JUGGERNAUT versus DOCTOR STRANGE

What If... Wolverine Had Become The Lord of Vampires? (Marvel)
Where: What If...? #24 When: April 1991
Why: Roy Thomas & RJM Lofficier How: Tom Morgan

The Story So Far...
In the world we know, Storm was able to fight back when she was seduced by the Lord of Vampires: Dracula! What if that wasn't the case, though? What if Storm was caught in Dracula's spell? What if Dracula turned all of the X-Men into his vampire slaves?

In a reality where exactly that happened: Wolverine proves too strong of will for the Lord of Vampires to control him! When he rises at the vampire's behest, the clawed mutant succeeds in killing Dracula and inheriting his evil throne!

As Lord of Vampires, Wolverine commands his X-Men to convert all mutants to his vampiric leadership! The super-powered horde lays waste to New York City, killing or converting those who might stop them! The Sorcerer Supreme is one of the few powerful foes who remains beyond their reach, but with their power base expanding, Wolverine chooses the perfect mystic agent to stop Dr. Strange once and for all: His loyal vampire servant - The Unstoppable Juggernaut!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Juggernaut 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Dr. Strange 5 (Professor)
Speed: Juggernat 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Juggernaut 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Dr. Strange 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Juggernaut 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Dr. Strange 6 (Mass Destruction)


It's Halloween season and that means it's the perfect time to venture through the Nexus of Realities - back to an alternate Marvel Universe where Wolverine became Lord of the Vampires! It's a world we've been to before, witnessing the terrors of Wolverine vs Dracula and Punisher vs The X-Men! It might be hard to imagine, but before Punisher fought the X-Men, things got a whole lot worse!

Juggernaut is an unstoppable powerhouse at the best of times -- but what if some how, some way a creature of the night managed to convert him to the legion of vampires? That's exactly what we're dealing with today!

You might be wondering how a magically empowered mortal such as Juggernaut (aka; Cain Marko) could be bitten by a vampire. After all, we've seen Deadpool dump a factory load of knives on him and they didn't leave a scratch [Deadpool: Sins of the Past #2]! The answer may lie in a reference that reads like a mistake at first glance...

In this particular issue, Juggernaut is referred to as a mutant. That's a big change from his defining origin as Charles Xavier's very spiteful, very human step-brother. It's unclear what his abilities or vulnerabilities are, or what their source is. We can assume he has some degree of magical enhancement, as he's in possession of the "Ruby of Cyttorak" and is hand picked by Wolverine to take down his opponent: The Sorcerer Supreme - Doctor Strange!

Dr. Strange is one of the few powerful heroes alive and unconverted in this world, in part due to the spells that safeguard his Greenwich Sanctum Sanctorum. Vampires cannot penetrate the protective occult field, but in the spirit of fallen allies Spider-man and Daredevil, Strange has taken to leaving the safety of his home, to patrol the sky of the now vampire infested New York City.

Strange is a powerful enough sorcerer to defend himself, but with many heroes and villains added to the mutant vampire horde, he's taking his life in his hands. Especially considering he intends his greatest weapon against the vampires to be the un-deciphered Montesi Formula -- a spell found in the Darkhold capable of wiping out all vampires!

Human, mutant, or vampire - Juggernaut's connection to the magic of Cyttorak makes him a dangerous foe! We've seen his strength overwhelm other magical powerhouses: Captain Britain [Excalibur #3], Wonder Woman [Unlimited Access #1] and Captain Marvel Jr [Unlimited Access #3]!

Strange is obviously no slouch, as we've seen in victories against Baron Mordo [Strange Tales #111], The Hand [New Avengers #27] and The Hood & Dormammu [New Avengers #54]! He has been shown to be vulnerable to some other powerful magics, though, such as that of Agamotto [New Avengers #2] - whose power he routinely calls upon! The Crimson Bands of Cyttorak are one of his most powerful hexes, as well. Which could spell trouble for the good Doctor!

How much trouble? Our patented Tape tentatively has Strange just 1 point greater than Juggernaut, who's only two ranks lower on our cumulative Fight Club ladder at #67! That data spells a close call! Let's knock on the door and ask for our treat - or trick!

The Tape: Dr. Strange Ranking: Dr. Strange (#65)

What Went Down...
Soaring the night sky above silent Manhattan streets -- Earth's greatest defense against magical terror watches pensively. Much weighs on the considerable mind of Dr. Stephen Strange! An outbreak of vampirism has signaled a menace other than old foe Dracula. A menace unknown to The Sorcerer Supreme, despite his considerable knowledge of the occult and arcane!

A powerful mystic artefact - The Orb of Agamotto - has pinpointed a particularly strong gathering of vampiric aura. Anticipating a horde of the bloodsucking undead, The Sorcerer Supreme breaches the threshold of an open shutter door.

Dr. Strange finds only the crimson glow of the "Ruby of Cyttorak" in the dark of the urban underground. He knows the jewel could very likely signal the presence of the unstoppable Juggernaut! Before he can conjure strength to the Shield of the Seraphim that surrounds him -- Juggernaut strikes!

The unstoppable brute is a dark red blur as he charges into the back of the distracted Sorcerer Supreme! He gloats, even as Strange cries in agony!

The mystic properties of the gem had drained the magic shield that protected Strange from harm. Juggernaut has stood toe to toe with everyone from Thor to the Hulk! The impact of his uncanny momentum shatters the Doctor's spine!

A fist as big as his head collides with Dr. Strange's face like a missile! Blood streaks from his nose. The resulting whiplash breaks his neck.

Earth's final defense against the magical realm is reduced to a crumpled mess on a basement floor. He breathes his final mortal breaths through his own blood, gazing up at the horrific vision of Juggernaut's fanged maw!

Only Dr. Strange's magic Cloak of Levitation appears to escape the grasp of Juggernaut, who delivers the corpse back to his Lord Wolverine. He'll be fed to crocodiles, but there is more in Heaven and Earth than is dreamt of in our philosophy! Though Strange's mortal form is dead, his spirit still roams...

The Hammer...
A chilling tale with a grim end: Juggernaut wins!

If you're wondering: Dr. Strange's astral presence does indeed continue on in the story! With most heroes dead, vampires, or kept out of the city, he finds an unlikely ally and student in consummate survivalist, soldier, and star of What If stories: The Punisher!

You can see how he fared with Dr. Strange's guidance in the featured fight: Punisher versus The X-Men! If you thought today's battle was a little dark, just wait until you see how that one goes! Kitty Pryde is all I'm saying! Yeesh!

As you might have guessed, this is an issue of What If...? I particularly like. It's got that gritty '91 feel, created not just with Tom Morgan's pencils, but the subtle work of colorist Tom Vincent. His heroes have the primary colors you expect. Dr. Strange's cape is a bright red with yellow trim, his shirt bright blue. The world around him is what's different, though. Everything is darkened hues of purple, red, brown. It's a very effective way of representing an iconic version of the Marvel Universe, but adding a grim twist.

I go back and forth on how I feel about Count Dracula being part of the Marvel Universe. He's quickly excised to serve the concept of the issue, so it's kind of getting the best of all worlds.

Wolverine, still a decade away from maturing into a mass market nice guy, smoothly transitions from the X-Man who'll do what's necessary, to a cold blooded Lord of the vampires! He's ice cold, and the story lets that play out with genuinely unsettling results.

It's hard to imagine Dracula carrying out a plan on this scale of Wolverine's. I like to imagine that's the character of a classier villain, even if Wolverine's success is only a consequence of having an imaginary story sandbox to play in.

Looking more closely at the detail of the story, there are a few problems. As noted in The Tape section, it never sits well when the high concept overwhelms a character like Juggernaut.

Ignoring the inconsistency of calling him a mutant in the story, it just seems at odds with the character to suggest he could ever be bitten by a vampire. It was a problem I also had when the biters were a more decrepit brand of undead in Marvel Zombies [#5]. The high concept is ultimately what matters and it's a lot easier to just accept that everybody got turned, but it's a whole lot cleaner when those questions don't linger. To say nothing of the extra fun had by asking - and answering those kinds of questions!

A few months ago we looked at What If...? #94: A story where Juggernaut's invulnerability is itself the feature premise of the story. He's a lone wanderer in a universe where radiation has wiped out almost all of humanity. His invincibility plays out as a curse as he longs for the humanity he condemned through his own selfish actions. It might not have the simple, broad appeal of a rampaging Juggernaut with fangs, but it's a very satisfying story to tell.

Speaking of the escalation of mass appeal and the accompanying budgets; zombie legend George Romero recently told IndieWire movies like World War Z, and the Walking Dead TV series have made it almost impossible to court funding for his smaller, more socio-politically minded zombie movies. He also noted that the spectacle of "zombies wreaking havoc" had overtaken films of substance. He has a point, but even The Walking Dead, which seems to be propelled more so by tropes of the genre and character-driven chapters, never quite exploits the ever intriguing question of How? Why? When? The questions these superhero versions invariably raise, and could be very interesting to see play out.

One element of our feature fight fans will see play out on screens is Doctor Strange! Marvel's Sorcerer Supreme is already joining the cinematic universe in some parts of the world, with an official wide release coming November 4th!

As we say goodbye to an October full of demons and Halloween horrors, we levitate effortlessly into a November filled with more Doctor Strange! I hope you'll join me as we witness the true Sorcerer Supreme in action!

In the mean time, be encouraged to follow links throughout this entry to discover even more exciting battles! You can get even more vampires and monsters by hitting up the Old Comics Halloween: Chilling Tales spotlight! Master the art of the fight by venturing into the ancient Issue Index, for a complete archive of all the past featured fights in order of publisher and series!

Winner: Juggernaut
#42 (+25) Juggernaut [+1 kill]
#67 (-2) Dr. Strange

QUICKFIX: WOLVERINE vs DRACULA
What if... Wolverine had become the Lord of Vampires? (Marvel)
Where: What if...? #24 When: April 1991
Why: Roy Thomas/RJM Lofficier How: Tom Morgan

The Tape...
Strength: Dracula 4 (Enhanced)
Intelligence: Dracula 5 (Professor)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Dracula 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Wolverine 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Wolverine 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Dracula 4 (Arsenal)

Math: Dracula Ranking: Wolverine (#6)

The Fix...
I'm sensing a bit of a vampire night in this year's October!
I really couldn't tell you why. Actually, we'll probably have to force ourselves to find the time to talk about the newest instalment of Marvel Zombies, which is actually not without it's charms, but for the time being, more Dracula!
[In case you missed it, track back to Uncanny X-Men Annual #6!]

This isn't the first time we've taken a look at the events of this particular alternate universe!

Previously we flashed forward to observe the events of Wolverine's last stand as Lord of Vampires, before a final act of nobility put an end to his reign, and completed Dr. Strange and Frank Castle's mission to rid their alternate world of it's plague of death [Punisher versus X-Men].

This time around we're going back to where it all began: the results of the first deviation that shaped this universes grim destiny. It takes place after the events of X-Men #159; where, in our universe, the X-Men met Dracula for the first time, and successfully escaped his embrace all due to the cast iron will of Storm.

For us, the wind-rider was able to resist Dracula's influence, thanks to the affections of Kitty Pryde, and rescued her teammates. In this reality, however, Storm betrayed the X-Men, and left them to Dracula's accursed fangs.

It was his intention to return three nights later to raise Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Wolverine, from their graves - his to manipulate as vampiric slaves. He did not, however, anticipate the indomitable will of the Wolverine.

The eighties, from which this story derives it's origins, were a different place.
As we countdown toward next year's Wolverine film we can appreciate that twenty-five years ago the character's popularity had not yet reached the market saturation that we recognise today. The X-Franchise was right on the verge of evolving into a brand, but 1982, Wolverine was just the bad ass mystery man with a killer instinct, and a set of six adamantium claws!

The modern era of comics has grown with a self-consciousness afforded by it's decades of history. From the beginnings of the modern age in the sixties, the medium had the benefit of a greater attention to detail and consistency.
Alterations in the fabric of established characters are typically minor, but even Wolverine has endured subtle variations of what defines him as a superhero.

In facilitating the fandom that grew around the character; Marvel's need to maintain Wolverine, and establish his presence on a grand scale, drafted new details into his backstory and profile. As his history grew in complexity, the nature of his power became greater, to a point where Wolverine's healing abilities have taken on an almost sentient logic. The healing factor accounts not only for his survival through many lethal injuries, but also decades without age.

It's a question debated previously on the Infinite Wars, but we can't help but arrive once more at the same question: can Wolverine even become a vampire?

In What If...? #24 Wolverine certainly does return from apparent death, and while his transformation is unseen, it's quite possible the healing factor contributed to what follows...

Three nights after they perished beneath Dracula's fangs -- Nightcrawler and Colossus are risen from the grave by the vampire lord. Absent, however, is Wolverine, who instead walks freely from the darkness of the wood where the X-Men suffered their defeat.

Dracula recognises that, like he, Wolverine possesses a will inherently strong enough to resist the mental powers of the vampire, and challenge him for the mystic superiority of Lord of Vampires. The reigning Lord gladly answers Wolverine's artful challenge, leaping unsuspectingly toward a warrior who has already mastered the transformation of a wolf!

Dracula turns from man to bat in an instant, but his new form does little to quell the aggression of Wolverine. As a wolf he leaps atop the humanoid-bat and rips at his throat. The wound remains as Dracula returns to a humanoid form. Wounded, bleeding violently from the throat, Dracula accepts his fate!

With a cold, sinister intent that came with his vampirism, Wolverine unsheathes his adamantium claws and slices Dracula's head clean from his neck -- thus ensuring the permanent death and transference of powers from the former Lord of Vampires.

Here on the Infinite Wars we do things a little different to most sites.
Sure, we're no stranger to the land of speculation [fantasy fights], but for the most part we specialize in observing and recounting battles that actually happened. In this respect, there's a simple answer to our earlier question: yes. Wolverine can - and in this world, did - become a vampire! In the conclusion of the battle, however, we may find unspoken answers that satisfy our curiosity.

Modern cinema has done a lot to progress the mythology of vampirism (and zombification). Films like Blade and Resident Evil do a lot to retool and ground these mythic concepts in a logic that better satisfies the utilitarian logic of modern audiences. Scientific concepts give vampirism a viral basis - recasting this once mystic practise with a biological etymology.

It's hard to fault this beautiful symbiosis of science and fiction.
Like so many great concepts it builds on comparable logics many of us a familiar with, giving the nature of the threat a specific set of rules to exist within. It firmly estalishes the drama of vampirism (or zombification) and carries that weight of logic throughout an entire project.

We cannot, however, forget those many different mythological accounts.
The Lord of Vampires mantle does not bare any specific logic that's easily compared to symptoms of a biogenetic plague. It is in it's essence - magic.

We often find ourselves returning to the subject of Superman and his weaknesses and vulnerabilities. On the Infinite Wars we have the unwavering perception that the conceptual construction of Superman and his abilities rely on their interaction with established parameters that define human ability. Superman exceeds them, ergo he is super-strong, super-fast, super-durable, and so on.
Magic, on the other hand, is that which typically does not comply with conventional science. It exists in fiction defined conceptually as a system that defies and breaks basic universal principles - a contrast to Superman's logic.

This is why Superman is vulnerable to magic - and why Wolverine is likely the same. His healing factor is based on pseudo-science that assumes wounds and ailments, no matter how severe, can be healed.
It's reasonable to assume incantations, or mystic transferences, that defy or exist outside these rules, cannot be healed because they don't cause harm. Mystic vampirism requires mystic solutions - ie; the Montesi Formula.

Food for thought this Halloween, true believers.

Winner: Wolverine
The Fight: 4 The Issue: 6

Unfortunately, to the best of our knowledge, this issue has not yet been collected in trade paperback format. You'll find plenty of other great reads to buy in the Amazonian Gift Shoppe, however, which is a great way to support the site. Most collections featuring issues reviewed in the Secret Archives are available, at reasonable prices!

THE PUNISHER versus THE X-MEN
What If... Wolverine had become the Lord of Vampires? (Marvel comics)
Where: What if...? #24 When: April 1991
Why: Roy Thomas & RJM Lofficier How: Tom Morgan

The story so far...
When the X-Men battled the menace of Count Dracula, it was only the strength of character of Ororo Monroe, Storm, who had been possessed by the fiend, that saved the lives of the mutant team. But what if Storm had remained under Dracula's spell?

In a world where just that has happened, Dracula finds more than he bargained for when he returns to raise the defeated X-Men from the dead.

Wolverine proves too strong a will for Dracula contain, and ultimately slays him, making the X-Man the new lord of vampires. Having mastered the powers of the vampire, Wolverine and his vampires go on the rampage. They declare into their number heroes and villains alike, whilst destroying anyone who is deemed a potential threat -- including Dr. Strange, who falls at the hands of the Juggernaut.

Though dead, Strange remains in his astral, and recruits one of the last 'super' humans alive to his cause: Frank Castle -- The Punisher.

Previous Form:
The Punisher (#53): The Punisher debuted recently with a victory over Rhino.
Wolverine (#3): Wolverine has had team victories against Nimrod and Xorn.
The X-Men (#1): The X-Men have victories over Magneto, Xorn, Nimrod, Wolverine and The Lizard.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Juggernaut 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: The Punisher 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Nightcrawler 3 (Trained Athlete)
Stamina: Juggernaut 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Nightcrawler 5 (Cat-like)
Fighting Ability: Wolverine 6 (Warrior)
Energy Powers: Cyclops 5 (Lasers)

Hey, didn't I tell you there would be more Punisher in the future? Oh, yes!

Okay, under ordinary conditions there's no doubt about this -- The Punisher is totally screwed. This particular gathering of X-Men includes: Colossus, Nightcrawler, Cyclops, Storm, Juggernaut and Kitty Pryde, with the final threat being the big boss - Wolverine; lord of vampires.

The Juggernaut or Colossus alone are a big enough deal alone, with their super strength and durability factoring in at levels far and beyond the Punisher's wild imagination. But then you pile on top of that the tactical and ranged attack Cyclops brings to the table, the stealthy application of a ruthless Nightcrawler into the field, and the defensive/offensive potential of Shadowcat -- and you've got yourself a pretty formidable team-up of mutant vampires.

The Punisher isn't alone in this war on the undead.
Though he was tactically removed from the equation early in the piece, the presence of Dr. Strange lingers to coach Frank Castle in the best means to attack this mystic-borne offensive.

Which is actually a neat segue just to mention, this entry was prompted by a recent feature [Blade #5], in which Blade threatened to turn Wolverine into a vampire. Something, due to the psuedo-science of the matter, I think Wolverine's healing factor could've dealt with.
I did cite this issue as an example of opposing logic, and it should be noted that this outbreak is of the mystic variety. That is, the more traditional curse of the vampire, which I can handle. Immune systems generally don't get in the way of logic-defying magic spells and whatnot.

This highlights the potential advantage gained by the aid provided by Dr. Strange. I mean, if you're going to need a mystic solution to a pretty widespread problem, who better than Earth's Sorceror Supreme?

Plus, let it never be said that Frank Castle isn't an industrious murdering lunatic! Just recently we saw him come up with means to take down Rhino [Punisher: War Journal #3], which is well into the field of Colossus and Juggernaut territory.

Logically, against the sum of these characters, Punisher really is the longshot. I don't think I could pick him and still claim this section to be pure, but like Tombstone, Punisher is a guy who plays above his weight.
He's not quite in the field of Batman, but the guy can plan like a fox, and has a knack for coming up with the weaponry to carry out his ruthless plans.

Wolverine is really the big bad of this picture, running the show as the Lord of Vampires with not only his classic mutant resiliance and adamantium laced claws and skeleton -- but he also has the mystic strengths of the vampire. Metamorphosis into wolves, bats, and various other forms, as well as mist. Of course, this also brings with it the vulnerabilities of the vampire. Something Wolverine hasn't really ever had to deal with.

The Math: Wolverine and The X-Men
The Pick: The X-Men

What went down...
With his interactions with Dr. Strange providing renewed direction, The Punisher makes his way to Bleecker Street, the residence of one Sanctum Sanctorum, home to the former Dr. Stephen Strange and all his [un]earthly posessions.

As dusk arrives, Castle mows down the black clad wannabes of The Dark Order, a group of humans seeking to become humans. The brief struggle provides just enough time for the sun to set, which reveals the menace of the vampiric X-Men.

Storm and Cyclops go on the early offensive, firing off their respective projectile attacks, but the cloak of levitation provides Castle the maneuverability he needs to survive the assault.

He attacks the group with his arsenal of customized weapons, starting off with an entre of garlic grenades, before serving up a main course of silver bullets.
The hail of ammunition takes out the stunned Cyclops and Nightcrawler.

With his daily quota of silver shells spent, Dr. Strange offers a pep talk in light of Castle's negative outlook, but the stoic Punisher is in it for the hard yard.
While they chat, Storm in batform swoops down to attack the Punisher, but his silver-lined gloves prove more than a match. He tears her vampire wings to shreds, and fills her body with silver bullets before she even hits the ground.

Colossus, enraged by the slayings, charges in on the Punisher, toting the strength of his organic-steel skin as more than a match for his silver.
Punisher can't argue, but produces a cannon filled with holy water that boils even the chromed exterior of the mighty Colossus.

Punisher's natural physique and conditioning are enough for him to avoid the oncoming attack of the unstoppable Juggernaut, as he throws the weight of his crimson fist at him.

In an awkward position, Punisher finds himself with the weight of the Juggernaut looming over him. "I'll soon crush your silver gloves -- and the hands inside them -- like an eggshell!"
The Eye of Agamotto provides the opposing point, penetrating even the magical shielding provided by Juggernaut's Cyttorak powers. He's sent packing aflame.

Thus, with the Sanctum Sanctorum in sight, the final threat presents itself -- Wolverine; Lord of the Vampires!

He pops his claws and leaps into the fray, slicing Strange's cape away from Punisher's shoulders. Along with it goes the Eye of Agamotto, and Castle is down to his traditional, albeit modified, arsenal.

He fires off a round from his gun, but Wolverine's ability to turn to mist leaves him hitting nothing but dead-air. As Wolverine taunts him he throws his gun down and challenges the former X-Man man-to-man.

The Punisher remains a wile and worthy foe, even stripped down to weapons as quaint as a silver knife blessed -- by a priest!

He grapples with the stunned Wolverine, wrestling him toward the threshold of the spell-protected home of the former Sorceror Supreme.
Castle plants his silver-lined glove in the face of the mutant-vampire, and struggles to push him through the door, finally succeeding!

In the lion's den the Vampire Lord is considerably weakned.
Wolverine is able to block Castle's knife attack with his claws, but succumbs to something as mundane as a stiff left that sends him reeling into the wall.

Battling their way toward the room which contains the The Darkhold, which contains the fabled vampire-destroying Montesi Formula, Wolverine's strength continues to fade, and Punisher flaunts his superiority.
He plunges his knife into Wolverine's gut, leaving him to stagger back like little more than a wounded pup.

With Wolverine helplessly on the back foot, Castle towers over his prey and finally prepares for glorious victory, but at that moment -- a twist!

Her phasing powers apparently granting her intangibility even to Strange's magical spells, Kitty Pryde pops up through the floor to come to Wolverine's aid.

The teen X-Man interrupts just as Castle is in mid-swing, thus he is unable to stop the follow through as she again becomes tangible to push against him.

With her decapitated head before him, even The Punisher is shaked and disturbed by his actions. Perhaps finding resonance with the death of his own children, he pauses, contemplating the severity of his actions, and this leaves an opening.

In a rage, Wolverine plunges his adamantium claws deep into the Punisher's gut.

Any conventional armor he may have been wearing beneath his costume is moot against the cutting strength of Wolverine's razor sharp claws.

The Punisher bleeds out onto the floor, but victory comes at a terrible cost.
Mourning over Kitty Pryde's headless body, Wolverine perhaps regains a glimmer of humanity not seen since he had fallen to the vampire's bite.

The spirit of Dr. Strange leaves Frank Castle's lifeless body, and compells Wolverine to put an end to the carnage wrought by the evil he had absorbed.
Evil passed down from Vampire Lords long before he, or even Dracula.

Though he is barely able to speak it, Wolverine recites the Montesi Formula, and brings an end to vampires everywhere. They fall in the streets, and like a bad dream, fade from existence, leaving only their victims.

The hammer...
Though his X-Men were defeated, the winner of this bout, Wolverine! With assists going to all those X-Men, without whom it could not have happened. Yes, even though Wolverine ultimately redeemed himself in the end, by destroying himself.

As far as starting out What If Wednesday goes, I think this is a pretty damned fantastic way to go!

I was, as mentioned, prompted to feature this in light of references made during the Blade entry, but this also just happens to be one of the many issues of What If...? I look back on fondly. To this day it remains a point of distain when I recall recently appointed EIC, Joe Quesada's mention, during the cancellation of Mutant X, that alternate reality comic books just weren't relevent.

Further making that a bitter pill was the introduction of Exiles, but thank goodness he finally saw light. We may no longer have an on-going series, but the fifth week What If events have at least been a glimpse at what once was.
You'll probably see a couple of the last lot of What Ifs popping up in a Wednesday soon.

Though I'm trying not to adhere to any kind of will-sapping schedule, next week should be a lot of fun as we take a look at an issue of What If that has become particularly topical in light of Civil War. [And it features Punisher again!]

I had a couple of things in mind I wanted to talk about, but I've since forgotten them, and I'm up against the Wednesday deadline now, so I'll try probably keep this brief.

Setting himself up in 2007 to be a semi-regular appears to be The Punisher, who is a character I never really appreciated until these more recent years.
In my formative comic reading, I could never really get into a guy whose chief role seemed to be wandering around the docks stabbing and shooting goons.
Which, in hindsight, isn't such a bad thing, but I think as a kid it was mostly these kinds of stories, that had a lot of colourful spandex around them, that allowed me to at least be aware of the character.

As a Spider-man guest star, from his first appearance, to things I read and enjoyed like the David Michelinie/Erik Larsen team-up, Punisher was most relevent to me. I never really read War Journal or anything, although, I remember being quite transfixed by the image of a battle-damaged Castle riding a jetski with a setting sun for a backdrop.

Anyway, because of this disinterest in the character, I don't have a great many appearances by the character, but it's a joy to use Wednesdays to feature the character a bit more. There's a joke to be made by fanboys about What If stories forcing the Punisher in without justification, but more often than not I think it works. And that's the testimony of a guy who didn't care for the character anywhere, but!

Also, if you enjoyed seeing the Dr. Strange corner of the Marvel Universe, stay tuned for the regular Friday update where we're going to be featuring a first-timer on the site! It's not the Doc (who gets the loss here), but hopefully sometime soon we'll get some Strange up here, too.

Also feel free to drop a comment, with unregistered users now able to do so!

The Fight: 5 The Issue: 6