting put in his place. They leave the unconscious Lantern on the floor as they attend more pressing matters.

The Hammer...

The post-Crisis years of the DC Universe have given Batman a lot of contentious relationships within the superhero fraternity.

The influence of Dark Knight Returns has made his paranoid, on-again/off-again rivalry with Superman one of the most noteworthy in comics -- but was there ever a more fitting and hilarious friction than with Guy Gardner?

The resonance of "one punch" reverberates with us still. Transcending rebooted realities and multimedia to be quoted, repeated, and adapted into different formats many times over. Despite its truncated page count -- it remains a highly sought after showdown, and has been on my To Do List for many years.

Although worthy of a high-level position on any fight card, this significant moment in comics probably won't go down as one of the best battles we've ever covered on The Comic Book Fight Club. It doesn't need to. That's not what it's about. This one ranks top marks on the funny and character-driven scale.

I don't know the exact division of labour. Full credit to JM DeMatteis and Kevin Maguire, whose contributions are obviously undeniable, but I have other things on my mind right now. You probably understand.

Keith Giffen did a heckuva lot in his long running comic book career.

Justice League is arguably one of his biggest works -- and for that reason, it's always been kind of easy to take for granted it'll always be there, delaying the inevitable examination of its various conflicts, because it's just so obvious.

We all already know how special it is. How memorable. How much it made an impact on everyone -- including me -- when I was a small boy gazing up at the racks of recent issues. I could take a detour through some of Giffen's other work. Looking back at his early Egghead pencils in Defenders #43, his collaborations writing with Peter David to redefine the Justice League origin, and with John Rogers to create a new Blue Beetle that just starred on the big screen.

I wasn't there for the opening six issues of Justice League, which bridged a post-Crisis status quo out of the pages of Legends, but these comics didn't evaporate as soon as they were released. They lingered in wonderful perpetuity. Within reach as I was visiting the newsstands and comics shops a few years later, and into the early nineties, or in trade paperback collections in the twenty-ohs.

I have a particular memory of an adventurous trek to a deli that had Justice League International on its newspaper and magazine rack. Staring across at the issue, but coming away with naught. Comics in the wild always garnered my keen attention. Was Black Velvet on the radio? Maybe. Either way, I got my hands on some Justice League Europe sometime later. Good times.

JLI, as it came to reverently be known, was always there when I found Giffen's work on the New Gods through DC & Marvel's Thorion and the epic Countdown, when he helped restore much missed cosmic Marvels through the Annihilation reboot, helped make a year in the DC Universe possible in 52, and tugged at Frank Miller & Claremont references for a presumably forgotten Beast mini-series!

If it wasn't the definitive Justice League - it was the eternal blueprint for a team who had more personality than some prior incarnations, and simply were The team when I was early in my formative years. So right as to never be questioned as anything but the obvious conclusion for a lineup of DC's super-heroes. Not necessarily the "Big Seven", but a wonderous all-star swatch of the DCU fabric.

There were a lot of works. I never cracked the Legion of Super-Heroes or quite got into Ambush Bug, but Lobo grew into an undeniable icon, his Doctor Fate was truly mesmerizing, and I was as bewildered as anybody when an issue of Trencher fell into my possession without adequate warning. When the band got back together for more Justice League -- I couldn't believe how fresh it still felt.

Keith Giffen left us a couple of days ago. He was 70. I'm sad there won't be any more. Over the years it felt like that font might never completely turn off. That those ideas -- which those who knew and worked with him have described as nigh infinite -- might continue to trickle out in joyous new forms for years to come. Even if there were some breaks in between.

He was still writing at the end. Still making us laugh. It was hard not to chuckle when a post-humous entry from his Facebook page made the rounds amongst comic book fans as the news broke: "I told them I was sick... Anything not to go to New York Comic Con. Thanx. Keith Giffen 1952-2023. Bwah ha ha ha ha."

I particularly enjoyed reading Colleen Doran's account of their friendship, and mutual enjoyment of museums, high tea, and "beautiful, interesting things". The softer side behind the widely described performative "curmudgeon" that somebody like me might never know about, but can find very relatable.

I didn't have the pleasure to know Keith Giffen on any personal level, but he was a part of my life, shaping some of my perspective on enjoyment, comics, and what they should be. As we lose more creative titans like him, who shaped so much of this world and leave a gaping hole, I feel sad and grim, but I suppose it's nice to remember them for having lived, and made so much we can still enjoy.

If you'd like to relive and revel in the works of Keith Giffen and other wonderful creators -- I encourage you to explore the links throughout this post. You can also find more musings and superhero smackdown by diving into the Secret Archive for a complete index of featured fights in order of publisher, series, and issue.

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has recorded over 700 battles and ranked well over 1,000 characters! A document not just of punches and super-powers, but of a vast array of stories, creators, and fond memories. A gateway to remember and discover so much more. If you'd like to contribute to the Patreon - I'd appreciate it, and will endeavor to share more good times with you soon.

Get free daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day by subscribing to Twitter and Facebook, or by becoming a freebie follower on Patreon. 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, Patreon & Discord!

Winner: Batman
#1 (--) Batman
#163 (-2) Green Lantern (Guy Gardner)

VENOM versus SPIDER-MAN

Maximum Carnage, Part Five: Over The Line! (Marvel)
Where: Spectacular Spider-Man #201 When: June 1993 Why: JM DeMatteis How: Sal Buscema

The Story So Far...
Cletus Kasady has re-bonded with the Carnage symbiote and escaped the Ravencroft maximum security facility in a violent slaughter that spills into New York City! There he finds an adopted family of killers to take the massacre city-wide: Shriek, Doppelganger, and the Demogoblin!

After failing to stop them alone: Venom sought to rekindle a desperate alliance with his old enemy, Spider-Man -- but not even a team-up with Black Cat and the vengeful Cloak could stop the destruction! Now the heroes are fighting just to survive as a Manhattan Warehouse burns around them!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Venom 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: Spider-Man 5 (Professor)
Speed: Spider-Man 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Draw 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Spider-Man 5 (Cat-Like)
Fighting: Draw 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Venom 2 (Projectiles)
Total: Spider-Man 29 (Metahuman)

The fallout from Chapter Four has left our heroes worse for wear, and at each other's throats, as Maximum Carnage continues!

Carnage and his adopted family of demented killers have been left to continue unabated after triggering a dramatic warehouse explosion -- and that's enough to strain the unlikely alliance between Venom and Spider-Man!

Die hard fight fans might want to skip ahead to coverage of Chapter Six, because this isn't really a battle on the same level as their classic clash in Amazing Spider-Man #347, or even the more obscure Spider-Man Family #2.

Venom has been drastically weakened by the symbiote's vulnerability to fire, and Spidey's mind is on rescuing Black Cat from the burning warehouse wreckage.

For a self-professed "Lethal Protector" like Eddie Brock it's difficult to accept that Spider-Man would choose rescuing an ally over stopping the murder spree that could continue at the hands of Carnage and his crew.

Venom's skewed sense of justice has pitted him against various heroes and would-be allies over the years, such as Ghost Rider, Iron Man, and even DC's Superman. With an old enemy like Peter Parker an alliance is extra dicey, and his sense of responsibility for the creation of Carnage makes it all the more personal!

History: Spider-Man (1-0-1)

The Tape: Spider-Man Ranking: Spider-Man (#2)

What Went Down...

The alien symbiote drips from Eddie Brock's body like a thick ooze as he struggles to crawl through the broken beams & boarding of an unknown rock band's burning storage warehouse.

The massive fire drastically weakens the living costume that supplies Venom with his powers, but still he furiously compels Spider-Man to leave the inferno and resume pursuit of Carnage and his cadre of killers.

Spidey feels confident enough to leave Venom to fend for himself, while he goes deeper into the wreckage to rescue Black Cat from certain immolation!

Brock crawls his way out of the burning building, desperately attempting not to save his own life but those of countless others who might be killed by Carnage.

The crawl becomes a stumble as Brock rises to his feet - only to collapse back down into near unconsciousness as the building behind him explodes!

With Black Cat safely under his arm, Spider-Man soon arrives upon Eddie Brock: face down and motionless with tar-like strips strewn across his body.

They slowly begin to thicken as the symbiote revivifies and Venom regains his strength.

Spidey gently helps a rattled Black Cat to the ground, while Venom rises to his feet, suddenly enveloped in his customary black costume. He asks about Spider-Man's success stopping Carnage -- and doesn't like the answer he gets.

Incensed by Spider-Man's refusal to leave Black Cat to "roast" -- Venom lunges at his temporary ally with talon-like claws narrowly missing his injured ribs!

They question each other's sanity and ethics, with Spider-Man deeming a decision to leave either of his allies to die tantamount to murder. It's a prospect that inspires violent ideas for reprisal in the dual minds of Venom.

Black Cat enters the fray to cool things down: "You're really a piece of work, Brock! You get mad at the spider for saving me -- then waste time trying to bash his head in, while those maniacs get farther and farther away!"

The wake-up call steers Venom's rage towards the Cat, but what bruises his ego most is that she's absolutely right. The real enemy is Carnage.

The Hammer...

The tension is ratcheting up, but I think it's fair to say this wasn't much of a fight. Venom threw the only actual punch, and the rest is verbal sparring and philosophical differences. A non-starter ended by everyone getting back on the same page -- kinda...

You might've expected Black Cat to be the hero who calls it quits after a building collapsed on her, but it's actually Spider-Man who decides the alliance isn't working out for him. He simply cannot reconcile with the cutthroat tactics Venom demands -- and Black Cat is agreeing with.

After berating her former squeeze for treating her like a lowly damsel needing rescue; Cat further chides him for choosing her life over the countless lives Carnage could already be taking elsewhere in the city.

It's a moral split that actually sees an irate Black Cat following Venom back into battle, despite a violent history together, and his total willingness to throw her life away.

The duo will reconvene with Cloak on Fifth Avenue, where arriving mere minutes after reports of Carnage's rampage will mean more lives lost to the senseless slaughter.

So far every chapter of Maximum Carnage has featured one or more big battles, but Part Five sadly scales back the serious superhero smackdown right as master of action Sal Buscema joins the party! What we're left with is a couple of short skirmishes and near misses, but there was no way I was going to skip this issue!

Spectacular Spider-Man #201 ignites the fire of the crossover by following up the explosive previous chapter with a heavy sense of consequence and drama.

The issue might see heroes and villains returning to their respective corners, but there's no shortage of action and excitement. In fact, this always struck me as one of the most impactful issues of the Maximum Carnage crossover.

It seemed like Venom and Black Cat were going to tip the scales back in favour of the good guys, but all they really did was accumulate more injuries.

The issue announces its drama with the very first page: A surprisingly cinematic opening, despite its use of a traditional 9 panel grid.

On either side of Page 1 is a column of three panels, each showing an intense close-up of a roaring inferno. They're interspersed with discrete narration boxes for creator credits. Buscema's inks generate a sense of violent animation, given blistering heat by colorist Bob Sharen's use of vivid yellows, orange, and white.

Down the centre of the page are three claustrophobic mugshots: our heroes -- each showing distinct signs of distress!

If the cliffhanger of Black Cat's torn glove poking out of warehouse wreckage got your mind racing at the end of the previous issue -- her wide-eyed grimace, face pouring with sweat, makes the danger all the more personal, and kicks the drama up a whole extra level right on Buscema's first page!

Below the cat is Venom: mouth agape, with symbiote bleeding away to reveal Eddie Brock's barely open right eye. The salivating, bulging monster responsible for so much terror in previous Spider-Man stories is gone -- reduced to a pathetic mortal barely able to act. The situation is real bad for the good guys.

Something about the destruction of that warehouse, and seeing our heroes in such a vulnerable and battered state was arresting. Spidey is already nursing busted ribs from Chapter One, which were aggravated in Chapter Two. That was also the battle that appeared to claim the life of Dagger, which we learn has left Cloak experiencing bouts of dizziness and weakness.

There's an obvious physical toll mounting throughout each issue, but the mental strain is showing, too. That will continue to permeate the story as the heroes endure further punishment, and New York City itself becomes engulfed in violent madness as Carnage's killing spree inspires a wave of likeminded acts.

When I was doing my best to cobble the event together from newsstands back in 1993 -- this was the issue that convinced me it was a story unlike most from Marvel. I didn't have the frame of reference back then, but it strikes me that the format is similar to the saga structures more common in Shonen Jump manga. There's a late era Dragon Ball Z vibe to the weight of temporary defeat, inter-personal drama, and city-wide destruction the heroes will later discover.

We love blockbuster superhero fights on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, but to put it all into perspective, it helps to take stock of the little battles, as well. Today's skirmish provides context for future installments, while also reminding us that the classic Venom/Spidey rivalry doesn't always erupt into a fight to the death.

If you crave a more substantial struggle -- we've got you covered! You can find well over 600 featured fights in order of publisher, series, and issue number by diving in to the Secret Archive! Or follow links throughout this post to uncover key issues and specific topics relevant to your interests.

You can get ahead of the reading and see the whole thing for yourself by picking up a collected edition of the Maximum Carnage storyline. By using Amazon links provided to do any of your online shopping you'll not only get a convenient deal, but also be supporting the site at no extra cost!

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Winner: Inconclusive (Draw)
#2 (--) Spider-Man
#16 (--) Venom (Symbiote)
#50 (--) Venom (Eddie Brock)
#136 (+2) Black Cat [+1 assist]

HOBGOBLIN versus MOON KNIGHT

Half Life (Marvel)
Where: Marc Spector: Moon Knight #32 When: November 1991 Why: JM DeMatteis & Howard Mackie How: Ron Garney

The Story So Far...
Before he became the avenging fist of Khonshu: Marc Spector lived the life of a soldier of fortune. In that career he made the acquaintance of Jason Macendale - the mercenary who would assume the identity of Hobgoblin.

In his pursuit for greater powers, Jason Macendale sought a deal with the demon N'Astirh. For his hubris he was infused with a demonic entity that greatly enhanced him, but also slowly began to assume control of his body. Now Macendale is helpless as the demon seeks vengeance against sinners starting with a list of mercenaries that has led him to the palatial estate of Marc Spector - Moon Knight!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Demogoblin 4 (Enhanced)
Intelligence: Moon Knight 3 (Straight A)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Draw 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Draw 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Moon Knight 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: Demogoblin 4 (Arsenal)
Total: Draw 24 (Champion)

The name on the marquee says Hobgoblin, but Jason Macendale is now a mere passenger in his own body! The mercenary sought super-human powers from the demon N'Astirh and got more than he bargained for. Now his torturous possession is nearing its end as the Demogoblin begins to assume control!

This is the first time we've seen Demogoblin still bound to a mortal host. Soon after this battle he'll tear himself free from Macendale's body, embarking on a twisted quest with his own hellish equivalents of the Hobgoblin's arsenal.

Super-natural strength, a flaming glider, and occult pumpkin bombs make Demogoblin a formidable threat, but he hasn't always fared very well against adequately prepared opponents. We've seen Demogoblin fatally skewered on the end of Blade's sword during Ghost Rider #40. He was also out-muscled by the tactical tag team of Venom & Morbius in Venom: The Enemy Within #3.

Venom's victory was partly secured by exposing a subservient goblin horde to daylight. An interesting tactic, but not one that would do a whole lot of good for a man whose strength increases under the moon's light!

Before becoming Moon Knight: Marc Spector was a freelance mercenary. When his employer Raul Bushman left him for dead in the Egyptian desert, he was placed at the feet of an idol of Khonshu. There, the lunar deity chose him to become its avenger for justice by night.

Moon Knight is a highly skilled hand-to-hand combatant with an arsenal of silver weapons and high-tech vehicles. He's used these tools to combat supernatural threats and human mercenaries. At times, his methods can become quite brutal, as we saw when he dominated Taskmaster in Moon Knight (Vol.5) #6.

Moon Knight's methods and mindset can sometimes be erratic, but he definitely has the skills, tools, and propensity to take on a threat like Demogoblin. Here he has the benefit of home turf, but will that be enough? Let's find out!

The Tape: Draw Ranking: Moon Knight (#343)

What Went Down...
The sound of an explosion thundering through his estate interrupts a fleeting kiss between Marc Spector and Marlene Alraune. It is the signal of an intruder on the premises, who glides eerily through a gaping hole in the structure.

The Hobgoblin beckons to his target as his goblin-glider carries him through the manor on a night wind. If he notices the cloaked figure lurking behind him in the moonlight -- he is too slow to act. Moon Knight strikes!

A leaping fly kick connects with Hobgoblin's spine and knocks him off the glider!

The demonic goblin rolls to a knee and spitefully taunts his opponent's effortful tactics. Moon Knight answers his wicked tongue by tossing a boomerang straight at his sneering face!

Moon Knight clutches Hobgoblin by the throat and throws him against a nearby wall! For just a second the ghastly goblin's face reverts to that of the human mercenary Jason Macendale. He utters a strained cry for help -- enough for Moon Knight to loosen his grip and let his attacker drop hunched to the ground.

Macendale has the wherewithal to explain his demonic alter-ego's ultimate plan: to kill both of them and all their fellow mercenaries.

With his head in his hands, Macendale begs his former colleague to stop the demon hurting him again. A plea Moon Knight answers with a compassionate pledge to fix it all. He cannot see Macendale's fear turn to a demonic grin.

In control again, the demonic Hobgoblin spins around and unleashes a stinger blast from his finger! It sends the unprepared Moon Knight reeling back!

With the hero's white garb still smoldering, Hobgoblin looms with a razor-bat drawn and intent to kill! For the sin of being a mercenary he will seek to cut Moon Knight down once and for all!

The Hammer...
What a terrible time for a cliffhanger! Hobgoblin clearly has the upper hand as Marc Spector: Moon Knight #32 comes to a close, but to find out exactly how the battle concludes -- we'd need to continue to the next issue!

Per Secret Wars on Infinite Earths rules: we draw a line at the end of the issue. Occasionally conclusions can still be drawn from the information available, but in this instance, we're left with inconclusive data when the bell rings on Round 1.

The pair have been too evenly matched to call Hobgoblin's sudden reversal of fortune a true victory. This determination is partly influenced by the knowledge the battle directly continues. We'll return to see more from issue #33 at some point in the future. In the mean time, let us simply savor the anticipation and enjoyment that comes from one of Moon Knight's more intriguing rivalries!

Moon Knight may've borrowed from the Batman model of brooding caped crusader, but when it comes to villains, his bench isn't anywhere near as deep.

It's always nice when natural connective tissue can be used to expand the world and scope of two characters. Jason Macendale's history as a mercenary was well established during his reign as a Spider-Man villain. Why not acknowledge a professional past between he and former-mercenary Marc Spector?

The gimmick suited a concept that would come to define the Demogoblin once it separated from his human host. His righteous crusade against sinners meant a quick tour hunting mercenaries was a natural way for Moon Knight and Jason Macendale to meet and illuminate their secret past.

Making the meeting all the sweeter is Moon Knight's real publication history. He made his first appearance hunting The Werewolf in Werewolf By Night #32 and has remained connected with the realm of supernatural ever since. Macendale's demonic possession provides an extra tasty wrinkle to an already fun pairing.

It's for this reason I prefer when we aren't asked to question whether Khonshu is the figment of a disturbed mind. For some reason the 2000s seemed to place tremendous weight on fracturing the psyche of Marc Spector between different personalities.

I suppose it was a way to better differentiate the character from the strained, but unimpeachable perspective of Batman. I'm more inclined to think confirming Moon Knight's roots with the supernatural better service that goal. He's more interesting when he truly has ties with, and reasons to revisit that space.

I've been wanting to get back to Moon Knight for quite some time, but truth be told, what really brought me here was Hobgoblin. I've been on a real Jason Macendale kick lately! Hopefully some of those classic stories can find their way here sometime in the future.

It's always been tough to rate Macendale over the original Hobgoblin: Roderick Kingsley. The latter Hobgoblin's tenure lasted roughly the same amount of time as the first, but he was always slightly in the shadow of the original. A copy of a copy, having found the identity that Kingsley repurposed from Norman Osborn.

As much as I think the two goblins, (Hob & Demo), enhance Moon Knight's world, I think Moon Knight does something to improve Macendale, too. Between his demonic possession and hard mercenary past -- which included time as Jack O'Lantern -- he's actually a pretty decent villain. A shame Marvel scrapped him.

That's about all for now. If you'd like to find more from the characters discussed in this post be sure to explore links! It's a great way to discover exciting and new parts of comics! You can also dive into the Secret Archive for a complete index of every featured fight in order of publisher, series, and issue!

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Winner: Inconclusive (Draw)
#331 (+12) Moon Knight
#897 (+9) Demogoblin
#564 (new) Hobgoblin (Jason Macendale) [+1 assist]