CHUN-LI versus BIRDIE
Round. 1 (UDON/Capcom/Shinseisha)
Where: Street Fighter Alpha Vol.1 When: 2007
Why: Masahiko Nakahira How: Masahiko Nakahira

The Story So Far...
The legend of Ryu's defeat over the Muay Thai champion Sagat has spread across the globe, but for the wandering world warrior the victory has come at a terrible cost.

Working as a bodyguard for drug smugglers; Ryu finds himself despondent after the glory of defeating one of the world's most popular fighters. However, unbenknownst to the world, Ryu is also plagued with doubt, having resorted to a power forbidden by his master, Gouken.

Working in Thailand with fellow street fighter and British thug, Birdie; Ryu is about to become the subject of an anti-narcotics sting launched by Interpol. Over zealous intervention inevitably escalates to violence, and when the battle is done, this night of fighting is destined to change Ryu's life forever...

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Birdie 4 (Enhanced)
Intelligence: Chun-Li 3 (Straight A)
Speed: Chun-Li 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Draw 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Chun-Li 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Chun-Li 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Power: Chun-Li 3 (Explosives)


- A skilled student of the Tai Chi style, Chun-Li trained under the martial arts master, Gen, before becoming the Chinese fighting-dynamo of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).

After her father's death, Chun-Li is motivated to hunt and destroy the international crime syndicate, Shadaloo, when she learns it's leader, Bison, may have been responsible for the murder. Her pursuit for justice brings her into the company of US Air Force soldier, Guile, who is also seeking justice for Bison's murder of his best friend, and undercover agent, Charlie. Their

Chun-Li is an incredibly fast and agile fighter, whose greatest asset are her powerful legs. Trademark attacks in her offensive arsenal include the Kikouken chi fireball, spinning side kick aerial attack, and Hyakuretsu Kyaku; better known as the flurrying combo, lightning kicks!

- Hailing from England, the former pro-wrestler turned punk rocker, Birdie, is an undisciplined fighter with aspirations of joining the international crime syndicate, Shadaloo. In an effort to get noticed, this wannabe thug partakes in petty crime on the streets, while using his trademark chain as a weapon in street fights.

Birdie eventually used his reputation to reach the ranks of Shadaloo, but when the temptation of power leads Birdie to devise a plan to use M. Bison's psycho-drive as a means of overthrowing him, a subsequent team-up with Balrog leads to Birdie's undoing, and the alleged collapse of Shadalooo.

The Math: Chun-Li Ranking: Chun-Li (#170)

What Went Down...
In a leaky tugboat off the coast of Thailand; Ryu, Birdie, and a group of smugglers that have acquired their services find themselves sitting ducks as a cruiser and helicopters descend on them for a sting run by the Narcotics Squad of the International Criminal Police Organization -- Interpol!

Keen to get her man, new recruit, Chun-Li, descends from the hovering helicopter onto the tiny vessel. She informs the men on the boat of their situation, but the young woman fails to intimidate her prey. One of the smugglers grabs a knife from the bow and charges -- big mistake!

The smuggler gets a face full of foot for his troubles, and a bloodied nose at no extra charge. The explosive kick shows the smugglers exactly what they're dealing with, leaving the fight in the hands of the burly Brit, Birdie!

Despite her lightning quick attack and proficient legs, Chun-Li finds herself with yet another unintimidated opponent. The world weary Birdie takes a playful position with the Interpol agent, but suffers for it as she hones in on a weakness in the big man's stance!

With a devestating sweep she knocks the punker off his feet, taking full advantage of his lack of lower defense. Off balance, Birdie's ripe for the picking as Chun-Li again launches her fast and furious feet, this time with the devestating combo-hit of the lightning kick!

The gang leader summons Ryu, his hired bodyguard, to come to Birdie's aid, but instead gets a lesson in the honorable etiquette of the fight. Something both he and Birdie share, despite their many differences in life and philosophy.

As it happens, things aren't looking too bad for Birdie, who, despite toppling like an oak, is able to whip his chains out in an offensive maneuver. The big man wraps the danty Interpol officer up in their metal grip, using the vice to launch her into an assault that brings her crashing mercilessly down like a piledriver!

Enthused to hear the spirit of the warrior still inside the Japanese fighter, Birdie pauses to revel in the moment of battle, leaving himself open to sniper fire from the hovering Interpol agents. A trigger happy soldier opens fire, prompting Ryu to throw himself between his friend and the ammunition!

Ryu takes two slugs to the chest, falling limp in an instant.
A grizzly end to the inconclusive fight.

The Hammer...
... So, in a shocking twist, the battle comes to a draw!
It's kinda cheating, but I feel compelled to offer a secondary victory to Chun-Li for her thorough dismantling of the thugs, an event not technically involved in the fight with Birdie, with a very decisive end.

Across the blogosphere a cosmic deity seeks nourishment of a black and white kind! That's right, we're sharing the B&W mayhem as Bahlactus celebrates a full year of Friday Night Fights! Chances are we'll be revisiting the scene of this crime, as well as dipping into the B&W pond for other features that might otherwise be less likely to beat out some of the coloured competition. Yay comics!

Last month we had mixed feelings about the latest in the wave of new additions joining the cast of Street Fighter IV; El Fuerte. [Street Fighter Alpha Vol.1]
The conflict continues as news leaks of not only the eagerly anticipated return of Vega, and the expected but disappointing return of Bison; but also the emergence of a new character that might just be the least inspired yet: the morbidly obese, yellow jumpsuited, Rufus!

While it's still early, I should also note that Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li also began filming since last we spoke, and launched a brand new blogsite that's promised [semi-] regular updates on happenings from the set!
With so much Street Fighter to talk about, I'm thinking we might have to revisit the subject sometime soon to talk more about the movie, because I've been conversing with the gaming fanbase this week, and certainly have plenty to say about SFIV. Suffice to say, I'm excited to hear reports of Michael Clarke Duncan in action as Balrog, apparently "smashing shit up"!

So, what is it that has me so full of discontent?
I think it's fair to say that there's a pretty large portion of the comics fanbase that I don't see eye-to-eye with. I can't seem to talk comics with anyone without prefacing certain agreements with a sturdy "but," and although I find myself quite disheartened with this medium that's been so harsh to me and my endeavours; I can usually bounce back for love of the medium and the positives that flow as freely as any negatives, or disappointments. Afterall, for all the hubub, comics are a mature medium, and by sheer volume there's almost always a solution.

The charm and context of an on-going medium like comics is lost on video games. The gaps of time mean just as many of us have grown with previous systems of gaming, the current market share is returning to a young, new generation of gamers whose concerns are as immature as ours once were, albeit overloaded by the confusion of an established medium.

Street Fighter is a lot like comics. It is comics.
That's why we talk about the manga, comics, series, and movies here.
I get a lot of the same pleasures from games like Street Fighter that I get from the on-going adventures of the many characters featured on the site. I feel a childish joy for the mere sight of the characters, while measuring their exploits with a careful intellectual study, sometimes to my detriment.

Such is the emerging case for Street Fighter IV, which, despite early efforts to promote the cast of the original Street Fighter II (1992), grows increasingly distanced from everything I could romanticise about the series.

Amidst shakey confirmation that Street Fighter IV will abandon sequential standards to set itself shortly after SFII, word from the top comes that each installment in the franchise is intended to stand-alone, removed from it's surrounding chapters. Vague connections, like the carry-over of Sagat's scar earned in the little known first game [Street Fighter #1], should apparently be put down to little more than design choice and easter eggs, leaving any cohesion in the Street Fighter saga to external works by visionaries like Nakahira-san.

Those of you strictly dedicated to American comics will either appreciate the perspective from which I'm describing Street Fighter IV's predicament; or be entirely disinterest. Such is the split of the modern comics readership which, though well balanced, has probably seen a similar injection of youth into the readership over the past decade, leading to a mixed bag of theories and mis/understandings.

Like much of what you would expect from any major comic series; there are certain inherent qualities and ideas that make Street Fighter instantly recognisable. The rich cast of characters are at their best when identified by the building blocks of their design, usually drafted specifically from a martial art, and/or a nation of origin, painting broad strokes upon which life is carefully dabbed.

More often than not the true life of these characters comes from external mediums, highlighting perhaps the one area never quite conquered by the beloved characters of the Street Fighter game series: story.

Though their legend is epic, even the central character, Ryu, fails to find depth in his representation within the games. It is my first criticism of Street Fighter IV that it seems, at least at this point, completely devoid of the kind of story contemporary rivals, (like; Tekken, Mortal Kombat), boast as one of their primary features. Despite having enthusiasm enough to convince an apparently reluctant Capcom to pursue a new anniversary release for the series, project leader Yoshinori Ono and his recruited team seem oblivious to the fundamentals of what's made Street Fighter such an icon of fiction.

The careful detailing of classic characters seems entirely undermined as the team serves up uninspired designs like El Fuerte and the recent Rufus, while each character falls neatly into a vague and underwhelming plot point - amnesia, or a desire to discover a great new cooking technique through fighting... Grim, indeed.

Ono and his team appear at times to be groping around in the dark, shooting wide on any count to gauge a response. After the hysteria of the colouful, but lacking in grounding, Crimson Viper; the team turned in a purer vision of the classic model in Abel, albeit in a particularly bland form. A similar stutter came from the lazily designed El Fuerte, who, despite drawing from the colourful and exciting world of lucha libre, failed to impress from a design standpoint.

This flailing of the creative limbs feels so especially disheartening because of the strong pedigree established by the early games. The makers were smart enough to distance themselves from the infamy of SFIII's cast of freaks, but it almost feels like, at this early stage, we're fixing to do it all over again in a whole new way. Sure, El Fuerte and Abel have managed to bring it back to the broad notion of a good Street Fighter, but it all still feels so lazy, and insincere.

Missing from the design process seems to be perhaps the most obvious saving grace: a larger purpose to this game. Touted as a "New Beginning," there seems to be little defining quality to what is thus far little more than a successful romp into contemporary 3D gaming. While it's nice to leave the bad taste of the blocky Ex series behind us, that doesn't make a game for me, and it flagrantly ignores the advantages of a franchise that allow a strong central concept to provide branching inspiration for more characters.

While the story has always been vague and shifting in the Street Fighter canon, key plot points have been firmly established in the games. The destruction of M. Bison and Shadaloo is the key point of SFII, and the Alpha games [Zero in Japan] further contribute to that with elements surrounding Akuma and the dark hadou. From there we get a sense of progression in SFIII that pits the heroes against another evil organization, this time the cultish Illuminati.

Because Ryu has so successfully been the face of the series, I'd be very tempted to build the larger story around this character. Though potentially an unpopular decision given the milque toast qualities of the indomitable hero, it gives an opportunity to not only include that classic core to this new series, but also build toward a climax in the journey of this hero who has carried the series thus far.

Street Fighter III famously fumbled the ball by attempting to introduce a dominating cast of new characters. The speed of the introduction was almost doomed to fail, particularly as so many of the characters rebelled against the classic mould of characters with strong nationalized and fighting identities.

That said, as someone who fancys himself as a bit of a writer, I can't help but feel loathed at the idea of simply brushing these mistakes aside. Particularly as SFIII contained so many redeeming qualities, even in the most superficial sense. There's much to be salvaged from SFIII, particularly with the opportunity to do with these devices what that game failed to - introduce them organically.

The chronic female shortage could be lessened by the inclusion of the vibrant Capoeira style through Elena; while the powerful Oro offers a wise, sage-like muse well known to the martial arts genre. It seems almost a given that this character's presence be linked to the upper tier, perhaps even as a mentor to the increasingly powerful Ryu, whose battle with the dark hadou was never quite closed out to my satisfaction.

It strikes me that, despite the legend these characters have built within their own universe, there's never been a character intent on harnessing the dark energies of the hadou technique. This power, which has effectively defined Akuma's role in the series as a dark shadow, is a great point from which a new boss can be derived, and as such a lynchpin from which story can be hung.
It makes sense that Ryu's battle with the dark temptation be brought to a head by a fighter competent on his own terms, but intent on building new power through the accumulation of this style. As the unnamed ansatsuken technique used by Ryu, Ken and Akuma originated from Chinese master, Goutetsu, it seems a great opportunity to add that flair from references similar to the inspiration of Lei Fang; one of the more exciting new characters from Tekken 5.

I'm digressing into specific concepts that, you can probably tell, have krept to mind previously, but while I'm uncomfortable with the notion of fan-fiction, I like to think they help emphasise the point. There's so much directing concepts inherent to the material that it's utterly heart breaking to see this series continue without a strong creative direction. Though not obvious, it's even from concepts like this, and the strong sense of the universe that influences these characters, that could easily direct better references for the design and creation of new characters.

Not every character need be tied to the central plot, and I can think of plenty of reasons to include other characters in the game. The thought occurs that even SFIII freaks like the robotic Q character offer opportunities to build potential sequels, with unlikely ties to characters like Zangief, and many other sub-stories of varying significance. It's important to remember that while every character deserves strong motivation and some description of an adventure through the plot of a game, they don't all need to be out to save the world.
The context of Street Fighter, as we have so often noted, is that of a strong underground culture of fighting and the fighting spirit. The philosophy of characters can reasonably be something as simple as seeking to be the best, but for satisfactory treatment, there has to be some sort of developing plot that these characters enter into, even if they just want to be the best.

It's early days. There's still plenty to come from Street Fighter IV, and while I openly express my disappointment, it comes more from a very accepting audience that no longer aspires to great things of this franchise. Many Street Fighter fans are blissfully ignorant to the irony of their enjoyment in seeing references from SF descendents like the SNK fighters, or many other franchises.

Though it threatens to miscast the argument as one of stagnancy, there's a point I feel needs stressing. This is Street Fighter. This is the franchise that put the beat 'em up on the map, and for this game to be making a "new beginning" out of lacklustre visuals and a lazy dismissal of the trademark qualities of Street Fighter, is a travesty. This is the one the other games should be aspiring to, but without recognising everything that makes Street Fighter so identifiable, they run the risk of being homogenized in a sea of mediocrity.

Ono-san's direction right now feels flat and devoid of the supposed enthusiasm that won him the job of overseeing a franchise Capcom considered dead.
His track record is spotty at best, with Fighting Evolution a maligned faux pas of gameplay that introduced the hideously misplaced Ingrid into the SF roster. His designs reek of SNK, and even Capcom's defunct wrestling series, Saturday Night Slam Masters, albeit without the flair or contextual relevance of that game.

We haven't even had the opportunity to touch on the fact that the game has, despite Ono's promise to the contrary, become a total boys club. As slots continue to be filled in the playable roster, one can't help but feel the wrestling overtones of Rufus, and El Fuerte, didn't come at the cost of a return for a stronger female character, like Rainbow Mika. That, however, is a contextual debate for another day, perhaps when we have a clearer indication of what the final cast will look like. After poll results put SFIII's Dudley at the top of the most-wanted list, I hold out hope for less obvious returnees to the series.

Once upon a time negativity was undoubtedly the bane of the online community, but the flipside seems to have emerged as the new super power. The prevelance of Nintendo's family-friendly Wii, as well as the increasing trend to abandon story in video games seems indicative of the growing control a new, young generation has. It's perhaps here that the naivity and ill informed acceptance begins, but this shouldn't be license for the gaming industry to retract even further into itself. As more dollars ride on it, it's an industry already intent on rehashing and avoiding risk at all cost. A process that's potentially gradually feeding it it's own tail. Homogenization seems to be the enemy here, and Street Fighter deserves to hold on to, and market the flair that made it an international cultural phenomenon.

There's sure to be plenty to come, and I'll be watching!

EDIT: And watching I was! If you're a beat 'em up fan and you haven't heard the news, the apparent confirmation of Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe almost certainly puts any of Street Fighter's problems into perspective. You might expect a fight blog like this to be behind such a move, but if you read through the discussion in this entry, you'll probably be able to figure out why the Infinite Wars thinks this is terrible for both parties involved.

To cap off what is arguably a creative surrender from the MK franchise in the year that was supposed to redefine the series with the 'slate wiped clean,' this early render released on Mortal Kombat Online shows several steps back in MK's design approach. What I wouldn't do to get some thoughts from a Dan Didio, or someone else, right now. It's shocking to believe DC would've licensed their properties to something of this nature. I'm baffled, true believers!

The Fight: 4 The Issue: 6.5

With visionaries like Masahiko Nakahira showing exactly how strong and consistent the Street Fighter story and identity can be, it's especially embarassing to see the mistakes of the past repeated. If you want to find out more about Nakahira-san's cohesive version of the Street Fighter saga, and put your best foot forward in the debate about SFIV and it's new characters, you should head over to Amazon! They not only offer fantastic prices and deals, but when you use purchase links provided, you help fund future entries in the Infinite Wars! You'll find this, as well as other reviewed issues in the Amazonian Gift Shoppe, as well!

DAN HIBIKI versus KEN MASTERS
Round. 6 (UDON/Capcom/Shinseisha)
Where: Street Fighter Alpha Vol.1 When: 2007
Why: Masahiko Nakahira How: Masahiko Nakahira

The Story so far...
Since his victory against Sagat, Ryu has become a despondent warrior, fearful of his own power and nature as a fighter. Having taken a job as hired muscle on a drug running vessel; Ryu is picked up by Interpol when they intervene in his ship's course, and suffer the horrors of the uncontrollable dark hadou energies Ryu harbors within.

Despite fears that he may again succumb to the dark hadou, Ryu agrees to join a mission to infiltrate the underground fighting scene, where an international criminal organization called "Shadaloo" is recruiting street fighters into their ever growing army of assassins and criminals. Accompanying Chun-Li through the sewers, Ryu finds himself locked in an astral battle against the mysterious fortune-teller, Rose.

Having been warned that his life would be changed by the intervention of two warriors garbed in blood red; Ryu takes Chun-Li to an official fighting arena, where just such an individual is about to fight. His oldest friend and fellow practitioner of the mysterious ansatsuken fighting style of Goutetsu -- Ken Masters; American fighting champion!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Ken 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Ken 3 (Straight A)
Speed: Ken 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Ken 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Draw 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting Ability: Ken 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Power: Ken 3 (Explosives)


- The son of a Hong Kong martial artist; Dan Hibiki's life becomes dedicated to a quest of revenge when his father is killed in battle with his Muay Thai fighting rival, Sagat. Against all odds Dan appears to succeed in avenging his father's death by defeating Sagat, unaware that his despondent opponent allowed him to win. Blissfully ignorant; Hibiki goes on to begin promoting his saikyo-ryuu fighting style and forming new rivalries in the martial arts arena.

A thoroughly unremarkable fighter, Hibiki's style is heavily derived from the ansatsuken method practiced by fighters like Ken and Ryu, with some additional inspiration from the Muay Thai fighting style of Sagat.
Dan is capable of limited ki manipulation with attacks such as his self-taught, short ranged, one-handed fireball, the Gadouken. More potent is his dankukyaku aerial attack, which features a triple hitting combination of kicks, easily blocked.

- Born to a wealthy American and his Japanese wife, Ken Masters is placed in the care of martial arts master, Gouken, at a young age. There he befriends and trains with a young Japanese fighter named Ryu, with whom Ken would have a lifelong bond and rivalry. Together the fighters hone their skills in the unnamed Ansatsuken fighting discipline, whilst mastering the energy harnessing attacks of the Hadou technique. When Gouken is murdered by Akuma, master of the dark hadou; Ken joins Ryu in the search for the man responsible, bringing the pair into conflict with the nefarious criminal organization, Shadaloo.

Ken is a supreme athlete, having won many martial arts competitions in his native America. His fighting style is much the same as Ryu's; featuring the Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku hurricane kick, as well as the hadouken and shoryuken energy attacks.

The Math: Ken Masters Ranking: Ken Masters (#53)

What Went Down...
Dan enters the arena to resounding antagonism from the crowd, who are retaliating to the apparent indescretions of previous fights, where Hibiki has been known to cheat to win. I'm not sure if this is really a fair depiction of a character better known for being utterly useless, but given that this is depicted as a finals confrontation, I guess those sorts of explanations are required by some... I digress...

Hibiki is somewhat taken aback by the angellic blonde who enters the ring as his opponent, drastically undermining the fighting quality that no doubt earned Ken a spot in the tournament finals. This tournament is revealed to be Ken's first official outing, leading to further taunts from the over confident Hibiki, who receives a guarantee from his opponent that he'll finish him off with a minimum of time and pain.

Ken's boastful claims appear under threat as the pink-garbed Hibiki launches into his dankukyaku flying kick the second the match starts -- or so it seems!
Ken proves more than ready for a fight, easily blocking the triple threat kick of Dan's assault!

Ken puts on a Masters-class, leaping into a rising knee that puts Dan right in a stunned ready position for Ken's own special kick attack -- the tatsumaki senpuu kyaku! The spinning kick collides for four clean strikes, knocking Dan even sillier than usual!

From the crowd, Ryu can sense an imminent victory in Ken's favour, but Hibiki's arsenal is not yet exhausted! Feeling the pressure, Dan looks to strike-out with a powerful uppercut attack modelled on Ken and Ryu's shoryuken, but before the "koryuken" can be executed, Ken counters it with a devestating fly kick!

Recognising Dan's fighting arsenal as little more than a knock-off of his own, Ken unleashes a devestating combination - the beginning of the end of his show of superiority. Looking to impress Ryu, Ken summons his ki energy for a finisher the likes of which has never been seen -- a multiple hitting shoryuken combo!

The move sends a hush through the crowd as Dan's defeated body hurls through the air, coming to a harsh and bloodied landing. Ryu in particular is left in awe, recognising the move as forbidden by their master, Gouken, for it's connection with the dark hadou.

Ken soaks in his first official tournament win as the crowd erupts into cheer.

The Hammer...
Well, after another tired day, I make the feeble gesture of giving you your expected winner: Ken Masters!

The beginning of the month has been dedicated to a lot of features revolving around boxing and competition fighting [Immortal Iron Fist #11, Daredevil: Man Without Fear #2, Phantom #927], so it seemed like a great opportunity to come back to Street Fighter, which has been a recurring feature on the Infinite Wars. In the recent past, Street Fighter's been a great hits grabber for us, in particular the now infamous Street Fighter Legends #2 review, which features Zangief's accidental groping [of Rainbow Mika]. Mmm, classy!

The significance of Street Fighter II in 1990's mainstream pop culture is undeniable.
Most of you who were alive in the middle of the decade should be familiar with a lot of the icons of the series, even by the abstraction of their commercial value. Comics fans from the era will have had specific confrontations with the Street Fighter stable when they collided with the Marvel Comics super heroes in a series of Versus games, which are still regarded to be among the very best 2D beat 'em up video games!

With Street Fighter IV on the home console horizon, some of you are going to be enjoying the repeating emergence of Street Fighter on the Infinite Wars. On the other hand, there seems to be a real divide between Japanese culture and American comics fans, who may or may not be typified by their rigid preconceptions. For the more accepting of you, I hope each time we dive deeper into the Street Fighter canon, you maybe come to see just how similar the fictional worlds of these and superhero characters can be.

Now, about those video game characters: a lot's been happening with Street Fighter IV since we last talked SF, and I kinda wish I'd jumped on that much sooner, because I've lost a little bit of the wind I had in my sails!

Top 25 Gaming Warriors
#1 Ryu (Capcom)
#2 Dhalsim (Capcom)
#3 Guile(Capcom)
#4 R. Mika (Capcom)
#5 Ken Masters (Capcom)
#6 Sagat (Capcom)
#7 Fei Long (Capcom)
#8 Raiden (Midway)
#9 Noob Saibot (Midway)
#10 Akuma (Capcom)
#11 Sakura (Capcom)
#12 T.Hawk (Capcom)
#13 Jin Kazama (Namco)
#14 Rose (Capcom)
#15 Chun-Li (Capcom)
#16 Vega (Capcom)
#17 Scorpion (Midway)
#18 Birdie (Capcom)
#19 Balrog (Capcom)
#20 Gouken (Capcom)
#21 Sodom (Capcom)
#22 Ganryu (Namco)
#23 Bruce Irvin (Namco)
#24 Dan Hibiki (Capcom)
#25 Zangief (Capcom)
Fortunately a little energizer came in the form of El Fuerte; the latest addition to the returning SFII legends.
First impressions? Well, it's nice to see Capcom following up on Abel with another character steeped in fighting styles. El Fuerte represents the lucha legion of libre wrestlers popularized by American and Asian genres of high risk, high-flying pro wrestling. In the Alpha series of games Rainbow Mika touched upon the style, but never to any thorough extent, so one might expect moves designed to take advantage of the gravity scripts inherent to 3D CG models, along the lines of trademarks from Rey Mysterio, Great Muta, Ultimo Dragon, and other well known pros.

I find myself bouncing back and forth between unbridled excitement, and bitter scepticism.
The reveal of a French mixed martial artist named Abel brought me back to joy after the bitter deviation of a new character like Crimson Viper, whose design and concept was heavily removed from the classic concept of proficient fighters from around the world.

Just as Abel's release was coloured by Crimson Viper, I find El Fuerte reflecting off of Abel. Measuring the characters on a cumulative scale, Abel suffers from the follow-up of an equally uninspired visual, in the surprisingly dull looking Mexican luchador.

Capcom have a history in the wrestling genre with the Slam Masters series, which featured around the same time as Street Fighter II, boasting a more outlandish cast of professional wrestling characters. With such a pedigree behind them, the bland design of El Fuerte is especially disappointing, and given game director Yoshinori Ono's history as co-creator of Fighting Evolution's, Ingrid; one can't help but wonder if the desires of fans and the strengths of the series might be lost on the current creative team.

Love or hate Crimson Viper, it's impossible to deny that there's an investment in the character both in terms of visual, and in the in-game construction of her movements and reality. That said, the character really brings back horrible memories of Street Fighter III, where the bulk of the cast was bumped for characters depicting more outlandish qualities, rather than anything familiar to a nation or established fighting art.

With Abel, upset fans were treated to something more traditional with a character who wears his nation on his sleeve (literally!), and boasts a very traditional martial arts asthetic. That said, the character manages to be a pale comparison of cartooned characters like Ken, Ryu, or Sagat, each steeped in their martial arts history, but heavily developed into individual characters.
Maybe one should be more forgiving. Maybe it would be more just to recognise the potential for evolution in characters like Abel and El Fuerte, but for such a prominent series... I guess there's an expectation for more immediately inspiring results.

Rival beat 'em up franchise, Sega's Virtua Fighter, introduced gamers to fictional lucha libre El Blaze, who comes adorned with Rey Mysterio inspired regalia in what undoubtedly made for a more immediate impact.
I don't want to sound overly negative, because I'm definitely looking forward to Street Fighter IV. At the same time, discourse should never be something frowned upon, even if I'm a little off my game and maybe not quite articulating the historical references to the extent I wish I was.

The big news over the past few days is a countdown hinting at information about the new Mortal Kombat, which, if the case, means the American market is about to be flooded with franchise beat 'em ups! The selection; ranging from Soul Calibur, to Tekken, and now the previously promised eighth Mortal Kombat; promises to give Street Fighter IV a run for it's money, at least in Western markets.

I'm not doing terribly well here, but I want to give a minute to Masahiko Nakahira's work on Street Fighter Alpha, because it somewhat resonates with some of issues regarding the creative course of the games.

Where Yoshiniro Ono might have a slightly confused passion for moving the series forward, Nakahira pays homage to the games and their history through his story which is very nearly an adaptation of the Street Fighter Alpha video game.
You really get an appreciation for Nakahira's attention to detail when you break down something like this fight between Dan and Ken. Certain concessions are made for the sake of the story. Dan's given an implied fighting credibility by his position in the tournament final, which is fairly atypical of his character, but is, as noted, explained away by a spate of cheating. Breaking down the mechanics of the fights and scenes, even away from the trademark moves, really shows an almost slavish attention to the game and it's animated sprites.

Another noted change [for the sake of story] was the development of the shoryuken, a staple of the games, as a move connected to the dark hadou.
Nakahira does well to create a cohesion with otherwise silly concepts, like evil Ryu, developing the unwritten conclusion of the first Street Fighter game, which sees Ryu scarring Sagat with the finishing punch [interpreted in Street Fighter #1], as the first awakening of the dark hadou in Ryu.

Nakahira pays a delightful respect to the first game's boss and subsequent stalwart, Sagat, recasting him as an unbeatable villain in his legendary showdown with Ryu. Unlike frustrated scenes like the SFII animated movie, Sagat dominates the Japanese fighter, defeated by the shoryuken as a last resort, rather than a finishing blow on an embarassing defeat.

Nakahira recalls this kind of strength in his Street Fighter III: Final Ryu, where Sagat's journey continues despite the character's omission from the third official installment - a fact that again points to Nakahira's fantastic understanding of the of the brand. An understanding that seems to have alluded many Capcom teams that have taken over the franchise with the dissolving of the original teams. There's probably more to be said about that, but for now, it's a wrap. Night guys!

EDIT: Once again, I failed to mention that the top twenty five is provided by cumulative rankings determined over two years of Infinite Wars. Take them with a pinch of salt, and understand they only represent a focused interpretation.

The Fight: 4 The Issue: 6.5

As always Amazon links are provided for your convenience, just incase you should decide you've found yourself so thoroughly tittilated, you feel like making an impulse purchase. By using the purchase links provided, you help sponsor future entries in the Infinite Wars, which is really very nice of you. Mwah, mwah.

QUICK FIX DOUBLE FEATURE: Enter The Tekken!
JIN KAZAMA versus GANRYU/BRUCE IRVIN
What's This Life For? (Image/Namco)
Where: Tekken Forever #1 When: December 2001
Why: Dave Chi How: Paco Diaz

Quick Fix...
Y'know, you've probably seen me whinging about a lack of energy, and I have to say that maintaining the action you've come to expect from the Infinite Wars has been rough. The passion that comics is known to inspire can't always work, but lucky for me, there's a feisty mistress waiting in the wings to soothe the mental ache.

Though tragically out of touch with today's market, it's no secret that I've got ties to the gaming crowd. I'm as stuck in the early nineties as anyone else, regularly featuring some of my favourite characters from both the Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat franchises right here on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths. Some of you probably find that a little frustrating, but you know what, the gaming crowd is doing a pretty good job of bringing the hits and links, so... You'll have to work harder for my attentions!

As a distant outsider, I observe today's home console market as a wasteland of uncertainty. The certainty of Sony's dominance is a thing of the past as the Playstation 3 lurches out of the gates with an uninspiring catalogue, and heavily promoted features like Sony's Blu-Ray DVD format, which to me, is little more than an inconsequential inconvenience allotted to product pricing.

That said, as uncertain as gaming prospects may be, PS3 is finally on the verge of touting one of the old favourites that helped make the PSX and PS2 household names around the planet. There'll always be SF and MK, but when they each found themselves swallowed by a new generation of gaming - Tekken was there!

I was a little late to the Tekken parade. Truth be told, while the first two releases for the PSX regularly featured near perfect magazine reviews and list topping status as a beat 'em up, I was something of the curmudgeon. Blocky polygons and slow paced gaming left me a little cold in a time where so-called "3D" gaming couldn't quite rival the refined and speedy gaming of the classics.
That said, by Tekken 3, which opened the franchise out to a whole new range of vibrant colours and improved designs, I was hooked!

With Street Fighter III squandering Capcom's goodwill with a hard reboot to it's cast, which replaced the classic martial artists formula with a collection of garrish freaks, and uninspiring character designs; Tekken became it's successor. Ironic, given that Tekken 3 also made harsh changes to it's established roster, introducing a generation of characters now iconic to the series.

Tekken Forever, the ill-fated US franchising, looked to capitalize on hype surrounding the release of Tekken 4: the first canonical release on the PS2!
With specifics scarce, the comic looked to build directly off the conclusion of T3, while utilizing improved character designs revealed in promotion for T4, which had already hit arcades by the comic's release.

I distinctly remember an entire line of Tekken comics planned by the now defunct Dark Design Works/TidalWave Studios. Much like UDON today, they launched a website dedicated to their line, and in hindsight I kinda wish I'd kept up with their message board a little better, because by the time I knew there was not going to be a second issue, they were long gone.

As already mentioned, the story appears to place itself at the conclusion of Tekken 3, layering additions made in the Tekken Tag Tournament game such as the mysterious goop covered boss, Unknown, widely speculated to be a relation of Jin Kazama. Even though it was only six years ago, I think you actually have to give the DDW guys some credit.
At this point there had been little to nothing resembling a promising beat 'em up comic adaptation [from the US], and this at least had the visual cues to raise comparable excitement to UDON's work on SF. Though the inclusion of Unknown may be tenuous in hindsight, the fate of the character was not yet known, with folks behind the book boasting their efforts to canonize the character's fate.

Things obviously didn't work out so well.

The issue boldly opens after the action has already happened. Standing triumphant over the majority of the cast is Kazuya Mishima, the anti-hero from the first two games, and estranged father of Tekken 3's protagonist, Jin Kazama.

Jin cradles the lifeless body of Unknown, with internal dialogue providing ham-fisted acknowledgment of her mystery, and Jin's desire to uncover her veiled past. Not that any of that is important in this, the first issue of what was intended to be a four issue mini-series.

Rather than fight his son himself, Kazuya sets his thugs on him instead. Those blessed with feature roles in the only American Tekken comic to date are Ganryu and Bruce Irvin; Sumo and suited Thai kickboxer-lite, respectively.

Kazama makes quick work on Ganryu, delivering a swift kick to the jaw, whilst dodging a diving knee from Irvin, which sets him up for a clean backhander that knocks the kickboxer down! When Irvin expresses jive-talking dismay, Kazuya casually gives him permission to kill his son, showing about as much interest in the fight as a good many readers.

A less than impressive knee puts an end to Ganryu, leaving Bruce Irvin to once again charge head-long into an attack that's easily ducked in a move reminiscent of the game. Jin turns the tables, denouncing any similarities between he and his father, as he mercilessly introduces Irvin's skull to the Aztec temple where they fight [a callback to the final stage of Tekken 3!].

It might shock you to know: this is not a good comic.
I openly admit that I'm pretty fair game for any half decent story starring my favourite fighting characters. This issue was actually given to me as an incredibly thoughtful gift, and it's for that, and just the fact that it's a Tekken comic, that I'm really glad to own it!... It just isn't good...

In reviewing UDON's output of Street Fighter comics, we've noted issues with writing that fails to hold up against the industry's best. Tekken Forever, not surprisingly, suffers in the same department, taking it to far more intrusive places than Ken Siu-Chong's vague, meandering story that services an otherwise fair representation of the licensed properties.

A poorly constructed first issue isn't helped by the fact that nothing followed.
An introduction that starts anywhere but the beginning probably would've had some sort of resonance given due course, but instead, it's the front side of an island girt by cliff faces. As much as Chi and Diaz respect the characters, Chi's characterization reads sophmoric, harmed further by some of the worst lettering I've ever seen. I don't want to turn this into a witch hunt, but I can't help but wonder if letterer, Roberto Miranda, wasn't just helping out a friend.
Font-sizes vary as letters are contorted in a variety of ways to accomodate sloppy word balloons placed unnecessarily cramped on the page.

I think it would've been nice to have seen where this went, even if only for the four issues of Tekken Forever. I don't doubt that this would've been a distraction from what could potentially make Tekken a great comic book franchise, and I can't help but wonder how less than qualified companies continue to obtain licensing to major video game properties. I can't help but think of the recent ill-fated Mortal Kombat series, which didn't even make it this far, from Atomeka.

The Atomeka project at least had the good sense to involve itself with current MK story director, John Vogel, who has had mixed successes with a new era of Mortal Kombat. In some curious synergy, the MK book was set to feature pencils by Walter McDaniel, who worked on issues of Deadpool, much the same as Tekken Forever penciller, Paco Diaz!

How ill-equipped folks continue to get involved in projects such as these is a two-pronged question.

One wonder how untried talent acquire such major licenses, but likewise, one also wonders what corporations like Namco are doing signing off on this stuff!
It's an enigma wrapped in a mystery, friends, but for a fan and writer such as myself, it always leaves that window of hope open, because, yes. I think I can balance the roll of fan and writer better than these folks, but then, maybe that's how all this starts, and lord knows I can't nail down reliable pencillers...

As Tekken rolls onto the newest generation of consoles, and into it's sixth central iteration, yet another question must be pondered upon. Who next shall tackle the task of the Tekken comic book, and will they be worthy?...

The Fight: 3 The Issue: 4
Winner: Jin Kazama

Tekken 6 is already in arcades in Asia, and no doubt as that excitement carries over to the West and onto home consoles, we'll be talking more about Tekken! As disappointing as "Tekken Forever" manages to be, it packs plenty of action, which means stats!

---

RYU versus ROSE
Round. 5 (UDON/Capcom/Shinseisha)
Where: Street Fighter Alpha Vol.1 When: 2007
Why: Masahiko Nakahira How: Masahiko Nakahira

Quick Fix...
You might have noticed a qualifier in the above portion of this article, that singled out the US market as failing to produce a beat 'em up adaptation of respectable worth.
Well, it's a book like this that engenders such a qualifier, because across the big pond there's a place not only inventing these characters, but also putting creative powers to work on servicing them in print form.

It was actually in February 1996 that the now bankrupt Shinseisha published Masahiko Nakahira's work on Street Fighter Zero [as it is known in Japan]. Even though I generally don't like featuring reprints on the site, I feel it would be misleading to report on the long forgotten original, when it's quite clearly UDON's translations that make this review possible [credits to: Mai Kusuyama, Jim Zubkavich & Terri Delgado for their work on translating the story to English].

This actually marks a milestone for the Infinite Wars as the first black and white comic featured, but contrary to what you might be thinking, it's not the first manga. Street Fighter fans will remember another series recently translated by UDON, but also released in full colour in the US, aptly called, Street Fighter II!

Masaomi Kanzaki's work [printed by Tokuma Shoten] differs from Nakahira's in that it differs more substantially from the source material. Nakahira, though clearly walking his own path, weaves well recognised plot points, characters, and characteristics taken from the game, including the winding impact of Street Fighter protaginst, Ryu's, encounter with the Muay Thai legend, Sagat.

1UP.com blogger, Noe Valladolid, recently featured the conclusion of that legendary feud, as detailed in Street Fighter III: Ryu Final. That series, chronologically falling after Alpha, though not necessarily directly related, is currently being released by UDON in English.

While Ryu Final details the as-yet conclusion of Ryu's career as a world warrior, Alpha is positioned closer to the beginning. Granted, flashbacks reveal the true beginning, as Ryu trains under the Master Gouken, along with a young Ken Masters; but the saga of Ryu arguably begins the moment he scars Sagat with the Shoryuken, a never seen, but iconic and unforgettable moment that defines the transition from the first Street Fighter game, to the better known SFII.

Distanced from what we imagine of the games, but built around a conceit of telling a story that blends the cast of the Alpha games with the SF universe; Street Fighter Alpha Volume. 1 opens on a barge ferrying drugs. Manned by Ryu and Birdie; it is an unlikely eventuality for the heroic series protagonist, but easily explained by the despondence that has gripped Ryu in the wake of his battle with Sagat, where he unleashed the power of the Shoryuken.

Nakahira places unlikely weight on the common in-game attack; revealing the dragon punch's origins as a manifestation of the killing intent associated with the mysterious martial art practiced by the series' stars. It's this regret that launches the story into the tale of Ryu's battle with the seduction of the Dark Hadou; a story Infinite Wars readers will remember as the central premise of the animated feature of the same name [Street Fighter Alpha].

We join Ryu having already experienced the maddening power of the dark hadou, as he travels with Chun-Li through the sewers to an underground fighting tournament. Ryu has agreed to join Interpol as bait in their investigation into the international crime-syndicate, Shadaloo, who have begun scouting fighters.

Ryu's own problems seem likely to interfere as his destined confrontation with the dark hadou arouses the interests of the mysterious fortune teller, Rose.
Having already sent a message through a mysterious tarot card, Rose appears to Ryu in the sewers when he falls from the path into the torrent of muck.

Rose tells Ryu of his future, and challenges him to rise to it. She is equally unimpressed by Ryu's brutish reception, as he is by her unexpected visit.
Uncertain about his surroundings, Ryu reacts with violence, firing off a hadouken directed at the fortune teller, rather than any of her astral decoys.

Much to Ryu's shock, the beautiful Rose not only defends against his ki attack, but deflects it back at him with devestating results! The fireball sends Ryu hurtling into the flowing gulf of the sewer water. It is an act of power that speaks clearly to the wandering warrior, and frees him of his prejudices enough to hear the fortune Rose has to tell.

She foretells a meeting of two men in red, who are like fire. Though Ryu does not yet know it, she speaks of the two men who will define him during his struggle with identity, and the presence of the killing intent in the dark hadou.

One of these men is Ryu's greatest ally, Ken Masters, while the other is the darkness that Rose opposes, and is destined to be one of Ryu's greatest challenges: M. Bison, master of Shadaloo!

Needless to say, I'm a big fan of this series, and along with a whole lot of other business, I'm sure we'll be seeing more of Masahiko Nakahira's influence in Infinite Wars to come.

While I could never bring myself to fully acknowledge this work as the perfect canon for the Street Fighter universe, it is undeniably a fantastic and thoroughly enjoyable account of the SFA period. In pondering how that measures up against UDON's efforts, I find myself with mixed feelings on the matter.

UDON's successes have come visually, providing a dynamic presence not often seen in the quantity-driven market of manga. With substantially fewer pages (per issue), Ken Siu-Chong and Alvin Lee service the franchise with visual precision, and character beats that are familiar and expected. That said, they do so without any definitive spine to their story, something SFA has in spades.
In a perfect world, I'd probably attempt to combine the two, because while it ventures in and out of established canon, UDON's series never quite deviates as specifically as Nakahira.

Then again, in isolation, looking at Nakahira's story through to Ryu Final, we really get a strong sense of what the Street Fighter series could have been.
Taking the series protagonist as the central throughline, Nakahira's work shows Ryu's formative years, adolescent struggles with his growing power, and eventually concludes with the graduation of Ryu to ultimate power.

It's suggested, during battle with Akuma, that Ryu even manages to supercede death in a conclusion that only draws further parallels between the practitioners of the hadou-ki, and Star Wars' Jedi Knights. While I can't necessarily subscribe to the specifics of that story, I tend to agree with notions proposed by Noe Valladolid, of a Ryu that becomes the new Street Fighter final boss.

It's a concept that works both in and outside of the canon, allowing the weight of a twenty-year legacy to justify with greater meaning the ascension to boss-hood. To the story of Street Fighter, it means a rare look at the rise of a boss character, something rarely seen in a beat 'em up franchise to that degree. A ground breaking honor that seems worth of Street Fighter, which arguably started it all.

The Fight: 3 The Issue: 6.5
Winner: Rose

UDON have translated the complete Street Fighter Alpha over two massive 200 page volumes of black and white English art! Artwork remains preserved in the Japanese format, which means to be really authentic, you should try re-reading this review from finish-to-start.
You can expect more Street Fighter Alpha in the future, but in the mean time, I'll probably try to get back to some of those American superheroes, eh? TRY...