KRAVEN THE HUNTER versus SPIDER-MAN

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What Went Down...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It's over.

The Hammer...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If you'd like to see that sooner than later, consider becoming a supporter on Patreon. Your contribution will help support further scholarly activities and the general cost of living. As a thank you you'll unlock access to the Discord, extra updates, and sponsored content options, such as Rank & File Top 10s.

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

Get free daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day by subscribing to Twitter, or by becoming a freebie follower on Patreon. Don't forget to smash that like, fave, and share -- and keep your eyes peeled for the week's top trending battles every Sunday on Twitter & Discord!

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

ULTRON versus THE VILLAINS

The War Begins (Marvel)
Where: Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1 When: May 1984 Why: Jim Shooter How: Michael Zeck

The Story So Far...
In a distant corner of space comes the existence of a sophisticated station suddenly populated with the confused ranks of many of Earth's mightiest heroes!

Abducted by an unknown force -- these Avengers, X-Men, and more await the intentions of their unseen captor, with little understanding, or influence, over their impending fate.

Amidst the assembly Captain America spies a second construct floating in the starry void above. The probing mind of Professor X finds a repellent aura of evil as he detects an identical predicament shared by some of their deadliest adversaries. As a galaxy is wiped away, and a new planet begins to form before awestruck eyes -- the villains begin to stir!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Galactus 7 (Omnipotent)
Intelligence: Galactus 7 (Omniscient)
Speed: Lizard 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Galactus 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Lizard 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: The Wrecker 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Galactus 7 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Galactus 34 (Super)

The Beyonder may have distributed everyone into two camps, but if you expected the first blows of the Secret Wars to come between good and evil -- you were wrong! Ultron has no interest in forming alliances with any organic lifeforms!

The other villains are: Doctor Doom, Doctor Octopus, Kang The Conqueror, Enchantress, Absorbing Man, The Wrecker, Piledriver, Thunderball, Bulldozer, Lizard, and Molecule Man, with Galactus.

Ultron has a fusion reactor core powering his movements, capable of dishing out some serious firepower as well, with a composite adamantium hardshell durable enough to withstand a collision with The Thing!

Ultron is clearly a serious threat, but if The Wrecker and his Crew were to apply themselves -- they could probably pin Ultron down long enough to do some real damage. Throw in the Absorbing Man, able to copy Ultron's adamantium body for himself, and you've got a magically powered five-man trash compactor!

In the event the muscle needs a little direction, there's plenty of genius to go around. Doctor Doom is the obvious alpha in the group, but Enchantress is no stranger to directing or manipulating powerhouses into doing her bidding.

Kang The Conqueror has the resources and nous to potentially take on the Ultron problem alone, but that's no guarantee. Molecule Man is perhaps the best suited for that -- his ability to control things on a molecular level makes him nigh omnipotent. The only problem is a reluctance to use his awesome powers after repenting for a history of villainy with committed psychotherapy.

Doctor Octopus and Lizard are apex predators in their own environment, but here they may be the most vulnerable to Ultron's attack. Still, you'd like to think they're wily enough to join the other ranks -- provided they don't all turn on each other. Let's see exactly how it went!

The Tape: The Villains Ranking: Doctor Doom (#88)

What Went Down...

An incredible cosmic dance draws the eyes of the villainous collective upward as pieces of disparate land converge to form a new planet overhead. It's enough to leave Doctor Doom awestruck, but not all company is as unwaveringly focused.

Doctor Octopus doesn't take kindly to being jostled by the burly Absorbing Man.

The pair trade verbal barbs until suddenly -- a blast of energy engulfs them both!

Ultron simmers with power -- and the nearest thing approximating disdain -- as his robotic circuits struggle to make sense of his apparent reconstruction, and presence on the mysterious ship. From confusion defers basic function:

"I am Ultron! I do not understand the events transpiring! I do not understand how I came to be resurrected... Nor how I came to be here! Nothing computes... Insignificant! I am Ultron! My purpose is to slay that which lives. You are all living things, ergo -- Ultron must destroy you!"

Ultron takes flight and fires beams that narrowly miss Piledriver, Molecule Man, Kang, and Doctor Octopus -- but this time Absorbing Man is ready. He receives the energy and instantly nullifies its effects by assuming its properties!

The gambit inspires Doctor Doom to action, if not tactic, as he recognizes the potential threat of Ultron's adamantium body and fusion reactor.

The monarch lays his gauntlets on Molecule Man, grabbing him by his shirt to compel him to use his powers to stop Ultron. Alas, timid Owen Reece is just as overwhelmed as the robot, and reverts to a vow of abstinence made with his therapist. In a remarkable show of Molecule Man's power -- Doom compromises!

Determined to stop Ultron, but accepting Molecule Man's reluctance to harm anyone -- Doom offers an alternative minor act of mischief to Reece, which could make use of the unfathomable cosmic might at Galactus' disposal instead.

As Ultron's blasts explode between The Wrecking Crew and Enchantress; Molecule Man takes control of the subatomic make-up of the robot -- and sends him hurtling into the massive legs of Galactus!

For the first time since their arrival, The Devourer of Worlds pays notice to the tiny mortals scurrying around his feet.

Ultron begins to levitate by means other than his own, but continues to brandish his adamantium body and energy blasts in contempt for all that lives.

He sees Galactus as just another organic sentience to extinguish, perhaps failing to comprehend the forces that now control him.

Galactus gazes silently at the murderous robot as it floats to meet his eyeline.

Ultron dares to threaten The Devourer with a slow death for his affront.

The extinguishing of Ultron's flame takes a mere blinding moment as Galactus drains the robot's fusion reactor of all traces of energy without a word or gesture. A lifetime's supply of power gone in an instant -- a mere snack between the thumb and forefinger of a being beyond true comprehension!

The Hammer...

Just like that the first shots of the Secret Wars are fired -- but they aren't across enemy lines of good and evil!

There are essentially two sides to this conflict, with a faction or two forming somewhere in between, but it's the bad guys who are the first to fracture. A nice little bit of character detail that establishes the stakes, the scale of power that's in play, and gets us a taste of the action while introducing some of the stacked side of villainy.

It would've been so easy to have Ultron simply fall in line with the other bad guys, or undergo some sort of reprogramming from the outset, but instead we get the unadulterated joy of a homicidal robot immediately intent on extinguishing all organic life -- no matter how grand and beyond its reach it actually is! Bliss!

Ultron-10 was destroyed by Machine Man, The Thing, and Jocasta a couple of years prior in the pages of Marvel Two-In-One #93, contributing to the confusion of a tenth reconstruction in Secret Wars.

I guess The Beyonder is an Avengers fan who saw fit to bring Ultron back along with all the other popular toys. Doctor Doom will reprogram the defeated robot in the next issue, rebooting him for more play, but if you only knew the original twelve-part maxi-series as a tie-in ostensibly meant to sell action figures, you would've been surprised that an Ultron toy was never actually produced.

It's perhaps then doubly surprising that Galactus is ultimately the one to take Ultron down in the first real fight of the series.

The Devourer of Worlds is no stranger to conflict, but he isn't exactly known for trading blows with the rank and file, and also doesn't appear in the Mattel action figure line. The mark of a toymaker's unfulfilled aspirations -- or fanboy-turned-EIC Jim Shooter demanding a standard of quality for tie-in comics that would meet comic book readers' expectations beyond promotional consideration?

A few lines have attempted Galactus toys in the decades since Secret Wars, with Heroclix notably having the benefit of a small scale to work with, but it's only in the last couple of years that Marvel Legends has delivered the 32" tall Galactus action figure of our dreams. Standard 6" heralds fit in the palm of his hand. Not bad for $400 as a 2021 HasLabs backer, but undoubtedly a tough sell in 1984.

So if Galactus isn't in Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars to be a deluxe playset, or towering lump of plastic sold through the Seers catalogue -- why is he here?

His concerns are typically much loftier than the mere mortals assembled to be bashed together in the hands of children, but I suppose if you asked me to name my most desired villains of the time, Galactus would probably be in the list, somewhere along with various other Fantastic Four opponents.

Galactus lends star-power and a sense of cosmic grandeur to the whole event, demonstrating just how high a level The Beyonder must be working on.

I suppose there's also an underlying potential for a ticking clock. Eventually Galactus will have to feed, and the composite planet created to host everyone is pretty much the only bar & grill that seems to be open in this corner of the universe. Existential drama only Galactus can provide in backdrop to a superhero war.

As for this battle: Galactus is clearly the winner, but could this result have been achieved without the involvement of Doctor Doom and Molecule Man?

The short answer is no -- but after careful deliberation, I've determined their actions, though vital, still only constitute a minor gesture: an assist.

Once his initial hopes to use Molecule Man's powers to end the fight are dashed, Doctor Doom conceives a plan to essentially gain Galactus' attention and pass the problem on to him. By throwing Ultron at the cosmic giant, Molecule Man merely triggers Galactus' entry into the fight, and the result is rendered from there.

We should also note that Thunderball and Bulldozer don't appear in this sequence until the fight is over, and Ultron's lifeless husk crashes back to the ground. The Lizard isn't even seen post-introductions until a vague group shot a couple pages after this. Characters clearly present will receive an assist stat for drawing fire, but it's unclear if these three even stuck around for the fight. We might infer Lizard ran and hid. For that reason I've omitted them from the minor count.

This was the very first fight, but we already opened the door last year with Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #3. I'm hoping we'll be able to continue working through the series in a linear fashion, taking in some of the interesting match-ups that come about, and tracking the progress of characters like Molecule Man, and newcomers Titania & Volcana.

You can catch all of that, and more, by following links throughout this post, or by plunging into unending secret wars of the Secret Archive! That's where all you desire is indexed in order of publisher, series, and issue number.

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured well over 700 battles and ranked more than 1,000 iconic characters! You can make sure there are many more to come by becoming a supporter on Patreon. As a thank you for your patronage you'll find additional updates and multiple tiers to sponsor more feature content.

Get free daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day by subscribing to Twitter and Facebook, or by becoming a freebie follower on Patreon. Don't forget to smash that like, fave, and share -- and keep your eyes peeled for the week's top trending battles every Sunday on Twitter & Patreon!

Winner: Galactus (w/ Molecule Man & Doctor Doom)
#128 (+246) Galactus
#640 (new) Molecule Man [+1 assist]
#88 (--) Doctor Doom [+1 assist]
#374 (+20) The Wrecker [+1 assist]
#375 (+22) Piledriver [+1 assist]
#376 (+44) Kang The Conqueror [+1 assist]
#641 (new) Amora the Enchantress [+1 assist]
#670 (+315) Absorbing Man [+1 assist]
#988 (-2) Doctor Octopus [+1 assist]
#381 (-146) Ultron

TITANIA versus FANTASTIC FOUR

Tempest Without, Crisis Within! (Marvel)
Where: Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #3 When: July 1984 Why: Jim Shooter How: Mike Zeck

The Story So Far...
In the cold vacuum of distant space -- the sudden emergence of a space station filled with some of the mightiest heroes and villains of Earth!

Gathered together by some awesome, unknown force, they are issued a simple decree: "I am from beyond! Slay your enemies and all your desires shall be yours! Nothing you dream of is impossible for me to accomplish!"

Deposited to a planet created by this mysterious Beyonder from pieces of other worlds -- forces align to fight a war of good & evil unseen by human eyes. Leading a rabble of the disagreeable and devious: Doctor Doom seeks to enhance his forces with the creation of two new super-villains to join an attack at dawn!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Thing 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Mr. Fantastic 6 (Genius)
Speed: Human Torch 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Thing 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Mr. Fantastic 6 (Rubber)
Fighting: Thing 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Human Torch 7 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Human Torch 23 (Champion)

Plucked from the obscurity of a Denver town during The Beyonder's construction of Battleworld; Mary MacPherran was discovered by Doctor Doom and granted super-human powers using alien technology found on the composite planet.

As Titania she gratefully received super-human strength, durability, and stamina, further bolstering Doom's forces in the Secret Wars against Earth's mightiest heroes -- and a few of his conspiring contemporaries as well!

The Fantastic Four are: Mister Fantastic, Human Torch, and Thing.

The foursome is actually a trio -- unaccompanied by the Invisible Woman, who stays safe at home, heavily pregnant.

Further depleting the ranks is the unexpected transformation of The Thing into his human alter-ego of Benjamin Grimm. It marks a noted loss of strength for the seasoned threesome as they find themselves under surprise attack from an unfamiliar adversary!

Ordinarily Thing would probably go head-to-head with Titania without too much issue, but it'll be up to Mister Fantastic and Human Torch to fend for themselves and their powerless friend. A rare, but not unheard of predicament.

Though generally known for his smarts, Reed Richards can stretch his abilities to combat - particularly when the family's involved.

We saw Reed rough up the Sub-Mariner during a jealous grudge match in FF #412, and outfight the Super-Apes in a dramatic lone stand during FF (Vol.3) #3. Of course, he also found himself twisted and tossed aside by the likes of Hulk in FF #12 and FF #374, and the impossibly powerful Gladiator in FF #249.

In her first outing it remains to be seen if Titania is as strong or durable as those high-level competitors. She's certainly highly motivated and eager to test her strength. So let's see what happened...

The Tape: Fantastic Four Ranking: Mister Fantastic (#11)

What Went Down...

There are no obstacles awaiting Doctor Doom as he pilots a flying ship filled with an army of villains towards the heroes' headquarters. Unchallenged -- he prepares them for ramming speed and crashes directly into the undefended complex!

From the heart of the sprawling facility Doom strikes -- directing The Wrecker to his mission to free Kang, Enchantress, and The Wrecking Crew from imprisonment -- while the other villains spill outward to cause maximum mayhem!

The first heroes alerted to the assault are the Fantastic Four -- now a threesome, with the powerless human form of Ben Grimm standing to his feet as Human Torch and Mister Fantastic spot the disturbance outside.

The very window they're peering through betrays them as Titania comes calling.

Her newfound super-human strength gets its first test drive as she smashes the exterior wall into the large table seating the FF!

Only the Human Torch remains conscious, nursing a broken arm and ribs as he points his right hand toward the attacker and douses her in flames!

The blazing fire engulfs Titania, deterring her just long enough for the Human Torch to blast his way through the floor, allowing he and his fellows to drop to the safety of the lower levels.

Titania stands ready at the hole's edge -- a job well done.

The Hammer...

I suppose I should take a moment to bask in the collective sigh of relief now that Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars is finally on the record!

In the age of SEO you might've presumed it would be one of the first things featured on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, but life online wasn't always about being so damn obvious, and I've always preferred to go where whim takes me.

Once we finally crossed off Crisis on Infinite Earths, Secret Wars obviously started burning up the To Do list -- and let's be honest: It has always been a point of interest that I've wanted to get to. I just never imagined this is where we'd start!

With Titania making her live-action debut in She-Hulk on Disney+, it felt like the right time to finally dig into the famous Marvel maxi-series, which essentially came together to sell some action figures, but also introduced a few enduring ideas and new additions to the Marvel pantheon.

Titania's first official fight in print wasn't exactly a barn burner, but she makes a heckuva strong impression with her total bamboozling of the Fantastic Four!

Today we might think of her as more of a She-Hulk villain, but it makes sense that her first conflict might be with the FF. After all, she was granted her super-human strength by Doctor Doom, and was itching to prove herself with worthy combat.

It's actually one of several small skirmishes breaking out, by happenstance, as Doom deploys his villainous troops to wreak havoc on the unsuspecting heroes while The Wrecker recovers prisoners.

That element of tactical deployment and human-resource management is one of the things that makes Secret Wars appealing. It won't quite achieve the status of a true war story with super-heroes, but it at least flirts with the concept beyond a clumsy series of indistinguishable fights transparently advertising a toy line.

She-Hulk happens to be the next target featured after today's fight, surprised by another Secret Wars debutante - Volcana. Proximity that perhaps subconsciously alludes to the characters' future associations, including She-Hulk's admission to the Fantastic Four as a stand-in for The Thing, who'd already subbed out in the pages of Fantastic Four #265.

A lot of what makes Titania enduring is here right from the start.

As soon as she receives her powers -- a painful process that requires whole-heartedly embracing them at risk of destruction -- she has a costume ready, and  comes up with an alias on the spot. Truth be told it's probably my favourite Titania look. Leather pro wrestling chic with thorny spikes up & down the sleeves.

A quick flex lifting & throwing a few tonnes of slag melted by Volcana, and she's ready to rumble. Doctor Doom introduces his new recruits to the rest of the squad, and Titania makes a beeline for a lazily lounging Absorbing Man looking for a rumble: "I'm going to do anything I want to you! Everything I always wanted to do to everybody who used to be bigger and stronger than me! Maybe I'll just play with you... or maybe I'll make you eat dirt..."

The vaguely flirtatious threat is met with indifference as Absorbing Man blows off the challenge from "a dame" at least until tomorrow. A dynamic that might be seen as dismissive, but feels more like the playful preview of a lasting relationship that will be forged between the couple as super-human equals.

That's a combination I look forward to exploring further in future updates. For now: we need to make a call about this result.

Although the Fantastic Four look in pretty bad shape, Human Torch ensures they slink away quickly before the fight really takes off. In the next issue Hulk will still be carrying an unconscious Mister Fantastic and Ben Grimm, with the Torch nursing his injuries. I'm inclined to take this compelling outcome into account and deem this a debut win for Titania. Agree or disagree? Hit the comments below.

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured almost 700 battles and ranked well over 1000 characters! You can find more from your favourite characters & topics by following links throughout each entry, or by diving into the Secret Archive for a complete index of featured fights by publisher, series, and issue number.

If you like what we're all about and want to help the site continue to grow become a supporter on Patreon! You'll get warm kudos and respect from your peers for being such a fine, discerning patron, and also unlock access to additional updates, sponsored article options, and various other things.

Get free daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day by subscribing via Twitter and Facebook. Don't forget to smash that like, fave, and share -- and keep your eyes peeled for the week's top trending battles every Sunday!

Winner: Titania
#352 (new) Titania
#14 (--) Human Torch
#11 (--) Mister Fantastic
#13 (--) Thing