HULK versus FANTASTIC FOUR

Part 4: The Hulk At Last! (Marvel)
Where: Fantastic Four #12 When: March 1963
Why: Stan Lee How: Jack Kirby

The Story So Far...
Project 34 is the latest invention by Dr. Bruce Banner: a state-of-the-art device able to blanket cities in protective electro-magnetic rays that repel any modern attack! It's the ultimate defensive technology, but its drawn the destructive interest of the mysterious Wrecker!

General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross suspects Banner's secret alter-ego of the monstrous Hulk is responsible, and recruits the Fantastic Four to deal with the menace!

The heroes accept their mission, with the powerful Thing particularly eager to prove his superiority against the rampaging powerhouse. Little do they realize the Hulk is innocent, and on his own desperate mission to rescue teenage friend Rick Jones from the clutches of the true Wrecker!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Hulk 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Mr. Fantastic 6 (Genius)
Speed: Invisible Woman 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Hulk 6 (Generator)
Agility: Mr. Fantastic 6 (Rubber)
Fighting: Hulk 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Human Torch 7 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Hulk 26 (Metahuman)

The year is 1963. The Marvel Universe is now in full swing, and for roughly ten months there have co-existed two monstrous powerhouses: The incredible Hulk and the ever lovin' blue-eyed Thing! They are unstoppable force and immovable object - destined to meet in the middle to determine who is strongest one of all!

Hulk was mild-mannered scientist Dr. Bruce Banner until bathed in gamma radiation from an experimental bomb! This accident of science unleashed the monster within - first triggered by nightfall, but eventually sparked by Banner's own inner turmoil! The greater his rage - the more powerful the Hulk!

Here on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths we subscribe to an understanding that Hulk may become more powerful with the intensity of his rage -- but he's still an organic being with limits. Not that those limits make him any less impressive!

At this early stage of his career, Hulk was best known for tearing through the military might of the United States Army - as was still the case many decades later in World War Hulk #3! He would go on to overwhelm super-powered heavyweights like: Thor [Avengers #5], Silver Surfer [Incredible Hulk #95], Juggernaut [Marvel Adventure #12], Hercules [Tales to Astonish #79], The Sentry [World War Hulk #5], and Red Hulk [Hulk #6]!

Thing is no slouch himself! Our above stats controversially advantage the Hulk, particularly in the realms of stamina and fighting ability. Strength is numerically equal in the "Invincible" bracket, but Thing's renowned brawling couldn't transcend skill-based finesse to match Hulk's "Warrior" Fighting stat.

An even greater question mark may lie with Stamina, given Thing is famed for rising to the occasion with heart & determination! It was best encapsulated when he went the distance with Champion of the Universe in Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7! The reason for the low stat lies in a record of running out of gas against: Thundra & Sandman [Fantastic Four #129], Gladiator [Fantastic Four #249], Captain Marvel [Captain Marvel #26], The Sentry [Mighty Avengers #10], Wolverine [Wolverine #22], and Black Panther [Fantastic Four #52].

These defeats have weighted Thing's ranking, but he is famous for gutting it out against overwhelming odds! He's done it against Doctor Doom [Fantastic Four #350], The Adaptoid [Fantastic Four: Unplugged #1], his evil Doppelganger [Fantastic Four #367], and in the Ultimate Universe - a Zombie Hulk!

Thing also has something Hulk almost never does - powerful friends to help him in a pinch! The Fantastic Four are: Mister Fantastic, Invisible Girl, Human Torch and Thing.

Over the years they've combined to defeat powerful adversaries, such as: Ego The Living Planet [Fantastic Four #235], Super-Skrull [Fantastic Four #6], Paibok the Power Skrull [Fantastic Four #358], Gomdulla [Spider-Man Family #3], and The Sinister Twelve [Marvel Knights: Spider-man #11]! With Mister Fantastic's stretching, Invisible Woman's force-fields, and Human Torch's flame - coordinated tactics could prove to be the difference!

Of course, Hulk has taken down the Thunderbolts [Incredible Hulk #449] and Avengers [Avengers (Vol.2) #4], so all we can really do is get on with the fight!

History: Thing (1-0-0)
The Tape: Fantastic Four Ranking: Hulk (#6)

What Went Down...
Lurking within catacombs beneath a secret New Mexico military test-site: The Hulk hears voices echo through the subterranean chambers as he searches for his prey! The Fantastic Four now stalk the tunnels, led by the Thing, who's itching for a showdown with their "overrated" target. His wish is soon granted!

The incredible Hulk steps into view right as the Human Torch glides by and Thing's path meets his own! The notorious monster threatens to crush the surprised hero like a flea and launches a devastating left!

Despite its devastating power - the awesome blow serves only to temporarily knock Thing off balance! Hulk remarks that it's like hitting rock, realizing the Thing is far tougher than he expected.

Human Torch doubles back to attack, but the Hulk moves swiftly to launch a counter-attack of dirt and sand. His massive hands scoop untold rubble, blanketing the airborne Torch in a smothering layer of Earth!

In the chaos, the green behemoth apparently lost sight of the remaining half of the quartet. Believing they may've headed for the surface, he rips a tunnel towards the light and fills it tightly to keep Thing and Human Torch down below!

The deviation almost keeps the entire Fantastic Four buried, but Mister Fantastic is able to stretch his arms through tiny crevices in the dirt. Hearing Hulk's heavy feet thundering through the earth - he successfully ensnares the beast!

Though his rubbery arm easily loops around Hulk's waist, Mister Fantastic cannot endure his beastly rage! Like a furious bucking bronco, Hulk breaks the lasso hold and charges through a nearby abandoned desert town!

As Thing digs the remaining members of the Fantastic Four out of the ground -- Hulk hoists a wooden frame building above his head and dumps it on his rocky opponent. Remarkably - the emerging Thing effortlessly swats it aside!

Desperate to defeat the foursome, Hulk plots to mitigate their impressive powers by separating them. He leaps into the air, first planning to power-dive the Thing -- but Mister Fantastic stretches skyward to cut his trajectory off!

This time the brilliant hero wraps his entire elastic body around the Hulk, entombing him in a jacket of constricting rubber! It waylays the behemoth for a moment, but he soon spins his powerful body like a top -- flinging Mister Fantastic uncontrollably from his body!

The Human Torch flies in for another shot at the powerhouse, but the open-air strike won't do him any good. This time Hulk is ready to level him with a clap so powerful it unleashes a sonic boom shockwave!

The impossible blast grounds the Human Torch, and keeps the Invisible Girl and Mister Fantastic out of the fight, as well! Yet still one remains!

Unaffected by the sound or force of the sonic assault -- Thing wastes no time answering Hulk's queries, delivering a right hook that knocks Hulk off his feet and through a nearby brick wall!

Hulk retaliates by launching a massive cart, but the toss is easily avoided by the mocking Thing! His jibes only provoke Hulk's further rage. At last - they collide!

Like two raging bulls the powerhouses collide! The ground trembles beneath their massive feet as each jockeys for position in a grapple tie! Thing relishes his chance to finally go one-on-one with the famed super-heavyweight, while Hulk simply insists he's finally got him!

The flexing of mighty muscle is slow and grueling, but eventually Hulk is able to leverage his height to begin lifting the Thing! It seems the advantage may be going Hulk's way, but Thing maneuvers to prepare a devastating pile-driver punch when suddenly -- an unseen attacker strikes from beneath the ground!

The mysterious atom-powered beam brings Hulk to a complete standstill - knocking him out cold! Thing can only be dazed and confused, uncertain of how his powerful foe was suddenly vanquished. When the Invisible Girl alerts him to the stolen victory -- an enraged Thing sets his sights on the unseen assailant!

The Hammer...
One of the biggest super-heavyweight showdowns of the early Marvel Universe -- and it ends in interference!

Hulk was clearly defeated, but it wasn't by the powerful pounding fists of the rocky Thing! No! That dubious distinction went to the dastardly Wrecker, whose victory comes from a dirty sneak attack!

In professional wrestling terms this was a result that kept both powerhouses strong. They each got their licks in, but Hulk had the visual advantage at the end - before suffering underhanded defeat! Who would win a fight between Thing and the Hulk? Fans could still find valid arguments in favor of both!

Don't confuse ol' Karl Kort [pictured] with the enchanted crowbar-wielding Wrecker. This guy was a one-and-done villain in the classic mold of other communist spies and saboteurs. He was similar to several early Hulk villains, dubbed "The Wrecker" for destroying prototype weaponry and devices.

Karl Kort would be all but forgotten after Fantastic Four #12, but the potential for a rematch showdown between Thing and Hulk continued to have all the orchestrated drama of a Madison Square Garden main event!

There was more than a touch of the New York promoter about Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Many of their finest early stories built the emerging threat of a new villain, before putting the hero over in the end. Each victory: another notch in the belt of would-be challengers to the unspoken title of Marvel's toughest!

These kinds of staple fantasy fights in Marvel's early years were vital to building the inter-connected reality of the modern shared Marvel Universe.

The Hulk solo series ended after Incredible Hulk #6 (published the same month as FF #12), but Editor-in-Chief Stan Lee would send his star on a tour of other series, growing his legend as he mixed it up with The Avengers, Iron Man, Spider-man, and a circulating attraction from the Golden Age: Sub-Mariner!

It comes as no surprise that I would have a strong affection for this approach. I enjoy a good superhero fight, and love the way these stories helped build the legend of each character, and their inter-personal relationships.

Thing & Hulk are still two of Marvel's toughest, and still have a pretty healthy rivalry! In fact, the fight from Fantastic Four #12 was specifically revisited in 2005's Hulk and Thing: Hard Knocks, where Bruce Jones wrote a new brawl between them as they argued over who won that fateful first encounter!

Marvel Comics were really given a strong start, and Stan Lee deserves a lot of credit for cultivating that.

There were a lot of classic confrontations we could've revisited, but when I think Stan Lee, I think Fantastic Four, so this seemed like a fitting way to pay tribute to "The Man", who sadly left us earlier this week, aged 95.

Many people around the world have said wonderful words about the writer, editor, publisher, and personality, who had such a huge impact on us all. I'm not sure I can add much more of value. With so many famous faces leaving us in recent years, that's one of the nice aspects of the Stan Lee story. He had the chance to know how much he meant to us all. More should be so lucky.

If you'd like to check out more famous fights from Stan Lee, be sure to browse the Cover to Cover: Remembering Stan Lee selection. You'll also be able to find more from "The Man" by following links, and browsing the Secret Archive.

You can read today's featured story and more for yourself by checking out collected editions from Amazon! Purchasing via the links provided helps support the Secret Wars on Infinite Earths at no extra cost to you! Excelsior!

Get daily links to featured fights inspired by the topics of the day by liking, sharing, and following on Twitter and Facebook. You can also connect with more fans celebrating the life of Stan Lee with tributes and stories by following the #StanLeeForever hashtag.

Winner: "Wrecker" Karl Kort (w/ Fantastic Four)
#317 (new) Karl Kort (Wrecker)
#11 (--) Thing [+1 assist]
#10 (--) Mister Fantastic [+1 assist]
#14 (--) Human Torch [+1 assist]
#12 (--) Invisible Woman [+1 assist]
#6 (--) Hulk

BLACK PANTHER versus ULYSSES KLAW

The Way It Began..! (Marvel)
Where: Fantastic Four #53 When: August 1966
Why: Stan Lee How: Jack Kirby

The Story So Far...
Wakanda celebrates the invited arrival of the Fantastic Four, but as they do, a sinister presence from the African nation's past plots against their young ruler!

Massive rampaging jungle beasts attack the unsuspecting kingdom! Animal simulations created from pure sound energy! They are weapons of revenge created by the master of sound: Ulysses Klaw!

Klaw attack Wakanda ten years earlier, killing King T'Chaka in an attempt to claim the country's deposit of rare vibranium metal! Young Prince T'Challa thwarted the attack, and must once again go on the hunt to stop the brutal arch-nemesis whose hand he once destroyed! While the Fantastic Four battle Klaw's sonic monsters -- Black Panther confronts his father's killer!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Klaw 4 (Enhanced)
Intelligence: Black Panther 5 (Professor)
Speed: Black Panther 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Klaw 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Black Panther 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Black Panther 4 (Trained)
Energy: Klaw 5 (Lasers)
Total: Draw 26 (Meta-human)

Every great hero has a villainous shadow to haunt them time and time again. Black Panther has faced many ferocious foes, but none ranks quite as highly as today's featured felon -- his brutal arch-nemesis!

Ulysses Klaw (later renamed Klaue) is the self-proclaimed Master of Sound! He was a Dutch physicist who first ventured into Wakanda to claim the world's largest deposit of a rare, valuable mineral called Vibranium.

The early encounter brought Klaw into conflict with Black Panther's father, King T'Chaka, who he murdered in cold blood! Klaw and his machine gunning men spread much death and destruction through Wakanda, but the young Prince turned Klaw's own sound blaster against him! The encounter cost Klaw his right hand and sparked a blood feud that continues into Prince T'Challa's maturity!

Klaw outfitted his damaged hand with a weapon capable of firing deadly blasts of controlled sonic force! His vibranium powered machines can even create animated objects of pure "solid sound" -- a state he himself will be converted to after the initial showdown featured in today's grudge match!

Most will (hopefully) recognize Klaw as the bizarre pink & red villain known for also rattling the likes of: The Thing, Fantastic Four, Captain America, The Avengers, The Thunderbolts, Daredevil, Carnage, and others.

Fantastic Four #53 marks Klaw's first appearance, an early incarnation to be sure. In the issue prior, we were also introduced to Black Panther, who had the entire Fantastic Four on the ropes, specifically upsetting Thing during the battle!

Without the intimate knowledge of each other's arsenals that they'd have much later, it's tough to say who has the advantage. Klaw's sound-based arsenal will one day be neutralized through the unique properties of vibranium, and other sound-based strategies. In a man-on-man struggle, the advantage seems to belong to the Black Panther. Let's see if that's actually true!

The Tape: Draw Ranking: Black Panther (#72)

What Went Down...
Knowing the jungles of his kingdom well, Black Panther leaps through the trees for the one location capable of hiding Klaw's hideous machines. Coming upon the massive cave, he effortlessly disposes of two guards and stalks toward his true target. Klaw recognizes the voice of the Prince as if he'd heard it yesterday!

Klaw turns to face his nemesis, threatening with the metal Force Glove that now replaces his broken right hand! The Panther keeps his distance, confidently stalking like his namesake as Klaw gloats about the sound converter's power!

Rather than test Black Panther's phenomenal reflexes, Klaw returns to his main machine to generate a massive sound creature: a simulation of a panther!

Instead of ironic vengeance, Klaw is shocked to witness T'Challa's speed and strength as he grapples with the sound beast! It is every bit as ferocious as the real thing -- but the legend of the Black Panther is no exaggeration!

Recognizing the true skill and might of his opponent, Klaw knows he cannot toy with the Panther. With the flick of a lever the giant jungle cat disappears!

For a more direct attack Ulysses Klaw again turns to the lethal power of his hand-worn Force Glove! He claims Wakanda's vibranium as his ultimate prize, even if it costs the lives of every tribesman who survives the Prince!

The vile invader seems to be on the verge of victory - but he has failed to learn one of the Black Panther's greatest weapons: his mind!

A brilliant scientist in his own right: T'Challa has found the switch that will send the massive sound converting machine into a fatal overload! It begins to blow itself apart! The delicate circuits burst with uncontrolled energy!

With total destruction imminent: The Black Panther makes a hasty exit -- fleeing the catastrophic explosions that bring Klaw's secret cave down upon him!

Outside, rampaging constructs that terrorized Wakanda begin to dissipate. The Black Panther joins the Fantastic Four in victory, while inside the collapsed cave, the man called Klaw finds himself still alive, and ready to take a desperate risk!

The Hammer...
Ulysses Klaw may have lived to fight another day, but there's absolutely no doubt about the victor. Black Panther defeated Klaw's sound beast, thwarted his plan, and saved his kingdom! All in a day's work for the Panther prince!

Unbelievably, even with 888 characters ranked in the Secret Wars on Infinite Earths record -- we've never gotten to Klaw!

The shifting roster of the Frightful Four meant we got real close a couple of times, but it's only now, fighting against his arch-nemesis, that we open an account for the Master of Sound!

Admittedly, part of the delay is by virtue of holding off on the exploits of Black Panther, to best dedicate the month of February to Marvel Studios' latest starring hero! It's one of the most exciting Marvel movie releases since Iron Man, but as always, we look to the comics for even greater source material!

Baron Zemo was ultimately responsible for the death of T'Chaka on screen, but as discussed in The Tape section, the bad blood that makes Klaw arch-nemesis of the Black Panther runs deep. He murdered T'Challa's father and laid brutal siege to the kingdom of Wakanda. A crime he would revisit many times again.

The villainous origin story was revised in more explicit detail in 2005 by writer Reginald Hudlin. His take explicitly cast Klaw as a Dutch invader, recalling raw truths of real-life colonial history in Africa.

The story launched with a new #1 as Volume 4 of the Black Panther series, which may be one of the reasons you didn't read, if you were a comics fan of the mid-2000s. The relaunch officially divorced the series from Christopher Priest's cult millennium revival, and awkwardly positioned it as an undeclared - and indistinct - retcon of the classic origin stories.

The opening story arc, Who Is The Black Panther?, fashions Klaw as a new character in company with old favourites, like Batroc and Rhino. it effectively retells the backstory introduced in Fantastic Four #53, fleshing it out as a modern action-adventure of murder, espionage, and revenge. Taken on its own terms, it's an all-time great Black Panther story, and well worth checking out!

We should really wait until we get to the Reginald Hudlin story to talk more about it, but with February running out, I had to touch on it. It's one of my favourites and an admirable attempt to revamp what was done by Kirby and Lee in 1966. Which itself set a high bar for introducing a new hero into the growing Marvel Universe, and pairing him with a strong new villain, as well!

Typically timid, Hollywood has made a few more modifications to the Klaw character. One of the most noticeable will be the spelling of his name, now the slightly less literal "Klaue".

As always, it's easy to reject the perceived risk to credibility.

I'm not aware of what Stan Lee or Jack Kirby's inspirations would've been, but we know there would've been two contemporaries in 1960s New York City with the surname Klaw!

Just a few months after Ulysses Klaw was created for Marvel Comics, Irving Klaw passed away. Born Isadore Klaw, he was a New York purveyor of raunchy pin-ups, famous for propagating the image of Bettie Page. He was operating since the 1930s, and probably would've been a name known to publishing circles.

In the theatre world, there was Marcus Klaw. A producer and theatre owner of German Jewish descent, he died in 1936. You couldn't necessarily call him a contemporary of Lee & Kirby, but his Klaw Theatre was active on Broadway until being demolish in the mid-fifties. Another prominent example of the Klaw name available to the creators of the comic book villain.

So, yes, to modern American ears "Klaw" may ring false for its transliterate homonym (Claw). However, it is a real surname, and not at all unreasonable under greater scrutiny. Which is why we'll happily continue to refer to it!

You can refer to Klaw, too, when you follow character links littered throughout this post, or below in the tags section! There are thousands of featured fights to find, and many hundreds of characters involved!

You can also dive into the Secret Archive to find battles index by publisher, series, and issue number! Sharing your favourite links is a great way to support the Secret Wars on Infinite Earths! You can also get daily links to battles inspired by the topics of the day by liking and following on Facebook & Twitter!

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Winner: Black Panther
#47 (+25) Black Panther
#844 (new) Klaw (Ulysses Klaw)

BLACK PANTHER versus THING

The Black Panther! (Marvel)
Where: Fantastic Four #52 When: July 1966
Why: Stan Lee How: Jack Kirby

The Story So Far...
When the royal leader of an African nation gifts the Fantastic Four a hi-tech flying vehicle, they're invited to participate in a great Wakandan hunt. Little do they realize - it's the Fantastic Four who will be the prey!

Upon arrival they discover a nation built with the wonders of super-science and riches beyond belief! This is the remarkable kingdom of The Black Panther!

Black Panther hopes to test his fighting prowess and advanced technology against the cosmically powered might of the Fantastic Four. A gambit that begins by separating the group, leaving Thing to unwittingly stumbled into a trap that will leave him vulnerable to unarmed combat!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Thing 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Black Panther 5 (Professor)
Speed: Black Panther 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Thing 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Black Panther 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Black Panther 4 (Trained)
Energy: Black Panther 2 (Projectiles)
Total: Black Panther 26 (Meta-Human)

What is this? The year of beatin' up on Aunt Petunia's favourite nephew?! We're back talking another classic case of hero-on-hero action, with the ultimate measure of power being the ever lovin' blue-eyed Thing!

This could be a slightly controversial entry, given its status as a fight-within-a-fight against the Fantastic Four. More on that in the Hammer section at the end. For now, we merely concern ourselves with a battle of speed, agility and wits against unstoppable brute strength!

Black Panther is T'Challa: Son of King T'Chaka, and rightful heir to the Wakandan throne! Black Panther lives up to the virtues of the isolated African nations rule by honing his body, senses, and mind through rigorous training.

T'Challa possesses phenomenal speed, agility, strength, and hand-to-hand technique, harnessed with an engineering mind that rivals that of Mister Fantastic! This genius not only furnishes Wakanda with technology beyond that of most modern nations, but also T'Challa himself, who hides many useful tricks within the thin lining of his Black Panther uniform!

The advanced technology of The Panther's suit was on display when he battled Doctor Doom in Black Panther #19! Perhaps more impressively, we saw his physical feats when he fought Captain America to a standstill in Tales of Suspense #98, and the Super-Skrull in Fantastic Four (Vol.2) #6!

His unassisted opposition to the Super-Skrull is the most effective example of how his fighting technique can stall even an opponent as powerful as Thing! Black Panther's stand was made brief by Super-Skrull's cosmic powers, of which Thing possesses none. As The Tape shows -- Thing is all about power!

The Panther has the fighting acumen to turn strength against an opponent, but he may not have to. This fight is the Black Panther's first appearance, and it's taking place in his home arena! At this stage of the fight, he's already used his hi-tech surroundings to entrap Human Torch and Invisible Woman.

Thing is a long way from home and quite possibly out of his depth!

The Tape: Black Panther Ranking: Thing (#10)

What Went Down...

Having been repelled from the rest of his teammates; The Thing recovers by what he believes to be a refreshing pool of water. In truth, he has stumbled into one of the Black Panther's well laid traps -- dousing himself in dangerous amounts of clear, strength-sapping devitalizing fluid!

The Panther Prince seizes his opportunity -- leaping from the shadows cast by labyrinthine machinery to the unsuspecting Thing's back!

The Thing goes to ground, but lifts himself to tackle the head-on Panther. With his strength sapped, he proves far less effective than expected! Black Panther stands his ground and fires off a right hook that sends Thing staggering!

Black Panther grants Thing the opportunity to pull himself to his feet, if only for the satisfaction of knocking him back down. So weakened is the rock-skinned hero, he requires the aid of a nearby post of machinery just to stand steady.

Once back to a vertical base: Thing unleashes a mighty right hand that would rattle the toughest of opponents -- if he still possessed his incredible strength!

Once more the heroes lock-up! The Panther pays homage to Thing's undeniable courage, but cannot compliment his lack of fighting skill.

Riled up by the verbal jab; Thing puts his back into it -- charging like a raging rhino! Black Panther has no choice but to side-step the barreling brute, inadvertently sending him on a path towards a high-voltage refrigeration unit!

Panther tries to warn his opponent of the impending doom - but it's too late!

The Thing smashes into the machine, releasing a deadly deep freeze! It's only by good fortune that he survives the frost as the effects of the devitalizing fluid begin to wear off! He will be frozen solid -- but he will survive!

The Hammer...

Is that a cry of controversy I hear? Objection from the seasoned fans?

Fantastic Four #52 is, of course, famous for the first appearance of Black Panther. It's also relatively well known for The Panther's plan to challenge and defeat the entire Fantastic Four.

It's a test of tactics, tech, and technique, with a healthy helping of teamwork.

Much of the action-packed issue is dedicated to a continuous war game between the Fantastic Four and their Wakandan host. However, under careful scrutiny, and much deliberation, The Comic Book Fight Club determines that the skirmish with Thing functions as an entire fight within the framework of the larger battle.

That means at a later date we will return to review The Panther's battle with the entire Fantastic Four, providing reference to this isolated encounter. It will simply function as a tangent within the larger context of The Panther vs the FF. Similar distinction may be afforded to his brief battle with Invisible Girl, as well.

Why does any of this matter? Hey! Take a look around, buddy. Fight results are kind of the name of the game around here. Sometimes the judge's call has to be invoked to keep the Fight Club Rankings clear. There's something else, too...

Superheroes aren't a whole lot different from any conventional combat sport. When you've got a hot new prospect like Black Panther, you want to get him over by showing what he can do. Like pro wrestling, comics are in control of the outcome and the particulars of the match. So there are a lot of tools to use.

As the headlining act, the Fantastic Four are usually going to come out with the win in the end. Fifty-one issues of victory means they have equity to take a few hits from a new character. So Black Panther may not succeed in beating the team as a whole, but by creating isolated fights within the battle, there's ample opportunity to show he's the real deal.

As The Tape clearly showed: Black Panther isn't in the same strength bracket as Thing, but that kinda protects both fighters.

Supping from a random pool in an indoor environment doesn't say much for Thing's thought process, but the devitalizing fluid means his defeat comes with an asterisk -- he wasn't at the top of his game! So Black Panther gets a big notch on his belt, but Thing gets to walk away with the benefit of the doubt.

Black Panther is undoubtedly one cool character, so it made sense to give him this big debut. It clearly paid off, because he'd have many more adventures in the Marvel Universe, as a title character, and part of memorable ensembles like the FF, and the Avengers!

You can't make it on your own as a hero if you don't have some worthy super-villains to beat up. When you mention Black Panther there's one big bad guy that immediately springs to mind. He debuted in the next issue of FF, and we'll aim to take a closer look at his unique brand of villainy real soon!

We probably won't be doing month-long themes in this year's Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, but anticipation for the theatrical arrival of Marvel's Black Panther has been a long time coming! We've been saving up for it so February could get the black carpet treatment!

Need more Black Panther in your life? Follow links and tags (below) to discover more from your favourite topics - or dive in to the Secret Index to check out past battles filed by publisher, series, and issue!

Use the Amazon link provided [embedded right] to read this story for yourself in collected edition. Doing so helps support the site at no extra cost! You can also show your support by following on Facebook and Twitter for daily fight links inspired by the hot topics! Every like, share & retweet helps!

Winner: Black Panther
#72 (+55) Black Panther
#10 (--) Thing

BLACK PANTHER versus CAPTAIN AMERICA

The Claws of The Panther! (Marvel)
Where: Tales of Suspense #98 When: February 1968
Why: Stan Lee How: Jack Kirby

The Story So Far...
Upon receiving an urgent summons from the mysterious ruler of Wakanda -- America's Sentinel of Liberty agrees to board a remote controlled Magnaship to speed to the aid of the far off nation!

En route; Captain America finds himself caught in the firing line of an orbital energy weapon! He can only watch helplessly as the beam reduces a mountain to melted slag! At the mercy of operators he really only knows from rumor and reading, Cap must consider the possibility that he's being led into a death trap!

Making clandestine touch down at a base hidden deep within the jungle - Cap goes on the offensive! In no mood to play the fall guy any longer, he seeks an advantage over shadowy figures who charge to greet him. Wave one wasn't any problem, but now he must face the claws of The Black Panther!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Black Panther 5 (Professor)
Speed: Draw 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Captain America 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Black Panther 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Captain America 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Draw 2 (Projectiles)


Can you say famous firsts? Here on The Comic Book Fight Club we approach each fight as though it's the present, referencing archived examples for fights featured for the first time. This here represents the genuine very first time two of Marvel's most famed hand-to-hand combatants met in battle! A classic!

Black Panther is T'Challa: brilliant son of King T'Chaka of the isolated African nation of Wakanda. Rich with natural resources and advanced technologies, Wakanda honors a line of traditions which include guarded neutrality through closed borders. Wakandan traditions also include the trial of the Black Panther. This rite of passage is a royal ceremonial challenge that proves the winner's fitness to lead the nation, reflecting the peak physical and combative skills of the new Black Panther! The winner is enhanced by a rare herb that facilitates a spiritual confrontation with the panther god Bast.

The enhanced peak physical conditioning of T'Challa makes him not at all dissimilar from Captain America! Steve Rogers was a frail patriot so intent on joining the fight against Nazi Germany, he subjected himself to experimental testing! The enhancements of Dr. Abraham Erskine's super-soldier serum bestowed upon him ultimate human potential! Like The Panther, he was trained in armed and unarmed combat, and honed his skills in a theatre of war!

Personally, I tend to think of Black Panther as the more skilled of the two hand-to-hand fighters. WWII era America wasn't exactly a capital for martial arts. So when it comes to technique, I tend to give The Panther the edge. That said, the custom measure of The Haseloff System tries to balance literal definitions with the realities of comic book variables. That's why Cap rates higher on the fighting measure, for his sheer will to barrel through the opposition. Which isn't to say Cap is any kind of slouch, obviously. I just think of Panther as a more refined hand-to-hand fighter in the mould of a supreme martial artist.

This fight has a lot in common with the deadlock of Captain America vs Batman. Again, in that example, Batman's refined, literal martial artistry was underrated against the intangible "warrior" quality of Cap. A fine line of interpretation.
Of course, Black Panther doesn't just fight with innate skill and sense - he also fights with a brilliant mind. His knowledge of science and engineering sometimes plays out in new tricks in his suit, but can't be under estimated for giving him a unique perspective of opponents and environment.

Both characters have shown they can fight well above their weight, as well. In past featured fights we've seen Black Panther match heavyweights: Super-Skrull [Fantastic Four #6] and Dr. Doom [Black Panther #19]. On the flipside, Cap's gone toe-to-toe with the likes of Master Man [Reborn #2] and Iron Man [Captain America Annual #9]!

Separating the two is very difficult. When the fight starts, Cap has already taken out a couple of Wakandan guards. Let's find out how the main event went!

The Tape: Captain America Ranking: Captain America (#7)

What Went Down...

Springing from his remote controlled ship like a blaze of red, white and blue - Captain America goes of the offensive, hoping to avoid an ambush by taking down the shadowy figures who accompany the Black Panther!

The human dynamo springs from his toppled foes and braces for the attack of The Panther himself! With the momentum swinging his way, the super-soldier expects a single blow can finish the conflict, but the swing of his shield misses its intended target!

The Black Panther's legendary reflexes are too fast for the Captain's arrogant physicality, but Wakanda's ruler fights with honor. He prowls out of harms way, dashing between Cap's open stance, and refuses the aid of his soldiers as he rises to topple the American!

Well versed in hand-to-hand grappling, Captain America uses the Panther's own movement against him! With a cinched in hold, Cap tumbles into the roll, using his legs to vault the Black Panther over him!

The manoeuver is enough to pass T'Challa's martial test! Convinced the man he has summoned from afar is indeed the genuine article - he calls off their battle!

With a deadly menace threatening their very existence from above, the heroes must put all thoughts of combat supremacy aside. They get to work.

The Hammer...

It was a fast and furious struggle, but it was also just a test! Both fighters showed intelligence and intensity in their technique, but it was all for a draw!

There's a lot to like in this fight. I think it's a good illustration of the intensity Jack Kirby brings to his figures during this period of Marvel Comics. There's a reality and weight to the characters, but their logical actions are cranked up a notch. Judo mats be damned!

It may or may not surprise you to know today's featured fight essentially takes place over a single page. The limited range of movements makes this somewhat easy to deduce, but I don't know if it gives enough credit to the fluid continuity of their battle. The story clearly never intends to pit the two heroes at odds, but if you came for a fight between them, you got a decent taste in a small space.

Bit of a dick move on Cap's part to just dive out and start fighting anyone who shows up. Hardly the worst example of the 'superhero misunderstanding' cliché, but an entry, none the less. You can put it down to the Tales of Suspense double feature format. Sharing the series with Iron Man means limited pages and a healthy attitude to cramming a lot in!

The fight is also consistent with Black Panther's other early appearances, where he tests himself against international heroes. It built the tone of mystery and seclusion that is ultimately a unique defining trait for the fictional nation of Wakanda. Cap has ultimately been recruited to fight the new Baron Zemo of the time. In a nice example of Marvel continuity, Black Panther joins Cap as a new Avengers recruit right after this. Solid, pull no punches, organic storytelling.

As you'll no doubt have guessed: today's 1968 sparring session was far from the last time Black Panther and Captain America went head-to-head!

Fans in some parts of the world can already see the pair fighting on opposite sides in Captain America: Civil War! Black Panther is drawn into the conflict by the assassination of his father: King T'Chaka, whose interest in superhuman registration is piqued by the death of aid workers during an Avengers mission gone wrong. These tragedies lead him T'Challa to fight alongside Iron Man and the other heroes in favor of registration.

With Black Panther heading back to theatres for a much anticipated solo film in 2018, I'm hopeful we'll be here to talk a whole lot more about his exploits. The reputations of the Panther and Cap as two of Marvel's best hand-to-hand fighters has certainly spawned a few memorable rematches I can think of!

If your hunger for Civil War inspired entries hasn't been satiated - check out Old Comics Wednesday: Captain America for a choice selection of relevant back issues! You can also find hundreds of previous featured fights in the Archive Issued Index and come back next week for another exciting action-packed encounter with Captain America's past!

Winner: Draw

#7 (--) Captain America

#113 (+15) Black Panther

HERCULES versus HULK
The Titan and the Torment! (Marvel)
Where: Tales to Astonish #79 When: May 1966
Why: Stan Lee How: Bill Everett & Jack Kirby

The Story So Far...
When a young man carelessly parks his jeep on a military testing range, he seals the fate of the noble Dr. Bruce Banner, destined become a lumbering green Hulk!

Banner dedicates his life to the struggle of reversing his condition, but complications continuously arise as his rampaging, childlike alter-ego encounters those that would seek to destroy, mainpulate, or channel the powers of the incredible Hulk!

When a Dr. Zaxon is hired to replaced Banner at missile command, the villainous scientist's true motivations are revealed to be that of harnessing the gamma irradiated powers of the Hulk for himself! Irrepressible; the Hulk escapes the bondage of the evil doctor, and in doing so, raises the ire of Major Glenn Talbot's military forces, who pursue him into the path of an on-coming train that just happens to ferry a demigod on the path to a career as a Hollywood star...

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Draw 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Hercules 2 (Average)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Hulk 6 (Generator)
Agility: Draw 2 (Average)
Fighting Ability: Draw 6 (Warrior)
Energy Power: Draw 1 (None)


- Hercules is the demigod spawn of king of a the Olympian gods, Zeus, and Alcmena; the mortal daughter of the king of Mycenae.

Despite a conspiracy perpetrated by Hera and Luciana to prevent the birth; Hercules was born after seven days of labor, to rule those around him, by the decree of Zeus. The mammoth child would indeed traverse many perils to grow into a mighty leader of men, whose strength became the stuff of legends.

So far did the tale of Hercules travel, that he would gain the attentions of Nordic counterparts, who would seek to employ his power to unstick the might of the god of thunder, Thor! Despite many showdowns; Thor and Hercules would become godly allies, and members of Earth's mightiest mortal protectors - the Avengers!
Hercules' return to the mortal realm would also include tenures with the Champions, Heroes for Hire, and the Defenders, continuing his presence as a sometimes unruly force for the good of mankind.

- Dr. Robert Bruce Banner, a slight and insignificant scientist, lives slavishly dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge, as funded by the United States military.
Though Banner justifies his goals as means for peace, he becomes one of America's leading weapons designers after inventing a gamma radiation bomb.

During preperations for a test launch in the desert, Dr. Banner spots a reckless youth on the testing ground, and in a moment of magnificence, knowingly throws himself on a bullet that would grant a far crueller fate than death.
Bitterly aware of the Communist conspiracy of his fellow scientist, Banner struggles to usher he and the boy to safety while his colleague continues to countdown the launch.

After succumbing to an ordinarily lethal doses of gamma radiation, Dr. Banner soon finds himself undergoing a horrific transformation. Originally by night, but soon triggered by rage or unease, Banner discovers the superhumanly strong alter-ego within himself, dubbed simply - the Hulk! As the Hulk, Banner's brilliance is reduced to a childlike lumbering, while his slight frame conversely comes to possess size, strength, and durability never before imagined.

Hulk has no specific known weaknesses, but is fiercely protective of the few who earn his favour. Though generally good hearted, Hulk is prone to wild rages and varied personalities, including the calculating persona adopted during his time on the planet Sakaar, where he adopts a military savvy.

The Math: Draw Ranking: Hulk (#6)

What Went Down...
The Hollywood find of the century is Hercules!
When an industrious press agent discovers the perfect man to play Hercules on the screen (Hercules himself!) they hop on a train to tinsel town, unaware that fate was about to bring the Olympian titan into the path of the incredible Hulk!

Fleeing fighter planes the Hulk finds a retaliatory weapon in zig zagging desert railtracks just begging to be ripped up and thrown! Just as Hulk reduces the bars to scrap metal, the train closes in on that very area!

Hercules cuts a commanding figure as he emerges from the crowd of startled passengers, intent to meet the interruption head-on. Startled by the green visage before him, Hercules is taken by surprise, as Hulk greets the opportunity to grapple with an opponent large enough to withstand his might!

Like a cornered lion; the Hulk launches Hercules into surrounding terrain with a counter-attacking toss! Hercules turns the projection to his advantage, but Hulk easily halts the Olympian's boulder-wielding charge, with a blow that shatters both the sediment, and warrior!

Hercules introduces Hulk to his immortal durability, taking his licks to retaliate with a charging headbutt that leaves Hulk floating for a devestating left hook!
Taking the momentum, Hercules snatches his burly foe by the ankle, looking to launch him like an Olympic hammer, but the green goliath has other ideas! With surprising agility Hulk manages to swing out of the predicament, striking Hercules in the jaw with a Polish hammer!

Hercules gives pause to the impressive power of his mortal opponent, musing on his understanding of Thor's passion for the modern world of the Marvel Universe. Such thoughts are dwindling, with further battle yet to be waged.
Herc wallops Hulk but fails to curb his efforts to lock the demigod in a bearhug!

Though grimacing under the impressive pressure, Hercules scoffs Hulk's attempts to close out the battle with the crushing hold. Insulted by Hulk's choice of finisher, the son of Zeus explodes in a vengeful barrage! With a toss, Herc vaults Hulk over his shoulder into a piledriving slam into a nearby desert cliff.

Hercules rips open the crater made by Hulk's impact, to stuff the green goliath between the two halves of Earth, which he brings colliding together with the might of a god! Thus, Herc claims another triumph in his unfolding saga, but...

... Hulk emerges from his makeshift tomb with the hunk of earth above his head! Much to Hercules' chagrin, the unstoppable Hulk flings the mountainous boulder in his direction, unwilling to accept defeat!

Hercules performs the amazing feat of catching the giant rock, but just as he does, man-made missiles hurtle from the sky! A barrage of US artillery shells rain down upon the Hulk, diverting his attentions back toward the true enemy.
Frustrated by his military stalkers; the Hulk uses his powerful limbs to leap away, disappearing into the distant landscape of the barren desert. So he leaves Hercules to ponder the power of a nemesis he will surely meet again.

The Hammer...
There's no arguing; this is one of the biggest super heavyweight showdowns you'll find in comics, and run though the Hulk did, minimal conclusions can be drawn from this fight. With a solid showing from both heroes this one ends in an inconclusive draw!

This, of course, marks the first entry in what is intended to be a month's celebration of the theatrical realse of Incredible Hulk! The movie officially hits cinemas worldwide June 13 and stars Edward Norton in the title role, with; William Hurt, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, and Lou Ferrigno as the voice of the Hulk. Fans of the '96 Marvel Studios animated series will tell you that actually isn't as silly as it sounds.

It's maybe a little odd that we indulge the Hulk film given that I'm not particularly keen to see it. Contributing to the reduced presence of cinema-goers, I'm really more of a DVD-phile in general, these days, but a strong contingent of nostalgia for the 1970's TV series has me especially turned off.

Also working against the release is the fact that I can't help but shake the feeling this new feature; intent on distancing itself from the previous flop; is exactly the kind of Hulk action movie I was glad I didn't get the first time. Despite it's problems, I was a definite fan of the much maligned Ang Lee psycho-drama [Hulk], and would have very much liked to have seen where the Academy award winning director could have gone next.

If you're an Infinite Wars regular reader, you've probably already reconciled my paradox.
As illustrated by this very entry - if not the entire site - I'm more than happy with a bit of mindless fisticuffs when it comes to my four-colour fiction.
I gladly acknowledge World War Hulk, Countdown, and Mortal Kombat as among the highlights of Season 2008, but that's all put down to context...

When it comes to distilling the Hulk story to it's greatest conceptual high; an implied duty of a feature film adaptation; I expect more.
In fact, it's the regularly attacked psychological underpinning of the first Hulk feature that resonates especially well with my expectations. Expectations that, I feel, recall many of the Hulk's finest moments in the comics. Moments that dwell as much on the psychological and philosophical aspects of the character, as they do the fantasy of his physical charisma.

Top 25 Super Heavyweights#1 Iron Man (Marvel)
#2 Superman (DC)
#3 Hulk (Marvel)
#4 Thing (Marvel)
#5 Black Adam (DC)
#6 Sub-Mariner (Marvel)
#7 Thor (Marvel)
#8 Silver Surfer (Marvel)
#9 Martian Manhunter (DC)
#10 Wonder Woman (DC)
#11 War Machine (Marvel)
#12 Colossus (Marvel)
#13 She-Thing (Marvel)
#14 Powergirl (DC)
#15 Bizarro (DC)
#16 The Destroyer (Marvel)
#17 Mephisto (Marvel)
#18 Drax (Marvel)
#19 Orion (DC)
#20 Mallen (Marvel)
#21 Crimson Dynamo (Marvel)
#22 Ultron (Marvel)
#23 Captain Atom (DC)
#24 Maul (Wildstorm)
#25 Despero (DC)I fully expect to gain something from watching the Norton vehicle. While I'm not particularly in love with the actor, I believe he'll turn in a competent enough performance that, with any luck, will channel Bill Bixby to a minimum.

Meanwhile, I'm sure there'll be ample opportunities for further musings and uninformed comparisons in the weeks to come, as we glance through various inconsequential moments in the Hulk's history.
As much as I'd like to provide some sort of material to support my ideals about what's fairly expected of a Hulk film, that really isn't conducive to the Infinite Wars mission statement of boxing and biffery.

In this, an Olympic year, I fully expect to see more from Hercules, who, I think, has been one of Marvel's most valuable players since inheriting the Incredible Hulk title [as the aptly named, Incredible Hercules].

For a very long time I had forgotten what it was that made Hercules an enjoyable character. I mean, sure, I'm a fan of the classic mythology, and even bought into the glam adventures of the not-forgotten Kevin Sorbo series, but when it came to the Marvel superhero, it was all a bit eh.

As a bumbling muscleman with various incarnations of the Avengers; I think Hercules' greatest struggle was with his own irrelevance. When it comes to mythology in the Marvel universe, Herc has always been dwarfed by the significance of the Norse characters spinning out of his comics precursor, Thor.

I suppose it's refreshing to see the character involved in something more than dunder-headed posturing, but it is nice to go back to these early appearances, where the thrill of the fight was justification enough for a guest-starring role. In some respects I think it's the loss of majesty that's been the price for a modern era transitioning from visually-driven stories, to more densely written comics.

The middle ground seems to have been lost, stripping the characters of a certain degree of weight that once came from infrequent rotation. In this respect I can almost appreciate what recent stories in Amazing Spider-man have been trying to do, even if I feel they've fallen far short of the target with their new additions.

Incredible Hercules has done well to continue on from the five-issue epic of Hulk's gauntlet-match assault on the Marvel Universe, introducing his own lined-up list of adversaries, most notably including clashes with age-old rival, Ares.
At the end of the day comics benefit greatly from story, but as an on-going medium full of inherently interesting characters there's a license of conflict that allows an approach not dissimilar from professional wrestling organization - a subject to be tackled at another date!

The Fight: 5.5 The Story: 4

Not quite convinced the Hulk is the strongest one there is? If you want the before and after of this story, you'll find this, as well as forty-plus "Tales to Astonish" Hulk shorts, and a whole mess of other early materials, in the Hulk Omnibus! Or, if you're looking for a smaller slice, why not check out the "Versus the Marvel Universe" trade, which includes many classic Hulk fights, but not the Hercules battle featured today. Need to know where to get all these great reads? By using Amazon purchase links provided you help invest in future entries in the Infinite Wars -- so get spending, puny human!