WRECKING CREW versus DEADPOOL, SPIDER-MAN & PUNISHER

(Marvel)
Where: Deadpool: Suicide Kings #5 When: October 2009 Why: Mike Benson & Adam Glass How: Carlo Barberi

The Story So Far...
A standard job for the Merc' with a Mouth becomes a battle for life & death as a hit on Tombstone turns in to a double-or-nothing bet that Deadpool won't survive the next twenty-four hours!

It's the high-stakes gamble of client Conrad O'Shea: who's counting on his mercenary to escape a frame-up for blowing up his apartment building, and the heroes who responded to take him down.

Fortunately for Deadpool; Daredevil helps convince The Punisher and Spider-Man of his innocence -- providing the patsy some much-needed assistance when Tombstone sics his newest bodyguards on him -- The Wrecking Crew!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: The Wrecker 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Thunderball 5 (Professor)
Speed: Spider-Man 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: The Wrecker 6 (Generator)
Agility: Spider-Man 5 (Cat-Like)
Fighting: Punisher 4 (Trained)
Energy: Punisher 4 (Arsenal)
Total: Spider-Man 29 (Metahuman)

My X (nee Twitter) feed recently threw an interesting critique my way that piqued my interest -- so it's about time we expanded the file on The Wrecking Crew!

The Wrecking Crew are: The Wrecker, Piledriver, Thunderball, and Bulldozer.

They aren't just a pack of my favourite goons and yours -- they're a super heavyweight team possessing powerful weapons that were enchanted with Asgardian magic!

This enchantment was first bestowed upon petty burglar Dirk Garthwaite, when Karnilla the Norn Queen mistook him for Loki, during a home invasion and robbery of the Norse god's New York abode. The crook soon decided to share the wealth, recruiting three of his pals into a deadly team of powerhouse thugs!

At first, sharing his power drastically reduced The Wrecker's super-human strength and stamina, but over the years, all of The Crew have found ways to become powered-up opponents for the mighty Thor, as well as other major heroes of the Marvel Universe.

This was the source of Jered McCorkle's assertion that recently losing to Daredevil & Elektra was a career low for The Wrecker -- and despite being a personal favourite, we've only briefly touched upon the misdeeds of The Wrecker and his Crew. Something we aim to correct today!

The Wrecking Crew were the first opponents for The Thunderbolts when the villains-in-disguise went public. Citizen V showed that agility and fighting prowess were sufficient to tangle with The Wrecker, but it took the strength of Atlas to truly deal any damage. A concentrated gas delivered straight to the gullet by Mach-V and Songbird was ultimately responsible for putting most of the team down.

It was a different story when The Wrecking Crew were challenged by a lone Sasquatch, however. The gamma-irradiated hero put up a pretty good fight without his Alpha Flight teammates, but was ultimately out-numbered, out-muscled, and brutally beaten.

So, what do these two cases tell us? That The Wrecking Crew are double-tough, but not untouchable. Citizen V made the best case for surviving a wild mismatch with guile and agility -- something Deadpool and Spider-Man both possess.

We know Spidey can fight above his weight class, having lived to tell the gale after going toe-to-toe with the Hulk. We've even seen him outwit the Juggernaut not once, but twice -- with a little help from Wonder Woman!

Wouldn't you know, but Deadpool has achieved fairly similar feats as well! He defeated Hulk under slightly special circumstances for the jolly green goliath, and likewise survived Juggernaut long enough to get an assist from Siryn for the win!

Mach-V shows us that The Wrecking Crew aren't necessarily impervious to the threat of high-powered inhalants, which is the kind of all-purpose tactical weapon you might find in The Punisher's arsenal. He isn't there at the start of the fight, but will show up soon enough - and you know he isn't afraid to fight dirty!

Punisher isn't afraid to use the weapons of the enemy in his one-man war on crime. He may or may not be able to find a magically charmed option to best The Wrecker, but we know he levelled Rhino with the Satan Claw, and took down a cadre of super-villains, including Mister Hyde, with a stolen Ant-Man helmet and alien guns!

We clearly need more data, and since reviewing & analyzing fights is kinda what we do around here, let's dive in and find out how the street-level heroes fare!

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

What Went Down...

Deadpool & Spider-Man find themselves facing an unexpected, Asgardian-powered roadblock in their chase of Tombstone -- also known as The Wrecking Crew!

The Wrecker figures any one of them could handle "these stinkin' pipsqueaks" alone, but that won't stop the Merc' with a Mouth and his web-swinging cohort making the quartet earn it. The Crew are happy to oblige.

Bulldozer gets the fight started by charging at a leaping Spider-Man, while Thunderball swings his deadly ball & chain into an impact right at Deadpool's feet! Only the sole of one red boot is visible, but it's safe to say Carlo Barberi knows what he's doing when it comes to drawing anatomy past the ankle.

Spidey's an old hand at vaulting over charging powerhouses, but his leap takes him right into the path of The Wrecker -- whose enchanted crowbar smacks him high into the air and out of the park! [It's actually a construction site.]

Deadpool admires the shot with katana drawn, grateful that it wasn't him who was launched into the sky. Alas, he has no spider-sense to warn him of Bulldozer coming back around to run right through him with a rear assault!

The helmeted headbutt to the spine adjusts the mercenary across the battlefield, but he manages to make a neat landing -- and narrowly avoids being clobbered by Thunderball's ball, awkwardly dragging himself clear of the impact!

The dodge becomes a full frontal assault as Deadpool twists his body to bring the end of his blade arcing towards Piledriver -- but the overhead strike is caught between his enchanted hands. The Wrecker does the honors from there.

An enchanted crowbar smashes Deadpool in the face -- and for a moment he's knocked so silly he drifts into another plane of existence. A simpler reality, where dinner's getting cold and it's a Wednesday -- time for reading new issues.

As Deadpool groans in a crumpled mess -- Spidey comes plummeting back down to Earth with an unceremonious "wwhhhaamp".

Wrecker hoists Deadpool's mangled body by the collar and dangles him for Bulldozer to run armored head to chest right through him again. "The Wrecking Crew's tangled with Norse gods. You sissies never had a rat's ass chance."

Things look grim as Bulldozer encourages Piledriver to finish him, but a couple of well-placed web balls send the bruiser's left hook off course into The Wrecker's face!

Back on his feet and ready to rumble - Spidey blasts The Wrecker's eyes with web and his ears with an innuendo that would make Aunt May blush.

The quipping heroes go back to back and prepare for the riled-up Wrecking Crew to bring the fight to them. They compare notes on the Lethal Weapon franchise and The Warriors references as they brace for battle when suddenly -- a third player enters the fray with a powerful energy beam and focused sonic blast!

Bulldozer and Piledriver tumble destructively through the construction site as The Punisher arrives on a Goblin Glider with the Unicorn Power Horn still smoldering at his forehead, and one of Klaw's sonic disruptor blasters on his right hand!

He swoops over the two heroes with pumpkin bombs at the ready, tossing a trio of the explosives at The Wrecker and Thunderball. They're quickly engulfed in thick green gas, but remain unimpressed by the "minor league wannabes".

Spider-Man clues them in that Hobgoblin's "jack-o'-lanterns pack enough knockout gas to put down a herd of elephants."

The Wrecker hangs his head and drops to his knees as Thunderball falls face first to the ground. Deadpool sees that Wrecker joins his teammate, turning the enchanted crowbar against him with a smack to the face!

The Hammer...

In this house we love The Wrecking Crew, so when a doubt about a recent battle between The Wrecker and Daredevil & Elektra [in Daredevil (Vol.8) #24] came across my feed -- I was already primed to want to explore the subject more.

Daredevil himself was actually a part of this little 'Deadpool Team-Up' in earlier issues of Deadpool: Suicide Kings, but he manages to skip out on this chapter, remaining elsewhere until the fighting's over. By that time, the battle has moved on to another of my personal favourite bad guys: the man who hired The Wrecking Crew and essentially started this whole mess -- Tombstone!

So, while we couldn't quite source an exact comparison to The Wrecker's most recent indignity; Deadpool, The Punisher, and Spider-Man provide an interesting case study for street-level heroes taking The Wrecking Crew down.

It's interesting to note that Suicide Kings ostensibly repeats the same strategy that took The Wrecker down in Thunderbolts #1 -- one of the few previous entries we've actually recorded for the villain and his teammates.

Off the top of my head, I can't think of any significant earlier examples of knockout gas taking The Wrecker and his crew down. I wonder if writers Mike Benson and/or Adam Glass were influenced by the earlier T-Bolts issue, or just reached a similar conclusion for dispatching them. Perhaps we'll discover a pattern of vulnerability as we explore their various misdeeds in future updates.

I have a few Wrecker battles that have been burning up my desk over the years, but in those examples we'll establish more of the heavyweight brawling he's best known for. Not a lot of tactical tranquilizer gas in those issues, as I recall.

Obviously to address the claim in the inspiring tweet - I'd have to look at that particular issue, but one of the functions of Secret Wars on Infinite Earths is to provide abundant reference for historical precedent, and tangential examples. These records can support or dispute a result - real or imagined. Something that the current trend of so-called "AI" isn't necessarily so good at...

When I asked Google if The Wrecker had succumbed to gas in any Marvel Comics, its "AI" result claimed he hadn't. We know that's not true. We now have two very clear examples of that. You might like to keep that in mind next time you're looking for answers to comic book questions, or genuine 100% man-made sources to support. There's a Patreon for that, and I'd really appreciate it.

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has supplied an archive of well over 700 in-depth results & reviews -- ranking more than 1,000 of your favourite characters in the process! You can find them all, and flex your mind muscle, by diving in to the Secret Index for a complete appendix in order of publisher, series, and issue.

I'd also encourage you to live life to the fullest, expanding your horizons and feeding your curiosity, with a rich diet of links to your favourite topics. You can find them throughout most entries on the site. It's a great way to see if I've come back to something interesting, or ventured into new & exciting tangents.

In the spirit of this latest entry -- I'd like to dig in to the other side of the equation. There are a lot of Daredevil and Elektra battles still waiting to be reviewed, but I have a particular example in mind that revisits Daredevil's penchant for tackling much bigger & stronger foes, from an era I've been taking an interest in. It'll be another good comparison for the fight with The Wrecker.

Of course, I presume part of the inciting social media grievance isn't just who defeated The Wrecker - but how.

It's fair to say not all comics are created equal, and I tend to be prone to sharing skepticism about the quality of editorial consistency in more recent issues. It doesn't seem like every writer and editor knows their stuff, or respects the process of building on the past with consistency and restraint, to create enduring iconic characters, and a cohesively developed shared universe.

2009 is a year I look back upon very fondly, but it's also one of the last years that I enjoyed consistent interest and enthusiasm for comics published by Marvel and DC. In my estimation, it's around then that the wheels start getting shaky, the stories are a little hit & miss, and the quality just isn't always there. [Something I'm willing to challenge through actual hands-on reviews, mind you...]

So where does Suicide Kings fit into that? Well, it does feel awfully convenient to dispatch bad guys who regularly throw down with Thor with a little gas, but it's delivered in the spirit of fun, and I don't feel that my intelligence, or the characters themselves, are being insulted by this. Their threat level is well represented, and barring any uncited contradiction, I don't really see any reason their enchantments should protect them from hostile inhalants beyond a general enhanced resistance -- something The Wrecker kinda demonstrated.

We could quibble minor details, like whether or not Spidey should be reduced to a purple stain by The Wrecker's crowbar, but let's just chalk it up to Spidey-senses, fast reaction times, and agile rolling with the "punches". Relax. Sometimes the needs of the story are what actually determines the outcome, and the mountain of overwhelming odds provided by powerhouse villains like The Wrecking Crew exists purely to be overcome. That's just fine and dandy. Get a hold of yourself.

Incidentally, Google's AI did suggest a 2010 episode of the Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes animated series, where The Wrecking Crew endures a gaseous dome of gamma irradiation without any issues. It's a series I'm familiar with and enjoyed very much, but wouldn't look to for precedent, because as we all know, adaptations are secondary sources, and prone to playing things fast and loose. Fans concerned with the degradation of The Wrecking Crew need only look at the barely recognisable group seen in Disney+'s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Just don't be deranged about it. Alright? Focus. Don't be strange.

Looking more broadly: I was a fast fan of Deadpool in the nineties and got a real kick out of his first on-going series with Joe Kelly and Ed McGuinness. Their combination of tights and comedy was a real blast, and set the ship off to a cult favourite start. The character got a little obnoxious throughout the 2000s, but I found Suicide Kings a pretty decent levelling out.

Deadpool: Suicide Kings #5 appeals to me very specifically with the four main heroes, and focus on The Wrecking Crew and Tombstone. Made that much more appealing by Carlo Barberi's clean pencils, and slick inks & colour from Sandu Florea and Marte Gracia, whom I'm assured aren't pseudonyms.

As someone who's enjoys it when Punisher is more than a psycho with sidearms -- I love the absurd visual and fitting tone of him cruising in on a stolen Goblin Glider, wearing Unicorn's suit & headgear, with a Klaw hand and lobbing Hobgoblin pumpkin bombs. A superb way to level the playing field and have a whole lot of freakin' fun.

The five issue mini isn't going to be a definitive representation for any of these characters, or one of the must-read tomes from Marvel, but if you're familiar with the characters, or curious to dip your toe in with no strings attached, it's a raucous ride through the borderland between organized crime and super-villainy. Worth your time -- and worth us coming back to in the future.

So what more do you need? I think I've covered all the bases and made this the most boring thing you've read all day! My work here is done!

Get daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day by subscribing to X (aka; Twitter)! 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 X & Discord! The lively Discord chat is one of the bonuses of becoming a Patreon subscriber, so give it some thought won't ya?! A guy's gotta eat! You want me to eat, right? Don't you?!

Winners: The Punisher & Deadpool (w/ Spider-Man)
#55 (+33) The Punisher
#21 (+2) Deadpool
#2 (--) Spider-Man [+1 assist]
#439 (-47) The Wrecker
#440 (-47) Piledriver
#443 (-29) Thunderball
#444 (-29) Bulldozer

PUNISHER versus KINGPIN

Face Off (Marvel)
Where: Punisher #18 When: April 1989
Why: Mike Baron How: Whilce Portacio & Scott Williams

The Story So Far...
Investigating gun & drug running gangs at Malcolm Shabazz High School draws The Punisher into a web of crime that leads from the schoolyard all the way to the very top of the illegal empire overseen by The Kingpin of Crime - Wilson Fisk!

The Punisher's intervention begins a game of cat & mouse as his allies come under fire from The Kingpin's hired muscle and assassins. When one of his closest allies is killed -- The Punisher vows to follow through on her final wish to bring Wilson Fisk to justice. So begins the plot to disrupt The Kingpin's operations and infiltrate his skyscraper fortress for a final showdown!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Kingpin 4 (Enhanced)
Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Punisher 2 (Average)
Stamina: Draw 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Punisher 2 (Average)
Fighting: Kingpin 5 (Martial Arts)
Energy: Punisher 4 (Arsenal)
Total: Draw 22 (Champion)

It's an interesting proposition. As The Punisher: Frank Castle is a one-man army against the sprawling criminal underbelly that took the lives of his wife and children. His methods are uncompromising and lethal, making use of a seemingly endless armory of munitions in his efforts to extinguish any & all crime.

Wilson Fisk lords over much of the criminal activity in New York as its Kingpin -- making him a natural target. His death won't end organized crime in New York City, but at least deals a hefty blow through a vast portfolio of illegal operations.

Of course, killing The Kingpin is no mean feat. Many men on both sides of justice have likely tried, but in addition to a vast network of henchmen and assassins, including Bullseye and Typhoid Mary, he is also himself a proficient hand-to-hand combatant, marshalling incredible skill and muscle, beneath a rotund facade that might lead some to mistakenly assume he's merely overweight, or out of shape.

Although defeated in both instances, we've seen The Kingpin handily hold his own against the super-powered Spider-Man, and the ninja horde of The Hand.

Off the page -- we know the biggest problem for this match-up is The Punisher's intent to kill an enduring icon of Marvel Comics.

War Journal diehards might feel otherwise, but eliminating The Kingpin just isn't a good outcome for the publishing giant, or fans of his villainy. So, the question becomes - does that prevent The Punisher earning a non-lethal victory?

I'm inclined to think there are any number of ways Punisher might execute the win without executing Wilson Fisk. The Kingpin can survive quite a lot, and one way this might play out is a spray of gunfire that appears lethal, but is ultimately survived through Fisk's iron will, and immediate access to top medical attention.

As much as the gloves are on - this is still a more grounded depiction of Punisher. He won't be wielding supernatural weapons like he did against Rhino, or stolen sci-fi tech as he did against The Hood's Syndicate. Which actually means Kingpin might be looking like a good prospect here.

Frank Castle's military training and personal dedication mean he's a very effective hand-to-hand combatant, but against Kingpin's arch-rival Daredevil, he was simply outclassed. DD had the advantage in Daredevil #257, and took care of him soundly in Daredevil (Vol.2) #65. Kingpin might just do the same.

The Tape: Draw Ranking: Punisher (#81)

What Went Down...

Awaiting a helicopter from Atlantic City to assist with his crisis-stricken money laundering operation; The Kingpin is alerted to the helo's arrival -- only to be met with the face of The Punisher on his rooftop security system. The last image he'll see, as the closed circuit monitoring is rendered inoperable.

The Kingpin is surprised by his opponent's moxie, but grateful for the convenience of The Punisher coming directly to him. He knows there is no other course but to dispatch of the militant vigilante personally.

Punisher and Microchip breach the 53rd floor of the building, shooting their way through a small group of opposition with machine gun fire. A successful tactical entry that allows them to plant a controlled explosive charge on the floor -- blasting an opening to The Kingpin's counting room & personal quarters below!

Microchip deploys gas into the suite, but Kingpin's inner sanctum has been fortified and outfitted with contingencies for any number of infiltration outcomes. 

A gas mask is conveniently stowed in a desk drawer at arm's length, protecting Kingpin from the fog that claims his unprotected collaborators.

Punisher & Microchip can't see through the cloud of gas, but have expertly timed each step of their incursion. They're expecting everyone to be knocked out cold, but Frank's a little keen. Microchip adds another five seconds for success, counting for an additional ten before the gas is inert. Their calculations are moot.

A massive hand smashes through the floor beneath them and grabs Microchip by the ankle -- swinging him down to the 52nd level and into a nearby wall!

The Kingpin hits a button to activate a ventilation fan -- clearing the literal fog of war to invite The Punisher to a man-on-man confrontation. He keeps his right foot planted on Microchip's back, threatening to end the hacker's life. He could do it too.

Punisher drops through the hole and lands in The Kingpin's private quarters.

The hulking Kingpin clutches Microchip's skull in his massive, meaty hands, manipulating the hostage onto one knee. He orders Punisher to drop his gun, and presumes rumors of the vigilante losing his edge must be true when he complies.

Punisher rightly presumes Fisk will need to keep Microchip alive to undo the virus wrecking havoc with his financing systems. Kingpin tosses the hacker aside and readies to meet his opponent's advance, toying with his affection for allies lost.

Punisher draws a knife from the back of his belt, but the massive Kingpin is more agile than he seems! He narrowly avoids the swing of the blade, grabbing hold of Punisher's left wrist within his massive hand -- taking control of the weapon!

He chides the vigilante for his reliance upon hardware -- tightening his grip and shaking the knife loose from The Punisher's hand!

Punisher desperately throws his head back -- headbutting Kingpin in face!

He slips his wrist loose and stomps on Kingpin's left foot, using the leeway to draw another knife from his holster!

He throws his left elbow back into The Kingpin's face, twisting his body around to swing the knife towards its massive fleshy target -- but again The Kingpin moves faster than the attack! He grabs the wrist and delivers a brutal right hand!

The Punisher sails through the air -- launched by the incredible punch!

Kingpin follows his grounded prey -- delivering a swift kick to his mid-section!

"You're like a terrier chasing a lion. But what will you do when you catch the lion? I will tell you. You will die."

The Kingpin manhandles his winded foe, grabbing him by the leg and throat with the promise of death.

The Punisher is as good as finished, but a sudden burst of gunfire fills the room and distracts the Kingpin from his foul business.

Vernon Brooks -- a school teacher and collaborator in the break-in -- has gone against orders to linger in case of a situation like this. He knew The Punisher wouldn't negotiate. He knows killing The Kingpin will only lead the streets to run red with blood as new powers vie for the vacuum of power.

Kingpin warns that if he's shot he'll snap The Punisher's neck. Frank tells his compadre to do it anyway, but Vernon Brooks has seen enough bloodshed. He wants to prevent any more. They agree to a 24 hour truce. It's over.

The Hammer...

School teacher with a gun, Vernon Brooks, successfully extracts The Punisher and Microchip, but it's a non-lethal end to a foregone conclusion: Kingpin had the vigilante dead to rights. We'll call Brooks an assist and be on our way.

There's probably an unfortunate observation to be made here about the state of gun control in the United States, and enthusiast's deranged fantasy for addressing the prolific phenomenon of school shootings. Ugly stuff I'd just as soon move away from. I'd rather reminisce about my own relatively carefree childhood.

I don't remember if I was looking up at this issue when I went wide-eyed at the wall of weekly comics cascading down racks at the local newsagency. 1989 was one of the first years I was regularly engaging with comics, and while I think I might've absorbed Kingpin's existence through 60s Spider-Man and pop culture osmosis -- I'm not so sure the combination with Punisher would've been appealing at that young age. The skull logo was cool, but he was still just a guy with guns.

Sure, I liked The Phantom, but a guy with an ammo box just didn't seem exciting to a pup getting to grips with a world of amazing super-powers, and colourful costumes. It took Erik Larsen and palling around with Spidey to get me at all intrigued by the sense of danger that surrounded the character.

Here in 2024 things are a little different. The Punisher is actually one of the titles I'm most anticipating for the exciting release of the Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection!

It's out now on digital platforms for PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, but I'm holding out for a disc copy in November. Then I'll be gratefully diving in to all those wonderful fighting games I haven't played in about twenty or so years! A collection I've been hoping would happen for a long time now, given the secondary market is a little pricier than I'm willing to invest in, and I never had the pleasure of actually owning those games. Just arcades and rentals.

Of course, in the case of the 1993 Punisher scrolling beat 'em up -- it's a chance to get my hands on a game I never got the opportunity to play!

Their work was always to a very high standard and that made these some of the best Marvel games ever released. I'd only ever read about The Punisher, and although a tad drier than their X-Men and Marvel Super Heroes titles -- Capcom were fantastic for drawing their inspirations directly from comic books -- and it was clear they were sourcing directly from this period that I'm so fond of.

The licensing habits of Japan in the late eighties and early nineties are really quite intriguing, and perhaps as an outsider to the United States myself, I share in their enthusiasm for that era's urban decay, and grimy action movie aesthetic.

1989 felt like another age by the time 1993 rolled around, so it's intriguing they sourced most of their inspirations for the brawler from that era's issues. I wonder if Marvel had any hand in guiding them towards the more fantastical characters who crossed Frank Castle's path during the period, or if somebody was just a fan. Perhaps the existence of the 1990 NES game elevated the period in their minds.

The '93 game delivers Bushwacker, Bonebreaker, Jigsaw, and even a non-descript robot that was actually Doctor Doom's handiwork when it appeared during the Acts of Vengeance crossover. Good stuff for a video game. A bit more interesting than your run of the mill gun-toting guy in jeans.

If you've been around the site over the years, you know my affection for that villain-swapping storyline, and I rather like the idea of finally getting a chance to [re]visit some of those interesting issues. Of course, I couldn't help but skip right to the game's final boss -- the big bad behind the brawling action!

Punisher and his allies are on the hunt for The Kingpin for a handful of scattered issues before they get to the showdown in Punisher #18. As noted in The Tape: it presents the difficult scenario of a villain Frank Castle can't blow to bits by the end. So how do you handle it? The outcome isn't illogical, but a little unsatisfying.

It's cool that Kingpin got the better of Frank in the fight. I enjoy The Kingpin as a proficient martial arts enthusiast, and I also like to think of Punisher as a skilled hand-to-hand combatant, but a step behind the masters.

What bothers me is his belated arrival at the mutual conclusion that Kingpin is the lesser of evils. A criminal overlord whose demise would open up a vacuum of even greater evil that would impact the kinds of ordinary citizens that perished after joining his crusade, to say nothing of his wife and children.

It's not that it's a bad argument. It's just that my mind always goes straight to that very thought when it comes to a Kingpin endgame, and Punisher has already been presented with the notion throughout the issue, including the earliest planning stages of the assault on Kingpin's tower. That he comes to agree with it only after losing the fight just doesn't ring true. Especially given his motivation to follow through on the wishes of one of his fallen comrades from the prior issue - Conchita Ortiz. A name wielded by Kingpin in spite.

I suppose it speaks to a softening of the character, who had failed to fully consider the consequences of his vigilantism during Frank Miller's Daredevil, and the brilliant Ann Nocenti/John Romita Jr follow-up, which this series crossed over with. Punisher was now a star of his own successful series. A lead character in a mainline Marvel Comics title long before he was segregated into imprints like MAX and allowed to indulge in the most single-mindedly deranged interpretations.

I ultimately prefer this version of the character. The restraints of occasionally going up against iconic villains may risk leaving him feeling a tad toothless, but it's worth propping him up with big names every so often, indulging in the superhero excess of it all. There are certainly worse things for the character than adhering to a moral code - or finding he can't solve all his problems with a gun.

It sure doesn't hurt anything that Whilce Portacio is on pencils with frequent-Jim Lee inker Scott Williams. Like the characterization of Castle, this is a softer style for Portacio, not quite as deep in its shadows and quirks. I like that more abrasive Portacio of his later nineties work, but he's still a great hand throughout these early Punisher issues. It makes me reevaluate my childhood disinterest!

Should we come back to check out more of this now-classic Punisher? If you think so, perhaps you would like to consider becoming a supporter on Patreon. Your patronage will go a long way to helping me out and keeping these updates a little bit more regular than they have been lately. I'd sure appreciate it!

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured well over 700 fights and ranked more than 1,000 characters! You can find them all for free by diving into the Secret Archive for a complete index of battles in order of publisher, series, and issue -- or by hitting links to your favourite topics found throughout each entry.

Get daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day by subscribing to Twitter! 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! The lively Discord chat is one of the bonuses of becoming a Patreon subscriber.

Winner: The Kingpin
#455 (+617) Kingpin
#88 (-7) Punisher
#1043 (-124) Microchip
#666 (new) Vernon Brooks [+1 assist]

HERO OF THE WEEK: PUNISHER (Marvel)
Real Name: Frank Castle
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-man #129 (February, 1974)
Fight Club Ranking: #66

Featured Fights:
- vs DAREDEVIL: Daredevil #257 (Aug 1988)
- vs X-MEN: What If...? #24 (Apr 1991)
- vs TOMBSTONE: Cage #3 (Jun 1992)
- vs CAPTAIN AMERICA: What If...? #51 (Jul 1993)
- vs DAREDEVIL: Daredevil #65 (Nov 2004)
- vs RHINO: Punisher War Journal #3 (Mar 2007)
- vs DEADPOOL: Deadpool: Suicide Kings #2 (Jul 2009)
- vs THE HOOD'S SYNDICATE: Punisher #5 (Jul 2009)

I was pretty disappointed when War Machine became the latest casualty of a Marvel event. It seemed like a gratuitous, cynical response to the creation of Ironheart, potentially without consideration for the long term relevance of the character in the Marvel Entertainment pantheon.

Yet, if you're anything like me, you also enjoy the way The Punisher occasionally picks up weapons and tools from other characters when he's allowed to operate in the Marvel Universe. So news that Frank Castle will soon be wearing the War Machine armor as part of Marvel Legacy is kinda neat.

Stories like this can always be divisive, but I kinda get a kick out of the way it revisits a personal favourite issue of What If...?In Volume 2 #29; Captain America is thawed into a modern world populated by familiar characters in unfamiliar guises. Red Skull masquerades as President Steve Rogers, commanding an oppressive military force equipped with suits of armor by Tony Stark. Star Iron Man is Frank Castle, wearing a War Machine-esque greyscale version of the suit. He eventually does the right thing, joining a weird What if version of the Avengers that includes a Wendigo Wolverine and Giant-Man Sam Wilson.

Punisher is, of course, also starring in the live-action Netflix series spinning out of Daredevil, ready to binge next month. Which is more than enough reason to make Frank Castle our Hero of the Week!

<< Hero of the Week 11/06: Captain Marvel     [Home]     Hero of the Week 10/23: General Zod >>

LUKE CAGE versus THE UNTOUCHABLES

Bad Debts (Marvel)
Where: Cage #3 When: June 1992
Why: Marc McLaurin How: Dwayne Turner

The Story So Far...
Having been wrongly accused of the murder of his best friend Iron Fist: Luke Cage is officially exonerated when the authentic article reemerges alive and well - the victim of an elaborate identity theft!

Stepping out of the shadows with a new look, new attitude, and new life as Hero for Hire in Chicago - Cage is dropping the "Power Man" name and going solo!

The price of one death may have been lifted from Cage's mighty shoulders, but the spectre of another will haunt him in the form of another double! The son of late villain Bushmaster has hired a mercenary to wage war on Cage! The result is a team of Untouchables led by Hardcore, who descend upon Dakota North in an effort to steal sensitive information she's learned about Cage's past.

Too bad for The Untouchables that Cage is wise to their plans and is about to take the fight to them!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Draw 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: Luke Cage 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Tombstone 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Luke Cage 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Draw 2 (Average)
Fighting: Draw 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Nitro 6 (Mass Destruction)


Be still, my beating heart! What we have here is a good old fashioned dream match! Why is it a dream match? Because for several years these guys were stomping on opposite sides of the mean streets, but they didn't butt unbreakable heads until '92! They're the perfect enemies - and here's why:

Luke Cage is the self-marketed Hero for Hire also known as Power Man!

Growing up in Harlem, Cage's family and friends knew him as Carl Lucas. When he joined The Rivals gang as a young man, Lucas was tempted into a world of crime -- eventually leading to a frame-up that sent him to Seagate Prison!

In prison, Lucas became a subject for super-soldier experiments on inmates. When the process was tampered with, he accidentally gained super-human strength, and skin as strong as steel! He used his powers to escape prison and forged a new identity for himself, choosing to fight crime - for the right price!

The Untouchables are: Tombstone, Nitro & Kickback.

Tombstone is career criminal Lonnie Lincoln. Like Cage, he was born and raised on the streets of Harlem. As an albino, he was ostracized as a child and took to using his physical strength to dominate others. This eventually led him to street fighting, petty crime, and a career as a hitman.

Lincoln cultivated an intimidating persona as Tombstone, filing his teeth and nails into points. He accidentally gained super-human strength when Daily Bugle reporter Robbie Robertson exposed him to experimental gas in an Osborn Chemical facility! The incident also granted him incredible durability!

Even before gaining increased strength, Tombstone has been a regular nemesis for Spider-man [eg; Spectacular Spider-man #142]. We've also seen him go toe-to-toe with Daredevil for a win and a loss, and take on Iron Man and The Avengers as one of the short-lived Sinister Twelve [Marvel Knights: Spider-man #11]!

This is the Secret Wars on Infinite Earths debut for both Nitro and Kickback. We don't have any example data, but the auto-exploding powers of Nitro were responsible for the tragedy in Stamford that kicked off the Avengers' Civil War!

As an eventual member of the New Avengers, we've seen Cage develop as a serious heavyweight! He's battled the likes of: Juggernaut [Thunderbolts #150], The Hood [New Avengers #54], Ms. Marvel [Civil War #3], The Hand [New Avengers #27], and even symbiote possessed Avengers [New Avengers #36]! On the streets, the mutant Unus the Untouchable proved difficult to defeat thanks to his forcefield protection [Power Man & Iron Fist #90]. None of The Untouchables wields any such barrier, despite the name.

Cage is running solo at this point, even though Iron Fist had made a recent and miraculous return from the dead. That means it's three-on-one and that could potentially be a problem!

If Cage can break the fight down, he definitely stands a better chance. Nitro's ability to expel a full body explosion is dangerous, but Cage's unbreakable skin should be able to handle it. Kickback might negotiate a tactical advantage with his time travel powers, but his ability to follow through is limited.

Tombstone is basically Cage's equal - the shadow-self that makes this such a perfect, scintillating dream match. That said, Cage's peak strength usually trends higher than Tombstone's, a high 5 with occasional tendencies to drift tower a low 6, by our measure. We saw that in the Juggernaut fight.

The Untouchables haven't been a unit for long, and are working for mercenary rates. That team instability could be exactly what Cage needs to exploit, enduring long enough to pick them off one by one.

The Math: Nitro Ranking: Luke Cage (#12)

What Went Down...
Tipped off to know all wasn't right at the Chicago branch of North Investigations -- the man called Cage launches into the building! He catches hostage Teague as he explodes through the window, knocking Tombstone off balance!

Time traveller Kickback has already seen the fight three minutes into the future, arriving in our present to watch himself and the other Untouchables surround Cage! Tombstone talks business, but Nitro chooses a more offensively minded strategy -- charging up his powers for a strategically directed explosion!

Cage uses his unbreakable skin to shield Teague from the blast. He eats a boot to the face from Kickback, who appears suddenly having time shifted to avoid the explosion. He teleports away as quickly as he appeared - leaving Cage to swing at empty air!

Tombstone rushes Cage, taking him off his feet with a charging tackle!

The chalk-skinned hitman notes the innate similarities between he and Cage. Thick skin and business acumen aren't enough to compel the Hero for Hire to bond with his foe. He hammers home the differences with a one-two combo of a right hook and uppercut!

The mighty blows rock Tombstone, but he remains on his feet! Nitro calls for him to drop down to give a clear shot, but Cage uses the distraction to grab Tombstone by his feet and send him hurtling into Nitro!

Nitro is floored, but rock-hard Tombstone recovers instantly! He squares off with Cage, lamenting his hopes for a business-like resolution. He charges at the Hero for Hire once again -- more than happy to call upon his days as a street fighter!

The two super-tough combatants smash through the North Investigations exterior wall! Bricks crumble and shatter as they spill onto the street outside - Cage using their momentum to get the upper hand!

An unexpected player arrives on the scene by van: The Punisher! Tombstone tries to tell Cage he's the "Mr. Big" bankrolling The Untouchables, so Cage picks Tombstone up and runs him into the grill of the oncoming vehicle!

The sudden impact throw Punisher face-first into the dashboard! He takes the brunt a lot harder than the bulletproof duo he smashed into.

Cage shakes down Tombstone, demanding the truth about the team. Tombstone gives up the real plan: to gather sensitive information on Cage uncovered by Dakota North! He  also warns that Nitro may be mentally unstable and a danger to the investigator, who may still be inside. This prompts Cage to take his victory and run as Tombstone laughs!

The Hammer...
Nitro does indeed lose his cool, believing Tombstone and Kickback have turned against him. He explodes - destroying the North Investigations building before Cage can get back inside. Cage has no way of knowing Dakota North is safe with Kickback, casting his victory in a grim afterglow as The Punisher arrives.

In a curious twist, Punisher thinks his former acquaintance is actually working with Tombstone. A cliffhanger to be resolved in the next issue - and a future installment of Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, I'm sure!

As you may've already gathered, I was pretty excited about getting around to this issue! I've always been a sucker for Tombstone, as I'm sure I've gushed in the past. There's just something fantastic about the simplicity of the character. A granite faced hitman with aspirations for pin stripe suits and working his way up the criminal ranks.

I've often thought about the perfect match Tombstone presents for Cage, whose history before The Avengers was on the streets. I like that Marc McLaurin's script calls their similarities out, even as it highlights the differences. Yes, they're both rock-hard, super-strong guns for hire - but Cage is no hitman!

Tombstone has had one or two more run-ins with Cage since this initial meeting, but sadly, the chemistry hasn't quite produced a new arch-villain scenario. I live in hope that the option is still there, with history to build upon, though!

It's worth noting that "Cage" was specifically the moniker of choice, at this time. He was still a hero for hire, but gone was the "Power Man" handle, soon to be appropriated by another - a villain. A thorough relaunch of a dormant character.

The silver tiara, yellow silk shirt, and chain belt were gone as well. The seventies-tinged remnants of kung fu and blacksploitation fads weren't looking so cool by the late eighties. Cage had toiled in obscurity for a few years by the early nineties, running from the cancellation of Power Man & Iron Fist in 1988, which told the story of Danny Rand's apparent death.

At a glance, there wasn't a lot to tell you this was the same character when Cage launched in 1992. I always appreciated the classic Power Man look, so it surprised me to see him wearing black and red, even if I could appreciate the aim to match a modern style. He shared an aesthetic with a handful of street level characters of the time. Beneath the surface, it was the same character with the same history. The kind of reboot you can appreciate.

The tragic irony of relaunching when they did is simply that Tarantino and anime would bring blaxploitation and kung fu back into style in a major way! Both characters were tailor made to ride the wave of millennium trends, but Marvel struggled to fully capitalize on any kind of relaunch. They're arguably only just getting to the peak now, with a stylish new comic series by David Walker and Stanford Greene, and the character's live-action debut in Jessica Jones.

September 30th marks the release of Luke Cage on Netflix - the first time the character will star in his own TV series! Here on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, we're celebrating that fact by dedicating a month's worth of Friday Night Fights to the man with the bulletproof skin!

If that wasn't exciting enough, today's feature fight comes with unforseen repercussions! Long time readers know every battle on The Comic Book Fight Club contributes to an on-going record. With this win, Luke Cage becomes the first hero in a long time to upend the Top 10 rankings!

Rising to #9, Cage leapfrogs two heroes with whom he has close ties: Daredevil becomes the new guardian at #10, while The Thing is shockingly pushed out out of the Top 10 to #11! Check out all the rankings changes at the bottom of this post! As of 2016, all feature fights end with rankings updates.

If you'd like to get the full experience of today's feature battle, you can use Amazon purchase links provided to pick up a collected edition!

If you want to see more Luke Cage, Punisher or other featured characters, use the character links dispersed throughout this post. Or, jump straight to your favourite battles from legend or obscurity using the Issue Index Archive!

Stay tuned as Cage Month continues with a grudge match that changed his life forever!

Winner: Cage
#9 (+3) Luke Cage
#65 (--) Punisher [+1 Assist]
#362 (-1) Tombstone
#804 (new) Kickback
#805 (new) Nitro