BLADE versus MORBIUS

Return to Terror! (Marvel)
Where: Fear #24 When: October 1974
Why: Steve Gerber How: Craig Russell

The Story So Far...
After adventuring to a realm called The Land Within; Morbius the Living Vampire finds himself stranded on a distant planet called Arcturus IV.

Caught between warring factions of hideous mutants and barbarian androids, Morbius stages a daring escape with the help of a mutant named Lord I. Together, the escaping duo plot a course for Earth on board the last known starship of an ancient fleet. Their mission: to defeat the sinister alien cabal known as The Caretakers -- Lord I's ancient ancestors!

Weeks of interstellar travel brings the starship to a crash landing on Earth, but with his bloodlust driving him to feast on his ally, Morbius arrives alone under the watchful gaze of a deadly new opponent: The Vampire Slayer - Blade!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Morbius 5 (Professor)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Blade 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Draw 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Blade 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: Blade 3 (Explosives)
Total: Blade 26 (Champion)

It was the fight that had to happen! Blade debuted in Tomb of Dracula #10 and quickly earned a reputation for stalking Dracula and the walking undead. This begged the question: how would he do against The Living Vampire?!

Morbius made his mark a couple of years before Blade hit the scene, battling Spider-Man and The Lizard after journeying from Greece, to New York City.

The vampirism of Dr. Michael Morbius was a result of failed attempts to use science to cure himself of a rare genetic blood disease. Through his treatment he gained vampire traits such as super-human strength, speed, durability, and a blinding lust to consume blood by night!

Despite efforts to reform by feasting only on the blood of the guilty, Morbius has had many lapsed and accidental run-ins with other heroes. We saw him fight to a stalemate with The Werewolf in Marvel Premier #28. He traded blows with Doctor Strange during Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #10.

Blade's no stranger to battling heroes, either. Under the influence of a page from the Darkhold he fought Ghost Rider to a standstill in Ghost Rider #40, and succeeded in killing him in Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance #13! Blade also took on Wolverine years later during Civil War, but couldn't cut the self-healing mutant deep enough to keep him down in Blade #5.

Although he's exhibited signs of accelerated healing: Morbius will typically be susceptible to Blade's weaponry. In 1974, Blade favours wooden stakes more than silver, steel, and swords, but the weaker materials should still pose a threat in the hands of the far superior hand-to-hand fighter!

Thanks to his mother being bitten by a vampire during his birth, Blade possesses enhanced strength, reflexes, and immunity to vampire bites. He won't become the legendary Daywalker until years later, but can never the less still rely on sunlight to weaken Morbius, as it did in Venom: The Enemy Within #3.

Blade is the far more skilled fighter, but he isn't quite the kung fu bad ass he'll become in later decades. At peak, Morbius is arguably the stronger of the two and could use that to mitigate Blade's superior fighting abilities. Let's see...

The Tape: Blade Ranking: Morbius (#68)

What Went Down...
As another vampire perishes beneath his wooden knife -- the slayer, Blade, can hardly believe his eyes when a rocket ship plunges out of the sky!

Leaving the shadows of a nearby alley, Blade races to the wreckage to discover a lone inhabitant: the eerie mutant Lord I, whose neck reveals the telltale mark of a vampire's bite!

For a moment Blade entertains the possibility of an invasion of vampires from outer space. He deduces another occupant must have escaped the ship before it crashed -- that's when he notices Morbius perched on a nearby rooftop!

Morbius glides from one roof to the next, prompting Blade to leap for the nearest fire escape and make chase! Morbius senses the figure pursuing him, presuming it to be an agent of Daemond or The Caretakers. Meanwhile, Blade puzzles over The Living Vampire's nature, ruling out traditional bloodsuckers.

They dart between buildings and vault over rooftop walls -- until Morbius finds refuge in the shadows. Blade runs right past his prey, failing to notice until Morbius kicks a tin can on his way out of hiding.

A wooden knife hurtles at waist height, narrowly missing its target! Blade at last confronts what he presumes to be an extra-terrestrial vampire, but Morbius catches him by surprising -- lunging at what he believes to be a madman!

Morbius pins Blade to the ground with both hands and attempts to reason with him. The slayer notes his incredible strength, unimpressed by a vampire's claim to wish him no harm!

The superior fighter sends Morbius hurtling head over heels with an improvised kick of his legs! The Living Vampire slams into a nearby wall!

The turn in fortunes gives Blade a moment to realise his opponent speaks the language of Earth. The revelation turns him back to traditional methods: three daggers hurled at Morbius narrowly miss their target at devastating speed!

Unaware that vampires truly exist, Morbius once again attempts to take pity on his attacker, believing him a raving lunatic. He strikes Blade with a swift dive kick and promptly resumes fleeing to a nearby church roof.

Blade stubbornly refuses to give up his cause. Shaking off the fog of the head strike, he scrambles for the church roof and dive tackles Morbius' legs!

The slayer uses his full body weight to press Morbius to the roof and then tugs his hair to force him to gaze upon the holy crucifix!

Invoking the power of the cross, Blade threatens to hold him until dawn if that's what it takes. Supernatural method that might slay any ordinary vampire, but not one created by a mistake of science!

Unaffected, Morbius uses his enhanced strength to push himself up and toss Blade by the arm!

The throw sends Blade over the edge of the roof, but he manages to snatch the edge of the gutter. For a few painful seconds he dangles perilously, before the slayer pulls himself back up to find himself alone.

The Hammer...
It was the fight that had to happen, but what a strange way to get there!

We're all about the title match between Marvel's best known vampire heroes, but the whole episode really only eventuates by an act of happenstance. A trippy adventure in space has to abruptly end before the action can begin! Its got a little bit of that loose, seventies college vibe I noted in Captain Marvel #26, with slightly less intensity and a little bit more weirdness.

One of these days we'll have to find time to talk more about Lord I: a telepathic mutant from Arcturus IV whose entire head is an eyeball, and whose life was drained away much too soon! In the mean time, lets rewind a little further back to examine just how this compelling first-time battle really came to be:

Morbius first appeared in 1971's Amazing Spider-Man #101. A reasonably unusual adversary for Spider-Man at the time; he provided early precedent for loosening restrictions imposed by the Comics Code Authority since the fifties.

In 1972 Marvel followed the successful introduction of their Living Vampire with an all-out adaptation of the ultimate bloodsucker: Bram Stoker's Dracula.

As the star of a new series: the lord of vampires found early contemporary arch-rivals in Frank Drake and Quincy Harker. Both borrowed liberally from familiar iconography found in other popular appropriations of Stoker's work, most notably in Universal and Hammer films. By Tomb of Dracula #10 in mid 1973, the vampire king was ready to meet a more modern adversary: Blade!

Blade advanced the premise of Tomb of Dracula with Marvel's answer to other theatrical movements the year prior in Blacula and Dracula A.D. 1972.

Eric Brooks would be a tough-talking contemporary slayer who just wanted all vampires dead -- and had the skills to make it happen! He provided a natural foil for the stuffy, traditional protagonists already populating the series, and was an inevitable breakout star. Dracula was his ultimate prey, but his existence invariably demanded a showdown with Marvel's other notable vampire creation!

Morbius had a couple of run-ins with Spidey after his initial appearance, clashing with the Human Torch and X-Men in Marvel Team-Up appearances, before lying low. Things finally fell into place in 1974, when Morbius replaced Man-Thing as the lead attraction of "Adventure Into" Fear starting with issue #20.

The series was actually called Fear, but as noted, the initial story leaned into the "Adventure" that popularly precedes the title on the cover. There was a creepy undercurrent of occult conspiracy to the sci-fi escapade, but it took a few issues before we finally got the battle we're all here to talk about.

It's not quite the bloody, tooth & claw struggle you might see from later battles between the pair. The circumstances lean heavily into each character's natural function, positioning Blade as the pursuing hunter to Morbius' vampire.

The initial chase takes place in a rapid fire succession of narrow panels. There's a good sense of movement, and more atmosphere than the pictured panels may indicate. I particularly love the overhead shot of Morbius darting down a narrow strip while Blade's unrelenting shadow looms behind. Craig Russell's layouts are great and colours by George Roussos make the most of printing of the time with some nice shades of blue giving it all a gloomy quality.

When Blade finally catches up with Morbius it's pretty even-stevens. Blade gets to throw some wooden knives around, and they each take turns throwing the other around, but nobody really gets the better of any one. Morbius registers the last offensive by tossing Blade off a roof, but he's back up in seconds.

It's a nice first foray for Blade into the Marvel Universe, but these two will have far more memorable encounters once they're both deeply ingrained in the world of the supernatural. At this stage, Morbius doesn't even know vampires are real!

With any luck we'll get a chance to talk more about their battles in the future. Until then, be sure to follow links throughout this post to discover more occult wonders. Or simply dive into the Secret Archive to find a complete list of feature fights indexed by publisher, series, and issue number!

Get daily links to superhero smackdown inspired by the topics of the day by following Secret Wars on Infinite Earths on Twitter and Facebook! Be sure to like and share your favourite battles!

Winner: Draw
#66 (+2) Morbius
#106 (+3) Blade

VENOM & MORBIUS versus DEMOGOBLIN

The Enemy Within Part 3: Blood Tide (Marvel)
Where: Venom: The Enemy Within #3 When: May 1994 Why: Bruce Jones How: Bob McLeod

The Story So Far...
San Francisco is caught in a grip of madness as demonic goblin hordes swarm the city! Emerging on Halloween night, the creatures bring chaos and death that is soon met with fear and fire at the behest of Mayor Palentine!

While the city burns, its lethal protector Venom finds an unlikely ally in the living vampire Morbius!

Resolving suspicions, they work together to uncover the occult curse behind the goblin's rise. As the chase leads them to Alcatraz, they ready for a showdown with the wicked creatures an their deadly new master: Demogoblin!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Venom 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: Morbius 5 (Professor)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Demogoblin 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Venom 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Venom 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Demogoblin 4 (Arsenal)
Total: Venom/Demogoblin 24 (Champion)

It's a 2-on-1 face-off between misfits of science and magic, but the battle lines aren't exactly as they seem! Technically there are three entities on the side of lethal protection -- and a whole army of darkness fighting against them!

Venom is the walking, talking twofer of man & living costume! The alien symbiote was originally brought to Earth as Spider-man's black costume, but he rejected it upon learning of its true parasitic nature. The symbiote then found a willing recipient in Eddie Brock, who shared its scorn for Peter Parker!

Because of its time spent with Spider-man the symbiote emulates his speed, agility, reflexes, and web-slinging, while also enhancing Brock's bodybuilder muscle. His strength has stretched to a peak of fighting Iron Man [Iron Man #302] and even Superman [DC/Marvel: All Access #1]! Neither foe was aware of the symbiote's natural vulnerability to sound or fire.

Despite a few homicidal tendencies -- Venom follows a skewed sense of justice. He even team with Spider-man against his symbiote-offspring Carnage in Spider-man Unlimited #2 -- but not before making the acquaintance of a few other unlikely allies, including Morbius The Living Vampire!

Dr. Michael Morbius is another Spider-man frenemy, whose vampiric tendencies developed after attempts to cure himself of a rare blood disease. As a living vampire he gained characteristic super-human strength, speed, durability, but also sensitivity toward sunlight -- and a need to consume blood.

His thirst saw Morbius walk a moral tightrope that often drew him towards creatures of darkness. Though not mystical like a true vampire, Morbius has battled the likes of Jack Russell, The Werewolf [Marvel Premiere #28], The Night Shift [Marvel Zombies 4 #2], and even Doctor Strange [Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #10]! He also came into conflict with Demogoblin while assisting Venom during the Maximum Carnage saga!

Demogoblin is a demonic entity once bound to Hobgoblin by the demon N'astirh. Jason Macendale sold his soul for enhanced powers, but eventually expelled his demonic half, regretting the deal. The resulting separation unleashed a demonic imitation of his costumed alter-ego!

Demogoblin made horrific reality of an arsenal Macendale acquired from the Green Goblin's original designs. He rides a winged glider of hellfire, and conjures pumpkin bombs with various mystic properties. He does so in the name of a righteous crusade against those he perceives as sinners, such as Spider-man, and Ghost Rider & Frank Drake [see; Ghost Rider #40].

Typically hellfire burns the soul more than flesh, which means Venom won't be uniquely vulnerable to Demogoblin's attacks. That said, the demon has taken command of an army of goblins that drastically outnumber Venom and Morbius!

The Tape: Venom & Morbius Ranking: Morbius (#63)

What Went Down...
Tiny goblins claw and scratch, bubbling up from the depths of Alcatraz like a living flood that threatens to overwhelm Venom & Morbius! Above them streaks the flame of Demogoblin, riding his glider with gleeful greetings!

The hulking Venom tosses a few goblins aside, escaping to the ceiling on a strand of webbing! His escape leaves Morbius struggling with the hordes, but Venom rejects his offer for noble sacrifice. Instead, Venom covers the living vampire with a protective coating of web that catches a few goblins, as well.

Demogoblin swoops in to blast Venom with untold occult energies!

Venom is blown back by the blast, but the black symbiote spits out a tendril that fixes to Demogoblin's chest like tar. It yanks him completely off his glider!

Alas; dismounting this goblin doesn't separate him from his deadly arsenal. The Demogoblin is grounded, but immediately back on the attack when he conjures a pumpkin bomb and hurls it! Venom only narrowly avoids its blast!

The explosion blows a hole in the exterior wall that floods Alcatraz with sunlight!

The evening glow is enough to drive the goblin hordes back towards the darkness of the lower depths. It also sears the pallid complexion of Morbius!

Distracted by his ally's peril, Venom doesn't notice a line of goblins forming for a parting attack -- a united sonic cry that drives the alien symbiote to agony!

Though effective against their target, the intense sound waves also do further damage to the prison wall -- bathing the goblins in yet more evening light!

With his army burning, Demogoblin is shocked to find Venom recovered from the sonic assault so quickly. Venom takes great pleasure in demonstrating his strength with an uppercut that sends the demon hurtling out of the building!

Venom checks on Morbius, who was badly weakened by the intense exposure to sunlight. As the San Francisco sun sets, he assures Venom that he will soon heal from his wounds. More than can be said for the scorched goblins, whose master blazes away from the prison atop his flaming goblin glider!

The Hammer...
Demogoblin flees to fight another day, but he and his goblin horde were clearly defeated by Venom! Chalk Morbius up for an assist. He helped keep the terror at bay, but remained in a support role.

The outcome of the battle loosely alludes to the unusual pairing of Venom and Morbius. By this point, Eddie Brock had relocated to sunny San Francisco. Sure, they have nights in California, but Venom is a character of visual excess. He rarely remains in the shadows that nocturnal, vampire-types typically prefer. So why bring them together?

Venom: The Enemy Within plays in the loosest of ways as a three-issue follow-up to Maximum Carnage. It doesn't address any of the concerns of the 1992-93 crossover in the slightest, but does capitalize on its visual iconography, and appeal of its oddball assembly of heroes who disbanded less than a year prior.

Venom had extra beef with Demogoblin via another '92 crossover: the four-issue Spirits of Venom. Morbius developed his issues during Maximum Carnage itself, with a particularly memorable battle in the Statue of Liberty, where he sought to rescue a tortured Venom. All of this addresses the surface connections that might enhance The Enemy Within, but it doesn't pay them much mind.

The real appeal of bringing Venom, Morbius, and Demogoblin together should lie in their thematic similarities. Each has explored common themes of duality and moral ambiguity, representing them from slightly different perspectives.

Venom is the self-styled lethal protector, enforcing a skewed view of justice with action-movie violence and flippancy. He is the man embracing his "dark passenger", accepting the symbiote's negative influence in service of what sometimes appears to be good.

Morbius too does good, but is an unintended instrument of death, compelled to drink blood to survive. His evil is of his own making - a responsibility he cannot ultimately expel as a living entity the way Jason Macendale expelled Demogoblin. Morbius did briefly deal in demonic possession around this time, but nothing as interesting as Demogoblin himself. He is the dark passenger personified, roaming untethered in pursuit of what he believes is a righteous crusade.

Somewhere among these thematic variations lies a very interesting thesis, but The Enemy Within is a Venom mini-series from the mid-nineties, with no such concern or aspiration. Action movie one-liners and disjointed, oversized panels tell a story of thinly motivated mayhem.

As you can probably guess, I was never one to follow Venom solo comics too closely. It wasn't for lack of interest in the character. The basics of design and concept were as exciting to me most wide-eyed fanboys who're still drawn into the character's web. The books were usually just a little too pricy, hard to find, and ultimately unsatisfying to read.

I always thought it was surprising Marvel didn't lock down an on-going series given Venom's popularity, but if you've read The Enemy Within #3, you know there's minimal distinction. There's a second showdown ending with Demogoblin's defeat and departure later in the issue. Then Venom: The Mace is teased in an open-ended coda.

The wrap really reads like any other monthly issue of a regular series. The only obvious difference: inconsistent creative teams, mixed prospects for follow-up stories, and a whole lot of new #1s for the speculator market to jump on. If you've ever looked into back issues, you know quality comics still don't dictate sale price. I like these characters, but I still don't have the set. I have my limits.

Want to get a bunch Venom #1s without chasing them all? The Enemy Within is collected with several accompanying mini-series and on sale now! Using the Amazon link provided will not only get you a decent deal - but also help support Secret Wars on Infinite Earths at no extra cost! That's symbiosis!

Hollywood will finally attempt their own Venom spin-off this October when Tom Hardy takes the role in a more faithful direction than past incarnations. It's the first in an ambitious slate of Sony spin-offs that will attempt to tell stories with Spider-man's friends -- but not Spider-man!

No doubt we'll be talking more about Venom and Morbius in the future. Find more battles with both by diving into the Secret Index where every featured fight is catalogued by publisher, series, and issue! You can also follow and subscribe on Twitter and Facebook to get daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day. A like and share is a great way to show your support!

Winner: Venom (w/ Morbius)
#17 (+2) Venom (Symbiote)
#68 (+50) Venom (Eddie Brock)
#63 (--) Morbius [+1 assist]
#869 (-191) Demogoblin

HERO OF THE WEEK: MORBIUS (Marvel)
Real Name: Michael Morbius
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-man #101 (Oct, 1971)
Fight Club Ranking: #57

Featured Fights:
- vs THE WEREWOLF: Marvel Premiere #28 (Feb 1976)
- vs DOCTOR STRANGE: Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #10 (Nov 1989)
- vs SPIDER-MAN: Ultimate Spider-man #95 (Jul 2006)
- vs NIGHT SHIFT: Marvel Zombies 4 #2 (Jul 2009)

Sony seems intent on constructing a tangled web of Spider-man movie properties -- and it has the potential to be glorious! The Hollywood Reporter has added Morbius The Living Vampire to the growing slate of spin-offs, which already includes Tom Hardy as Venom, and a rumored Black Cat and Silver Sable team-up called Black & Silver.

Morbius is one of those curious characters who's kicked around Hollywood since the nineties. The final word always seemed to be that he could sustain his own film. If Sony follows through on plans, it could be another exciting signal of diversifying their options to break away from the monotony of most Marvel and DC offerings.

Considerations were passed over for all three Blade movies, but an unused teaser was filmed to close the first, showing a shadow cast Morbius watching Blade emerge at dawn from his battle with La Magra.

The Norrington directed city, and pseudo-science of vampirism, lent itself well to introducing Michael Morbius: A doctor whose blood condition leads him to accidentally turn himself into a "living" vampire.

N'Bushe Wright's haematologist character always seemed like a natural bridge to the world inhabited by Morbius, particularly in the comics of the nineties. Their blend of gothic superhero meets The Fugitive meets General Hospital was a pretty good modern direction for the character.

You can't talk about Morbius in the nineties without mentioning Maximum Carnage: a Spider-man crossover story that seems to be presenting itself with every new announcement!

Morbius was one of several characters presented in the weird and wonderful Carnage story, paired with Nightwatch, as part of an ensemble that included: Captain America, Iron Fist, Cloak & Dagger, and Deathlok. Black Cat and Venom also had major parts.

I'm sure it's unlikely that anything as strange as the cast of Maximum Carnage could ever make it to the big screen, but if Sony continue to assemble their characters in individual films, it seems some version of that story is an inevitable Avengers-esque destination point!

Here's hoping whatever form Morbius takes on the big screen - it's worth the hype! You can be damn sure it's worth being our Hero of the Week!

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DOCTOR STRANGE versus MORBIUS

The Vampire Strikes Back! (Marvel)
Where: Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #10 When: November 1989 Why: Roy Thomas & Dann Thomas How: Jackson Guice

The Story So Far...
To the world at large Dr. Stephen Strange was for a time dead, but in truth, he remained all along Earth's final defense against threats of magic: The Sorcerer Supreme!

Of the many evils Dr. Strange has thwarted, the feat of erasing vampires from the Earth is one of his greatest triumphs! Imagine, then, the surprise when a desperate call from his younger brother Vic summons him to the scene of a vampire attack!

Indeed, the ghastly figure that stalks Victor Strange is a specimen most rare. Not a creature of the night - but a mistake of science! A living vampire! He is Dr. Michael Morbius: afflicted with a bloodlust similar to that of the undead - and strengths every bit as great! Dr. Strange has chosen a truly worthy foe, unaware that the true vampire menace is not the attacker - but the victim!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Morbius 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Draw 5 (Professor)
Speed: Morbius 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Dr. Strange 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Draw 3 (Average)
Fighting: Morbius 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Dr. Strange 6 (Mass Destruction)


A couple of weeks ago we ventured into the alternate reality of What If...? #24, to see mutant vampires rule over New York City! In that universe, Dr. Strange patrolled the night skies - a lone sentinel of sorcery against the undead horde!

One good vampiric turn deserves another, and since there wasn't any time during Halloween, we're going back to horror to see what happens when The Sorcerer Supreme meets one of my favourite cult heroes: The Living Vampire!

Dr. Michael Morbius is an accomplished biochemist whose affliction with a rare blood disease led him to attempt self-experimentation. The strange science he developed cured his ailment, but transformed him into a chalk-skinned, fanged, sun sensitive "living vampire" with a lust to consume the blood of other men!

His struggles with bloodlust led Morbius into a famous feud with Spider-man, and early conflicts with Human Torch, X-Men, and Blade! In time, he would vow to drink only the blood of the wicked, forging alliances with his former enemies, and the likes of The Werewolf, Man-Thing, Son of Satan, Ghost Rider, and even Dr. Strange himself! He has belonged to the ranks of The Legion of Monsters, Midnight Sons, and ARMOR, always fighting to keep his inner darkness at bay.

In the past we've seen Morbius go toe-to-toe with The Werewolf, Jack Russell [Marvel Premiere #28], and lead The Midnight Sons against The Hood's agents of Night Shift [Marvel Zombies 4 #2]. These conflicts demonstrate both his physical strength, intelligence, and familiarity with the world of mysticism! Impressive, but can a living vampire really contend with The Sorcerer Supreme?

A vampire Juggernaut reminded us just how human Dr. Strange really is! Under the right circumstances, any physical threat can cause him considerable harm! Just look at Wolverine running a possessed Strange through with his claws in New Avengers #2! Strange's domain is the mystic, and although Morbius has been possessed by demons - he's a living vampire of no inherent magic quality!

Strange has spells of protection and bondage that can defend him from, or contain physical threats. They depend on his inclination to use them, though. If Morbius can catch Dr. Strange unawares, and use his enhanced speed and strength to press the advantage - this could be over quickly!

Given the apparent unfamiliarity between the two, and the fact Dr. Strange is under the impression there are no vampires left since he spoke the Montesi Formula -- an element of surprise is there! It's Dr. Strange's fight to win or lose!

Only a few rungs separate the two in The Comic Book Fight Club rankings. Morbius trails at #47, with only four recorded results to Dr. Strange's eight featurde fights. All of this data spells an intriguing match-up! Let's check it out!

The Tape: Dr. Strange Ranking: Dr. Strange (#42)

What Went Down...
The cloak of levitation allows Dr. Stephen Strange to fly through the air - just in time to catch his brother Victor, who falls from a top storey fire escape! Strange places his mortal kin unconscious on the ground and turns his attentions to eerie, pursuing figure who glides to the Earth behind them!

Though he doesn't recognize the man called Morbius, the Sorcerer sees the fangs, unnaturally pale skin, and weird glide that signal something other than human! He invokes Great Oshtur and Satannish the Supreme, but before the sorcerer can complete any incantation -- Morbius is upon him!

The strength of the hand at Dr. Strange's throat choke him into silence. Morbius commands, "No spells!" as his second hand meets his first and throws the mystic against a brick wall!

He rips at the Doctor's cape with talon-like finger nails, separating the magician from the source of his amazing aerial prowess. Escape is no longer an option!

Calling upon martial arts training taught to him by his old friend Wong, Strange throws a chop at Morbius' neck! It stuns him for a moment, but the living vampire's superior strength allows him to clutch Strange shoulder to groin and powerslam him against the wall!

Strange endures the pain and throws his elbow backwards - stunning Morbius once again. He follows it up with a devastating left cross that snaps Morbius' neck one way - and then brings his foot colliding into it with a roundhouse kick!

Doc Strange is on a roll, he would've thought to himself, had Morbius not broken his rhythm with a two-handed shove!

The Sorcerer Supreme tries to resort to magic, but his words still croak in his crushed throat. He cannot defend himself as Morbius thrusts a black boot into The Doctor's face and sends him back to his knees!

Outmuscled and fading fast, Dr. Strange searches for a way to turn the fight and save himself. Though separated from his cloak of levitation - he can still command its movements!

Like the proverbial bat, the cape rises into the air and launches at an unsuspecting Morbius! It wraps him up from behind like a red and gold trimmed straight jacket! Dr. Strange knows taloned fingernails could tear free at any moment. He mutters a finally irony, "You said it -- f-friend -- No spells!"

One all mighty blow sends Morbius sprawling to the ground! Strange re-fixes his cloak of levitation around victorious shoulders as Morbius speaks -- cleared of the bloodlust that overwhelmed him.

The Hammer...
Did you expect to see the Sorcerer Supreme resort to mere street fighting? In uncharacteristic fashion Dr. Strange is victorious!

I chose this atypical showdown mostly because of my undying appreciation for The Living Vampire - Morbius. As noted in The Tape, we didn't find time to feature his exploits in October, so it seemed like a nice time to double back for some cult fandom.

Truth be told, that early fascination with Morbius led me to covet this issue as a young reader. I don't remember the dawning days of 1990 with enough clarity to be sure if I ever actually saw the issue in person. A dramatic printing of the cover in an issue of Marvel Age -- Marvel's comic book sized fan magazine and advertising spread -- was enough to get me on the hook!

As it turned out, this issue was the doorway to an on-going association between Dr. Strange and Morbius. An interesting time in Dr. Strange's over fifty year history, where things feel curiously fresh. Who knew The Sorcerer Supreme's kid brother would turn out to be a vampire? Morbius, apparently!

There'd be a little break for a few fun Acts of Vengeance tie-ins, but eventually Morbius would find his way back to The Sanctum Sanctorum, and into the middle of a plot bringing vampires back to the Marvel Universe in a big way.

Vampires had, of course, been taken completely off the board by Strange's reading of The Montesi Formula. One of those sweeping changes made when an idea seems impractical and played out, but is inevitably missed.As much as I'm never entirely sure if I like the idea of Count Dracula and vampire hordes in the Marvel Universe, I think it's probably a mistake to erase them completely. The shadows are deep and dark enough to let them dwell in the fringes. The conceit of a dark, occult reality existing just below and beside our every day lives is something I absolutely can go with.

The relaunch of the series in '88 seemed to be a conceited effort to make everything new again, whilst getting back to basics. One of my favourite additions of the time is Rintrah as Strange's apprentice in residence -- a demonic looking interdimensional entity with a heart of gold.

This issue is a fine example of the juggling of occult gatherings, super-heroics, and soap opera of Stephen Strange's private life. A balance that allows for the highfalutin esoterica that defines Dr. Strange, with a sense of humanity that grounds it all. I don't mind leaning in to the grandiose magicka, but I can definitely see how this approach makes it all more inviting. A lot of fun, too!

We're having fun throughout November as the world embraces magic through the Doctor Strange feature film - now in theatres! Last week we watched as Strange battled the baffling black magic of Baron Mordo. Up next: A cross-dimensional struggle of brain and brawn! You won't want to miss it!

For more of the exploits of The Sorcerer Supreme and his allies you should venture into the book of the Issue Index Archive! Therein you will find a guide to all the documented struggles of good, evil and beyond!

To have your own experience in the world of magic, use the Amazon link provided to purchase the collected edition with this issue and many more inside! By doing so, you help support The Comic Book Fight Club at no extra charge! Blessings of the Vishanti!

Winner: Doctor Strange
#32 (+10) Dr. Strange
#57 (-10) Morbius

NIGHT SHIFT versus MIDNIGHT SONS
Midnight Sons Part 2: Night Shift (Marvel)
Where: Marvel Zombies 4 #2 When: July 2009
Why: Fred Van Lente How: Kev Walker

The Story So Far...
When zombie infected heroes from parallel Earth-2149 find their way through the Nexus of Realities hidden in the Florida Everglades, an unprepared group of C-list heroes assigned by the Fifty States Initiative find themselves under attack! Wundarr, the Conquistador, Siege, and Jennifer Kale, (known collectively as The Command), are easily devoured by the nightmarish zombies. Only Kale survives, but before his self-destruction, Siege was able to inform secretive alternate-universe unit, ARMOR.

Having played a pivotal role in containing the threat and defeating the zombie invaders; Dr. Michael Morbius emerges as a new leading operative with ARMOR. He recruits the traumatized Jennifer Kale, along with familiar occult allies, Son of Satan and Werewolf by Night, into a new taskforce assigned the job of seeking and containing infection spread by an escaped zombie head (Deadpool).

Unbeknownst to Morbius and his team, the Deadpool head was retrieved by a very different type of zombie (Simon Garth) - occult in nature - who carries the plague infected head into the hands of Black Talon. When Talon attempts to sell the head as a bioweapon to The Hood, he is advised by Dormammu to accept, leading the Kingpin of Super-villains to lead Night Shift to the island of Taino, where they will intercepted the Midnight Sons and the zombie plague.

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Werewolf by Night 4 (Enhanced)
Intelligence: Morbius 5 (Professor)
Speed: Werewolf by Night 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Son of Satan 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Dansen Macabre 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: The Hood 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Son of Satan 6 (UWMD)


- Night Shift are: The Hood overseeing; Dansen Macabre, Tatterdemalion, The Needle, Digger.

Originally founded by the Shroud, Night Shift was a collective of dark entities manipulated into aiding him in his pursuit of justice, with an interest in personal gain. Eventually, Shroud was overthrown as leader of the group by Dansen Macabre, who continued the group's operations in a more villainous direction.

Some time later Night Shift joined The Hood's unionized collective of super-villains. They were later hand-selected for their unique talents in the field of dark magic to accompany The Hood on an acquisition of the zombie plague that ravaged Earth-2149, from Black Talon.

- The Midnight Sons are: Morbius, Son of Satan, Jennifer Kale, and Werewolf.

It was the return of the Mother of Demons, Lilith, that first prompted the creation of a destined occult group to combat those darker than themselves. Daniel Ketch and Johnny Blaze, once known as the spirits of vengeance, were joined in their mission against evil by a host of likeminded oddities, including; Blade, Morbius, Frank Drake, Hannibal King, members of the Darkhold Redeemers, and later, allies such as Vengeance, Dr. Strange, and Werewolf by Night. The group succeeded in repelling many threats to the light before their tenuous allegiance faded, including Lilith and the exceptional demon, Zarathos.

After becoming involved with the incursion of zombies from a parallel Earth when he was kidnapped by his zombie counterpart; Morbius was installed as a scientific operative with top-secret SHIELD subsidiary, ARMOR: Altered-Reality Monitoring and Operational Response. Under ARMOR, he hand-picked Jennifer Kale, Son of Satan, and Werewolf by Night, to form a new taskforce called Midnight Sons.

Math: Draw (Avg) Midnight Sons (Ttl) Ranking: Morbius (#65)

What Went Down...
Receiving instruction from the powerful demon lord, Dormammu; Parker Robbins, better known as The Hood, rallies Night Shift to launch a surprise attack on the heroes intent upon securing and destroying the zombie head of Deadpool.

Occult protection spells surrounding the area of Black Talon's cocain plantation inform the quartet from ARMOR of their impending predicament. Despite Jennifer Kale's aptitude for recognising magics, Morbius is still caught unawares by a shovel to the face wielded by the ghoulish serial killer, Digger, of Night Shift.

The ambush finds Tatterdemalion leaping through the air to attack the Werewolf with his enhanced acidic touch. The Hood emerges from a cloud of smoke to accept responsibility for the sophisticated magic needed to evade the enhanced senses of both Werewolf by Night, and Morbius. He blasts Daimon Hellstrom with a bolt of mystic energy, freezing him on the spot to allow Needle the opportunity to strike with his oversized impalement device fashioned in the guise of namesake. As the blade pierces Hellstrom's flesh, flames bursts forth from the Son of Satan's chest!

Jennifer Kale confronts the gracefully twisting naked form of Dansen Macabre, whose hands spiral and twirl leaving black energy in their wake. Possessing powers of Kali, the dancing Dansen snuffs out Kale's attempts at a mystical counterattak, launching into a spectacular kick that proves the effectiveness of conventional assault.

Regaining consciousness in the pit of a grave, Morbius bleeds profusely from his beaten face with the silhouette of Digger hovering gleefully above. The living vampire wipes the stain from his face with a momentary realisation that preceeds the animalistic instincts that characterize him akin to the undead creatures of the night. He responds to Digger's quipping queries with a rapid rise from the grave!

Gripped by bloodlust, Morbius snaps Digger's shovel with ease and plunges the spade into the top of his head. Still the morbid Digger shares his humorisms.

Upon reciting a dark incantation, hellfire spews from the mouth and eyes of the Son of Satan, bathing the protruding Needle in his torso in flame. With a roar he reduces the weapon to slag, before channeling his hellfire through his trident in the general direction of the ranting madman, Tatterdemalion.

The overdressed vagrant burns just as his fellow, Needle, succumbs to the spell casting of Jennifer Kale. The turning tides of triumph extend to the Werewolf, who continues the battle against Digger, wielding his lycanthropic talons like sharepened blades that slash effortlessly through Digger's grim body.

The Hood expresses verbal disappointment in his team's failing performance, just as a toppled Dansen Macabre falls victim to Morbius' untamed thirst!

Jennifer Kale compells Morbius to find a clearer head, calling him away from the neck of Dansen Macabre to observe the oncoming march of plague infected undead. In a better state of mind, Morbius fires upon the marching horde, dispensing a liquid-based vaccine designed to cure those infected. Instead, the formula results in a very different outcome, prompting a bizarre green cloud to burst forth from the bodies of the infected -- creating an airborne plague!

Night Shift remain oblivious to the onset of the green cloud that quickly engulfs them and begins shredding through their bodies. The Hood and Midnight Sons can only watch with the horrific realisation that the plague that destroyed an entire universe of heroes has been unleashed upon their world, in a mutated state.

Morbius orders a strategic retreat, but for Jennifer Kale who confronted the first wave of invading zombies, the sight is too much to bare. Her silent prayers do not go unheard, however, prompting Dormammu to appear before her...

The Hammer...
Despite a somewhat ambiguous predicament to bring their battle to a close, I think it's safe to declare the entire quarter of the Midnight Sons sharers in victory! [Pictured; Jennifer Kale]

It's been four years since Mark Millar first introduced the Marvel Zombies way back in 2005's Crossover. In the past, I think we've been fairly positive about that first high concept appearance. It really was one of those head slapping moments where you really had to wonder how Marvel comics hadn't done something on that scale beforehand. I mean, sure, you've got comparable examples, like the famous What if...? [#24] that unleashed vampirism upon a version of the Marvel universe, but those examples were typically fleeting.

If somehow you missed it, you might like to know that the expansion of the Marvel Zombies phenomenon began with Robert Kirkman [and Sean Phillips]'s aptly titled 2006 mini-series, Marvel Zombies. There can be no doubt that at the time the spin-off felt like a very fun and unique oddity, but as Marvel saw a cash cow to be milked without mercy, the slew of sequels, spin-offs, and tenuously related variant covers really exposed the holes of contempt in an otherwise nice deviation from usual superheroics. Of particular disappointment, the apparent lack of conceptual development at the foundation level of the concept that forced subsequent entries to seek inventiveness apparently beyond them. Or so it seemed...

Spooks & Horrors Playlist
[Site Ranking & Year One]
#1 Hulk (1962)
#2 Venom (1984)
#3 Noob Saibot (1992)
#4 Morbius (1971)
#5 The Demon (1972)
#6 Ghost Rider (1972)
#7 Spectre (1940)
#8 Blade (1973)
#9 Blazing Skull (1941)
#10 Dr. Strange (1963)
#11 Dr. Occult (1935)
#12 Mephisto (1968)
#13 Deadman (1967)
#14 Doppelganger (1992)
#15 Monolith (2004)
#16 Hellboy (1993)
#17 Quan Chi (1996)
#18 Mr. Hyde (1963)
#19 Scarlet Witch (1964)
#20 Solomon Grundy (1944)
#21 Scorpion (1992)
#22 Lilith Dracula (1974)
#23 The Werewolf (1972)
#24 Pluto (1966)
#25 Dracula (1972)The announcement of Marvel Zombies 3 -- actually more like the fifth mini to branch out from the original Ultimate Fantastic Four storyarc -- was met on the Infinite Wars with lukewarm interest [October 08, 2008]. Introducing previously unseen characters into a suggestively defined timeline was an intriguing prospect, but as much fun as it was to think about Jocasta and Machine Man battling their way into the zombie Earth was, it felt like one step too far for a seemingly endless parade of cutesy meme style archetype based stories (zombies, robots, apes...).

As you can clearly see, that initial assessment was very unfair. 2009 on the Infinite Wars has seen a deviation into contemporary releases; reviews of the weeks comics. Despite the implication, that shift of perspective hasn't been taken for granted, making the selection process from week-to-week a carefully considered one.

Today we're discussing Marvel Zombies 4 for a very good reason -- it demands attention!

Writer Fred Van Lente has been quietly improving his stock over the past couple of years. Rising from the critical independent success of Action Philosophers, he's since carved out a niche as one of the favourite driving forces behind Marvel's all-ages Adventures line. There, he's arguably instated a writing ethic more akin to classic Marvel Comics than anything produced by the current core line-up. His attention (and retention) for characters is well observed in Marvel Zombies as he makes use of some of the great under utilized characters in ways akin to his Adventures stories.

Bill Rosemann (Editor), Ralph Macchio (Senior Editor), and Joe Quesada (Editor In Chief) deserve full credit for whatever minor influences they might have had in the process of greenlighting these projects. It is, however, Van Lente who seems to be most deserving for utilizing these much loved, but often overlooked, horror characters from the seventies. Combining them with other curiosities, like the long since forgotten motley crew from the late eighties, Night Shift, not only reemphasises the diversity of the Marvel pantheon, but builds on the atmosphere established by previous Zombies series, greatly enhancing it.

Things don't look too good for the Night Shift come story end, but I really hope Van Lente hasn't killed them off. I don't think anyone would really begrudge him for taking that license, but it would perhaps diminish the praise I really feel compelled to heap upon him. As a writer, he's achieved something none of his predecessors ever did. By combining iconography that's inspirational to longtime readers, with a very well directed and written story, Van Lente has well and truly made the Marvel Zombies brand his own, finally elevating it to a level all the previous spin-offs should have reached.

As a story, Marvel Zombies 4 becomes far more significant than the sum of it's parts. While the checklist of guest characters is something to behold, it's the progress of the story, and their contribution to it, that secures the success of the four-issue mini only half way through the plot.

Fans eagerly following the exploits of The Hood and Dark Reign will find detached touchstones that connect an otherwise isolated story to the core Marvel Universe. In fact, those interested in the developments of the Hood's relationship with sponsor demon, Dormammu, might actually want to seek this story out in particular. It's unlikely the tangent series will provide any key significant developments in the on-going internal struggle of The Hood, but like good corporate comics should, it produces volume and greater context for the tale.
Of course, on the subject of so-called "continuity," we already know "Z-Pool" - the decapitated head of Zombie Deadpool - will be a lasting consequence of the story as he spins off into a secondary Deadpool title, Merc' with a Mouth.

Those keen to rationalize independently written series in the Marvel Universe might note an unlikely overlap via Son of Satan, who also appears opposite The Hood in recent issues of New Avengers. While the Avengers book, detailing the search for a new Sorcerer Supreme, specifically references Daimon Hellstrom's ignorance to the identity of Parker Robbins, MZ4 has nothing of the such.
If you're really concerned, it seems plausible, despite indirect references to similar ignorance, that MZ4 takes place after those issues. Future issues could still make a reference. I'm not sure that really matters, however, as these things are bound to happen without strict editorial intervention.

Granted; the connectivity of in-universe stories should not be underestimated in any well rounded critique, but of course, this element is additional to the quality of a story. Without a doubt, anyone reading Marvel Zombies 4 will probably want to check out the previous instalment. I'm generally reluctant to claim any issue of a superhero comic fundamentally requires previous reading, but Van Lente makes good use of in-character video recordings (last will and testament) to frame the context of each issue. It elaborates on previous events, while also informing any uninformed reader with allusions to the integrity of each character.
MZ4's Jennifer Kale will pays off big time in the final pages of the issue -- food for thought for those trade waiters among you.

All in all, Marvel Zombies 4 is just a very solid read.
It does a great service to the legacy of the seventies Marvel horror characters, returning them to the spotlight in a way that feels unique, but wholely appropriate. I hope the company can benefit from this example without losing sight of what made the feature work.

Kev Walker and colorist, Jean-Francois Beaulieu, continue the tradition of a grim tone to the art of the series. While not identical to previous series, the reference points of tones, colours, and linework, feels unmistakable. If I really had to draw such conclusion, I might say that I actually like this approach a little better.
MZ4 takes a more conventional visual approach in the pencils, both in lines drawn, and the application of inked blacks. Colours are certainly more vibrant as well, quite delightful in scenes like Dansen Macabre's rainbow effect, and in the vivid reds used both to compliment highlights on Morbius, while also giving the pale of his skin a real pop. Being that this story is set in "our" Marvel Universe, it arguably stands to reason that the art might be directed in that sense.

I wouldn't be surprised if we return to the series at a later date, hopefully to elaborate a little bit clearer on what makes the series so good. (Other than Van Lente.)

The Fight: 5 The Issue: 5

Marvel Zombies 4 is currently available monthly. For more information about release dates, you'll find archival information in our weekly Shipping List entries. You can pre-order the MZ4 hardcover edition via Amazon, but if you don't want to wait, check out Marvel Zombies 3, currently available in collected format. You'll find plenty more offers like that in the Infinite Wars Amazonian Gift Shoppe and by using purchase links provided, you help sponsor future entries in the Infinite Wars, which, let's face it, could potentially save your life in the event of an actual zombie plague outbreak. Or, at the very least, give you something to read while you're held up in a fortified area waiting for help.

QUICKFIX: MORBIUS vs WEREWOLF BY NIGHT
There's a Mountain on Sunset Boulevard! (Marvel)
Where: Marvel Premiere #28 When: February 1976
Why: Bill Mantlo How: Frank Robbins

The Tape...
Strength: Werewolf 4 (Enhanced)
Intelligence: Morbius 5 (Professor)
Speed: Werewolf 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Werewolf 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Werewolf 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Werewolf 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Draw 1 (None)

Math: Werewolf by Night Ranking: Morbius (#60)

The Fix...
It's a little late, but it would've felt wrong to pass over an Infinite Wars Halloween October without taking a moment to look at one of Marvel's most interesting horror icons -- the living vampire: Morbius!

Cover dated, October 1971; Amazing Spider-man #101 had far greater significance than that of a mere a post-milestone issue. The debut of Morbius - a non-traditional "living" vampire borne of science - proved vital to relaxing the standards of comics' self-imposed regulator, the Comics Code Authority.

It was the suppositions made by Dr. Frederic Wertham in his 1954 book, Seduction of the Innocent, that led to the mass sanitization of a medium that once shared the criminal macabre and horror veins popularized in their pulp magazine precursors. The resulting regulation of comics saw the deconstruction of an artform, and the death of major publishing houses, like EC Comics.
The thematic effects of the Code remain widely recognised through mainstream references, such as the 1960's Batman television series, and Silver Age comics that ran alongside it. The once grim adventures of the Dark Knight became adventures in parody and the colourfully absurd as horror and psychological drama buckled beneath approved subjects. [More; C2C: Halloween Monsters]

As editorial shifts moved with the times, a 'bronze' age of comics was ushered in. The introduction of characters that straddled the lines of acceptibility; like Morbius and Man-Thing; pushed the Code to be revised for a modern era, relaxing in particular it's harsh denouncement of horror themes.

The horror revolution continued thereafter, followed by the debut and revival of characters like: Werewolf by Night (1972), Frank Drake (1972), The Demon (1972), Ghost Rider (1972), Blade (1973), Son of Satan (1973), and even Bram Stoker's 1890s literary titular figure, Count Dracula (1972)!

Unfortunately, despite his significance, Morbius' popularity has dwindled since it's height in the seventies. As an oddity in the Spider-man gallery of rogues, the tragic story of the living vampire continued in titles reserved for Marvel's legion of monster superheroes. It was here much of the character's unique mythology was defined, and later picked up once more, as Morbius became one of the key components in Marvel's mid-nineties Midnight Sons revival of the horror sub-genre. Some of you will know the character from Maximum Carnage, a Spidey event occurring at much the same time.

Morbius is back in Marvel Zombies 3, where his recruitment into the Initiative has brought him to the frontlines of the zombie invasion of the core Marvel universe. His expertise as a biologist remains one of the most interesting legacys of his debut as a loophole to the frowned upon conventions of horror. An aspect that also could've played very interestingly had the character successfully found it's way to the big screen as was once intended for each edition of the Blade film franchise.

The seventies is where we pick up with Morbius in an issue that actually brings together four of Marvel's key horror icons: Ghost Rider, Werewolf by Night, and Man-Thing - collectively dubbed, the Legion of Monsters!

Before the gang gather on Sunset Boulevard, Morbius finds himself surfing the night sky in search of fresh prey. Spying a silhouetted figure on the rooftops below, Morbius swoops to knock the figure down, completely unaware that his target is a creature he'd tussled with once before -- the Werewolf!

As Morbius clutches as Jack Russel's ruffled fur, he becomes all too aware of his choice, suffering the ravenous rake of taloned werewolf claws!

The sudden rumble of an Earthquake topples both creatures, but when Dr. Michael Morbius spies a rising mountain in the urban sprawl of Los Angeles, the curiosity of the scientist deep within momentarily overcomes his vampiric urges.
Alas, the animalistic Werewolf's rages are not so easily tempered. Gliding eerily, Morbius is able to evade his continued attacks, but when he spies an overturned motorcycle, the plot thickens further!

Man-Thing and Ghost Rider join the ghoulish pair at the foot of the mountain, where the quartet are approached by a gleaming golden horseman called The Starseed! The alien man proves sufficient to end the quarrel held by the Werewolf and living vampire, but the hostilities are sure to end only briefly.

Curiously enough, despite holding a keen fascination for Morbius as a character, I've never been the biggest horror fan. To that end, I don't really like much of anything to do with the seventies, but I suppose comics do manage to provide the exception to that rule. So many great concepts and issues came from the decade that burst free of the absurdist oppression of the Comics Code.

The Code, of course, is rarely used in today's market.
Marvel famously ceased submission in 2001, to instead establish their own rating system. DC followed suit loosely, continuing only to selectively submit issues aimed at younger audiences. DC's leanings toward the Code echo a past that once saw the company critical of Marvel's decision to print unapproved issues of Amazing Spider-man that dealt with the negative effects of drugs. Interestingly enough, these issues preceeded Morbius' debut, numbering in the late #90's.

At some point we might return to Marvel Premiere #28 to look further at the combative struggles of the Legion of Monsters, and how their interactions with The Starseed provide a dark mirror of their own condition. In the mean time, we watch on with interest to see how Marvel make use of their living vampire!

Winner: Draw
The Fight: 3.5 The Issue: 4

Want to know how it all ends? Need more Marvel horror for your Halloween? Morbius and the Werewolf's encounter is collected in Essential Werewolf By Night vol. 2! You can get that, as well as many other issues, via the Amazonian Gift Shoppe here on the Infinite Wars! By using purchase links provided, you help sponsor future entries, which is might spooktacular of you!