AVENGERS versus MODOK & AIM

The Girl From Gamma Gamma Gamma (Marvel)
Where: She-Hulk #1 When: May 2004
Why: Dan Slott How: Juan Bobillo

The Story So Far...
Jennifer Walters lives a charmed life. She parties by night, wins court cases by day, and when she isn't doing either of those, she becomes the Sensational She-Hulk, enjoying all the privileges of an Avenger with superhuman strength, free parking, and residence at Avengers Mansion.

Consultation with a blood specialist has helped the ace attorney crack her latest case against the man responsible for improper storage of Antarctic Vibranium, but closing arguments have to wait when an Avengers Emergency calls She-Hulk into action!

MODOK and Advanced Idea Mechanics are up to their old tricks, targeting the Earth for a deep freeze from the upper atmosphere, but the low gravity battle is just the beginning of She-Hulk's troubles.

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Iron Man 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: MODOK 5 (Professor)
Speed: Wasp 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Iron Man 6 (Generator)
Agility: Captain America 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Captain America 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Scarlet Witch 7 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Iron Man 31 (Super)

The Avengers are: Captain America, Iron Man, Wasp, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Hercules, and She-Hulk.

The Avengers have a strong line-up, but don't count MODOK out just yet! He's flanked by a small army of Advanced Idea Mechanics agents, with Blizzard strapped in to a machine designed to amplify his freezing powers on a global scale!

Blizzard is Donald Gill: the second villain to assume the alias after receiving a cryogenic battlesuit from Justin Hammer. He used his ice-projecting powers to help fight Iron Man and War Machine as part of Hammer's private army.

MODOK might look a little funny, but in previous entries we've documented him dominating a troubled Abomination, brain-blasting Cable, and turning heroes into mind-controlled pawns in the all-star all-ages version of Avengers Adventures, which also saw the kid-friendly villain mutate them into MODvengers.

The team assembled today are well versed in the art of saving the world and beating back bad guys. She-Hulk herself has stared down the threat of Thanos on multiple occasions, teamed with Hercules to best the mythical possessed Bran the Blessed, and will eventually defeat the Champion of the Universe.

How will it all go this time around? Let's get to finding out!

The Tape: Avengers Ranking: Iron Man (#4)

What Went Down...

His orbital space platform is already destroyed when MODOK shouts defiantly into the void that his cryo-cannon is still functional.

AIM soldiers float scattered high above the world as the Avengers scramble to prevent the ultimate attempt at techno-orbital espionage.

Leading their effort to save the world is the ever tenacious Captain America, who wields his mighty shield against the yellow clad science-terrorists, while desperately seeking to rally an Avenger to take out the advanced freeze gun.

Wasp and Vision contend with AIM agents, blasting the floating horde, while Iron Man does his best to reach the hostile tech -- even though his repulsor rays cannot breach MODOK's shield bubble.

She-Hulk makes a dive for the bubble as the gunner strapped to the cannon takes his shot.

The cryo-cannon channels the freezing powers of Blizzard to unleash a gigantic freeze ray in the direction of the Earth. The only thing preventing its success -- Captain America's unbreakable shield and will to hold it!

The vacuum of space somehow diminishes the freeze-ray's effects, but if it hits the Earth's atmosphere the world is at risk of a sudden winter!

With the threat of an ice age looming, She-Hulk slams her fist into the translucent shield bubble! Once! Twice! Again and again until at last it breaks!

She reaches in -- grabbing hold of a cable that tethers Blizzard to MODOK!

The mighty muscle of She-Hulk rips Blizzard out of his position mounted on the cryo-cannon and sends he & MODOK helplessly swinging through the vacuum.

She turns the villainous pair into a living wrecking ball, swinging MODOK & Blizzard through the yellow cluster of floating AIM agents -- breaking her own booster pack in the process!

MODOK disengages the line with a mental blast and activates the booster packs in his exo-suit.

An order for "Retreat Plan Omega" begins the escape operation, sending a scattered AIM swarm rapidly blasting for freedom -- thrusting She-Hulk booster-less in the direction of Earth in the process!

Fortunately, Hercules jumps into action to make the save, gently catching She-Hulk with mighty arms and a functioning pack. He agrees enthusiastically to a victory party as they hover above the big blue planet.

The Hammer...

The world is saved from a second ice age thanks to the tireless efforts of She-Hulk and The Avengers!

Despite the planetary threat posed by AIM's dismantled machines, it's actually a relatively small battle, driving MODOK and Blizzard into a desperate retreat in only two action-packed pages.

It serves as a little taste of a typical day in the life of She-Hulk, who literally had to leap from the courtroom, abandoning her duties as a lawyer mid-trial, to serve the greater good as an Avenger.

These dueling responsibilities are catching up with the partygirl hero, whose work/life balance is spiraling out of control -- even if she doesn't realise it!

A one-two punch will bring her down to Earth when Captain America and Wasp politely evict her from Avengers Mansion for abusing the facilities (with a string of impromptu overnight guests), and she loses her civilian job after opposing council argues saving the world meant compromising the jury by eliciting gratitude.

All of this will see Blizzard finding She-Hulk drowning her sorrows the next night in a bar. A chance to settle the score for ruining his shot at the big time -- at least until She-Hulk effortlessly busts out of an ice straitjacket. Fortunately for him, she'd rather share a drink than deliver a pummeling on his way back to The Vault.

Fun stuff from the now legendary 2004-05 She-Hulk series by Dan Slott and Juan Bobillo. An instant favourite of the time that provided a succinct blueprint for last year's Disney+ live-action series with its perfect blend of superhero sitcom, and court room drama.

In fact, once I got my eyes to stop rolling from the sheer absurdity of it all, I couldn't help but be amused by supposed backlash to She-Hulk twerking on the show. Consternation that echoes Captain America and Iron Man's quiet chat about She-Hulk's wild partying during their victory celebration in She-Hulk #1.

Of course, the Avengers leadership were more concerned about structural integrity and security at Avengers Mansion, and less worried about whatever petty crap people were supposedly complaining about on Twitter.

Good humor and empowerment was part of She-Hulk's identity for a couple of decades prior to this, through her bawdy solo series under John Byrne, and tenures with the Avengers and Fantastic Four. We got a little taste of it when she grappled with wardrobe and lodging concerns back in Avengers #222, while also laying the smackdown on Moonstone and Scorpion.

Slott continued a down to earth depiction of She-Hulk that had helped distinguish the character from her rampaging cousin (and earlier "Savage" period), serving up a classic dose of Marvel's "heroes with headaches" with personality all its own.

It was eminently disappointing when Marvel shortened the run to just twelve issues, but that also made it a tight tome, sealed away as a definitive take on the character, and some of Slott's best work. This was before the writer let loose on knowingly prickly subjects, teasing out fresh and intuitive takes on Marvel canon, rather than leaning in to some of its more disruptive urges.

Juan Bobillo delivers all the right beats with a bubbly penciling style atypical for the time, but perfection with its strong expression and performance, and lively sense of energy. Some of his superhero designs go quirkily off-model throughout the series, but as long as they're in these pages, sing in synch with all the fun.

Some of this volume's best elements don't exactly compliment our fight-fixated format, but today's MODOK feature is the kind of curious aside that I love to get on the record. If you're looking for something a little bit harder hitting, there's always our early spotlight on She-Hulk's challenge of Champion of the Universe, and their inventive subsequent rematch.

If you'd like to find more from the topics covered today, you can follow links throughout this post, or discover more wonders by diving into the reference banks of the Secret Archive. That's where you'll find a complete index of featured fights in order of publisher, series, and issue number.

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured more 700 battles and ranked well over 1,000 heroes & villains! Be a hero and support the project by becoming a subscriber on Patreon. As a thank you for your generosity you'll find additional updates, as well as options to shape the course of future articles!

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Winners: She-Hulk & Captain America (w/ Iron Man, Wasp, Vision, Hercules, and Scarlet Witch)
#56 (+32) She-Hulk
#7 (--) Captain America
#4 (--) Iron Man [+1 assist]
#39 (--) Wasp [+1 assist]
#148 (--) Vision [+1 assist]
#154 (--) Hercules [+1 assist]
#439 (--) Scarlet Witch [+1 assist]
#145 (-11) MODOK
#982 (new) Blizzard (Donald Gill)

MODOK versus ABOMINATION

Yellow Fever?! (Marvel)
Where: Incredible Hulk #288 When: October 1983
Why: Bill Mantlo How: Sal Buscema & Jim Mooney

The Story So Far...
Left adrift in space by the mysterious entity known as Galaxy Master -- Abomination is discovered floating frozen in a block of ice by a passing space shuttle.

Retrieved by the astronauts and returned to Earth, the green gargantuan becomes a sleeping guest of the US military when the gamma-hunting expertise of General Thunderbolt Ross is called upon to deal with the situation.

Anticipating a lapse in the Presidentially pardoned calm of an intelligent Hulk -- Ross commits treason to form a pact with a meddling MODOK in order to turn Abomination into a living contingency. The only problem standing in their way is Abomination's total fear of fighting the Hulk. A fear MODOK intends to beat out of him!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Abomination 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: MODOK 5 (Professor)
Speed: Abomination 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Abomination 6 (Generator)
Agility: Abomination 2 (Average)
Fighting: Abomination 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: MODOK 3 (Explosives)
Total: Abomination 25 (Metahuman)

It's a classic case of brain versus brawn, and although the stats appear to favour muscle in the arena of combat -- that isn't necessarily an accurate indicator when one of these minds belongs to a Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing!

M.O.D.O.K. is a strange looking fellow, but don't let his proportionately tiny limbs fool you into thinking he can't handle himself.

From the massive mind of the man once known as George Tarleton springs forth the most deviously brilliant designs for dominating his foes - backed by an array of mental powers: a little mind control, telekinesis, and deadly brain-blasts!

We saw MODOK's mental beam unleashed against Cable during the pocket universe punch-up of Captain America (Vol.2) #6, and turn heroes against one another in the kid-friendly realm of Marvel Adventures: Avengers #9. The latter - a struggle with consequences that only got weirder from there!

MODOK was created deliberately by Advanced Idea Mechanics to serve as a super-intelligent living computer, but Emil Blonsky was accidentally transformed into the physically powerful living Abomination when he was bombarded with concentrated gamma radiation intended by Bruce Banner for suicide.

From his accident - the Russian saboteur was immediately & permanently mutated into a green-skinned goliath far more grotesque than the Hulk, but also physically stronger, without fluctuating power relative to his moods.

Abomination is famous for going head-to-head with the Hulk, often times leaving him the worse for wear, but that is simply the price for competing with one of the most powerful mortal beings on the Earth! Can MODOK match that?

At the time of today's featured story Abomination is leaving a state of suspended animation, having been floating through space in a chunk of ice. That's bound to take its toll, but it might not have the impact you're expecting...

The Tape: Abomination Ranking: MODOK (#386)

What Went Down...

At the bottom of a dark containment pit lies a whimpering wreck -- a former shell of the monster that was The Abomination!

Above: MODOK activates a control panel with a simple mental command, filling the void with dancing light as he unleashes a crackling forest of energy beams!

The jagged arcs inspire the Abomination to his feet -- terrified of the agony they might unleash. In his fear, he doesn't notice the "plasmifire" cannon lowering from the wall to blast him with searing flame!

Desperately fleeing from the fire, Abomination runs directly into the path of a massive spiked club mounted on a telescopic tentacle.

It rises from the ground and catches the running behemoth with a direct hit. The upward strike knocks Abomination off his thundering feet and into the waiting embrace of a tangle of mechanical tendrils!

The cold metal coils wrap around his body, binding Abomination's mighty form in mid-air and surging it full with electric shocks!

Abomination does not struggle, though. He would rather choose death than living to fight, refusing to invite the pain a life of combat has wrought. A choice MODOK refuses to accept, matching his indifference with the very torture Abomination fears.

Realizing he faces the threat of an endless torture, Abomination rips himself free and asks: "What kind of sadist are you ?!!"

A massive, mechanically reinforced battering ram answers with a mighty slam -- while MODOK's cold, distant voice remains trained on his mission to unlock Abomination's destructive potential so he may avoid fighting his own equal.

The ram slams Abomination against a wall and pins him there, while another metal tendril emerges from a trapdoor in the floor, snaking a laser cannon  toward his helpless person.

A precision beam burns at Abomination's face as he squirms beneath the massive crushing weight of the battering ram.

The clarity of understanding MODOK's mission to turn him loose against AIM, and service a deal with General Ross, inspires Abomination to at last push back against the ram and rip it from its base.

He will smash MODOK's enemies -- as long as he doesn't have to face the Hulk!

In his anxious desperation, Abomination uses the crumpled battering ram to smash the laser and then reduce everything to twisted scrap!

Alone in the middle of the wreckage the monster pleads to fight anyone but the stronger, more savage Hulk. The opponent he cannot win against.

MODOK hovers over his tearful minion and informs him that he will fight the Hulk: "-- And you will triumph over him! Much has changed while you floated frozen in space! The Hulk is dominated by Bruce Banner's mind now!"

If his words failed -- MODOK's mindbeam successfully dominates the tortured Abomination, driving him to agonized knees. He cries "NO!" to deaf ears as his new master callously commits him to the very thing he fears most.

The Hammer...

This is much less a fight than a total domination of body and spirit. MODOK is like a well resourced little league father, pushing Abomination to absolute breaking point in pursuit of unleashing the destructive potential he's holding back.

It's an interesting scenario all around. A contextual rethink of The Abomination, who perhaps remains the greatest equal sparring partner for Hulk, but is also therefore destined to face recurring defeat, pitted against his nemesis all over again in the endless dance of classic comic book arch-rivalries.

Abomination was left adrift in the cold of space after his most recent defeat in Incredible Hulk #270. Retrieved by astronauts, and thawed from a block of ice by MODOK and General Ross, he's now subject to a conceptual shakeup, developing the unlikeliest of inverse characteristics to the Hulk's rage-induced strength -- he's controlled by fear.

More accurately: Abomination appears to be in the grip of a crippling anxiety, perhaps brought on by post-traumatic stress rather than simple performance anxiety. A predicament that makes this issue read quite modern, not that the substance of such maladies were completely unknown to 1983, or earlier. It's just treated with a great deal of understanding, presenting Abomination not just as a pathetic figure for derision, but as a mistreated soul, tortured by unreasonable expectation, and the callous, selfish indifference of agencies neglecting a duty of care for their own self-interest.

Bill Mantlo's script marries these everyday issues with the explosive, big action you expect of superhero comic books, serving psychological torture with a healthy helping of explosions and lasers. A palatable way of digesting heavy, psychological subject that is otherwise the bedrock of Incredible Hulk comics.

Admittedly, it's a bit of an atypical place to start with Abomination, whose only prior appearance on the site was an inter-company cameo menacing Elektra and Catwoman, but in truth his journey has actually come to have many of these kinds of detours, and I fully intend to look closer at more of his exploits.

This entry also goes some small way to challenging the modern conception of MODOK. Known for the unusual appearance of a large floating head with tiny limbs, we've seen MODOK be a subject for comedy, but here we're reminded that MODOK is also a force to be reckoned with, capable of defeating powerful foes!

Who will he dominate next? Follow links throughout this post to connect with more entries from your favourite characters -- or dive into the Secret Archive for a complete index of featured fight articles in order of publisher, series, and issue.

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured more than 650 comic book battles and ranked well over 1,000 characters! If you've found something interesting and want to help the list continue to grow - considering becoming a supporter on Patreon. In addition to

You can get daily links to superhero smackdown inspired by the topics of the day by subscribing on Twitter and Facebook. Be sure to like, fave, and share posts, and keep your eyes peeled for the week's top trending battles every Sunday!

Winner: MODOK
#132 (+254) MODOK
#627 (-179) Abomination

THE AVENGERS versus MODOK
A Not-So-Beautiful Mind (Marvel comics)
Where: Marvel Adventures: The Avengers #9 When: March 2007
Why: Jeff Parker How: Juan Santacruz

The story so far...
The world's mightiest heroes are going about their routine superheroic business, but something about this mission is going to change the way the world views The Avengers!

The target is MODOK and the yellow suited agents of AIM, who are conducting sinister experiments with untested scientific contagents.

The heroes want to put a stop to these dangerous evil experiments, but little do they realise the experiment is very soon to be THEM! MODOK and his cronies intend to turn the tables on The Avengers, and may Zod have mercy on them all for it!

Previous Form:
Captain America (#8): Cap has led teams against AIM, Charnal, She-Hulk, Ghost Rider & Wolverine.
MODOK (#192): MODOK was defeated by a Captain America/Cable team-up.
The Avengers [#2]: The Avengers have a 50% victory rate, with a single draw.
AIM [#15]: AIM has thus far been unsuccessful in battle.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Hulk 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: MODOK 5 (Professor)
Speed: Spider-man 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Hulk 6 (Generator)
Agility: Spider-man 5 (Cat-like)
Fighting Ability: Captain America 6 (Warrior)
Energy Powers: Iron Man 5 (Lasers)


Y'know, when this issue came out, I think it was a given that just about every major blogsite was going to feature it in some capacity. More on that in The Hammer, but for the time being, let's use that as a segue to discuss the star of the show -- MODOK!

Actually, in Marvel Adventures kiddy-friendly-land it's MODOC because the K is for Killing. And apparently the children aren't yet ready to be exposed to the prospect of a giant floating head with no visible means of 'going potty' who lives only to kill and destroy. Hey, whatever "FCC". Just don't come crying to me when the French censors laugh at you pretentiously!

The K for killing brings us, of course, to the important question of just how likely it is that MODOK will live up to his "616" name. To properly ascertain such informations we should probably take a look at exactly who makes up this particular assemblage of Avengers!

Included in the Marvel Adventures line-up is a unique blend of classic Avengers, contemporary inclusions, and some new to the team:
Captain America, Storm, Hulk, Spider-man, Giant-Girl (Wasp), Iron Man & Wolverine.

I could go through the ins and outs of the characters, and try to concoct various scenarios under which the characters would meet on individual terms, but it would be for moot.
Statistically most of these guys are going to beat MODOK nine times out of ten, if not maybe more. That's what has made MODOK such a lovable inclusion in the world of the menacing villain. Together, the Avengers have victory all but secured, but never let it be said that odds cannot be overcome...

The Math: The Avengers
The Pick: The Avengers

What went down...
With an explosive opening, the Avengers descened through a hole in the roof of the AIM secret lair, trickling down in a cascade of colour and action. The team plummets down led by Wolverine, and a roaring Hulk who tears at scenery.

Spider-man is in fine physical and verbal form, as he and Iron Man swing decisively into the battle. Spidey's quips offer a little something for everyone; beekeeper quips keep the kids laughing, while remarks about the poor AIM of the AIM goons break the fourth wall and call attention to the kiddy-gloves being used by the villains.

Some of the goons reach a sonics cannon and begin firing it's mighty audible blast into the field, stunning Giant-Girl, Iron Man, Storm, Wolverine, and even Hulk, who manages to keep one hand clasped firmly around the goon's skull he is pounding.

From a safe distance Cap tosses his mighty shield. It slices through the barrel of the gun, destroying the mechanics and freeing his fellows from it's ear-splitting devestation.

Just as Iron Man hopes to correct Spidey on another reference to bee-keepers he is propelled across the battlefield, tumbling into the incredible Hulk. The one responsible quips before making his grand entrance, "Ha! I believe the saying is hitting two birds with one -- brainblast!!!"

Presumably this is the first appearance of "MODOC", as indicated by Storm's ignorance.
Spidey again breaks the fourth wall, identifying the character despite acknowledging he has no idea what he's looking at.

MODOK seizes the opportunity to broaden his telepathic brainblast and use it to freeze the heroes while he delivers an account of his origins. He tells a tale of betrayal, presumably because he "didn't bring the right kinds of snacks to AIM barbecues", where he was made the first test subject in experiments to expand the human mind. Little did anyone know he would become the brilliant floating brain bag that is -- MODOK!

It turns out Iron Man's armored helmet has protected him from MODOK's brainblast, but it proves little consolation for the golden Avenger. With the rest of his teammates under MODOK's spell, he quickly finds himself under attack from some of the most powerful heroes in the Marvel universe!

Once Spidey webs the armored hero up, it's a matter of the Hulk scooping him up under his arm as the Avengers followed MODOK to the inner labs where they will learn to think like their enemy.

Strapped into the appropriate hoverchairs, the Avengers are at the mercy of the AIM scientists who go about their wicked business. But it seems a bungle in the procedures to be attend to by Karl has led to the overloading of the Restructurer due to the mass and size of Hulk and Giant-Girl's bodies!

Rather than hang around, MODOK flees, leaving the heroes (and Karl) to their doom!...

The hammer...
... And for that we declare MODOK the winner!
If you disagree with this verdict, then clearly your puny mind is too feeble to grasp the complexities and implications of the scenario presented, and you must be made to conform or DIE!!!

That, or you could just post a comment and explain why you think it was wrong of me to declare MODOK and AIM the victors in this case.

I mentioned in the Tape the potential impact this single issue had as a comics revelation to the blogsites. Marvel Zombies has illustrated the potential popularity of broad thematic transformations in superheroes, so when I found out the MODvengers artwork was more than an amusing comission, I was sure the trend would continue.
Sure enough as news spread it seemed to be the talk of many blogs, not surprising giving the humorist nature of most, but the buck seemed to stop there.

I'd hoped to illustrate the power of silly, quirky, geek-chic in comics, but the numbers have betrayed me yet again. Yes, it's Nextwave all over again, only without the widespread critical acclaim and praise.
According to ICv2 News, Marvel Adventures: The Avengers #9 illustrated a two hundred unit slump from the previous issue, before slipping yet another two hundred and fifty with the issue following.

191 9.76 MARVEL ADVS AVENGERS #8 $2.99 MAR 7,512 [Source]
201 10.09 MARVEL ADVS AVENGERS #9 $2.99 MAR 7,315 [Source]
180 8.48 MARVEL ADVS AVENGERS #10 $2.99 MAR 7,053 [Source]

I guess in an obscure way this leads to one of the all purpose mission statements of this particular website. Though we lack the preemptive capacity to recommend reads in a position of preordering, we hope to provide a gateway into comics you might like to flick through, and track down for purchase.

I was a little perturbed to hear from a reader who was downloading comics illegally, and even more perturbed by a confused reader who was somehow under the confused assumption that Batman issues were somehow public domain because he lives in a foreign country.

If you've browsed through Secret Earths and come across something that's interested you, then hopefully the site is doing some kind of job. But as you can see from sales figures, it isn't exactly a river of silver dollars just because there are a few feature films. We have an obligation, as with all things, to do it the right way.

If you can't access comics readily, look around the internet. It's a pretty resourceful place. Check out some of the more prominent websites and see about finding out reputable online stores, or ebay sellers where you might pick up some of these wacky and wild reads.

Because while I like to think of Secret Wars on Infinite Earths as a resource website, it's merely a gateway to leading you to what you might want to find.
What's left for you is to enjoy the chase of reading more about characters and issues on Wikipedia, official websites, or through purchases. I'm just helping you find what you might like.

Who woulda thought a review of a comic all about a team of MODOKs would lead to such a stiff collared cermon about right and wrong? Hey kids, that's what MODOK does. He shows you the wrong way. Because let's face it, no matter how fun it might seem, imagine the practicalities of having a GIANT cranium, and a tiny little body restricted to a hover chair.

The bathroom alone, guys... Yeesh...

The Fight: 2.5 The Issue: 5

NEXT WEEK: Marvel Ultimate Alliance Mondays continues, and heck! Despite selling only seven thousand units, this issue was so hilariously fun, we're going to do it all over again! Krang and the militants of Atlantis invade! Who will save us?! STAY TUNED!

PLUS: Because this was the very special occasion of our one hundredth featured issue, strap yourselves in for a big week of updates! Tomorrow it's going to be a dark night as two heroes go at it, and then Friday someone's out for revenge for the death of an icon! Two of the biggest features you'll see on the site! BE HERE!

CAPTAIN AMERICA & CABLE versus AIM
Soldiers (Marvel comics)
Where: Captain America #6 When: April, 1997
Why: Rob Liefeld & Jeph Loeb How: Rob Liefeld

The story so far...
Marvel's greatest heroes are believed dead, sacrificing themselves to defeat the menace of Onslaught.
Unbeknownst to those left behind, the heroes habe been trapped in a pocket universe as an instinctive defensive meaure by the immensly powerful mutant child - Franklin Richards.

Now, reliving a strangely similar but warped version of his previous life, Captain America awakes from a dormant sleep as a defunct SHIELD agent.

Emerging in this strange new world reborn, Captain America goes live once more, facing threats older than anyone in this universe can possibly know.

Previous Form:
Marvel versus DC #2: Captain America outfoxes the devestating Bane.
Incredible Hulk #449: As Citizen V, Baron Zemo leads the Thunderbolts against the Hulk.
MODOK and Cable have not yet been featured on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths.
Tale of the tape...
Strength: Cable 4 (Steroid Popper)
Intelligence: MODOK 5 (Professor)
Speed: Captain America 3 (Trained Athlete)
Stamina: Captain America 5 (Marathon Runner)
Agility: Captain America 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Captain America 6 (Warrior)
Energy Powers: Cable 4 (Arsenal)

You know, there are actually a few things working against MODOK, before we even arrive at the fact that he's a giant head floating around in some kind of futuristic, cyborg toilet enhancement.

The first problem - he's compensated for his giant headed immobility by allying himself with a guy who wears a pink mask that he took from daddy's closet, and is named Helmut. Second - he's hanging with AIM, who are essentially a non-threatening sprawl of nameless, faceless super scientist drones, who exist for the sole purpose of making evil look goofy as it gets stomped all over by Captain America. With that in mind, it does not bode well for MODOK and his wacky pal, Helmut Zemo.

Update: In all the fun, this update originally asserted the presumption that this was a Heroes Reborn alternate duplicate of the modern day Baron Helmut Zemo. During this event, Helmut was rather prominently featured in the main Marvel Universe in the guise of Citizen V - the leader of villains disguised as heroes: The Thunderbolts. This supports the subsequent understanding that the Baron Zemo featured here is actually Heinrich Zemo - Cap's original WWII nemesis! Please note this correction when proceeding.

Things are partially balanced in this world gone mad, where Rob Liefeld's pencils ensure MODOK, rather than look proportionate next to his super-deformed figures, is actually gargantuan. Actually, I don't remember MODOK ever being so intimidating in battle, nor as a subject to be read.

Cable is a mutant with low level telepathic abilities, military training from a post-apocalyptic future, and big metal cybernetics where diseased limbs once were.
His chief skill in combat is to carry weaponry, armor and shoulder pads that weight twice his bodyweight. When it comes to guns, this guy's futurewares (which are somehow in abundance, despite his residence in the present...) put the Punisher to shame.

So, even despite MODOK's concerning elevation in the supervillain stakes, there are very few scenarios in which Cable would be grossly challenged. On his own, he could probably mow down AIM goons like tin ducks on a motorized rack - call Zemo a daddy's boy - and strip MODOK for parts before a single shell hit the ground.

Oh, and are you dense? Are you retarded or something?
Lest we forget the god damned Captain America!

Honestly, this one's pretty much a case closed scenario...
That's without even getting into the fact that it's only issue six in a series that had SHIELD, the good guys, in an adversarial position at the beginning; and that this is a gratuitous Liefeldian fan service issue, that squeezes his abismal creation [Cable] into the story through the most obtuse means.

What went down...
We enter the fray somewhat disorientated, not by Lifeld's pencils, but rather by virtue of coming in with the action already underway.
Connecting in no way to the previous issue, Captain America stands beside the man called Cable, before a pack of AIM bucketheads, giant MODOK, and Zemo.

Cable doesn't know how he's arrived here, and is curious as to the fact that Captain America is supposed to be dead. As with most of the folks trapped in the Heroes Reborn blue ball, Cap has no recollection of Cable, a trait we all envy.

MODOK takes offense to orders of surrender, apparently prompting Cable to jump qquite high into the air, before he starts shooting his futuristic guns at the bucketheads.

Captain America throws his mighty shield, and clocks a bunch of the yellow jumpsuiters, before following suit with a variety of rampaging fists, dives, shield swings and kicks.

Meanwhile, Carrie Ke... er... I mean, Heroes Reborn girl-Bucky is crowd surfing over the goons, dropping a few fists and kicks whensoever it does suit her.

Now things start to get a little... EXTREME!

Quite literally lording over Cable, MODOK threatens grievous psychic harm.

Cable retorts that in his own world, he's regarded as a pretty decent telepath himself, and proceeds to jump on to MODOK.
Scrambling around MODOK like a bug on a beachball, Cable reaches around to the ample forehead, and starts to probe psychically.

Battling each other within the mind, it seems MODOK is just a bigger psychic target, falling victim, presumably, to the horror of Cable's backstory.

While MODOK sizzles defeat, Cap is managing the army of AIM goons like the one-man army we all know him as.
A few deformed kicks and dives later, and Zemo enters the fray.

The self-professed "Juggernaut of the Fourth Reich" socks it to the American flag, straight across the jaw, but Cap isn't phased. He returns suit, and lays the smackdown with the shield!

To finish Zemo off, he lays down a cermon that should inspire fear in all Golden Age villains who would seek to return: "Whether you ally yourself with A.I.M. or the World Party -- the nightmare called the Nazi Army will NEVER rise again.
America is too strong now. And I share only a hint of her power."

As Cap lays Zemo out for good, Cable arrives as the indesputable fact that, despite all the time travelling/reality jumping knowledge that would contradict his opinion; this must be the original recipe Cap, and not a man from another time or dimension.
This is the one true Captain America. Victorious, as he, Bucky and Cable regroup, only to watch Cable slip away through the timesteam, back to where he belongs. Or at least the next best thing - the Marvel Universe. *snort*

The hammer...
Score one to the anti-registration heroes.Captain America and Cable pick up the victory, with the assist from girl-Bucky!

Jokes aside for a moment, I've got to be honest: I don't hate Rob Liefeld.
He's probably not an artistic force I rate very highly, but honestly, I was never a big mutant reader, so New Mutants/X-Force was lost on me, and I didn't see the appeal in the Image launch. So, really, I haven't had to have a lot to do with the guy.

I think it is irrefutable that the guy has faults.
I have to highlight one such artistic fault here, which actually isn't too jarring in the context of this issue, but is still just a little disturbing from a page-to-dollar ratio.

There are a lot of splash pages.
I'm not talking Bendis and Finch on New Avengers, either. This is... This is pretty bad. This is the kind of thing that would make a pretty compelling argument against the guy from an overall perspective.

Grabbing a random recent purchase, here's how Liefeld's issue compares to a contemporary book written by Allan Heinberg, and pencilled by Jim Cheung:

Young Avengers #12 (2006)
Double page splash: 2
Double page layout: 0
Full page splash: 4
Three quarter splash: 2
Advertising: 4
General layout: 16 (8)
Recap/letters page: 2Captain America #6 (1997)
Double page splash: 8
Double page layout: 2
Full page splash: 5
Three quarter splash: 2
Advertising: 17
General layout: 6
Recap/letters page: 0

The issue I happened to choose, Young Avengers, should be noted for making very good use of fullpage splashes, and managing to cram a great deal of very cleanly told story telling into each layout. I'm actually exceptionally impressed by YA, which has perhaps an uncommon ratio of splashes, but still puts together a strong story -- AND has a Masked Marvel eight page back-up.

While Liefeld's Captain America reads a fun battle, the ratio of story telling and comic is pretty disgraceful. Ignoring the back-end clogging of previews and in-house advertising, you have six pages dedicated to more traditional panel layouts.
That's utilizing just a quarter of dedicated comic to tell the story, with the rest dedicated solely to very nineties extreme action comic.

As I said earlier, it actually reads pretty well, and isn't overly jarring, but this is a disturbing trait for a comic, and highlights how far comics have come.
Likewise, I should probably commend Marvel for it's efforts to cut back on advertising, which was slowly enveloping publications which just aren't getting any cheaper!

So, what do I have to say about Loeb?
Well, likewise, I don't buy into the Loeb hate. Actually, overall, I probably rate the guy pretty highly on my list of writers, and don't think he should be tarnished by association, just because Liefeld has an exaggerated pencil style, and light reading approach.

The Fight: 4.5 The Issue: 3.5

NEXT: This time around it's Iron Man's turn to team-up with a future ally in the Civil War. I'll give you a clue: he does whatever a spider can!