AVENGERS & X-MEN versus RONAN

Whatever The Cost! (Marvel)
Where: Maximum Security #3 When: January 2001
Why: Kurt Busiek How: Jerry Ordway

The Story So Far...
A sudden global surge in extraterrestrial conflict reveals a master plan by the Intergalactic Council of empires to declare Earth a prison planet!

Encounters with the Kree, Skrull, Shi'ar, and more have earned humans a meddlesome reputation. To further delay them from reaching beyond the stars, the untamable scum of the universe are now interned to keep Earth busy. Energy lattice surrounds the solar system in an effort to contain humanity and the prisoners from further interference.

With the Kree seemingly conquered by the Shi'ar Empire, Ronan The Accuser was appointed overseer of the new prison planet, but in truth he has conspired to launch a new Kree uprising. With the mutated Ruul army at his command, and an infestation of the Earth by Ego feeding him unlimited power, Ronan stands poised to lead the Supreme Intelligence to ultimate victory!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Ronan 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Goliath 6 (Genius)
Speed: Nova 7 (Light Speed)
Stamina: Thor 6 (Generator)
Agility: Spider-Man 5 (Cat-Like)
Fighting: Wolverine 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Ronan 6 (Mass Destruction)
Total: Ronan The Accuser 34 (Super)

Earth's heroes are: Thor, Warbird, Sub-Mariner, Wonder Man, She-Hulk, Goliath, Hercules, Thing, Beta Ray Bill, Rogue, Colossus, Sunfire, with USAgent, Quasar, Captain America, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Nova, Namorita, Speedball, Triathlon, and Mister Fantastic, Iron Man, Bruce Banner, Silver Surfer.

Several other heroes can be seen teleporting into action with Quasar, but for the sake of clarity, we're only focusing on those identifiably involved in the battle. This includes support troops led by USAgent fighting on the ground.

Ronan The Accuser has been dramatically augmented by Ego, who has begun to infest the Earth. The flow of power Ego supplies adds to Ronan's already impressive Kree might, and results in a massive increase in his physical size.

Working on the Ego problem are Mister Fantastic, Iron Man, and Bruce Banner. They've built a machine to repel the infestation, and drain Ronan's power by funneling it into a captive host. Silver Surfer has volunteered for the potentially lethal absorption, but it means he's taken out of the battle.

Silver Surfer's absence from the fight will be felt. We saw him beat Ronan back in Silver Surfer #13, but there are still plenty of other heavy hitters on the field who have credentials beating some prominent cosmic opponents!

Thor can match his hammer against Ronan's Universal Weapon, having used it to best Super-Skrull in Thor #465. Warbird (Carol Danvers) gained her powers from the Kree and has a late win over Thanos [FCBD Civil War II #1]. She-Hulk performed the rare feat of defeating Champion of the Universe in She-Hulk #8. Sub-Mariner was one of the first heroes to valiantly face Thanos in Infinity Gauntlet #4, joining She-Hulk in a noteworthy grim stand. Even Colossus has memorable cosmic face-offs, including a win over Ord in Astonishing X-Men #5!

Thing has made a career of taking on the universe's deadliest fighters. His renown across galaxies was built on battles against Ronan himself, The Champion, and villains like Ego, The Living Planet [Fantastic Four #235], Gladiator [Fantastic Four #249], Paibok The Power Skrull [Fantastic Four #358], and even his own Magus created Doppelganger [Fantastic Four #367]!

The heroes can also count on the aide of Beta Ray Bill, who was interned on Earth as part of the intergalactic council's designation as a prison planet. Beta Ray Bill famously defeated Thor in Thor #337, proving worthy to wield Mjolnir before Odin granted him his own hammer: Stormbreaker. He once fought Silver Surfer to a standstill in Beta Ray Bill: Godhunter #2, and fought valiantly by his side against the unstoppable Tyrant in Silver Surfer #82!

This all spells one phenomenal fighting force, but will it be enough to mitigate the incredible power boost received by Ronan The Accuser? They're literally fighting a man with the power of an entire planet -- and a Kree army!

The Tape: Earth's Allied Heroes Ranking: Spider-Man (#2)

What Went Down...
A sudden flash of light signals the arrival of Ronan The Accuser. He hovers menacingly in the air, a towering titan gazing down at the aggravating heroes who have begun to threaten his power source.

With a gesture of his Universal Weapon, he summons an army of Kree imperial soldiers, and warns Earth's heroic brains trust that they will be destroyed if they reactivate their machine. Then -- another flash of light: the cavalry!

Quasar teleports a troop of heroes over thirty-strong and when Ronan  threatens to kill them all -- USAgent steps forward to order the heroes against him. They swarm the giant-sized Accuser!

Thor, Wonder Man, and Warbird come in high with blows to the head and face, while Sub-Mariner contends with the giant's right arm, and Beta Ray Bill and Goliath lock up the left! Working the body is Hercules and Colossus, while She-Hulk and Thing come in hot from below as the giant threatens to lose footing!

Around Ronan's feet, Kree soldiers scurry as they contend with the heroes' support forces. USAgent bats at a small group, while Spider-Man, Wolverine, Nova, Triathlon, Namorita, Speedball, and Captain America do the same!

Overhead: Ronan delivers his first decisive blow as he targets Thor with his own hammer-like weapon and unleashes the planetary force of Ego!

With a wild backhanded chop, The Accuser dispatches with Beta Ray Bill, Hercules, and Sub-Mariner! He then turns his attentions to the ionic Wonder Man and brings his massive Universal Weapon slamming down upon him!

USAgent bats a Kree soldier with his photonic shield and contemplates the fragility of humanity's hopes against the invaders, while across the battlefield Mister Fantastic rallies the Thing and Human Torch to defend their ace.

Bruce Banner and Iron Man finish loading the Silver Surfer into their device and in an agonizing instant Ego's incredible power begins flooding into his body! His back arches, while on the horizon the infested landscape that is Ego begins to contort violently -- and Ronan The Accuser begins to shrink!

Ronan is caught completely off guard as his unfathomable power weakens ever so slightly and his mass begins to reduce. The sudden change signals the opportunity for the heroes to strike!

Rogue calls out his sudden weakening, with Thor, Warbird, Wonder Man, Sub-Mariner, Beta Ray Bill and Colossus rushing in to capitalize!

The Silver Surfer betrays his struggle as he begins to moan and his chrome skin burns ever brighter with blistering energy. Iron Man can see the strain is too great, but before any of the genius heroes can act -- Silver Surfer is torn free!

His smoldering and cracked body falls limply to the ground even as he attempts to volunteer for another try. The words catch in his throat as he passes out. There will be no reprieve for The Surfer.

From the air above, Quasar spots the brains trust of Banner, Richards, and Iron Man gathering over the exhausted cosmic rider. He scans the horizon, taking in the vista of his home planet Earth, then leaves Nova battling the Kree warriors.

It seems Silver Surfer's power cosmic could not contain the energies absorbed from Ego, but Quasar assures Reed Richards that his quantum power is more adaptive. Knowing the risks, he volunteers to be strapped into the machine and the draining process begins anew!

Sensing the sudden pull of his energy once more -- Ronan lashes out wildly by swatting Thor, Rogue, and Sunfire out of the air! The Kree Accuser can tell that the drain is more smooth than before, hastening his desire to find the cause.

Still gigantic; Ronan stomps across a smoking battlefield littered with the beaten bodies of Thor, Hercules, and more. He sets his sights on the machine attacking Ego's infestation of Earth, and prepares to battle Earth's last line of defense!

The Hammer...

Ronan does a very convincing job of cleaning house before setting his sights on the next challenge. The battle is won, but the war is certainly not over!

War is very much the tone here. I think the more superhero universes became proliferated with identifiable characters - the greater the desire to see a war-like scenario. Several series tried it. There are obvious echoes of Operation: Galactic Storm and Infinity Gauntlet in this one. I can't help but think of Annihilation as well, which took the hell of cosmic warfare even deeper into the trenches.

1984's Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars may be the most recognized example of conflict between warring Marvel factions, but that was much more about isolating defined sides and smashing them together like (tie-in) toys. Speaking of which: Isn't it about damn time we featured the site's namesake? I digress...

In a continuum of those memorable Marvel events, Maximum Security makes a lot of sense. Through the prism of published releases in 2001, however, it reads almost anachronistic.

The event feels like the last gasp of a movement begun with the soft Heroes Return reset of 1998. There's a colourful, fluffy house style in the artwork, and a confluence of references to Marvel's favoured past, and the character designs of the misguided mid-90s and probing millennium. All would soon go away.

Indeed, the concluding issue of Maximum Security may be cover dated 2001, but it very much belongs to the final throes of 2000, when it actually hit racks.

The release of the first X-Men movie that same year is arguably what changed comics forever. It was a foundation stone for the next two decades of superhero domination in cinema, but it would also influence two of the defining releases of 2001: Ultimate X-Men, and Grant Morrison & Frank Quitely's New X-Men.

Both were incredibly intriguing in their own way, participating in a movement towards more sedate art direction, and denser character work. Everything was being deliberately rethought. Designs got blacker, and bombastic super-heroics were taking a slight step back as written concepts took greater focus.

I was vaguely aware of the Maximum Security crossover unfolding when it came out, but it didn't connect with me. It seems like every ardent comic book fan has a lull in their reading, and for me, it was very much 99-2000. They were generally exciting times, and other interests just started to eclipse a lifetime of reading comics.

In hindsight, Maximum Security was a little old fashioned, but I think if I'd taken the time to look closer, I would've enjoyed it. It was certainly an interesting piece of history to revisit when I picked up back issues many years later.

Three issues doesn't give the core mini-series a lot of room to expand upon a fast moving plot, but there are, of course, many tie-in issues that focus closer on relevant characters and spillover. There may be no better marker of time than Gambit #23: a series I frequently forget even existed.

Ronan The Accuser stands out as a main villain, which feels like a culmination of sorts. Growing up I'd always thought of Ronan as a big deal (and a classic Fantastic Four villain), but under scrutiny it becomes apparent his appearances were steady, but infrequent. He's really more of a Captain Marvel character, and for many years he hung his accuser's hat on the legendary Kree-Skrull War.

At the start of Maximum Security he poses as another banished alien forced to warden the Earth prison. A dirty tactic, but a nice set up for his coming out as a literal big bad. It's fun to see him swatting around some of the heaviest hitters in the Marvel Universe, even if the interactions are a tad impersonal.

I'll look forward to returning to the next phase of the battle in the future, when the other, more surprising featured character comes back to the fore: USAgent!

In the mean time, Blogger restrictions means this entry will only appear tagged for the fighters featured tackling Ronan. For most of the others, we have an assist stat that acknowledges their support role. You can check out the updated character rankings and results at the bottom of this post.

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Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured well over 600 battles and ranked more than 950 characters! You can find them all indexed in the Secret Archive by publisher, series, and issue number. Or simply discover more wonders by following links throughout this and other feature articles.

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Winner: Ronan The Accuser
#398 (+286) Ronan The Accuser
#613 (+279) Ego The Living Planet [+1 assist]
#31 (-1) Sub-Mariner
#32 (--) Thor
#35 (--) Silver Surfer
#49 (-2) Warbird (Carol Danvers)
#70 (-12) Rogue
#74 (-3) Wonder Man
#80 (-6) Goliath (Hank Pym)
#145 (-1) She-Hulk
#400 (-56) Beta Ray Bill
#419 (-7) Hercules
#423 (-3) Colossus
#591 (-137) Sunfire
#2 (--) Spider-Man [+1 assist]
#3 (--) Iron Man [+1 assist]
#4 (--) Wolverine [+1 assist]
#6 (--) Hulk (Bruce Banner) [+1 assist]
#10 (--) Mister Fantastic [+1 assist]
#12 (--) Thing [+1 assist]
#115 (+1) Nova (Richard Rider) [+1 assist]
#130 (+2) USAgent [+1 assist]
#428 (--) Speedball [+1 assist]
#614 (+282) Quasar [+1 assist]
#922 (new) Namorita [+1 assist]
#923 (new) Triathlon [+1 assist]

MAN MOUNTAIN MARKO & EEL versus HEROES FOR HIRE

Riding Shotgun! (Marvel)
Where: Power Man & Iron Fist #92 When: April 1983 Why: Kurt Busiek How: Denys Cowan

The Story So Far...
A recent near-miss with the Human Torch has led Maggia heavyweight Hammerhead back to police custody! His organized crime connections are itching to help the super-mobster fly the coup, forcing authorities to relocate him to a prison facility upstate, away from crooked ties.

Moving a villain with the super-strong ramming capabilities of Hammerhead takes a specially design maximum security containment vehicle -- and a special escort to make sure nothing shady happens on the way. Enter: The Heroes For Hire!

Iron Fist Danny Rand has accepted the gig for a reasonable fee. All he and Power Man have to do is make sure the truck reaches its destination without incident. Piece of cake, right? Nahhh! The Maggia are planning to spring their boy en route. Watch your backs, Heroes for Hire! Trouble's coming your way!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Luke Cage 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: Iron Fist 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Iron Fist 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Luke Cage 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Iron Fist 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Iron Fist 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Eel 4 (Arsenal)

Total: Iron Fist 28 (Metahuman)

How do you feel about a little tag team action? We've got a couple of unranked ringers ready to take down the Heroes for Hire! They were hired to stage a jailbreak for their boss Hammerhead -- but there's a bit of history here, too!

Man Mountain Marko is exactly what it says on the label -- a mountain of a man! Michael Marko used to be an ordinary street thug until The Maggia organized crime mob fulfilled his wish for super-powers! Now his towering frame possesses greatly enhanced strength and durability, making him the perfect muscle for Maggia bosses like Silvermane and Hammerhead!

He's new to the Fight Club rankings, but has a history of harassing the likes of Spider-man, The Lizard, and even Jessica Jones in more recent years!

He's a no frills heavy, but that doesn't mean he should ever be taken lightly. He's had the better of Power Man in the past, and was thwarted by Iron Fist! He's got old beef with the Heroes for Hire -- and a new partner to help settle the score!

Edward Lavell is the second man to don the electrically powered suit of The Eel! He inherited the technology after Leopold Stryke was murdered by Melvin Potter, aka; the deadly Gladiator!

As it so happens, this is Lavell's first time out in the suit. It marks the beginning of a criminal career that will see him battle the likes of Spider-man, Daredevil, Captain America, and Black Cat!

How can the Eel stand toe-to-toe with such illustrious enemies? The suit allows him to direct electrical bolts offensively, shock anyone who makes contact, direct a current through any conductive material, and emit an electrical field. The suit keeps him insulated from electric shock -- and secretes a greasy substance that makes him as slippery as his namesake!

Power Man & Iron Fist have of course dealt with similar opponents as a pairing, and individually. In Power Man & Iron Fist #66 we saw them beat the pairing of Constrictor & Sabretooth, a follow-up to Iron Fist's solo win against Sabretooth in Iron Fist #14. Unus the Untouchable put them on the back foot in Power Man & Iron Fist #90, but they worked it out in the end.

Marko and Cage are pretty evenly matched. Eel could be tricky, using the advantage of ranged bolts of electricity to keep the Iron Fist out of reach. Fist's fast feet and flying kicks should be good for closing distance. There's another way to come at the fight, but we'll leave that for the real deal. Let's get into it!

The Tape: Heroes for Hire Ranking: Power Man (#9)

What Went Down...

Lost in the wind and road noise roaring past their ears -- Power Man & Iron Fist fail to notice a uniquely quiet helicopter hovering mere feet behind them! Its cargo: two shadowy figures ready to drop onto the speeding containment truck and move in to announce themselves: Man Mountain Marko and Eel!

Power Man is first to his feet, eager to settle an old score with Marko. The Man Mountain greets him with a wild haymaker that narrowly misses its target -- not because of Power Man's swiftness, but rather the lurching of the truck!

Iron Fist confronts the man wearing the powersuit of The Eel. The new villain introduces himself with an old attack -- arcing two electrical bursts from his fingertips to the martial artist! Iron Fist just barely escapes their charge, firing back with a high straight kick!

Cops spot the action on the truck, but can't get a straight shot at the speeding vehicle -- even if they knew who to shoot! Fortunately, Luke Cage has the fight in hand, knocking the Man Mountain down to size with an uppercut!

He towers over his old nemesis noting his silence, only to have Marko turn the tables once more with a sudden kick that sends Cage tumbling over the side!

Iron Fist fears for his partner's peril, but Eel is on him before he can do anything to help! The electric fiend's fists swat the martial artist's face. He falls at first, but a quick kip-up has him back on his feet and in the fight. Eel slips around his extended arm to get into close quarters -- slippery like his namesake!

Meanwhile, Power Man finds himself having avoided road rash by clinging to the side of the container. Marko spots Cage and comes to stomp him off, but a sudden lurch of the truck plants him on his mountain-sized keister!

Iron Fist starts to see the elements of a stalemate as he easily avoids Eel's wild haymaker. He counter-fires with a high martial arts kick that fails to hit its mark. He and The Eel may be better at staying on their feet than their heavyweight comrades -- but there's too much movement for precision strikes.

Eel reckons on the same, but comes up with an all together deadlier tie breaker.

The metal trailer is a perfect conductor for Eel's electric shocks, but the charge finds his partner when fleet-footed Iron Fist leaps above the carriage!

Cage isn't afraid of Eel's sting, either. He gets back to the top of the container to bring the tag team tussle to a conclusion. Much to Power Man's dismay, Iron Fist thinks it's time to switch partners. He trash talks Man Mountain a little more, distracting him so much he doesn't see the martial artist flying his way!

Eel confidently slips around his new opponent and drives his fist into his back -- but it hurts him more than Power Man! He nurses his knuckles for a moment and then swings around for his trump card -- but Cage is unfazed!

Eel's charge can't rival Cage's other foes. He stalks toward the newest wearer of the Eel suit with purpose. The villain gives up. Fat lot of good that'll do him. Advantage: Heroes for Hire!

The Man Mountain is still standing and he knows all he has to do is lay one good shot on Iron Fist to even the score. The speedy martial artist makes certain to remain evasive as he moves in.

Iron Fist uses Man Mountain's height to duck under his reach and springs up at breathing distance to slam both his arms against the sides of Marko's skull!

The shaking of the truck doesn't give the attack the sting it usually would've had. Marko's still on his feet and swinging mad when Iron Fist does something drastic: he jumps off the truck! Or so it seems...

Fist feigned the suicide fall to give himself the leverage and advantage to vault back up for a devastating kick! His body pendulums up -- colliding foot first into the back of Man Mountain Marko's skull! A kayo!

The Hammer...

Was there ever any doubt? Switching partners gave the Power Man & Iron Fist the edge they needed to beat the bad guys!

Cage's strength and resilience neutralized the new Eel's electric arsenal. Iron Fist's technical skill and balance on uneven ground was more than a match for muscleman Marko!

Mixing things up is an old superhero tactic, but some fans may know it as "castling" thanks to the popular parlance of Superman/Batman #4. A sneaky chess reference from wile writer Jeph Loeb that fits the bill very well!

March on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths was destined to be a month of martial arts mayhem inspired by the release of Iron Fist on Netflix!

The live-action series is as good a reason as any to celebrate choice cuts featuring the immortal weapon. With early impressions of show coming up dour, the world will need the comics if they're to understand the joy of this classic Marvel mainstay.

If you've been around the site before, you know all about my love of second and third-string villains. Maggia meatheads fit that bill nicely, and by deploying the Heroes for Hire on a security mission, Kurt Busiek and Denys Cowan give us a nice twist on the duo's usual urban capers!

Iron Fist was the one who accepted the job, of course. Power Man's past of wrongful imprisonment doesn't exactly make him enthusiastic about a prison escort mission. The odd couple dynamic of Danny Rand's enthusiasm and stiff reluctance from Cage have been cranked up to 11 in the most recent series.

We'll take a closer look at the Power Man & Iron Fist of today in our next feature fight. For now, I was inspired to dig up today's particular fight because of the publicized announcement of a new rogues gallery in the Iron Fist series.

"The Eel of Blessed Waters" of The Seven Masters got me thinking about past foes. I gather he (or she) doesn't have anything to do with the Eel featured in today's '83 flashback, but the notion tickled my fancy any way.

Usually when I see Eel get a mention these days, it's part of a meatball collective getting their butts handed to them. I might be overlooking something with a bit more heft, but this kind of fly-by-night villain that used to be a Marvel mainstay feels more scarce. The thought of dusting Eel off to be a recurring nemesis to Iron Fist wouldn't be such a bad idea. I guess that's been the charm of the new Power Man & Iron Fist, even though it's a little more slapstick.

We shouldn't let this battle go without a mention of Man Mountain Marko. A simple bruiser with a lot of charm. I prefer the greaser look with black leathers to the disco-era tough guy in white, but it's all pretty good. Sometimes it just takes a big, strong guy! Eel isn't the most natural tag team partner, but I like that these guys at least got another run at Power Man & Iron Fist. Kinda like the more high-profile pairing of Sabretooth & Constrictor.

Man Mountain is a co-creation of the John Romita Sr era of Amazing Spider-man, which gets me wondering what the heck "Marko" did to Stan Lee!

Marvel delivered a triple threat of jerks in relative rapid fire: Flint Marko ('63), Cain Marko ('65), and Michael Marko ('69)! Did a young Stan Lee suffer a clan of miscreants like the O'Doyle brothers of Billy Madison fame? I guess Sandman and even Juggernaut showed signs of redemption, so maybe catharsis wasn't quite the order. Still, you've got to wonder!

If you noticed Hammerhead's pride of place on the cover [top], you know we'll be coming back to this issue some time in the future. Classic mobsters are one of the many categories sorely lacking in the Comic Book Fight Club Archive!

If villains are your thing, or if you're just looking for classic battles and more superhero smackdown, be sure to follow links scattered throughout the post! You can also get links to fights inspired by the day's hot topics by follow on Facebook and Twitter! Being a hero for hire don't come cheap, and a like and share can make a whole lotta difference!

Winners: Power Man & Iron Fist
#8 (+1) Power Man (Luke Cage)
#18 (+3) Iron Fist
#824 (new) Man Mountain Marko
#825 (new) Eel (Edward Lavell)

POWER MAN/IRON FIST versus UNUS
The Untouchable! (Marvel comics)
Where: Power Man & Iron Fist #90 When: February 1983 Why: Kurt Busiek How: Denys Cowan

The story so far...
For Italian-born Angelo Unuscione, discovering he was born different was a blessing. A genetic mutation of the X-gene gave him the fantastic ability to project an invisible impenetrable forcefield around his body.

Walking through life untouchable, he became Unus, the super-criminal who would go toe-to-toe with the Hulk; take membership with the Brotherhood of Mutants; and butt heads with the Heroes for Hire: Powerman and Iron Fist.

In their first meeting, the cocky Unus lived up to his untouchable reputation.
Having survived both the clubbing blows of the super-strong Luke Cage, and the precision pressure point strikes of Iron Fist, Unus made his getaway. Even so, the confident Italian stays in town, giving the Heroes for Hire a second bite.

Previous Form:
Power Man (#24): Killed in an alternate reality fighting Death's Head II as Charnal.
Iron Fist (#53): In an alternate reality, was killed by the Silver Surfer.
Unus (#121): Initiated into the Wars with a win over this very duo.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Powerman 5 (Super Strength)
Intelligence: Iron Fist 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Iron Fist 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Unus 6 (Generator)
Agility: Iron Fist 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Iron Fist 6 (Warrior)
Energy Powers: Iron Fist 3 (Explosive)


- Scientific experimentation saw vounteer ex-con, Carl Lucas, undergo unforseen physical alterations when the process was interrupted by the tampering of a vengeful guard Lucas had encountered in prison. His strength and durability enhanced, Lucas decides to turn his life around for the better, becoming the hero-for-hire, Luke Cage: Powerman!

- Cage's strength has been measured at various levels throughout his career. Despite initially exibiting a greater power in the defensive, he has since developed his strength to be able to go toe-to-toe with the likes of the Thing!

- Wealthy entrepreneurial heir, Danny Rand, would inheret more than his father's fortune after he and his mother's death. Taken in by martial artists from the secret city of K'un L'un, Danny Rand would grow to achieve the skills and mastery of Lei Kung, enabling him to achieve the power of the Iron Fist.

- The power of Iron Fist's training gives him the ability to channel his life energy, chi, making his fist an invincible offensive force.

- As the Heroes for Hire, Powerman and Iron Fist would form a lasting friendship, and accumulate years of experience facing the most dastardly threats money can object to. As leading proponents of the anti-registration act, they would become members of the Secret Avengers, where Luke Cage would mature to take a senior role as de facto-leader.

- Unus possesses the inherent mutant ability to project a forcefield which has withstood even the blows of the Hulk! Over time his powers would appear to become unstable, filtering even oxygen from his personal space, but traditionally Unus has been seen to have complete control over his forcefield.

- Unus lost his mutant abilities as a result of the M-Day decimation.
He was later granted a new variation on his abilities by Quicksilver, who had stolen the terrigen mists that mutate the hidden society of Inhumans.

The Math: Power Man & Iron Fist The Pick: Power Man & Iron Fist

What went down...
On the advice of a friend, Power Man and Iron Fist take a post outside a Times Square local movie theatre, hoping to catch a glimpse of Unus' latest robbery feats. The untouchable mutant doesn't look to be striking on this night, and just as Cage wants to call it quits, Fist spots a confident stride in the crowd.

Unus responds to Power Man's call with a sigh of familiar bemusement, offering to take his robbery's across town if he's making the Heroes for Hire look like fools. Cage doesn't take kindly to the taunt, unloading with a futile barrage of double-fists in an effort to bust the untouchable's force field.

Power Man's tireless efforts make the perfect distraction while behind the action, Iron Fist channels his chi to make his fist like unto a thing of iron!

The surprise attack sends Unus flying into the air, force field and all, sending him colliding into a building across the street!

So powerful are strike and defense, that Unus' collision actually brings down that corner of the building! Even so, the Italian mutant is able to rise with ego and force field still intact.

Though acknowledging of the raw power of Iron Fist's attack, Unus surmises that the physical and mental exertion of channeling the fist is probably as trying as it would be for him to take it. His deductions prove correct, and tired of the stalemate, Cage takes a more tactical approach to the situation.

Marching through the rubble, the Power Man sneaks up behind the over-confident Unus, grappling with the invisible field that surrounds him.

Using his brute strength, Luke Cage hoists Unus into the air with the promise to march downtown to drop him in a prison cell, invisible field and all.

Hip to Cage's jive, Unus looks to slip through the cracks in Power Man's plan by dropping his force field for a split second to roll free of his grip, making sure he doesn't get the chance to lift him again.

What Unus doesn't count on is the split-second speed and agility of Iron Fist, who sees the opening coming and springs into action! With Unus tumbling free of Power Man's dubious grip, Iron Fist meets him in mid-air with a flying kick!

The blow instantly renders Unus unconscious, with Iron Fist coming to a graceful squat landing beside him; "You only had to shut down the force field for a second -- but that second was enough."

The Times Square crowd erupt into cheers, the one-man crime wave put to bed.

The hammer...
With the Times Square crowd erupting into cheers, the one-man crimewave is brought to an end by Power Man and Iron Fist! Proving once and for all that crime doesn't pay, but heroing does!

If you've found us by way of a search engine or link, be sure to check out the fight that started it all. We wouldn't have the rematch if there wasn't a fast and furious first round! [Power Man & Iron Fist #90]

In yesterday's feature I made reference to two points of interested coming out of Unus' first appearance in the Infinite Wars: So-called "foreign" characters in superhero comics, and merry Marvel mutants. In an effort to once more make use of our database of rankings and statistics, we take a look at the top twenty-five mutants as they are ranked in the Infinite Wars.

Top 25 Mutants
#1 Wolverine
#2 Beast
#3 Storm
#4 Sub-Mariner
#5 Kitty Pryde
#6 Rogue
#7 Jean Grey
#8 Angel
#9 Iceman
#10 Cable
#11 Cyclops
#12 Gambit
#13 Tabitha Stevens
#14 Cannonball
#15 Forge
#16 Sunspot
#17 Banshee
#18 Franklin Richards
#19 Unus
#20 Jubilee
#21 Professor X
#22 Scarlet Witch
#23 Colossus
#24 Rachel Summers
#25 NightcrawlerWe can expect to make no real deductions here, aside from the fact that perhaps I have a bias against mutants. On the other hand, if the Infinite Wars manage to distill any kind of reflection of interest, it might also manage to say something about the state of the X-offices post-Morrison, and post-Decimation.

There were allegedly around one-hundred and ninety-eight mutants left after Scarlet Witch uttered the infamous phrase, "No more mutants." A figure which was acknowledged as vague, presumably for lack of editorial efforts to ensure the number would stick. Likewise, it obviously gave a backdoor to a concept that seems inherently flawed, and backward in it's thinking. A one-two combo of errors, following Brian "Death to the furry ones*" Bendis' embarassing forray into the company-wide crossover -- House of M.

I think it's safe to say, regardless of the specifics of his "writing", the Stan Lee years of Marvel represented a period of convincing forward momentum and growth for characters.
It was probably this very fact that helped bring a degree of dynamism that was lacking from the stagnant characters of the Distinguished Competition, who had already existed long enough to know that realistic development was a creative 'rubber cheque' they couldn't possibly cash.

Lee's characters revitalized the market and became icons through this contrast, but decades later we now have a Marvel typified by it's tendency to break-apart and rebuild in an endless cycle of stagnant repetition.

It was during the period of Bill Jemas that the House of Ideas looked to be about ready to shake-off the negative stigma of their previous successes and indiscretions alike. Progressive decision making meant Grant Morrison could expand and build upon the mutant community to create a long overdue sense of progress, going beyond the sixties notion of those feared and hated for who they are.

It's probably important to note that Marvel was publishing characters like Captain America and Sub-Mariner in the forties, right alongside DC's vintage allumnists.
Even so, Marvel's history was fragmented in a way that really saw them flourishing as a company (and universe) twenty years later, as opposed to DC's conceptual stream of history, which has retroactively been depicted as much steadier. Highlighting the fact that today we see the benefit of DC's investment in characters, and twenty-year headstart with the majority of their headlining characters.

Perceived forward momentum through legacy characters, and a progressive approach to redressing and developing ideas, rather than explicitly restarting them, has been, I think, DC's major success of the decade.

Marvel continues to present new and interesting ideas, like the maligned Civil War, but it will take time and vision for them to shake the stigma of the stop-start approach that has typified their efforts over the last thirty years.

Sadly, the decimation of the mutants is a can't win situation of credibility.
Damned if you reverse the error of judgment and play into the same stop-start rebuilding that got you in this mess to begin with. Damned if you keep the mutants to an endangered few.

The weight of this conundrum rests on the upcoming Messiah Complex, which will supposedly investigate the veiled Mutant #0 -- the first born mutant since the decimation to one hundred and ninety-eight. I don't have high hopes.

The Fight: 5 The Issue: 5.5
[Power Man and Iron Fist retired as Heroes for Hire during the revamp series in the late nineties. They made occasional cameos in the pages of Daredevil still fullfilling a bodyguard role, while last year saw the launch of a new Heroes series, starring their girlfriends; Misty Knight and Colleen Wing. As a duo, Power Man and Iron Fist can currently be found in the pages of New Avengers.]

*Not an actual nickname for Bendis.

POWER MAN/IRON FIST versus UNUS
The Untouchable! (Marvel comics)
Where: Power Man & Iron Fist #90 When: February 1983 Why: Kurt Busiek How: Denys Cowan

The story so far...
For young Italian-American Angelo Unuscione, discovering he would face a life of solitude for being born different - a mutant - was a blessing many others of his kind would not find. In fact, Unuscione, it was the very nature of his gift.

Calling himself Unus the untouchable; Unuscione embarks on a career in crime, using his mutant ability to project an invisible impenetrable forcefield around himself to success.

Being "untouchable" made Unus a difficult crook to catch, and as a result embued him with an inflated sense of confidence. So smug is Unus, he would actually stroll into a diner, make small talk about business, and then demand the contents of a register -- with an armed policeman right next to him! Will he be so bold when he faces the Heroes for Hire, or has he met his match?...

Previous Form:
Power Man (#23): A personal victory over Constrictor, & Skrull-Elektra with the Avengers.
Iron Fist (#45): Mixed interactions with Sabretooth, Skrull-Elektra & Daredevil.
Unus: Making his debut in the Infinite Wars.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Powerman 5 (Super Strength)
Intelligence: Iron Fist 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Iron Fist 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Unus 6 (Generator)
Agility: Iron Fist 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Iron Fist 6 (Warrior)
Energy Powers: Iron Fist 3 (Explosive)


- Scientific experimentation saw vounteer ex-con, Carl Lucas, undergo unforseen physical alterations when the process was interrupted by the tampering of a vengeful guard Lucas had encountered in prison. His strength and durability enhanced, Lucas decides to turn his life around for the better, becoming the hero-for-hire, Luke Cage: Powerman!

- Cage's strength has been measured at various levels throughout his career. Despite initially exibiting a greater power in the defensive, he has since developed his strength to be able to go toe-to-toe with the likes of the Thing!

- Wealthy entrepreneurial heir, Danny Rand, would inheret more than his father's fortune after he and his mother's death. Taken in by martial artists from the secret city of K'un L'un, Danny Rand would grow to achieve the skills and mastery of Lei Kung, enabling him to achieve the power of the Iron Fist.

- The power of Iron Fist's training gives him the ability to channel his life energy, chi, making his fist an invincible offensive force.

- As the Heroes for Hire, Powerman and Iron Fist would form a lasting friendship, and accumulate years of experience facing the most dastardly threats money can object to. As leading proponents of the anti-registration act, they would become members of the Secret Avengers, where Luke Cage would mature to take a senior role as defacto-leader.

- Unus possesses the inherent mutant ability to project a forcefield which has withstood even the blows of the Hulk! Over time his powers would appear to become unstable, filtering even oxygen from his personal space, but traditionally Unus has been seen to have complete control over his forcefield.

The Math: Powerman & Iron Fist The Pick: Powerman & Iron Fist

What went down...
Having just robbed a diner and candy store with a wooden baseball bat, Unus casually strolls down the street counting his cash. The concerned son of the candy store owner brings the threat to the attention of Luke Cage.

Bemused by Cage's arrival on the scene, Unus casually remarks upon recognising the infamous Powerman. Non-plussed by the hero-for-hire's intervention, Unus invites Cage to begin proceedings by hitting him. Confused, but happy to comply, Cage throws a mighty left at the taunting crook.

Unus returns the favour instantly, throwing his weight into a swing of his bat. Against the super-durable hide of Luke Cage, the wooden slugger may as well be kindling. Even so, the Italian remains cool in the face of adversity, "I'd do it again -- but I don't have another bat."

Undeterred by the apparent stalemate, Cage resumes his efforts, throwing his weight into yet another devestating blow that has no effect, instead throwing the backlash into Cage, who finishes on his behind.

Iron Fist arrives on the scene, recognising their opponent as the former member of the Brotherhood of Mutants, Unus the Untouchable.

Taking the analytical approach of a keen martial artist, Fist goes in search of key pressure points that can be exploited in Unus' invisible barriers. Though he strikes with incredible skill, he finds no such weakness.

Unus, boasting the ability to lower his forcefields to allow himself contact with Iron Fist, snatches the hero's leg out of the air, and turns him into a human ballbat. Making note of Iron Fist's more mortal strengths, he slams him head-first into a brickwall!

With Cage still rocked by his previous attempts, and Iron Fist having visions of K'un L'un; Unus makes his getaway down a nearby manhole. A determined and disgruntled Powerman rips the hole wider to make pursuit, but doesn't have any luck catching up to his impervious foe.

The hammer...
Well, geez. On the memory of Unus' escape, I was all ready to call this one a draw, but it wasn't to be. Having rattled Iron Fist like a maracca master, Unus walks away with the win!

If you're part of the organized riots orchestrated by Bahlactus, then you'll do well to rest assured: a rematch is on the horizon! PM and the Fist get one more chance to takedown a supervillain who would take candystore money from a baby-daddy. Will they answer the call? Stay tuned!

Meanwhile, after a steady stream of Infinite Wars we're running a little later than planned once again. You'll notice we've finally joined the majority of our Blogspotting peers and finally upgraded to the new layout customizer.
I've managed to keep things looking the same, for the most part, but it now grants us the much-desired "older posts" link located at the bottom of your browser (if you scroll all the way down). This, in turn, means we can also lighten the load on your browser by reducing the numbers of features on the main page, still giving you free access to find the missing posts on your own time.

In other words: Things are the same, but a bit spankier, and with a hiccup or two to inevitably be ironed out. If you spot anything, do us a favour, and drop a comment to let me know. Hopefully things are pretty much the same, because I like to think a process of evolution over twenty-something months has got things pretty much the way I like, all functiony-like.

Because I'm thoroughly distracted by these events, we won't engage in the pseudo-intellectual repartee typical of the Infinite Wars. Honestly, if I want to sleep at all tonight, I should probably forego even the factoids occasionally featured.

I will at least do you the grace of justifying today's post as an inspired follow-up to yesterday's mortal martial arts montage [Mortal Kombat: Blood & Thunder #4], which got me in the mood for a little Powerman and Iron Fist action. What can I say? I'm only human people. It can't all be philosophies of justice!

Although, I would like to mention that I'm very interested in the prospects presented by the new Captain America that will debut in the pages of the no-longer-titular series. Particularly interesting is the fact that he carries a gun, presumably indicative that it's Bucky Barnes, but time will tell.

We'll probably talk more about the new Captain America in the coming months, but we won't be able to do it in detail unless one of you fine online retailers (or publishers) decides to take up sponsorship to buy yourself advertising. Hey, don't look at me like that people, it's just business!

Top 25 "Foreigners"
#1 Wolverine (Canada)
#2 Superman (Krypton)
#3 Black Adam (Kahndaq)
#4 Venom Symbiote (Unknown)
#5 Thor (Asgard)
#6 Silver Surfer (Zenn-La)
#7 Storm (Kenya)
#8 Sub-Mariner (Atlantis)
#9 Elektra (Greece)
#10 Etrigan (Hell)
#11 Batroc (France)
#12 Wonder Woman (Themyscira)
#13 Black Widow (Russia)
#14 Black Bolt (Attilan)
#15 Lyja (Unknown)
#16 Rayden (Heaven)
#17 Sinestro (Korugar)
#18 Bizarro (Bizarro World)
#19 Noob Saibot (China)
#20 Phantom Stranger (Unknown)
#21 Zauriel (Heaven)
#22 The Spectre (Heaven)
#23 Doppelganger (Nothingness)
#24 Rainbow Mika (Japan)
#25 Sakura Kusanago (Japan)Bringing Unus to the table does go lengths to rekindle my interests in two subjects: Mutants and Foreigners. Through talking about characters like Wonder Woman, the tangential point of absurdity in American-centric adventures was raised.

In a call-back to the fun we had in the Punch-Up this month, I'm going to again use the twenty-plus months of Infinite Wars statistics to put a theory under the microscope. Today's subject being, top rated characters who were not born in the United States.

I think it's already clear to anyone reading that the ratio of American to International is grossly out of wack. Our statistics aren't going to make any major revelations on the back of that, nor are they going to be an encompassing analysis of the top International characters. It does, however, on the back of popularity, make some vague commentary by way of the fact that the twenty-five are dominated by alien entities.

Reminding us that the truth is out there, but it's much too scary to deal with in a superhero comic, so we'll just do aliens and made-up countries, instead.

Notable omissions from the list include; Black Panther (Wakanda), Magneto (Poland), Crimson Dynamo (Russia), Banshee (Ireland), Baron Zemo (Germany), Colossus (Russia), Nightcrawler (Germany), Sasquatch (The fictional nation of French-Canada) and, of course, Dr. Doom (Latveria) who is the subject of our Mondays in October!

The Fight: 4.5 The Issue: 5.5
[An oldy, but a goody! Early Kurt Busiek that, though it could not know it at the time, distills the argument for why Decimation was such an error of judgment on Marvel's part. There's an unwritten rule that mutants stick with mutants, and when a character like Unus shows up in an unexpected place like this, we remember what's so great about this sub-special evolution, beyond it's role as a thinly veiled analogy.]

THUNDERBOLTS versus WRECKING CREW
Justice... (Marvel comics)
Where: Thunderbolts #1 When: April 1997
Why: Kurt Busiek How: Mark Bagley

The story so far...
Earth's mightiest heroes are dead: Killed saving Manhattan and humanity from the threat of the dreaded Onslaught!
In their stead they leave a gaping justice-shaped hole and a population of villains ready to take advantage of the power vacuum.

Then, as if from nowhere -- Justice like lightning!
Enter the Thunderbolts! A team of mysterious heroes with strange and fantastic powers, led by the courageous WWII inspired patriot, Citizen V.

The Thunderbolts represent a new wave of protectors, tackling threats like the Hulk and the Masters of Evil! Or do they? Though these mysterious heroes have manipulated the media to cement their success, what dark secrets lie beneath their colourful costumes and masks? Maybe the Wrecking Crew will find out!

Previous Form:
Baron Zemo (#287): Defeated by Hulk, Captain America and Cable.
Songbird (#162): Present for multiple instances of the team.
Thunderbolts [#14]: Split results, defeating Jack Flag, with a loss to Hulk.
Wrecking Crew: Have not yet been featured on the site.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: The Wrecker 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Techno 6 (Genius)
Speed: Moonstone 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Bulldozer 6 (Generator)
Agility: Citizen V 3 (Athlete)
Fighting Ability: Citizen V 4 (Trained Fighter)
Energy Powers: Moonstone 5 (Lasers)


Well, I've been busy-busy, but it's about damned time we get talking about The T-bolts, and the Wrecking Crew. Serious business, friends!

While not as prevelant as the Avengers or X-Men, we've had the opportunity to see a couple of incarnations of the Thunderbolts in action, and unless you've been living under a comics rock for ten years, you'll have some idea that the Thunderbolts generally have an association with some form of villainy.

Traditionally villains are not particularly cohesive or proficient fighting units, but the Thunderbolts were able to exceed the individuals, to become a superior fighting whole. Thus, let us deduce that motivation strengthens team dynamic, and therefore gives the Thunderbolts a numerical edge against their construction crew foes.

The Wrecker, aptly named leader of the Wrecking Crew, gained his powers through dumb-luck and mistaken identity, and has ever since had the enchanted power of an Asgardian. Like a good working stiff, he shares this power with his fellows in the gang; Thunderball, Bulldozer & Piledriver. Spreading the enchanted power not just to their chosen weapons, but also to each of their selves.

These days Wrecker does this without cost to himself, thanks to a little wax-on training with Ulik. This roughly equates to a quartet of badly dressed Thor-level villains, complete with construction based gimmicks, and a whole lot of average joe 'tude.

The Thunderbolt's find their key to victory in their versatility.
Under the strategic guidance of a disguised Baron Zemo - who is no fighting slouch - they are able to utilize their combination of strength, technology and super powers to deliver an encompassing attack on the one-note foes.

Likewise, the Thunderbolts, at least in this period, have the element of surprise. Most villains are completely unfamiliar with their techniques, while the former Masters of Evil have unique incite to the strategums and capabilities of their foes. This is perhaps the true edge, not seen against the likes of the Hulk. [Incredible Hulk #449]

The Math: The Thunderbolts (Total) The Wrecking Crew (Average)
The Pick: The Thunderbolts

What went down...
With New York City still reeling from the mass destruction unleashed by Onslaught, the Thunderbolts occupy their time dealing with the scavenging baddies, The Rat Pack. Having already defeated them, the team is quick to pose and rally in front of the press, mounting their efforts to again take the battle to the villainous clan.

The Rat Pack are quick to take to the skies, and even though they fully recognise the maneauver as an ambush, the Thunderbolts take chase, following the lowly crooks out of Manhattan toward Liberty Island.

There, they find themselves under the attack of an enchanted wrecking ball -- the calling card of Thunderball! His weapon destroys the V-wing, forcing the team to rally, those with capabilities of flight aiding those without.

Techno shows reluctance to battle hired crooks that might otherwise be counted as colleagues, but Citizen V quickly stems his remarks, masking them with the bold baratone of a charging superhero. Taking the cue, Atlas extends his size and strength to make an explosive landing on the island, bowling Wrecker and Piledriver, while Moonstone lends the assist against Bulldozer.

Apparently unaware of the history of the Citizen V monicker, Wrecker engages his team-leading counterpart in physical and mental combat. The Baron is more than ready to engage him in both, lithely avoiding a savage crowbar attack, with a razor edged retort of defeats passed.

While the rest of the teams duel it out, curious tourists on the island come under threat of falling rubble. Fortunately for them, Songbird is there to lend her sonic constructs as protective shields.
As Bulldozer barrels down on her, it is fortunate for Songbird that Mach-1 is on the scene to scoop up the threat with rocketting precision.

Continuing the theme of teamwork, Atlas comes to the aid of an overwhelmed Citizen V, using his impressive size and strength to clobber Wrecker into a self-made crater. Alas, Citizen V's warnings come too late, the cocky Atlas succumbing to a little teamwork from the away side.

As Atlas hurtles into the drink from the impact of Thunderball's strike, Meteorite does her best aerially to deal with Piledriver.

The super-powered menace uses his unusually large and powerful hands to wrench a piece of concrete from the battleground, using it as a massive projectile to send Meteorite hurtling into the Statue of Liberty like her namesake!

With the city watching on in horror, the Wrecker strikes at the base of the statue, sending a quiver up Liberty's spine. He challenges the star-spangle clad Citizen V to surrender, or face the consequences of being responsible for the symbol's destruction on national television.

Revelling in their apparent checkmate, the Wrecking Crew barely notice Mach-1 circling around in the air to fire spherical projectiles from the wrist mount of his armor. Each globe reaches it's target, stuffing the gobs of the cackling villains, before spewing forth noxious gas!

Under the direction of Citizen V, Songbird uses her sonic constructs to create forcefields around the Wrecking Crew's heads, trapping the gas that smothers them into unconsciousness.

His mouth shielded, the still intimidating Bulldozer mocks the Thunderbolts, but even as he speaks, his confidence begins to wither in direct response to the looming shadow from above.

A half-drowned and thoroughly ticked Atlas calls a grudge for Thunderball, but agrees to settle for the last man standing, thundering down a giant-sized fist that knocks Bulldozer back far into the city.

As the team reassembles, a strange noise begins to flood over the tiny spirited island. A sound recognizable, but yet definitely unfamiliar to the Thunderbolts.
The sound of the people cheering. The gratitude worthy of heroes.

The hammer...
Awww, ring the bell, sucka! School's back in, and the T-bolts be puttin' on a masta class of ass kickification, son!

... No good? Yeah, well, the Thunderbolts are the winners, whether my exploits as a jive talking web wacky work or not!
Bahlactus has been getting all the press for a while now, but lately respect has finally come home to roost for Secret Earths, and I've got to bring the hammer down on a whole lot of thanks to those guys.

Some of that respect finally motivated me to get on to this week's Ultimate Alliance entry, featuring the Wrecking Crew. For my estimation those guys have been about the only thing worth talking about from Mike Oeming's latest writing effort, which seems to have been downgraded from on-going to Omega Flight mini.

Even with the disgraceful slow burn and distinct lack of Mike Oeming: penciller, Omega Flight did open with some big action, and we'll probably get an opportunity to talk more about that series some time in the future.

What really knocks me on my ass here is the Thunderbolts.
While his work seems to have meandered somewhat through some easy standards; Warren Ellis has had many-a fan, myself included, several shades of jazzed over the villain-cum-hero team.

What's especially bizarre about finally discovering a love of the team is the fact that they're now a seasoned outfit, having a full decade of superheroics and internal squabblings under their belt. It was over ten years ago that we gazed upon that fateful scene where Citizen V revealed himself and his teammates as none other than The Masters of Evil! Wow!

Sadly, I was somewhat excited by the concept, but utterly bemused by the product itself. The characters were mostly second-tier villains that weren't obscure favourites, and the designs of the hero costumes, with the exception of Citizen V, inspired barely. It wasn't a book that lived up to the hype.

Some ten years later it's instability has been fully realized, but the formula has been refined in a world where superhero politics makes the lines between hero and villain all that much more blurred. The Thunderbolts exist now in a world almost inadvertently made for them, living their lives as heroes admist laws that willfully empower them to hunt down their costumed nemesis like dogs.

It's with hindsight that it can be debated that the Thunderbolts are by design a gauge of the zeitgeist of the Marvel universe. From their inception, they were the brilliantly simple response to the a power vaccuum left in the wake of Heroes Reborn, and now they again react to events in Civil War and redefinition of what a hero and villain is to the Marvel universe.

I don't mean to discount the work that went on between, and mark missing out on the so-called "fight club" years as a disappointment; but in an era still feeding and learning from the 'grim and gritty' progression of the eighties, maybe we can propose the Thunderbolts represent the final step in that exploration.

I'm confounded by regular references to the necessity of likeable and heroic characters in comics. It strikes me as foolish to claim entertainment and fiction require anything but the barest means of relating and approving.
I'd like to think maybe one day we will look back on books like Thunderbolts and recognise their contribution to our medium as the catalyst for motivated writing, over conventions of 'heroes', 'villains', and 'anti-heroes'.

And after that stretch of a musing, I'll wrap things up.
Still more Fantastic Fridays as we try to catch-up on June's delays, before reverting back to the original Friday Fight Nights. In the mean time, stay tuned!

The Fight: 4 The Issue: 4
NEXT WEEK: What evil lurks in the heart of The Lizard? The Spider-man knows!